AMEA Tasmania convention

Hi all. As I had a few people ask about how the convention and workshop went, I thought I’d do a quick post. The convention was fun. It was held over four and a bit days - sales on Friday evening, workshops Saturday, Sunday and Monday, a dinner on Saturday night, a reception at Government House on Monday evening and a mystery bus tour on Tuesday. It was a great group of people, really fun and lively. My workshop was two days and although it was great and my students and I learnt lots, it was quite taxing. I don’t think I would do such a long, intensive workshop again. Here are photos of the 1:24 two sided roombox I taught. Everything is laser cut then painted and aged. 

And here is a photo of the lovely ladies during the workshop! Don’t they look studious? 

We visited the Beaconsfield Mine visitor centre, which was an operating mine until more recent times. It had also collapsed near the end, trapping two miners and killing a third. It was big news here. Anyway, they had lots of interesting displays including this little hospital roombox! Very cute. 

Again have to leave it there as Blogger is about to suck my will to live. I just realised I have a (also infuriating) Lenovo laptop that I might be able to use Blogger on better than the ipad. Hope your week is going well!

Little bits

Hi all. After a busy year, I have finally had some proper weekend time to get some things done on my mini houses and the real house. First thing I want to show you is a sweet little cushion my friend made me, sitting on the armchair at the back. The doggy looks just like my Tilly dog, although my little girl had black and brown on her head and spots on her back. It is beautifully made and the stitches very fine. I adore it.

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Next is the fireplace in the cafe of the Coxwolds store. My husband and I had a week in Tasmania, as I attended the Australian Miniature Enthusiasts’ convention (I actually taught a workshop, which is a whole different story altogether!) and it confirmed something I had been suspecting for a good long while - that the little shop could have been a colonial building in Hobart. So that is where I have decided it will be set. I came home from Tasmania with quite a few goodies and many of them will go in this house.

 

I wanted a rustic, cosy cafe and decided that the occupant stripped off the old plaster and paint on the chimney breast, exposing the brick underneath. I just used textured brick paper (that World Model stuff) and smudged on bitsbof cream paint. I think it worked ok but is a little patchy. Maybe a bit more paint would be better. I figured it would be mostly covered by a painting, mirror or sign, so will see how it looks with accessories first.

And lastly (and quickly, this is the sitting room of my Coxwolds. Things have kind of just been put here, and I realised I love them. I couldn’t decide on a table/sideboard/cabinet for the space next to the fireplace and just put this half painted wire table because I found it in the stash. I think it might be perfect (when it is finished). You can see a Margaret Crosswell ceramic bust and an Art of Mini hatbox (from a kit) on the fireplace. The table has a Veronique Lux birdcage (which I’ve shown before in my post about awesome stuff my mum and sister got at Kensington fair this year) and a basket from an Etsy seller. Can’t remember her name but she was recently featured in one of the mini magazines. I love it all together.

Augh, I have to finish this post now as Blogger IS SO APPALLING ON THE IPAD AND THEY HAVEN’T UPDATED THEIR APP. Sigh. Hope your weekend was good! (Better than Blogger anyway) 

Back to Duddingwells

Hello all, happy Friday! I have been sick with a cold this week. I think because I don't get sick very often, I really feel it when I do. Anyway, I haven't got a lot done this week, other than reading! 

I am trying to get rid of some builds from my craft room, which means finishing some things off. The landscaping of the Duddingwells had stalled because I was too lazy to finish it, and I buggered up the wiring inside, which buggered up a wall finish, so I have been trying to figure out how to cover it up. So it has just sat with nothing being done. The last few weeks I have been working on it little by little. I have just about finished the wisteria. I made a wire stem and branches, put some paperclay over it and painted it. Then I tried making the flowers with floral foam, but it was too fine and the racemes were too small. So it sat unfinished too. Then I got out the paperclay and built up racemes, painted them then glued on chunky purple floral foam. Once dry, I brushed on some lighter purple paint and then some white near the top of the racemes. Here are some photos, if you can see.

In this photo, the painted racemes are on the left half (albeit not quite finished):

Here are the painted ones closer up:

And here the unpainted ones:

It might look better in real life! Anyway, I am happy with them. I have also added some leaves, but not a lot. Usually wisteria flowers well before leaves appear. I will show some more photos soon, when I have done a little more. 

