Back after the summer holidays

It's been a really long time since I did a blog entry and of course I've been feeling guilty about it for ages. So here I am back, after a big long break away. Part of the reason is because it has been summer in New Zealand and we've been away camping and having fun even though the weather this summer hasn't been the best. I never get much done with miniatures in the summer because it's so nice to be outside. But the main reason has been a bit of a lack of inspiration and direction. Anyway, I have been feeling a bit more inpsired lately, and although most of my energies have been going into projects that have ended up in my Etsy shop, I thought I would still show you some of the things I have been making lately.

I made some little books all with French decor themes .... couldn't resist it because the covers were so pretty. Wish fulfilment as per usual ... I would like to have some of these books on my own over-full bookshelves, not that there is room for them.

This is one of my absolute favourite books - a little book on Limoges china, paired with a pretty Limoges plate. I had to make two of these because I knew that I couldn't bear to part with it....so one was for the shop and one was for my shabby cottage!!

Here's another thing I made that I can't bear to part with. The "frame" of this picture is a very pretty button I found years ago - I bought a few of them at the time - and the little picture is a portrait of the Queen as a young woman, by Cecil Beaton. I made this in honour of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee year.

This was another fun project. Ella, my lovely eight year old, was very bored one Saturday so I suggested that she get out the fimo and make something and said that I would keep her company and make something too. So I put together this potting bench display.

I put one of my baskets of vegetables in this diepsly - I'm so proud of my cauli and broccoli and apples!! I made some vintage seed catalogues too, which are really pretty.

I painted all the little flowerpots and used tiny nail stickers to decorate them (thanks to Katie for this great idea).

After New Year I decided that a change would be good and moved everything around in my living room. When I did, I was absolutely horrified to discover how filthy dirty my poor little shabby cottage had become! It was totally full of dust and looked completely dreadful and very unloved. I'm not used to these open dollshouses filling up with dust....my other dollshouse is a front-opening one and doesn't really get very dusty (except on the outside!). I knew it was going to take a bit of effort to get it sorted out. Well, finally today I made the time to sit down with my dear little house and empty it completely and give it a Spring clean (except that it's Autumn here now). Man, it was dirty! I took everything out and wiped all the floors and surfaces down with a soapy, damp cloth and dried it all off. I even had to "shampoo" the carpet in the upstairs bedroom - it was horrible. Then I made sure everything was clean as I put it back in. It was a good opportunity to de-clutter a bit too! It is all nice and clean now and so I will show you some photos ....

Nice clean kitchen! The layer of dust on the kitchen bench was horrendous! Poor little house!

I've decluttered the kitchen a bit but of course there are still lots of cakes! None of the placemats would stay flat so I have ditched them.

And this is what I have been making today - a cute little Treasure Box to put in the dollshouse living room. I think it is really sweet. I have a secret, cunning plan for what the contents are to be and I will show you when I have made them.

I made a second box, with "Bits & Pieces" on the lid. I lined both boxes with Cath Kidston fabric in 1/12 scale that I made with printable fabric.

Here is the box in its new home on the bookcase in the lovely clean living room. I love my little house!!

And another photo. Look at that lovely clean floor! I feel just as good as if my whole real house were as clean. I'm considering throwing a light throw over the dollshouse so this doesn't happen again.

Anyway, it's nice to be back. Keeps my mind off my worries (hubby has lost his job and his last day is next week!!). I promise I will never let so much time go by ever again without posting!!

It's (not) all about the kitchen

I seem to post a lot about the kitchen, and I hope you are not getting sick of seeing it. Warning....lots of photos in this post. I decided that today was the day to fill the kitchen cupboards. I made this cupboard quite a while ago, and it has been sitting nearly empty on the kitchen wall ever since, with just a couple of things sitting forlornly on the shelves. So today I had a lovely time filling up the cupboard.

There is quite a mixture of things there....on the top shelf I made the jars of jam by filling real glass jars with resin. I also made the little cookbooks (they are mostly about making cakes, cupcakes and macaroons), and the label for the food can. The blue tumbler is part of a Chrysnbon set - I am a huge fan of these - you may have seen the green pitcher in previous posts. The purple vase, along with the matching milk jug on the bottom shelf are by Sam Dunlap.

Most of the boxes on the middle shelf were made by a fellow miniaturist - I bought them at a show. The lovely little pastel cupcake papers were made by Cindy - aren't they wonderful! The stoneware jug on the far right is by Elizabeth Causeret. I made the spotty plate, and the two on the bottom shelf (more about them later).

Also on the bottom shelf are more books and a little sugar jar with a cute polkadot lid which started life as a scrapbooking brad.

I had two lovely things arrive at my house this week. My lovely friend, Dorothee left a little parcel by my front door, and inside was this beautiful flower arrangement. What a lovely surprise at the end of a long day!

