OVER THE WALL - the beautiful English countryside

I recently saw some wall sections made by a new UK based firm. http://www.debrisofwar.com/ Although they were created for wargaming scenery I thought that there could be other uses. 

I have many many photos of the Kentish country side and my

idea was to decorate a deep frame, choose a picture and put one of the wall sections made by DEBRIS OF WAR in front. I decided on a 28mm broken wall section because I felt that would create the 'feel' I was looking for and that was the easy part. 

 I got my partner to paint the wall section as we are planning on giving this frame as a gift, he did a beautiful job adding some flock and static grass to finish the piece.

 

With the wall section ready I picked the papers I wanted to

use to decoupage the frame.  These were from some early Joanna Sheen paper packs, no longer available but any paper that suits the photo will work.  http://www.joannasheen.com/
Using PVA I stuck torn-up pieces of paper to the frame.  I made sure the inside edge of the frame didn't have many layers of paper so the wall section would fit back in when everything was finished.

 
The hardest part was to choose the photo.
I had originally thought of looking over the wall into a bluebell wood, but the poppies on the wall section meant I needed to find a picture from later in the year.  I narrowed it down to four pictures and we decided to give the extra pictures with the frame so that they can be swapped if desired.  The photos are of Bedgebury Pinetum http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-8yfe54 and of Mount Ephriam Gardens http://www.mountephraimgardens.co.uk/gardens/edwardian.aspx

Mount Ephriam

Bedgebury Pinetum

 While the glue was drying I cleaned the glass so that everything was ready to reassemble.  A little bit of tweaking to the wall section and the photo frame is ready to go.

 Still trying to decide which photo ......



 

BIG KENT WEEKEND

It is the BIG KENT WEEKEND.  This weekend 17 and 18 of march more than 120 attractions have donated tickets. We have tickets to EMMETTS GARDENS near Sevenoaks. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/emmetts-garden/
I was a little worried that it may be a little early in the year to see much.  There is really not that much sign of life in our own garden (the ornamental cherries are just showing signs of bud) but we are on the top of a hill and often have a late start.

soon to be a mass of colour

There was so much already in bloom.  And the promise of more to come - like the carpet of bluebells throughout the woodland walk.  This is not a grassy bank just masses and masses of bluebells.

 The plants were clearly labelled.  I do like to know what I am admiring and as I am often too lazy to write names down being able to get clear pictures is very useful.


There were also lots of interesting stumps, rocks and fallen trees.  All of which I love.

The shapes are the kind of sculpture I would love to have.  And as a couple of years ago I finally learnt to draw I tend to take lots of pictures of the so I can try to paint them.