My Visist to the Robina View Club

I would like to thank Jen Newman, the President, for inviting me to the Robina View Club yesterday. I was asked to give a talk about Gourds and my Miniature Models.



Me giving my talk about Gourds and My Miniature Models
Note to self:- don't wear a top that makes you look like your
pregnant when you're not!

 First the ladies, who do such an outstanding job raising money to help children less fortunate than themselves, held their meeting.

We then had a lovely morning tea and then I presented my talk.

I explained what gourds where, how I became involved with them and where I want to go in the future. I also told the ladies about the classes that I am now holding. I answered the questions some of the 40 odd ladies that were present asked.

Many people came up to me afterwards and said that they were impressed with my models and took some leaflets explaining the donations of 'stuff' that I ask for all the time. I NEVER have enough stuff.

I would like to thank everyone for allowing me to attend it was brilliant!

Plants I Have Created

I thought you might be interested to see a couple of the plants I am creating. I have being playing with optic fibres. I was VERY fortunate to acquire an old optic fibre Christmas tree. I now have heaps all for the pittance of $3.00

The plants below are created out of pearl beads that have had their pearl essence removed with nail polish remover. I placed them all in a glass container with the nail polish remover and shook them up until most of the pearl essence had come off. I then cleaned them on some tissue.  I then drilled the holes a little larger. There is a trick to that! More than once the drill bit got so hot that it got stuck!

Once all of that was achieved I then covered the bead with a mixture of white and blue sand using Tiger Grip glue. I had covered some little green plant caps that I had around and placed them on a skewer and then covered them in sand. When dry I inserted the optic fibre and cut them to be level with the bead. I then stuck on the cap and siliconed everyone in place. I have now found it much better to make a bunch of 'plants' and lay them facing up not sideways or down as I have these ones as the optic fibre does not want to go the way I want it to. I then covered the silicone with 'moss'.

These 'plants' have been created with small bundles of optic fibre which has then been pooled together over the top of one orange (been painted with red stain glass paint to make it darker) flickering LED bulb which is then surrounded in black shrink tubing to keep them together and to force the light up the fibre not out through the sides.


Pearl Beads turned into Plants

 Another 'plant' I have created is the one below. This one is not completely finished as I just need to pull the optic fibre stamens into the middle. I thought you would like to see them at this point. These plants have been created out of two different fake plants and have seed beads glued to the tip of the optic fibre. These plants have long lengths of optic fibre so I can place them all over the model. I will do a bundle of 5 or 6 flowers (depending on how many optic fibre I can get into the black shrink tubing that sits over the one LED. I have not chosen a colour for that yet.


A Plant I have created using pieces
from two flowers, optic fibre and seed beads.

 I have decided to keep one 'plant' and 'creature' that I create so that I can 'see' what it is I have created them out of as there are soo many that I forget.
I am going to set up a display of the original item and what I have created out of it. For instance someone gave me small Christmas bells (which i have not found since) and I have created a snail and four plants out of them.

Students Work

I am EXTREMLY pleased to present to you the results of my first two students. I do have a third but she has only just started and I will keep you informed.

If you would like to go to the page titled Students Making a Model then you will be able to read the full account of their work.
Below is a photo of Luka's work (age 10).

This is the inside of Luka's bakery.

Below is a photo of Bianca's work (her project is not finished yet as it is a big job.)


This is the inside of Bainac's fairy house.