Here's Oliver and Vinny!

I've been bursting to share this with you for sooo long but I've had to contain myself, so in a time long ago before the mini-mojo went AWOL, I started a little project!

This is Oliver and Vinny... aren't they adorable?

They are Maltese Terriers owned by a friend in the US. After I had made a few needlefelted miniatures for her she asked if I could try my hand at replicating her wee dogs. Maltese terriers have long silky coats but hers are kept clipped and she was having difficulty finding ones that looked like her little dogs. My needlefelting has always been the 'stab-it-and-see-how-it-turns-out' technique so it was quite different to work to a photo but here's the result...

The dogs are built onto wire frames using merino wool, the longer hair on them is alpaca, they have little black eyes, black silk noses and, like the real Oliver and Vinny, have fetching neckwear! I've been asked if I can make a cat next so best get busy x

My New Tote Bag!

You know I've been flitting about from craft to craft and so today's post is about another new obsession! I recently mentioned that I would like to try making handbags (real ones!). I confess to having a penchant for lovely bags. I had read the blog of the talented Lisa Lam, checked out her website and read several reviews of her new book before ordering it (I like to be thorough..lol!) and so, inspired, I delved into my fabric stash.

My old sewing machine came out of retirement, was dusted down, oiled and set to work for the first time in years. At this point I should mention that there has always been a love/hate relationship with my sewing machine. I love to sew and it hates to oblige! Quite often it wins and I just sit and sew by hand! Not so on this occasion - it purred away without a snarl and I was able to produce...this!

It's only a tote bag but I absolutely love it and I'm sure I'll be trying out some of the more complex designs from the book in the future.

It seems a good way of using up some of the fabric I have so I also made a couple of smaller tote bags for my friend's grand-daughters for them to take with them to their first ever visit to Miniatura. The picture on the front came from a Christmas card I'd held onto. The design is Snowy Houses and the artist is Sally Swannell.

For anyone wanting to try making bags I can highly recommend Lisa Lam's book, 'The Bag Making Bible: The Complete Guide to Sewing and Customizing Your Own Unique Bags'

It's the little things that remind us...

Whilst knitting away recently I remembered that my sister said there was a bag of wool at home, did I want it? Assuming that it was wool that my Mum had bought but never got round to using I accepted it. It was put aside and has lain in a bag until today.....

When I opened the bag I found that my Mum had started to knit herself a cardigan and there it was still on her needles. My Mum died last year far too young and seeing her unfinished work really caught me by surprise.

The wool is lovely and the colour matches a dress I bought recently so the sensible thing would be to knit a really pretty shrug or cardi but I can't quite bring myself to unwind my Mum's work. I know Mum would tell me not to be silly and just to get on with it but for now that little piece of knitting will stay just as it is...

Knitting Revival!

Still no sign of the mini-mojo but I've not been idle. My son was going to buy a new hat. You've probably seen the youngsters wearing them - the slouchy ones, reminds you of Papa Smurf? Anyway, he seemed quite happy to part with £35 - yes, thirty five pounds! - for a woolly bunnet until I said that I could knit one for much less.

"Yes, but this one is bamboo!" he points out,
"Yes, I can buy bamboo yarn too!" I reply.
"Well can you make one, then?" he asks,
"No problem" says I and off I go to Google bamboo yarns.....

Hmmmm, not as many as I thought! But determined not to give up I headed for local craft store and found two balls of bamboo yarn in the colour he had requested. Home again, rummage for knitting needles as it has been sooooo long since I last used them et voila...

Papa Smurf!!! Sorry, I mean my dearest son modelling his sock hat! And for less than £5 (not including my labour!) It's also reminded me how much I enjoy knitting so I think there will be more on my needles soon, especially as he would now like more hats in other colours!

Anyone for crochet?

My mini mojo seems to have deserted me so for now my blog seems now to be more about Allsorts and less about all things Miniature. Nevertheless, there's been loads of crafting going on here. I've been teaching myself how to crochet. I could crochet an edging around things but following a pattern and using 'proper' crochet stitches had always baffled me. I had been looking for a knitting pattern for a shrug and the only ones I could find were crocheted so what else can a girl do but to join the crochet brigade. Here's my first effort, don't laugh - it's a scarf!

I'm quite pleased with it but, between you and me, I think I'll continue with my hunt for a knitting pattern!

Nooo! Let's get Autumn by first!

Hi everyone and an especially warm welcome to my new followers, glad you're here!

