Flobalob little weeeeeed!

I haven't updated this blog for quite a while, the truth is though that I haven't done that much worth writing about!

However, as I now have a deadline to meet for the layouts first show at Telford in September I had better get my finger out and do something.

So, today I spent a few hours at the bench making some weeds and trees to go with the ones already done.

The weeds are mostly Rosebay willow herb and docks.

The group on the left are Dock whilst the group on the right are Rosebay willow herb. The batch in the middle will end up either as Rosebay Willow Herb OR maybe Evening primrose.

It's surprising just how many of these things you need to populate even a small layout. I must have done at least 30 or 40 already and they look lost in the landscape.

So more sessions are needed to fill the embankments on Penmaenpool!

BTW I use 5 or 10 amp fusewire for the stalks, painted green. The Docks are simply made by dipping the freshly painted wire into the contents of an unused tea bag, I use PG tips but I suppose any brand would do!

The Rosebay needs two stages. Stage 1 involves painting the wire and dipping it into a tub of static grass, this gives us the "Hairy stems" once dry PVA is applied to the tips and the plant is dipped in a mauve coloured sawdust type scatter. (yellow for evening primrose) once dry they are ready for planting on the layout.

I still need quite a few more trees for the back of the layout. So again today I made up another 3.

The two trees on the right are made up from Woodland Scenics tree armature kits. They come "Flat" and have to be bent from a two dimensional  sprue to a 3D shape. Not as difficult as it sounds.

I always paint the trunks and branches just to get rid of that "plastic look". I use Humbrol enamels in shades of grey for this.

The tree on the left is home made from copper wire smothered in Milliput to form the trunk and branches, a lot cheaper than the woodland scenics armatures but takes three times longer to make.

All the trees shown here use Wooland Scenics foliage mats to form the canopy but I have also used some Greenscene" material just to vary the shades of green a bit.

So, as you can see, SOME progress is being made albeit slowly. As soon as the decent weather starts (If ever!) I can get out and butcher some more wood for the backscene, Legs, second fiddle yard and canopy/ picture frame fronts.

If any more gets done I'll update this thread again.

Cheers

Frank