Bringing Nature Home with Mini Houses

Welcome to Art in Real Life #8! I’ve been playing and having a lot of fun exploring a new art medium with making miniature nature houses. I even ventured out and am learning to use a Dremel tool.

This new art form was inspired by many walks in nature and gathering some if its treasures along the paths, and the wonder of children - specifically my amazing granddaughters.

The artful result are these modified birdhouses, mini nature houses, also known as fairy houses.

Modified Bird Houses

I began to find some ready made fairy houses at Grocery Outlet at the beginning of Spring, and that sparked me to look further. As I looked at unfinished wood birdhouses online, and checking out Pinterest for Fairy houses, I began to imagine making miniature nature houses made out of mostly natural materials. They could be for outdoors or for indoors. I bought an inspirational book that showed these houses more of a surprising art form found along nature’s path. Here is a link for the book, and I also show a bit of it in the video in this post.
Fairy Houses: How to Create Whimsical Homes for Fairy Folk . The book doesn’t show modifying birdhouses, but I though the structures would be a good place for me to start since I haven’t worked with cutting wood before.

Mini Nature Houses Video

Below is a little video about the inspiration making of the miniature houses

Joy-filled Nature Houses

Interchangeable tops for house and gazebo

Birdhouses modified to make the teapot mini nature house

Lighting was added to the interior and is controlled by a switch placed and wired in a small niche hole cut out of the lower back of the teapot. On this house I used more silk leaves and whimsical flowers than on the other houses, which are almost entirely embellished with natural materials.

Mini Nature Beach Hut

with journal, well, fire pit, and figure

What a fun keepsake for a wonderful time at the beach spent with my dearest childhood friend, friends and family.

These projects were done for the sheer joy of doing it, and it feels like making more and exploring more of nature like a child.

I’d love to hear what new creative projects you are doing or want to do in the comments section.

Blessings of comfort and joy to You!

Valerie

Supplies & Links

Hexagon unfinished wood birdhouse: https://amzn.to/3oPhtk3
Plaid Enterprises, Inc. Plaid Wood Surface Crafting Birdhouse, Gazebo

String lights used to light gazebo and tea cottage: https://amzn.to/3Ndfy2s
6 PACK 7Feet Starry String Lights Waterproof Fairy String Lights

Inspirational book on making fairy houses with natural materials: https://amzn.to/3oLLjpM
Fairy Houses: How to Create Whimsical Homes for Fairy Folk

Book for making fairy house furnishings: https://amzn.to/3WLI12c
Fairy House: How to Make Amazing Fairy Furniture, Miniatures, and More from Natural Materials

The Amazon links above are for products I have purchased and used in the above post. If you click on the link and purchase I receive a small commission. It doesn’t cost you anything. A win/win! Thank you for your support.

The other birdhouses were ordered online from Joann