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Saturday, November 17, 2018

Growing A Cottage Garden Part 9

The title of this post should include the words "Cloud 9", because I think I am finally finished with the Storybook Cottage's Garden! Oh, I may add a bell here and a teacup there, but all of the major elements I wanted to include are done!


Due to my wonderful "play day" with Sam's art gallery, and the fact that we'll be flying out to spend Thanksgiving with my parents in AZ, I did not take any "in progress" photos, but I'll do my best to explain the "after" photos as I go. First, a photo of the sides and back...



I don't think I posted a photo with the back window box planted and installed. It is removable so that I can get to the interior without crushing the geraniums!


The gutters and downspouts have also been added...



On the Potting bench side of the cottage, I added a shelf with watering cans above the garden sink.



I also made additional flowers, took some of the leftovers, and made many more pots for the front step.



The front gate is decorated with Keli's favorite wreath.


My attempt at making tiny bees for the bee skep only resulted in my fingers becoming yellow, black and having wire stuck to them. I wanted to get these amazing bees on Etsy, but $12 each was a little more than my budget could justify. I settled for nail charms at 10 for $3. This way, I had enough to place a few on flowers, too. The birds got teacup feeders. They're not Barbara Meyer birds, because I forgot all about her wonderful birds until Keli reminded Sheila about them for her dovecote pigeons last week. Maybe I'll replace the Falcon birds with Barbara's in time.









I had a black wire hanging basket that I picked up at Aunty Em's in AZ. I painted it with copper leafing pen, lined the bottom with reindeer moss, squeezed in a Squeeze Me bush then planted some clematis flowers and leaves into it.



I had a little cottage kit from Michelle's Miniatures that was intended to make a purse. I think it makes a great mailbox! I added a knob instead of a handle, added a little working flag on the side, then used stucco and copper roof to simulate the cottage. I mounted it on a base to give it some detail. I just love to add cute little details like this to my miniatures. It makes me feel like a kid again!


Of course I had to plant the flowers on the inside fence planters before I could get them installed on the landscape base. I used up a good deal of the flowers I had left, I used purple coneflower, cosmos, daylilies and ground cover. I hope you're not allergic to bee stings!





With the inside planters finished, I was able to attach all three fence sections, then plant the exteriors. I ran out of flowers and had to stop and make more!!! Zinnias, marigold and more daisies. My flower kit supplies are now pathetic! :/ All I have left are red flowers! I did not want any red in this garden. Red does not like to share the limelight!



I kept a count of the number of flower stems I made, and it's a little insane. Hey - my blog is all about my miniature madness, so I do give you fair warning!

55 Coneflower
59 Aster
26 Black Eyed Susan
27 Ageratum
18 Dandelion
51 Geranium (plus 140 leaf stems)
16 Daylily
24 Dahlia
41 Daisies
15 Chamomile
9 Lemon Balm
9 Spearmint
9 Peppermint
10 Bee Balm
12 Lavender
12 Rugosa Roses
7 St. John's Wart
34 Cosmos
72 Roses
12 Mums
144 Camellias
18 Zinnias
9 Tulips
18 Marigold
24 Clematis

Grand total? 734!!!

After the exterior fences were finished, I affixed the rose arbor. My grapevine tree trunks did not want to play nice and get into their pots without lifting the arbor up off the ground. So, to solve this problem, I cut them off just above the height of the pots and made rose tree trunks out of air dry clay. They looked okay, and I could have done a much better job it I wasn't having to work over the top of the fence and around the back of the arbor. But as usual, problems are really just opportunities in disguise, so I had a little fun with camouflage.


Using a couple teapots that were just too large for 1/12th scale, I covered them in glue, then in fine ground cover to made topiary out of them. I glued them to the top of some more grapevine and added another Squeeze Me bush below. Now the rose tree will share a pot with the teapot topiary!






There was just enough room left to squeeze in a chair and a couple more pots, and still be able to walk down the path..




And so, my friends, the Olympic flower making saga has come to the end! Now I think I'll sit in the garden, smell the fragrant air, and nap for a while...


I thank you all so much for your encouragement as we moved through this epic journey together! For without you, your comments, suggestions and friendship, the cottage would have sat upon an empty lot!

xo xo,
Jodi

P.S. You know what this means, don't you? We get to move onto the inside!!! Yippee!!!

