Peach Blossom Hill

I'm Back! Hoping All Are Well!

2011-03-22T09:09:00.002-04:00

My latest mini painting, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" based on a photo I took when we visited friends in Colorado.
In this photo, I made the gourd, the Chippendale sofa, the polymer clay goose and apples. Dale made the rug; Bertie's Miniatures made the zebra wood turned vase; Joyce of Mostly Art made the green pottery vase and red flowers; the butter churn is by Jane Graber; the dough board is by Sir Thom Thumb and the fireplace was a House of Miniatures kit.
This is my latest little floral chaise--I love this fabric by a Japanese company, Quilt Gate (hope they survived the tsunami and earthquakes okay).
In these two photos, I made the goose and hydrangea and the ivy from a kit. Mercedes Spencer made all of the lovely feminine, shabby chic accessories including the bird's nest, the trash can, the little bird houses and primitive doll, floral ewer and shopping bag.
I have been gone from my blog for nearly a year and I have missed it but it's been quite a tumultuouas year! We've had some family issues which are, for the most part resolved in a good way at this point. In addition to the hay we grow on our farm, Hampton Road Farms, he has started buying hay we cannot grow here from northern Kentucky and selling it and, so far, we've been blessed in that endeavor. It's hard work but he loves it and I pray for strength to continue to help him.

I want to thank all of you who have written to ask if we're okay--it touched me deeply and brought a tear to my eye! Thank you so much. Miniaturists are some of the most compassionate, loving, kind folks I have ever met and I'm privileged to get to know you through our shared passion. I had to leave blogging for a while since I couldn't devote the time to visit around to everyone (I'm still working three days a week as well) and make pertinent comments. I've been glad to keep up with some of you on Facebook. So, I'm trying to come back and I'll try to get around to everyone. I've lost so much not keeping up with what you've been up to but I'll try to go back a bit as I can and catch up! Thank you again for accepting me in your ranks, forgiving my lapses and checking up on me! And, Mercedes, if you read this, I am still collecting some goodies up for you! I am overcome with guilt I still owe you some things in our swap! I'll hope to send it soon!

Holiday Swap Items from Leo Furtado!

2010-07-22T15:22:00.002-04:00

Katerina'sHoliday Swap Items from Leo Furtado

I participated in Katerina's Holiday Swap and was the lucky recipient of this fabulous, sumptious summer feast from Leo Furtado in Brazil! I was literally blown away by the details of the beautiful fruits, lovely translucent bottles of 'spirits', the ice bucket, mouth-watering, refreshing and lovely mixed drinks in various containers with accents of sliced fruit, rims of salt and foam!
And just look at these beautiful gelatin's, the grapes, the flowers! I could not believe my great fortune! I will have to create a special habitat for this wonderful treasure!

If you look closely in the overhead shot, there is a sweet little violet on the table! And underneath, more treasures of kegs, tulips, a crate of drinks and more goodies. And included in this veritable feast for the eyes and the palette, are enough jars of mayo, honey, jams and bottles for Joanna to have some in her house! Thank you, Leo!

And if that wasn't enough, the wonderful Kat Hazelton of Kat the Hat fame, featured my little witch's cottage on her blog today! So, it's been a wonderful day for me! Thank you to Kat for showing my little witch's house!

Busy Summer and Gifts from Mercedes!

2010-07-13T20:06:00.002-04:00

Busy Summer and Gifts from Mercedes!

Every summer is the same. I think I will have more time with Joanna not in school and the routine a bit more relaxed for mini's and other things. But as you see above, summer is hay season on our small farm. I am in the John Deere farthest away square baling while DH is on the John Deere nearest raking. And this week, I am working daily during our annual Carolina Shop Hop at the quilt shop. So I have hardly had time to even check in with everyone or update my blog and just got my holiday swap items in the mail to Alicia for Cockerina's holiday swap today.

But, Joanna and I recently received some fabulous shabby chic swap items from Mercedes (while she patiently waits for me to get around to reciprocating!). Mercedes, thank you and our items are almost ready to send your way. I am having to protect the candy we bought for Liberty from my oldest two, Maggie and Ben!
This little doll and pillows may have to go in my long-awaited log cabin.
Part of these will go in Joanna's house and part in my garden center.

Probably the most special was this little coffee table with sewing goodies Mercedes made especially for me! I was near tears at opening it! Now I've got to get back in the mini groove to get Mercedes' things in the mail to her!

Blog Giveaway Winner on Our 25th Anniversary!

2010-06-22T17:58:00.002-04:00

Blog Giveaway Winner on Our 25th Anniversary!

Thank you all for entering my blog giveaway and for my new followers. I hope you will drop by often (when I have time to post and to visit everyone around!) and see what I am up to!
Above you see us on our wedding day, June 22, 1985 and now at the surprise party our children and my in-law's threw us Saturday evening! My children had cleaned the house to a sparkle and invited about 70 of our closest friends! It was wonderful. All Jerry had been told was to take me out of town for the day and we went to the North Carolina mountains including Hendersonville and Brevard. We came home to a wonderful party! So I would like to thank them!
The names were put in the bowl for my giveaway and Joanna picked the winner:
Congratulations to my friend, Katie from Katie's Clay Corner! She and I have been blogging about our mini's for about three years now and I have been the recipient of some items from her that will go in Joanna's nursery when I ever get her house finished! Katie, I will e-mail you for your address! Hope you can use these items in your mini project! Congratulations!

Peach Blossom Hill 1:12th Scale Miniatures on Etsy

2010-06-16T07:52:00.001-04:00

Finally! My Blog Giveaway

2010-06-07T18:45:00.002-04:00

Finally! My Blog Giveaway!

Some of you who visit me here often know that I have been the recipient of many blog giveaway's lately and meanwhile, I have been working toward mine and I felt it had to be worthwhile. I meant to have it at 200 followers and then 250 and now I am one away from 275 so here it finally is! I hope you like it and someone is able to give it a good home. It is one of my little chaise's in an allover blue foliage cotton print on white, a circular white wire table, one of my blue mophead hydrangea arrangements, a basket of our South Carolina peaches I made from poly clay, two little books and a blue toile pillow.

I so appreciate all of you who follow me and drop by to leave a comment and see what I am up to. Though I can't yet make mini's my full-time vocation, it is my avocation and I enjoy the friendships and awe-inspiring projects you all do. Thank you for the e-mails, phone calls, kind and encouraging comments here, Flickr and Facebook and thank you for accepting me and my little amateur efforst in your life! And to my new followers, I apologize for not welcoming you officially yet but I intend to soon.

Meanwhile, to be eligible to win my little giveaway, just be a follower and leave a comment on this post. I will have Joanna pick the winning name the week of our wedding anniversary, June 22, 2010. And thank you again for your friendship!

Baby Dolls and The Graduate

2010-06-01T20:10:00.002-04:00

Baby Dolls and The Graduate

I ordered the Belly Button Babies mold set from Cynthia Howe and after much assistance via e-mail from Cynthia and Terri Davis, mini doll maker extraordinaire, I finally managed to put one together and to dress it! You can put this little thing in your hand and have plenty of room left over! And before even learning how to best assemble them, I ordered the yawning set. I will pour them soon! It only took me about five attempts to create a bodice and sleeves. This is not the best photo but I've been working on various projects all day in my basement and just took the pix in my living room with overhead light.

This tiny baby will go in Joanna's nursery and it is lying on one of the items I will be giving away which I will hopefully post next week in my long-overdue Blog Giveaway!

I also was most fortunate on my recent very odd winning streak of blog giveaways to win this little darling clothespin doll from Carol of Wee Treasures! Isn't she the sweetest little thing you have ever seen? think I will !name her Adelaide. She had to go out on my front porch to pose in front of the peonies. I love her!
And I also had to post this pix of my son, Ben at his Baccalaureate ceremony with his sisters, Maggie and Joanna. He surprised us by being named an Honors Graduate (the ability and intelligence are certainly there--he just sometimes doesn't give it his all scholastically!). He will go to Clemson University in the fall studying agriculture education (if he doesn't change his mind!) Graduation was Friday night and Jerry's birthday (49 and holding) was Saturday--I took him to see Robin Hood which was very good--and then Memorial Day was yesterday and we joined friends for a hamburger cookout.
My children, Maggie, 20 (almost), Ben, 18 and Joanna, 10, almost 11!

Kit Review and More Blog Giveaway Goodies

2010-05-21T14:56:00.002-04:00

KKit Reviews and More Blog Giveaways

Was it Sybil Shepherd that was on the hair color commercials in the late 80's saying, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful?" Well, don't hate me because I seem to be on a roll of winning blog giveaway's lately even as I am way late in hosting my own--I promise I am making items just now for it between work, three children, etc., etc.

Above is a bunny in a basket kit I bought from Kitz ! Miniatures. You can find it under Furry Friends kits in the online catalog. It was easy to put together and I will use it in Joanna's nursery. So cute!
Next is a clock kit I purchased from Cynthia Howe's website, a Victorian style clock. Those tiny pieces are very delicate and you need to remove them from the laser cut sheet with an Xacto knife and use tweezers. A tiny piece did break off and I had to carefully glue it back in place. I painted the pendulum and the tiny delicate trim with gold metallic acrylic paint and the clock wooden parts with yellow ochre paint and then antiqued it with antiquing gel. I also sprayed several coats of varnish in hopes that it will help it not to break until I can install it in my long-awaited log cabin one day on the mantel.
Along with Monika's, Puno's Minis, beautiful lamp pictured below which she offered as a blog giveaway she sent this little piggie in a gift box! He will probably also have to reside in Joanna's nursery. And she loved the lamp so much that she has already laid claim to it as well. So, again, don't hate me for winning giveaways! LOL! They go to my child!
Deanna at De-Lightful Minis, also held a giveaway of this beautiful leather suitcase and here it sits beside one of my little sofa's. Perhaps my mini family is planning a weekend getaway and getting ready to pack! Of course, Joanna loved this as well so I suppose it will end up in her house! And last but not least, is the beautiful lamp from Monika! Thank you both for such wonderful treasures.

Goodies from The Whitaker's

2010-05-17T18:04:00.004-04:00

Goodies in the Mail from The Whitaker's

I was thrilled to receive not only a wonderful book, The Visual Guide to Alice in Wonderland which I won on The Whitaker's Blog by naming her new doll, Gertrude or Gertie for short, but also a spooky stack of spell books, potion and a skull, eyeball plants and a wonderful striped black and purple witchy hat! All of these items, except for the full sized book, went straight in to the witch's cottage! Joanna seized the book as she and I went to see Alice in 3-D during her spring break and we both loved it.

I really want to crate the Mad Hatter's wonderful hat and will be searching for just the right silk to do it soon when I've fulfilled other obligations including some custom orders, my blog giveaway items and a swap. This is a pix of the Mad Hatter inside this wonderful book. Thank you to The Whitakers for such a wonderful giveaway! Joanna and I both appreciate it!
Speaking of Alice in Wonderland, I also recently sought and received gracious permission from Anna Hardaman to post a pix of one of her beautiful dolls, her rendering of the White Queen. Anna is an extremely talented miniature doll artisan and I so admire her beautiful work. As a mostly lurking member of the MSAT doll list on Yahoo Groups, I get to drool over their magnificent creations. You can see more of Anna's amazing dolls here. As you can see, The White Queen is quite ethereal and beautiful.

In My Other Creative Life

2010-05-07T18:13:00.002-04:00

In My Other Creative Life

I am a quilter. I work part-time at a local quilt shop and I teach classes. Recently, a friend, Jo Willa, unearthed a crazy quilt with the date 1889 and the initials L.T. on it. She doesn't know who made it but perhaps it was a sister of her great-grandmother's, Lyda Turpin, who would hae been 13 in 1889 or maybe it was made for her. It is quite a treasure of hand embroidery, velvet and some silk. There were two rat holes which are pictured below which I covered with more velvet and hand embroidery. Though this is my miniatures blog, I had to share this while I have it in my possession. In the photos below, I did the bullion roses and the embroidery around that patch and made a little oval velvet patch and embroidered it to cover a smaller hole. I am not a quilt restorer but hopefully, this will suffice through the remainder of this beauty's life.

Yellow Chaise with Trim

2010-04-30T13:51:00.002-04:00

I took Karin (Orr Lake Musings) advice and added trim to my little yellow chaise and like it much better. And with the little pillow, I think it's cute. I have so many other fabrics I'd like to use to make some of these and must get back to the sofa's also. And I thought I would share pix of a local field of irises on the back road Joanna and I take every morning on the way to her school. They are beautiful!

Awards and Goodies

2010-04-20T08:39:00.003-04:00

Awards and Goodies from Merry Jingle and Anna

I'd like to thank Sonya from Cannella e Melongrano for these two awards and her kind comments in giving them to me! I will have to pass them on and fulfill their requirements after work today!

These are beads I won in a giveaway from Mini Anna Lee (will give the link later--blogger has not been cooperative this morning). And she made the cutest little pipe cleaner bear that will go in Joanna's nursery. Now I need to learn all the things I can do with these wonderful beads!

And also Joanna's and my goodies from Ira of Merry Jingle arrived and what a wonderful bounty. We had swapped some items and I never expected such a bounty. Precious things for Joanna's nursery and also some wonderful things that I love for my log cabin. The ewer will be perfect and so will the elk! I love him. She also sent the fabric and trim pictured above!

Well, off to work with me--I will post links later when I can! Thank you to Anna, Ira and Sonya!
I love the delicate butterfly and the tarts are wonderful, Ira!

Award For Friends!

