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Fairy Advent Cards & Tea Cottage by Nichola Battilana

Filed under Art Projects, Christmas, Collage Sheets, Giveaways, Newsletters, Nichola Battilana, Provence Kit


Design Team Member Nichola Battilana is up with TWO projects for you today. I’m seriously starting to wonder if any of our Design Team Members ever sleep.

The first is the absolutely adorable Fairy Cards Advent Calendar Collage Sheet Set that she designed just in time to start getting ready or the holidays! Just think, a magical alternative to a standard Christmas advent calendar. Imagine waking up every day to a tiny holiday greeting card from the fairies helping you countdown to Christmas! The 25 cards feature classic Christmas imagery from the 19th and early 20th century, there are 25 teeny weenie numbered stamps and there are three templates included to make your own envelopes, fitting the three sizes of cards included.

“Now, when I showed this project to my kiddo he said “Yeah, but what about the treat?” The wheels in my mind starting turning and I thought of all the little things that would fit in those envelopes… letters, notes, coins, buttons, glitter, jokes, stickers, charms… then the light bulb above my head lit up.

“Every few days a charm could be included in the tiny card and your little pixie could make their own Christmas charm bracelet when all the charms had been collected! The sets I’ve used here are the Santa Sleigh Silver Charm Set and the Silver Snowflake Charm Set.”

How fabulous of an idea is that, to be able to make your own holiday charm bracelet whether you’re using the Fairy Cards Advent Collage Sheet Set or a traditional advent calendar.

Visit Pixie Hill for more photos, a quick tutorial and tips on decorating the outside of your envelopes from the Fairy Cards Advent Collage Sheet Set. And/or see the Fairy Cards Advent Calendar Supply List.


Next is Nichola’s minilicious Tea Cottage that is chock full of pastries, breads and gorgeous greenery.

The Tea Cottage is created from the Cottage with Open Front, a little house kit made from sturdy, laser-cut chipboard, with a big opening at the front (and 2 windows to let light in!); finished size is 9″ tall x 6″ square (at the base of the house… 7″ square including the roof).

The Cottage Base is also of laser-cut chipboard. It’s a base for the Cottage with Open Front or any other little shrine you’d like to perch on a 1″ tall base (or have a place to hide wiring in); finished size is 9″ x 9″ x 1″ tall.

I love how Nichola made the floor of the Cottage Base look like real cobblestones. I’m sure she had her mini-minions working and hauling stones for the floor for days!

“One of my very favourite new things from Alpha Stamps are the Silicone Bread and Cake Molds used to make all the treats on the table. I used them with Creative Paperclay, pushing the product in mold then allowing to dry until the clay was stiff enough to remove without squishing. Don’t they look yummy?

“To finish off the pastries and breads and used acrylic paint and a dusting of chalk pastels. Finish off with a thin layer of Diamond Glaze to achieve a subtle sheen on your crusty breads. Add a thicker layer for to look like a sugared glaze.”

Note: Nichola has a tutorial for making the breads and pastries!

Tea Cottage Supply List

To see more pictures of the Tea Cottage, and for more details, visit Pixie Hill.
 

  
Posted by Leslie, November 5th, 2015

77 responses to “Fairy Advent Cards & Tea Cottage by Nichola Battilana”

  1. Florence Hosler says:

    A tea house or a reading room!! The possibilities are endless.

  2. Leanna says:

    This is my favorite giveaway yet!!! I’m not sure if I’d make a tea cottage or a fairy garden shed. Either way, I love it all!!! I’ve got my fingers crossed! 🙂

  3. Heidi Bazilian says:

    A Fairie Rest Stop. The perfect place for respite during a journey. Revolving gifts, refreshments, etc. will be left for the traveling fairies for their enjoyment as well as pleasant decorations for the holidays. Regular maintenance by artists of all ages in my household. Surprises abound!

  4. Phoebe Diamond says:

    I think I might make an outdoor brothel.

  5. Barbara Milton says:

    I would definitely make the Tea Cottage!

  6. Emily N says:

    I would make a shrine out of the little building

  7. Sharon says:

    Wow…..the possibilities. Miniature gardens are one of my hobbies so this would be perfect to make and put beside them.

  8. jean marmo says:

    Oh my – so sweet! Love the Fairy Advent Calendar. That tine nutcracker charm is such fun! My daughter danced in the Nutcracker 3 times. My sister and I would make a cottage. She loves all things fairy!