59 comments:

  1. Holy, Guacamole Jodi! The level of detail in this garden is astounding! I bet you could sit and study it for hours and still find new things to delight. I don't even know where to look first. :D All those flowers! You are a machine my friend, churning out flowers by the hundreds. :o Love the solutions you came up with, like the nail art bees and the teapot topiaries! Brilliant.. obstacles really are opportunites. I love your little cottage mailbox, it's adorable. And it has a working flag! Love it. I'm veiling this on my phone and it's driving me crazy.. I can't wait to get home and look at you pictures on a bigger screen so I can poor over every detail. Can't wait to follow along on the interior. But first, I hope you have a wonderful time in AZ and and a happy and plentiful Thanksgiving. ((Hugs))

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    1. Thanks Sam! I am looking forward to a few days away from looking at it. I have begun to think it looks too overwhelming, so maybe I'll see it with renewed eyes after we get back from AZ! Once you get to your computer, if you right click on the photos and open in a new window, you can see them larger than the blogger picture viewer. Hugs back to you, and I hope you are finding some good creative time, too!

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  2. What an epic effort Jodi! So much satisfaction seeing it done and it looks amazing. And yes, you are a (mad) flower making machine! So much thought has gone into it and you persevered until the end to get the exact look you were wanting. Well done! I have to say how much I love your mail box! It is so adorable. Xx

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    1. Thank you, Shannon! I never did enjoy flower making, so was dreading the garden initially. But fortunately, I have been deadline oriented because of work, so that was the attitude I adopted to just get through it. I actually enjoyed a great deal of it, and now that I've been through Flower Training Camp, every future session should be a piece of cake! :O)

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  3. ¡Impresionante Jodi,has trabajado duro! el esfuerzo ha merecido la pena, te ha quedado genial.buen fin de semana:-)

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    1. Gracias Rosa Maria! Nunca soñé que pasaría tantas semanas en el jardín, ¡pero me vi obligado a seguir! Me siento aliviado de tenerlo terminado, ¡y por eso estoy ansioso por hacer muebles y decorar el interior!

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  4. Es la casa más bonitay encantadora que he visto nunca, me encanta todo sus cosas, flores, colores, pajareras.. Las paredes.. Felicidades!!

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    1. ¡Muchas gracias Teresa! Me alegra tanto saber que te encanta el jardín, ¡y te agradezco mucho por tus encantadores y alentadores comentarios! Espero que te quedes y me ayudes a terminar el interior de la casa!

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  5. Dear Jodi, The Teapot Topiaries are just plain Brilliant!!! The tiny cottage mailbox is exquisite and the teacup bird feeders are too too cute!!! The bees on the hive are a perfect solution (how many of us have tried to make mini bees???) to the problem of yellow glued fingers! LOL! The entire range of flowers you have made for this project is astounding! And I am not surprised the final count is so high! This cottage garden is just astonishing in its complexity and bounty and beauty and intricate details!!! I can't begin to imagine making half as many items in ten times as much time! You are a Wonder Woman!! And this is an Awesomely Wonderful Garden!!! I will be back again and again to sit and smell the roses and listen to the bees buzz contentedly in these bountiful blossoms! The chair is a perfect last addition.... can we take turns? LOL! :):):)
    PS Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving with your folks, safe travels there and back again!

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  6. Thank you Betsy! I am so happy that you like the teapot topiaries, the mailbox and the garden in general! I took on a lot more than I thought I could chew, and it was purely accidental! I never imagined when I started that it would take any longer than two weeks, especially after I made the base so small. But boy have I learned a great deal about what bees like, what plants make good blends for teas, how to make many flowers, how to set up an assembly line and especially to have patience! I am glad I kept going when I thought I would parish from repetition, and I think in the end I am a better person for it!
    I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, too! This will be the first time I have not cooked the meal in more years than I can remember!

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    1. P.S. You can have the chair any time you like. I'll make tea, sit on the steps, and we can talk about future and ongoing mini dreams! :O)

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  7. What a project! The cottage is wonderful, all of the detail. I am trying to decide which is my favorite. Yes, I am allergic to bee stings, but I'm not afraid of them. The hive is adorable and we must nurture the bees. We feed the birds here, so I love all of the little bird houses and the birds. The cardinal is my favorite, but we don't have them here in Colorado. The tea pot topiaries are quite unexpected and perfect. It's been so much to watch you work, even as you made all of those flowers. I wish my garden grew as perfectly. I am excited to see what you come up with next. And about encouragement--it goes both ways. You have been so encouraging with my projects, too. I have learned so much from you. I wish you a happy Thanksgiving and have a wonderful time with your family.

