When life gives you winter, I make flowers to maintain my state of denial. It's very cold here. No snow...just grey and cold. Every few days we get a warm spell and its gets you excited. Then nature pulls the rug out and its gone.
In the spirit of gloom I present....flowers!
It started with a few kits I picked up at The Little Dollhouse Company by Fay-vorite Crafts & Miniatures Co. Fay, by all accounts, seems to be the only person in Canada making mini flower kits. Seriously. This giant country and she makes the kits. Side note: if you know someone who makes great floral kits in Canada, let me know!!! I usually buy some at the MET show from Fay, but these 4 kits were on sale and cheaper at TLDC.
Cyclamen
Anthurium
Hydrangea
Hyacinths
I added bulbs to the hyacinths because...I thought they looked cute! The hydrangia kit was seriously short on leaves. Fortunately, I had a similar punch and made more. Nothing is worse then a sparse and sad looking hydrangea!
Four kits in and I was on a roll! Plus, I had all the supplies out to make flowers, so why not continue, right?? And I have a stock pile of mini magazines packed with tutorials that I always say I will try and never do!
The Dolls' House Magazine had a good run on floral tutorials. I made gaillardia (blanket flowers), strelitzia reginae (bird of paradise) and the herbs in pots (sage, parsley and mint). All of these presented their unique challenges, mostly due to my lack of flower and leaf punches. Again, Canada lacks a solid punch resource that sells online. I improvised and cut up other punches to make my herb leaves, while I hand cut my gaillardia leaves. No more %^$&#*% leaves!!! Picture me dropping every fifth leaf on my busy pattern rug and hunting them down with my cell phone flashlight. Eeek.
The bird of paradise was the most technically challenging and slow to do. Not hard, but each piece and step took time to paint and glue.
The Dolls' House Magazine Issue 206 July 2015
The Dolls' House Magazine Issue 207 August 2015
The Dolls' House Magazine Issue 208 September 2015
But in the gloom of winter I got some fun mail!! Anita at Fabulously Flawed Miniatures brightened my day with some amazing mini knits. So I had to put them in a mini scene and play around!
And then I stitched one last pillow a week and a bit ago in an eyelet pattern. This black and gold beauty is my most favourite pillow so far!
And so, I return to my mid century room box. I just glued in my breakfast bar after much delay. It stares at my on my bar top that faces my couch. It served as my floral photo staging area, so it is being useful even as I neglect it!
