This is the Fairytale Witch's Cave that I started a few years ago, still in progress. The Witch who lives here is, of course, a good witch, also known as a Fairy Godmother - on her good days, anyway. She's the old woman the hero always runs into at the beginning of a journey, the one who gives out apparently useless items that later save the day (if one is wise): the comb that becomes a forest to foil pursuers, the model ship that becomes real in time of need, the cloth that provides feasts when spread, and so on. She keeps a basketful of such items up in her storage loft, along with magic swords, winged sandals and other magical odds and ends.

As soon as I get the wiring for the fireplace and her lantern done, I'll be finishing up the exterior with dried moss, lichen and flowers (then comes the hard part - the Fairy Godmother doll and all the tiny fairies I plan to have flitting about! I've been saving bug wings for ages now.) I made the cave itself out of a chicken wire frame covered with paper maché. Some of that stone-textured spray paint and some good ole fashioned dirt helped achieve the rocky look.

The rocking chair and the worktable were two of my first childhood pieces of miniature furniture. The small wood bench holding the water bucket came from my grandmother's dollhouse. The water bucket and dipper are like one we kept just inside the door at our family Camp in Maine, where we had to pump water outside. There is nothing so refreshing on a hot summer day as a dipperful of icy cold spring water!

The fairy godmother sleeps comfortably on her ledge behind the fireplace, snug in her rabbit fur "bearskins" and carpets, with a couple velvet pillows that some grateful hero brought her. She has a cat who spends most of its time curled up on the bed.

She keeps a hat and broom around for special occasions (and housework.) Among her magical tools, this witch boasts a magic wand with a real amethyst crystal at one end, red feathers, and a "bear claw" at the other end (actually one of my dog's baby teeth - I knew I saved them for some reason.)

I also made her many scrolls, and the owl visitor sitting on his perch at one end of the table. The smoke rising from the incense burner in the center of the floor is a tiny wisp of cotton. The burner itself is made of jewelry fittings and a tiny seashell.

I made the treasure chest with its curved lid (hidden behind the fireplace) from balsa wood. It has real brass hinges, and will have a brass lockplate eventually. The "brass" trim at the edges, however, is just painted tape. There is supposed to be a mishievous little imp lifting the lid to see the treasure, but my first attempt didn't turn out very well so we'll see what happens.