Flower bed progress

I've had a successful day off from work (Statutory holiday in Newfoundland) and I've been busy in my real garden and in my mini garden.  I've completed all the tulips (actually I still have lots left over) and I completed one of the Hollyhock kits I purchased in Toronto last week. 
First a little Kit Review.........
This is the third type of flower kit I've assembled, the first two being Hanky Panky flower kits and Bonnie Lavish flower kits.  This kit was produced by Carrie Domm and Connie Stitt in Ontario.  The kit is ten years old (based on the copyright date on the instructions) so I don't know if they still produce them.

By far Bonnie Lavish kits are my favourite to assemble, with very little instructions they are so easy to work with.  Hanky Panky kits vary by the flower, the best individual kit I have ever put together was from Hanky Panky, the geranium kits, but I've tried others that I have even yet to complete. 

This particular kit today also had it's good points and not so good points.  I absolutely loved the paper they used, I would have to say it's the best paper from any kit I've assembled.  Even though there was a full page of instructions, the only picture was very low resolution and there was no other drawings, so I had to consult a picture of a hollyhock to completely understand the instructions.  Overall I think each stem doesn't have enough flowers, but that's something that I can fix in the future when making more Hollyhocks.  I was pleased with my finished product though, and I completely in all in one day, so that's great.

The real value in kits I find is I learn so much from them, that in the future I can usually make the item without the assistance of a kit.  I definitely feel this way about the Hollyhocks.

Now on to the flower bed....
I started to fill in the garden flower beds, nothing is glued right now, and I haven't added the mulch, so this is just a dry run.

Around the fence, I had already added the forsythia before, but now I have added the tulips (made from scratch by me) and the daisy's (made from a Bonnie Lavish kit).  It was a odd angle to take a picture because the shed itself is there, so this was my best shot.

I think I need to bend the flowers a little and I have to add the mulch, right now it looks a little sparse.  The orange stems are pieces cut from a full size artificial flower.

On the other side of the shed, in the larger flower bed, I got a little more creative.  I had received a fig tree in a garden swap from Ira last year, that was wrapped in burlap the same way you would get any new tree.  I thought I would incorporate this into my display as a "work in progress", the gardener is in the process of planting the new tree.  He doesn't want to get any dirt on the freshly mowed grass, so he has laid down some newspaper to collect the soil taken to make the hole.  It also gave me the great opportunity to cover the seam in the sheet grass I used.  You can see another seam on the other side in the first picture above, I still have to figure out how to disguise that one in the future as well.

The ground was typical Newfoundland soil.  You couldn't just use a shovel, a pickaxe was required to get through the tough Newfoundland dirt.  They call it "The Rock" for a reason!!  Now I don't think Fig trees grow in Newfoundland, but we won't tell the gardener this, he'll find out from himself when the tree, doesn't thrive!!  And one never knows, he may have such a green thumb that he is able to get it to grow! 

I've placed all the plants, including the new hollyhocks in the flower bed under the window.  I still have to glue everything and add mulch.  But I think this one is full enough.  Again the tulips were made by me from scratch, the pansies are purchased, the hollyhocks are the kit I assembled today, the lilies are from a swap with Kim last year and then I've added some ready made greenery from full size artificial flowers and the same orange stems I used in the other flower bed, plus I had some red ones like the orange stems and I have added those.  I think I will switch those out for the pink hollyhocks when I get those made.

The geraniums in the window box were made last year from the Hanky Panky kit, they are my favourite I've assembled so far, the kit only made half of what is in the window box, but once I made those, I was easily able to duplicate them myself.

So I'm going to sit on this much for a day or two, assemble the second hollyhock kit, and then once I am pleased with it all I'll glue everything in place and add the mulch.

Welcome to the new followers, thanks for taking an interest in my blog.

I welcome feedback from everyone, it's what keeps me going back to create more minis.

Until next time.....

Wanda

More Pictures of the Garden Fence

I've gotten my new camera charger, and was able to get more pictures of the garden fence with more detail.  Have a look.  Hope you like.

This is the one completed side.  You can see a bit of the forsythia I made from scratch from the other side of the fence.

This shows my tulips close up.  The first tulips I made I forgot to make the centers black, so you see those here.  I've since corrected that error in my later tulips.  The daisies were from a swap with Ira and the lilies were from a swap with Kim .  The Hyacinths are also made by me.  They were my first try at a flower from scratch, no kit.

The lilies and daffodils were from a swap with Kim.  I just love the daffodils, it's a flower that I would love to attempt to make myself, but it looks a little more complicated.  Kim doesn't have a blog that I am aware of, otherwise I would provide the link. 

The pansies were from a swap with Monica, aren't they wonderful!  The rest are ready made flowers, and bits of full size artificial flowers that I have taken small sprigs.  I still have to add some "mulch" at the end of the flower bed, I can see it's missing in the picture.  Photos help to see so much that you don't see with the naked eye.

