Furniture Revamp

Well it doesn't seem that long since I last posted but it's over a month ago..where did that time go??? Anyway real life has been meddling in my miniature endeavours so I've not done a great deal of late, however whilst having a clear out of miniatures I came across various pieces of mismatched bedroom furniture. A dressing table that had lost it's mirror and was a ghastly red mahogany colour, a pine wardrobe that the door had fell off, a bed that had been 'dressed' previously (but was a bit naff to be honest) and a chaise which was a wee bit small for 12th scale but fitted across the bottom of the bed. Rather than give them their freedom I decided I would revamp them. I forgot to take 'before' photos but here is the result of a week's painting, sanding and general tweeking.

I've still to add more items inside the wardrobe and finish the bolster cushion on the bed but otherwise I'm very pleased with them. The rug is one of my own designs and has a matching cushion on the chaise. And I don't know if you can see the detail on the bedspread but it is so pretty - it's tiny dandelion 'fairies' blowing in the wind with some script that's so small I can't read it.

As yet I don't have a home for them so I'll keep them in reserve for a future project. Hugs to all that need one x

Bad Blogger!!

Hi Ladies and thank you for your lovely comments which I appreciate x

Blogger is not playing nicely and won't let me post a reply to your comments!  If anyone has an idea on how to remedy this please let me know.

Eva, the kit is from http://www.petite-properties.com/ and costs £12.99
Hope that helps,


Hugs to all xxx

Love, love, love this tiny cottage!

Thanks for your comments on my last post.  As promised here is an update on the 144th scale cottage - well I've finished it actually but forgot to take photos of the in-between stages!!
I've done a couple of 144th scale houses before - both were much less sturdy, a lot more fiddly and a heck of a lot more expensive than this little treasure.  The detail is outstanding for the price.  It even has tiny chimney breasts, fireplaces and glazed windows.

Washtub Cottage 144th scale

It went together really easily.  I decided to wallpaper the interior as I had some left over from a previous project.  And as it is destined for display in a 12th scale dolls house I didn't bother weathering the exterior.  There are more houses in this 144th scale series and I will definitely be ordering another.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out and hope you like it too!

I can feel my creative juices flowing again so in a logical progression I'm going to start on a 48th scale house next that has been lying untouched for almost 18 months.  See you soon x

Right!! Time to restart life - on my terms!

Hello again! I feel I have been absent from blogging, and the miniature world in general, for far too long.  My miniature creations have been on hold while work was being done in our home and then five weeks ago the rug was pulled from under us again when my mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly.  My eldest son also started university last week and it is certainly an adjustment not having him at home!  At the start of this year I felt that changes were afoot and how true that was, just not the changes I was hoping for!  However for my sanity I need to get back to creating. Anything!!!  I just need that quiet time in my own little world to recharge so.........

I had a trawl through my current works-in-progress and decided to discard anything that just wasn't doing it for me.  So the Orchid dolls house has gone although I removed all the work done so far and will rehouse items in a different project.  The jury is still out on my big dolls house, The Laurels.  Sometimes I love it and at other times I can't stand looking at it!  I also have a dolls house-in-waiting which calls quietly to me in the night so I will try to reorganise the RL house to make room for that!

But to rekindle my mini-mojo I thought I would start small and have just bought a 144th scale kit from Petite Properties!  Here it is - well, here are the components of the kit - they're tiny!!!

Washtub Cottage 144th scale kit

I feel some 'me-time' is due so I'll drop by in a couple of days with an update.  Send me your mini-mojo vibes to keep me on track! Take care until next time x

Dying to get back to normal - whatever normal is!

Hello to everyone!  I have been absent way too long mainly because we started some renovations on our home which are dragging on a bit and starting to get on my nerves!!!
As a result I haven't been doing much in the way of miniatures - cross stitch in the evening is about all I can manage - but I promise I'll show you the fruits of our labours as each room is completed.
On a positive note I see that I have new followers, so a very warm welcome to you all.  Normal service will hopefully resume soon :)
To those who have left comments on my blogs I have tried to reply but for some reason Blogger won't let me! Suffice to say that I appreciate the time you've taken to write and I will keep trying to send my reply.
That's all - short and sweet - I'll still be reading your blogs so please keep writing your posts to keep me sane and I'll hopefully be showing you my renovated kitchen (real one!) very soon.  Big hugs to all who need them x

Back to the Conservatory!

