Thanks again to everyone who gave me suggestions on gift basket goodies.
I am sending out 12 one ounce packs of my home made milk bath salts in tomorrow’s mail.
The labels are done on this lush, ‘new’, OLD flocked wallpaper that I just scored! I have the pile of packets laying on a piece of the wallpaper, isn’t it the best???
The fairy on my "Fairy’s Bliss" Milk Bath Salts is from an image I got in a trade with Andrea who sent me a big bundle of great old papers to play with.
You know how I feel about fairies. (I’m a believer).
Well, I just got some very interesting news on how to spot a fairy in your garden, from a reliable source.
I’m going to copy what I wrote for Etsy, instead of typing it twice, pardon my laziness, but there is only so much time in one day!!
"I recently was told by a 7th generation Hungarian gypsy how to find fairies. Honest, I am not making this up, she was very serious when she told me about this, and I can see how it might work.
It requires a blue mirror, and you have to carefully look into it, over your shoulder, not letting the little ones know you are looking for them.
I have always had an interest in blue vintage mirrors and collect them, now I know why!
Here is a good one for sneaking up on the tiny people. It is a small mirror, one in a frame that has been made into a piece of art, so that the fairies will just think you are enjoying the artwork, not peering into the mirror to seek them.
The glittered, horseshoe shaped frame is OLD. The picture inside, the blue posy necklace around the frame, the bow shaped brooch, and lovely white velvet flowers are old too.
Four tiny mirrored squares line the edges of the frame, with a single blue one at the top, to which I have added a rose bud shaped button with a blue rhinestone center (old too, of course!).
The young lady in the picture has been delicately glittered with sparkly gold ink on her dress and a touch of fine glitter on her 3-D wings.
Its all tied up and ready to hang by some gorgeous silver ribbon with blue roses, that I simply can’t believe I found to match this frame so perfectly!! (the fairies must have left it on my desk just for this)
To the silver ribbon, I have added a tag explaining how to use the mirror, and accented it with a vintage, pearl white ballerina, meant to top a cup cake. Now she is a fairy, with the sheer white wings I have added to her."
I’ve had a good day in the studio, and accomplished a lot. I have photos taken and hope to list a bunch on Etsy tonight, then tomorrow, I have to run errands and get ready for my trip.
I am going to Karlapalooza! (details to come tomorrow)
All of my packages are going out in tomorrow’s mail, and then I am afraid I will be away till the 30th, no more packages will be sent until August 1st.
I’ll try to write up a few extra posts for you to read while I am gone, but I am afraid I won’t be able to answer your comments.
But please do continue to leave comments if you want to enter my TWO GIVEAWAYS. for the month of July.
I’ll announce the winner when I get back from my trip to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. 
I am filling up the baskets for my friends, using the ideas you all gave to me.
Debbie and Sandy arrive soon after I get home from my vacation, but in between, a brother-in-law and his family will be here. I’ll be in a frenzy of preparing for guests when I get home!
But that is what my cottage is all about, I love to entertain, and can’t wait for them all to arrive!
Oh, that horseshoe frame is to DIE for! So clever & creative; love the ballerina-cum-fairy and the bling on everything. So sweet! That vintage wallpaper is gorgeous! Love the tag.
Karla, everything looks gorgeous…did you do all this TODAY??? your productivity shames me no end…wish i were less lazy…ah well…i love what you did with that frame, truly a beauty…and the embellished frames you did for your friends are very pretty indeed!!!
I have a pink mirror-what will I see? This morning I saw two speckled fawn in my yard, just outside the picture window. I did my spy crawl, hissing at my husband for the camera. I oozed up the loveseat and took a photo. Then, the batteries went dead. Dang! The mother was hiding in the trees, but giving them the feeling of “aloneness”. We’ve had the mothers test their babies in our yard before.
Well, it wasn’t fairies, but I was very non-chalant 🙂
I’m a believer too! Thanks for the tips. Your blue mirror creation is gorgeous!!