2010-04-13T21:02:00.003-04:00

I'd like to pass the Premio award from Karin at Mini Ramblings and Musings to

Carol at Wee Cute Treasures. She is such a sunny, sweet person and I am enjoying her progress on Honey Bee Cottage. She makes the sweetest little dolls that remind me of the clothespin dolls our Appalachian mountain dwellers used to make but her's are so much more colorul, detailed and sweet. I'd so love to visit her in Ireland!

And to Norma at Make Mine Mini, such a wonderful new friend in Australia who has actually called me twice to chat! I was so amazed to get a phone call from a friend around the world! And Norma is posting so many wonderful tips on printing to wood and fabric just now on her blog. I'd love to go see Norma one day, too!

Deb at Loyalist Cottage. Deb has become another friend I enjoy 'dropping in on'. Her posts are filled with mini news and her lovely things she cherishes in her home. And so many of her posts are filled with humor and make me smile and laugh every time!

Catherine from Kilmouski & Me. I often dream that I stumble upon a quaint little shop filled with affordable miniatures, a treasure trove of delights and now I am dreaming of finding Catherine's beautiful metal teapots and creations, shelf upon shelf of them for the asking! They are exquisite.

And thank you, Karin, another new blogging friend for passing this award on to me!

Thank you, Karin!!!

2010-04-12T21:03:00.002-04:00

An Award from Karin!

Thank you, Karin at Mini Ramblings and Musings gave me this award and I so appreciate it and I promise I will share it tomorrow when my headache is past! LOL! Karin has been so kind to offer me advice and friendship lately and I appreciate it so much. My husband teases me that my blogging friends are my 'imaginary friends'! He is just teasing me but he doesn't realize how much I appreciate the wonderful friendships I have made through blogging. I'd just love to visit you all in your 'exotic', faraway locales! Especially those of you in Australia, Canada, France and Brazil, for example!

Karin is also hosting a giveaway (something I am far behind in doing but I am working on some items so stay tuned soon!)

Estate Miniatures

2010-04-07T17:04:00.002-04:00

Estate Miniatures For Sale

I will post thank you's for some goodies I have won recently and also welcome new followers but I had to quickly share some of the mini's I am purchasing from a lady who used to have a brick and mortar store in our region with her late husband. I spent the morning there and the rest of the day listing some of these on eBay, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110516861447&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

I hope you will run over if you get a chance and see what I have to offer and if anything will work for your collection. I have also listed some items and will list more on Miniatures Only Auctions, MOA where I am joraines. Some of the pieces are Bespaq and there is some Reutter's Chrysnbon, Bodo Hennig, Aztec and other well known makers. Thank you for taking a look and I hope to catch up with everyone soon!

Our Swap from Norma! So Precious!

2010-04-02T15:58:00.002-04:00

Our Swap Items Arrived from Norma!

Joanna and I went to see Alice in Wonderland in 3-D yesterday and bought her Easter dress and shoes. We were thrilled when we got home to find our package from Norma Bennet of Make Mine Mini in Australia! It was filled with goodies for Joanna's nursery in her Victoria's Farmhouse we are finally finishing! There was a little growth chart, a beautiful printie, a package of diapers, a baby doll in a box, a rocking horse toy and most specail of all, a sweet little knitted dress on a hanger! We took pix of the pretty little pink packages with heart stickers and then of the goodies inside! Joanna was thrilled as you can tell! And to make it even more a special swap, Norma actually called me last Friday morning to thank me for her package. It was so lovely to hear that beautiful Australian accent and such a special phone call! My family couldn't believe it--especially as Jerry teases me about my 'imaginary friends in our blogging community! LOL! So, a great big thank you to Norma for such special little gifts for Joanna's nursery!

New Plants For the Witch's Cottage from Chris V.!

2010-03-30T07:25:00.004-04:00

New Plants from Chris V. for the Witch's Cottage

Chris V. at Candid Canine swapped some wonderful plants with me (I've got to mail her's!), all for my witch's cottage! There is the famous stinking plant that blooms once--what? a year or less and gives off the odor of a corpse. It is on the mantel. The lovely polka dot plant found a home on the tarot table and the carnivorous plant is sitting beside the fireplace. There was also one for the upstairs and some greenery! It's just what the witch's cottage was lacking. Thank you, Chris!

Everything's Peachy!

2010-03-26T16:06:00.002-04:00

Everything is Peachy! And Welcome to New Followers

My friend, Edgar Woodfin, a very talented photographer and descended from one of our prominent local peach farming families in Gramling, graciously granted me permission to post pix he took of some of our local orchards both this year and in years past. It was interesting to see the change in color of blossoms from year to year. The lighter pink profusion of blooms is this year and the darker ones were from years past. And they seem to have bloomed later this year due to our colder, harsher winter this year. Our city of Inman once called itself the Peach Capitol of the World as we grew more peaches in our region alone than the entire state of Georgia, known as The Peach State. We don't have as many orchards as there once were but there are still beautiful orchards and even little plots of peach trees between homes and businesses.

Also, inspired by the beginning of peach season, I have made some miniature fuzzy peaches and listed some in my Etsy shop. In the photo below, I made the sofa, the goose, the hydrangea and the peaches.

I would also like to welcome new followers:

Marcella of Mini Caretti
Sonya of Cannella e Melograno
Pandora Box
Shelly
Sans DD who has several blogs among them Dollhouse Diaries
Natascha
Ira of Merry Jingle (run over and see what she did with a Michael's hutch I sent her in a swap!)
Chris P
Whimsy Cottage, a fellow miniaturist on Etsy, http://whimsycottageminis.etsy.com
Maria of Diary of a Miniaturist
Arantxa of Las miniaturas de los Talis
and Stefanie of SMiniatures

A Wonderful Giveaway!

2010-03-22T15:40:00.002-04:00

A Lovely giveaway!

Run over to Marleen's Blog to get a chance at this beautiful giveaway to celebrate her reching over 100 followers. And I am one too as I just found her through other blogs. I hope I win it as one of my projects on my to-do list is an old fashioned kitchen with a laundry corner! So, on second thought, don't go over and try to win it! LOL!

Baby Goats, A Sign of Spring!

2010-03-18T16:47:00.005-04:00

Baby Goats, A Sure Sign of Spring (Mini's of a Different Sort)

Besides the normal signs of spring, warmer weather, greener grass and early spring blooms, my father-in-law, 'Papa', had six sets of twin goats born at his house this week! That is a sure sign of spring to me and they are so cute, gentle, sweet and cuddly, I had to share them. I guess they are a 'mini' all their own. These are part Boar goat so the babies are about the size of an adult cat when born and are covered in soft hair. Most of Papa's are mostly white with some blonde, reddish and brown markings but one little fellow has a black velvet head and markings. I named him Jasper. For the first few days, they are weak and some are not able to stand at all or only wobbly. But after a few days, they are up wagging their little tails, bleating for Mama, drinking milk and beginning to play together running, jumping and climbing on any little hillock they can find.
This litttle sweet one was resting in the shade. When they are this age, you can easily approach them, photograph them and gently pick them up to cuddle. The Mama's watch from a short distance answering their bleats if they call.
Jasper is trying to keep up with Mom as she moves quickly away from the photographer.
Here a little one is catching a mid-afternoon meal.
Joanna loves to hold them and talk to them. If she keeps physical contact with them weekly, they will come to her when they are grown.

Didn't get much done on the mini-ing front this week except for working on some swaps which will be revealed when they arrive. Maggie, 19, had leg pain so had to have a Doppler vein study today to rule out a blood clot and, thankfull, none was found. So hopefully will get to mini tomorrow before I go back to work Saturday.

A Hot Water Heater for the Log Cabin!

2010-03-10T21:20:00.002-05:00

A Water Heater for the Log Cabin!

I bought this hot water heater and a potato masher from my fellow Etsian, Gary of Wee Wood Shoppe and I love them both but this hot water heater is perfect! Since the log cabin will be a weekend getaway, home-away-from-home for its owners, the water will have to be cut on and off. I couldn't believe Gary only charged $10 for this wonderful piece and the potato masher, turned on his lathe with a beautiful wood grain, is equally lovely and reasonable!
I didn't check my mail until late today before choir practice at church but Joanna and I were excited to receive the little Valentine's goody we received from Emma and Neil at Paris Miniatures today so I will photograph it soon and show it. Joanna, 10, loved it and claimed it for her house which I have promised her we will wire during our spring break as we won't be traveling this year. I chickened out but I'm going to tackle it! She will keep the little Valentine sweet for decoration in her house during that holiday!

Pretty Rugs, New Blogs and Followers and Bailey White

2010-03-06T12:24:00.002-05:00

Beautiful Mini Rugs from Glenda Howell, New Blogs and Follwers and Bailey White

The beautiful little rya rugs above were sent to me by Glenda Howell of Peppercorn Minis, a relatively new mini blogger from New Zealand. I love them. Joanna has already claimed the fuzzy little rose one for her planned mini bathroom in her house I've got to finish! The striped ones would be lovely as rugs or table runners. Thank you, Glenda! She sells these beautiful little creations in her Etsy shop, Undancy.

I would also like to thank new followers:

PuNo's Mini's from Germany
Catherine from Kilmouski and Me.
Karin--didn't see a blog for you, Karin but welcome!
Pokadot Toadstool, maker of art dolls and polymer clay sculptures.
Bassom Bear--maker of precious tiny teddies
Emma and Neil from Paris Miniatures--makers of wonderful mini poly clay foods.
Debbie Peel from Beautiful Dee's--she has a beautiful blog and is dealing with life issues just now with support form her blogging friends and family.
Oiseau deNim who also makes beautiful poly clay foods and is a fellow Team MIDS Etsy member.

I have also discovered some wonderful new blogs lately which may or may not be new to blogging but are new to me and worth a visit:

Catherine's blog, Kilmouski and Me (listed above as a link) is an artist and metalsmith who plans to design and build a dollhouse this year.

Anneke of Pieplyts in the Netherlands is sharing some beautiful minis in her projects and collections.

Daisy of Antique Daisy says that she is a "teacher, student and loves dabbling in anything creative. A jack of all trades and master of none." So she is indeed a kindred spirit to me and many of us. She has some lovely mini projects.

And lastly, my Flickr friend, Amy Gross, an artist of the natural elements and a miniaturist. She has a new blog, Look Closer. I've followed her around on Flickr drooling all over her pictures for several years and fell in love with the little dollhouse she rescued from the landfill, took home and personalized with her special touch. She liked my description of her art I left so I'll repeat it here: I said it is 'beautiful, luminous and ethereal and it is like stopping a movement of nature in a fraction of time and preserving it for the rest of us to say, "Ah! Yes, I forgot how lovely and mysterious it all is if I take time to look more closely.'
--Amy, I don't know if you are familiar with Bailey White, a former NPR contributor who shared her essays about her eclectic family and wrote three books, among them When Mama Makes Up Her Mind (and other dangers of southern living) and Sleeping at the Starlite Motel, both collections of her stories. But I have included one of her essays in this post as she lived in southernmost Georgia near the Florida line and your last post featuring your flea market finds inspired me to dig it out! I hope you have the time to read it!

On my to-do list is learning to cast resin figures of my sculpts. Here is a bunny in progress:

And lastly, Chris V. at Candid Canine offered to do a swap with me and she requested a spooky painting. Here is one I have done and I want to try a few more for her to choose from (kind critiques are welcome--LOL!)
For all of us wishing to organize, straighten and clean up our work areas, I have also included one of my favorite essays by Bailey White from her first book which I bring out and just read for pure enjoyment every now and then. I see 'Mama' as yet another cautionary tale for me like the mother in Grey Gardens. My hoarding and inability to throw anything out is a scary thing sometimes!

Good Housekeeping

by Bailey White

It was the middle of November, just a month before the wedding, when my mother announced that she was going to invite the family of our cousin’s bride to Thanksgiving dinner at our house.

“They need to get to know us on our own ground,” she said. She rared back in her reclining chair. “You girls can help with the cooking. Let’s see, there will be ten of us, and six of those Mitchell’s” (the bride’s family).

My mother was sitting in the kitchen, dammed in by stacks of old Natural History magazines. Behind her a bowl of giant worms, night crawlers, was suspended from the ceiling. She uses worm castings as an ingredient in her garden compost, and she keeps the worms in the kitchen so she can feed them food scraps.

My sister and I didn’t say anything for a while. I watched the worms. Every now and then, one of them would come up to the edge of the bowl, loop himself out, swag down—where he would hang for an instant, his coating of iridescent slime gleaming—and then drop down like an arrow into another bowl on the floor. My mother had an idea that the worms missed the excitement of a life in the wild, and she provided this skydiving opportunity as an antidote for boredom.

My sister was eyeing the jars of fleas on the kitchen counter, part of an ongoing experiment with lethal herbs.

Those worms, or their ancestors, had been there my whole life, but somehow, until this moment, it had not seemed odd to have a bowl of night crawlers getting their thrills in the kitchen.

“Worms,” I whispered to myself.

“Fleas,” my sister whispered.

My eyes fell on a rusty 1930’s Underwood typewriter under the kitchen sink. It had been there as long as I could remember, the G key permanently depressed, the strike arm permanently erect. My sister and I exchanged a look.

“What is that typewriter doing under the sink?” I asked flatly.

“Let’s see, we’ll have your Aunt Thelma’s sweet potato crunch and Corrie Lou’s cranberry mold,” my mother said.

Besides the typewriter was a guide to the vascular flora of the Carolina’s, a turtle skull and a dog brush. There were hairs in the dog brush, black hairs. Our dog, Smut had died fifteen years ago. I thought about the typewriter, the turtle skull, and the dog brush. I thought about the worms. I thought about the bride’s family—nice people, we were told, from Bartow County—walking into this house on Thanksgiving Day.