I love the morning glory wrapped around the corner of the fence, it was a purchased item made from clay.  You can see my tulips and hyacinths peeping out on both sides.

As of today I have over 200 followers, which absolutely amazes this absentee blogger.  I cannot expressed my gratitude in your interest in my ramblings about my mini adventures.  I'm going to go through my mini collection and see what I can offer up as a thank you draw for your interest.  Stay tune, I'll be back in a day or so with a draw.  Once again, thank you to all the people who take the time to follow my blog.  I know I learn so much from fellow bloggers, and I hope that I helping someone else in return.

Also thank you to the followers who have been leaving the kind comments on my past postings.  This encouragement is helping me to go back to my workroom each day.

Until next time...........

Wanda

 

Blooming flowers around the fallen fence

I've been doing very well in the workshop this week.  I've almost completed one section of the gardening on the shed.  I thought you would like to have a peak at my progress.

Sorry that the picture isn't clearer, I just realized this morning that I must have left my camera recharger in the hotel room on my last business trip, and unfortunately that was out of the country, so it's gone.  I had to go out searching for a new camera charger, but in the meanwhile I took this one picture with my I-Pad.  I'll take more with my camera once it's recharged!

I've used some of my handmade flowers, plus some I received from a swap last year, some purchased flowers and some foliage from full size flowers, where I just took a sprig from.  I like the overall look for the flower bed.  You can barely see the fence anymore. I'll try not to cover the fence in too much on the next side.  You can just see a peak of the forsythia I made from the inside of the fence.  Still have to add more flowers to that side before I show you that side.  But it looks like I will have to start making a lot more flowers, this one bed took up almost all my stash of flowers, and I need a lot more for this section, plus I have an even larger flower bed under the window box.  Looks like I will be busy at flower making, but I do love making the flowers.

You can see I have also completed the trim around the entire scene as well.  I was hoping to find some old barn board for this task, but I was not fortunate to find a piece worth using, so I took a regular molding and treated it with "Weather It" and it seems to have done the trick.

I hope you like my progress so far.  If you have any questions about the flowers, don't hesitate to ask. 

Thank for you all your kind comments about the chair I showed you in my last posting.  A couple people commented on the fabric.  I love it.  I found it at a local quilt shop, and I purchased a yard in two colours.  It has a real Victorian feel about it, but it's just brighten up with a little gold detailing in it, which makes it sparkle.  I don't know where I will use the second colour I purchased, it's green, but it's added to my large fabric stash now.

Until next time.....

Wanda

Give me a Daisy a Day

I've been busy repairing my tile job this weekend, but also continuing to make mini flowers in between.  You need something to do while the glue is drying!!

I just finished making Daisy Mums from a Bonnie Lavish kit.  I absolutely love assembling Bonnie Lavish flower kits.  They are laser cut and perfect to assemble.  I've tried other flower kits before, but nothing impresses me more than Bonnie's kits.

This is the finished results.  I've laid them in a flower pot to dry, but they will actually go in the garden around the shed, once I've made enough flowers. 

To check out more of Bonnie's kits go to http://www.bonnielavish.com/ .  I've completed several of her fushia kits, they are perfect.  I have several other kits that I have yet to assemble from Bonnie and from other artisans, so lots to work on yet.

I've also been making some flowers from scratch from patterns I've found in several miniature magazines.  These are still work in progress.

I added the instructions on how I made the paving tiles yesterday, and a few minutes later I returned and found I had five new followers.  Wow, thanks for taking an interest.  Also thanks for the great comments on the tutorial.

I would like to say welcome too:-

Petra at http://meinekleinigkeiten.blogspot.com/  She has a great tutorial on her site for making Hydrangea!
Annina at http://anninagunter.blogspot.com/  For those who love modern miniatures, this is most definitely the spot to check out!
Marlie at http://marliesminies.blogspot.com/  She is working on a fabulous built in piece in her room box. 
My Wee Life at http://my-wee-life.blogspot.com/  I see she is working on a Bonnie Lavish kit as well.
The final new follower appears to be following privately, which is still great, so whoever you are welcome to So Mini Projects, I hope you enjoy it!

Until the next time........

Wanda

Gardening Swap

Recently Ira @ http://merryjingle.blogspot.com/ suggested a gardening swap. I jumped in to volunteer immediately. With my present garden shed project, I need lots of gardening items, including flowers for the outside. I've made and collected lots, but I would love to have a bigger variety. So today I am offering up duplicates of many of the things I have in hopes that one of the other swappers would be interested in these items.

These are the items I have to offer:

Hyacinth stems. I still have add leaves to most of them, only the front two stems have the leaves attached yet. I made these myself from instructions I found in Miniature Collector magazine. I have about 4 dozen stems made so far.

