I mentioned last time that I need to make a lot of hydrangeas to 'plant' in front of my Thornhill. Well, I haven't yet done those, but I have been using a bit of time for a few more plants and to do some work on a new project. First of all, I am adding two pictures of fern plants because I use those so much. They can be purchased of course, but a DIY miniaturist can make them. They look at home in most any setting and if you check out my interior pictures, you will see a fern in almost any setting. I just love them. They can be made from paper that you have painted or from florist tape. In both cases you will want various shades of green to show up in the leaves of the plant. When I paint paper for leaves, I almost always paint one side a different shade, perhaps a lighter shade than on the front side. Plants look more realistic if different shades of color show up. You can draw a pattern for the leaf, making it large or small depending on your preference. Then you use some floral wire, cut a piece about 2 1/2 or 3" long and glue that to the underside of the leaf. The you make slanted cuts along the leaf on both sides of the glued wire. You can use from 10 to 20 leaves, depending on how large you want your fern to be. Arrange them in a pot or basket, remembering to fluff and curl the leaves so that the fern will look natural. They really add life to a setting.
I also took a picture of a couple of small geraniums which have not yet been arranged in a pot. The method for making those is almost the same as for the hydrangeas, but the geraniums are generally a bit smaller. You can buy leaves or you can cut out your own and one nice trick that I learned from one of the flower makers is to use a bit of stampers chalk. Touch the leaves with a bit and you will have a more realistic look to your plant.
There are so many wonderful flowers to make in miniature and many can be done without buying a lot of supplies. Some people enjoy making plants from fimo or sculpy. Try a few and see how much fun they can be.
I mentioned earlier that I am working on another project. It is one that I have had for a while; had it buried under the bed and had forgotten all about it. I don't even remember what it was called, but it looks like a small villa, more or less. It is 1/2" so it will take some work to get it going. There are three rooms and I am now deciding just how I want them decorated. I will share some pictures as I get farther along.
Finally, I am adding a couple of picture of a furniture piece that I bought at Ron's Miniatures some time ago. It is a chest that is all hand painted by Natasha and it is a beautiful piece. I saw it and just knew I had to have it. However, I have never decided just how to show it off so I am asking any of you who read this to give me your suggestions. If you had this hand painted piece by a noted artisan, what would you do with it? I look forward to your ideas and am hoping that you can suggest the perfect decor in a room for this chest.
