Saturday 13 November 2010

How Does Your Garden Grow?........

In one word.....slowly!
I am continuing to make pieces for the outside of the Emporium. I can't believe how long everything takes to make, I will never shake my head at the prices of miniature floristry again. 
 I have noticed a lot of use of natural materials in miniature work lately so I have made a few mini wall 'trees' using small twiglets from the garden. I have let them dry completely for weeks, then I sprayed with a matt varnish.
 Now I have added bunches of leaves. These leaves have all been punched from different coloured papers. I have then added veins using very thin felt tipped pens. To add a variety of colours I then used either a water colour pencil for the edges or brushed them with a metallic embossing paste from a palette of colours I bought ages ago and was never quite sure what to do with. the finish is much nicer than I expected to be honest, paints and me are at the very beginning of a relationship! You know how it is - good days and bad!
After the punching, the veining, the painting and the embossing, all the leaves are 'cupped' to give them shape.
These are two items I find invaluable when making up flowers and things. The blue foam circle is used as a base for 'cupping' petals, flowers and leaves. I used to use a mouse mat but they are a bit too hard. This pad is just right.
The glue pot has a tiny metal needle to allow for precision glue lines or tiny dots of glue. I use mine all the time for all sorts of projects. Like most of my flowers resources they are from Fine Flowers in Miniature which is run by a lovely couple who travel all around the country with their flower kits and 144th house kits.
 Some of you may recognise this vine as the fabulous work of Nikki, which I bought a while ago. The wiring work is so realistic, my photograph does not do it justice. I have attached it to the wall with a dab of paper clay which I will paint and then cover with a tiny, leaved bird nest I think.....not sure whether to add tiny leaves or fruits to the vine or simply leave it in its glory?????
 I have also made these two little holly trees using the same method as above. I am still playing with how many leaves I want to add. I quite like the wood but they do look a bit bare. I have also made some   
orange berry clusters too add.
 More work in progress. A couple of hanging plants, the berries, holly leaves with the berries. and a selection of leaves from kits wired and ready to be planted in the wall troughs of the Emporium.
When I look at what I have achieved this week and the size of the troughs around the Emporium, I must admit my heart sinks! But I am sure the gardens of Rome were not built in a day! 
Have a fabulous Sunday everyone wherever you garden.

11 comments:

  1. Oh no - don't let your heart sink! What you have made is incredible. I love your leaf colours and that sort of detail has to take time. I have to keep going back and looking at them, they are so lovely.

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  2. Great work Janice! You are a natural. I like Nikki's vine just as it is, sort of spooky looking. Your leaves are perfect.

    Victoria : )

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  3. Thanks ladies.
    I won't give up, after all these flowers will be adding colour to the long UK winter days!

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  4. They are absolutely wonderful Janice, you must have so much patience to make all these. I adore my flowers you so wonderfully made and sent me and I will be 'planting' them in Gertie's garden soon :)
    Julia xxxx

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  5. Fab! Are you using real life twigs and then leafing them Janice? Your painting is perfect. Im really no good with painting, I wish I could just be a natural like lots of the others:-( It will all be worth all this hard work, cant wait to see them all in place, Kate xxx

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  6. Well done Janice making all those leaves. The outside of your Emporium is going to look lovely..x

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  7. Wow! That is a lot of work! I used to make clay flowers and that's hard enough, I never had the courage to work with paper. And these look amazing! Such a variety :)

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  8. Thanks everyone. It is slow work but worth it in the end I hope.

    Lorraine I am sure you would be able to work with paper very easily. You certainly have the eye and skills for it.

    Kate, I am not the world's best painter also. I do not really have the eye for colour which is why I start with the kits and then add my own colours. I have started to use very basic tools like felt tipped pens that do what I ask them.
    I did get a set of water colour pencils for my birthday which I have just started to play with and these seem to edge the leaves nicely. It's all the blending and colour washes that are beyond my skills at the moment.
    And yes these 'trees' are little bits of twigs from the garden.

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  9. Wow, your plants are really amazing! Your results are so beautiful because you aren't taking any shortcuts. When you feel it's going to take very long, just think of the lovely outside you'll have and made by you. :)
    Maia

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  10. Este proceso me lo habia perdido. Mucho trabajo tiene este jardin. Las hojas con unos tonos preciosos y reales. Me encanta. Espero que siga el jardin :)
    Besos Clara

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