Secret Garden Frame

It is Autumn here in Australia, leaves are falling and cooler days and nights are here…

I find it gets gloomy in my studio in winter and I thought, what is something that always cheers me up and warms mine heart (besides my children)... my garden at Springtime!

So I created this Secret Garden Frame to hang on my wall to bring some 

sunshine and magic into my studio.

Inspired by one of my favourite movies as a child and my garden... 

Materials:

Makin’s Clay®- White, yellow, red, grape leaf, green and brown

Makin's Clay® Roller or Clay Machine 

Makin’s Professional® Cutting Mat 

Makin's® Push Molds - Floral Item #39005

Makin's® Push Molds - Leaves Item #39001

Makin's® Texture Sheet - Set D Wood Grain

Makin's® Clay Tool Set - Chisel

Makin's® Clay Roller and Cutters Set - Gear cutter

Dusting powder like cornstarch

Soft small tip paint brush

Chalk pastels (I used dark brown)

Mica Powders (I used purple, gold, bronze, pink and green)

Weldbond Universal adhesive PVA 

Dry artificial Moss

Box Frame (I used a 15x15 cm mount frame)

Instructions:

I used white Makin’s Clay® , a tiny bit of yellow, red and the floral push mold, and I used the daisy, pansy, rose, sunflower and rosebud flower molds. 

Lightly dust the push molds with cornstarch, shaking the excess off. This will help to keep the clay from sticking to the mold. For the daisy flower, roll a tiny bit of yellow clay and press it into the centre of the flower mold. Then using the white clay, roll into a smaller size ball than the mold. Press the clay into the mold starting in the centre and working towards the edges. 

Tip - the clear view mold can be turned over and checked if the centre yellow clay is still in position and for any air bubbles that need to be pressed out and to make sure that the areas are all filled. 

Remove excess clay that overlaps the edges of the mold. Remove the moulded daisy flower gently by pressing the mold from the front side or use the clay chisel to help lift the mold out.

Clean up the edges using your fingertips and a soft pointed tip sculpting tool. I repeated this process and created 3 daisies, 4 pansies, 2 rosebuds and 3 sunflowers (Using brown clay for the centre and yellow for the petals). Using the same technique but skipping making the centre, I made the roses with red clay. 

Use Mica Powders to highlight the Flower’s details and it gives them a shimmer. Using a pink mica powder on the Pansy flower brushing outwards from the centre, in the folds for the petals. Using the same technique, I used a blue mica powder on the small Rosebuds, a purple mica on the larger roses and then used a touch of gold for the centre of the flowers, where the yellow/brown clay is placed.

Tip - dust your soft brush into your mica then using the lid tap your brush, to remove excess powder.

I placed some flowers flat to dry and others like the Daisies and Sunflowers in a slightly domed circle tray like a painters pallet, to give an upwards petal shape.

I made a variety of leaves using the Leaves and Floral push molds (I used the small vine leaf and single small leaves the most), and grape leaf and green clay, using the same technique. Lightly dust the push molds with cornstarch, shaking the excess off. Again this will help to keep the clay from sticking to the mold.  Using your choice of green clay, roll into a smaller size ball than the mold. Press the clay into the mold starting in the centre and working towards the edges. 

Remove excess clay that overlaps the edges of the mold. Remove the moulded leaf gently by pressing the mold from the front side or use the clay chisel to help lift the mold out.

Use gold mica powder with a soft brush on the leaves to highlight the leaf vein. 

Please note:  I made extra leaves because I was unsure how many I would need.

 The Gate Instructions 

Roll out your brown clay to the thickest setting on your pasta/clay machine, then lightly dust, dusting powder (cornstarch) over the clay. Place the woodgrain texture sheet on top of the brown clay, using the roller press and roll over the texture sheet, pressing the impression into the clay.

To cut the gate shape, cut the top of the clay with a bendable blade, cured. Then using roller cutter roll straight lines, either side to the meet the end of the curve. 

Using roller cutter roll straight lines (not pressing too hard, not pressing to cut the clay), giving the impressions of separate wood panels.

Using another bit of brown clay same thickness of the gate, (I used the excess, leftover clay from cutting the gate shape), into approx. 1cm wide strips. Place 2 strips horizontally on the gate, then place another strip die angle as shown in the photo below.

Texture the strips using the woodgrain texture sheet, placing the grain texture horizontally, pressing it lightly either with your fingers or a roller (making sure you are not texturing the gate underneath the strips).

For extra detail on the gate, use the chisel tool, pointed end to add nail holes and a few more lines, to give it that old gate look.

Again for added detail of grass blades, roll grape leaf green clay into a pointed snake shape and placed each pointed snake onto the gate, lightly pressing it down and then cut it off where the gate ends.

For the moss, press and flattern a small ball of clay into the cutting mat and using the chisel tool, pointed end scrapped clay on to the tool and then pushed this clay into nooks and cracks of the gate.

 

Using a soft brush and dark brown chalk, lightly add the chalk into the lines/panels of the gate, this gives it depth and highlights the texture.

Roll a small bit of black clay approx. 1 cm wide, then press a small jump ring into the gate (where a handle would be) place the black rolled ball of clay just above the ring, holding it into place.

For the Ladybirds, roll 3 tiny balls approx. 0.5cm wide of red clay and 3 tinnier balls of black clay approx. 0.3cm wide. Join the red clay ball and the black clay ball, making the body and head of the Ladybird.

Add small spots on the back of the Ladybird, by rolling teeny tiny balls of black clay and pressing them into the red clay body.

Using the chisel tool cut (but not going right through) a line down the Ladybirds back, giving the winged look.

Set aside your flowers, leaves, gate, Ladybirds and let them dry for 24 hours.

Place your chosen patterned card stock onto the back of the frame and cut it to size. Place and attach the frame border (I glued mine down) onto the card stock. 

Glue the gate down onto the card stock, slightly downwards in the centre, giving more room above the gate for the flower arrangement. 

Start to arrange your flowers, leaves around the gate, on your chosen patterned card stock paper, keeping in mind the frame size and frame border. I allowed some flowers to extend over the frame border. 

When happy with your arrangement of leaves and flowers, attach them with a bit of glue on each, press them down onto the card stock. Don’t forget to add your Ladybirds, for good luck… I placed mine on leaves peeking out from the flowers.

Handy Tips -

-       Take a photo of your arrangement first, before glueing the leaves and flowers, use your photo as a reference. 

-       Lay leaves down first and you may need to attach the smaller leaves underneath the flowers first. 

-       Don’t worry about the gaps too much, they can be filled with smaller leaves or moss, later on.

Allow your arrangement to dry first, then place in a shadow box and hang for your enjoyment.