Now, today I picked my mail off the mat only to find my first Christmas catalogue among it - it's September, for goodness sake! The sun is shining today, my washing is blowing in the wind and Christmas is the last thing on my mind! Mind you I did enjoy flicking through it whilst having a cuppa but I know I'm not going to be ordering anything just yet so it'll be consigned to the 'get-to-someday' pile, and then when I think the pile needs tidying up it'll probably end up in the recycling. Do companies have to push the festive season on us earlier each year? Or maybe I should be auditioning for a spot on Grumpy Old Women!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone, wherever you are xx

"Sisters! There were never such devoted sisters...."

Our wee craft group (and I mean wee - there's two of us!) recently started again and I was looking for something to take along. As I've been in a sewing mood recently, I brought out my unfinished raggy dolls to see what actually needed to be done to finish them. As usual with me, it was not a lot! So after some finishing touches may I introduce you, a little out of season, to 'Christmas Rosie'....

and her sister, 'Raggy Ruby' ...

There is still a pair of legs sticking out of my work-in-progress box wearing black cotton stockings festooned with orange stars - looks like that young lady will be a Hallowe'en witchlet! Although 'witch' Hallowe'en is anyone's guess x

Dreaming about Autumn

Thank goodness the weekend is upon us and the stresses of the past week can be forgotten!

Now that we're in September I've noticed that the weather has turned decidedly cooler here in the west of Scotland. There's a nip in the air when I leave for work in the morning followed by some watery sunshine and cool nights. The trees are changing colour and it's now, more than at any other time of the year, that I want to stay at home, to cook, to bake, to make things for the house - start settling down for winter, in other words. Does anyone else feel like that?

I know that it may seem to some too early to think about Autumn but it's my favourite time of year. I've started planning what crafts I want to do over the coming months and as well as miniatures, I want to make some more bears and dolls, try my hand at making handbags (real life size as I'm a handbag junkie!) and have a go at quilt making to try to use up some of my fabric stash. Wouldn't it be nice to give up work over the winter months?

So it looks like I'll be busy and, of course, I'll be sharing it all with you and drawing inspiration from your fabulous blogs. I can't wait....x

Is it too early to hibernate?

This week at work has been the pits and I would like some duvet days please! I work in the health service and I never cease to be amazed at the appalling attitude of patients towards staff. Could I ask all my lovely followers to think twice before kicking off at receptionists and secretaries? We are short-staffed, under-paid, feel under-valued and are most definitely caught in a hard place between the medical staff and patients!

Rant over...normal service will be resumed tomorrow! x

The Falkirk Fair

Ooh 70 followers today - I like round numbers! Welcome all!

Ok, an update about my weekend past. In general I have stopped going to fairs in Scotland because they are quite poor. However, every August there is a fair practically on my doorstep and as it combines bears and dolls with dolls houses and miniatures I always make a point of going. I came back with a solitary item, this ...

A 24th scale sink unit for Mulberry Cottage

(I had made one myself but felt it wasn't quite right!)

I also had a really good look at some dolls. I don't usually put dolls in my houses or scenes because the ones in my price range can sometimes look downright scary but I have my eye on a particular little girl for the Laurels nursery from Bellabelle Dolls so I'd better start saving the pennies!

A Bed for the Laurels Nursery

Hi Everyone and welcome to some more new followers!

A while back I showed you the bed I had made for the nursery from a metal kit. I was soooo in love with that bed....until it came to finishing the base! The plastic side bars that came with it proved to be utterly useless at holding it together and the ends kept falling away. I finally resorted to a gluing a solid base to the frame to keep it together which wasn't really how I had imagined it but as it would not be seen it was the only way to go. I've spent an enjoyable afternoon making the bedding and taming the quilt and am pleased to share with you, this....


Have a lovely weekend, wherever you are x

New Followers and New-Look to Blog

Hello and a warm welcome to my new followers - there seems so many over the past week or so! I'm glad to have you here and hope you find something to inspire you x

Also I thought my blog could do with some tweeking so I've added some new pages, one for miniature gardening and another for my (non-miniature) cross stitching.

Real life is still interfering with my plans but I'll be back soon with the bed I've made for The Laurels - if I could only stop the quilt looking like a flying carpet..lol! Take care x

Needlefelted Bears

You may remember a couple of weeks ago I showed you a little needlefelted dog I made for my friend in the US. Well, she asked if I could make a teddy bear for the little boy's bedroom in her dollhouse. I was happy to oblige and made these two little cuties.....

In return I received loads and loads and loads of tiny punched flower shapes. I am addicted to making flowers just now and they are much appreciated!

The Laurels - exterior finally finished!

After weeks of painting, tweeking and fiddling I'm finally finished the exterior of The Laurels. Here she is....

The glazing has still to go into the windows but I'll deal with that when I get round to starting the curtains.