  9. Holly says:

    Springtimey stuff just as it’s getting cold–wonderful! And yes, I could definitely try to make a teatime cottage.

  10. Sara Sampson says:

    A tea cottage for sure. A place of bliss, to sip my tea and read a lovely book.Sigh.

  11. cathy smith says:

    I would make a winter themed cottage…with snow and little trees. Love the red flowers and the fence would look perfect with Christmas lights!

  12. Kim Lucak says:

    I totally LOVE this, would actually like one in our yard….definitely making a cottage!!!

  13. Karen Crowder says:

    I would make the tea cottage if I won. It is miniature cuteness overload. I love it!!!

  14. I always love Nichola’s work 🙂 If I was luck enough to win this, I would make a wise-woman’s herbal workspace – bottles of different potions and infusions – I can see it in my mind’s eye already

  15. Margaret D says:

    Tea cottage! This is my favorite give away so far! I love the little breads and pastries. The whole piece is wonderful! I can see so many possibilities for the cottage itself too. Great jumping off point for many good things.

  16. I love the tea cottage. I really would love to win

  17. Jen R says:

    I’ll definitely do this one!

  18. Jennifer says:

    I absolutely adore these projects! It would be so hard to decide what to make. Maybe a garden shed /greenhouse. That could be gorgeous.

  19. Carolyn Bowlby says:

    My heart is pitter-pattering. My grown daughter has been a life-long fairy person and how I would love to do this for her. Awesome Giveaway!

  20. Barbara Johnson says:

    Oh I would definitly make the bakery!!! and I would add a lite somehow to really show it off!

  21. Amy says:

    I would make a tiny potting shed. still have that adorable furniture, just add tiny plants and pots……

  22. oh how I love these minis I of course would make a collage out of them as I love making them thank you

  23. Marilyn H says:

    I am LOVING all the mini stuff! I would make the tea cottage. Wouldn’t be able to resist.

  24. Love the tea cottage. Looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next

  25. Gina Goodling says:

    Ah, all the Miniature possibilities. I’d have to consult the fairies in my garden for their advice. They would be charmed with their own sweet home! Beautiful ideas!

  26. Karen says:

    I love love love this little garden tea house for fairies. I sew little fairies (about 3 1/2″ tall) and one or more would look absolutely adorable in this little room! Hope to win.

  27. Kristie N says:

    What a fabulous Tea Room. Yes, I would make this Tea Room. It would be perfect with My Teapot House, I made last year.
    Thanks for this wonderful Giveaway.

  28. Leah Fein says:

    Yes. I want to make a tea cottage

  29. Jackie Barth says:

    I love this! I want this! I will make a tea cottage, definitely!

  30. Jennie says:

    I would make a gardeners cottage, set up for an afternoon tea brea, for my mom, who never stops working in her garden.

  31. Laural says:

    I would make this! Stunning!!!

  32. penny-sue wolfe says:

    I would make the cottage x Happy to pay for postage to the UK xx

  33. Jamie says:

    I want to make a tiny she-shed for fairies!

  34. Traci says:

    I love miniatures they work great with so many projects. I would love to make a tea cottage or just a shadow box that has a tea theme. >^..^<

  35. Kristen says:

    Oh my! I am enchanted by the little details! I can imagine my son who loves detail work making the tea house and little bitty breads and cakes for his sister. I hope he would let me help! And the advent calendar is right up my alley – we love giving tiny notes at our house.

  36. Nadine says:

    I love this! It is so adorable. I want to make a little flower cottage too.

  37. Karen Zaccagnini says:

    I’m so excited to see your site! I’m trying to win this for my mom–she loves to make fairy gardens, but she is not very computer savvy,lol! I’m so excited to see this miniature page because my mom is always looking for items to add to her fairy garden. She looks forward to the Spring, when she can make them for the outside, but recently she has started to make them in all of the plants in the house!

  38. Dee Mecklin says:

    I love this tea room. I’d love the opportunity to try my hand at it. I’m getting my craft room built right this minute and this would be a cool first project to initiate it!

  39. Connie L. says:

    I think I would make it into a garden shed, complete with potting bench inside.

  40. ReNae Allen says:

    Miniatures are so popular right now, and this is absolutely darling! Thank you for the opportunity to win!

  41. Christi C says:

    I think I would make it a garden shed/gazebo type thing. Those flowers are too luscious to not be the focus!

  42. Jean elford says:

    This is absolutely gorgeous. A family heirloom for the future.

