Big and Little....
I was absolutely Determined, Dear Readers, to make Progress on the Teeny Tiny Garden before I did anything else this past weekend! All that was left to assemble were the tables and chairs and some "refreshments" and decorative planters. All the pieces were carefully sorted in teeny tiny plastic bags and the instructions were very straight forward. It didn't take too long to make the tables and the two planters with "flowers" in them. Both are in place in the above picture, but you might need to poke the picture before you can see the details clearly. The flowers are standing next to the fountain. Then I needed to assemble the "refreshments" to sit on the tables. These consist of bowls with colored beads in them, and tiny "glasses" cut from a straw!
Can you see them?
Yes, they are very tiny!!!
Maybe you can see them better in this picture...
And those are the chairs off to the side...!
But then I decided that the pond also needed
some "koi" swimming in it.....
Can you see them?
Tiny orange specks in the pond?
Here you can see the chairs have been added too...
I swear this garden is getting "smaller" with every minute!
Lady Virginia arrived to enjoy the Garden Party....
I guess she will have to wait for her sisters!
( I can see I will have to make a bigger Tiny Garden
if they All want to come for tea!)
The Garden kit came with some "paper doll" style ladies...
but I am going to keep them for another day.
But I have to show you the Tiny Garden in the Morning Sunlight.....
Surely the best moment to visit the Garden!
Rather than Leave you there, Dear Readers, with so little to see,
I will show you several other Projects that I worked on over the weekend!
It was a Long weekend for most of us, and I am also having a Vacation week,
so I have decided to tackle several larger unfinished projects....
and another Teeny Tiny New one...
I've begun stitching another of Janet Granger's needlepoint kits...
This is an oriental patterned Tea Cosy kit...
stitched on 40 count silk, using single strand of cotton floss.
It is my first attempt at this count and I am using my magnifier.
I think I'm making good progress so far!
I stitched the darkest blue on Sunday and the lighter blue on Monday.
There is still a Long way to go...
but at least I've made a start!
And that is not all I want to show you....
I also have Finally made a start on
attaching the Shingles to the Cloud Palace roof!
As you can see from this picture,
the Palace Main room is not attached to the Towers,
And here it has been cleared of all the furnishings and inhabitants!
Where did they all go, I hear you ask?
Well, they are all temporarily on "Retreat"
at the nearby SkyTower Pavilion!
It is a bit of a Squeeze....
but they are having fun!
And it leaves the Cloud Palace free to have the shingles glued on....
I am using the method recommended by the kit instructions
which say to use hot glue...
It is slow going!
The back is all attached....
The front will take much longer....
It has so many gables and dormers!
And then it will all need to be painted.....!
And speaking of Painting, Dear Readers....
I have been Itching to get back to painting the
details on the Castle Great Hall Ceiling....
Do you even remember where we left off?
I had begun the Little borders with the Ordinary People....
Even though All the Saints were not quite finished....
That was .... How long ago???
Here is the central panel border.... it is really only just begun!
And the right hand panel with the dancing figures....
It was so long ago I had to spend hours
searching all my books for the "originals"
I am using for my models!
And I am slowly but surely adding all the tiny details
that make the pictures come alive....
Here you can see my painting with the tiny "source" painting in the book below....
This is a tiny volume of miniatures found in
the Pierpont Morgan Library in NYC.
This one was painted around AD 1350 in Belgium.
(Sorry about the glare on the page!)
I spent all afternoon on just this painting!
But now I am very close to finished with this painting!
They all have their faces, but I still have to do the hands,
which is the hardest part!
And then the other panels....
And then the rest of the Saints......
And the borders on the other side of the ceiling!
Can you believe it Dear Readers?
I am finally making Progress!
Big Progress on the Little Things...
and Little Progress on the big ones!
Progresos? Has hecho mucho, mucho trabajo. La diminuta escena está resultando preciosa, y esas pinturas me han maravillado. Es un trabajo muy difícil...Felicitaciones! Un beso
ReplyDeleteThank you Maria! I am really glad you like it! :)
DeleteLittle progress...??? Oh dear, no, Betsy, you have done lots of work!!! You seem to me like an octopuss, who with his arms can work at many things at the same time, whenever you just get the time for it ;O! The little garden looks already fabulous, a new tea cosy is in the making (it's a wonderful design) and the gang of your naughty bearies had to move, because their Cloud Palace gets it's shingles on the roof.