“Welcome to our home,” my mother would say. And she would lead them over the stacks of books, through the musty main hall, and into a twilight of clutter. They would clamp their arms to their sides and creep behind her with their tight lips and furtive eyes, past rooms with half-closed doors through which they would glimpse mounds of moldy newspaper, broken pottery in stacks, and amazingly preserved, my grandfather’s ship-model collection. From one room a moth-eaten stuffed turkey would blindly leer out at them. “Storage!” my mother would explain cheerfully.

The guests would be settled on the front porch where they would gaze hollowly down into the garden while our mother explained the life cycle of the solitary wasp who made his home in one of our porch columns. My sister and I would pass around plates of olives and cheese brightly, trying to keep a lilt in our voices and making the guests feel “at home.”

“You can’t do it!” my sister exploded. “We can never get ready in time!”

“What is there to get ready?” our mother asked innocently. “Just the food and we’ll do that ahead of time. You should always do the food ahead of time, girls,” she instructed us. “Then you can enjoy your guests.”

“Mama!” my sister wailed. “Just look at this place!” She gestured wildly.

“What’s wrong with it?” My mother peered out at the room through a haze of dust. Behind her, another worm dropped.

“Just look!” Louise threw her arms wide. “The clutter, the filth . . .” she spied the rows of jars on the counter. “ . . .the fleas!”

“Don’t worry about the fleas, Louise,” our mother reassured her. “I am working on a new concoction, based on myrtle and oil of pennyroyal. I may have the fleas under control by Thanksgiving.”

Louise sank into a chair and looked our mother in the eye. “Mama,” she began, “it’s not just the fleas. It’s . . .”

But I had come to my senses.

“Stop, Louise,” I said. “Get up. We’ve got a week-end. We’ll start on Saturday.”

Louise arrived at dawn, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, loaded down with vacuum cleaners, extra bags and filters, brooms, mops and buckets.

Mama was sitting in the chair in the kitchen, eating grits and making feeble protestations. “You girls don’t have to do this, Bailey. I’ll sweep up on Wednesday afternoon. Then on Thursday there will just be the cooking.”

“I know, Mama,” I said. “but we want to do a good job. We want to really straighten up. You’ll be glad when it’s all done. Eat your grits.” I didn’t want her to see Louise staggering out with the first load for the dump: a box of rotten sheets, some deadly appliances from the early days of electricity, and an old mechanical milking machine with attachments for three teats.

Mama would not let us throw out a box of old photographs we found under the sofa—“I may remember who those people are some day”—or the lecherous old stuffed turkey with his hunched up back and bad-looking feet. “It was one of Ralph’s earliest taxidermy efforts,” she said, fondly stroking the turkey’s bristling feathers down. And she let us haul off boxes of back issues of the Journal of the American Gourd Growers’ Association only if we promised to leave them stacked neatly beside the dumpster for others to find. But she got suspicious when she caught Louise with the typewriter.

“We’re going to throw it away, Mama.”

“You can’t throw it away, Louise. It’s a very good typewriter!”

Louise was getting edgy. “Mama, it’s frozen up with rust and clogged with dust. None of the moving parts moves. And they don’t make ribbons to fit those old typewriters anymore.”

“Nonsense,” said Mama. “You put that typewriter down, Louise. It just needs a little squirt of oil. Bring me the WD-40.”

Louise put the typewriter down with a clunk. I brought a can of WD-40, with the little red straw to aim the spray. Mama put on her glasses, pursed her lips, and peered into the typewriter. Skeet! Skeet! She went to work with the WD-40 and a tiny, filthy rag. “You girls are throwing away too much,” she said.

By midafternoon we began to feel that we were making progress. We could see out the windows, and we had several rooms actually in order. We had found our brother’s long-lost snakeskin collection and the shoes our great-aunt Bertie had worn at her wedding; a dusty aquarium containing the skeletons of two fish; and under a tangle of dried rooster-spur peppers and old sneakers, a rat trap with an exquisitely preserved rat skeleton, the tiny bright-white neck bones delicately pinched. “Just like Pompeii,” Mama marveled.

By the end of the day we had cleared the house out. What had not been thrown away was in its place. I had dropped a drawer on my foot, and Louise was in a bad mood. Mama’s glasses were misted with WD-40. We sat down in the kitchen and drank tea.

“What I want to know is where are the priceless heirlooms?” asked Louise. “You read about people cleaning out their attics and finding 200-year-old quilts in perfect condition, old coins, cute kitchen appliances from the turn of the century, Victorian floral scenes made of the hair of loved ones. What kind of family are we? All we find is bones of dead animals and dried up plants. Where are the Civil War memorabilia, the lost jewels, the silk wedding dresses neatly packed away in linen sheets and lavender?”

“Well,” said Mama, “you found your brother’s snakeskins. And I think this rat skeleton is fascinating. How long must it have been there?”

“Don’t ask,” moaned Louise. “I’m going home.”

On Sunday we dusted everything, swept, vacuumed and mopped the floors, washed the windows, and laundered the curtains, rugs and slipcovers. By nightfall the house was ready.

“You girls have certainly struck a blow,” Mama congratulated us. “This place is as clean as a morgue.” We left her sitting in her chair with the worms, the typewriter, and the last surviving fleas.

I walked out with Louise. “She looks a little forlorn,” I said.

“She’ll get used to it,” Louise declared. “And the Mitchells will never dream that we are peculiar.”

Thanksgiving morning, Louise and I divided up the cooking. She made the sweet potato soufflé and the squash casserole, and I cooked the turkey and made bread. Mama spent the morning in her garden picking every last English pea, even the tiniest baby ones, because we knew we would have our first frost that night.

At ten o’clock we set the table. For a centerpiece Mama put some pink and white sasanquas to float in a crystal bowl, and the low autumn light came slanting in through the windows onto the flowers and the bright water. We had built a fire in the stove, and the heat baked out the hay-field fragrance of the bunches of Artemisia hung to dry against the walls. The floors gleamed. The polished silverware shone. Beneath the sweet fall smells of baking bread and sasanquas and drying herbs I could just dectect the faintest whiff of Murphy Oil Soap. Louise and I stood in the middle of the living room and gazed.

“The furniture looks startled,” Louise said.

“It’s beautiful,” I said. “And here they are.”

:”Welcome to our home. We’re so glad you could come,” Mama was saying to the Mitchells. “Come out onto the porch. You will be interested to see the wasp who lives there. It’s a solitary wasp, quite rare. . . . I know it looks a bit cleared out in here, my girls have been cleaning. Bailey, Louise, come and meet these Mitchells.”

We sat on the porch for a while, bundled up in coats, and watched the last petals of the sasanquas drift to the ground. Mr. Mitchell examined the neat, round hole of the solitary wasp with some interest.

“Do you have a knowledge of the hymenoptera, Mr. Mitchell?” Mama asked. And she was off.

Mrs. Mitchell had smiley eyes and a knowing look. She leaned over to Louise and me. “It’s the cleanest house I’ve ever seen,” she whispered. We were friends. Louise and I took her to the kitchen to help with the food.

Other guests arrived—our brother and his family, aunts and uncles, and the bridal couple. The house was full of talk and laughter. We brought out food and more food. Everyone sat down.

Then, “Where’s Daddy?” asked the bride.

Sure enough, an empty chair . . . two empty chairs.

“Where’s Mama?” asked Louise.

“On the porch?”

No.

“Everyone please start. The food will get cold,” I said. “I’ll go find them.”

Outside, the temperature was dropping. This was the last day the garden would be green. I wandered along the path, following the scent of bruised basil until I heard voices way in the back of the yard.

Mr. Mitchell: “ . . . and this is?”

“Franklinia altamaha, Mr. Mithcell and quite a spectacular specimen if I do say so.”

“The famous Lost Franklinia of John Bartram,” Mr. Mitchell murmured reverently, gazing up into its branches. “I have never seen one.”

The sun shining through the crimson leaves of the Franklinia lit up the air with a rosy glow. Mr. Mitchell was holding her arm in his and gesturing with her walking stick. She was cradling some stalks of red erythrina berries in their black pods.

Mr. Mitchell turned slowly and looked over the garden. “Silver bells, shadbush, euonymous, bloodroot, trillium”—he named them off. “Mrs. White, I’ve been collecting rare plants and heirloom seeds all my life, and I’ve never seen anything to equal this.”

“It’s an old lady’s pleasure, Mr. Mitchell,” said my mother. “Now wait until I take you to the dump and show you my bones. Louise threw them out,” she whispered hoarsely, “but I know right where they are. We’ll get them tomorrow if you’re interested. You will be kind enough not to mention it to my girls.”

“It would be my extreme pleasure to see your collection of bones, Mrs. White,” said Mr. Mitchell. And slowly he led her out of the pink glow and back to the party.

The next day Louise came over, and we went to sit in the kitchen and drink hot chocolate with Mama and congratulate ourselves on a job beautifully done. But Mama was not in her chair. There was a note on the kitchen table. It was typewritten. Every letter was clear and black and even.

Sorry I missed you girls. Mr. Mitchell and I have gone on a little errand.

Make yourselves some hot chocolate.

Love, Mama

Punch Needle Rug and New Followers!

2010-03-01T12:31:00.002-05:00

A Punch Needle Rug and New Followers!

I have finally finished a punch needle rug for my log cabin which is currently under construction by DH (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for snow tomorrow so he will be home to work on it!) I drew the design based on what I could see of one in my dream log cabin that I posted pix of a few weeks back. It was one featured in Veranda magazine in 1989! You could barely see the top third of it and I drew a design freehand and filled in what I couldn't see with a little scene. I see that there are some white spots showing through--I seem to be having a bit of difficulty catching on to the subtle nuances of the technique which mainly involves punch, drag, punch, drag. . . but for some reason, perfection eludes me. But I guess it's nothing a black Sharpie can't disguise. And also, no veins in the leaves which I should have included. I would love any construcive critiques!
Here is a closeup. Glenda Howell of Peppercorn Minis who makes beautiful rya rugs, has graciously agreed to test this pattern herself and I may refine it and offer it as a pattern in my little Etsy shop to see if there are any takers.
You can find several sources for miniature punch needle rugs, patterns, kits and instruction around the web and I've added some of the sites of my links list at the bottom of my blog including Janet Conner renders both large sized hooked rugs and offers lovely little mini's. I wrote her to tell her I appreciated her tips and added her site to my links list and she wrote me back a very gracious response. I also love Joan Grimord's designs and have done her little bunny rug for Joanna's dollhouse bathroom. Also there is Attic Heirlooms and Amherst Antiques among other sites offering miniature punch needle designs and information. You can click on any of the titles and go to their websites.

I would also like to thank the following new followers and remind everyone that I do plan to have a blog giveaway at some point (after I've participated in a planned swap or two and get some things ready to go)!

Whittaker's Miniatures- I have followed their blog for years but 'misplaced' them when I changed my blog name and had to go out and find everyone again!

Jenny Matlock--Jenny has several blogs and seems to be a happy person and I've added her main blog to my list to follow.

Kiva Atkinson--Kiva's beautiful polymer clay foods are world-renowned and I'm privileged to have her follow me.

Mini Maker--Her blog, My Small Obsessions and her website have some lovely items to get lost in and I am sure I will have to navigate my way back out on a regular basis.

Karin--I didn't see a blog link and I'm not sure if you are Karin Corbin whose blog I love for the woodworking, brick making and other tutorials. If not, I welcome you Karin and if you have a blog I can add to my list, let me know.

Anneke--Is a relatively new blogger (and new to me especially and I'm glad I found her) from the Netherlands who shares her mini projects.

Claudia--Whose lovely blog, Mockingbird Hill Cottage, has lots of cozy, cottagy eye candy to peruse.

Click on any of their names and it will take you straight to their blogs (unless I misspelled anything) and I have also added them all to my blog list and will try to visit them as often as I can to see what they are up to. Thank you all!

2010-02-27T08:07:00.002-05:00

I would like to thank Glenda at Peppercorn Minis who passed this beautiful Kreativ Blogger Award to me and the stipulations are:

1. Thank the person that has given it to you.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that nobody knows.

5. Nominate 7 kreativ bloggers.

6. Post link to the 7 blogs that you nominate.

7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs nominated.

Hmmmm. . . . I'm a pretty boring, very transparent person so it's difficult to think of seven things about myself but here goes (I apologize in advance for boring you to tears if you read this--fair warning!):

1. I was adopted as a three month old infant through the state and feel that I was very lucky to have landed with the family I did but the drawback is a total lack of family medical history and a curiosity about possible genetic relatives.
2. I have tinnitus so hear a constant high pitched ringing in my ears that is loudest at night when the house is quiet and sometimes wakes me up.
3. I have always wanted to write a novel and have started a few plot lines but never finished them giving up in lack of self-confidence.
4. I come across as a very confident, bold, funny person who never meets a stranger but in big groups like parties, I am reluctant to meet new people and stick by my husband like glue.
5. I had surgery for skin cancer over my right eye two years ago with a skin graft from my right clavicle and am now paranoid about any suspicious little bump or lump and really need to have one checked out just now in my breast (too much info--sorry).
6. I had an irrational fear I wouldn't be able to have children as a young bride (possibly due to being adopted and feeling I was genetically 'alone' in the world) and promptly had two 21 months apart five years after we were married and then when they were 9 and 7, another one! We both got 'fixed'. LOL! But I appreciate my husband and children every day and know i don't deserve them.
7. I feel overwhelmingly guilty for not having established a lucrative career and only working part-time to be home with my children for the majority of our marriage which included a big crash and burn business failure from which we paid back every penny and I have tried to make a home business of every hobby and talent I have! So far, I've only been very marginally successful and survive paycheck to paycheck on my little pittance working part-time at a quilt shop while DH pays the lion's share of bills and yet, I persist and probably couldn't even get a full-time job now in our current economy so missed the boat somewhere along life's rocky shore! LOL! (Sorry to have put anyone to sleep who read this whole little diatribe of personal info!)

