...A Green Thought in a Green Shade, Garden Arbour - by Julie Ann

Where is your favourite place to be at this time of year? Maybe it's the seashore with the cry of gulls and the salt breezes, or perhaps you prefer a shady wood with a stream winding its way through the dappled shadows and sunlight? I think my garden is definitely my number one place to be at the moment.

That's where you'll find me on sunny mornings, enjoying a cup of coffee among the daisies and the lavender before the activity of the day begins.

But once the heat of the day reaches its peak, I would love to shrink down to this size of this Calico mini arbour and enjoy the view from its shady interior!

The Garden Arbour with Trellis is one of Calico's new summer kits and the idea for what I would do with it started with a sketch.

 The kit is so easy to assemble with pieces that slot and stick. I gave the pieces a couple of coats of gesso first before returning to that sketch.

What would happen, I wondered, if I scanned my sketch and printed it on to inkjet printable shrink film? The result was a little figure that fitted perfectly with the Calico Garden Arbour! Napkin tissue and some Washi tape with a floral design over the gesso created a nice pastoral touch.

Creating with a 3D kit like this is lots of fun, as you can delve into the Calico Collections of flora and fauna to add any touches from Nature that take your fancy!

Here you can see that I opted for a tiny running hare; some oak leaves and a wren from the garden birds set and the wild flowers and butterflies shape.

Thin Washi Tapes in white and gold and more napkin tissues add the finishing touches to my summer arbour.

Even when it's raining outside, I can look at my arbour and be reminded of Andrew Marvell's poem 'The Garden'... 

'Fair Quiet, have I found thee here/And Innocence, thy sister dear!' Marvell reminds us of the peace we can find in a garden, where the mind finds itself 'Annihilating all that's made/To a green thought in a green shade.' I hope you will find some time to be at peace in your garden this week and I wish you creativity and joy until we meet again.
Calico Craft Parts used in this project
Garden Arbour with Trellis
Wild Flowers and Butterflies Wood Shape
Sheet of Mini Garden Birds Wood Shapes
Sheet of mini MDF Acorns and Oak Leaves
Sheet of mini MDF Hares