I don't know about you, but I grew up reading fairy tales- stories of adventure, daring exploits and impossible quests. Einstein once wrote, 'If you want your children to be intelligent read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, the nread them more fairy tales.'

How much better for your kids or grandkids to create their own fairytale adventures than if they had  their own fairy garden.

Now, I've seen a lot of wonderful fairy gardens that others have created. They look great! There are even fairy garden kits you can buy to make a beautiful garden that would be a perfect setting for a fairy tale adventure.

But I'm not great with gardening. So I wanted a garden that would be easy to create, easy to maintain.. and one that I could keep indoors. So... when I saw a listed Workshop with Botancials by Bella about making a terrarium in an afternoon, I thought this would be great for my indoor garden. The course was a lot of fun. and yes, I was happy with the results. So I'm sharing the technique with you so that you can have much fun making your own fairy garden as I did and sharing it with your kids or grandkids. (I hope my workshop expert thinks with my tutorial adequately explains the process!) If you want to do a workshop yourself, I can certainly recommend Botanicals by Bella- she runs a lot of different and interesting project workshops. ;)

Here's how to make your own indoor fairy garden
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Supplies:

1. Create layers in your fairy garden using the different types of materials- sand, pebbles, sphagnum moss.  Not only does this look great in your terrarium, it has a practical purpose in draining the soil while providing the nutrients  for growth.

​Begin with the clean river sand. Don't use sand from the beach as this will contain salt.
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Add handfuls of sand to your container and press firmly into place. Build up the sand more around the edge of the container and up the side a little. Try and keep a circular hollow area in the base of the container as this is where you will add some handfuls of potting mix. Add extra sand and potting mix until this layer is level. Just ensure that the potting mix remains in the centre. You don't want to see it from the sides.

Now, add some more sand on top of the potting mix and continue to press down firmly.

Now.. add a wide ring of pebbles around the edge. Bring the thickness up to about 5cm depending on the size of your container. Fill the centre of this layer with dampened sphagnum moss.

2. Add some height and landscaping to your garden.
Add more handfuls of sand to the centre of your gardening bring it up a bit in height towards the back of your garden. Choose 2or 3 large smooth rocks and place them towards the back of the garden, too. Use your green moss and push gently into place behind the rocks and down and sides a little.
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Use your finger to push a hole into the sand behind the rocks. Gently push a mini fern into the hole. Add some extra sand around the fern if needed. Add a couple more terrarium plants to your garden. Think about the size of these plants and place the bigger ones towards the back and low growing plants at the front.

Think about the front of your garden. Choose 2 different types of pebbles and add them in the garden to create areas of interest. You maight like to use some to make a garden path or another area. Extra green moss can be placed in the foreground too for more interest.

5. Add your fairy garden accessories
You'll find plenty of options and choices to include in your inddor fairy garden. There are cute little stools and chairs, bright coloured toadstools even fairy cottages. But you can even make these little accents. I've include a number of links on my Pinterest board to help you make your own, if you wish.

creating Keep extra fairy garden accents and replace them regularly especially if your grandkids are visiting. They will love looking for the changes and new accessories in this mini fairy garden and I'm sure they will create special stories and fairy garden adventures.

Low maintenance.
This terrarium fairy garden is relatively easy to care for. First, find a position indoors that is bright and airy but will not be in full sunshine. Although the terrarium needs to be kept moist, too much water is as damaging as not enough. If you think there may be too much moisture, hold the container above your head and check the condition of the sand/potting mix in the base.

When it needs more moisture, use a spray bottle. I find the garden is happier if I spray the garden every 2-3 days with a fine misting.

If you run into trouble or need some more maintenance tips, check out the Terrarium Survival Guide  from Botanicals by Bella.

Give it a try yourself. I think you'll enjoy making your garden and creating family fun with your kids or grandkids. I know they will love to play with your fairy garden and create exciting adventures. 

"That's it! I've put it off long enough! I'm cleaning out the cupboard."

Yep.. that was me last week and I started well, filled with enthusiasm. That was, until I pulled out some of the old scrapbook photo albums that I'd worked on when the kids were small. Ahh.. can you believe how little they were?

So, of course, I had to sit down and go through all of them. Did you get hooked on the scrapbooking craze? Or maybe you still enjoy it? I love it, but it's soooo time-consuming.

But there's something special about taking out a photo book, turning the pages with someone else, reliving the moments and sharing the fun and laughter together.

As a family, we regularly upload family photos to TinyBeans as a safe way to share digital family memories with our family. But my parents can't remember how to log-in or forget to check it and so miss the beautiful memories that are regularly uploaded. A photobook is a better option for them.

