I think it would be a darling fairy house. I have several fairy houses that are not 'natural'. One is a "Squash house" and one is a "Pumpkin house" and some are china and some ceramic and some are wood and rock. I think fairies stay where it is comfortable. That one would fit just right in a fairy garden. Janie

Just an update - we went to largest syrup producer in the state (not far from us), I didn't ask specifically about mold but he said in tour that they get the syrup to 7.1-7.3 degrees above boiling water (so check your altitude but 219-220 sounds right). High-sugar sap at beginning of season doesn't take long to turn to syrup, lower-sugar end of season takes longer so it turns out more brown. But they use a hydrometer to check brix - want it 66-67% sugar. Too much sugar and it crystalizes, to little sugar and it's not legal maple syrup (and I guess it molds, b/c he said they boil the sap the day it's collected, and collect it every day, b/c the high water content is hospitable to bacteria and he doesn't want the bacteria eating all the sugar!). My mom's neighbor was making a batch on her woodfired evaporator last night, again she gets it to 219, puts it right into hot sterilized jars (doesn't let it cool much I guess - she wasn't jarring it when we were there), inverts them. Doesn't BWB but says that you don't want to allow much headspace at all, fill it right up to the top (?) then invert. But she only makes about 5 gallons a year, donates it to church for pancake supper in April so it doesn't get stored long. I imagine she keeps some for herself (3 gallons or so, she gave us about 12 oz in exchange for jars and blackberry jam), but maybe she refrigerates it. Mu mom just poured it into an almost-empty quart of store-bought (pure, not fake!) syrup in the fridge so she could give back the jar today, so I don't know how it would keep.

thanks kudzu,glad you liked my fairy jar, you never said how hard these were to make, getting all the little things in the jar just right gave me fits! looks so easy on the videos LOL! on the outside of the jar, I used tulp pearl fabric paint, and sponaged it on then used glitter glue in silver and done the same, makes the outside of the jar sprakle, I set the jar by a small heater to dry, and it sora bakes the finish, wont say its on for good but I tried and couldnt remove a spot I had to much on, just a idea to try if you like. Thanks oddie

fini