Anyhoo, I'd like to pass it on to the following seven bloggers I enjoy visiting:

Dale at Dale's Dreams
Lin at Lins Miniature Art Form
Carol at Wee Cute Treasures
Emmaflam & Miniman at Paris Miniautures
Jocelyn at AiClay
Deb at Loyalist Cottage
Miniature Patisserie Chef

Pussman's Blue Bear Giveaway and New Minis

2010-02-25T20:47:00.002-05:00

Pussman & Company Little Blue Bear Giveaway

Pussman & Company is celebrating her third year of blogging by giving away a special little blue bear. All you have to do is leave a comment and link the little bear to your blog.

I also thought I would show off two new mini acquisitions. A yellow handled broom from Marquis Miniatures on Etsy, a fellow member of Team MIDS, which will look perfect in my log cabin and a lovely rug from Dollhouse Decor, also on Etsy.

2010-02-23T16:10:00.000-05:00

If anyone can tell me how to upload multiple images in the new version, please let me know! I've tried it three times and it only uploads one.

Box Pleated Floral Sofa and Occasional Table

2010-02-23T15:52:00.000-05:00

A Box Pleated Sofa and an Occasional Table

I just finished my first little sofa with box pleats and am pleased with how it turned out. I also have already sold one of the little occasional tables on Etsy and so have made two more to list.

I Won! Thank You!

2010-02-22T08:23:00.003-05:00

I am so excited! I was first runner up in the Valentine's drawing at Paris Miniatures! I have copied and pasted the entry here: Thank you so much! I was thrilled!!!!!!

Are You a Winner?! Avez-vous gagné?!

Ok, the draw has been made! The names of all entrants were written on pink card hearts (to keep with the Valentine's theme!) and we're delighted to announce that the lucky winner of our Valentine's Day give-away of a Limited Edition "Le Valentin 2010" is....

Ça y est, on a fait le tirage au sort, les noms étaient écrits sur des petits cœurs en bristol rose, pour rester dans l'ambiance, bien mélangés, et voici ce que j'ai pioché, les les yeux fermé, sans respirer (pour pas éparpiller les petits cœurs!!)

Sylvia at

Lotjes Dollshouse

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

FELICITATIONS!!!!

Not you? Well hang on...there are two runners up!

C'est pas vous? Pas grave....il y a encore deux chances!

The first runner up wins a Red Rose Valentine's Cupcake Pastry Set...

Le premier gagne un petit assortiment de pâtisseries de Saint Valentin en rouge.....

and it's going to....

Jody at
Peach Blossom Hill

The second runner up wins a Pink Rose Valentine's Cupcake Pastry Set...
Et l'autre un petit assortiment de pâtisseries de Saint Valentin en rose....

which has been won by....

Elena from
Mondodifavola

Congratulations to all three of you!
Félicitations à vous trois!

To claim your prize, email us as soon as possible at parisminiatures@gmail.com with your full name and postal address.

Thank you to everyone who took part in this give-away and we're sorry that not everybody could win...
Merci à tout le monde d'avoir participé, pas de gagnant en France, et nous sommes désolés que tout le monde n'ait pas pu gagner...

Chin up, there will be more give-aways...keep your eyes on the blog et have a great Sunday!
Mais ne désespérez pas, on y a pris goût, on le refera....gardez un œil sur le blog, et bon dimanche, les gens!

Thank You, Vicky!

2010-02-21T07:06:00.002-05:00

Thank You, Vicky

Vicky Guile passed on the Sunshine Award to me on her blog and I so appreciate it as I have been absent from our blogosphere for a little while and this is my first award on getting back to it!

The award requires that you:

1. Post the award on my own blog.
2. In a blog post, name six blogs that I enjoy.
3. Let your six named bloggers know that you are passing the award on to them.

And I would like to pass it on to:

Kim at It's a Miniature Life
Katie at Katie's Clay Corner
Carol at Wee Cute Treasures
Kathi at Beautiful Mini Blessings
Kim at Flowers and Art
Eva at Mini Escenas y Manualidades

My Mini Acquisitions at the Atlanta Show!

2010-02-20T08:59:00.002-05:00

My Mini Acquisitions at the Atlanta Show

Our whole family including my reluctant 17 year old son, Ben, went to the Atlanta show last weekend. Among my new treasures are a Boston Terrier for a planned Wofford College (my Dad's alma mater and my daughter's college) room box and the exact Brodnax material I needed for my log cabin curtains.
These were items I bought from Wright Guide Miniatures. Such a nice couple and such wonderful items. I especially love the Miracle Gro spikes and the Duracell batteries! Oh, and I forgot to show the Alka Seltzer. The Wrights have a website and I think it's listed in my website list at the bottom of my blog.
The little resin bunny I intend to put a little hat on for spring scenes and the porcelain bunny is my Lynn McEntire. I will try to add her website later but my computer isn't cooperating just now and I'm hurriedly posting before work with curlers in my hair!
The soil and lovely calendar are also from the Wright's and I forget the vendors from whom I bought the mugs.
The stag head was my splurge from Michael Reynolds of Exceptional Miniatures. Though I am not a hunter and we love the small herd of deer who bed down in our pasture at night (last Wednesday returning from our Ash Wednesday church service we counted 12!), every cabin has to have a deer head.

The show was a lot of fun and I was so glad we got to go as we have no brick and mortar mini shops in our region. I also have new followers to welcome and will do that in my next post but thank you so much! Now to get ready for work!

Some Days . . . . .

2010-02-18T13:45:00.003-05:00

. . . . It doesn't do any good to get out of bed. I seem to have confused my Nicky's and my Nikki. I cannot be trusted to blog without help and poor Debbie with her current health issues is having to try to keep me straight as if she has time for that!!!!! LOL!

Here is what she wrote: Jody,
you've made another boob. LOL
Nicky cc or Nicky Cooper is the lady that makes the Dolls. http://nickycc.blogspot.com/
Nicky Rowe is the one that makes the Witchy stuff and she is the one you got confused with Mike Rowe
on face book. http://nikkinikkinikki72.blogspot.com/
Love Deb x

So my most profound apologies to our two Nicky's/Nikki's and to poor Debbie who has to travel all the way across the pond to try and get me sorted out! Thank you, Debbie, now go back to concentrating on staying well for us all!

Geesh! What a ditz I can be some days. Okay, back to work cutting fabric!

My Woops!

2010-02-18T12:40:00.002-05:00

This morning in my haste to get a post in and rush to work, I neglected to investigate thoroughly and missed three blogs. One is Nikki whom I did n0t recognize by her full name and thought was already a follower. She can be found at http://nickycc.blogspot.com/. She already knows I can be daft as the other day on Facebook, I gushed over her double barrel shotguns thinking it said Mike Rowe, not Nikki Rowe! Feeling my way through the internet without glasses that day!

Also, Debra Cripps, whose blog I already have on my list, can be found at http://loyalistcottage.blogspot.com/.

And Jain Squires can be found at http://giddykipperdolls.blogspot.com/ and I have her listed as well.

My apologies for the oversight's and I hope everyone will visit you!

Welcome to New Followers and Thank You!

2010-02-18T08:07:00.002-05:00

Welcome to New Followers and Thank You for Dropping By!

I have reached a milestone on my blog of now over 200 followers and I am working on some items to give away very soon as a celebration! I borrowed the above image from HGTV's Dream Home 2009. Such a lovely entranceway!

As I am typing this before I leave for work I can't give details about each one's blogs and talents but I have added those who have blogs to my blog list and hope you will check them out and follow them. Some are new bloggers and some offer tutorials and helpful hints and information. I thank them all for dropping by and visiting me! And just to think that when I began blogging about mini's I thought I was alone out here! So many to get around to and visit--I'll drop in between my mini pursuits, work, three children and life in general and I hope you will do the same here!

CW Poppets of http://cwpoppets.blogspot.com/.

De of http://De-lightfulminis.blogspot.com/

Blue Kitty of http://bluekittyminiatures.blogspot.com/

Daisy of http://antiquedaisy.blogspot.com/

Norma of http://makeminemini.blogspot.com/

Josje of A Beautiful World, http://josje-bouwt.blogspot.com/

Mini Crochet Mad of http://minicrochetmad.blogspot.com/

George The Mini Guy of http://georgetheminiguy.blogspot.com/

Anna Philpot of http://miniannalee.blogspot.com/

Teresa of http://thisandthatminiaturesandlife.blogspot.com/

Carol of http://weecutetreasures.blogspot.com/

Dawn of http://inmyminiatureworld.blogspot.com/

Debra Cripps (I don't see a blog for Debra but if you have one, please let us know!)

Karin F of Mini Ramblings and Musings, http://orrlkaemusings.blogspot.com/

MiniatureAllSorts (Again, I didn't find a blog but let me know where to find you!)

Aru of http://aruoc.blogspot.com/

Silki Janas-Schloesser of http://silkesminiatures.blogspot.com/

Richard of Mini By Design, http://bogey-minibydesign.blogspot.com/

Cre8, Andrea Stiner Herrera who has several blogs including http://cre8tivecrafting.blogspot.com/
http://tinycrafts.blogspot.com/

Jain Squires (I didn't find a blog for Jain but again, let me know!)

Mags Cassidy of http://mags-nificentminiatures.blogspot.com/

Nicola-Anne Cooper (again, no blog was listed but thank you, Nicola and let us know if you have a website or are blogging)!

Practicing Upholstering and a Blue Hydrangea

2010-02-08T15:49:00.002-05:00

Practicing Upholstery

In addition to a few more hydrangea's on Etsy, I have been trying to master upholstering. This sofa was my first piece and there was quite a learning curve involved. I actually lay in bed when I couldn't sleep trying to figure out how best to tackle it. The next one I try, I will do the stuffing differently and also make a few other changes but basically, I like it! I would say more but we've got to head to piano lessons! Later!

Thrilled Beyond Words!

2010-02-05T08:39:00.002-05:00

Thrilled Beyond Words: My Dream Come True!

My poor long-suffering husband, Jerry, has not only put up with my various hobbies and creative pursuits which have run the gammut from oil painting to quilting to polymer clay and evolved to miniatures, but he supports me and helps me through everything I try (though it doesn't end up bringing us a single dime).

Years ago, in 1989, three years after we were married--yes, 25 years this July!--I bought an issue of Veranda magazine. In it was a feature spread on a log cabin in Highlands, NC just a few hours above us, owned by two designers from Atlanta. I fell in love with it. I kept that magazine dreaming of having a miniature log home one day based on that very cabin called Suga Place. In the ensuing years, through three children, the loss of a business, losing my mother to cancer and many more of the stresses, upheavals, sorrows and joys we experience along the route of marriage, I collected mini's toward my cabin including the red checked chairs by Lee's Line, a bear hall tree by Jeanetta Kendall and the skis pictured below by Taller Targioni of Spain.
And now, Jerry is building my dream cabin. My logs will be squre instead of round and some of the furnishings will be quite different but it will be based as closely as possible to Suga Place.
Ironic that part of their decor included minaiture room boxes like the one shown above on the dresser. You can enlarge the pix to see!
While I won't have a mini sheepdog, I may try to sculpt a Golden Doodle like our Scout. I do have the bear hall tree packed away and waiting.
Skis by Taller Targioni of Spain--one of my prized posessions I purchased from SP Miniatures several years ago.

Welcome to New Followers

2010-02-03T09:01:00.002-05:00

Welcome! And Thanks to All Who Stop By!

As I've changed my blog name to Peach Blossom Hill and have sold several items on Etsy this year, I am so grateful for those of you who drop by to see what I'm up to, especially since I am often a sporadic blogger. I hope to be a more steady blogger and not let life's little incidents (and large incidents) keep me from it this year. And I hope to keep adding items to my little Etsy shop. Soon, I plan to have a blog giveaway just for being such a pain and asking everyone to update my blog name on their list! LOL! Thank you to all who visit me here and I hope you'll keep checking in.

I'd like to welcome some of my new followers: Julie Kendall, doll artisan

Tabitha Corsica of http://tabithacorsica.blogspot.com/

Ana Anselmo of http://miniaturesforever.blogspot.com/

Wendie Hurrell of http://wendiesminiworld.blogspot.com/

Lin's Minis of http://linsminis.blogspot.com/

Asuka Sakumo of http://asukas.blogspot.com/ Cloudy Purple Sky

Savannah Kelb of http://minimumbler.blogspot.com/

Two Huge Events!!

2010-01-31T09:30:00.002-05:00

Two Huge Events Here: A Name Change and Snow!

When I began blogging several years ago, I started with a quilting blog, jumped in and joined several groups and rings. A few years later, my focus changed more toward miniatures so I started my mini blog but what to name it? I really don't know what posessed me to name it Mini Leaps and Bounds but that's what I plunged in with and I hardly found anyone else out there blogging about mini's at the time (I'm sure you were there but I didn't find you!)

Over the years, I had come to dislike the name Mini Leaps and Bounds and wanted to change but was warned that I would lose everything and start over. Evidently they've changed that--I hope. So, when I opened my little mini-focused shop on Etsy, Peach Blossom Hill, I decided to change my name to that here on Blogger as well so if you need to change anything, I hope you will take a minute to do that.

Also, big for us here in the south and in the shadows and foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, we got a good snow over this weekend--enough to get out and sled and play a while yesterday. Normally the mountains knock it off of us.

