D is for Datura

I found this photo of the beautiful dollhouse miniature Angel's Trumpet created by CDHM artist Jeannette Bucholz of the Garden Of Miniatures. Isn't it beautiful?!

I have no idea how Jennette did this? It is amazing! I want to try to make one. :D

I have a big, beautiful yellow datura in my front yard. It is blooming right now. I picked a flower and one leaf last night. The flowers are so delicate with such lovely colors! This morning I cut the flower apart to see how big it was and how it was shaped.

Then I went to work trying to make a pattern. My real flower measures about 6" x 6" not including the stem. I used Jim's Dollhouse Calculator and figured out my little flower should be about 1/2" when finished.

I drew some patterns and cut them out.

Then I painted them using my watercolor pencils. The leaf is hand cut from paper I already had painted.
The little stamens are ivory embroidery floss that were separated and stiffened with white glue.

Here is my first flower. Close ups reveal where touch ups need to be made. :D

I will keep working on these. The leaf needs a better look. Maybe a different color too?

Hope your garden of miniatures is growing well!

Later thought:  Maybe I should try a 1/2"-3/4" star punch for the flowers?  Pinch in the sides, curls the ends? Might work? 

A is for Agapanthus

I started my self-imposed challenge to make one plant each week from A - Z.  My first plant is A for Agapanthus.

These are some of the things I used to make my plant. To make the flower heads I separated green embroidery floss into two strands and stiffened them with white glue.  

While I waited for those to dry, I washed my hands, got another cup of coffee, and asked myself why I hadn't just bought a kit to make these?!

Carole at Wee Cute Treasures made a beautiful Agapanthus using one of Pascale Garnier's kits. Go see! :D

Inspired, I punched and shaped more flowers from my hand painted paper. There will about twenty tiny flowers on each stalk.

Then I gathered 10 pieces of one inch long embroidery floss. I tied them together in the center with wire. I guessed at the size of the flower head. I looked at Carol's flowers and the planter box she made for them. I made mine about 1.5 cm. The smaller the measurement, the more I like the metric system. :D

Next there was "some assembly required." Don't ask how long this took me. I'll tell you.When I got to this point I had spent about five hours on this one plant.

I made my leaves with photo copy paper painted on both sides. I usually use masking tape. The copy paper worked great for this plant. By the way, I discovered that "cloth covered wire" is not really covered with cloth. It is wrapped with embroidery floss. I made my own because I didn't have any and didn't feel like going shopping...

So here is my little Agapanthus. Hope you like it.  :D

You can be sure that next week's plant will be a whole lot easier to make! It will start with the letter B.

Hope you have a great day! May you have many, many flowers in your garden!

Baby Bromeliads

I did get something accomplished today.
I made three little bromeliad plants.

Tomorrow I really should take down my Christmas tree...

Sweet Dreams!
Kathi

Plant In Progress

I just couldn't let another day go by without making minis! I started making a bird of paradise plant today. I like the leaves. The flower? Not so much...

I used masking tape and florist wire for the leaves. All I had to make the flower was construction paper.

Have you made mini flowers before? What do you use? I thought about trying some crepe paper. Do you think that would work? I'm not good at working with clay, but that may be another thing to try?

I'm planning to wrap the stems with tape and then arrange the leaves in a clay pot. I'm going to try making a palm plant too. That should be easier?

If you want to see some really pretty miniature flowers, check out Tallulah-Belle's Originals on Etsy! Gorgeous!!!

Dylan is better today. He even ate a little bit and so far so good. Hope his tummy is settled down now. I love my little buddy! We're off to bed now. Hope you have a good night.

Blessings, Kathi