Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The Magic Onions' Fairy Garden Contest...

Hi, Everyone!
 
I've been meaning to post this all week...:^)
 
Remember my Fairy House and Garden I did last spring? (You can click here and here for those posts)...
 
 Someone suggested that I enter it in The Magic Onions' Fairy Garden Contest, something the lovely New Zealand-based blog folks have been doing for a few years, now.
 
So, I did.

It was fun, the sweet messages I would get just out of the blue all summer, when someone came upon my little house in The Magic Onions' post...

Then one day last week they let me know that I was one of their 2012 winners ~ I was delighted!

You can click here for the winning entries post...

I'm very honored!
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Of course, most of my tiny herbs got big over the summer...

I'm going to replant them in my raised herb beds, and hopefully will be able
 to use some of them again next year,
  if I do another Fairy Garden...
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I was so pleased with my marigolds! They were all started from seed, and I'm afraid I
didn't thin them like I was supposed to...they just sort of grew...(like Topsy ~ ;^)
I love how they are used in the Mexican Day of the Dead (Los Dias de Los Muertos ) celebrations...
I was wondering why the marigold, and found this information at www.MexConnect.com
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Flowers, symbolizing the brevity of life, are massed and fashioned into garlands, wreaths and crosses to decorate the altar and the grave. The marigold is the most traditional flower of the season. In Aztec times it was called the cempasuchil, the flower of 400 lives.
The fragrance of the cempasuchil leads the spirits home. Sometimes paths of the petals lead out of the cemetery and to the house to guide the spirits. A cross of marigold petals is formed on the floor so that as the spirit approaches the altar, he will step on the cross and expel his guilt.
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Interesting!
There is lots more really good information explaining the holiday on that site.

Marigolds do have a rather pungent fragrance; I like it, personally, but I think is an acquired taste!

I hope we don't have a frost before Halloween, so I can use lots of them in my party decor!

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Some pretty mums...does anyone else like the way crushed Chrysanthemum leaves or petals smell?
Am I weird?
I just love it...I've even been known to pinch a tiny leaf or bud out in a store, just to breathe in that Autumn fragrance!
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A potential Fairy House for next year...
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There are still so many blooms and tiny baby gourds on the vines!
I don't know if they'll have time to mature before the frost gets them or not...
fingers crossed...
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I've had this cute vintage postcard for a long time...
I think she's so sweet, in her little Mary Janes!
I may do an art-card of Tallulah in this pose...
If anyone would like a larger scan of this card, please feel free to e-mail me ~ :)
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Have a wonderful evening!
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Sharing this post at Savvy Southern Style's Wow-Us Wednesday ~ :)
and Ivy & Elephants' What's It Wednesday

62 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Anne, on being one of the winners!

    There is a chance of frost in some nearby areas overnight - probably none here. I hope your marigolds linger awhile longer.

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  2. Congratulations on your fairy house being a winner. It is beautiful.

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  3. welll, now CONGRATULATIONs! that has to be the cutest thing i've ever seen! you seem like such a delightful person with much to offer the world with your creative side! glad to have found you as well! :)

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  4. I'm certainly not surprised that you were a winner in the fairy garden. Yours is the most darling fairy house I have seen! ~ Maureen

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  5. What a darling FAIRY HOUSE! Such GREAT CREATIVE TALENT! I can see why you're a WINNER! LOVE it! I also enjoy the way a marigold smells~~~always have! Hope you are enjoying the AUTUMN! from one sweetie to another~~~Roxie

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  6. Congratulations:-) What beautiful photos~I have never crushed mum petals..I will one day
    Love the house!

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  7. Congrats on the win, Anne, your fairy house was a-maze-ing, such intricate detail. Glad you won, and I never knew the folklore regarding marigolds. I happen to like them, and when I was younger I would dream about owning a horse, and I would name it Marigold! xo

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  8. You have such an amazing garden! Your fairy house is delicate and lovely, congratulations on winning with it, it's fantastic!

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  9. ...sweet blessed awesomeness! ~ yoU are an inspiration for the creative soul!...(: ...xXx... ...Samantha...