And then I opened a parcel from Lory and look what was inside. These cupcakes are so beautiful! I absolutely love them and I think I must be her biggest fan.

I was really pleased this week because I have finally found some really nice, delicate porcelain plates to use as blanks for my Green Gate plates. I had a lovely time today making plates, and then of course I had to re-do the other kitchen shelves because I had different plates I wanted to display. So here is the new display - I really like the spotty plates and now I can do big and small plates so that is great. The only problem is that I really can't fit any more plates in the house.

Here is a photo of one side of the kitchen. Can you spot the thing I forgot to do??

But while we are trying to find more places to put plates, here is something I found that I was really pleased about. The little glass cakestand that arrived the other day, which was too jolly small for anything in 1/12 scale except the tiniest cupcake, fit perfectly over one of my small plates, and look what is displayed inside...one of the pretty butterflies that WAS going to be in the little boys room. This one has been stolen away and moved to the bedroom.

I really should stop faffing around with plates and make some curtains.

Thank you so much for reading my blog....I enjoy your comments. And keep watching because, to my amazement, the 200 followers is approaching and I think I will do another little giveaway. I hope you all have a wondeful week.

I made a garden!!

This is the outside of my little shabby cottage - with the garden done!!! I have never made a garden before, so I was really grateful to my friend Trish, who taught me how to do it. The base is just an old black picture frame, which I painted white, and the garden is made from air-drying clay. I am so proud of myself. The only part of the garden that isn't finished is the vege garden which is at the side of the house...I have to make some tomato plants first. I didn't make all these flowers - some of them are commerically available, some I stole out of various paper plants I had been given over the years, and some are plastic goldfish bowl plants given to me by Trish, and some are little bits of grasses and sticks that I found while walking the kiddies to school.
I am really proud of my rocks and especially the slate stone at the front door. It was such fun painting the stones. And sticking "moss" in between them hides all the places that were hard to paint, or where the clay shrank too much as it dried.

The tub of pansies is gorgeous and was made by a friend, Elizabeth, who makes the most beautiful flowers....she also made the daisies by the front door.
This is a view of the back of the cottage. It isn't very big - there are just four rooms. I have only been working downstairs so far. The kitchen is well on the way but of course there are lots of shelves to fill there. The living room is slowly filling up. The left upstairs room is to be the main bedroom but I haven't started in there yet. The room upstairs on the right is to be a little boys room. So far, I have painted and assembled the little steel bed for that room, and sitting on the bed is a tiny bear, just 20mm high, that arrived out of the blue the other day in an envelope, from a lovely lady, Alison, who I met recently at a fair. She had made him for me and sent him along as a gift....it is the smallest bear she has ever made and it is all jointed!!! I will try and get a better photo of him soon.Here is a photo of the kitchen - I have made some "Green Gate" plates for the shelf and I am delighted with them! The little pink and green tumblers are by Chrysnbon. The sink unit is a Dolls House Emporium piece - I painted it and aged it and took out three of the drawers and replaced them with baskets. I made the little "enamel" utensil rack after being inspired by Mercedes wondeful blog....you will see other ideas I have "borrowed" from her as well, I'm sure! Here is another photo of the kitchen....still a lot to do....I have to do the curtains and fill all the cabinets. The little parfait glasses are another idea borrowed from Mercedes. I made the tin signs. The appliances are a bit sleek and shiny, really, but I already had them so decided to use them in this house, rather than buy/make some other ones.Here is the cabinet I made, which sits above the kitchen table...You can see the gorgeous little salt container made by Sylvia . The inside of the cabinet didn't stay pink for long....I like this faded greeny blue much better. I have a lot of work to do to fill this cabinet now. I have started making some books....I will need to make a lot more to fill the bookcase!

Welcome to my new followers....it is lovely to have you visit my blog - I am really enjoying visiting your blogs and seeing your wonderful miniatures!!!

Lots of time on a rainy day

It has been pouring with rain over the weekend, so I had lots of time to spend making things. The kiddies played with playdough while I cut and sanded and made lots of mess. Here are some photos of what I have been making for the little cottage.

This shabby chalkboard is my favourite thing I have made so far. I love this quote from Cicero!!! It is so true! I love my vege garden (although it is in an autumn mess at present) and I don't know what I would do without my books.

I need a few more little bits and pieces to pop in the pockets and hang from the wire....I'll get round to that eventually.

I also made a cabinet for the kitchen....I am so pleased with it, as the doors even open! Again, I still have to find(make!) all the little bits and pieces for inside the cabinet. I like the little tassels - my first attempt. Maybe they should be pink?

And finally, these are the little plates I have made for a display on the lounge wall.....I found this wonderful magazine showing these plates on the cover and it has taken me a while to make my version. They are so pretty!!