Hello!!!! It's been a long time since I last posted!  Over the past month I've had frenzied mini sessions and then done nothing!  At the moment I'm found with crochet hook in hand (show you what I've been working on later!)  Anyway, I've been back working on my conservatory.

I always thought it needed a long sideboard along the back wall beneath the print and, as usual, we miniaturists have to make or adapt pieces to suit. Soooo....this sideboard was made from wooden newel posts and my favoured mountboard. It was painted and distressed and finally given a light coat of woodstain to dull it down a bit!  I'm very pleased with how it turned out...

I've changed my mind about the sofa I made a while back and instead took a couple of chairs from a garden set which were a very naff glossy pine and gave them the distressing treatment too. The fabulous cushions were received from a swap friend in the US.

 

I've had a rummage through all the miniatures I have accumulated over the years that were still needing a home and I've tried to use what I can here.  Of course there's always room for more but for now we have a distressed set of storage boxes, an old trunk, knitting basket, magazines, books, plants - maybe you'd be better having a look at the photos and see for yourself.

I can't put a name to this style, any suggestions? Folksy? Americana? Primitive? Haven't a clue! But I like how it's turning out :)

Hugs to all x

Spring was here but now it's gone and an Orchid update

As I basked in the morning sun, having my breakfast and admiring the daffodils on the table this morning I thought that spring had finally reached the west of Scotland. By 1.30pm we had hailstones the size of golf balls and heavy, heavy rain!!! I think it'll be a while yet before I can watch my washing fluttering in the breeze! Oh well, while indoors....

My Orchid hasn't been touched for many weeks so I've been busy getting things back on track.

I've made, or rather assembled and painted, all the bathroom fittings. This is from a kit by Chrysnbon, which I love. I'm sure going to have lots of fun accessorising this room ... once I've decorated it of course!

Also here's a sneak preview of the 'wallpaper' for the bedroom. I was browsing the rails of ribbon in Hobbycraft and came across this - isn't it just gorgeous!!!!!

I will make a card template of the walls in the bedroom and fix this ribbon to it. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Mini hugs to everyone x

Back in Harness!!!

It has been so long since I posted anything - sorry! I haven't been idle though! Still gripped by my stitching demons I've been cross stitching, mainly Un Finished Objects (UFOs) but also some miniatures that I can't show you yet but will in time.

I finished a cross stitch of the 'Tate Baby House' and instead of having it framed have made it into a cushion. Here's how it turned out....

I also finished a 'Victorian Floral Heart'. This one is tinged with sadness as I had stitched it for my parents 40th Wedding Anniversary. Although my Mum saw the stitching finished she passed away before I could have it framed. I don't feel it would be appropriate now to frame it so I unpicked the lettering in the centre and replaced it with a simple 'A', my mum's initial. Again this has been made into a cushion and I've stitched a tiny 'For Mum' into the design although you will have to search to see it!

One cross stitch that made it to the framers is 'Harmony'. I just adore this little girl sitting at a piano. The kit was made by Bucilla who are (were?) the company allowed to reproduce the work of artist Bessie Pease Guttman. Sadly I can't find anymore of these kits so I assume they've been discontinued, shame!

You can see some more of my finished cross stitched projects on the Stitching Allsorts blog. So that's just a wee quick update - I'm starting off on some more minis now as I've swaps to do and my Orchid house is starting to get a bit mardy as I've not so much as looked in its direction lately, so it's off to work I go. Take care x

I've lost three weeks!

I have absolutely no idea where the last three weeks have gone!!!
It's not as if I've been particularly busy, no one has called on my time, no extra hours at work and the house looks much as it always does.
The time has gone and I feel that I've nothing to show for it!
Well perhaps that's not strictly true. My eye is drawn to the coffee table in the living room, a table which has all but disappeared under an avalanche of charts, threads, fabric and frames - ah, yes, now I remember. I was possessed by my stitching demon and I have been totally absorbed in cross stitch over the last few weeks to the exclusion of all other crafts! Not really good for a girl to be stitching so intensly but even sore shoulders and bleary eyes can't stop me when I've got to stitch!
I finally completed a piece of work I started about three years ago. I was never happy with some of the colour choices and kept stopping and starting it so I eventually unpicked the offending part and restitched it. I think it will be made into a cushion front so I'll show you that soon.
And then I thought it would be a good idea to sort out my threads so I bought a load of bobbins and wound, by hand, all the skeins of thread onto them. I've still loads to do. I think I'll need to buy more bobbins!
And finally, I sorted through all the charts and kits I had amassed over the years. The charts are now filed neatly and some have been flagged as new projects but this frenzy also unveiled so many works-in-progress that I'm determined not to start anything new until the backlog is cleared. I think I'll add them to the side of my blog and if you see that there is not much happening with them, would you be good enough to give me a gentle nudge?
Take care x