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  10. Congrats on the fairy house, Anne - well deserved. And yes, acquired taste on the marigold smell, for sure. I can't stand the smell, but they are SO colorful...they have a huge Dia de los Muertos (2 days, actually) celebration here in Vegas - the marigolds on all of the shrines are stunning! Happy Fall - Happy Thursday - Tanya

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  11. What a sweet little creation and I can see why you have won! Congratulations and well deserved! Your marigolds are so pretty, I do love their brightness, like tiny suns. I enjoyed learning about these. You would think with their pungent scent that nothing would eat them, but deer and birds love them here! (And slugs) I grow them on my deck rails to try and keep them safe! Happy Fall to you! xx

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  12. That is the most beautiful Fairy Cottage and garden I have ever laid eyes on! I want to move in myself...haha!

    That kettle pot is incredible, too...what a neat (and practical) piece of family history :)

    Congrats on the win...and your gorgeous marigolds!

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  13. Hello deary,,Congratulations on your fairy house being a winner. It is beautiful...love xxx

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  14. A well deserved honor and privilege.
    It's an awesome and outstanding work of art... and love.
    You'll need to decide who can live in it... I'm calling dibs ahahah
    Love,
    T

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  15. Congratulations my dear! Also your pictures are just magical. This is such an awesome post. I would love it if you would share this post at our WIW linky party. Hope you can join us. :-)

    Paula
    ivyandelephants.blogspot.com

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  16. Your fairy garden is beautiful, Anne! Congratulations on your win. I have to admit that chrysanthemums are my least favorite flower. I do not like their smell nor their look, for some reason. I do, however, love their colors.

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  17. Congratulations!!!

    Also, have you read "The Language of Flowers" - it's a wonderful book, with the meaning of flowers woven in through the story.

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  18. Dearest Anne,
    Wow, Congratulations on your well-deserved winning☆☆☆ What a Fabulous fairy house♬♬♬ And I admire your wonderful pictures♡♡♡
    Oh, yes I will cross my fingers for you there won't be frost in your place! My flower bed turned into hubby's hobby house about 3 years ago(^^;)
    Thank you very much for your sweet comment, my Dear new friend(*^_^*) 
    Sending you lots of love and hugs from Japan, xoxo Miyako*

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  19. Your little fairy house is adorable. I can see why it was a winner! I like the smell of marigolds too. Last year I had lots, but this year the bunnies got them. I did not know that marigolds had special meaning in Mexico. Your pictures are lovely by the way.

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  20. Congratulations on being a winner! Very well deserved!
    Great pics of the gourd and gourd-to-be! :0)

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  21. This post made me smile! Congrats on winning-and no wonder! What a cute little house!

    The baby gourd is still making me smile!

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  22. Congratulations!!! I loved that little house you made:) My marigolds seemed to have gone crazy. I guess a last gasp before the frost.

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  23. Ann, So glad you entered the contest and thrilled you won. Your fairy house is amazing. You crammed alot into your post and I so enjoyed it!

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  24. I would love to live in the magic mushroom house...where is that cake that will shrink me??? hmmm,oh kitties dont like marigolds..beware my prettie...

    ♥Debi

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  25. Soooooooo happy for you! what a well-deserved award! I want to live in that garden!

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  26. Hi Anne - thanks for stopping by! Your fairy garden is wonderful. I am not at all surprised you won an award!

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  27. Hallo Anne!Congratulations on your fairy house being a winner. It is so beautiful!I adore all your flowers!You have a fantastic garden!Wish you a happy Friday my dear!
    Dimi..

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  28. Congratulations, it is SO BEAUTIFUL! Did you sculpt it with clay??
    How I love fairy houses!
    And your header is darling..I am loving the orange.
    I, too, love the smell of Autumn flowers...
    Have a beautiful day, dear Anne!
    xoxo,
    - Irina

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  29. Congrats! I went to your earlier posts to see the making... That is the most adorable thing! And I'm going to have to check into that ferny looking perennial! I love marigolds and the way they smell! Did you know that people plant them around and in their veggie gardens to help repel pesty bugs? And I too associate the smell of mums with fall! Love it!

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  30. Love the fairy house..They seem to have lost their popularity since last year..SO cute

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  31. Beautiful and creative... CONGRATULATIONS on being a winner.