I have made some photobooks from other sources. But, in the most part, they're simply a book of photos without much option for placing and presenting the photos in a way that I like.

Now, I've discovered MixBook. The photobooks created with this program are wonderful! I can change the backgrounds, alter how many photos are presented per page, add embellishments like scrapbooking... even produce a book in a night if I need a book quickly. Since it's all online,  I just use my computer, or create a photo book with my iPad while relaxing and watching the TV.

The completed book is printed and delivered to the door. And they make wonderful gifts- just think how thrilled your mother or father would be to receive one of these special books filled with memories.

So... check out the simple instructions below.. and start!

​Why bother... I have my photos on iCloud
So perhaps, I'm guessing you're wondering just why you should go to the trouble to creating a photo-book. After all, you have all your photos, your memories on your computer, your smartphone or iCloud.

Well, yes ... but just consider: sure, you have all those wonderful photos on your computer. But, not only are they taking up a big hunk of memory, they are also hard to view together as a family.

And... it's so fun and simple to do. You'll feel like a professional when you see the results.

A family heirloom
A photo-book is an unique picture of your family and the 'moments that matter' in your lives. Whether young or old, everyone will enjoy looking through this special book.

Create one as a gift
These photo-books are so beautiful, you'll want to make and give them as gifts- if you can bring yourself to part with them. They'd make a treasured Mother's or Father's Day gift. Send one to family who live overseas. Make a special book to mark milestones within your family or your kids' lives.

Share the memories
Everyone will enjoy reliving the fun times and remembering those special family moments as they look through these beautiful books.
So... let's get started..

You'll need to create an account.
Your first order will be 50% off as a special promotion from AtGrandmasPlace so use the promotion link to access MixPhoto. Then, sign up to start your first photo book creation.

Choose the photo book option
Although there are many wonderful projects to try later, you just need to select the 'Photo Books' option to start your first photo creation.

Choices, choices and more choices ..
Now comes the fun part. There are lots of different styles, sizes and themes of photo books. Think about what you really want for your book  and who it will be for and choose according. For example, there are lovely softcover photo-books that would be a great gift idea for mothers or grandmothers. You might prefer a square shape for your book especially if you're going to include a lot of your Instagram images.

Page accents
The themes and page layouts are wonderful. In fact, there are over 370 different themes to choose from for your photo book. And so many of the themes have scrapbook-like accents that really add appeal to your pages,

You can change the page layouts or the number of photos displayed on each page, add stickers, change the backgrounds and more.. Each photo book truly is your own unique creation.

( Previously posted - mygrandmasplace.com)
​Yep… affiliate links are included which means that, at no additional cost to you, if you buy through me I get some coffee money …though not enough for the raisin toast as well. Full disclosure listed below.)

​Whenever my grandkids visit, I always include some art or craft activity as part of our fun together... yes… sometimes even for my grandsons. Though if your boys are like mine, it’s full-on action and adventure that fills their hearts and minds.
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But the girls, particularly, like to paint and colour. Little Koti says, “When I know I’m going to colour in, my tummy jumps up and down cos it’s happy.”

When we colour in together, it’s something we all enjoy. It's a simple activity but it creates a special time, a moment that matters with my grandkids. It’s amazing, too, what deep and meaningful conversations happen when we spend time colouring. “Why do bees buzz?” “Why don’t I have a tail like a pony?” “Why are you scared of spiders?” (What sane person isn’t? )
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If you also enjoy colouring, the following simple techniques will have you colouring like a pro.

Regardless of the technique you use, colouring is very therapeutic. In fact, some experts suggest that this activity provides the “colourer” with the same relaxing benefits as meditation or yoga. In addition, colouring takes you back to your childhood.

What could be better than that?

Colouring involves creativity.

That’s where technique becomes important. The following information covers five different areas of the craft. This is, by no means, a complete tutorial. But, it’s enough information to get you started. And you'll quickly discover that these techniques will enable you to create realistic colouring results.

Let the learning begin!  :)

You have a few choices when it comes to colouring tools. They include:

• crayons  
• pastels (These are a bit like chalk, so you need to spray with fixative afterwards to stop any smudging.)
• coloured pencils (You might also like to try watercolour pencils.)
• gel pens
• fine-tip markers

It’s always a good idea to practice any new colouring technique on plain paper, before attempting it on one of your more expensive colouring books. This way, if things don’t work out like you planned, your pages won’t be won’t be ruined.

