Midst the Chaos

A spot of doodling with my Wedgewood Plate design.

Crochet is my sanity as the seasonal chaos reigns.

Lots of luck to everyone who is preparing

for their own seasonal celebrations!

Best Dressed Babe Around!

Midget is the best dressed little darling

in the world!

Isn't this layette the most precious thing you ever saw?

I can't take my eyes off it!

So delicate you couldn't tell the size

if you didn't know Midget is only 1 3/4" long.

The embroidery is perfection.

Made by a very lovely lady

who is also a dear friend.

Thankyou isn't enough

but I thank you

from my heart.

Something I did a while back....

A little experiment I did a few weeks ago

while working out the size of the gown for

the tiny BellyButtonBaby.

Photo of Midget with Emma Rose,

Midget is tiny!

Smaller in the body than a HO baby

but slightly larger head.

This gown fits a Heidi Ott baby better than it fits the BBB,

the sleeves need downsizing and the HO size bonnet doesn't fit etc.

Another experiment.

Handmade insertion in the gown on the HO doll.

It needs some embroidery!!

Long Time No See..........

Real life gave me some grief over the last couple of months

so

there's been nothing to share,

hence my silent blog.

I'm so disappointed that my courtyard has had to be put on hold

for the time being.

Every week it's been fingers crossed that I could make it to Lidi's

for a lesson

and then

sadness

when it doesn't come off.

Miniature crochet took a holiday too

until

A dear friend suggested a swap!

:)

What better way to get yourself out of a deep hole

than to put some love into

a miniature swap.

I feel like the luckiest person in the world today!!

I am the proud new mother of 

Midget,

a Belly Button Baby,

designed by none other than the very talented

Alicia

who made big sister Adelaide and big brother Christopher,

both of whom you've met before.

Now take a peek at Midget who is modelling the

Christening Layette

that I made for my end of the swap.

Bonnet, bootees, and pilcher designed by me.

Gown and petticoat inspired by a Doris Thurlow pattern

but made of finer thread with a finer hook

and downsized to fit this 1 3/4" baby doll.

And here she is with big sister!

Isn't she the cutest tiny thing?

There won't be any more miniatures happening for a couple of weeks,

my close work glasses broke :[

You might as well cut my hands off as take my glasses away!!

Progress

I had to miss a play date with Lidi last week

so she kindly played catch up with me today.

My painting skills haven't improved I'm afraid

so the artwork is all courtesy of the amazingly talented Lidi!

I watch what she does with a wiggle of the brush

but when I try to do the same thing

I just make mud.

So,

thanks Lidi

 for doing my painting.

The bench will stay but the rest of

the loose items are only temporary.

The first wash is done on the plaster work,

the rocks yet to be done.

Paperclay Work Finished

 And some more painting done.

Lidi is not only very talented

but,

she is a great teacher!

I made a muddy mess of painting the paving stones

and had visions of having to dig them all up

and start again,

but no,

Teacher showed me how to fix them!!

Those blue things on the cobblestones are the doors

for the back opening,

they need painting and detailing.

I Learned How to Make Rocks!

Wiring is under the white strip.

Left wall.

Right wall.

Back.

Have you been wondering???.......

What those paperclay bricks will be?

Go and peek at Lidi's new blog.

Basketcase Miniatures

You'll see her Courtyard

which is the workshop that I'm learning.

And some of her baskets!

More Paperclay

Lesson no. 2

The fun begins!!

Painting.

Art was never my strong point but we go slowly and build up layers of paint.

Here is the inside of the left wall

showing some nice cracks.

Still needing some more layers to add depth

and dimension.

The back wall didn't crack :(

Never mind, there will be plenty of other details to hold the eye.

 

During art lessons at school,

while everyone else was drawing and painting,

I was making slab sided pots

to grow my bonsais in.

The teacher seemed ok with this arrangement ;)

I had fun and he didn't have to tear his hair out over

my stick figures!

So,

I'm smiling all over my silly head

about managing to produce

some brick-like walls.

Thankyou again Lidi!!!

You are not only talented but also a very patient teacher ;)



My Excellent Adventure in Paperclay

I'm a guinea pig!

Another self portrait I hear you ask?

Heheh, ;))

nope,

that's Cheryl, a furfriend of mine.

My Excellent Adventure?

I'm the guinea pig trialling a miniature workshop!

