Gardener's Retreat (SAM Birthday Party 2014)

Mary Helen Utley's Gardener's Retreat

I just recovered from another wonderful birthday party for a miniature organization I belong to.  Society of American Miniaturists (SAM) exists to further the hobby and expose new miniaturists to great events such as workshops, etc.  You can find their link in "Sites I Love" in the sidebar.  Every year they put on two events.  An all day theme workshop in February (free to members)  and a workshop weekend /convention type event in September.

Both are awesome but the birthday party is always a wonderful time.  This year SAM's birthday party was hosted by clubs from Corpus Christi, TX.  The theme was a Gardener's Retreat.  In addition to a sit-down take home project (garden shed, potting bench, bench seat, shelf, landscaping, stepping stones, etc. etc) we are also treated to raffle items, exhibits and TOTE BAGS!  Yes, a bag full of garden related goodies was handed out.  See photos below of this wonderful event.

Susan Truesdale's project in work

Above is the shed structure.  The walls are strips of actual barn board shaved to about 1/8" thick.  We didn't even have to age it!.  We learned to landscape the base, make awesome stepping stones (from broken hardie board!  Genius!), age the floor (Susan's floor above is checkered).  We also learned to rust the corrugated roof with paint and we made a skylight window for the roof.

Above you can see more of the projects completed during the day long workshop.  Potting table, small slatted bench, a shelf with brackets.  You can also see the outer barn board up close.  The trash can with its own liner was also given to us in the class.

SAM BD 2014 Tote Bag Items

Above you can see all the tote bag items arranged inside the shed (without the roof).

Close up of left side of photo.

Close up of right side of photo (all tote bag items)

Thanks so much to the Corpus Christi clubs and the committee, headed up by Terri Young (also SAM newsletter editor) for another wonderful SAM Birthday Party.