Well, mine is more of a willow owl sphere, but they are very similar.  I got the idea when I became fascinated with the Willow Fairy Spheres on the Miniature Garden website.  Be sure to watch the video on their site.  It will really help.  When I was shopping in Hobby Lobby one day, I came across the empty spheres.  I got one for later on.  There are many sizes, shapes and colors available online.  Mine is just a brown willow sphere.

Here are some pictures of some spheres.

Last night I missed fairy gardening, so I got the sphere out.  The video looked easy enough.  Inside the spheres is a network of wire that holds the shape.  I thought there were just a couple, but there are quite a few.  You need to locate the wires before you start.  Then you need to mark the top wire, where you are planning to put your hanger. I used a binder clip.  You might not need a hangar if you set it on a table.  This sphere has a flatter side to it which I used on the bottom.  He might just wind up sitting on a table.  Plan out where you want the opening and start cutting the wires first.  You will need a wire cutters.  Don’t try to use jewelry tools for this, you will ruin them with marks from this wire.  Ladies, depending on how strong you are, you might need a fella to help…the wires are tough! After getting the wires snipped in the area you are opening up, take a shears or scissors and start to carefully snip an opening.  Cutting into the sphere is kind of scary, but don’t fret, it will be okay.  I took some of the twigs that I snipped off and remove them around some of the edge twigs to hold them in place.  I put the tiniest dabs of wood glue here and there where the edge twigs were looking like they weren’t going to stay in place.  The glue dries clear so no one will ever notice.

Now you can start filling the sphere.  These spheres are often made into garden lights by putting small LED light strings into them.  The link shows white cords on the LED strings, but mine has dark green cord.  I couldn’t find a link for that.  I had one of those strings of lights in my supplies!  I didn’t like the way they were moving around if I just laid them into the sphere, so I took some very fine copper wire and wired the lights into place.  I can antique the wire later so that you can’t see it.  I wired the battery box to the side of the sphere with the switch in a handy location.  I need to be able to remove the battery box to change the batteries when needed.  After sticking some moss on the battery box with some UGLU tabs it became invisible to the eye.  I have a wide selection of mosses to work with but first I wanted to put my main attraction into the sphere.

I wanted something different.  I am out of fairies right now and unable to get any more right now.  I found an owl statue in my cupboard of memorabilia.  He needed a special home.  I found a piece of juniper branch that my husband had cut a while ago.  It was perfect size for the owl to sit on.  But the owl was heavy and every time I bumped the sphere or moved it the owl fell off the stump.  I decided to glue him to the stump.  I used a cool glue gun.  I was worried that I might ruin him, but took a chance.  I found out later that you can remove him from the stump if you desire.  I had to readjust him and glue a stick behind him to keep him from falling back.  That worked for falling back, but he kept falling forward too.  I didn’t want him to take a nose-dive out of the sphere when it was hanging!  I found some little juniper branch discs in my stash and decided to make a base for the stump and owl.  It took several attempts of making it large enough in all directions to keep him from falling over.  Success!

A lot of moss later I decided I needed some color and remembered that I had some fall silk leaves stored away.  I got them out and started placing them into the sphere behind the owl.  They are a little big, but in the world of fairies, it doesn’t really matter.  The color is what I was looking for.  I added a couple of stray sticks and some acorns that I had in my jewelry supplies.  The acorns worked very well with the silk oak leaves.  All I have to do now is make a better hangar on the top if I decide to hang him up.  I think he came out cute!  What do you think????

I am determined to use up some of these things I have around the house that need to be used or thrown away.  Why not put them to good use!  This project was a lot of fun. I feel good that I used stuff I already had.  If you try making one let me know.  I would love to see it!