White Orchid Workshop

Today I had great fun unpacking the toys I've been collecting to set up the elves' workshop. I think the elf who's supposed to take the finished work to the elves who pack Santa's bags has fallen down on the job, as the toys are piling up!

The kitchen and stove got a few more accessories. This area needs a rug.

A band of mice have arranged themselves on the stairs. The girl elf likes their music as she cooks.

Not much was done upstairs. I put out some bread with coffee and tea for break time, spiffed up the sewing machine, put books and a vase on the shelves, and found a puppy for the house. This area needs a rug, too. I'm envisioning a braided oval rug under the table and chairs.

Outside, the tiny salt and pepper shakers took their place on the step. Santa seems to approve.

I found some really tiny mushrooms with the toys and added them to the landscape. They will be those little things that people won't notice until about the fourth time they look at the house.

White Orchid Mushrooms Growing

Today I spent in the dark basement, growing mushrooms! The characteristic white dots were added to the red roof, and tiny mushrooms were planted around the house. To give an idea of scale, the pink foam is one inch thick. The stems and caps are made of Fimo polyclay. The stems are translucent with a smidge of flesh mixed in; the caps are red with sparkles. I formed the caps over the ends of a couple of paint brushes and baked stems and caps separately. After they cooled, I glued them together and used the tip of a toothpick to put tiny dots of 3D "puff" paint on them.

They add just the right amount of color to landscaping.

This side of the house looks a bit bare. Not sure what will go here, but it needs something.

The bay window side seems to be finished.

A little visitor came to the back of the house. It's hard to believe he's a button. Too cute!

The White Orchid garden grows

I spent several hours today on the landscaping, adding flowers and several kinds of greenery. In addition to the base paint, there are patches of model railroad turf, dry moss, and model railroad lichen. In combination, they give the effect of a forest floor.The yellow and purple flowers started out as white flowers cut from real life size artificial flower stems. They got a makeover with two or three shades of craft paint just blobbed on. Plain white just didn't cut the mustard. They're not planted in formal beds but just grow willy-nilly.

I like the way the mushroom looks. I want to make some smaller ones out of polyclay to tuck in here and there to bring in more red color.

As a change from the messy greenery, I put together a birdhouse kit I've had for some time. I like the natural colors, so I didn't paint it as suggested in the kit's directions. I painted the pole brown and I think I'll darken the scalloped edge a little; it looks too new. I may have to glue some moss on the roof, too.

Across the back I put a couple kinds of moss. I may add a few surprises there later on.