Monday, July 28, 2014

Hang The Curtains!




And Paint the Birds.....

Oh Those Pesky Details!
You will Laugh, Dear Readers, when I tell you that I wanted the curtains to hang on a curtain rod with rings... so you could slide them open and closed if you wanted to! So I set about making some tiny "rings" from brass jewelry wire... and stitching them to the top of the very fragile net lace curtains! It was not easy!

Can you even see them here???
(Poke the pictures to enlarge them)
(Or even better right click on them and open in a new tab for huge close-ups!)

And then I strung them on a small wire rod....

Which I bent so it would arch over the window....

And then I carefully located the holes 
where the nails would go to attach the rod....

And a wire "hook" in the middle to hold the top in place.
I used my awl to create the holes...
And pushed the tiny nails in with the blunt end of my pliers!
(Nothing else was small enough to reach in there!)
It was really Really Not easy to do!
But, believe it or not they work!!!

Can you see that Magnificent Curtain Rod???

And with the windows in place......

And if you opened the windows.... 
could you feel the breeze blowing through???
Oh, I am so happy with the way they are hung!

And lest you think I had forgotten about the birds, Dear Readers,
here you can see I have started to paint them....

Beginning with the pigeons 
because they are larger and therefore easier.

And as I am sure you are aware, 
pigeons are not all colored alike....

So I tried to vary them a little without going to extremes.

Here, would you like to meet Perry Pigeon?

And Pauline Pigeon....
(She is a little shy)

Yes, I think painting them was a good idea!

But what about the sparrows, I hear you ask?
Alas, they are not so easy.... 
they are so much smaller and their Details are more delicate....

But I made a start!
Here, would you like to meet little Sandy Sparrow???

I almost think he is the cutest thing imaginable!
But then I added the tiniest doll to the Bed Alcove.....
Just to see how it would look with a doll.....


 (She is made of wire with a bead for her head...
I bought her at the Sturbridge Fair....
But, I am sorry I don't recall which vendor made her!)
She is only 1/4 inch tall!!
And while she might not end up living in the Tree House....
She looks so sweet sitting there in the Bed Alcove!

There are still So Many tiny details 
to add to this Bed Alcove, Dear Readers,
but I do hope you will agree with me 
that it was a very good idea to 
Hang the curtains and Paint the Birds!

16 comments:

  1. Ahh, Besty. Another mini triumph! I don't where you get you patience from?? Those curtains are so perfect but sooo small! How do you manage it?! That bed is the perfect place though, I could spend all day, every day, in there. And your pigeons and sparrows are brilliant. And here again your skill belies the difficulty involved with painting such small things. You even managed to get the red eyes on the pigeons!
    Well done on more incredible work.
    Si x

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  2. OMG!!! This window!!! These curtains!!! This doll! I am in shock you made the curtains move!!! I LOVE this nook! You are a master of mini-mini-mini-scales Betsy!
    And of course I had no doubts your birds will look like their RL brothers once You will paint them! Fantastic!!!!

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  3. Hi Betsy
    The curtains have blown me away....they work, just fabulous. The little bed nook is adorable, and I think everyone could imagine lying in there all snug and safe. You have done a marvellous job on such a teeny tiny scale. Your birds are brilliant too. You see I have such shaky hands goodness knows what anything that tiny would end up like if I were to paint them....:)
    All the best
    Vivian

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  4. Hello Betsy,
    You are such a wonderful miniaturist! Terrific job on the curtain. I think I would have gone bananas making loops with that wire, but your hard work was well worth the effort. It looks lovely and may I go on record as saying that is the most cozy looking and welcoming nook in blogland! I just love it and wish I could spend my day there. Please tell that wonderful doll to move over!
    The birds are fantastic and I'm glad you painted them. they really are small works of art. They will add so much to your already amazing park. Bravo Betsy!
    Big hug,
    Giac

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  5. Just in case I should never have mentioned this before... you are unbelievable!!! Movable curtains in that size... show me 100 miniaturists building this and I show you 100 glued curtains - but then along came Betsy! Absolutely stunning. And the paint touches on the birds worked another miracle. But tell me - is Jack Sparrow the next to get paint? ;O)

    Hugs
    Birgit

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  6. Wow your amazing work always takes my breath away. Those tiny curtains are well what can I say I have no breath left :D Your birds look so real magical work.
    Hugs Maria

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  7. How can you still see!!!!??? I would be legally blind by now if I did what you do! Your creativity never ceases to Amaze and Delight! One can just envision being curled up in that little alcove reading a teeny tiny book or playing with that teeny tiny doll that is just waiting patiently for the owner to return.
    Having those little lace curtains on rings and a rod, is just one more demonstration of the kind of work that you do sooooo welll!
    And don't get me started on the Birds! .... They are simply Superb! :D

    elizabeth

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  8. My dear Betsy,
    I am in awe of you! These curtains with rings are beyond description. Amazing!
    Hug from your biggest fan,
    Ray

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  9. Hello Betsy,

    I would just love to curl up on that bed and have a little snooze, it looks so comfortable! I love your attention to detail even on this scale, you have so much patience!

    Jonquil

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  10. O Betsy! You are so crafty! I adore the curtains with the tiny rings and I absolutely LOVE your flock of birds. I cannot believe you managed to give them individual personalities and yet, that's just what you did.
    I tried a seagul once, way bigger than a sparrow and found it mighty challenging!
    Looking forward to more!! :-)
    Hugs,
    Veronique

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  11. Ах, Боже мой! Это ювелирная работа! Легкий ветерок колышет занавески! Все такое маленькое! Так мило и уютно!
    Ваши голуби выглядят очень реально. Их шеи переливаются цветом!!! Великолепно! Большая работа!!!
    Обнимаю
    Татьяна

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  12. I agree it was a great idea to hang the curtains and to paint the birds, looking at you do it I would never have guessed it was so easy to do..I think I will make some birds for my barn ...you inspire me :)

    Hugs
    Marisa

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  13. Those tiny dainty curtains are just adorable and the whole scene is wonderful with the little doll on the bed. I think you have done a great job with painting your birds. Little Sandy Sparrow is so cute.

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  14. It's mom, finally! Been a busy week.
    Those birds are amazing. How did you know how to sculpt birds? You're amazing. The curtains too, but especially the birds.
    I'm off to the thrift store.
    Love,
    Mom

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  15. Well, anyone else making such tiny opening curtains on a pole with curtain rings could probably be called mad, but with you I would have expected nothing else!! ;)

    They look so charming in place, and that bed nook looks so cosy and comfy!

    The birds are lovely too, great job on all the painting!

    Andy x

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