ReplyDeleteAnd what to say about your gorgeous paintings on the ceiling of the castle great hall....? It's such precise work, the results are so fine and delicate! All together I think you've done so much work and you even have another half of this vacation week.... ;)!
Warm hugs, Ilona
PS Betsy, I want to say: thank you so much for your comment on my blog, and especially regarding to the Besler's Florilegium: what an awesome idea! It was unknown by me, so I can't thank you enough for this tip. My daughter has ordered the book for me right after she saw your comment, it's arriving any day from now :D! I can't wait to see what will in it! Again thank you XXX!!
Have a nice vacation!
Hi Ilona! You make me laugh with the thought of an Octopus! LOL! I do love to work on many things at the same time.... while the glue dries I can do another project! I did get a lot done after all!
DeleteI am so glad my comment about the book was helpful! I have always loved those old engravings!
a great work for this tiny garden !it's lovely
ReplyDeletehugs
Thank you Claude! I am really glad you like it! I think it is enchanting! :)
DeleteHello Betsy,
ReplyDeleteYou sure got a lot done. Once again I am in total admiration of the super small miniatures you make. They look so well done and the scale is perfect. I would go nuts. The garden is a beautiful retreat. Speaking of retreats, how I would love to take off and go to the sky tower. It looks so cozy and comfortable! I can't wait to see the finished roof on the palace. I am also very excited to see the finished needlepoint. the design is fabulous! And finally, the amazing Great Hall ceiling. Each and every time you show it to us it takes my breath away. I love the colors you used and the detail is amazing. How grand it shall be! I can just imagine walking into the hall and just staring up and admiring the wonderful painting.
Big hug
Giac
Hi Giac! I always enjoy your comments! :) The Castle Hall ceiling is the thing I really want to make progress on.... it will take a while, but it feels good to be working on it again! I will be keeping in mind that you want to see it done! I am glad you also like the other tiny projects! I am finding the really tiny scale is just Enchanting! And irresistible! I am so glad you are here commenting again! :)
DeleteWow you have been busy!! And you seem to be in a tiny, tinyer, tinyest phase ;-)
ReplyDeleteYour tiny garden is lovely! Those little flowers, the koi fish, the food! Awesome work at such microscopic scale.
You bearies must be thrilled to see their palace being finished.
I admire your needlepoint. It requires not only good eyesight and magnifying glass but also real patience and precision.
But you seem to be really good at miniature precision work judging by the paintings in the great Hall. Those faces on the commoners. Brilliant!
Oh how I love following your progress. I am constantly in awe and inspired!
Hugs,
Véronique
Hi Veronique! The tiny tiny scale projects are really very absorbing.... but then the finished project is really small! It always seems like nothing got done! LOL! I am happy to be finally working on the painting again.... it has been in "progress" for a long time now.... It will be good to finish it! I am really glad to be an inspiration! I know I always get inspired by seeing what others are making too. Thank you for your wonderful comments! :)
DeleteWow you have been busy!! And you seem to be in a tiny, tinyer, tinyest phase ;-)
ReplyDeleteYour tiny garden is lovely! Those little flowers, the koi fish, the food! Awesome work at such microscopic scale.
You bearies must be thrilled to see their palace being finished.
I admire your needlepoint. It requires not only good eyesight and magnifying glass but also real patience and precision.
But you seem to be really good at miniature precision work judging by the paintings in the great Hall. Those faces on the commoners. Brilliant!
Oh how I love following your progress. I am constantly in awe and inspired!
Hugs,
Véronique
Your tiny garden is awesome so many wonderful details. Your painting is stunning and is so alive already. Gorgeous work. What a lot of work you have got done roofs embroidery and everything else :)
ReplyDeleteHugs Maria
Thank you Maria! The tiny garden kit is very inspiring... it makes me want to build a whole landscape! LOL! I am glad you like the painting too... I feel out of practice!
