Golden Anniversary

Just thought I'd share with you what's happening today in our home. It's my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary. They had asked for a quiet family dinner and will be arriving soon. Here's the dining room ready for their arrival...

I thought that rather than baking a cake I would make a whole load of cupcakes in gold foil cases with gold sugar balls scattered over them...

and the finale to dinner is this beautiful gleaming, golden maple syrup cheesecake...truly scrumptious!!!

Happy Anniversary to a wonderful couple, with lots of love!

Finally...a finished cross stitch!

Although I love my dolls houses and miniatures, I also have a passion for cross stitching and can find myself still up in the wee sma' hours stitching away. I finished 'Evening Service' and have placed it with the others lying to be framed, one I'm ashamed to say has been waiting to be framed for around 15 years {hangs head in shame} I think I should add these to my To-Do List and finally let them see the light of day. Here's what's waiting to be framed....

Once they've been washed, pressed and stretched I'll replace these with more flattering photos!

Until next time...

Mulberry Cottage...getting there!

After completing the outside of this little cottage and putting a few lights in I'm now turning my attention to the interior. The rooms are almost complete - just skirting and the like to do. I plan to make as much of the furniture as possible from mountboard. I have already made some items including a cooking range which was installed as the house was being built. The same goes for a wood-burning stove in the brick fireplace in the sitting room. I'll try to get in for some photos. I think I'll tackle this one room at a time, so it's out with the cutting mat, knife, glue and mountboard and on we go! Hopefully next time it'll be ready for the grand tour...

Happy Birthday!

To me!!! Today is my birthday and, even better, I've a day off work....woohoo! I plan to do nothing today that does not fill me with joy - so that means no housework, no cooking. Just hobbies, hobbies, hobbies!

Oh yes, we're to start something new today, haven't we? OK next on the hit list is my Mulberry Cottage. This is in 24th scale and as I have recently been working on items for a 24th scale swap it seems fitting to continue in this scale.

I bought this wee cottage at a fair - very much an impulse buy as it was reduced in price and I love a bargain! There's a fair bit of it been done already - can you see a pattern emerging? I start something full of enthusiasm and then drift off to something else. I think some exterior finishing, the roof and lighting is enough to be going on with today so if you'll excuse me I've work to do......see you again soon x

The Garfield unveiled

Well, here it is in all it's glory. The Garfield in 144th scale is finally finished and I am so pleased with it.


I had thought about buying or making some 144th scale furniture to go inside both these tiny houses but remembering my vow not to start any new projects until this lot are finished have decided to leave them unfurnished for now....how restrained am I? Mind you the new year is still only a few weeks old - I hope my resolve holds fast.

I've some swaps to finish for our group but I'll be back in a day or so with our next project to be tackled. Look after yourselves,

OK...Fancy some 144th scale?

I have ventured twice into the world of 144th scale. The first was this georgian house which I bought at a fair as a kit. I liked it because it was very symmetrical and I like symmetry in a house! It was simple to put together, sturdy and looks great in the nursery at 48 The Laurels. (I'll share The Laurels with you another day).

Spurred on by the success of that kit I immediately bought another. For those of you who know the american doll house manufacturer Greenleaf Dollhouses, it is a replica of one of their popular 12th scale houses, 'The Garfield.' I simply do not have the room for a 12th scale Garfield so this seemed the next best thing. It got off to a great start and then I seemed to run out of steam... so it has been sitting forlornly on my worktable with no roof for the past six months. There's really not much to do, I think it's more fiddly than anything but I'll crack on and will hopefully be able to show you the completed house very soon. Until then....

One project down, loads to go!

What a busy week! The weather kept me at home last weekend and I haven't wanted to go out again once home from work so I've been getting swaps up-to-date and finishing off Boxroom Books. Yes, after languishing for two years Boxroom Books is finally open for business! Here are some photos of the finished article.

I think this blog business might be just what I need to keep me on the straight and narrow! Now what's next?

Result for charity dolls house

Last year our craft group was given a rather dilapidated dolls house which we renovated and donated to a local charity, The Strathcarron Hospice, for them to raffle at Christmas 2009. We were absolutely delighted when they told us that the house had raised a staggering £732! This is the kitchen that I made. There are another three rooms and detailed photos of the project can be found here.

Slowly building stock...

A warm welcome back, especially to Rachel and Glenna - so glad you've joined me!

After a couple of days making books I think I now have enough to fill the shelves in Boxroom Books. Just have to think about window dressing now...hmmmm

Meanwhile, here's a peek at "What's on the Frame?" I started this cross stitch just before Christmas and am really enjoying working on it. It's by Cross Your Heart Inc and is called "Evening Service"


Back soon with the grand opening of Boxroom Books!

Brrrrrrr....cold, snowy days

We don't often have severe winters in the west of Scotland but this year is truly an exception. It first snowed on 17 December and has continued to do so throughout the whole of the UK on and off since then. Coupled with subzero temperatures we are certainly feeling the chill. It would be nice to spend the days at home mini-ing and cooking warming, comforting meals but needs must so it's off to work we go! On a positive note however my garden looks lovely - or did until my sons decided to have a snowball fight - but I am still looking forward to the day when the snowy landscape will start to give way to the first signs of spring. Take care until next time.

Ready? Here's our first project!

Thanks for coming back! Having toiled over my project plan, the first thing I would like to finish is "Boxroom Books" This project was born around two years ago. Our (very) small craft club decided we would each take a Foolscap-sized box file and turn it into a shop front. We got the idea from another club who were exhibiting at a fair and theirs looked fabulous arranged as a high street with all sorts of shops ranging from a carpet and rug shop (great way to use up those leftover pieces of carpet) to a baby shop with the tiniest knitted garments I'd ever seen. After several starts (you know, when you start off with an idea and end up with something totally different) I finally decided that my box looked a bit like a Dickensian book shop...do you agree?

Anyway I didn't really want to set it in that time period so with a bit of artistic licence I began cutting, folding and gluing loads of tiny books (some more modern than others) to fill the tables outside the shop and for the window display. I've made around 50 so far and think I need a fair bit more...so while I do that I'll leave you with photos of the project so far. Will be back in a day or so with an update!

Happy New Year!

A new year, a new decade, a new blog. At this time of year I always make plans, write lists - I like lists - and go into January full of anticipation and resolve that this year will be different from all the rest, that this will be the year that I get organised! My initial list ran to 21 to-dos, ranging from decluttering the house to knowing what's for dinner - at least on a daily basis! But as this blog is an attempt to focus on my hobbies and share them with like-minded folk, item 15 on my list - did I say I like lists? - is to not buy any more craft materials until I have made a significant dent in the number of unfinished projects currently lurking in my home. Sound familiar? I think it's something that all crafters, regardless of their 'speciality' are guilty of. So will you join me on my journey into the depths of my craftroom (and dining room too on occasion!) as I work through my backlog of part-finished creations? I'm off now to formulate a plan (Oh, I feel another list coming on!) and will report back soon to let you know what we're going to be working on this month. See you soon!