So, welcome to Peach Blossom Hill and I hope you will bear with me as this little name change takes place!

New Mini Items

2010-01-26T08:16:00.002-05:00

New Mini Items for my Etsy Shop

I promise I will get around to checking in with everyone soon. I feel like I am running just to catch up and trying to get things made for my Etsy shop. Otherwise, it will be Hi Ho, Hi Ho, Off to Work I Go full-time and who wants that? I like my little part-time gig although it's not making us rich.

Anyhoo, here is another little hydrangea I've made as well as my first official piece of furniture made with my new Microlux saw! It is a primitve country cupboard (emphasis on primitive). I had fun going through my kitchen items to show it filled with various goodies. To give credit, some of the canned goods are by the late Mary Escher; the dough board is by Sir Thom Thumb, the crock by Jane Graber,the bean pot by Sam Dunlap, the fan on top by Warwick Miniatures and the polymer clay tomatoes in the wooden barrel by me!
I painted the seascape over the mantle, made the poly clay goose, the hydrangea and the poly clay peaches in the basket on the table. The upholstered chair and coffee table are by Lee's Line and the 'rattan' chair is by Take A Seat.

New Laptop! Back in Business!

2010-01-20T08:07:00.002-05:00

A New Laptop and a New Toy!

Before Christmas, my laptop with all of my pix and documents in it died. I thought it was the battery and after the holidays, I used part of my Christmas $$ to buy one. It was still dead. So, I was mourning, sitting on the ash heap, rending my clothes and gnashing my teeth as I couldn't afford a new one. I also took over DH's laptop to check my e-mails. He finally got tired of my pity party and bought me a new one! So I AM BACK!!!!!

Also, for my birthday, January 7th, my in-law's bought me a Micro Mini saw. They and DH felt sorry for me as the little table below I made one day with a hand saw, an X-acto blade, a mess of stain and a worn piece of sandpaper. It only took me all day to make one slightly dilapidated, crooked little 'Primitive' table.

And we discovered that there is a Woodcraft store in Greenville, near where DH works so I can buy 1/8" pieces of domestic and exotic woods without paying shipping and seeing the grain for myself. Now if I can master the little saw, I can make mini furniture which is top on my to-do list just now.

I did manage to put together a music room box for my sister in law who plays piano and harp. This was her Christmas gift from us and I wrapped each item separately for her to open. I made the peach roses and the window treatments. Everything else was purchased.
Lastly, this is one of the hydrangea's I just sold on Etsy in my little shop. It is on its way to Spain! I have a lightbox where I set up little scenes to showcase my wares. I also made the goose on the mantle. I have several more geese and a coral hydrangea in the works I hope to have ready soon. It feels so good to be back. I'd also like to welcome Troy Bettridge, http://tulsatinystuff.blogspot.com/ to the world of miniagture blogging. I'm sure others have heard from him also and would like to visit his blog and welcome him and start following as I intend to do. I thank him for spurring me to post my first entry with my new laptop. I will visit you all as soon as I can. I work today but will try to check in tonight.

Furnished Dollhouse at Hospice of the Carolina Foothills

2009-12-12T09:53:00.002-05:00

Furnished Dollhouse at Hospice of the Foothill Carolinas Thrift Barn

My friend, Tammy, let me know that there was a fully furnished dollhouse up for auction at the Hospice of the Carolinas Thrift Barn in Landrum, http://www.hocf.org/services/thrift_barn.php my hometown. So, as my Dad and I were heading to the cemetery to place Christmas greenery and bows on several graves, including that of my mother who died of cancer seven years ago, I told him I'd come up his way and we'd go see the dollhouse. You can read the poignant story about Lisa Owens who lovingly built it and furnished it but sadly lost her battle to diabetes in 1997. Her parents donated the dollhouse and to add to its bittersweet story, a man who is also under Hospice care and has a bad tremor, took all of the accessories out of the plastic bags labeled as to which rooms they belonged and put it all back together including the individual books in the bookcase and tiny figurines throughout the house. They graciously allowed me to take pix and to post about the house in my blog. The house is up for auction until December 19th and they are hoping to raise as much as they can for this valuable operation. As Hospice is dear to our hearts, I hope some local folks will see this and want this beautiful house for a special person in their lives. And to all, in case I don't get to blog much between now and then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christine's 12 Days of Christmas!

2009-12-10T09:42:00.003-05:00

If you run over to Christine V's blog today, Candid Canine, http://candidcanine.blogspot.com two of my little Christmas scenes from Etsy are featured in her 12 Days of Christmas! I can't upload pix of my own just now as my laptop battery has decided to die right here at Christmas when any $$ has to go for presents, food, my son's senior trip, etc. so when I get Christmas funds, I'll be back in the saddle! I am actually typing this at work before the day officially begins! And I do intend to visit with everyone soon. It's been utter chaos around these parts lately but I do wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and a very Happy and prosperous and healthy New Year!

Been Gone Too Long!

2009-11-20T08:06:00.003-05:00

A Christmas Goose

A Christmas goose in 1:12th scale for your holiday or year-round country decor. One of my goals is to create folk and country decor items in miniature. This goose is from polymer clay over a wire and foil armature and is painted with crackle medium. He has glass seed bead eyes.
A country Christmas living room scene. Pottery by Butt Hinge; chair and coffee table by Lee's Line and the pewter biscuit box is by Warwick Miniatures.
Polymer clay Santa figurine. The 'fur' trim is dusted with diamond dust glitter but it doesn't show in the photo. I was individually hand sculpting these little guys but finally was able to create a little poly clay two part mold so I can turn them out a little faster.
A Christmas living room scene. I've had this fireplace kit by House of Miniatures (remember them?) for about 20 years or so and finally put it together and love it.
Another Christmas goose with removable evergreen and 'berries' wreath. Polymer clay over a wire and foil armature painted white with glass seed bead eyes.

I promise I will get around to 'visit' everyone soon and my profound apologies for neglecting to stop in and admire all of your wonderful accomplishments!

Every time I get into a regular blogging routine of sorts, life intervenes and all kinds of things happen at once. I won't even bore you with all the details. Suffice it to say that poor little Joanna, 10, the child who still loves me fiercely (the other two are 17 and 19--need I say more?!) still has a shell of a dollhouse waiting to be finished. And I had such high hopes of displaying it this Christmas, all alit, furnished and resplendent. So, my guilt at having abandoned it to start up my little Etsy endeavors has also partly kept me from blogging but I'm going to get back in the groove and hopefully this winter, we'll be able to work on Joanna's house and get it finished.

Just Checking In!

2009-11-11T09:34:00.001-05:00

Business continues around here and yesterday my 10-year-old, Joanna, and I suffered a tragedy. Running late to pick her up from school, I jumped in the car and didn't see my sweet kitty of 16 years, Priss either darting into or out of the garage and I ran over her. I had to scoop her up and place her on the back step and by the time we got home, she had died. So this morning I am still grieving as I prepare to head to work.

I promise I am working on some mini endeavors and also preparing for a Bring Your Own Art show with some of my quilting/fiber arts pieces. I will be back soon and running around checking in on everyone. I hope you all are well and I miss you. I'll be with you soon!

Gracious! Where Does the Time Go?!

2009-10-15T20:00:00.003-04:00

On the Passage of Time and An Award!

I can't believe I've had so much going on that I've neglected my little blog so badly. Now that our party is over, the house is looking better than it has in years and I've added several little things to my Etsy shop so it won't look so pitifully empty, I am hoping to get back in the saddle of posting more often and visiting everyone to see what you're all up to! This was the Halloween basket I threw together to fill an empty corner before my in-law's 50th wedding anniversary party at our house this past Saturday evening. (Of course, then I visited William Bezek, the Artist, at his blog I saw how simple and droll my little effort was! If you haven't visited his house for Halloween, head over there this minute for a treat! http://williambezek.blogspot.com/2009/10/haunting-house.html?showComment=1255650964954#c8200450395236479193

The anniversary party was wonderful. Everyone had a good time. And as one was brought from assisted living in a wheelchair, another is on a walker as she is a bad diabetic who can no longer feel her feet and another brother is on a cane and in his late 80's, I was glad we could host it. I'll post a few more pix soon but am just literally rushing through. The one drawback to the event was that my son, Ben, 17, called the night before to say he had run his truck off in a ditch with his girlfriend in the truck and it was a dark, rainy, bad night. We were able to get the truck out with DH's farm truck, they weren't hurt, hadn't been drinking, no other vehicles were involved so we have lots to be thankful for. However, the truck was pretty much totalled. But again, they weren't hurt--or killed. And her Mom showed up to take her home and couldn't have been more kind, understanding or gracious.
This is a little Gothic mirror I just listed in my little Etsy shop today (I promise I won't bore you to tears but as this is the season . . .). It is made from a press mold of a circa 1980's belt buckle, polymer clay painted and dusted with gold dust and glitter and spray-sealed). And it sort of represents a major milestone for me. I have had Photoshop for three years and never learned to use it. As I took pix of the reflection of my hands and camera in the mirror, I was able to 'paint' it out--TADA! Made me feel all accomplished. Oh, and I made the poly clay crow, too.
Back to the party, this was the centerpiece my SIL brought up from Georgia and below was the front of the house with newly spiffed up and re-stained front door, rockers, church pew and the mums I bought for the occasion.
And lastly, thanks to Kathi from Beautiful Mini Blessings and Victoria from Little Boxes for the award! I promise I will pass it on ASAP--although most of you have already received it--when I get another chance to stop by. I would also like to say I am so happy that Debbie is back with us and recovering from her open heart surgery. I've sent many prayers out for her 'homecoming' back to us! And a huge thank you to Nikki for listening and trying to help me resolve a big eBay/Paypal issue of late. I owe her in a huge way. What a wonderful community of mini bloggers we have. I am gratefu for you all and so admire your tremendous talents. I aspire to your levels! Oh, and I must post pix of the little gifts I received from another special blogger, Kathy Calhoun and I will have to pass it on to those who post a comment when I post pix! So, I will be back with you soon! Thank you for missing me. I've missed you, too!

Etsy Shop Now Open!

2009-09-16T17:34:00.002-04:00

I've Opened An Etsy Shop!

Not that I will constantly blog about my little Etsy endeavors but I have opened a little shop, Peach Blossom Hill, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7945829 and am still hoping for that first little sale! I thought I had one but as it is with fishing, she nibbled on the line but then evidently changed her mind and the line went slack!

So, I have been feverishly working on a few mini paintings and other items but life in general keeps thwarting my efforts at every turn. School back in session always stomps me into the mud and takes about three months for me to adjust. We're hosting my in-law's 50th anniversary party the first of October so doing some major house overhauls and we're having a big yard sale this Saturday. Plus a few minor little hormonal and TMJ issues I'm seeing the doc about next week have really wreaked havoc on my emotions and creative juices lately. That, and the normal stresses of life in general.
In addition, while I try to be a good fellow blogger, I'm way behind on reading what everyone is up to so need to get around to at least saying hi and checking in. I'm hoping Debbie from Tiny Treasures is on the mend.

A Wedding and Some Mini Progress

2009-08-30T08:52:00.002-04:00

A Few of the Min's I've Been Working On and a Wedding!

The above picture is of a sewing cabinet I've put together in hoping I can reopen my Etsy shop soon with an emphasis on miniatures. It's either find ways to make extra dough or find that dreaded mind-numbing full-time 9 to 5 gig. In the foreground are hydrangea's. I am a messy crafter so you see all the bits and pieces of glue and paper lying around. The true me.
I've also been working on some poly clay pumpkins, a rooster decorator item and a rabbit. The rooster will be painted some more before he is done. Now this rabbit is to be furred. Therefore he is probably entirely too big and fat! I've got to learn to sculpt smaller and leaner but at least, I think, he captures the essence of 'rabbit'. At least I hope! The pile of leaves are some I've punched and painted with acrylics.
Joan A. from one of the Yahoo Groups I'm a member of announced a mini e-mail yard sale and I wrote asking for this china set and the brass pitcher. The tea kettle was a Dejoux Miniatures purchase. Joan kindly offered in lieu of an outright sale, a trade. I'm to make her some drapes and Colonial diapers (so if anyone knows how Colonial diapers may have differed from modern cloth diapers, I'm all ears--I Google'd it and found nada except that babies during that time wore long dressed regardless of gender).
I also got around to pouring some of my House of Caron housewares molds. Alot of pouring to go before I fill up the Skutt kiln with these tiny wares!
And this is the bride and groom, Victoria and Justin. I grew up with his mother and as my late mother used to direct weddings, I am sometimes asked to direct them for folks from my hometown. Jerry, Maggie and I did Justin's older sister, Erin's wedding and his, last night, was the fourth we've done. It went very weel. She was radiant and beautiful and he was very handsome in his tux. Plus there were two precious flower girls, a beautiful little miniature brider, her young sister and a handsome miniature groom as well as the beautiful young maids, matrons and groomsmen. It was a fun wedding and reception. And as Maggie and Jerry do most of the actual traffic control, Jerry heads up the ushers responsibilities and Maggie the bridesmaids, I mainly run around pinning on corsages, checking on the guest arrivals and wring my hands. So, a good working relationship. And as this bride and groom are both sherrif deputies, I wish them a lifetime of happiness and safety!

We Got Our Bike, Me 24 Years Ago, Stuff . . .

2009-08-17T18:55:00.003-04:00

We Got Our Bike!

Remember I wanted Joanna's house to have a bike like Amyla's on Flickr (see my previous post a few weeks ago)? We got our bike from Hong Kong and I love it! It is 1:12th scale and the back wheels even spin when you turn the pedals! We got it from Speedfind on eBay, and the price was great. I think it was $2.95 plus about $10 shipping. So, I highly recommend them now!

