vignettes

It was shortly after we moved to Florida in 2006 that I did an experimental vignette using some of the new-to-me natural materials.

This is actually a bird feeder I got at Walmart and I consider it more like a half inch scale and decided to make a little gazebo.

 We have large pine cones about 6-7 inches and it's not unusual for pine needles to be 8 inches.

I used hundred of pine needles for the floor, laying then down one by one.  A unique process but time consuming.  For the roof, I seperated the sections of the pinecone and really like the effect.  But be careful . Each little section has a very sharp barb at the tip and that hurts.  Had to cut them all off with scissors.

The starfish and seahorses are all real.  I bought them at a place call the Shell Factory.  They have a lot more shells and gifts that are not listed on their website  http://www.shellfactory.com/.  Last time I was there about a month ago, they were really low on the smallest stuff.

It is interesting to note that when the seahorse are preserved and dried, their tails are all straight.  I fixed that by soaking the tails in hot water for 4-5 minutes then pinned them in a curved shape on a piece of styrofoam.  Seahorses just have to have curly tails!