Monday, February 13, 2017

Winter....




It's Been Snowing....

Winter has been Relentless lately in my Neck o' the Woods, Dear Readers, with one storm after another Roaring through and dumping freezing rain, ice, sleet and snow in great quantity! Every couple of days it seems we are being bombarded with more snow and fierce winds! It makes it very challenging just to get to work and back, as I have a drive of over thirty miles each way and my workplace is up in the Hills to the North of where I live. Yes, the Groundhog said six more weeks of Winter.... and so far we have made it through one of them! It snowed all day yesterday and part of the night, and we woke to a Winter wonderland with snow coating everything and piled deep on the ground! Twelve more inches on top of the nine we got on Thursday on top of the four we got on Tuesday....

Yes, that is my RL garden underneath all that snow!

Is it any wonder that I don't want to have anything more to do with snow?
Not even to decorate the Secret Christmas House
 with a layer of glittery artificial snow?

 
Well, I pulled out my faithful scraps of the "Christmas" snow
 that is supposed to be used in Christmas village set-ups.... 
and quickly added some to the Secret Christmas House.... 
but it is not the permanent decoration for this kit. 
I have bought several different kinds of "fake" snow for this project, 
but I have yet to get the courage to Apply it to the House! 
It seems so irrevocable! I don't want to mess it up! 
I think I need to do some "practice" samples 
to get the feel for how it goes on.
And somehow, rather that testing the snow, Dear Readers,
I found myself digging out another small kit I had bought
 several years ago at the Sturbridge Fair....
A kit for a Tiny 144th scale Garden....!
It is made by Ginger Landon Siegel 
and has all the materials you need to put together 
a mini tea party in a Garden....!

There is a tiny patio area on a base... 
with greenery on all sides....

And a tiny wall with a fountain niche....

Cut from printed paper that you must carefully layer 
and adorn with sand to resemble stone....

 And almost before I could blink.....

Halcyon came to have a look!
It seems I am not the only one dreaming of Tea in the Garden!

She can just imagine.... 
but where are the tables....?
Well, there are still many parts to construct 
before we get to the Tea!

Starting with the hedges which flank the fountain.....

And adding rocks which surround a little pond....

Adding the painted "water"....
(And discovering that the sample fake water provided 
in the kit was too old and dried out to use....)
So I attempted to use a layer of clear gel glue instead.
It doesn't really work...

It just looks like a layer of dried glue.
I will have to try to fix that.....!
There are still all the tables and chairs to construct, 
potted flowers and little trays of tea and snacks... 
not to mention some "ladies" to dress....
 (really just paper dolls with clothes...)
And the ever present temptation to go beyond the kit 
and add a tree or two... or a Pavilion.... 
or more lawn and flower strewn borders....
the possibilities are boundless!

So, No, Dear Readers, I was not playing with the snow.... 
I was far Far away in a Tiny Garden!


Even though Winter doesn't stop....
We're supposed to get even more on Wednesday!
Yes, It's been Snowing!

22 comments:

  1. Increíble la cantidad de nieve que muestran tus fotos!. No me extraña que en tu pequeña casa también haya nevado! Me encanta cómo estás haciendo ese diminuto jardín...Un beso

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    1. Thank you Maria! I am late to reply, so now the snow is all gone already! I am really glad you like the tiny garden too! Thank you for commenting!

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  2. I can imagine that you weren't in the mood for making snow, when you are surrounded with so much of that white stuff outdoors ;)! But I love your little garden, which you've found back, hidden in your "stock"! It will be so nice to see with what you will come up, for making this tiny garden.
    Oh my, that's alot of snow, Betsy, I know that these amounts of snow can be very annoying in daily life, for getting there at places, like work and so on. But it's also very beautiful to look at, isn't it? We had have some snow too, but far not that much as in your place, but it was enough for me to enjoy it to the fullest :D!
    Warm hugs, Ilona

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    1. Hi Ilona! I am so late to reply here, and now the snow has all melted! We had a heat-wave last week! But, yes, it does make it difficult to get around! I am glad you like the tiny garden.... I have enjoyed this kit!

