Finally…a bunny topiary!

I finally finished a bunny-themed ‘topiary’. You see, I never do anything from start to finish. Usually there’s several projects underway, including routine household things to-do, not to mention barnyard chores. I often steal away a few minutes here and there and hardly ever sit idle…unless I’ve collapsed into bed.

Anyway, this tabletop bunny topiary is made from items I found in my ‘stash’.

The bunny and carrot are made from a paper pattern I drew onto a brown paper bag and cut out from muslin. After I sewed the bunny, I tea stained the fabric and used acrylic black paint (thinned w/a little water) for accent…I wanted a little Dutch Dwarf rabbit. I stuffed the bunny and carrot with fiberfil and some dried lavender (just because) and applied a thin layer of mod podge to the surface, and brown shoe polish to ‘age’ it a bit. I used two different shades of orange and terra cotta on the carrot.

The bunny has a black bead for eyes, pink embroidery floss stitched nose, and a needle felted wool tail.

I tied on several strips of #6-cut green wool strips from my rug hooking snippet stash for the carrot-top greens.

I cut a red-twig dogwood branch from my yard to make the topiary ‘stem’ and used an old piece of porch ‘trim’ for the base. The topiary stands approx 16-inches tall and the bunny is about 8-inches long. Here’s my pattern.

I’ve been working on several additional topiary forms.

This one also has a branch as my ‘stem’, but I made a sphere with a grapevine form and wrapped it with spring green fabric strips dipped in mod podge. I like the irregular form. Anyway…the point of this discussion is that you can use/make any topiary shape you desire!

 I also made little fabric rosebuds from about a 6-inch X 1/4-inch strip of pink material (fold the strip in half lengthwise, tie a knot in one end and roll it up – place a stitch or dab of glue on the end) and glued them onto the finished form with fabric glue…and a few leaves? You could add as many spheres or conical shapes as you desire! Now all I need is a bunny for a topper (still think’n about Easter?) and a base of some sort.

I like to recycle/repurpose items found around the house. Old wood porch banister, candlesticks, textile bobbins, an old milk pitcher…lots of possibilities. Now where did I put that sheet moss?

I hope this inspires you to create a topiary for yourself to help chase away the gray winter blahs and think Spring!

♥blessings!

sun + warm = spring fever

I’ve been working in the shop the past few days. Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. Tossing all the holiday greens (treats for the goats and sheep), making way for Spring. It was 100 degrees F in the greenhouse before noon…by the time I opened the door to allow the radiant heat to penetrate and warm the shop.

I know there’s still snowdrifts galore, and no sign of ‘green’ anywhere, but I think I’m coming down with a touch of spring fever! My latest project list confirms my suspicions…I’m making lots of bunnies, topiary forms and sweet herbal sachets! Here’s a sneak peak…I’m not nearly done ~ actually only just begun! I’ll explain HOW-TO’s in a few days. Perhaps share a bunny pattern too for those not gifted with drawing ‘free-hand’?

 I like simple, prim-looking sweet herbal sachets…to scent a drawer, a closet, tuck under the pillow or scent a room! They are wonderful to make and fill with all the dried goods from the herb garden. Most herbs do very well by just hang-drying: make a small bundle and secure the stems with a rubberband. Hang from a peg (flower side down) out of direct sunlight  for a couple of weeks. When dry, you can store as a bundle, or garble the leaves and store in a dark airtight container.

I’ve got several projects in the works…as usual! Hope you enjoy your day!

♥blessings!