Exterior of Mountfield and some redecorating

Hello again everyone. Hoping you are having a great weekend. After a cold and wet week, we are enjoying some sunshine. And subsequently getting laundry done... Sigh!

I wanted to post some photos of the exterior of my Mountfield. It's getting very close to being done, save for some more landscaping. There are still a few things left to go, like some more aging, fixing the gable trim (undecided on what it will look like, plus the laser cutter isn't working) and replacing the windows with my own leaded glass designs. You can see I gussied up the front door a bit with some wood mouldings and brass stampings. I am quite happy with it, even though I know much of it doesn't match the true age the house is supposed to be.

Also, I added some picture rail to the lounge and dining rooms, with a plain paper above it. This is something I've been thinking about for ages, as I just found it all too bland. I purchased two different coloured scrapbook papers at the local craft shop and fortunately they went well with the papers. I just glued strips of it over the wallpaper and stuck the picture rail over the join. I think I just need to recover the chairs in the lounge though.

Was really stoked I finally remembered to buy a fire whatsit guard thingo (the word escapes me right now) for the dining room - the shiny brass thing out front of the fireplace - but it is too small. I guess I'll need to order a Phoenix one same as the lounge one. The paper I added is a pale grey/stone colour.

The entry is about done. You can see a little pair of plain brown ladies shoes beside the table. They are just metal ones I painted. I think the basket needs something too, maybe some dried greenery or twigs.

In the photo below you can see the Chrysnbon Edwardian telelphone on the wall. It is hard to see, but like having things in cupboards, I think it's nice to have a few slightly hidden details that you have to hunt out.

Hope you are having a great weekend wherever you are.

Partially decorated 1:24 shop

Happy Friday! I hope your week has been a good one. I have spent some more time working on prototypes and instructions for my laser cut kits (with mixed success) and decorating the French shop. Here are some photos, with paperclay almost done. Just a little more painting, roof tiles and then some aging. I had thought I was about done with the design on this kit, but even now, having put it completely together, redesigned parts and had them cut, putting it back together, I am still figuring out slight fixes that are required. Frustrating but worth getting right.

I keep hoping the design process gets easier and quicker but not sure about that! I seem to take two steps forward and one back, but it is fun and engrossing. 

Have a great weekend everyone.

Melbourne Miniatures Fair 2015

Hello everyone. Despite terrible wintery weather, I had a rather pleasant visit to the Melbourne miniatures fair on the weekend just gone. Lots of great goodies but having just given up paid employment, money was a little tight. But I did get a few great things. I am really impressed at the standard of mini knitters here. I purchased these off a New Zealand lady. She had a whole range of Beatrix Potter characters, and it was really hard to choose. She also did dolls, gollies, monkeys, pigs, lots of things.

I couldn't go past Mr Tod, and then went back for Benjamin. They are currently of no fixed (dollhouse) address, but they will find a home no worries!

The same lady also made teapots, so I picked this up for a future cottage. It is 1:24 scale.

More tiny knitted toys, from a different seller, which are sitting on a 1:24 chair, with a 1:48 scale teaset. 

I can vaguely knit, and seeing these makes me want to be able to knit well. Maybe one day I will have some time to learn! I am better at crocheting, so thought I could try making tiny amigurumi animals - how cute would they look? 

I'd seen this tea set at the fair last year and regretted not buying it. It's not the fanciest set, it wasn't very expensive, but hey, I'll never afford the real silver that is hand-made, so I am happy with these. 

I hope you are all well and that you have a good week ahead of you.

Half scale French shop

 Hi all. Just wanted to post a little update on my half scale French shop kit design that I have been working on. I had all the parts laser cut about 6 weeks ago, and they're not 100% perfect yet, but good enough to put together and photograph for the kit instructions. 

On that note, my photos aren't great, but I am practising! And they are goood enough for the instructions for now. Until I can maybe get bettter at it!

Soo here is the front so far:

I am pretty happpy with how it's turned out and having fun putting it all together (and making the last few alterations!). Hope you like and enjoy the rest of your week!

Photos for Michelle

As well as for others who were interested in her gorgeous Gothic house. Years ago I saved these photos, I think from and Ebay listing. No idea whose they were or who made the dollhouse, but has to be the same maker - the bones are the same. Anyway, I love it and I hope you enjoy these pictures.

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Lazy Sunday

Hello everyone. I am hoping to get a little more done on my minis today, but I still have to help my husband in the garden digging holes for a little bit (trying to get a little landscaping done after too many years of doing enough in the garden). 

The mini landscaping for Duddingwell's has progresseed a little. Some mosses and lichens and grass were added, as well as some gravel. Once done, I will add some more dirt/colour to the rocks. The trough has not been attached yet, as it is awaiting its water, plants, etc. I made some espaliered shrubs but they are all too wide. I will need to trim one back or make another I think, as I really want one on this build.

I have finished the initial part of painting the French Robert Dawson panels (with the exception of the doors). I will need to do a little touching up of the paint where I've slopped over the greens, marbling the skirting and fireplace and now debating over aging the whole thing. I quite like it as it is, but thinking that might change!

The photo wasn't good to start with, as the light was too low in my craft room, but you get the idea. 

And lastly, I have put together a few Lisa Engler kits. They are very easy and really cute - a great project for a tired weeknight in front of the TV! I included this photo as it is really good/clear/crisp as a bit of a test to see how it appears on my blog.....

Hmmmm, so far in draft form, it is not coming out well.  *sigh*

I am nearly finished with the prototype for my little French art nouveau shop. So I am hoping to get it laser cut in the next couple of weeks! When I have all the pieces cut from card and stuck together, I will post some pics so you will have an idea of how it is going to look. That will hopefully be by tonight. Enjoy your day everyone!

Thanks for photo tips

A chilly hello from Ballarat, a lovely old city from the Victorian gold rush era. It is only early April, but is already feeling very wintery. Yesterday I walked around in a long sleeve t-shirt, a wool jumper and a puffa jacket, it was that cold. But Ballarat is one of those cold places, certainly colder than it is where we come from.

I wasn't really intending posting about our weekend away, but instead thanking people for their photography tips. I will try everyone's tips to see if it helps, but my photos are generally pretty clear. It still seems that the problem is the uploading to blogger. I think it may be something to do with using the blogger app that I use. Anyway, I will keep fiddling with the settings of the camera and blogger and see what happens.

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend, wherever you are.