Can we keep him?

I signed up for the Quarter Connection In the Round Challenge swap recently. I knew just what I was making. That doesn’t happen often – joining a swap and knowing what to make. I wasn’t sure though if I would make a project for the challenge. However when inspiration strikes I find it best to roll with it.

Call it serendipitous but there was a leak in a bathroom that shares a wall with my studio. Fortunately for us, my son is using the room or more could have been damaged besides my cardboard supply drawers. I went through these to see what if any was damaged and it was just the drawers. I’m fine with that, I’ll get new solution for those supplies.

I tell all this because that is when I came across this egg ornament. I’ve had it for years. I set it aside because I might do something. I have no clue what.

I get my out display dome. I recently refilled it with goodies I’ve bought in the past year. But it still has some lovelies that don’t have a home. That is what this dome is for after all.

A number of years ago I added a base and turntable to this cheese dome. If I have it sitting out, I definitely enjoy the things in it more but also I am often inspired by what I see in it.

There were two candidates but the set of three bunnies won out. Then one other said “pick me” too, maybe something for it later.

Egg Interior

I cut a circle from foam core and carved and trimmed until it fit in the bottom at the edge of the opening.

I base coated the entire thing in a light blue. Then I selected a slightly darker light blue as my middle. I brushed over the middle inside. This color brushed around like lightest blue to form the clouds. This was reverse of what I do previously of adding white clouds atop of blue sky.

Next I used a medium blue around the bottom at the foam core floor. I brushed this from the bottom upwards and even used the middle color too. I intentionally allowed the brush strokes to show.

Next I painted the floor ready for the brown dirt I would add. Shown on the left. Later I used a slightly darker brown just to be closer in color to my ground dirt. I have no idea what it is because I found it going through those drawers. I don’t know where it came from.

Trees

A. Paint stripes using a 20/0 liner brush and brown paint. I was super glad how open this egg is but it’s still curved.

B. Add the branches using a 30/0 liner brush. I’ve done this with the 20/0 before.

When using a liner brush, it is important to have a wet brush and wet paint. Run the brush through the paint and roll as you pull away from the paint. This creates a loaded brush and can reduce the amount of paint. Then drag the brush across another spot on the pallette, a paper towel/rag or even scrap paper to form a line. This reduces the paint but also is how one “draws” a line. I do this several times until I know how my lines will look. If I make a mistake on this I will cover with the base coat colors. Or I might cover with the foliage.

C. Using a lighter brown I added stripes to the left side of the trees on right side but changing to the other side on the left side.

D. Using my tip bottle, I add dots of glue to the side and around the branches. I do this a small section at a time so the glue surface is still eet. I try not to cover all the branches because I am going for spring foliage not summer level.

E. When I add the fine green foam over the glue, I shake it around to try to cover all the glue surfaces. Then let it sit for 15 minutes before shaking if off.

F. For the lower shrubs, I repeat D and E but with different foliage foam. I didn’t paint any branches at this level but I could have. Additionally I add layers of the foam to the foam itself so it is more dimensional. Also in this picture I have added the forest floor dirt.

Next was deciding where the rabbits will be. I really like these rabbits and I am happy to have a place for them besides in a display dome.

I’m so happy that these rabbits have a home and I completed my challenge submission early.

Please tell me in the comments what you think the Mama Rabbit’s response is.

Happy miniaturing!

Preble