And, not every medium works with every technique. Markers work better with some things and crayons and coloured pencils work better with others. The best thing to do is have fun and experiment. Chances are, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with your results. You'll soon be colouring like a pro.

1.Blending Techniques
There are several things you can use to help you blend colours. All of them are very inexpensive. Here are a few of them:

• Water, that’s right… plain old water. It works best when you’re using watercolour pencils. When you finish colouring your page, simply wet a paintbrush and “re-paint” the areas you want to blend.

• Nail polish remover is another great blending medium. Some colouring pro’s say it’s their number one choice. Pour a little bit of the remover in the cap. Dip your brush in it and paint over the areas you want to blend. If you happen to be using coloured pencils, this is a great way to remove any grooves or uneven areas.

• You can also use a regular eraser to blend colours. A large school-type eraser works best for larger areas. Use a pencil eraser for smaller areas.

• A blending marker is another idea. It works like the blending pencil, mentioned below, by dissolving and blending the colour right on the paper. It’s a good idea to use these markers in a ventilated room because they have a strong smell.

(Hint: If you’re working with crayons, try using a Q-tip and mineral oil. Dip the swab in the oil and rub it over the colours you want to blend.)
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2. Shading Techniques
Shading techniques typically work better with coloured pencils, like Prismacolor pencils. One of the most successful ways to practice is to use two contrasting colours.

Use the first colour to shade from left to right. Use the second colour to shade in the opposite direction. Practice blending the colours together, in the middle.

The way you hold the pencil makes a difference. 
Position it so that most of the tip is in contact with the paper, which makes the colour smoother and helps to reduce the possibility of pencil lines. This is accomplished by holding the pencil somewhat sideways.

Instead of using white and black to do any shadowing it’s better to use colours like dark blue and purple for the dark colours. Use light yellows, for the highlights.

Try to avoid rubbing the colours, in an effort to create the shading you desire. This has a tendency to smear everything together.

3. Doodling (Your Own Image)
When you’re in an artistic mood and there’s no colouring book in sight, why not doodle?

Doodling is actually a great way to improve your artistic skills. The more you relax and let your hand do most of the work, you’re on your way to being a “master doodler.”

Learning to doodle is a lot of fun. You can doodle almost anything, even your own image. It’s probably best to start with basic tools like pencils, inexpensive markers or ballpoint pens. Once you start to get the hang of it, you can always graduate to more expensive supplies, including pastels, chalk and paint.

Doodling, as a beneficial pastime, is probably much more popular than you think. Famous presidents, authors and celebrities all admit to doodling, on a regular basis.

For most people, faces are harder to doodle than flowers, animals and other objects. Interpreting your finished doodle depends on whether you draw yourself or someone else. A simple round face indicates you’re probably a happy person. A brooding expression might mean you’re not particularly sociable.

If you’re a beginner, it’s good to practice drawing the same face with different expressions. This way you end up with a more realistic shape, to refer to in the future. If you’re doodling yourself, look into a mirror or at one of your pictures.

When you’re comfortable with the shape of the face, practice drawing features. Challenge yourself to draw an entire page of eyes, noses, etc. You’ll be surprised by how much you learn.
If you don’t want to draw yourself, try doodling a loved one or famous celebrity. You can even get a little crazy and try your hand at a caricature. There’s nothing wrong with a little more silliness in the world!


4. Gel Pen Techniques with Shading
Many adult colouring fanatics love using get pens to pull off several fun techniques and pretty decent shading. One big benefit of using this type of pen is the fact that the tip stays the same size. It doesn’t change shape like a crayon or coloured pencil. Here are two popular gel pen techniques to consider:

Hatching
Hatching is easy-peasy. It consists of a bunch of parallel lines or strokes, which results in a uniformed look. You can use multiple colors and angle the lines any direction you’d like. Crisscrossing the lines, makes it even more interesting.

Stippling
Dot, dots and more DOTS! That’s stippling in a nutshell. Easily change the texture of your drawing by adding some areas of stippling and it's easy with a gel pen.

Shading         
It’s entirely possible to achieve shading techniques with a gel pen. Yay!  However, it does take practice on your part and the blending pen of your choice.
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A blending pen, which comes with two tips, is filled with clear fluid. When you draw over a colour, with the pen, that colour blends into the colour or colours next to it. Cleaning the pen is easy. Simply scribble on a piece of paper, until the pen runs clear.

Most artists recommend that you use the gel pens nearest to the outlines of the picture you’re colouring. Then, use the blender pen to draw the colour from the outline to the middle of the section you’re working on.