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    1. Thank you, Ann! I'm happy to hear that you like the completed garden! We can feel each other's joy and excitement when following each other's work, and that just makes it all the more fun! Most people say "oh that's nice", but fellow miniaturists say "that's awesome"! It lovely to share my joy with my people! :O)
      Hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving, too! Don't work too hard!

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  8. This house is absolutely a rare jewel. I love every tiny detail and there are so many clever ideas! Thank you for every photo. I too, wish to take turn on that chair.
    Have a wonderful time at your parents and a very Happy Thanksgiving Day to you and yours!
    Hugs, Drora

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    1. Thank you, Drora! I am so glad you like the cottage and the garden, and you are welcome to sit in the chair and enjoy a nice visit with me any time! I'll put the tea on and bake some goodies!
      I'm so happy to be going to see them, but very much dislike airports and flying. Going to have to put on my big girl pants and suck it up!

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  9. Your cottage looks like an enchanted house. Every detail is perfect.

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    1. Thank you Faby! I love that you think it looks enchanted! :O)

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  10. OMG! I can't stop looking! I love the tea pot topiaries! And I love the bees! Great solution! Oh and that adorable mail box! And.... I could go on and on.
    I can't believe the amount of flowers! Well I can as they are all visible but such a gigantic task! Deep respect for your dedication. Now onto more practical business: how much is the rent and when can I move in? :-D
    Have a wonderful trip to AZ and a happy thanksgiving.
    Hugs,
    Véronique

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    1. Lol! For you, the rent is free. I just ask that you feed the cat and water the flowers! :O)
      I'm so happy that you like the garden and the solutions and compromises that are always a necessary part of mini building!
      I will bask in the AZ sunshine, a rare commodity here in the northwest this time of year!

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  11. Es realmente impresionante. Creo que no le falta ningún detalle. ¡Es asombroso el número de flores que has hecho! Toda esa variedad y colorido dan una maravillosa sensación de calidez y bienestar. Cada una de las fachadas es maravillosa. Magnífico trabajo.

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    1. Gracias isabel Estoy feliz de que pienses eso! Y muchas gracias por sus comentarios positivos! ¡Espero ver tu nombre cada semana! 💗

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  12. Oh my! Gorgeous! I love your birdfeeders and the beehive is wonderful! Everything is so pretty. So many flowers and details. I can't wait to see what you do with the inside.

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    1. Thanks Sheila! Me too! But I think I need to take a week to make some Christmas gifts before I can start (after Thanksgiving). So maybe the first week of December, or so, before I get to pick which interior room to start with!

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  13. "Gardening is ultimately a folly whose goal is to provide delight."
    - Deborah Needleman
    Nothing could be more true when it comes to your garden, Jodi. I meandered through your delightful pictures twice yesterday and was completely overwhelmed (not just by those absolutely insane flower quantities) by the rambling for flowers, pots, nic-nacs, treasures and just ever so slightly whimsical details hiding in every nook and cranny. Clearly the resident of the cottage is a slender soul...!
    Anna x

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    1. So true, Anna! A beautiful garden truly does delight, even in this scale! Our resident gardener has maximized every inch of space and left herself very narrow paths for access. Hopefully, she's very flexible for her age and determination provides the way!

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  14. Cuanto trabajo ha llevado ese jardín! pero el resultado ha valido la pena,se ve magnífico,maravilloso!!! Me ha encantado la idea de los topiarios con forma de tazas,buena imaginación!!
    Me encantan todas tus plantas y detalles!!
    Besos.

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    1. Gracias, Pilar! Ha sido un maratón de trabajo, ¡pero solo tuve que intentar incorporar cada idea mientras tuviera la oportunidad! ¡Estoy tan feliz de que te guste, y tan feliz de haber terminado con la fabricación de flores por un tiempo!

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  15. This garden is without a doubt a master piece Jodi. All your efforts, your incredible imagination, hard work and talent have created such a wonderful piece. I am not surprised, I knew it!! I don´t know what to say to make it justice. You know that flower and plants are one of my favourites things in minis and seen your house makes me sight and takes me to miniature heaven!