Courtesy of a wonderful friend

and most talented lady...

Lidi Stroud 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lidistroud/

http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f112/lidistroud

http://www.etsy.com/people/AbsoluteBasketcase

I absolutely never dreamed of learning paperclay.

A workshop is beyond my capabilities.

So,

to have this opportunity is beyond my wildest dreams!!

Lidi is kindly giving me this workshop

one morning a week over a few weeks.

To say I was scared to death of not coping

with the work would be an understatement.

Lesson One

The kit.

A mysterious pile of loot!

Gatorboard walls

Paperclay

Pastry board and roller

Clay tools

Door and window frames

Fountain

First we knead the paperclay

and roll it out.

Then it goes onto a wall

and the brickwork is marked.

I got one wall done during the lesson

and had two more walls for homework.

Close up of the bricks,

still damp.

I found the work very physically demanding

but not impossible

and now I know what is involved

I'll be able to practise this technique at home

when RL allows.

I am seriously slow at learning new things so believe me when I say

Anyone could do this!!

Given a talented and generous teacher who will start you on your own

Excellent Adventure :)))

Thankyou so much my dear and generous friend,

you'll never know what this gift means to me,

being a guinea pig is my biggest

miniature adventure ever!



Snowdrops are Early

In spite of high winds there's a feeling of spring

in my garden,

the snow drops have popped out 

8 days earlier than last year.

Yes, I guess it's a bit obsessive to write that on the calendar ;)

The promise of spring,

warm days,

sunshine.

Sunbathing.

A Little Bit of Excitement

A new workstation!

Tired of having to pack up the dining table every time we wanted to use it, I decided

to let the moths out of my wallet and get another workstation!

There's a drawer for tools, another for glues.

 One for clamps, another for odds and ends of wood.

There is room for individual project drawers

so they can be stored and easily brought out

to continue work.

And, you can almost see the top of the fridge and freezer

that have been covered with 'stuff' for years

where it was within quick reach ;)

I've had one of these for my crochet work for a number of years and it sure makes life easier.

Wheel it away when the house if full of guests

and find what you're looking for with generally less frustration from searching.

I can still misplace things but not quite as easily as

when everything was shoved into boxes.



Just pottering around

It's mid-winter Downunder, meaning time to do the heavier gardening.

Not a lot of time for miniatures but the school holidays couldn't pass without spending time with grandkids making something for their projects.  

No.3 grandson requested a paper towel holder for his kitchen.

No.2 grandson made a trash to treasure planter box for his stable a while ago, 

he has painted it and planted some of my dodgy flowers. 

I'm sure the horse will find them appetising

even though they look like they came from another planet ;)

And,

my own pottering with paperclay.

That's a trotting pole in front of the planter.

The flowers were a kit from

Georgie Steeds

A new suit for Christopher

Isn't he the sweetest little angelface?

The migrants are here!

A belated welcome to new migrants

Hilda Grace and James George!

With thanks to Robin for all her help,

superb packing and travel arrangements,

and making sure our much loved couple

departed their land of birth safely.

This is a tale of a family.

Some of the names have been changed to protect the innocent,

some have not,

Some of the tale is dollhouse fiction,

some is not :)

Part 1

In the beginning

there had been a love match

between

Hilda Grace and James George.

They produced and raised a much loved son who,

in the way of young men,

sought adventure along with fortune.

You may hear more of his adventures

in the future but for now,

this is his parents story.

Adventure led young James Downunder

and fortune he found.

Love found him.

He married an Aussie girl,

and settled down in marital bliss

which was wonderful news to his parents

but they missed him deeply

and wished so much to meet their Daughter-in-law.

Before they knew it Hilda and James became grandparents.

Hilda wept tears of happiness,

tinged with sadness

that she couldn't cuddle her first grandchild

or see the pride in her sons eyes. 

Then they became grandparents again.

Hilda found her thoughts turned constantly to

the grandchildren she hadn't met.

James George was stoic

but in his heart

he too longed to see his son

and to meet those grandchildren.

The decision was made to travel Downunder for a visit.

Arrangements were begun and then - 

they became grandparents again. 

With the family increasing in Australia

and retirement on the horizon

it seemed natural to make a permanent move

so they made plans to sell their house

 - that took some more time -

and they became grandparents again.