DeleteIncreíble el trabajo que estás realizando, el jardín es una maravilla tan diminuto, la casa tiene un aspecto fantástico la decoración de la sala principal, el punto de cruz increíble en hilo de seda y las pinturas te están quedando preciosas, mi admiración por todos ellos:-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Contrastes-Rosa! I am glad you like the little garden and the painting too! I am having fun!
DeleteThe saint scene is delightful! I actually kept looking for a while because of the details. I actually like you version better than the orginal!
ReplyDeleteThank you Grandmommy! I am really glad you like the paintings! I always feel that they are not enough like the original ones.... so they look too "modern" to me! But it is fun to do! :)
DeleteYour steady progress on so many different fronts is Amazing to me Betsy! I can't believe that you have been so busy!
ReplyDeleteI am Really Excited to see the painting in the castle still going on, since I had forgotten all about it, in light of your Secret Christmas House construction.
Glad that the Cloud Palace is getting its shingles. I know that The fairy Bears will be Delighted to finally have a real roof over their heads, and not just have their heads in the clouds! ;P
elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth! I knew there would be some who had forgotten about the unfinished ceilings! LOL! I am glad you like the progress! I am hoping to make good use of my Vacation... but I am lousy at estimating how long things take.... so I am sure my hopes are inflated! Getting the shingles done on the Cloud Palace is one of those chores that just has to get done! :)
DeleteI particularly love the "little people" in the banquet picture under the saints. That ceiling is going to be a real winner! Unfortunately, I can no longer "poke" your pictures to any effect - I get a message that Firefox has blocked my outdated system. Dang.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Mom
Hi Mom! I am sad you can't poke the pictures any more... that's not fair! I will try to include some close-ups for you so you can see the details. :)
DeleteWow, you've really gotten a lot done! Congrats. Love how the roof is looking.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sheila! I am glad you like it!
DeleteGreat progress. The tiny garden is amazing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Fabi! I am glad you like the tiny garden! I think it is enchanting!
DeleteHello Betsy,
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet little garden, I love it.
And I really admire your courage to begin an embroidery :-D It think it will be gorgeous and you made a good start.
Last but not least; the way you copied and enlarged the original painting from the Middle-Ages is just great en looks very, very good. I haven't seen something like this before in Blogland!
Hi Tessa! I am glad you like the tiny garden and the embroidery! The Medieval paintings have always been my favorites... so I am enjoying having the chance to make my own versions on this ceiling! It is a challenge to find originals of the right type to copy, but that is part of the fun! Thank you for commenting!
DeleteYou have certainly been making the most of your time! Love the artwork on the ceiling and progress on the little garden is just grand, especially the detail of adding Koi!
ReplyDeleteHi Irene! I am having fun with the tiny scale garden.... and koi just seemed necessary! LOL! I am glad you like the ceiling progress too!
DeleteHi, Betsy - Your Teeny Tiny Garden has definitely lived up to its early promise of the perfect spot for a tea party! The tiny refreshments and glasses are enchanting, as are the koi in the pool. What a finishing touch! But as much as I love tea parties, I'm thinking that I might decide to forego the tea and have morning coffee in the garden with that lovely sunshine pouring in! The shingles on your Cloud Palace roof add a
ReplyDeletewhole other level of interest to the palace; they also add a whole lot of work, I think! It's going to look wonderful. I am so happy that you've found time to resume painting the Saint's Ceiling in the Castle Great Hall. That is an amazing creation, and I'm in awe of the amount of beautiful detail in your work and the vivid, glowing colors that you're using. I hope that you can continue to make progress on these Very Important Little Things!
Marjorie
Hi Marjorie! I agree with you about the garden in the morning sun! It just looks irresistible! And the ceiling paintings have been waiting a while.... so I figure it is their turn now! LOL! It always amazes me how long it takes to add so little to the paintings.... but that is the way of minis... the end product is small! LOL! I do love color, and the Middle Ages used it wherever they could... so I am not skimping on the ceilings! I am glad you like it!
DeleteBeautiful summer colors, it's splendid
ReplyDeletehugs