Mini Garden #1: In the Forest

As promised, I spent all day Monday making mini gardens.  Made three of them, in fact.  Since it takes three times as long to photograph, develop photographs, and write a post at it takes to make a garden, I'll be showing them over the course of the next week or so.  At first I thought it would be fun to show them on consecutive days, but that wouldn't leave much time for anything else.

So here's the first one, named In the Forest.

New purchases for this were the coconut fiber planter, moss, all the plants except for the pine tree, and the chair that the cat is sitting on.

The big gorpy saucer wasn't in my original (not very well thought-out plan).  I started with a much smaller clear plastic one, nice and unobtrusive.  After I got the plants in and started watering, the water came out the sides.  Not fair!  I only wanted it to come out the bottom.  Since I was creating this project on my sewing room table in a room with a carpet, the water flow was a minor disaster.  After throwing down some paper towels, I literally ran out to the garage and grabbed the largest saucer I could find. 

I attached an air plant to the trellis, adding some pretty color.  I've never seen an air plant bloom before, and they tell me it will continue to do so for another few months.

I used ribbon to tie it on, because they told me to submerge it in room-temperature water for 10 minutes, once a week.  They said people underestimate how much misting to do, so the dunk method is preferable.

So let's get in here and root around, shall we?

These cute little pigs were a gift from a friend.  They're walking on handmade ceramic tiles I bought at an art fair many years ago.  On the left and right are two different kinds of moss.

The little pigs are following a larger pig, who is following directions from the cat. 

More moss is shown here, along with the other two plants that are new:  white Hypoestes and a shiny thing that I don't know the name of.

The cat was the slider on a bola that I bought at a garage sale a few years ago.  The chair is sitting on a stone patio - really a coaster.

One that almost got away.

A view from the back.

What's that nestled in the V of the folding screen?

It's Fancy Fur Girl.  This is what the runaway pig was investigating - you can see the farmer behind her.

I bought three different versions of these fobs at Jo-Ann Fabrics earlier this year, with no idea what to do with them.  I was really hoping that the fur on her was fake, but based on the interest that our dog showed, I'm afraid it might be from a real animal.

Tutorial - Book Covers

I like using my old-fashioned, hold-in-my hands dictionary.  But the cover is ugly and never matches any of the decorating in the room it sits in.  After years and years, I finally got the idea to put a new cover on it.

I bought this role of hand-made paper at World Market for only $3.

Here's the "before" cover - all plain and functional.  Not to mention I hate red.

The length of the paper was just fine, but the height needed a little trimming.  I wanted 2" of paper extending out from the top and bottom edges of the dictionary.

Then on the right side of the paper, I drew a faint line 2" in from those top and bottom edges.

Fold along those lines.

Set the book on its spine and fold one edge over the front cover.  Keep that edge turned under, then lay the book down and fold the other edge over the back cover.

Tuck the covers inside the folded edges.

You see that gap?  I'm going to consider putting double-sided tape in there some day.  But first I want to use the dictionary as is, and see if I really need tape or if it might be a hindrance.  I'm afraid if I tape it, the paper won't slide smoothly over the book when I open and close it.  

If I had used a lightweight gift-wrapping paper with no texture, I'd have taped it right away.  But because my paper is rough and full of texture, when I close the cover, the gap seals up nice and tight and stays that way. 

Finished product.

This paper has a really large-scale print, so the front has one design...

... which is not repeated on the back.

 Both sides are spelled "p-r-e-t-t-y".

I'm looking forward to getting lots of use out of my "new" dictionary.

Cold Weather Tree

My metal tree is in its third decorating phase.  It's already been an Elephant Tree and a Leaf Tree. 

Now it's a Cold Weather Tree. 

 

The tree used to sit in a heavy ceramic pot, further weighted down by lots of gravel to hold the trunk upright.  I always had to worry about the pot scratching whatever it sat on, and it was a PAIN to move.  So my husband built me a wooden base with a hole drilled in it.  The bottom of the trunk goes in the hole - nice and sturdy, nice and light.

Bundled birds hang out here.

I have one fuzzy snowman...

... and two tiny wooden ones.

One of three sweaters.  No, I didn't knit it.

Another sweater.  I forgot to take a close-up photograph of the third sweater.

On the left is an aluminum mitten.  

There are plastic snowflakes...

... and wooden ones.

And at the very top, a pair of boots.

I really love my Cold Weather Tree.  I usually get tired of things quickly, but I've had this tree up for two months, and my interest hasn't waned at all.