Finally all the arrangements were complete.

Passports in hand the elderly couple said a sad farewell to England

(and Robin)

and set their faces toward the new life awaiting them

in their new homeland

with their beloved son and his family.

By the time their ship docked,

they'd happily become grandparents again :)

(Help Robin, a couple more grandchildren are necessary to complete this story)

Here the author allows a peek into the happy arrival.

Just in the door,

being greeted by Daughter-in-law Janet and the most recent grandchild,

while son James Gordon puts the car away.

Hilda Grace couldn't wait to get her pinny on and start helping out,

but first things first,

her arms are aching for the long awaited cuddle of a beautiful grandchild.

So,

while James George takes the luggage upstairs,

Janet hands over the baby to a very happy grandmother

(who hopes the little dear won't screech).

In honour of the important occasion

baby is wearing the christening robe

that Hilda Grace made and sent for the families Christenings.

Oh dear,

it's looking like there's to be yet another grandchild.

Hilda Grace is in her element!!

James George somehow manages to fit their chest

and a couple of suitcases into their room,

they will have to be unpacked before the rest

can be brought up from the car.

Hmm, he thinks, chihuahuas seem to have taken over the whole house.

He smiles to himself,

between grandchildren

and dogs

and a happy Hilda

life is going to be warm and wonderful.

The story to be continued!

Thankyou Robin for these super grandparents!

More Frames

Still playing with trashy treasure

and paint.

Shabby Chic Hearts.

Beachy Chic Shells.

Each frame is about 1" square.





Bear Found Planking

I just sprung Eleanore

planking on the back

of our lounge.

It is breaking my heart that I can't comment on most of your lovely blogs so I'm sending everyone bear hugs

from

me

and

Eleanore.

Sharing the joy

Two parcels arrived here a short time ago

so,

I wanted to share my excitement!

How awesome are these perfect little jars

of condiments and jam?

From

Sarah

I only wish the huge RL jar of pickled onions I made last week looked as yummy!

These two darling chocolate Easter Hens are

from

Peiwen

How gorgeous are they?  Beautiful.

Food for the miniature soul.

And lastly,

I rememberd when looking in photo albums,

I forgot to show this lovely display of chrysanthemums

from 

Pei Li

when we swapped late last year.

I adore these tiny amazing flowers, they are so delicate in RL,

the photo doesn't do them justice.

Thankyou Pei Li :)

Going Potty

No need to make the obvious remark,

I already know I'm potty :)

Miniature potting is one of the many and varied symptoms .

And it's fun although not expertly done.

When you don't have what you want

and can't wait for the postman,

you try making your own.

Paper Clay is great though I'm not by any means much of a potter so we'll call them

Shabby Pots!!

and hopefully get away with the unique pot style ;)

I didn't have any of the little wooden pots this time so

these ones are all my own work.

The pansies were begging to be planted,

hence the potty potting.

Yes, I actually made the pansies.

Much holding of breath

and stress

and learning not to sigh.......

so you don't have to search far and wide for petals.

Regular followers will know I'm more than slightly challenged when it comes to miniature flora

so please critique my first miniature flowers made from a kit, I'd love to know how to detail them to make them as life-like as possible.

The kit was from

The Miniature Garden

The african violet was a 'pot ready' gift that only needed

a home and I love the wee thing.

The floral tape aspidistra was made a couple of years ago,

please don't look too closely at the poor thing,

it's kinda embarrassed :(

about being made to pose and help fill out the frame.

At this rate the conservatory may well be finished this year!

I never seem to finish my own projects,

making the details is more to my ability than the structure

and the potty mind loves the variety of creating whatever comes to the imagination.

Framed........

When you're bored, play with trash.

 

Coffee stirrers and buttons.

Cheap thrills :))

Royal Wedding Fever....!

Heheh, when I saw these plates I just had to have a souvenir of the Royal Wedding!

From

Carolyn

My fuzzy photo doesn't do them justice, they are really really lovely and made me smile.

Another smile :)

A parcel arrived in the mail yesterday unexpectedly from a dear friend.

Don't you love surprises!!

I was gobsmacked when I opened it to reveal a whole box full of beautiful wicker that she'd made.

This chest is just one piece!

Adelaide claimed it immediately and dressed it up with her favourite things.

I just love it!!

And I love all the other bits which will turn up in photos soon!