ANIMOTO. Another great site I found through the Etsy forums is Animoto!! You can upload your photos from a photo site or your picture files on your computer, choose a song and they create a little short movie for you. A lot of Etsy vendors are using it to promote their shop items. I made one of my three children when they were small and plan to make more. You have to scroll all the way down to the bottom to see it.

Also, check out the Back to School Sale at Dejoux Miniatures. I feel party responsible for Charles Deyou, owner, extending the recent sale he offered on his already low prices. I wrote and told him it was back to school time and therefore I couldn't take advantage of the sale because of back to school expenses. He wrote commisserating with me but also pointing out how difficult it is for businesses to survive with their normal margins which I do understand having owned businesses and working for a small business. So, go shop at Dejoux and enter code 0904BTS to save 15% on your entire order! I'll go there this week as well.

Now I thought I would show you what I looked like 24 years ago. I found my engagement picture taken when I was a 22 year old college senior and ready to get married a month after graduation. Look at all of that hair and the lack of pudginess and wrinkles! Three children and almost a quarter of a century later, as you can see from my profile pix, I don't quite look the same!

Bunny Rug Attempt and Official Documents

2009-08-14T07:42:00.002-04:00

My Attempt at One of Joan Grimord's Rugs

I've sent this pix of my nearly completed attempt at her punch needle bunny rug to Joan Grimord to see if she thinks the 'extra small' needle for the Cameo Punch is actually not small enough for her little rugs. I'm not entirely happy with this poor little guy but he is going in Joanna's nursery anyway when he's finished. I teach quilting classes, do thread paintings, mastered heirloom sewing and smocking but punch needle is kicking me! And, my gosh, the technique is pretty simple: Punch, drag, Punch, drag . . . . .
I finally put up our building permit--good thing we weren't fined before now having not posted it!
Now I know all of you true mini artisans in our little blogging community usually show your exquisitely beautiful finished--and perfect--creations. But being an old country shoe as I am, I show the good, the bad and the ugly. This is the progress I've made so far--the roof gave me some difficulties and I admit having to go at it with a hammer to loosen the wood glue and reposition it but I am bursting with pride: I didn't have to whine to DH! So give me a gold button. I 'done' it my own self. So there.

And as an aside, I'm actually thinking of opening an Etsy store for mini's. Between my part-time job and three children, I can't put a ton of things in but I've either got to augment my little part-time gig or go to work digging graves (about what my late great 'liberal arts' degree and my resume which screams, "Has avoided full-time employment like the plague" will qualify me for). Hay isn't selling gang busters this year and we're still trying to climb out of the hole life left us in in April when everone's cars had to have major repairs at once and some of the household appliances joined in the melee for fun and DH had to have $800 worth of wisdom teeth removed. Anyone have any advice or suggestions about Etsy mini shops?

We Got Mail! Thank you, Donna!

2009-08-07T08:00:00.003-04:00

Lookie What We Got!

Donna at Hager's Bears, http://hagerbears.blogspot.com/, was so very kind to send us one of her precious and detailed little poly clay dolls and a little teapot for Joanna's nusery! They came in the mail yesterday and we were thrilled! Her work is just exquisite as you can see. I've put them here in Joanna's nursery furniture piece to photograph. The little pink bear and the stacking toy were earlier gifts from Katie at Katie's Clay Corner, http://katiesclaycorner.blogspot.com/. They will add so much to the nursery! Thank you, Donna and also Katie.
I couldn't get Dolly to stand up but was hastily snapping these pix before I have to get ready for work. Isn't it great to be a part of such a sharing, giving community of mini friends?!

The Fourth Photo Challenge

2009-08-04T07:09:00.002-04:00

The Fourth Photo Challenge

I received the challenge making the rounds to post the fourth photo from the fourth file in your computer on your blog and pass it on to four others.

This was one of my favorite photos of Maggie, far left, and her friends, Casey, Nikki and Alex before the 2007 Chapman High Prom and thanks to Mercedes for giving me an opportunity to share it! We had the girls and the boys all go to a local park, Cleveland Park in Spartanburg and took photos around the lake and in the gazebo. They were all leaning forward to get down to little Casey's height. She may be five feet tall but I'm not sure. Aren't they beautiful?! This was my favorite of Maggie's evening gowns and she won runner up in the Miss Panorama contest in it. She looked so elegant. Lucky for her, she takes after her father in looks! LOL!

I'm passing this on to:

Casey at Casey's Minis
Kim at It's a Miniature Life
Kathi at Beautiful Mini Blessings
Evelyne at Les Carnets de l'Atelier Blondie

Accessories and a Funny Story!

2009-07-31T18:18:00.004-04:00

Accessorizing and a Little Mini Funny!While taking inventory as far as the furniture and accessories we have for Joanna's Victoria's Farmhouse, I realized there is actually more furniture than accessories. So, here are a few items we've received from various places lately including Mainly Mini's, Hobby Builder's Supply and other spots. We now have cleaner, extension cords, a smoke detector, some junk food, a porch swing, barbeque grill and US Postal Service packages.

Oh, and the trash can although I'm ashamed to see there are metal cans in there. I preach recycling around here! Oh, and I have found a bike the eBay seller claims is 1:12th and ordered it so fingers crossed it actually is 1:12th!.

Now for the funny story. Jodi Creager showed the scene she disovered, the trolls roasting poor Barbie over the heat of a saucepan! So, I thought I'd share my funny story about my 19-year-old, Maggie, one of the quintessential 'good girls' though no one can figure out where she got it-Haha.

Recently one evening, she and I were sitting on the couch watching TV and I had my laptop open perusing a mini shopping site. I periodically turned the laptop toward her to show her the goodies I was finding: "Look, Maggie! A miniature golf cart!" "Look! A mini bird feeder!" She would glance over and nod politely hardly taking her eyes off the TV. I clicked on a section titled 'Adult' Items wondering what in the world could be there??. There was a tiny garter belt, fancy fluffy bodice, jock strap, etc. and then I came upon a box of 'preventatives.' I turned the laptop to Maggie and said, "Look, Maggie! You don't want your little people reproducing at will so you have to provide these for them." She glanced over, did a double take and said, "WHAT?! I don't know what kind of dolls you had but mine were always PURE!!!!" LOL! So Funny!

Searching For A Bicycle!

2009-07-30T09:44:00.002-04:00

The Great Bicycle Search

I 'borrowed' this pix from Amyla's photostream on Flickr. She is a mixed media artist and has the most beautifully detailed dollhouse that she rescued from the landfill where someone had discarded it and which I have blogged about before. You can see her dollhouse photos on Flickr here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldinamatchbox/sets/72157603445249733/

Sometimes, I just go there for inspiration. This bicycle, I think, is a Heidi Ott. I may be wrong. I commented on the photo above which shows her riding her bicycle at age nine but must head out to work so haven't heard from her yet.

I really want this bicycle for Joanna's Victoria's Farmhouse but it has been discontinued. I've posted that I'm searching for it on the Yahoo mini groups I'm a member of, Small Stuff and now here. A few years ago, you could find this bicycle around lots of places. Now, sadly, not at all. So, if anyone out there has it, I am willing to buy or trade for it! Poor me, perpetually a day late and a dollar short in life! I am going to also peruse the toy aisle at Toys R Us and Walmart and see if I can find one that might be in scale? Wish me luck.

Happy Birthday, Joanna! And Furniture Arranging

2009-07-21T07:49:00.003-04:00

The Birthday Girl

Yesterday was Joanna's 10th birthday! I have often referred to her as the 'bonus baby' because she came along when Maggie was nine and Ben was seven and of course, we thought at 37 and 35 years of age that we were 'through'. So, she has been a joy and is my constant little companion when the other two are off doing their teenage things. Knowing I would not be baking a cake (I cook more for survival than festivities or culinary joy) her grandmother, Weewee (Maggie named her as a toddler!) brought her a cake and ice cream which we had last night around 9:30 p.m. after cleaning the kitchen and living room, and her Daddy came in off the tractor.
She and Maggie had been a friends' pool yesterday afternoon so were still in their bathring suits when we had the little 'party' such as it was. We three 'girls' are going birthday shopping today.
I did spend the day putting the second floor on Joanna's dollhouse and then arranged some furniture inside to get an idea of which rooms should become which. This will be the nursery beside the master bedroom. Maggie was relieved to see that if the baby were to climb out of the picture window, there is a porch and not just a sheer dropoff.
This was going to be the kitchen but there was no room for the cabinets and refrigerator so it will become the living room. A bit small but it will have to be cozy.
And here is the kitchen. Love this kitchen set and it is somewhat similar to our full-sized kitchen with white cabinets although our counter tops are more emerald green. Fun!

An Award! And More Progress!

2009-07-13T19:29:00.002-04:00

Casey Sent Me An Award!

Casey from http://caseymini.blogspot.com/ gave me an award and I am so honored! Among all of you very accomplished mini artisans I am but a mere amateur still searching for my niche! It is the Bella Sinclair award and according to Casey's blog, it was designed by Ces. Ces wrote:- I designed this award to celebrate art in the blogs and to honour the value of friendship, sisterhood, sharing and caring. It is to be awarded to the gifted, accomplished, eloquent and talented blogger, whose friendship and influence inspire us to do our best.would like to pass it on to:
Evelyn at Les Carnets de L'Atleier Blondie, http://lescarnetsdelatelierblondie.blogspot.com/, a new blogger who is sharing her beautiful creations and collections from Belgium;

Mary Beth McLees, a Clemson University student who I discovered on another blog and who has her whole life ahead of her. She blogs at http://mbmclees.blogspot.com/. Clemson U is about an hour from us and I had to contact Mary Beth.

Katie at Katie's Clay Corner. She is always supportive of me and has sent Joanna and me some of her lovely creations. You can find her blog on my blogroll.

Mercedes at Liberty Biberty. I am soooooo looking forward to a trade with her as, like Kim at It's a Miniature Life, she has that shabby chic, feminine touch to her creations and Joanna's dollhosuse will certianly benefit from some of Mercedes' touches!

And to K Arthur at Dollhouse Miniatures and Hitty Art by Miniature Folk Artist K Arthur who I just discovered by searching for punch needle embroidery tips and hints. She is an accomplished folk artist from Williamsburg, Virginia and sells some of her paintings and punch needle rugs on Etsy.

This is a better pix of Joanna after I snapped the one of her priming her dollhouse and looking none too happy for some reason.
And this is our housing inspector, my precious husband of 24 years, Jerry, who came home from lunch, saw that I was needing some more professional assistance and offered it even demonstrating what I should be doing as far as priming.
And this is the porch sections taped off and primed. Making progress. Yahoo!!!!!!!!

A Welcome, Progress, A Serial Killer and an Award

2009-07-06T07:46:00.002-04:00

A Welcome, Progress on the Mini's Front, A Serial Killer and an Award

I would like to welcome more followers--I now have 100! Makes me feel popular and accomplished. Thank you! I'd also like to welcome Evelyn Fontaine of Brussells who has a new blog, Les Carnets de l'Atelier Blondie, http://lescarnetsdelatelierblondie.blogspot.com/ which I am now following. Such beautiful work and attention to detail. She is an artisan.

These two pix show a new roombox I ordered from Steve Harvey on Minatures Only for only $20! I love it, have stained the exterior and am playing with the arrangement of mini's I have collected to eventually do a roombox for my daughter's college president. After hearing him speak on several occasions and meeting him, I was so impressed with him, I was inspired to do a roombox in honor of both my Dad who graduated from the college and my oldest daughter, Maggie. My DH, 'housing inspector' for my mini endeavors, however, says the light-colored desk is not good enough--it needs to be dark. He picked out a Bombay type with a mahogany finish. Hmm.
This is a pix of my garden shed which limps along. I have been so disappointed with my terrible exterior I tried with Paperclay. If anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

And this is the Gaffney 'peachoid' water tower. Gaffney has been in the news, both regionally and nationwide because we have a SERIAL KILLER in our midst. First, let me explain the 'peachoid'. It is a water tower that sits beside Interstate 85. Our Upstate region of South Carolina once grew more peaches per capita than the entire state of Georgia which calls itself the Peach State. Gaffney still grows a large number of peaches despite the urban sprawl and development everywhere. And Gaffney is probably 35 to 45 minutes' drive from us here in Inman--and parts of Cherokee County are even closer to our Spartanburg County. The serial killer has now taken the lives of five people binding and shooting them. The first was a well-known peach and hay farmer, Cash Kline, two were a elderly mother and retired school teacher and her 50-some-year-old daughter, also a teacher (and related by marriage to a relative of my mother-in-law's), and the last two were a business owner and father and his teenaged daughter who clung to life with a gunshot wound to the head until she died two days later. It is very scary and we are ALL ARMED around here (giving credence to those normally false rumors that everyone in the US South is armed to the teeth with a hair-trigger finger) and with every little bump in the night, we get up to investigate. The FBI and law enforcement from all neighboring counties including those from western North Carolina are all involved in the investigation. And as my husband is a hay farmer who sells to the public and the first victim, Mr. Kline was last seen by his wife talking to the killer who approached him about buying hay, all the youth in our church are very concerned about Jerry and say he needs to take down his 'hay for sale' sign. It's very sobering and scary so to those who are so inclined, please say your prayers that he is caught and for the families he has destroyed. Mr. Kline had just been on the news recently saying he intended to retire from peach farming to spend more times with his grandchildren. Now, he won't get that chance.
I would like to award the For the Love of Reading Award from Doreen (as seen in my last post before I got the new baby modem and now have consistent internet once again) to:

Debbie at Tiny Treasures (if you haven't already received it!)
Kim at It's a Miniature Life
Katie at Katie's Clay Corner
Donna at Never Enough Time
and Glenda at MidSouth.