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  32. Congrats! Enjoyed your beautiful photography :)

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  33. Congratulations Anne, your Fairy House is amazing!!! I remember when you first posted it here, and am not surprised AT ALL that it's a winner, your work is fantastic!!!

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  34. Anne, congrats to you on your fairy house being a winner! It's adorable...your blog is so vibrant and happy. I want to thank you for your kind comment on my poem - thank you so much, and it made my day. :)

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  35. Congratulations Anne! Your fairy house deserves to win!! You did an amazing job with it.!!!

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  36. Dear Anne - Hurray - you richly deserve it...it is really a wonderful house for the wee ones that didn't stay so wee. I like the scent of marigolds - always like them in the vegetable garden because some of the other critters do not care for their perfume. You always do such a lovely post and wonderful research. Take care and have a great week-end!!

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  37. Adorable fairy house...but I, of course, zoom to the promise (at least the thought of a promise) of an art card with Miss Tallulah in Mary Janes! Oh please...please, please, please create one (oh, go ahead...make it a few!) for those of us who want a wee collection to frame and hang on our wall! Please?

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  38. Congratulations on the fairy house contest win! How exciting! I grew marigolds from seed this year too. They did pretty well. Just brought in the last flowers.

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  39. Happy for your win your little pine house is very sweet.
    Merle.

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  40. Your blog is always so much fun! Beautiful and full of color! Congratulations! Your fairy home is so sweet!

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  41. Loved your post! Very beautiful pictures of the marigolds!!

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  42. Congrats to you on the fairy house win! It's such a sweet little house! I haven't seen marigolds here yet. They usually are sold when it is a bit cooler. Still 100 degrees during the day. I do have some coneflower seeds that I should try and plant. Also a seed bomb from Anthropologie -- who knows if it will even do anything. Hope you are having a great weekend. Tammy

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  43. Your fairy house is breathtaking!!!
    Congrats!

    And thank you for stopping by my little corner of blogland! I always love new friends! {Southern ones are always the best!}

    ♥ Tawny

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  44. well done you! ANd your blooms are magnificent..!!

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  45. Hi Anne,
    congratulation to the win. Your photos are so pretty. Thanks for sharing.
    Best greetings, Johanna

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  46. Oh I cannot get over how adorably cute your fairy house is!! I can't believe you cut and glued on each of those pine cone shingles! What patience you must have!!
    Your marigolds and mums are lovely too!

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  47. Well, no wonder you won, Anne! It is delightful!! How precious! I wonder how you will top that one! =0) I did not know that you could dry chrysanthemums and then smell them. I will have to try that!
    xo
    Holly

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  48. Halloween is not such a celebrated holiday here in Australia...we don't have the day off work and there is not many decorations around to buy, trick and treating is not really done in the neighborhoods...so it is lovely to read your blog and see all the celebration preparations...thank you XXXX

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  49. Hooray for your fairy house! Hooray for YOU!
    Such nice orange greetings over here, Anne!

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  50. Hooray for your fairy house! Hooray for YOU!
    Such nice orange greetings over here, Anne!

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  51. Your fairy garden is just fabulously beautiful! Congrats!

    My gourds didn't grow this year, and neither did my pumpkins. Try again next year, I suppose! I've never tried a fairy garden, but I love looking at them. Being that I've started painting some fairy houses, they're an excellent start for inspiration!

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  52. Congratulations, Anne, that's great! I love all the beautiful flower photos. Thank you for sharing!

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  53. Your fairy house is lovely - it was a well deserved win. Congratulations!

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  54. I'm not surprised you won! Your fairy house is so beautiful!

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  55. Well done! It is truly lovely and I'd love to live there.
    By the way kitty looks rather super in that hat.
    Happy autumn, Happy halloween. Love Lisa & Rosy xx

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  56. Not only are you an excellent photographer, but a great writer. I shall be joining the ranks of a follower.

    P.S. Sikeston, MO? The home of the throwed roll??

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  57. Congrats to you Anne, your fairy house is so precious. You have so much talent to share. Also such a cute vintage postcard.

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  58. such beautiful marigolds! they are my favorite flower.

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  59. Anne, I love your marigold photos... and that baby gourd... loverly!

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  60. Interesting indeed. I've never eaten a marigold. I didn't even know they were eatable. I like them in with my tomatoes! I don't think I'll be eating one either.

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