MOMENTUM

I am moving forward again today. Someone said I needed more critters for this scene (I was only going to have the bunny) so the challenge was issued. I started a couple of things but settled on a skunk. I will explain and show the details here.

I started with a piece of chenille stem and bent one end double for the head. The other end was just bent up for the tail. I used very fine wire for the legs.
 











I wrapped the wire around front and back and trimmed it.








I then proceeded to add black using a Sharpie marker. Note that for some reason the photo shows blue but I was too lazy to put it into photoshop to correct it. I went on line to see skunk images to get the pattern right. After the initial coloration I used the black Sharpie on the chenille stem and then started clipping it. I needed to add fullness and fill out the legs. 

 
I used my Super Glue Gel applied with a toothpick to the areas I needed to fill, then used tweezers to drop the clippings where I wanted them.  It is now starting to look a bit more skunk-like. The white isn't showing up white and the black is showing up as blue, but other than that it does look like a skunk. More so in real life than in the photo.

 I also needed a table and chairs so that was next.  I made a little pedestal by flattening out a cone-shaped pod from the branches I had. I did cheat with the table top as I couldn't seem to slice a piece thin enough from the branch so I used a wood disk from my collection. 

For the chairs, I sliced pieces from the branch and used my Dremel to sand the top area and bottom area to shape. I left a small part in the center for the seat, which I covered with small, fine moss. I am finding the iPhone is difficult to hold steady enough for sharp photos so I guess I will have to substitute some of these photos when I can set up my tripod.

 

MORE WORK DONE TODAY!

I am on a roll! I got most of the moss/leaves that I had available onto the tree but now I need to find more and dry it. Trying to decide if it looks alright as is, or if it needs to be fuller.

 







But after a lot of painstaking placement of "leaves" I decided to work on other elements. I made a bed with moss base and a bit of coconut sheath for the headboard. I'm afraid some of my photos are not totally sharp but I promise once I finish everything I will do my best to get clear photos.

I wanted to try my hand at making a tiny bunny so I cut a piece of chenille stem and left a bit of wire at the top. I snipped tiny bits of the white chenille to use for filler and to coat the bead I used for the head.

I used a paper punch that seemed just right for ears and snipped it down the center so the ears were more separated. I photographed the bunny next to a ruler but again trying to balance things by hand it did not turn out sharp but I left it in for size.  I did get a sharp picture which I am including as well. I have also added arms since this photo was taken.
 
 
 










 

My next project was to make a sink. I had some little seed pods which I thought would be perfect I sliced a bit from a branch and drilled a hole for the sink to sit in. 

A drop of glue in the hole and voila’ a fairy sink!

I have to decide if I am crazy enough to make utensils or dishes to go in it.











I needed a cooking fire but my "kettle" was a bit large, plus I didn't want to build a fire in the house. So I started making an arrangement of twigs and was thinking about whether I might add a light beneath it. I spied a piece of baby wipe and just for fun decided to see how the fibers might tweeze out. A bit of Sharpie coloring and I really like the effect.
 

There was a nice little bit of branch with a kind of burl on it and I thought it might be a good place for the bunny. There are now arms which did not show up in the photo. 






I am trying some placement of the elements on the base and also am trying to make some other decisions.

 A pot belly stove in the room? I started one but now am not sure if I will use it. I think I need a table and I did make a chair before I started on this big push. I thought I had a picture of it, but seems I can't find it but here are some of the fairies I have experimented with.
 I will definitely NOT use the middle one as she is too big and the skirt is too stiff. The left hand fairy with the wand is a possibility as is the very tiny one on the right


 and in the single photo to the left here. These were prototypes so I will have to see where I go with them.








I am running out of steam today but might get back to making the table and chairs. It has been very satisfying after a long run of not making anything and there really isn't all that much that will be needed to finish this poject. YAAAAYY!


 

MAKING A FAIRY TREEHOUSE

Some time ago I received some miniature gourds so I decided to make a fairy abode. I started it, but then put it away as I had other projects to finish. Having completed Sweeney Todd, I came back to this little project and decided to try to finish it up. I didn't think to do a progress blog until a couple of days ago so the starting elements are not photographed. I will talk a little bit here about what I had done.

The base was a piece of bark I had laying around the house. I used my Dremel to cut the front opening and inserted a piece of veneer for the floor. Painted the walls a light green and finished the opening with the covering from some electrical wire. This makes a great edging and since you can get so many sizes and colors of wire it is very useful. I will add something later on to hide the corner joins.

I started the trunk with a section of wire cable that had many wires. It was twisted and the base was separated out to form roots.

I added a branch from a tree and integrated it all with a coating of epoxy clay making a bark like texture. When that was hardened I painted it with various browns and greens and I drilled into the base and slipped some of the wires through and anchored them with knots, twists and super glue. I should mention here that my favorite glue for this purpose is called Future Glue Gel and is made by the original Super Glue company. I buy it whenever I find it as it is not readily available here in Hilo.

I had some little branched bits that I decided to use for the foliage. I started by drilling into the branches on the "trunk" and using Future Glue I  put sections of the branched bits into the holes that I had drilled.

Meanwhile when I was working in my yard on a dry day I collected some various mosses and let them dry.  Today I began adding bits of moss to the little branches, again using the Future Glue. I tease out little sections and glue them to the branches bit by bit. It is time consuming but I think I like the effect so far. If I change my mind later I could pull it all apart and try something else. If the moss loses color it is easy to add it back with thinned acrylic paints but I do like the variety of natural colors that give it a more realistic look.