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    1. Thank you, Alex! I am so happy that you like the garden, and so grateful that I had the chance to explore some fun ideas for it! Your gardens are always so beautiful and inspiring, and I can't wait to see the next one! I know exactly what you mean about miniature heaven, and there's nothing like seeing something that delights and sparks a new idea!

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  16. Hello Jodi,
    What an incredible feast for the eyes. Congratulations my friend! the exterior is incredible. While the number of plants you made might seem insane, I think seeing the finished product justifies every single petal you cut. It feels so alive and I can just imagine passers by stopping to chat over the fence with the owner of this incredible charming, welcoming house. The topiaries are so much fun and so very clever, but I must admit what most wowed me in this post, aside from the garden and the house themselves, are the wonderful gutters. they are fantastic. Beautifully made and beautifully ages. What and amazing project. I cannot wait to see the interiors finished. this is a blue ribbon worthy project.
    big hug
    Giac

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    1. Thanks so much, Giac! You are the right guy to ask when you need confirmation to do something "crazy". Because fulfilling a dream and a vision sometimes takes you to extremes, but the satisfaction it brings is nothing short of bliss! So thank you for the encouragement, thoughtful insights and praise! From one "crazy" miniaturist to another, it's fuel to my fire!!!

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  17. I'm still undecided whether I'm more amazed about the exterior looks of this fantastic house project or about the fact that you've managed to count every single flower (734... tssss… not very ambtious… 800 would have been such a nicer amount *shows-a-devilish-grin*) or the fact that you're already finished with this garden. Hmmm… perhaps a mix from all of these? Because despite all those wonderful details, gorgeous flowers etc. it's the speed in which you've achieved all of this that really impresses me. All of this would have taken me uncountable weeks of work and sticky fingers - and you even had a renovation goin on in your RL. And the result is really breathtaking, it's so much fun to visually walk through your garden and to discover new or already known things. Those bird feeders are such a fantastic detail and your teapot topiary is simply stunning and the mailbox is brilliant and... well, let's make it short: This garden is beautiful in total and in the details! - I'm wishing you a great Thanksgiving with your family, a nice trip and I'm looking forward to see you working on the interior.

    Hugs
    Birgit

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    1. Thank you Birgit! Yes, I can see some empty spaces, and so 800 might have been better, lol! Keeping track was a way to encourage myself to keep going, because at times I felt as though I was running a marathon and just needed to keep my enthusiasm so that I could finish. I am impatient by nature, so while it seems like a fast finish, to me it was excruciatingly long!!! I am learning that to truly fulfill my vision for an idea, and to incorporate most of the ideas I have for it, I need to be able to commit a much longer time frame than I'd really like to. I imagine it might approach a year from the date I started to finish the cottage, when my original idea was to be done in six months. But I am trying to enjoy the process and all the minute detail, however long it takes! :O)

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  18. Replies
    1. Thanks Brandy! It was a fun and easy little thing to make, too!

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  19. Your garden is over the top Exuberant! My favourite section is the beehive and the teacup bird feeder and if I was visiting I would sit in that little chair and contentedly watch them buzz from flower to flower just as I often do in my Real Life garden.
    I also love the dollhouse mailbox and I would imagine that the postmen takes their time when delivering the mail just so that he/she could linger and enjoy all the wonders of this Fantasy Garden too!

    elizabeth

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    1. Thanks Elizabeth! You have an open invitation for tea and a visit in the garden any time! Exuberant is a great adjective for the garden, and there have been times where I think I have gone too far over the top! It is not what I envisioned the exterior looking like, but a direction I felt lead and compelled to go. So as not to be discouraged, I made up my mind to be lead, and appreciate where I ended up. So it's wonderful to get such positive feedback, because it encourages me to keep going, no matter where it may lead!

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  20. This is just magnificent. What a beautiful, beautiful garden. There is so much to look at and to love, from the little bees on the hive to the teapot topiaries, and all those lovely flowers, the birds and their birdhouses, the little garden statue. . . . Your imaginary homeowners must absolutely adore the house you've made for them. Bravo! Bravissimo!

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    1. Thanks Deb! I am happy to hear that you like the garden and the elements that have gone into making it become what it is! I hope the lady of the cottage appreciates so much life and color and does not feel overwhelmed by it! I originally had something much more simple in mind!