  43. Ginette says:

    I’ll add this to my village.

  44. Cinde says:

    If I win I will make the tea cottage.😊

  45. First off honnor able sign up have go to win i be delighted to win first house buld funky color shabby chic look.put on a shelf in my new craft room hope i win please

  46. LeAnn says:

    I would definitely make the tea cottage. So Cute!

  47. Karen Mallory says:

    So cute! I would make a fairy cottage of some kind. I would want to try the tutorials of Nichola to make the pastries and breads!

  48. Lou Anne says:

    If I win I’ll have to make a fairy cottage or little fairy tea shop.

  49. Katherine S says:

    I want to make a little fairy produce/bakery farm stand with my grandson. Yes, I would use all the little items from the giveaway.

  50. Roxanne says:

    I would definitely make that sweet cottage and perhaps even add some sweet collage peeps having a grand lil’ soiree around the cottage with all the sweet goodies and florals surrounding them. Oh what a party they will have! 🙂

  51. Kristie says:

    Love the tearoom. I would make a fairy cottage and add some of those battery operated twinkle lights just for whimsy.

  52. Donna Jean Eno says:

    I love the tea cottage! Thanks for a chance to win.

  53. April Dudko says:

    I would make the adorable tea cottage! And of course I’d use the items from the give away!

  54. Jen C says:

    A fairy garden party. love it!

  55. Love it! I might make a tea cottage…Or maybe a garden shed…

  56. Verna says:

    So darn cute and refreshing after our first snow. Yes, I would probably make a tea cottage. Thanks for a try at the goodies.

  57. Jenni says:

    I would like to make a cute little rabbit cottage with a couple of rabbits in their finest attire sitting and drinking tea.

  58. Sophie says:

    What a wonderful giveaway. Thankyou for that chance to win. I would love to make a wee gardeners shed with the kit.

  59. Lana says:

    whatever it would end up…it’d be Victorian!

  60. joni says:

    I would make a little garden shed for the garden fairies.

  61. Jo says:

    I would make a tiny cottage for mice!

  62. I love doing wood stuff, I can love this ! I would do a birdhouse inside, I just got a saw, and I loooove cutting out the backside ! they are adorable, Thanks so much,
    melody H

  63. Gretchen says:

    I will use the molds and accessories for a tea room I already have
    Out of a converted counter top greenhouse.
    And make the Cottage into a spot for a small totoro and some
    Soot sprites to get out of the rain, Hopefully I could use a coating
    To make it look wet outside too.

  64. Denise Bryant says:

    Love all the cute baked goodies! Yes, I think I would make a tea cottage!

  65. Nancy S says:

    Pick me! I’d love to make the tea cottage to share with my wee friends!

  66. Julie Benge says:

    Pick me! Pick me! I would love to make a Japanese garden shrine.

  67. Retta says:

    I would definitely make the tea cottage. I LOVE miniatures! Wonderful project!!!

  68. Ritva says:

    Oh yes, I would love to make the Tea Cottage.

  69. Jackie Neal says:

    I think I would turn the tea cottage into a fairy house!

  70. Ina Good says:

    I love this tea cottage with all the trimmings I would make it into a spot for alice in wonderland in there also a real mad vintage tea party!

  71. marykay chisum says:

    Love the tea cottage! I hope I have the opportunity to win this beautiful kit.

  72. Kay (Texfolkart) says:

    I would love to win this…. It would be a perfect crafty day with my granddaughter to make this tea cottage!!! She would be over the moon!!!

  73. Beth says:

    I love the idea of a fairy potting shed! I’d like to do something of that nature..

  74. Ann Revelle says:

    I love this little floral tea cottage and would definitely make it. Thanks for the chance to win.

    Ann

  75. barbara macaskill says:

    OMG!!! This is exactly what I have been trying to make on my own!!!! I NEED this fantastic Tea Cottage so that I can make my Fairy Village a Fairy Dust Room. This is where the fairies create the different fairy dusts that spread love, peace and happiness around the world!!! I have some miniatures that are just screaming out for this cottage and would love to win it!!! So many awesome goodies in this giveaway!!! May the Crafty Fairies sprinkle me with lucky dust!!!

  76. Beverly Weitzel says:

    Love the tea cottage, so I would definitely make that. Hope I win!
    My granddaughter would love it.

  77. Linda Marie says:

    I would definitely make and use some of the elements but would use glitter snow and make it tea in the winter with Santa!!