In the Garden

The primrose are really popping this week as are the hyacinth.
Just in time for Easter!

This photo really shows how well the poppy is doing!

Aesthetically speaking, the above photo isn't the prettiest but you can at least see the different shades of pink. They actually look much different in person, not all are actually pink, they just photograph that way. (In the big space was another smaller primrose but a rabbit came along and ate it before I took this photo.)

This primrose is a pretty pale pink

This primrose is a red violet color. Much more purple than it looks.

And this primrose is more of a fuchsia. It is much brighter than it photographs.

Yellow. The only color that photographs correctly.

These are so pretty. A lovely shade of blue violet, looks great with the primrose!

I was surprised to see my Labrador violets blooming. They are easy to overlook since they are so small but they are so sweet. I just love violets. I am also planting some sweet violets this year from seed.

My peony is not only coming back for its second year but it is thriving. It is planted in a large pot so I always get anxious that it will freeze out and fail to come back but it has sent up 3 shoots so far so I guess it's pretty happy. It should have stunning blossoms this year. It is called Buddha's Lotus Seat and it is suppose to have pink outer petals with pale golden center petals. So excited to see it in all it's glory!

In this messy clump of green, I have lilies sneaking up through a foxglove. I believe it is a black beauty lily but I'm not sure. Last year, the deer ate my lily before it was able to bloom(right after it set its buds). I'm hoping since it is now nestled in the foxglove it may have a better chance. I also ordered some Liquid Fence on the advice of an artist friend. I look forward to seeing how well it works. It would be a Godsend if I don't have to build a fence around my little garden bed. It is also suppose to keep rabbits out (yay!) I will keep you posted on results, it should be here this week so I should be able to see how effective it is pretty quickly.

This post is a little later than I planned it to be but I was having some issues with the laptop I upload all of my photos to. It refused to boot up. I found out that it was having issues because it was attached to the printer but since I had that scare, the thought that I wouldn't have my database of photos (art, family and other), made my husband back it up before we shut it down. Hopefully, it will continue to serve it's purpose until I can get a new one. Until then, at least I know I'll have all my photos saved to a safe place.

Garden Gnome Update - Sculpting is Finished, Let the Painting Begin! (Photo Heavy)

Finally the sculpting is finished! Here are the final photos of the entire gnome. There are some elements that can't be applied until the gnome is fully painted so you won't see those yet but for the most part this is it. I'm happy with how he has turned out and am currently covering the entire gnome in gesso so I can start painting.

Also, a development I shared on my Facebook page, I'm putting together a self-published book so that I can chronicle the entire process for my son. I know he is going to be traumatized when we have to say goodbye to Sir Gnome. I also bought him his own little plaster gnome that he can paint and put in his room (he thinks he has to sculpt on it so I think I broke the boy :o)

(in the gnome's beard will be tucked playing cards)

There will be three dimensional cards surrounding this scene with the playing cards. I can't even begin to show you how it will look because
I have to paint it then attach the cards.
Also, his bottle will be attached to his hand after the cards are all in place.

I decided to give the last remaining rose a little face. She will be very subtle.
but I do hope to give her long lashes.:o)

I shared the photos of my hands on the Hive but here they are after the final day of sculpting. Most of the clay has finally washed off and my thumbs don't hurt nearly as bad as they did but they still are dry. Ah! it's so hard being an artist :o)

Next week's update: the painting begins :o)

In the Garden

Not a ton of photos today but I do have a blossom and others just itching to bloom. We are going outside tomorrow(it will be near 80!) to plant some new fleurs and put up some deer netting around the beds before they do any further damage. It won't be pretty but it will preserve my pretty beds :o) (BTW, the sunny photos are from today, the shady ones from yesterday)

Garden Gnome Update - Mad Hatter's Tea Party

I have a mini gnome update. I've been drawing and re-drawing the Mad Hatter scene. I think I have it, just need to tweak it here and there and work on the perspective in a few areas. Even if I can't get it perfect, I think it will still be okay, it is the mad hatter's tea party after all! I have also added some lady bugs that aren't in these photos.

Also, I have decided that one card person painting the roses red will work better than multiple cards.


Finally, I fixed the gnome's fingers.

Before : deformed.

Now : just ugly :o)

Garden Gnome Update - Sculpting Continues, Gesso Begins and a Little Garden Update, too!

The caterpillar and his hookah are complete (except for the pipe which will be one of the last things done) I think he is going to look spectacular when he is painted.

I'm wavering on how I'm sculpting the playing card painting the roses red.
I'm now leaning towards one and making him larger
(originally, I had two card people but the beard is really throwing me off so...)
There is still a little sculpting I want to do on the bottom of the rose bush also.

I've started sanding and painting those finished areas with gesso. He really is getting to a point of completion and since some of the finished sculpting is taking me longer as far as preparation goes, I thought I would get ahead of the game in other areas.

Here's my son helping me. He's a very good helper! Here he holds the gnome's bottle in place. It will be affixed after I finish the spray of playing cards which is right above this area. And speaking of playing cards...

Here they are drying. Magic Smooth is a very odd material to work with. It is thicker than I thought it would be and super sticky. I would only use this again if I have a very specific use for it. The Magic Sculpt, however, is fabulous and I will be using it again. As a matter of fact, I want to make a white rabbit sculpture out of it for my garden. That will have to be put on the back burner for now :o)

I missed my garden update on Saturday, took the pictures but didn't get a chance to post them, so here is a little added bonus to my gnome update. We had a bit of a cold snap last week so the primrose didn't bloom like I thought they might.
They are trying though!

Here's to a productive week!
Enjoy!

The Caterpillar and a Bunny - WIP

Since I missed WIP Wednesday, I thought I would do a mini update today. I am finished sculpting the caterpillar. His Hookah and mushroom need a little more attention but that won't take long.

I also finished up Pinky, the bunny. Yeah, I stuck with Pinky because no other name really struck me (I'm sure it's just because Pinky got stuck in my head :o) I like how she came out. I wasn't originally going to have contrasting ears, and patterned at that, but she seemed so plain so I went 'wild' :oD