A Return to an Older Favorite, Wonderland Miniatures-and a Giveaway for Loyal Customers!

I had such a good time with my Harry Potter Christmas tree that it made me think of what fun it would be to do my own version of an Alice in Wonderland tree.  I'm sure you all remember 19th Day Minis co-creator Sherry's version which was such a cutie little thing full of happy flower faces and topped with her darling hatter's hat?  It was adorable!  Here it is:

I pretty much wanted to do the opposite end of the spectrum and do the more gothic look for my own tree more in keeping with the look of the scenery of the movie (Tim Burton's Wonderland) which to me was a sort of decaying garden scenery with a run down gothic look that was gorgeous and very memorable.  The large beautiful mushrooms, the broken down windmill in the tea party scene, the goth looking talking roses, etc.  I still put it in occasionally just to look at the gorgeous background and not really to pay attention to the story anymore.  Just to look at the brilliance of the landscape design.  Tim did a great job making a world that was quite intriguing and different than our own.  I love it when that happens, when a movie can take you somewhere totally unique right out of someones imagination.    And this one was brilliantly done. 

So I wanted nothing more than to try to capture that look and time period in my own tree.  A decaying elegance...victorian, mossy, an aging garden lost in time.  That's what I want to capture.  I have a very basic start on it with an unfinished clay base.  Soon it will be filled with some of those very well done mushrooms, grasses made of German glitter grass which is lovely, ferns, an upelkuchen cake, a drink me bottle which I have to order in so it may be a week or so, a rocking horsefly, and one carefully done rose with a face against the gothic fence panel I added on the side of the tree.  So anyway, I guess I can just show you what little I have done so far so you can see.  I did distress finish several of the ornaments I put on to look aged and mossy :

Like I said, lots to do yet.

Not quite sure what I'll do for a spectacular topper but I'm thinking possibly a tottering tower of tea pots and cups/saucers or something like that.  I'll have to be careful about how it looks so I don't overdo it.  I guess we'll see.

I have more ornaments to make of course but I will be careful to keep them darker and gothic in nature.  I don't want any more color than this in the tree itself.  The colors will come in from the natural materials and plants.  And of course those gorgeous mushrooms!

Sample:

I'm sure you get the idea. 

Also, welcome to my 100th follower!  Yay!  I adore you guys, you keep me going :)  My excitement over making something is much higher because I know other people care and like to see them.  It's wonderful when something turns out well and everyone likes it :)  It really makes me happy and makes me feel like I accomplished something. 

Now that we have 100 followers, we'll have our first customer only giveaway.  I'll take a break from this tree and finish up those items :)  It shouldn't take long.  I'll get back with you all about what I've got done and let you know what's going on.  Ok my dears, have a lovely weekend!