Thursday, May 28, 2015

Walnut Shell Gypsy Caravan




Having lost their caterpillar to his own agenda of spinning a cocoon, the travelers are going to have to camp for a few days while they look for an obliging beetle (or some other creepy crawler) to pull their caravan. It's no easy task to convince an insect to wear a harness or go in the direction you want him to for that matter. They tend to want to stop all the time to chew on a leaf or a berry.

When the walnut gypsy wagon occurred to me, I knew I was going to have to try it. As usual as soon as it started to come together I had several other designs pop into my mind. I am sure I will have to try another one eventually.

I am still waiting for clear 3 mm round beads to arrive for the front lanterns. Those fixtures may change entirely before I am finished, they are just waxed in place for the present.

I had intended for this one to have a polymer clay insect hitched up to the wagon. While I was working on it I realized that it would have to be mounted on a base or the poles that extend from the wagon to the bug would surely get broken over time. Anyway... I really prefer the houses not mounted. The wheels do turn so gluing them down to a base would have been a shame. 



50 comments:

  1. Que mini tan preciosa, pronto encontrara alguien que quiera tirar de esa nuez..me encanta....
    Un abrazo
    Maite

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  2. Gracias Maite.

    Tenemos algunos escarabajos Ofthe más rápido que he visto nunca. Mi gato tiene incluso un tiempo tuvo la captura de ellos.

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  3. ! Es genial ! Imaginativa y preciosa.

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  4. Oh this is the most fun piece ever! Fabulous work, and a great idea --- love it :)

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  5. Wow! What an insanely Fun creation!!! You are not only extremely Talented, you are Wonderfully imaginative too! This is Awesome!!! (Is the interior decorated with a tiny stove and a little bed???)
    Oh, now I want to make a Gypsy Caravan... LOL!!!

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    1. Of course it has a stove. That is a stove pipe in the back of the caravan. ;-) Yes and a fine bed box too. haha

      Thank you for your kind words.

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  6. Oh it is just amazing, and exquisite, and adorable and fun - love it. It made me smile.

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    1. If it can make someone smile it was worth the effort. Thank you.

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  7. This is adorable. It made me laugh thinking of an insect wandering along pulling this caravan. Do you think other insects in faster vehicles get frustrated driving behind them? =0P

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    1. I am sure they use bad language during rush hour! Those caterpillars go so slow.

      Thank you Pepper. ;-)

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  8. OOHH !! Que cosa tan bonita .Tan pequeña y tan completa .
    Hugs

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  9. It is just gorgeous Catherine!

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  10. J'adore! Je me demande bien qui peut habiter dans une si jolie coquille de noix!

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  11. Merci. Ils sont minuscules lutins de la forêt. :-)

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  12. Astounding! Just incredible :)

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  13. What an imagination you have Catherine! This tiny caravan is Beetleutiful!!!!! :D

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    1. Thank you Elizabeth.

      My imagination does run a bit wild. haha

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  14. Have you senn the Tale of tales ? new movie by Garrone starring Salma Hayek and vincent Cassel ? there is a flea pulling a teeny tiny wagon , you must see it .
    Lovely work but this was tacit ;o)
    Rosanna

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    1. Thank you Rosanna. I will have to see that movie.

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  15. Absolutely charming! It's really amazing what you can manage to achieve in miniature.
    Geneviève

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    1. Thank you Geneviève. I really have fun making them.

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  16. So wonderful!! I just love these whenever you post them. Do you sell them or are they simple for yourself?

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    1. Thank you. Yes, They are all for sale. Though I haven't tried very hard to market them. I may put this one on eBay, as soon as the lanterns next to the front door are finished.

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  17. Aaah... food for the soul! A caterpillar going through puberty, and limited choice in replacing it...

    Your creations are simply gems, bringing joy and fun wherever they go. Pepper; picturing rush hour now too...? whahaha, I'm smiling from ear to ear here behind the pc.

    Awesome job & good luck finishing the lanterns!
    ps, agree on mounting. Would be such a shame to glue down working wheels.

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    1. Thank you Debora. I have a lot of fun making them.

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  18. ho , je n 'avais pas vu votre petite roulotte !!!
    je suis très en retard pour faire un commentaire .
    J'ADORE !!
    je suis la plus grande admiratrice des petites maisons dans les noix . c 'est une nouvelle maison très originale .
    je me demande déjà a quoi va ressembler la prochaine .
    je vous embrasse

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  19. Catherine, vous devez avoir été très occupé à travailler pour le spectacle SIMP. Je suis impatient de voir ce que vous avez été la peinture.

    Merci! Je suis très heureux que vous aimez la roulotte.

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  20. Wow... so tiny! So amazing and so beautiful.

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    1. Thank you Besu.

      The pictures are a lot bigger then the piece actually is.

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  21. Aaaahh... I Love it, Love it, Love all the details!
    Wonderful!
    Hugs
    Kikka

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  22. So cute! love the details, especially the acorn porches. Are you going to use a real "dead" beetle?

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    Replies
    1. I think the next one will have a polymer clay beetle.

      Thank you Sarah.

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  23. So so so so cute i can't stop looking at all the little detail. Are you selling ?

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  24. Thank you Sums. Yes I sell them. Here is a listing on eBay.
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/OOAK-miniature-1-1-44-Scale-Christmas-Walnut-Shell-Cottage-by-Catherine-Ronan-/311479279891?hash=item48859ca113:g:mrMAAOSwsB9WEa4G

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  25. That is truly the smallest caravan I have ever seen!! Sooo lovely. :))

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