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  3. O my! So much snow! No, that can't be fun. We had some snow here, even on the beach which is unusual (Gulf stream and all that) but it was nice to see people combining snowboarding and kitesurfing and see them whizzing past on the beach.

    As for your tiny little garden, I am glad you found it! It's very cute. I admire your ability to work at such a small scale. Looking forward to the complete tea party! Big hugs!

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    1. Hi Veronique! I am late to reply here, so now the snow is all melted already! And yes, the tiny tiny projects are challenging but fun! :)

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  4. O my! So much snow! No, that can't be fun. We had some snow here, even on the beach which is unusual (Gulf stream and all that) but it was nice to see people combining snowboarding and kitesurfing and see them whizzing past on the beach.

    As for your tiny little garden, I am glad you found it! It's very cute. I admire your ability to work at such a small scale. Looking forward to the complete tea party! Big hugs!

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  5. Wow, lots of snow. Don't blame you for not wanting it inside as well.

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    1. Hi Sheila! It was a bit much.... and now it is gone already! :)

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  6. Hi Betsy!
    Last week here in Vancouver Canada, we FINALLY had lots of rain and as a result, much of the snow has been washed away * Hooray* although there is still a fair amount of icy snow remaining. Your snow although BEAUTIFUL;is too much of a good thing! :((
    Anyway, about your tiny dollhouse... What about making a false roof for your Secret Christmas house? You could cut and paint a bit of card the same color and shape as your existing roof and apply the snow to it, using blue tack to secure it, then you could lift the template off later when you want it to be Spring.

    elizabeth

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    1. Hi Elizabeth! I am so late to reply here.... we had a heat wave last week and now the snow has melted already! Your suggestion about the "false" roof is Brilliant! Except that the icicles are already glued to this one.... I am going to have to "bite the bullet" and cover the roof in snow sooner or later! But for future mini houses.... there is a great idea in the making! Thank you my creative friend!!! :)

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  7. Hello Betsy,
    If ever there was a time to take off and go to a miniature garden, it has been the past few snow filled weeks. the patio is just lovely and once again your work mazes me, especially in such small scale. Enjoy the garden, winter looks like it will be here for a while still.
    Big hug
    Giac

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    1. Hi Giac! Yes, it is the perfect place to sit and fantasize, this tiny garden! LOL!
      And Winter has already melted down here..... I could not believe how warm it has been! Spring is on the doorstep!

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  8. Yes, think gardens. You are under siege. Winter siege. Will you attach the tiny garden to the secret house? I love the little secret house - I'd like to live there.
    Stay warm,
    Love, Mom

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    1. Hi Mom! I have to decide where this garden will end up.... And the secret House is only getting better!

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  9. Hi Betsy,
    All that snow! I sympathize; it does look beautiful while falling, and for a day or two after - but then the brown slush takes over. We've had almost no snowfall - yet - for which I'm very thankful. I hope your remaining winter will be more favorable. But you seem to have found the perfect antidote for the Snow Blahs. Have a Garden Tea Party! With a fountain...and green grass...and flowers in profusion...and tiny tea cakes...and an abundance of sunshine. It sounds lovely; have a wonderful time!
    Marjorie

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    1. Hi Marjorie! Yes, it is the perfect remedy for bitter Winter! And already the snow has melted here! LOL!

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  10. Wow so much snow we have had non here yet and I don't think we will now.I love your beautiful tiny garden. I cant wait to see what magic you do to it :)
    Hugs Maria

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    1. Hi Maria! We have been shocked at how quickly it all melted too! As for the tiny garden, it is the perfect escape! LOL!

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  11. What a lovely little garden and yes, I can see why your thoughts were turned to something more cheerful than snow! We haven't had anything like that for a good few years now.

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    1. Hi Irene! The weather has been very strange here.... the snow has all melted already!
      And the Tiny Garden is a lot of fun... it has me dreaming about all sorts of teeny tiny landscapes! LOL!

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