Hugs!
Nancy
I love your creativity… everything looks so nice. Your friends are so lucky to receive the frames
Smiles
Brenda
Did you find a 7th generation Hungarian gypsy in your garden? or camping in your woods? or living in your garden shed? There are a million places a 7th generation Hungarian gypsy could live at Karla’s Cottage & environs. Surely not behind the redwood gates of that large tower that leads to fairy heaven.
I love the fairy mirror, so pretty! And the button frames are just beautiful. Your creativity is boundless!
Everything is so beautiful! I cannot believe you did that all today! Thanks for the sweet comments on my blog today!
Hope you have a safe and fun trip!
Kim
I love those frames!
Is there anything you can’t do or make? Wow, girl. You’re amazing! Ãœ
Your frames are gorgeous! I love the color palette.
Have a great vacation Karla , don’t forget to take an empty suitcase incase the hat whisperer is there. Looking forward to your return. Donna
Karla, everything is gorgeous. Your guest will just love those lovely frames. You have a great time away. And, enjoy your guests when you return.
Karen
I love the journal! You are one crafty chick! Everything you make is just so darn pretty!
All so lovely as usual! Have a ball at Karlapolooza! Love that cute name!
Have a wonderful trip! I just love the horseshoe and the story behind it! You have such a way with words! You’ve been quite busy! Enjoy your trip and your houseguests when you get back!
A girl’s day at your house sounds heavenly 🙂
You’re gonna be one busy chick, honey! I don’t envy you at all. But the frame is lovely.
Smoochies,
Connie
What beautiful things you have! Fairies and gypsies-two of my favorites. I love it that you visited my blog. It has been sadly neglected, but I am hoping to make new SilverBella friends (I am so excited that I’m going!!!)and to become a serious blogger now.
VictorianGypsy
Karla,
What an enchanting post!
I love the mirrors! Did you embellish frames that you purchased? Everything in this post is beautiful!
I am going to share the fairy story with my daughter and my friends daughter, when we were neighbors the two girls would spend hours making fairy homes and checking them to see if they had been visited. Complete with glitter too! gotta love it!
Now Marissa (my girl) is 14! It goes so fast!
Have a wonderful vacation! You will be missed here on the blog! karen….
Happy travels, don’t forget to pack a blue mirror, you just never know where a little person may be lurking:) Rachael
i love all the goodie you made. those frames are awesome.
jenny
I am thrilled to have the information on spying on the fairies. Adorable.
I am praying for you to have safety as you travel. I love all of your Fairy creations…Have a great trip…Mary
The mirror and those frames are truly special.
I wanted to thank you for the sample of the shells. I have NEVER seen any like them. Other than these and the ones given to you by your aunt, have you? They are very unusual in that they remind me of pearls and , also, gem stones because of the blue shimmer.
I do think the rare Hawaiian shells are a fraction of the size of these. Are your aunt’s smaller? Please remember to ask her where she got hers. I’m so curious and dying to know.
Have a wonderful time on your trip. We will really miss you!
~elaine~
Your frames are sweet! The tag is great and love the little wings! I have never heard of a blue mirror before so this was interesting!
With work so magical, I’d imagine the fairies would want to take a peek at you!
Enjoy your vacation Karla and Karlapolooza. Can’t wait to hear what that’s all about.
Now you’ve got me thinking I need to get a blue mirror. Love all your new frames.
Gretchen
Sweet picture of the fairy in the vintage frame. I also love the blingy frames you made for your friends! Have fun on your trip!
Hi Karla,
Love your fairie story. WOW, a 7th generation gypsy! That’s getting it from the horse’s mouth, eh? Yes, I am so looking forward to meeting you this weekend. Have a safe trip over to our neck of the woods!
Kitty
My family is original from Bohemia, so I believe I am from a long line of Gypsies too! Maybe we’re related?