The rules are:
1- collect the book that you have most handy.
2- Turn to page 161.
3- Find the 5th complete sentence.
4- Cite the sentence on your blog.
5- Pass it to 5 other blogs

Happy Fourth, Speed Posting and An Award!

2009-07-04T09:45:00.007-04:00

Happy Fourth and God Save Our Liberty! I am speed posting because my modem has died quite an untimely death at the age of six. It has been a long and painful process of diagnosing whether it was the router or the modem and after nearly 10 phone calls to either the phone company (I have memorized the syrupy recorded instructions for unplugging and re-plugging the modem which you hear in case you are too stupid to have already tried that a dozen times before calling if anyone would like to hear it) or the router company, I have success. After I called for what I deemed the last time this week and assured the fellow sitting at a desk with a list of things for me to do which involved crawling around on the floor unplugging cables and checking ports and then climbing back into the chair to 'ping' this and 'ping' that, I told him I refused to do that anymore and they could send me a new modem free of charge. After hesitating and saying, "Hmmmm . . . . ." several times, he transferred me to the billing department and the lady there agreed that I had been an excellent customer and that I could indeed, if pressed, seek internet and phone service elsewhere, complemented me on having paid my bill monthly for years and agreed to send said modem free of charge. So, for now, I get internet for maybe 15 minutes at a time and then for hours none at all. I would like to therefore thank Mrs. Topham, my high school typing teacher whose class turned out to be possibly the most valuable I sat through (although at the time it did not seem so and Mrs. Topham, not haling from the south, was constantly threatening to send me 'OAT'! which meant 'out' for talking. My humble apologies to her).

Now, Doreen over at Doreen's Miniatures, sent me a reading award and my apologies if I have to wait until Monday when the new baby modem arrives to pass it on! I doubt I would be able to make the rounds alerting everyone of its 'awardation' to them. And the book I have been currently reading, Southern Ladies and Gentlemen by Florence King pokes fun of our distinctly southern predilections, characters and sayings (one being, "Law! It's so hot, I think I might die!" and another, "Why, thank you so much. You are evuh so kind!" which I have found myself saying now and again in some form or another). And I am working on some mini's which I will photograph and show when I have a consistent; operating modem. But this book is also quite bawdy and psychoanalyzes the sexual undercurrents of southern flirting and inter-relationships and so, as I was supposed to quote the fifth complete sentence on page 161, I could not do so lest my blog be required to know whether a visitor is 18 or older?. So, I turned over to page 180 in which King was describing that wispy little gray-haired character who exists in great numbers in every southern town, the Dear Old Thing and the tendency for her long-suffering and hard-working husband to one day simply fall over dead.

"Husbands of Dear Old Things are eulogized on the obit page in tributes that have a curious tendency to begin: 'Suddenly, at his home . . . .'" It goes on: "Dropping dead is a fate that awaits him, and he seems to know it to judge from the size and type of insurance he buys. His widow never uses the expression 'dropping dead' when she describes his passing because it implies that he lived under a strain. She prefers the vaguer: 'One minute he was there, and the next minute, when I turned around, he was gone!' Her friends can empathize with this jig-time bereavement because they have experienced it, too so they reply: 'It's better that he didn't suffer.' This euphemistic exchange protects the vision of the Southern Way of Life and conceals the fact, known subconsciously to all, that the South's oak-and-ivy marital customs lead to early death from exhaustion for men and scatterbrained helplessness for women."

Doreen, thank you for the award and I will pass it on this coming week when the new shiny modem arrives. As for now, the DSL and Internet lights are blinking!!!

Hay Baling

2009-06-25T08:34:00.005-04:00

Just a quick note before work to show the hay bales and the tractors in the field. While I drove the John Deere and baled (439 square bales last night before the humidity shifted and we had to stop), Jerry, Ben and Papa, my FIL, picked them up, loaded them on the trailer and off-loaded them in the barn. Tonight, we'll hopefully get at least half as many more and that's half the field. After a few years of drought, we've had rain in abundance.

I've also included a pix of one of the daylilies. They are just about my favorite flower and I'm hoping to add more to my collection this year.

In other notes, Monday was our 24th anniversary. Thank you, Lord for a wonderful husband, good children and a wonderful life which I do not deserve but am thankful for every day.

And one last note, what was our poor Governor, Mark Sanford, thinking? He won't get elected as a dog catcher now. I feel for his wife and boys. But if you can't control your impulses, you deserve what you get, I guess.

Here's to hoping I can get back to Joanna's house soon! Headed down the hill to pick green beans before work! Have a good day.

House Paint and Summer 'Vacation'

2009-06-23T14:18:00.002-04:00

House Paint and 'What We've Been Doing On Our Summer 'Vacation''

Despite our working in our vegetable garden every other day, Joanna and I have managed to prime and paint most of the exterior of her Victoria's Farmhouse and, above, I have managed to stain a few unfinished pieces, a side table with drawers for Joanna's house and a shelf for the circa mid-40's kitchen I want to do. I also ordered a roombox from Jeff Vernon on the Miniatures Only auction site which will be a roombox for one of my SIL's for Christmas. One is British so it will have a UK theme and the other is an accomplished pianist and harpist so it will have a music theme.
Our colors for Joanna's house are Green Tea Leaf and the trim colors will be Heavy Cream and Bordeaux, a deep burgundy red. We made trips to Lowe's for samples and then quarts of paint. I told Joanna that while she and I are not professional house painters, we will have painted it ourselves (except for when Jerry came by during the priming process and took over for a few minutes giving instruction and constructive criticism of our methodism where he deemed necessary). Ben, my 17-year-old, carefully avoids the basement while we are sanding, priming or painting not wishing to be sucked in to the process in even some small way. So, the various drips, unneveness and other little flaws--let's hope they are all little flaws--will distinguish it as our very own amateur mother/daughter venture. And, I promise this pix of Joanna does not indicate coercion on my part making her paint. I don't know why the serious expression. A minute beforehand she was laughing and smiling having nearly poked me in the face with her paint brush.
These two pix show what else has taken up our time during our 'summer vacation.' The squash and cucumbers grow as we watch and stand in one place too long in between rows and you're likely to disappear underneath the umbrella of a squash plant, it's tendrils and limbs having wrapped around your ankles and taken you. Having skipped Sunday, we picked squash twice yesterday. Jerry has been taking most of our crop to work and selling it there. He generally has people lined up waiting his arrival and those who miss out standing with forlorn expressions saying, "I thought we were friends." I just hope their taste for squash continues. We also have Blue Lake green beans coming in but our tomatoes don't seem to have liked all of the rain we've gotten this spring (almost daily downpours during May and early June) so we're not getting many of those. So, anyhoo, I 'mini' in between picking, washing and bagging and work.
Woops! turn head sideways to see the squash plants! LOL!

Houston, We Have Liftoff!!!!

2009-06-05T10:19:00.002-04:00

Houston, We Have Liftoff!

Since Santa lugged the heavy box in on Christmas Eve, Joanna's dollhouse has been sitting accusingly in the box nagging me with its calm stare every time I've passed by. Yesterday, we got all the pieces out, labeled all the ones we could identify (?) and I actually glued the foundation framework together--and it seems to be square!!!!!! I know! I can't believe it either! We also stopped by Lowe's to get paint samples to bring home and mull over.

I also managed to get a sewing shadow box completed to try to sell at the Landrum Quilt Show next week. Now, I'm better at creating than pricing so if anyone has a suggestion, I'd love to hear it. Plus the shadow box, the hutch was an unfinished one from Manor House, some of the tidbits were from Paper Mini's and some of the accessories from various companies. The quilt I printed on Printed Treasures by Milliken (which is just down the road from me) and quilted with silk thread. The chair was from a kit by, oh, what's the company that did so many kits???!!! Can't recall.

Sorry for the glare from the glass but couldn't photograph it without it. This last photo is my latest thread painting on silk, roughly 4" x 6" and based on a photo by my friend, Edgar Woodfin, of a river in Tuxedo, North Carolina. This is sort of what I do, I guess in my semi-professional life. I kind of specialize in landscape quilts with thread painting but this is purely painted silk and thread.

Lastly, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! to all who welcomed me back to the world of mini's after my hiatus! Hopefully, I'm back for good now despite the curves life can throw!

Slowly Getting Back to Life in Miniature

2009-06-03T07:38:00.002-04:00

Today, for the first time in months, I am back to my blog. I've missed everyone and I will get around to visiting ASAP. The only project I'm able to work on just now is a sewing roombox I hope to sell at an upcoming quilt show next week. The pix above is from About.com featuring a contemporary sewing room by Anne Herzfeld and shown at the Seattle Miniature Show. I'm going to print this out and try to model my basement sewing/mini area on this very layout! And I'll post pix of my little shadow box as soon as the tomato pincushion arrives from Manor House Minis. It is in the mail and Deb graciously wrote to tell me it is on the way!

In case anyone is remotely interested in where I've been? I won't bore you with details but April into May had to be the most bizarre month of our 24-year marriage. We had to repair or replace about $8,500 worth of various car/truck/tractor parts and appliances which were falling apart like a house of cards plus there was a theft from our barn witnessed by a neighbor and a wreck on our property but luckily the elderly couple were not badly injured. But this major financial setback during these already turbulent times sort of put me in an identity crisis tailspin and I responded by frantically working on quilting items I could possibly sell, questioning whether a part-time job is the wisest course to continue on, cleaning out closets and craft areas, etc. To say it put me in a major funk (I won't say depression) is putting it mildly. However, all that said, I KNOW how much worse it could have been. No one was diagnosed with a fatal illness, none of my children harmed, etc., etc. and my husband, as usual, took things with a grain of salt and mapped out a recovery strategy.

We have also planted a huge vegetable garden, have been baling hay, cleaning out closets, revamping various flower beds and plantings around the farm, etc. Time for min's has been nil and none. Nada. And, as stated above, I was too busy sitting on the ash heap rending my clothese and wailing and punishing myself by denying my mini fix.

But! Hope springs eternal! School is finally out for the summer!!!!!!! Jerry bought me another long table and we will soon be getting out Joanna's dollhouse Santa brought and beginning construction. So, I'm back. To those of you who missed me (and thank you Katy for your kind note!) I appreciate it. I have missed you too.

Our Little Black Rain Cloud, Robbery and Auto Repairs

2009-04-13T13:03:00.006-04:00

This image, borrowed from minds-eye on Flickr, is like a statement of our auto issues lately!

I'm afraid I haven't accomplished anything on the mini's front over the past month and haven't even had a chance to check in. While there is nothing in the way of fatal, earth-shattering happenstances (knock on wood), we have seemed to be living under somewhat of a little black rain cloud lately. Things started with my transmission in my car at over $2,400 and then escalated to include new sparks and plugs, a rebuilt alternator and now the air conditioning system needs replacing which is going to have to wait. Meanwhile, although we had a great Spring Break with a family wedding in Georgia and then a few days at the beach, we came home to Maggie's car refusing to start so are having to borrow a trailer to get that to the mechanic's, the upstairs water heater malfunctioning and having to be replaced and now DH's wisdom teeth need taking out and the estimate we got on that after insurance is over $500.

Thrown into the mix, neighbors witnessed men who are renting a place up the road steal an item from our barn. So, that is an ongoing concern. We have their license plate number, know where they live and the county deputies are on alert to catch them but who knows how that will turn out.

There are a few other items of concern and worry but that is a long enough list to share I guess. I am trying to remind myself that things could ALWAYS be worse and we will come out on the other end of expensive repairs and setbacks eventually. We have had a lot of rain lately (and so far, have avoided the spring tornadoes which tore through less than an hour from us) so hopefully, we will get a good hay crop this year barring further disaster. As a Christian, I am trying to be thankful for blessings and not focus only on adversities and circumstances that fill you with despair but it is sometimes quite a challenge. So, my mini obsession has taken a backseat until things settle down and I figure out if there is anything I have of any value to sell! I'll try to sit down this evening and visit with you all and catch up on the going's-on of more productive people! LOL!

Still in the Box!

2009-03-25T08:17:00.002-04:00

Victoria's Farmhouse Still Waiting

I am really just posting to say things have been so hectic around here, I've accomplished nothing on the miniature front lately and Joanna's VF is still waiting to be released from its box and built. My poor van--a Dodge Sport my children call "The Red Flash' because I tend to drive fairly fast--is sick. It has had to have a very costly heart transplant (new transmission) and it's vascular system is still having issues--wires and plugs. My son, Ben, has to leave school this morning, come meet me at a mechanic's place, take me to work and then pick up his little sister and head to the dentist. And we have an out of town family wedding this weekend so The Flash has got to be up and running. We are in the throes of a bit of Spring Cleaning as well and I've tried to juggle my work schedule so I won't miss any days (since I work part-time and should have about four full-time jobs). I did get some wonderful goodies from Katie--she sent two of her wonderful shadow boxes which she shows us how to make on her blog Katie's Clay Corner. I will use one for my garden shed which is still in progress and one for Joanna's house. She also sent some wonderful polymer clay bowls and goodies for Joanna! I'll post pix when life settles down a bit. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying seeing all of your wonderful projects and accomplishments!

Thank You For The Award!

2009-03-15T09:29:00.002-04:00

Thank You, Debbie, Doreen, A.Wright and Casey!