Just before I go, sending good non-hurricane thoughts to all those in Hurricane Irma's reaches. I hope you stay safe and dry. Goodbye everyone!

Mountfield shower finished

Or at least it was until I pulled the shower door handle off. Never mind. I can reattach it. When I find it.

So I made the shower screen pretty simply. I cut a piece of acrylic to fit the opening, made a cardboard frame to sit on top, with about 4mm additional strip on one side to act as the hinge. I glued the hinge to the inside of the opening and painted it gold, so you can't really see it's there and it was done. Somehow the acrylic got a bit scratched up though, and not sure how. Never mind, you can't really tell. Now I just need a bath robe hanging off the door and I think this is done.

How much do I love that wicker laundry hamper?? So cool.

Did I mention I couldn't get a light fitting into the bath enclosure? The roof is glued on and the angle prevents me getting my hand in there with any sort of drilling device. Hence for now it is lightless in there. Still, I am happy. Have a great weekend everyone!

Lidi's beautiful basket

Hi all. My week got off to a great start as my beautiful Lidi Stroud/Basketcase Miniatures  picnic basket arrived today. If you don't follow Lidi's blog, a) you should, and b) she had a give-away of this little basket and I WON!!! It arrived today and was promptly sat in it's future home, my French shop kitchen. It needs some styling (well, more so the kitchen accessories) to make it look like they are just about to pack the basket for a picnic, but even so it looks so stunning. Thank you Lidi, it is truly amazing and I feel very lucky. Thank you! (Sorry, photos taken at night so they're a bit terrible. Will style this up and take some more photos!)

Lidi's blog:

http://basketcase-miniatures.blogspot.com.au/

Did a little painting

Hello everyone. A quick post to show you the cabinet I've been working on for my 1:12 doll shop. It is one of those unfinished wood ones I bought from an online UK shop (there is a whole set and I have bought quite a few). I had base painted it nearly 2 months ago, the started the painted curtains about 1 month ago, and finally finished them off last night with the dots and lacy edge. I should've made them shorter, as much of the design gets hidden, but the toys I've displayed are just props right now anyway. I will paint something across the lower front too, and maybe even add a glass shelf inside for smaller items. Then the painting would be more visible.

I hope you are all well and having warmer weather than us (-5.4 deg Saturday night, coldest in 38 years and completely destroyed half the plants in my garden). Happy mini-ing!

I'm feeling a bit spoilt plus Mountfield progress

Hello all. It has been quite a nice sunny (but cool) day and one of the few days I've been able to take the time to work on my minis for a couple of months. I took the opportunity to get a few things done and take some photos. I really want to get my Mountfield off to its new home so I finished off a good bit of the bathroom. All that needs doing is 1) gluing the toothbrush holder to the wall (which broke so I superglued the parts together) and 2) making the shower screen door. I want to add a robe to the back of the door one day, but other than that, it's done! No light going into the bath enclosure as I couldn't get a drill to angle into the space. And I probably should paint the ceiling light shade to match the wall lights. Here are photos:

When this gets to its new home, I will take better photos so you can see the details. 

And I need to finish the roof but am a bit stumped on that. You can see I gave it a flat roof, which I will paint to sort of match the roof tiles, but I don't know how to finish off the top edges where the tiles meet the flat bit. Would you put straight strips of flashing/lead? I was going to stick on overlapped tiles, like the corners, but not sure about that. Any hints would be greatly appreciated.

And now, the reason I feel spoilt is my sister and mum went to Kensington Dollshouse Fair last month and came home with many amazing things. Too many I think! I took some quick photos so you can see:

Cute little Veronique Lux toys! I wanted one of her monkeys as our little girl had a toy monkey, which now sits on our bed, and I just wanted one in mini too.

Plus a birdcage! The additional bird and Francine Coyon fishing creel were gifts from my sister.

A Jane Harrop 1:24 bathroom. It looks adorable.

Beautiful Glasscraft cranberry glass:

Alison Davies chairs (there is an additional one I didn't photograph) and sofa:

Kitchen utensils from the Little Dollhouse Company: (that bottle brush is my favourite!!)

And these Robert Dawson Modelroom dormer windows (there are four). Tossing up using these for my chateau, but more likely they will go on my future scratch built Beacon Hill (I actually purchased these and just got mum and sister to collect them). I would need an additional one of I used them for my chateau.

Did you all get some mini work done? I hope you found the time and inclination. Starting is the hardest part isn't it?? Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Xxx