Needle Felting--Fibers and Fairies

 I made some boxes from cardstock and filled them with wool fibers for felting.  They have gone to the shop where I teach (Grandma's Room/Needles & Knots in Crawfordsville, IN) for sale.  These are the first boxes I've made like this.  They were really fun and really easy! 

Start with the finished dimensions of the box.  This little one is about 2" square.  Add twice the desired height (1 1/2" x2=3").  Cut out a square that is the sum of these two--twice the height plus the base of the box (2"+3"=5").  Score the cardstock 1 1/2" from each edge to mark the height of the box.  Cut a wedge out of each corner so it is easier to fold, then fold, tape and viola!  You just made a box!  I punched out the window in each lid prior to taping them. 

And these are my latest needle felted fairies.  They are made over wire armature in a style outlined in the book Beginner's Guide to Needle Felting by Susanna Wallis.  The larger fairy lives at our house.  The smaller one was given as a birthday present to a friend of my youngest daughter (the one who requested, "Please, Mommy, will you make me one of these?" as she pointed to the picture of the dolls in Wallis' book!).

The dolls are made of Romney wool, natural and hand-dyed, plus a bit of unknown breed wool (the browns for the hair), and a little bit of angelia fiber to make the wings on the little fairy sparkle.