My family Sir Name was Vanek.
I love those button frames you did! So antique and the faerie collage–wow!
So many vintage treasures!
*hugs*
~sadie
*sigh of bliss* You are very creative and talented–I adore it all! I’d like to add you to my fav links on my blog.
Stacey
http://theblessednest.blogspot.com
Karla, the frames are fantastic.
Have a wonderful trip.
I love your gift basket goodies 🙂
So did you see any fairies?
Karla
Mmmm I never have seen a blue mirror over here, but I don’t need that to see fairies to tell you the truth. I wish you a lot of fun during your trip and at Karlapalooza!! I’m going to miss you, your stories, your comments and your emails!
I adore those button frames! I hotglued buttons to frames once, but they kept falling off! I love, love what you’ve done!
Brenda
Karla, I believe in fairies too! One lives in my secret garden. I have seen her. My boys dont think she is real but that is because they dont believe! I LOVE this post 🙂 The frames are gorgeous. I cant wait to check out your Etsy!
You are going to have a wonderful time 🙂 I am so happy for you!
Love ya,
Amy
WOW how cute your little gifts are the fairies are adorable. I can’t wait till you get back to hear about all your little adventures.
SO beautiful. Ever since Tinkerbell and Peter Pan, I knew “I DO believe in fairies!”
Very inspiring, as always. I missed the inspiration while I was gone…it’s good to be back.
Oh Karla! All those little gifties are so adorable! Nice job. And I love the little fairies in the garden… and looking for them! So very cute! And the button frames look beautiful! Have a wonderful trip.
Hugs,
Shannon
I love the story of the fairies that is so cute! Have a great trip!!
The mirror is great, and so are the frames. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, you have so much talent and creativity. Where in Virginia are you going? Wishing you a safe and happy trip. I know everyone will miss your entertaining posts and will eagerly await your after trip posts. Have a wonderful evening.
Jean in Virginia
Karla, love your creations for your guests… what a sweet hostess you are. I can’t wait to meet ya this weekend and hopefully we find some good junk! xoxo Heather
I love the frames. They are so precious!
And I adore how you add such unique touches to the frames!
Karla, I’ve missed you!!! Summer has been extremely busy and I can’t keep up with everyone. I will have to show my daughter your instructions for finding fairies! She is starting to act like a big 6th grader, so I need to keep that great childhood imagination going!!!
Gosh, I think I am keeping up with you and then I miss one day and boom. I feel like I missed an entire week.How do you find the time to do all of this? I feel like a slug. I wish I had your pep.
Oh my! I never knew about the blue mirror. No wonder I’ve never seen the fairies. In fact, I’ve never seen a blue mirror before.
I love the ones you made! Those have to be the sweetest things.
Hugs,
Joanne
I saw lots of fairies on my prairie walk today. They thought I was just walking, but I was casually looking too. I can see that a blue mirror would be handy for the fairies behind.
I thought of another thing to add to your bath baskets…a foot scrubber (pumice). I love mine.
Jody
I just wanted to say how much I love looking at your blog. Your house and your creations are so inspiring! Thank you for sharing them with all of us. 🙂
Love your creations….I especially love the frames! How awesome. My sweet little nieces just gave me a bag of shells they gathered for me at the beach…maybe I will decorate a frame with them…maybe mix in a few buttons and other fun stuff. I am inspired!
~Lolly
I just love coming to visit your blog!!! You always have such gorgeous goodies to share, and I love the style with which you write! Your friends are very lucky to get such beautiful frames made by such a special person!
Hugs,
Michele
luvkittysmeowmail@gmail.com
I love those frames that you’ve embellished Karla. They turned out so pretty, but then everything you touch as a way of becoming magical.
Best wishes!
Oh oh, I can’t remember if I have signed up already or not!? If I am duplicating myself ( ha ha) please just take out my extra ones, okay? Okay!
Hugs from Michigan – Diane