minijunkie Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 I need to do some quick and easy small/tiny bushes. Any ideas on how to do them? Someone suggested steel wool, painted green, then rolled in greenery stuff. What do you think? Bobbi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollshousegirl Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 you could use sponge, chopped roughly, then painted different shades Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemlady Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 To make a topairy use a styrafoam ball and paint it green take tiny paper flowers and glue them on with leaves glue it to a skewer stick place it in a pot with clay sprinkle the top of the clay with dry coffee grounds for dirt, Or go to the hobby-train shop and get the stuff they use to make bushes it comes in diffrent colors fluff and add little flowers to it to make your bushes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakyshaky Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 I like to use reindeer moss. It is very inexpensive and can be found at morst craft stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 reindeer moss over styrofoam is a wonderful ideal and you ucould use sheet moss over strofoam if it is to simulate dead bushes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Color Me Holly Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 Reindeer moss is what we used for Alysia's landscaping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlene Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 Reindeer moss works terrifically! oooo, dead bushes? Haven't tried that one yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 dead bushes? Haven't tried that one yet I have. <glancing out in the backyard> But it wasn't intentional. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlene Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 I have. <glancing out in the backyard> But it wasn't intentional. Deb Mine never get a chance to die -- the deer it them first ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minijunkie Posted October 22, 2006 Author Share Posted October 22, 2006 thanks for all your responses. Going to play around with what I have here today...going to try to avoid having to go out and buy stuff. Will show pics if I get something figured out. ~Bobbi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minilinda2001 Posted October 22, 2006 Share Posted October 22, 2006 Hi Bobbi, Have you any of those scrubbies which come in flat multicooloured sheets? I have used the green ones pulled apart as a base for landscaping, then added lycopodium to add variety. (Cheep! Cheep!) Used dried flowers (found in bunches at a garage sale - gotta love other people's UFO'S!) :whistle: which I painted the desired shade. Look in the dollar store for itty bitty fleurs and foliage bushes you can pull apart. I throw paint at them too! :thumb: Read somewhere once you get your greenery done, you can dye egg shells, crush 'em and sprinkle on the bushes to simulate allysum. Good luck! Send pics! Wanna see, wanna see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chikzilla Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 We're going to be having a class on making a bonsai on November 8, 9pm GMT at http://forum.cdhm.org if you can wait that long to see how trees and such are made. We have an awesome instructor that makes incredible landscaping.... she is a true expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Go to the model shop one that sells train suplies alot of times they have some thing there that will work. I buy all my cristmas trees there! They have much more, grass ect. Now that my miniatures shop I always used to go to is closed i go to the modle shop for landscaping, and ebay for evey thing else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlene Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 We're going to be having a class on making a bonsai on November 8, 9pm GMT at http://forum.cdhm.org if you can wait that long to see how trees and such are made. We have an awesome instructor that makes incredible landscaping.... she is a true expert. Thanks, Marlene -- Count me in for that class. Don't need any this moment, but, hey, I can always use professional input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I use the clumps of moss that are beginning to dry out in the woods, I collect it on hikes. I used some sprayed & sponged in greens to make the Coventry Cottage's "hydrangea" bushes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellie Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Hello Bobbi, I made one minibush to complete a backdrop I used in this picture: http://home.hetnet.nl/~f2hhellie/entry-winter-2006.html It's the green thing you see partial at the left side half way the picture. The short version. The whole idea is: Make a desired base form. Put sticky material on it. Cover with assorted herbs. Let dry. Seal if desired. The long version: I took aluminium foil and made an egg shape. Put a barbecue stick or toothpick in the bottom. Let a bit of the toothpick stick out. Now you have something to hold on to apart from the egg itself. And it's very useful if you want to pin it into something, like I did. Make a stand (just for help, not used in the end but could be...) from scraps of clay or use something else to pin your egg on. It had to be 'oven-proof'. Pinned the egg on the stand to see if it will stand straight up. Took the egg off the stand. Covered the egg with polymerclay (Fimo, Sculpy or simulair product). When done, I covered the whole egg with a nice, not too thin, layer of liquid sculpy. Don't mind if it is a little 'bumby', that will add realism. Then I took my dried parsley and thyme from the kitchen cabinet and put some in a bowl. Rolled the egg in the herb mix. The herbs will stick to the liquid sculpy. Maybe you have to add some herbs by hand on some spots. Make sure the whole egg is covered with the herbs. Pinned the egg on the stand. Bake in oven (included toothpick) according to the manufacturers instructions of the clay. You can seal it with matt sealer or a fixation spray if desired. Finished! If you don't have liquid sculpy (or equal product) you can bake the egg when polymer clay is attached to the foil and (after the egg cooled down) add glue and roll the egg in the herb mix. Let dry. And if desired, seal as described. Of course you can make this any shape and size you want. For 'ground' I made a little disc shape out of florist foam and pinned the egg in the middle to see if it keeps standing. Remove a bit of the toothpick if too much is sticking out. When it fits right, push the corners of the foam down to the table to create a more natural form After this, separate the egg and base. Put glue on the base and cover it with used dry coffee grounds (or something else). Let dry. Seal. Pin the egg on again. Now you have a 'stand alone' bush. Also you could make your 'ground' with the 'scrap of clay base' in the same way as the bush. I like my 'egg help stand' sturdy and heavy so it will last in the oven to help to keep the egg upright. On the other hand I like my 'egg bush ground stand' light and thin in a way it wouldn't last in an oven. This is why I make two different stands. You can use the clay stand over and over again. For a hedge, you can make several foil shapes, squeeze to each other and separate again and cover them one by one with polymerclay. Again squeeze them to each other and separte again. Add the liquid sculpy and continue as described. When finished, you can join them again and you will have a natural looking little hedge. Good luck and happy creating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minijunkie Posted October 23, 2006 Author Share Posted October 23, 2006 Wow, lots of tips. Thanks everyone. Linda, I don't know about the kind of scrubbies you are talking about. What department are they sold in?? ] Anyway, for now am using steel wool.....cut and kinda of squished into shape...then glue, then moss...when dry, give a hair cut and shape again. Once I get one little fence scene done, I will show you. I am thinking of buying snow in a can if I can find it to spray some on the bushes. Marlene, as soon as I get a chance, I will check the forum. I havent been there in forever. `Bobbi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minilinda2001 Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Here's a pic of the scrubbies, Bobbi. I got mine in the Dollar store, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minijunkie Posted October 23, 2006 Author Share Posted October 23, 2006 Thanks LInda!! Now I know what you are talking about. ~Bobbi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 If you have some green craft feathers, you can paint them with a darker green acrylic paint, and "spike" the fronds by hand. These look very realistic! You can glue on paper flowers after the paint has dried. Pool some glue, sprinkle with coffee grounds, and "plant" your feather shrubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minijunkie Posted October 25, 2006 Author Share Posted October 25, 2006 Here is a pic of the project so far. I am mailing off 15 of these. There will be some cranberry/popcorn garland as well as a little rabbit or chipmunk. The lighting doesn't capture the sparkle of the snow well or the color well. another: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Bobbi, it looks wonderful! You did a fantastic job on it The second pictures shows ALL of the sparkles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMadWoman Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Hey, those are REALLY cute! Where's that swap . . . I want one!! Please show us a picture once you get them done with the garland and such . . . way too cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wenlaine Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Bobbi, they are really cute, you did a great job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlene Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Oh I like those Bobbi -- Very clever. Nice work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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