Characters
To start, try to look at familiar things from a different angle. Even the thimbles, buttons, a glove, an old lamp and other household stuff can be heroes of your tale. But no magic here, of course, can not do. Fairy tale characters have to animate, to give human qualities to get to speak. Many authors including G. H. Anderson, Charles Perrault, used it in his work the technique of transforming an inanimate object into a living fairy-tale creature. For example, the characters of the fairy tale "the Ugly duckling" by H. C. Anderson is a normal inhabitants of the poultry-yard. But it is clear to us.
The plot
Some characters, however, creating tales sufficient. Need to come up with the plot. For a basis we can take some interesting life situation and to replace real actors on fictional characters. No harm will also recall his childhood friends. You probably played with them in the detectives went to look for treasures, build sand castles or do the stick figures from wood chips, flowers and leaves. It can also serve as a story to create a tale. Children will be very interesting even in this "wrapper" to know how you were in childhood.
Also, coming up with the plot, you can use these traditional elements of a fairy tale, like saying, threefold repetition, happy end and others. It is useful to recall and stories that you as children were told at night parents. Creating a collage from pieces of different scenes, you might come up with something different, original. However, here the most important thing is not to overdo it and use only compatible with your main plot parts from other fairy tales.
Your story, for example, might look like this: "there was an old rusted from moisture pin in the corner of the dark closet. She was sad and lonely. The door's tiny window on the roof with a roar slammed shut from the wind. And all would be well and continued. But one winter, when the door window once again opened up to the closet flew a Sparrow. He could not breathe," etc.
You can also invent stories home, animals etc. Then your assistant will serve as a life experience and observation. Can bring to writing of their children. That they will definitely enjoy it. They're on the go come up with different stories.
Thus, it all depends on your boundless imagination, as well as the number of read or heard fairy tales. Maybe you are sitting inside the real writer of children's books.