Vintage wood sign. I only have one right now, but I can laminate and age more if required. It was made from a printie I found online. I mounted it to a wood backing, and painted and distressed it.

Wooden "Clay" pots have have been aged with moss. These are about 1/2" high.

Potted fern:-

Or just fern leaves, here's an example of how I used the fern leaves on my dollhouse window box. I am not offering up the window boxes, just wanted to show you alternate ways to use the fern leaves. I made the fern leaves myself from floral tape. They are extemely time consuming, but I have lots from a previous swap I was involved in last year.

Fushia stems. This is for individual stems, depending on how many you need. You'll see in the above window box, I used stems in between the fern leaves. Vase is not included in swap, just needed something to prop the stems in.

Here's a close up shot of the stems:-

I have two styles of crates, labels do vary. I have lots of the lower flat crate, just have to attach the labels. The double crate, I would have to make more if more than one swapper is interested of if they need more than one.

I also have two sizes of seed flats. I think I will add a little greenery and a plant stake in each of the flats showing some early plant growth.

I also have lots of garden signs. The three shown below I only have one of each. These are about 2.5" wide and 1.5" h. Some of these signs have bowed a little with the glue and paint. Depending on how they are used, some weight may need to be applied to them to flatten them down.

These are two smaller garden signs I have. Once again I only have one of each. These are a lot smaller measuring approx. 1" wide x 3/4" high

Lastly I had another idea for garden swap items. I hope it appeals to the interested swappers. Over the years I have collected a lot of silk and plastic flower stems in full size, that have individual blossoms that were suitable scale to use in 1/12 scaled settings. Even when I purchased one stem or in some cases one bunch, I had more blossoms then I would ever need in all my miniature projects. I don't know if there are others that have collected these floral stems over the years and may want to swap some of these blossoms, and even if you haven't you may have other garden items to offer up as swap items for these blossoms. Some were floral blossoms, and some are just leaves. I have photographed all of them in the smaller crate to show you the size of the blossoms and leaves. So hopefully this is of interest to others as well.

First there are these pink and light green five petal flower blossoms. These are about 6 blossoms on each section I pulled off the flower stem. Each blossom is about 1/4" inch wide.

Then there are these yellow cluster flowers. Each cluster measures about 1/2" acoss. Great to use as babys breath.

I also have these clusters of flower stems that look like delphinumns. Two colours dark rose and light orange. There are about 20 blossoms on each cluster that can be cut individually.

Next are these purple blossoms. I don't know if they look like any full size flowers, but I really like them. Each blossom is about 1/4".

I also have these white clusters that are also perfect looking clusters of babys breath.

Then I have lots of greenery pieces. Great fillers in the garden. They are variegated from dark green to light green from botton to top. Each stem measures about 2-2.5" inches.

I also have these leaves that are either green or burg. Again they are great garden fillers, and can possibly used for Hostas if cut and glued together appropriately.

Lastly I have these other greenery fillers that look like little bushes. Each piece measures about 1" across. I am showing about 6 bushes below. Three are in each section.

Outside of these items, I have printed and partially cut lots and lots of printies from seed packages to seed bags that I will throw in with each swap since I got so carried away with my printing!!! Great opportunity to move these items.

So that's what I have to offer for the garden swap. If there are any interested parties, let me know what you have to offer in exchange.

-Wanda

The Doors Move!!

I have finally managed to get the hinges and latch on the garden shed doors, and they swing freely. It feels great, it was a finicky (is that a word)task. I still have not attached the front wall because I want to still be able to reach inside to place all the little items.




I have been busy making some printies for the shelves and work tables, but I am still searching for more items. It seems that there are lot of printies online, and I have saved a lot over the years, but the majority of the ones I can find related to gardening appear to be more vintage. I would like to have some current gardening items such as bags of lawn seeds, fertilizer, Miracle Grow boxes, etc, and I am finding these items challenging. I don't think I have the computer skills to create them myself. So if anyone can suggest where I can find these items, it would be appreciated.


I have also been working on flowers for the inside and outside of the shed. I have made some flowers in the past and they are extremely time consuming but very rewarding. I have made them from both kits and from scratch. So far I have made lots of hyacinth, from instructions given in Miniature Collector, hydrangea from kits, fuchsia from kits (Bonnie Lavish kits are awesome!). I made fern leaves from scratch using floral tape in the past for the flower boxes on my dollhouse. I am going to need tons, but I think this is something I can add to over time!

A big thank you to Irene of http://applestearooms.blogspot.com/who showed me the "Flower". That's the flower on my camera that allows me to take clearer close ups of the miniatures. All my close ups are a lot crisper now! Thanks a bunch for sharing the information.

Also welcome to two more followers:-
Cheryl, http://aminiatureplace.blogspot.com/
Jayne, http://tallulahbelleoriginals.blogspot.com/

Hope you enjoy my postings, and I would love to have your feedback.
-Wanda