Plan C 😩

Sometimes it is hard to know exactly where to begin. Like when I decide to head to the basement to entertain myself or avoid house hold chores. I've got a few projects going, but for some reason this week I began a new one, making a lemon tree. I want one for the greenhouse. I've searched the online shops, but couldn't find what I had in mind, so I decided to make one--oh what a project. It's not done yet, so here is the start of the project.

To begin, I sought a tutorial on how to build a tree; not an easy undertaking. I found a solid tutorial online--one that I had to buy, but I think it was worth it because I will learn so much. Here's the link to the very long process of structuring a tree, along with other instructions on how to make a polymer clay pot for the tree and lemons.

Disclaimer: Please note that I am not promoting any sales for this website; I just need to be open and honest about the information that I share--or as in this case, don't share. 

Link to tutorial: Honey Thistle: Tiny Fruiting Citrus Tree Tutorial

It's simply a matter of artistic ethics to give credit where credit is due and not to use or claim as my own material any ideas that I have borrowed from another artist, so I always document my sources where I learn new ideas.

I have to add that this lesson has taught me how to build miniature trees, so it was worth the few dollars. 

Making lemons for the tree really isn't that difficult, even for beginners. I still consider myself a novice at using polymer clay. I generally use Fimo, but I have this Sculpey in my cache that I really like because it is so soft and supple, which makes it easier to work with.  

After conditioning the clay by working a small amount in your hands to loosen it and warm it, make a rope about 1/4" thick and long enough to cut more than a dozen lemons.

Use a ruler to help cut even sized 1/4" pieces.

The best way to figure out how to shape a lemon, look at one and try to replicate it. First roll an oblong ball then pinch the end to get that pointed lemon end. Flatten the other end where the stem will attach.

I really can't explain; you just have to do it. Not all of your lemons will be uniform, but they aren't all uniform on the tree either. We just think they are since the grocer always puts out the most perfect fruits. 

None of my lemons are the same; I'm fine with that.

The easiest way to color polymer clay is to use pastels, or chalk. I scrape a bit of pastel dust on to my ceramic tile then use a small paint brush to color the already yellow lemon.

I like to mix colors to create different shades that might represent the ripening process of the lemons. 

I just sort of experiment. I don't think that there really is a correct way. I've also watched a lot of Youtube tutorials on making fruit. The one step I've left out is texturing the tiny fruit--not good at it.

My tree will have plenty of lemons. The tutorial artist makes note that limes are smaller. Here I wanted lemons in a variety of ripening stages. I probably won't use all of them, so I'll have some left for lemonade.

Baking the lemons completes the process. I baked theses for 15 minutes at 275 F. in my kitchen oven. The package says 30 minutes for 1/4" thickness, but these are so small I didn't want to over bake them. Always  check package directions for baking.

Fumes and other concerns when using polymer clay: A while back when I first began working with polymer clay, I was concerned about it toxicity. I was working at my kitchen table and worried that the dog might eat some scraps that I might drop on the floor and worried about cooking fumes in the over.

Good news. Polymer clay is not toxic, though I still don't want the dog to eat it. The fumes, while noticeable, are like food cooking fumes, they dissipate and are harmless. 

I will finish the lemons by giving them a glaze coat using Fimo glaze.

Next, I began the actually tree, following the tutorial by cutting the branches varying lengths. The instructions show how to cut the required 140 leaves, but I used my punch instead. These leaves will be a bit larger than what the tutorial created, but I had a hard time hand cutting suitable leaves. This is a lengthy process that I'm still working on. Once the branches are cut, I shape the leaves and glue them on the stems, according to the tutorial instructions. 

Hopefully I'll have the tree completed for the next post.

😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩

Plan C

Certainly this is a "Woe With Me" moment.

The roof for this house will the bane of me yet. I worked to get the two main sections shingled and they looked okay, but when I did the left peak, that large acute triangle was just too difficult; it did not turn out the way I wanted it. End of story. 

I set about removing the first few rows of shingles that I had hot glued direct to the roof, using my old Cricut spatula. It easily slid under the shingles because it is a very thin blade and popped off some shingles, but left the hot glue in place. 

A quick google search solved that problem. Using a soft cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol, I dapped the glue globs to soften them and eventually they peeled right off.

Plan A: faux tin roof: fail; Plan B: wood shingles, a bigger fiasco; now Plan C: Green Leaf speed shingles ordered and on their way. 

So, yes 😩

These last couple of days I've been working on the the landscaping for this house. I have great plans for the Texas Farmhouse for a vegetable garden, but I just never sat down to plan it, so I decided to work on this one. 

I've had this initial drawing in place for sometime: a generously wide flower bed that would require a good many plants.

You by now should now how fond I am of making templates, so using 8.5x11 card stock I fashioned "grass."

I even added my tree that I've been pondering a long time, but thanks to the lemon tree tutorial, I now know how I'll finish this tree, a flowering crab perhaps. 

The more I studied the outline of the garden bed, I realized that it was far too spacious and decided to resize it. I like the narrower bed much better. It's now  1.5" wide, or 18" in real life.

Let me back up here for a moment: The house sits on a nice 1/2" thick pine board that we purchase at Lowe's Home Improvement center that was 5ft. x 24.in. Gerald cut off some of the excess length to make 48.5 in x 24.5 in.  I don't want to attach the garden directly to base incase the house should be moved (well it will be moved some day). So the garden will grow on a piece of 1/4" thick foam board that will sit in place.

Here you can see the difference between the two designs. I laid the original garden template over the "grass" to show how much I reduced the size of the bed.

Finally, what to use for grass? I did some research to see what others use, and it varies. One post on a Facebook group uses this "grass," so I thought I'd try it. It's Walmart's Holiday decoration grass. It comes in a 6"x20"roll with a very stiff plastic backing. I tried a hot iron with a towel over the top of the plastic to see if I could get it to flatten out. No.

And it sheds. Definitely no.

While it's not lush and grassy looking, I'll be using this faux grass that I purchased at Michael's--at least until I find something more suitable. It lays flat and will cut nicely. 

So. How many plans do you have to complete difficult projects? 

What would you use for grass?

Stay tuned for the next installment, hopefully a completed lemon tree.