Fairy Houses

If you are crafty and like to walk the woods looking for natural objects (hollowed out tree branches, acorns, nuts, pine cones, shelf fungus, lichens, seed pods, vines and the like), you just might enjoy making some fairy houses for gifts or for your garden.  The photos above are some examples from the experts at the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, DC  http://www.usbg.gov/ .  Using them indoors is probably not a problem, thought they should be made of clean and dry materials that are not bug infested (a hour stay in your warm oven might be in order, or a trip through the freezer, to kill bugs and eggs).  Outdoor fairy houses should probably be in a sheltered location and a coat of two of varnish is probably a good idea.  Even so, they might only last a few years before you have to build a new one.  I am going to try it!
Happy gardening!

My 2011 Holiday Door Swag

I like making these holiday door swags from whatever I find around the garden. This year, loblolly pine, holly, rosemary, crab apple, eucalyptus and beauty berry branches, tied with a reused bow, went into it. I like this homemade swag for many reasons, despite (or maybe because of) its imperfections: it does not look like any other, standard, purchased door decoration, it is from my garden and I made it. And it costs nothing, but 15 minutes of my time having fun making it! Plus I can easily replace any parts that begin to look "tired." See what you can round up from your yard and garden!
Happy Gardening!

Winter garden blues

OK, this is not my typical post, i.e., it is not an attempt to provide useful garden information. It is, however, a post relating to what I do when I cannot garden and that is work, chores, cooking and crafts. Above is a photo of my newest installment of an all-wool, needle-felted doll, my "garden doll," and her trusty companion dog, yet unnamed. See the basket of garden vegetables on her arm? I can't get into the garden, but I can still create! (Hope this isn't too cutesy!)(OK, it is, but...)
Happy limited winter gardening and alternative activities! We're going to warm up soon!
and...Happy New Year!