Kitchen Table & Chairs

Must be on a roll this week...two posts in as many days!

I bought a whitewood unfinished table at a fair a couple of years ago and did nothing with it...until now! It was sanded, painted, sanded, stained, distressed and finally polished before I was happy with it.

The chairs were also in my stash and, other than dusting, only needed cushions to finish them off. I had a tiny scrap of this pretty blue fabric left so made a couple of chair cushions trimmed with some pale blue bunka.

I think I'll turn my attention to the outside of the house for a while as the siding I ordered has finally arrived..woohoo!!!

Sink unit is finished!

After a few false starts I have finally finished the sink unit for The Orchid dollshouse. (Must think up a name for this house soon!!!!)

Again the top is made from Fimo, the framework is made from mountboard. The same red gingham curtain keeps things looking tidy.

The tap is made from a piece of thick wire and a couple of little beads so we know which is cold and which is hot.

Off now to think about a kitchen table and chairs.

Take care x

New Year! New Project!

Yes, I know I already have several projects on the go but one more won't hurt, will it?

Over a year ago I started putting together an Orchid dolls house by Corona Concepts, a sister company to Greenleaf. The plywood proved to be a bit of a pain and after much anguish the dolls house was put to one side. I don't even have a name for it yet but over the Christmas holidays I had a sudden surge of mini-madness and started working on it again. I've not yet decided how the exterior should look so I started on the inside while I thought about the outside. First thing I did was remove the dividing walls as they made the rooms so small they were practically unusable. Next I found that standard 12th scale furniture I had in my stash looked a bit too big, hmm? So what's a girl to do but to make a custom-fit kitchen!!

Using my favoured mountboard, glue and plenty of paint I created a range cooker, cupboards and shelving. Here's one end of the kitchen, I couldn't help but start to 'accessorise' but no doubt things will change in time...

The wall tiles are also made of dark grey mountboard. I measured out a grid of 1cm squares and using a very sharp craft knife scored along the grid lines twice with a little gap in between each line. Then using the tip of your knife you can lift the coloured top layer of paper to reveal a pale background which becomes the grout lines. I picked out some random tiles and painted them blue and white to match the colour scheme and then painted over it all with an acrylic gloss varnish. I was so pleased with how they turned out!

I had some red gingham fabric in my cupboard that I bought long ago which was perfect for the curtain in front of the shelving.

I would love granite worktops for my RL kitchen but can't afford them so having them in my dolls house is the next best thing. These are made from Fimo in 'Granite' and I like them soooo much!

So that's where we're at .... back with some more soon x

Seasonal Catch-up!

Hi Everyone! I've had no time to be on my computer over the holidays due to a gas leak, water leaks, boiler and lighting problems - happy days!!!- so it's most enjoyable to be catching up with you all. I hope everyone had a happy and peaceful Christmas and are looking forward to 2011 and all that it will bring.

Despite the problems at home I took some time out to catch up with some miniatures (and calm myself down!!!) I was asked to make some more crocheted bags for a friend in the US so they're finished. A dolls house that has been sitting like a wreck for more than a year has been started - more on that in the New Year! And a good sort through of the miniatures I've collected revealed some lovely items I forgot I had - it was like Christmas all over again!

As usual I've also had another crafty project on the side to dip in and out of. I found a tutorial for crocheted snowflakes (and loads of other crafty crocheted things) on Attic24's blog (well worth a look if you're interested in learning to crochet!). After a shoogly start I got well away and found these to be so addictive!

They were pinned to shape and starched. Then sewn onto a length of ribbon and draped around our Christmas tree - aren't they pretty?

May I wish everyone all the best for the New Year and hope 2011 brings you everything you wish for

xxx