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Make a Magical Desktop Fairy Garden

Create a desktop fairy garden with gnomes, woodland animals, and other forest accessories. Customize with glitter and Mod Melts!

Magical Desktop Fairy Garden

Have you noticed that fairy gardens are starting to pop up everywhere? I’m kind of obsessed with them. I’ve always loved gnomes and other magical woodland creatures, so fairy gardens appeal to that imaginative side of me.

Recently I was in Michaels and noticed the amazing amount of accessories they have in their Floral Market just for fairy gardens. Michaels has over 1,800 blooms & greenery in their new Flower Market, including trendy succulents, real-touch flowers, and fairy garden supplies. You can learn more here.

Desktop fairy garden

SO – while I was at Michaels, I spotted a mossy basket, and then it hit me – I needed to make a desktop fairy garden! I live in a condo so I don’t have a space outside to place fairy houses and accessories . . . but why should I have to miss out on the fun??

This desktop garden is perfect because I don’t have to miss out on the fun. I can have all the gnomes and fairy houses and little woodland animals I want – and keep it on a shelf or tabletop. This is the perfect addition to your spring decor, and kids will love it too!

You can set up your desktop garden “right out of the box,” but I made a few custom touches with Mod Podge just for fun. Let me show you what I did.

Make a Desktop Fairy Garden

Gather These Supplies

  • Fairy garden supplies and accessories – all mine are from Michaels
  • Glitter in various colors
  • Mod Podge Gloss
  • Hot glue gun
  • Mod Melts – Neons (or glue sticks)
  • Mod Mold – Flowers (or other silicone mold)
  • Craft glue
  • Paintbrushes
  • Scissors
Painting pink glitter and Mod Podge on the roof of a fairy flower house

The first thing I did was paint the roof of my flower house. It’s really easy to achieve this look – simply mix a little bit of glitter with a small amount of Mod Podge and stir. Then paint directly onto the roof and let dry. Paint more layers as desired!

Adding Mod Podge to a gnome with a yellow flower and then sprinkling glitter on top

My little gnomes needed some pizazz as well. For your little garden friends, simply paint Mod Podge on various parts of their outfits and flowers, then sprinkle glitter and let dry.

green Mod Melt stick in a Mod Mold

In addition to glitter on the fairy houses, I wanted to add some additional leaf embellishments with my Mod Melter, Mod Molds, and Mod Melts. Now this is a part of the desktop fairy garden you could really go crazy with! I have the Flower Mod Mold and there are leaves and flowers that are perfect for fairy gardens.

I used Green Neon Mod Melt sticks to fill the molds, so I didn’t have to paint. If you have the clear or white sticks, just place them in the molds and paint whatever colors you like . . .

Adding a Mod Melt to a fairy house with craft glue

then glue onto the front of the fairy houses as shown.

Create a desktop fairy garden with gnomes, woodland animals, and other forest accessories. Customize with glitter and Mod Melts!

I feel like my desktop fairy garden is sort of like a bonsai tree. I can constantly tend to it – changing things out and adding embellishments as I see fit.

Create a desktop fairy garden with gnomes, woodland animals, and other forest accessories. Customize with glitter and Mod Melts!

The happy little gnomes and animals make me smile, and I get to enjoy in the fairy fun like people with big backyards and oak trees.

Create a desktop fairy garden with gnomes, woodland animals, and other forest accessories. Customize with glitter and Mod Melts!

Would you try this whimsical project? Let me know in the comments! I’d also love for you to check out these other cute ideas:

Suzi

Sunday 18th of February 2024

This is a great idea especially if u live in a small space and want to make a fairy dwelling

Shelley Collison

Wednesday 1st of March 2017

Amy your fairy garden is just so sweet!

Tina Collier

Saturday 18th of February 2017

I love this new site, i am going to build me a fairy garden it looks like so much fun.

Julie Kitchener

Thursday 16th of February 2017

Love your desktop fairy garden! i love all things tiny and , i have been storing up bits and pieces to make one. Your right to i keep seeing these fairy gardens online.Thanks for your tips i will use them!.

Gail M West

Thursday 16th of February 2017

This is great . . . would have loved to see a before pic