Welcome to my blog! I'm Penny and this is my little space on the Web where I can share my art, my process, my passion and maybe a little humor every now and then.
So, how did I get started with all of this Pixie and Miniature gardening stuff? I would have to go back quite a few years (no, I'm not going to tell you how many years) and say that it all started for me when I was a a little girl, making my own doll houses out of card board, complete with furniture, food, and all sorts of accessories that my dolls might need!
It went from there to building a small replica of a local barn, again out of cardboard, for a school project. I obsessed over every detail including all of the stalls, hay, tools and even a loft! I entered it in a Cultural Fair and won 1st Prize in my division! I had a blast doing that one as I had many memories and mishaps in that old barn, all of which make me laugh even now! As an adult, I would create various gifts for the children of family and friends: a barn for toy horses, a two story doll house and even built my own wooden drawing table! So you can say that I have a love for creating things that bring joy to others and myself.
So, how did I get started with all of this Pixie and Miniature gardening stuff? I would have to go back quite a few years (no, I'm not going to tell you how many years) and say that it all started for me when I was a a little girl, making my own doll houses out of card board, complete with furniture, food, and all sorts of accessories that my dolls might need!
It went from there to building a small replica of a local barn, again out of cardboard, for a school project. I obsessed over every detail including all of the stalls, hay, tools and even a loft! I entered it in a Cultural Fair and won 1st Prize in my division! I had a blast doing that one as I had many memories and mishaps in that old barn, all of which make me laugh even now! As an adult, I would create various gifts for the children of family and friends: a barn for toy horses, a two story doll house and even built my own wooden drawing table! So you can say that I have a love for creating things that bring joy to others and myself.
After working at various jobs for decades, just to make ends meet, I had surgery in early 2013 and had to take several months off to recuperate. Finding myself with time on my hands, I was drawn back into the world of miniature design and construction. It was June of 2013 when I created my first Pixie house and the garden it was to go in! It was a gift for my daughter Dani's birthday, and she loved it. Her enthusiasm for the work I was doing was so gratifying. She, and her boyfriend Trevor, started telling me that my pieces were real Art and that I should pursue it further. That is when I started wondering if I could actually do what was needed to make a go of it, both creatively and commercially. With much encouragement from them and my husband Mike, I decided to take an artistic and financial leap of faith and plunge into the world of Pixies and miniature gardening full time!
"Absorb what is useful, Discard what is not, Add what is uniquely yours!" -Bruce Lee
| It hasn't always been easy, but I feel like I learn something new everyday, broadening my horizons so to speak! In so doing, even though I didn't realize it until today, I am following the words of Bruce Lee, "Absorb what is useful, Discard what is not, Add what is uniquely yours!" I do this everyday as I face new challenges, projects and problems. I have learned how to make hypertufa pots, my own Pixie houses, whether they are out of wood, plastic, or by making a mold and then casting it in plaster or cement. Thanks to my husband, I've even started making hanging Pixie houses with balloons and clay! I love every part of the process, down to the minutest detail. Add that to my love of gardening and I have the perfect creative outlet. I know that building miniature "Pixie" or "Fairy" houses and gardens isn't new, but it's new and exciting to me and I hope to add my own unique creations to this burgeoning artistic scene. |  |
The interest, from a wide variety of sources, in my tiny creations has been incredible! I've now started selling my gardens and all the handmade accessories that go with them. I'm even entertaining the idea of putting on a show at a local gallery! I'll keep improving my designs, materials and techniques and I'll continue to make the hypertufa pots (by hand!) for all the gardens I create. Eventually, I'd even like to start teaching others how to go about creating their own Pixie houses and gardens in workshops and seminars. I will be sharing how-to's on different projects, with pictures, to help demonstrate my process, which I'm still perfecting (and probably always will be). I want to always keep learning and growing in everything I do. I am excited to be on this artistic journey and so happy to have you join me. I will continue posting and sharing my adventures in Art and I hope you can find something here that spurs YOU to engage in an artistic endeavor. Thanks for reading, I look forward to hearing from you in the form of comments, feedback or suggestions, etc.
Happy Gardening!
Ciao for now! ;o)
Happy Gardening!
Ciao for now! ;o)
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