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  21. Hi, Jodi - Oh My! I have never seen so many beautiful flowers in a single mini garden. What an exuberant display! All 734 flowers are planted and displayed to perfection. And 51 geraniums! I made 17 and thought my labor was intensive. The ground cover that you made for the fence planters is simply amazing. I love all the detail in this Storybook Garden - the shelf with the watering cans, the unique and clever mailbox, the BEES, the teapot topiaries. There is something new to see in every nook and around every corner; such fun to just look and look! And now you're ready to move inside, and I can't wait to watch that process of creativity. Have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday in Arizona.
    Marjorie

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    1. Thank you Marjorie! I am so glad that this garden happened around a Storybook cottage so that the amount of things going on here don't seem too over the top! It's a lot to take in, so a fantasy theme has allowed me to just let it develop without worry of being too unrealistic. The quantities of flowers was intensive, and at times I thought there would be no end! What a relief to have them finished, and to know any future flower making will seem easy in comparison!

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  22. Anytime you get to 99% done, it's time for celebration! :D I think your bee solution is great. Those are great bees on etsy, but yes, we have to reign ourselves in from time to time. I think the purse-to-mailbox conversion is outstanding! A perfect finishing touch. :D Amazing amount of flowers, and the work all paid off. Those teapot topiary bushes are awesome!!!! Oh, so much fun awaits as you move inside. Well done, my friend! :]

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    1. Thank you, Brae! I am truly celebrating being finished with the outside of the cottage - a job I usually save for last! Moving inside will be a treat, because I can choose from 5 or 6 separate areas and completing them will seem less daunting! I'm happy you like the teapot topiary! They remind me of Disneyland!

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  23. Jodi, this is spectacularly beautiful! It is like a fairy tale and there is so much to discover on each photo - what detail work!
    Hat off!!! :-)

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    1. Thanks Marion! It truly does fit a fairytale theme, and that seems so apropos for the Storybook kit! I had a much simpler vision, but it is satisfying to just let the ideas lead me. When it comes to dusting, though, I may be really mad at myself!!!

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  24. Simply brilliant. So many exciting things to look at; I shall have to return again and again and I still won't have seen everything!

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    1. Thanks so much, Cestina! I am so glad you stopped by for a look and hope you'll visit as often as you like! 💗

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  25. Jodi, it’s so exciting to see all these finished photos! You’ve out done yourself!! I takes several takes to really see all the details in each photo. Incredible! There are so many layers to your garden, I’m really not surprised with the flower count! I hope one of the mini magazines picks up the house and shares it because so many more miniaturists need to see. And I love the removable geraniums in the back, it really is a special touch. I cannot wait to see you finish the inside, this is going to be a show piece! Absolutely amazing!!

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  26. Jodi, your garden is incredibly beautiful! I love everything about it! Your hard work has really payed off in such a glorious way! Once again you amaze me with your ingenuity! Who would have thought to use teapots as topiary?! I love it! You've inspired me yet again!

    Hugs,
    Teresa

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    1. Thank you Teresa! I am happy to have inspired you, and I am excited to see what greatness you have in store for the Beacon Hill conservatory and gardens!

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  27. Hello Jodi!
    Can you please tell me where did you find the architectural designs of this cottage? Or have you designed it? You have done a marvelous job with the decorations and the garden!
    Regards
    Avra

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    1. Hi Anna,

      Thanks so much for your kind comments!

      The cottage started out as the Greenleaf Storybook Cottage kit. I popped out some walls, lowered the attic floor and added a strairwell and interior walls to make it more home like. You can see all of the posts from beginning to current status by clicking the label "Storybook Cottage Dollhouse" or just copying and pasting the following into your browsers address bar:

      http://my-miniaturemadness.blogspot.com/search/label/Storybook%20Cottage%20Dollhouse

      I am happy to answer any specific questions you may have any time!

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    1. Thanks so much for your lovely comment! I hope to get back and finish the project this fall!

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  29. So beautiful! I might have missed it in all the comments - but how do you make all the flowers and shrubs?
    Thank you so much!

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    1. Thank you, Elaine! If you statr with the link below, you can see the garden progress and the what/how of many of the flowers and shrubs. At the end of the post and comments, there is a Next Post link to take you to the next one in the series.

      https://my-miniaturemadness.blogspot.com/2018/09/growing-cottage-garden-part-1.html

      I hope you find some fun and useful ideas here that will inspire you!

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