wee folk for fall birthdays

The current birthday trend in our town is to ask for no presents or to make a contribution to a charity of the child's choosing. Although, I do love the idea of taking the focus off  presents at parties, you can imagine how I miss the idea of making something special... even something little for the birthday child. My daughter was invited to a fall birthday party over the weekend and the guidelines were right up my alley:
"Presents aren't necessary. However, if you'd like to give something please make it or recycle it, but no need to buy anything  new." Perfect!
Almost every year since my son was two (an entire decade!), I make flower fairies. Sometimes they're for us, sometimes they're to give. Since our fairy family is currently out on one of our nature shelves, I wasn't surprised when my daughter suggested making one for her birthday friend. We generally create them using a modified version from the Salley Mavor's Felt Wee Folk in combination with instructions from the Flowerina kits no longer available from Chinaberry (in 2000!).

I don't know what I love most about  these little dolls... they definitely tap into that part of me that believed in fairyland... maybe still does.

Salley's book may not be new to some of you, as it was published 7 years ago, but I can't recommend more highly. It's bursting with enough gorgeous photographs of her brilliant felt illustrations and miniature dolls to inspire even the most reluctant crafter... but it also comes with very clear instructions so that you can confidently make a wide variety of figures: from pirates to royalty... to these gorgeous harvest folk perfect for right now!


Here's the little fall birthday fairy my daughter and I made (without a trip to the store). After our first frost, our garden flowers were dwindling, but she gathered the last of them to make a mini bouquet "to keep the fairy company in her new home". 

If you're interested in making these enchanting little folk, I can't recommend this book more. Salley is a genius and the projects even include felt brooches and purses... enough ideas to give as gifts, top presents, and stuff into stockings in the upcoming months. I know we'll be gathering by the wood stove for another fairy making session some time soon. Maybe you will, too.