5. Coloured Pencils 101 – Mixing and Layering
If you’ve never coloured before or haven’t coloured in what seems like a million years, you probably want to start out with the basics and work your way up to “Colour Maestro.”

Coloured pencils are great for this. They’re available a rainbow of colours and a variety of price points, starting out at just a few dollars. The overall cost depends on the brand and quality you prefer.

One of the first rules of basic mixing and layering is practice. It makes sense, right? Like almost everything else, the more you practice, the better you get.

For best results, keep your pencils sharp. This makes it much easier to fill in small areas. Remember, not press too hard. The goal is to build up colour and not continuously break the tip of the pencil.

One important secret of successful layering and blending is colouring on the right texture of paper. You want something with a fine texture, as opposed to a smooth surface. The texture holds the pencil, which allows you to add multiple layers of colour.

The second part of good layering has to do with the colours you choose. Always use complementary colours when blending to create shadows. It’s recommended you never use a black pencil for shading. Doing so, makes the shading look dull and flat.

Complementary colours are those that are situated on opposite sides of the colour wheel… shades of violet-blue and yellow, orange-red and cyan, green and magenta, etc. Always start out with a light color. If you start with a dark one, you won’t be able to see the lighter one.

Because they layer so well, coloured pencils are one of the most preferred colouring tools. 
​It’s not uncommon to apply three to five different layers, to create a whole NEW colour. How cool is that?

In case you’re not aware, these pencils are waxy. When you press too hard, your colours end up shiny. If this happens, you won’t be able to build up layers. Use even strokes and a light to medium touch.

In Conclusion
Adult-related colouring certainly isn’t anything new. In fact, Psychiatrist Carl Jung, began prescribing “colouring therapy” to his patients in the early 1900s. The calming effect (of this activity) stems from temporarily occupying the logical part of the brain, involved with the fear response. In other words, you’re giving your amygdala nuclei a rest.

As the nationwide trend continues to grow, adult colouring books are popping up all over the place including high-end department stores and catalogues. Small town artists are making names for themselves and earning extra income, at the same time.

Have you ever heard of a “colouring club?” Picture yourself relaxing with a bunch of friends, enjoying yummy food and drinks and colouring the picture of your choice. Yes, new groups are forming every week. No professional art experience required.

This is the tip of the iceberg, in regard to the wonderful and expanding world of adult colouring. As you can see, it’s never really been a “kids only” activity… even though many grown-ups secretly disagree.

You can find more inspiration and colouring-in training videos below to add to your new skills.
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Remember, if you’re not sure colouring is for you, there’s absolutely no harm giving it a try. Chances are, not only will it be enjoyable, it’ll be addicting too! Try it with your kids.
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DISCLOSURE: I may be an affiliate for products that I recommend or link to. If you purchase those items through my links I will earn a commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. In fact, I ofttimes am able to negotiate a lower rate (or bonuses) not available elsewhere.
Plus, when you order through my links, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff.
Thank you, in advance, for your support.

Apply these simple techniques to improve your wildlife photography for your family's next visit to the zoo, aquarium or wildlife sanctuary.

(Yep... affiliate links are included which means, if you buy through me, I get some coffee money ...
​though not enough for the raisin toast as well. Full disclosure listed below.)

​Now... had I forgotten anything?

I'd packed water flasks for everyone, sunscreen, insect repellent, extra set of clothes for the little ones, food (it seems they're hungry as soon as they leave the house), hats and sunglasses. (Yes, comfy walking shoes were, hopefully, still on their feet.)

I'd only planned for a half-day trip to the wildlife sanctuary but it looked as though we were going for a week!

There was still one important thing that I was determined not to forget... a camera.

Now, I do have a DSLR camera  and I love it, though I'm still learning how best to use it.

But if you're out with a carload of grandkids, an iPhone can be just as good, probably better. At least, it's easy to slip in a pocket and whip out at an instant for the unexpected and amazing shot. I know... because I've missed some of those in the past: the deer that leaned over the fencing to take a mouthful of my daughter's hat or the surprised look on my son's face when he did, finally, catch a fish-- well, it was an eel, but that still counts, right?

So, with that in mind, I had my iPhone handy and ready to whip out for those memory-making moments. And I was hoping for many more of those at the wildlife sanctuary with my grandkids.

