Monday, June 24, 2019

And More Leaves....




Just How Many Did You Say....?

As I was completing the Weekly Blossom, Dear Readers, I was also pondering the process for the leaves of the Summer Lilac shrub.... especially the complicated ones being added to stems already on the bush... and was trying to determine just how much of my Summer was to be consumed by these leaves. And I have to confess that the figures are a bit daunting, and really maybe I just don't want to know how long it will be! But because it is Summer now and the evenings are light so late, I was also working on the Next weekly blossom.... whichever one that may be, and you can see its beginnings below in the box along with a bunch of the little leaflets for the Summer shrub...

Those pairs of leaves glued to little stems, 
all painted and ready to be added to the stems 
that are already attached to the shrub.

And another batch of those Leaflets under way...
Here are thirty, the first batch was around twenty...
And that equals about a quarter of the leaflets 
that need to be made and attached to the stems already on the shrub.
And when All those are done,
 that will equal about one quarter to one third
 of the total leafy stems I need to make. 
 
But meanwhile I needed to finish painting the leaves I had added already...
 they needed the darker green added to the top sides.
Again, this is harder to do than it looks... 
painting onto leaves that wiggle as you paint...
 and trying to avoid getting paint where it didn't belong.

Eventually the top sides were all painted.
And you can get an idea of just how sparse the leaves are!

And painting the little leaf pairs... 
first the strip on tip of the paler green...

Painting the undersides the paler green.....

Then painting the top sides with the darker green, 
leaving the pale stripe in the middle.

And then, Dear Readers, it was time to begin to attach
 all these little leaf pairs to the stems on the shrub.....

This is an example of the stems I finished for my test run.... 
each stem has three leaf pairs added.

The difficulty is that each stem already has one pair
 attached right in the middle of the stem... 
so I need to add these pairs above and below it on the stem..... 
to get the spacing correct in the end.
I am starting with the ones below (closer to the base of the stem)
 which is harder to reach, but will be easier done first
 rather than second, if you see what I mean.

Here, if you look closely, you might see
 that there are now two leaf pairs on the stems
 for about a half of the branches.....
(Yes, I am counting!)
When I have made about Fifty more leaf pairs
 I will attach them to the other half of the stems...
 (Are you confused yet?)
And then I will make another hundred or so of the leaf pairs
 and attach them on the top ends of all the stems...
And then I can resume my "Ten Leafy Branches"
 routine for another eight or ten weeks....
At which point I might be getting near the end of this shrub!
(Did I mention it was daunting...?)

But meanwhile, I have completed the Second weekly blossom
 for the third consecutive week....


(Is it number Sixty-four or number Sixty-five...?)

And of course you want to see them in The Folly Parlor...

The fifth one in the vase on the left....
(which kept tipping over and spilling them all out...!)

And the first one in the milk jug 
which will go home to The Lovely Old Dollhouse.
So am I done yet?
Noooo..... not by a Long shot!
 
But Never fear, Dear Readers,
I am not giving up! 
I am concocting a plan....
It doesn't matter how many Leaves there are still to make...
I will be adding a Weekly Leaf Tally to the Plan...
'Cause I'm Really just getting started!
(And Who's counting anyway?)


14 comments:

  1. I was already in awe of your endeavour, but reading these numbers puts it in a different perspective. This summer lilac is indeed a mind staggering project. Good luck and don't give up. It will look fabulous. You leave nothing to chance. :-)

    Huibrecht

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  2. Es increíble tu paciencia,la cantidad de hojas y flores es asombrosa,esa es la diferencia que hace un extraordinario trabajo!!
    Besos.

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  3. Yes, I did, Betsy, meanwhile I gave up counting ;O! But that doesn't mean that I'm not still admiring your endless patience AND your perseverience. I am in awe for your skills to make these shrubs and even those gorgeous blossoms, who go into the vases on the mantle.
    Hugs, Ilona

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  4. Wow... What you have in leaves I have in books. I think you're doing great though. And your blossoms look wonderful on the mantle. Poor milk jug blossom looks lonely. It'll be happier with another one next week.

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  5. I miss you!
    Yours is indeed a labor of love - only love could keep you focused on such a task where the end is almost over the horizon.
    The result is worth it, definitely. It was a joy to see everything in place and in person.
    Much love,
    Mom

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  6. Oh Betsy your dedication is paying off in such marvelous beauty! I can imagine painting on bouncing leaves and it sounds like a task where zen and patience are imperative! The feeling of satisfaction and relief though as you progress must be immense! One day you will be finished, and what a glorious accomplishment these amazing lilac shrubs will be! Sending wishes that all goes smoothly and cooperatively!

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  7. the lilacs in their vases are beautiful! beautiful decoration
    hugs

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  8. Your blossoms look gorgeous on the mantle and the photos get better and better now that the days are brighter. Your work in progress looks endless but fascinating.
    Hugs,
    Drora

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  9. Yessssss... I knew it... Pollyanna gets her own lilac bouquet!!! Great - and I really like the milk jug you've chosen and I know she will too! ;O)

    I've said it before - it's amazing and impressive that you're painting a good amount of the needed leaves directly at the tree. And the amount of leaves itself is even more amazing and impressive. I must admit I would never dare to count… too much risk of asking something like "What have I gotten myself into???" *LOL* Well, whatever number of leaves it will take - the result will be worth every effort. This seasonal lilac project is outstanding in every way… which reminds me.. there's so much to look forward to: The summer lilac… the bouquet in the milk jar… and not to forget… the autumn lilac! *teehee* ;O)

    Hugs
    Birgit

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  10. I think that you are ADDICTED to lilacs, yet these tiny Beauties come with Benefits!
    Perhaps every house in the neighbourhood should have their own generous bouquet; even the tree house! :)

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  11. You really do set yourself some challenges! Already progress is looking good.

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  12. Wow I gave up counting long ago :D I love the lilac on the mantle. All those leaves wow wow. You must be the most patient person in blogland. Fantastic work.
    Hugs Maria

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  13. Hello, Betsy - I agree with Maria that your patience outshines that of all the rest of us! And every time that I stand at my Nebraska Sod House and moan about the tediousness of gluing on all those sod blocks, then gluing on all that prairie grass - well, I just remember the lilac shrubs and I immediately stop with the moaning! You are an inspiration, and I admire your perseverance with all my heart! Of course we all know that the final results will be outstandingly beautiful and worthy of the painstaking effort. The new blossoms in the vase and the milk jug are lovely, as always.
    Marjorie

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