Mini Petunias, Work In Progress (WIP)

I am working on the tiniest little petunias.  I found the tutorial on the C.D.H.M. website, and it's by Era Anderson Pierce.  It's a great tutorial, and you can find it here.

Mini Petunias in progress

 These are my two practice flowers.  It's hard to tell in the photos, but they are on differently sized stems; the flower with the leaf attached has a slightly thicker, sturdier stem, and the green is a nicer color.  The other one has a fake sparkly green, but it's thinner. 

Mini Petunias in progress

Even with reading glasses and a magnifying glass, I couldn't decide which I liked better so thought I'd snap a few photos and blow them up to see if it makes a difference or not.  I don't know that it does, as the stems will be covered with leaves and flowers.

 For step one, I used a small hole punch to cut out red circles.  Then I drew the lines on with a white gel pen, and painted the yellow spots with acrylic paint and a toothpick.  Next I dipped them in water, one at a time and used a dotting tool to push them into craft foam so they more resemble blossoms.  This is all explained in the tutorial I followed (see link above).  I really enjoyed those steps; they were very calming, and I entered a zen like state I think, lol.

 I did have a little heart shaped punch but it was too big.  I was at Michael's yesterday and they were having a big sale on paper punches and I bought this heart punch, along with a corner heart punch together in a set for 11.99, marked down from 40.00!  I also bought a multi flower set (stars and flower shapes) for the same price, also marked down from 40.00.  Below is one of the heart punches in the set.

 After punching out the hearts, I had to fold them in half. I did NOT enjoy this step, lol.  I had to use my pink and black tweezers.  They stay closed unless pinched open and I find them easier to work with than the ones that stay open unless pinched closed.

In the tutorial, we're told to glue the flowers on to the stem, leaving room for the leaves, but I think I'm going to have to glue the flowers and leaves at the same time until I get an idea of how much room to leave for the leaves.  I just wrote leave for the leaves, lol.

I am feeling sad because I had my dog, Mac at the vet yesterday.  He has problems with the discs in his neck and went completely lame 4 years ago.  At that time, I took him to Guelph for an MRI and surgery, and he recovered wonderfully but they were only able to fix one disc and told me he had another one that was problematic.  On Friday I took Mac to Hiawatha Park and he stood up in the truck to put his head out the window.  He's not supposed to do that and I kept telling him to sit but he was having such a good time, wagging his tail, tongue out in the wind that I didn't have the heart to pull over and put him in his crate in the back. I wish I had, as when we got to the park, he went poo and couldn't straighten up again.  He crouch walked back to the car and I was terrified he'd go lame again.  He was fine when we got home, a bit wobbly but otherwise OK. As soon as the vet opened I called them and they gave me the appointment for yesterday morning.  Mac is now taking two of the same pills he was on before, Gabapentin and Tramedol, but the vet didn't prescribe Prednisone even though I asked for it and believe he needs it.  Prednisone is what helps with the swelling.  The vet said he doesn't think there is swelling or Mac wouldn't have gotten better; he'd still be crouch walking or totally lame, but I think that was a warning and he needs the prednisone. The vet didn't even tell me to restrict him to a crate but he did say to keep him calm.  After I suggested the crate, he said to use it if he is too active, and not to take him for walks.  I set up the crate and Mac went in it right away (both dogs were crate trained as puppies and love their crates but I don't keep Mac's crate out all the time because it's so huge and he already has his elevated dog bed taking up so much space in the living room).  Now both the crate and the bed are in the living room and he's taking turns sleeping in either one.  He's being calm so I'm not closing him in, but I will when I go up to have my bath because I don't want him to try the stairs.

I have to bring him back to the vet again in 2 weeks.  Hopefully Mac will be OK but I feel sick that he's not on prednisone as I really believe he needs it.  I know I'm not a vet and I don't know better than the vet but I do know my Mac and I have that gut instinct that he needs it.

He's also lost 8 Ibs over the past year.  I don't know why or how, as he eats like a horse.  He has a bowl of hard dog food out at all times, always available, plus he eats whatever we eat as long as it's dog friendly.  He gets yogurt every day if he wants it, for breakfast, and he gets an egg 3 times a week, plus beef, pork or chicken with vegetables and rice or yams, for supper almost every day.  He gets home made chicken soup almost every day as well.  If he is having tummy problems I'll make chicken and rice, just for him.  He gets sardines and hotdogs for treats, and sometimes I make him home made dog cookies.  He doesn't get enough exercise because he can't, so I don't know how he's losing weight.  The vet wasn't concerned.

I'm so glad I have my minis to distract me and keep me calm and centered.  I have to go let my little guy, Ben out now. Take care.