Tuesday 2 April 2013

Art for free

It is done, the artyfarty garden is finished. My first idea was to add the flowers in no particular order, to make it like a higgledypiggledy cottage garden, everything mixed up. But then I thought I would put some order into it. Make it neat and tidy. The first three photo's I took indoors but wasn't sure if the colours were right, so I took it outside and photographed it again.
The stripey lawn is from a childs hoodie which I got from a charity shop. I stuck it down with double sided tape.
I started by painting the whole thing pale green, then added darker shades of green, in the same way that I did the painted flowery one. I added some green net fruit bags to give it texture.
I wanted stepping stones to make a walkway, but rather than use something stone coloured, I thought I would make a yellow brick road from a plastic bottle. Also stuck down with the tape.








This is the before pic, the grey panel across the middle comes out. I painted it shades of blue to represent a pond, then covered it in a white nylon net so I could add the green wool around the edge of the pond.  
Each flower is on a wire. I had to make two holes for the wires to come through and tie them together at the back. The wire I got from an old video player, using two pairs of pliers to pull the knots tight.
And there you have it. Art for free. The sticky tape I got from the Scrapstore before it closed. The paint I got from Woolworths before they closed, cost negligeable. Some of the beads came from car boot sales for pennies, some from old necklaces I already had. The hoodie cost 25p, there is lots more left for other projects. And of course the broken car body panel was free. 
Think I could have a new career as a garden designer, ha ha.
Toodle pip.
 

25 comments:

  1. wow! amazing I really love it. you really do make the most interesting things

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  2. You do have some great ideas, I'd never have though to turn a bit of old junk into a colourful garden!

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  3. Only one thing to say, F A B U L O U S......
    Briony
    xx

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  4. Very creative and charming! You obviously have a good imagination.

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  5. so where will you display this? Are you planning on making more?

    Gill

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  6. Brilliant, I think that you are on your way to an exhibition.

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  7. great stuff..great ideas! ann.

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  8. You are amazing, Ilona. How you can see beauty and potential from stuff/junk. A great artist!

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  9. Stunning Ilona, you are a creative talent!

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  10. Great. What imagination. Will look out for you at Chelsea. Well done.
    Dianne - Hereford

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  11. This is fantastic. I love it!

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  12. Wow!....all I can say is Wow!
    A garden on the inside to cheer you up on bad weather days....genius!

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  13. A great bit of gardening for these cold days ha ha ! Very creative.

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  14. It's brilliant! Joyce

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  15. I especially like the different shades of blue in the pond section. Did you do that with paint or did you use another medium? Also,do you have to prime the plastic before you paint it? This one reminds me a bit of your knitted rock garden pond which I just loved. Perhaps you have the beginnings of a themed exhibit?!

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    1. Hi MS, the pond is squiggles of different shades of blue paint. Vinyl silk emulsion and acrylic. I don't prime it first, I rub a piece of sandpaper over it, then paint it in emulsion. Yes, I did think about making some crochet flowers, but decided to stick with the drinks cans and plastics. Perhaps a theme is emerging.

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  16. lovely-you've obviously enjoyed making this.

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    1. Hi gz, yes I did enjoy it. It's setting myself a puzzle and thinking how best to work it out.

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  17. Hi Ilona, Sue here, such a colourful and cheerful creation. Love the "paved" area. You've managed to make it so precise. Wish our garden patio was as neat.

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  18. What creativity as usual! You are a natural artist and should really find a place to display these so others can see them.
    I love the paving stones! They look like tiles. Keep at it and when you get enough of them, you might be able to show shop owners or galleries your collection.

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  19. Hi K, I will keep going, as long as the ideas keep coming. It would be nice to show them somewhere.

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  20. I'm late. Amazing, really. Oh I do wish I had your creativity and imagination. To create something that no one else has must feel tremendous. The hours of pleasure and stimulation it has given you are priceless as is the immense satisfaction of creating art.
    Hats off to you, Ilona. You are very lucky.

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  21. I love your craft work! These, and the earlier pond with rocks which you made, blew me away. I have only recently found your blog and am working my way through from the beginning. I have got to 2012 now, but also dip into 2013 just to keep up.

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