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HeartWood
A blog about cultivating
creativity, connection and contentment
wherever you are

Fairies Fare Well, Whatever the Weather

5/3/2017

11 Comments

 
PictureChrista Smalligan's fairy house creation: Stump Studio




​​Sunshine smiled on the Enchanted Forest, AKA Camp Newaygo, for at least part of last Saturday, but Sunday's downpours had fairy-folk scrambling to take shelter under toadstools. No worries, though. Quick-thinking Camp Newaygo staffers whisked gnome homes and pixie palaces out of the wet woods and into drier hiding places, where twinkly lights made fairy-house hunting just as enchanting.

PictureCamp Newaygo's Lang Lodge

​​The occasion was the two-day Enchanted Forest walk, a fundraiser for the independent not-for-profit camp located on 104 acres along a chain of lakes in the Manistee National Forest region of mid-western Michigan.

PictureSun and Moon by Sally Kane and Zoe Erin Hance
​





​Last year's Enchanted Forest event was a great success, and this year's appeal to artists and craftspeople to create and donate fairy houses again yielded a fanciful assortment of tiny abodes—forty-seven in all.

PictureWild West Nest by Fremont Middle School Art Club




​​It's always fun to see what imaginative people use to craft these dwellings: tree stumps, gourds, clay, copper wire, twigs, feathers, tin cans. One of this year's creations was made from a cowgirl's boot. Another had a hornet's nest worked into the design.

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Beehive Bower by Sarah Roys
PictureCamp Newaygo's Wetland Trail


​​Ray and I got a close look at many of them when we helped hide the homes in the woods and along the Wetland Trail early Saturday morning. Then, as visitors began arriving and heading out with trail maps, we made the rounds again to watch them discover the little houses.

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Young visitors find a fairy house
​We had fun watching visitors' reactions to our own creations, too, both the fairy house and the story that went along with it.
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Our fairy house, Teen CANteen, came with a story
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Reading the story
PictureSummer House by Valerie Deur
"We were so excited to see families outside and enjoying the houses that were hidden on the trails," said Christa Smalligan, the camp's Events and Facilities Director. "Camp Newaygo is a great place for families to enjoy activities together. I heard many kids found some fairies in the woods."

​​If you missed out on the enchantment—or if you'd like a chance to relive it--here's a look at more of the fairy houses and the weekend's fun. And if you'd like a fairy house for your very own, all the houses pictured here--and more--are available for purchase on ebay through May 8. Proceeds help fund the camp's youth and family programs as well as renovations to facilities such as the Foster Arts and Crafts Lodge.

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Saturday's event started with a make-and-take garden craft project
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A make-and-take creation
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Small visitors could also make bubble wands to use at bubble stations along the trails
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Red Door Cottage by Mary Beth Cooper
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Here's one!
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And another one!
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Hawaiian Hut by Peggy Straathof
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Beatnik Bungalow by Debbie Bell
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Copper Manor by Eileen Kent
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On the trail and on the lookout
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Featherglow Cottage by Ava Jansen
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Checking out a creation
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Fairy Zip Line by Sue Barthold
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Artist's Abode by Lisa Edwards
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Fairy finery
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Little Jewels by Sue Monterusso
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Arwen's Shelter by Ella Jansen
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Now where did we hide those houses??
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Fairy Space Camp by Mary Beth Cooper
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Fairy Nursery by Mary Perrigo
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Pine Cottage by Lisa and Ben Whittaker
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Gnome Home by Marcia Holcomb
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Mushroom Hunt by Shelby Prickett
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Events and Operations Director Christa Smalligan even sprouted wings for the occasion
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Fairrrrghy Treehouse by Scott Lakin
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Detail of Fairrrrghy Treehouse
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Detail of Fairrrrghy Treehouse
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Vitek School for Fairies & Gnomes by Vicki Sovinski
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Check out the eraser table with crayon legs
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. . . and the fairy swing set
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Treetop Retreat by Nina Fox
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Tiny fairy about to take flight
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Tower and Green Man Totem by Dawn Campbell
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Coil Tower by Maureen Roslanic
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Button Hideaway by Darlene Barkowski
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Leaf Hall by Brenda Huckins Bonter
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The Polly Stump Center by Caitlin Phillips
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Enchanting encounter
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Farewell, fairies, until next year!
11 Comments
Linda J Curatolo link
5/3/2017 07:31:13 am

My favorite blog post for the second time! It's just so 'cunning' as they used to say in the old days. This year my husband gave me some starter items to do my own fairy garden. We shall see if I can be as creative as these folks. Amazing and delightful.
Thanks, Nancy!

Reply
Nan
5/4/2017 06:29:59 am

I'd love to see what you come up with, Linda

Reply
Michelle Block
5/3/2017 08:49:06 am

Wow Nancy, great reading and so imaginative of all who participated. Great event to get the kiddos out from in front of TVs or computers. Loved it!

Reply
Nan
5/4/2017 06:31:36 am

Yes, it was great to see so many kids getting excited about something that wasn't electronic!

Reply
Valerie deur
5/3/2017 12:13:12 pm

sensational pics & discriptions, Nan. an extarordinary event indeed! Thanks for your always excellent blog!

Reply
Nan
5/4/2017 06:32:19 am

I LOVED your fairy house, Valerie. So colorful and inviting.

Reply
Tonya Howe
5/3/2017 02:50:27 pm

Xaydria and I had a wonderful time in the enchanted forest .She was so excited each time she spotted a fairy's home. Thanks to all who put it together :○)

Reply
Nan
5/4/2017 06:33:22 am

That's great to hear. It was fun seeing you there. Xaydria had the fairy look down to perfection.

Reply
Ardis Pearce
5/4/2017 10:45:45 am

Outstanding! What a great activity...👏

Reply
Nan
5/4/2017 04:22:34 pm

One of my favorites!

Reply
J.Q. Rose link
5/10/2017 07:56:01 am

What clever people to design these adorable homes and what lucky fairies to move into these abodes in the woods. Your photos are wonderful. Glad it was such a success even with the wet weather.

Reply



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    Nan Sanders Pokerwinski, a former journalist, writes memoir and personal essays, makes collages and likes to play outside. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, Ray.

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