Monday, January 28, 2019

The Buds....




One More Tiny Detail....

This is not a Last Minute idea, Dear Readers, to add the buds to all those little lilac stems, but has been a part of the plan all along! It is just one of those details that can't be added until almost all the other parts have been completed. So I have finally reached that step for my Winter lilac shrubs! I had hoped that my weekend could be spent accomplishing great strides forward with this detail... but it was not to be. There were too many distractions and the weekend disappeared almost before I could blink! At the last moment I decided that I should at least TRY the idea I had for making these buds... to see if it would work the way I hoped it would. So I added buds to only one of the lilac stems, way at the back of the shrub in case they did not go well! This involves the "Glue Trick" which is essentially making a blob of glue where you want a bump... and when it is dried thoroughly, painting it to look like a tiny bud. This is easier said than done! The branches wiggle... the twigs bend..... the entire shrub is unwieldy and it is hard to reach the glue only onto the piece of branch you intend and not all the other branches in the way. This is not going to be a quick little step! But I think it will work! Above you can see the single branch I added buds to.....

Here you can see it again, already painted....
 because the glue bumps alone are really hard to see once they are dried!
It is hard to photograph in a way that you can see the buds clearly....
those brown bumps on the twigs...

Here you can sort of see them with the bush in place by The Folly porch....

Here they are even closer...!

But that is just one of the smaller branches....
This could take a while!
Meanwhile, Dear Readers, 
I made a little more lichen....
 
Because it is surprising how much is needed for Four bushes!

And of course, I completed blossom number Forty-one... 
or is it number Forty-two?
 
 
Whichever one it is, here it is in the box along with the others!

So you see Dear Readers, 
The Buds are starting to be added...
A Not So Tiny little detail!

 

15 comments:

  1. Tienes razón,pintar los puntos de pegamento en las ramas,es mejor hacerlo antes de montar los ramilletes,ahora ya los tienes preparados y esperando esas maravillosas flores!!!
    Mucho liquen,claro,hay muchos troncos y ramas,pero se ve tan real!!
    Besos.

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  2. Hi Betsy! Yes, you're right about making flowers and plants: it's all in the details and it takes a lot of time. Being a miniature flower maker, I know that you always are in need for more branches, buds, leaves, flowers, and in this case lichen, more than someone else can ever think of ;O! But therefore I also know that your progress is huge, just because I know how much work it is to add all of those tiny details who make your lilac shrubs very realistic. You can be so proud, dear friend: they're beautiful and realistic, they will be showing beautiful in front at the Folly porch!!
    Warm hugs, Ilona

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  3. It is often the tiny little details that make all the difference and so it goes for your little buds. I can only imagine how fiddly they are but what a perfect way to finish the tips of those bendy, wiggly twigs and branches. This is getting exciting.
    Anna x

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  4. Hello Betsy,
    The amount of work going into this project is incredible, but it will be so well worth it. Your work is so precise and you pay attention to every detail...keep up the amazing work.
    Big hug,
    Giac

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  5. Every time you post I am more and more amazed at the depth of detail you are putting into these lilac bushes! Betsy you are an inspiration.

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  6. You are an amazing perfectionist Betsy. Your work with the lilac bushes is stunning. It's so kind of you to share and give tips all along the way you create the lilac bushes.
    Thanks and a hug,
    Drora

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  7. The buds are visible and make a difference Betsy but are the lilac blossoms you are making ALL for one shrub or are they going to be divided up among 2 or 3 of them?

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  8. You aren't leaving out any detail and the shrub for each season is going to be spectacular! Weekends fade away so quickly, but having completed blossom 42 and ready to bloom buds seems like a great accomplishment to me!

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  9. Mi admiración por este minucioso trabajo:-)

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  10. The details are perfect and make the plant more and more real.

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  11. Hi, Betsy - The lilac buds are amazingly realistic! I actually couldn't tell, until I read your description, whether you were showing a real twig or one you had created. The time and detail that you're putting into these lilac bushes is incredibly impressive - and so worth the effort in their perfection.
    Marjorie

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  12. Wow these bushes look so real the buds are awesome.
    Hugs Maria

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  13. Praise the glue trick!!! It always comes in handy… may it be for stunning tiny details in the Secret Christmas House or for creating lilac buds. Now I see what kind of details you've been talking about when saying there was still work waiting for you until you could attach the blossoms and leaves. Yes, these buds were essential, there are always these kind of "knots" at lilacs… and especially for the winter shrub they will be the perfect touch. You never stop to amaze me... oh, and welcome to the next member of the growing lilac blossom family: Hello No. 41/42!

    Hugs
    Birgit

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  14. There's amazing detail on this one single item.

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