But I've recently discovered a few handy hints to improve my digital photography at zoos, aquariums, nature sanctuaries and other outdoor activities with kids that I thought I'd share with you. First up... though it's not precisely a photography technique, I've quickly learned that, as in any type of photography involving kids (and animals are similar), patience, persistence and creativity will pay off. Just something to keep in mind. :)
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1. One of the first considerations is composition and the best advice is to vary your composition. Take some shots with the subject looking straight at you and some with the subject either facing left or right.  To do this, you may have to reposition yourself. This is the part requiring the patience and persistence.  Try not to move as you actually take the photo. I know that's not easy with excited kids and wonderful animals in plain sight. If you can, use a tripod or monopod to maximize your digital photo sharpness.

2. The other part of composition is subject placement.  Use the rule of thirds. Visually breakdown the scene in your viewfinder into thirds both vertically and horizontally, like a tic-tac-toe board. Place your subject on one of the intersecting points in the grid.

3. A simple, but important point, especially when using a iPhone, is to ensure that your lens is clean. After all your phone, no doubt, has been bumping around in your pocket or bag. Then, likely, it has had grimy fingers happily playing with your iPhone game apps, so cleaning it is a good idea.

4. Plan your day. The best time to take photos of animals is just before feeding time. They're pretty alert and active while waiting for their next meal to arrive.

​Another consideration to factor in is the time of day.  Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to shoot.  From sunrise, to about 2 hours after, and again about 2 hours before sunset to sunset, produces digital photos softly illuminated with a golden, highly directional light, thereby bringing out the color in your subject. (There's an app that will help you with this, too.)

Two more reasons for shooting early or late in the day is because it is the least crowded, and the animals are most active early and late in the day.  After all, in the wild, this is when they normally hunt and eat.  During the middle of the day, they rest.

​5. If you are trying to show the animals without bars, barriers and wires, you will minimize their presence by using a long lens and shooting at wide apertures to blur the foreground and if necessary the background. If you're using your iPhone, download a good app to help with this. (Check  out some of the options.)

While shooting in this non-natural environment, shoot close-ups to minimize any of the environment. If you're using your iPhone zoom, hold it very still.  

5. Take note of the habitat and background. In wildlife parks, where the environment is more like it would be in the animal's natural habitat, create an environmental portrait by including more of the animal's surroundings.  Here, you want to use a smaller aperture to hold both the foreground and background in focus.  The animal will stand out more if the background is pretty neutral. After all, an animal's best defence is to blend with its surroundings so be aware of a highly patterned, busy background.

6. Focus on the animal's eyes. Animals express their emotions through their eyes not their facial expressions. Tap your iPhone screen on the spot you want to focus on and it will also adjust your exposure

7. Take lots of photos. You can always delete the ones you don't like afterwards but you can't easily go back and take extras. Try to take photos from different heights, too.
    
8. Keep it steady. If you are in a wildlife park with a driving route, shoot from inside your vehicle.  Use a window camera mount or a bean bag.  Shut off your vehicle's engine to minimize vibration.

9. Keep an eye out for interesting shadows or reflections that you could incorporate into your photos. 

​10. Make sure the glass is clean. For glass barriers, try to find an area of clean glass and place the lens hood up against it to minimize reflections. It's a good idea to clean the glass first. Remember, many excited, and probably sticky little hands and fingers have been resting on the glass for a closer look at the animals or fish. If you have to use a flash, use it off camera and hold it at a 45 degree angle to the camera and up against the glass.

11. Whenever possible, do avoid using flash. The flash may startle the animal and ruin your shot. For the outside type shots, use a slow ISO such as 100.  For aquarium shots, an ISO of 400 or 800 will perform better.  

12. Although the animals are exciting, don't forget to include your kids in your photos. Without endangering their safety, look for opportunities to include their enjoyment of the animals and any interactions between your kids/grandkids and the animals.

13. Finally, keep it simple. There is no way that one photo is going to capture everything that you would like to remember and relive. Focus on one simple thing at a time.


Shooting at the wildlife sanctuary or zoo is exciting.  Where else can you get in one location, a collection of animals from around the world? Take your time, plan your shots and enjoy the digital photography of animals and the fun of seeing them through the eyes of your grandkids. ​

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I know most people don't share because they feel that we bloggers don't need their 'tiny' share. But believe me... you matter! Each and every reader is important and appreciated.

I've built this blog piece by piece, one small share at a time. So thank you so much for your support.
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​DISCLOSURE: I may be an affiliate for products that I recommend or link to. If you purchase those items through my links I will earn a commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. In fact, I ofttimes am able to negotiate a lower rate (or bonuses) not available elsewhere.

Plus, when you order though my links, it helps me to continue to offer you lots of free stuff.

Thank you, in advance, for your support.