Thank you for the Sisterhood Award--I've got to add another little sidebar for the awards I've received from my fellow miniaturalia bloggers. Debbie at Tiny Treasures is truly encouraging and welcoming. Doreen is so gracious to share all of her tips and techniques on her projects blog. I've just somehow discovered A.Wright at Every Little Thing and am still amazed at the number of talented miniaturists who blog and have enjoyed looking at her work. And Casey has such a lovely witch's cottage and little witch whose adventures make me laugh and therefore brighten my day.

As to passing this on, I'd like to pass it to Jean Day at http://jdayminis.blogspot.com/. Katie at Katie's Klay Corner, Kim at http://kimsminiatures.blogspot.com/, Jemjoop at http://jemjoop.blogspot.com/, and Donna at Never Enough Time, http://hagerbears.blogspot.com/ and to all others I follow, if you haven't recieved this award, please accept it from me!

Sue Simpson's Wizards Room

2009-03-13T10:07:00.002-04:00

Sue Simpson, Garstang, UK Wizard Tower Room

Thanks to Sue for allowing me to post pix of her delightful and professionally done wizard's tower room here! I am still plodding along on my garden shed as time allows but had to share these photos. You can find more of her work here: http://community.webshots.com/user/suedsimpson I would love to be able to master Paperclay as she has done here!

Mary's Varied Dollhouse Decor

2009-03-04T18:17:00.002-05:00

Mary Payne's Dollhouses

As I am leaving tomorrow for a quilt show in Georgia where Becky and I will vend, I won't be around to work on any of my mini projects or peruse your's so I'm leaving you with some lovely rooms you can see here: http://www.inpayne.com/.
Go to the menu to see his wife, Mary's dollhouses and roomboxes. Seems she scratch builds furniture and makes the room boxes and dollhouses to go around them. While you'll recognize many of the kits such as The Glencroft, she also builds houses from foamcore board and plywood. Above is the San Francisco Victorian Kitchen. Next we have the Grandville Master Bedroom.
Next is the Condo kitchen.
And the Condo Country Bedroom.
Last, the Farmhouse kitchen. Thanks to Mary and John for giving me permission to post pix and a link to their site on my little house on the blogosphere! I know you guys will miss me. LOL! I'll check in when I get back!

Spring Fever and Garden Shed Progress

2009-02-25T13:37:00.002-05:00

On My Days Off Work This Week, Progress on the Garden Shed

As we've had temps in the high 60's periodically lately in the midst of winter, I got spring fever so resurrected the garden shed I'm making from The Adams kit by Greenleaf. I had painted the interior seafoam green last year and partially completed the wainscoting on the bottom but was able to finish it when I bought the Ultimate Easy Cutter. Saws and I do not mix well and the Easy Cutter makes cutting wood strips and molding a 'snap', pardon the pun. I highly recommend it.

I decided to change the interior color to a sort of pinky/goldy wash and like it better. The wallpaper border strip was actually a set of scrapbook stickers I found on sale at Michael's. And the arrangement of the various elements and pieces I've collected is just a trial run to see how it will all come together when finally finished. I've got to buy more molding to finish it up but son has a follow-up surgeon's apptmt. about his broken clavicle this afternoon and then there is Ash Wednsesday practice and service and I think Ruba and I are singing a duet (?) so got to be there! Probably won't be able to get it today, darnit. But I like the progress so far. I'd love constructive criticisms and suggestions. I sort of ruined the plastic window panes so may have to take them out. Ideas???

Thank you, Jean Day!

2009-02-24T14:57:00.002-05:00

A Fabby Blog Award from THE Jean Day!

I normally don't post twice in one day but had to share Eneida Rosa's beautiful African fairy doll now on eBay earlier today (see my last post) and I'd like to thank Jean Day for this Fabby Blog Award! I couldn't believe it the other day when I checked my e-mails and there was a comment from Jean. I thought, "THE Jean Day?" I've admired her exquisite, lovely creations for years and as I have resurrected my garden shed project, I will have to visit her website and purchase some lovelies to go in it. You can visit Jean's blog at http://jdayminis.blogspot.com/.

So, I'm supposed to list five addictions and pass it on to five blogs.

1. My husband, Jerry. Not only is he tall, dark and handsome, he is the most loving, patient, caring man in the world and I count my blessings and thank the good Lord daily for him. We have a wonderful family and three children who are blessings.
2. Chocolate. Especially dark chocolate. It gets me through the winter blahs and doldrums--it's also good, I find, in spring, summer and fall.
3. Miniatures. I am 'supposed' to be a quilter and work at a quilt shop surrounded by beautiful fabrics, quilt books and patterns but I have to say that I now actually dream about miniatures and plan projects in my head when I'm not getting to work on them and I spend way too much time on the internet drooling over others' projects and ideas.
4. Moda fabrics--especially anything by Three Sisters.
5. Coffee. My husband brews it every morning and brings me my first cup in bed while we watch the news. I have a second cup then and brew another pot in the afternoon. Coffee. Gotta have it.

I would like to pass the Fabby Blog Award to:

Katie at Katie's Clay Corner
Sumaiya Mehreen at Dollhouse Miniatures
Kim at It's a Miniature Life
Debbie at Tiny Treasures
Kathy at The Garfield Manor by Kathy Calhoun

African Fairy on eBay

2009-02-24T11:52:00.002-05:00

Beautiful African Fairy on eBay by Faires and Dreams

I saw this beautiful poly clay fairy completed today on CDHM and now listed on eBay by Eneida Rosa from Spain, fairiesanddreams.com. You can find her here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140303415384&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm37%26satitle%3D140303415384%26category0%3D%26fvi%3D1. She is quite exquisite as are all of Eneida's creations.

I am working on the garden cottage once again, inspired by the bit of spring we've had here lately with temps in the high 60's and the later sunsets. After all, this is Fat Tuesday so Easter is just around the corner. I've been painting and working on the interior so I'll actually share pix of what I've been doing very soon.

Angel Berrry's Exquisite Works

2009-02-23T08:07:00.003-05:00

Yuri Munakata's Beautiful Creations

Yuri Munakata, aka Angel Berry, is a Tokyo miniature artisan, collector and craftswoman who is trying to spread the love of miniatures in Japan and beyond. You can see all of her works on her website, http://www002.upp.so-net.ne.jp/angelberry/dh/english.htm. Her work was shared on a Yahoo Group and I wrote her immediately to ask permission to display them here. I guess, technically, as long as I give the links to the works and don't appear to be trying to take credit for them myself (wish I could!), it will be fine to post here but I like to give a courtesy 'shout-out' for permission where possible. These pix were some of my favorites, a country kitchen and a little scene where the canary gets a visitor! Thank you, Yuri, for giving me permission to post here!

Deb Roberts' C'est Si Bon

2009-02-19T09:03:00.002-05:00

C'est Si Bon by Deb Roberts

As I am working the remainder of the week and unable to get anything accomplished in my mini endeavors, I thought I would share Deb Roberts' little Greenleaf Storybook Cottage she turned into a little French Cafe, C'est Si Bon. You can see more of it on her website, http://www.debsminis.com/. Deb is a member of the Greenleaf Building Team and editor in chief of the Greenleaf Gazette. She made the little patio using Creative Paperclay and all the roses by hand. I love the soft lighting in the interior as well. I thank Deb for letting me share this after I saw her posting about it on CDHM.

Lidi's Fisherman's Cottage

2009-02-15T08:18:00.002-05:00

Lidi, a CDHM Artisan, is Making a Fisherman's Cottage

Lidi, one of the many talented artisans who hang out over at CDHM, Custom Dollhouses and Miniatures, is making a fisherman's cottage and graciously gave me permission to post pix of her progress here. She is from New Zealand (somewhere I would love to visit) and has taken two classes by Rik Pierce using Creative Paperclay for stonework, masonry and bricks. The above photo is her landscaping so far and some of her wonderful baskets and netting and the other shows the interior. I absolutely love this and thank Lidi for allowing me to share it here.

Thank You for Following This Blog!

2009-02-12T08:39:00.002-05:00

Thank You to All The Followers of This Blog!

I'd like to say thank you and welcome to all of you who are checking in on my attempts at making mini's, collecting and sharing the mini projects I am working on between three children, a part-time job, the occasional run through with the dust rag and vacuum, cooking, etc.! When I started blogging about my love for miniatures and the artisans who create them as well as my own little attempts, I thought I must be one of the few people in the world blogging about mini's. As I began, I found so many others out there and continue to find more throughout the world. I'm glad we can come together through this love for the small and share our joy in creating tiny world! A Big Thank You to All Who Visit Here!

Do These Strawberries Look Fat to You?!

2009-02-11T08:40:00.002-05:00

My Attempt at Fruit and Berries

One of my many mini projects is a kitchen room box based on a 40's/50's era kitchen pictured in a back issue of Reminisce magazine. There are berries and apples, a sifter, oil lamp, and dough rolled out ready to make a pie. I have been trying my hand at strawberries, blueberries and green apples lately and am not sure whether the strawberries, especially, are the correct size. Also, I baked some of the blueberries flat on the tile so you can see shiny, flat bottoms turned up (must remember to wear two pairs of reading glasses or one stronger pair when arranging these to photograph! The worse my eyesight gets, the smaller my hobbies!). I would appreciate critiques and suggestions from you who are professional 'foodies'. I am trying but have a long way to go!

2009-02-08T08:34:00.002-05:00

Who, Us?? Kerri Pajutee's Lab Puppies

2009-02-05T18:55:00.003-05:00

Kerri Pajutee's Lab Puppies Kerri graciously gave me permission to post these pix of her newest little polymer clay mini pups, three lab's who have been painted and furred/flocked. I fell in love with them when she shared them on CDHM and asked if I could share them here. I would love to be able to do this and occasionally try my hand at mini animals. I posted my latest kitty attempt a few posts ago but it certainly fell far short of Kerri's perfection. I'd like to thank her for sharing her talents with us on CDHM and for her encouragement to those of us trying to master sculpting little pets ourselves! You can find Kerri's websit in my list of links and often find her exquisite creations on eBay.

Precious!

Dollhouse Winery in Brazil

2009-01-30T20:27:00.003-05:00

Winery in Brazil by Silvana Vianna One of the owners of a Yahoo Group I belong to shared these pix she found at http://dollhousebrazil.net/galeria/thumbnails.php?album=9&page=1 and I had to share these photos here. When I haven't worked on any miniatures myself to show, I like to share things I find or others find around the web. This winery scene is perfect in every detail and these are the types of scenes I long to do--realistic, aged, weathered, perfect in color, mood, scale and every detail.

Winery by Silvana Vianna in Brazil

Over At The China Doll's Site

2009-01-29T08:04:00.002-05:00

Today, From The China Doll

Today, since I'm working on some mini's in my spare time (between housecleaning, work, cooking, etc.), I'm featuring two vignettes from Connie Suave at The China Doll website, http://www.thechinadoll.com/index.htm. Connie makes dolls and made this beautiful garden shed in a class with Pat and Noel Thomas. I absolutely love it and study it frequently. The one below is just part of her collection that you might find in an old timey general store. I'm collecting a few pieces like these to go in my dream log cabin in miniature one day.

Thank you Debbie! You Are Too Kind!

2009-01-23T07:53:00.002-05:00

I Received an Award from Debbie and Wish to Pass it On!

Debbie over at Tiny Treasures, gave me this award (even after my little anti-ranting rant post from yesterday! LOL! Sorry about that--just one of those days I felt I needed to vent!)

Debbie is always so gracious, kind and encouraging to all of us fellow bloggers and always finding and introducting new mini bloggers and she has such inspiring, well done miniatures she has made and that she shares on her blog so I'm sending this right back to her!

Also to Stephanie at Petit Plat-- her food creations are divine and always perfect in detail.

To Sumaiya who shares wonderful minis by various artisans on her blog, Dollhouse and also maintains several other blogs.

To Kim at It's a Miniature Life--her shabby chic mini's are divine and feminine and lovely and she has shared some of her wonderful creations with Joanna, my daughter, and me!

To Doreen at Doreen's Projects who is sharing her mini dollhouses and projects with us.

To Donna at Never Enough Time! Check out her precious bear!

To Daisy at Daisy's Miniatures who is talented and gracious to share her minis and her love of all things mini.

To Christine at Candid Canine who features her own and others' mini's as well as her writing talents.

To Katie at Katie's Clay Corner (hope your computer is back up soon--we miss you!) who specializes in polymer clay creations.

To Gina at More Minis-- thank you so much for sharing your step by step house building tips, how to's and pix with us! I will rely on you when Joanna's kit actually emerges from the box!

To Fluffy Bricks--sharing the world of minis with everyone and thus promoting this wonderful mini community.

To Marsha at Sassy Mini Dolls--what wonderful creations and what a joy you have for what you do!

To Glenda at Dab of This, Dab of That, who shares beautiful pix and news from her life including miniatures, and a fellow southerner!

To Erika at Erika's Miniatures, a young miniaturist who creates room boxes and minis to go in them.

To others of you out there who make/love/collect miniatures and whom I have either yet to discover or might have inadvertantly overlooked, accept this award for sharing our love of minutia with everyone else! If I didn't have to clean my Dad's house today, it would be a mini day for me!

Son's Broken Clavicle Debaucle

2009-01-22T09:06:00.004-05:00

Not Mini But Posting About Ben's Mishap

Poor Ben broke his right clavicle last Friday and so I had to post these pix of the huge hump on his shoulder even though I like to keep on point on my blog which in this case is about miniatures. I am so committed to staying on the topic of mini's here that I was just on my soapbox on a Yahoo Group agreeing with the policy against stating political views in that forum and nothing turns me off quicker than reading someone's mini (or quilting or home decor or ;whatever; blog) and then coming upon an entire post about (or in the case I ran across this past week, salivating and worshiping) their favorite political candidate. And this particular person has a website with items I would like to purchase but alas, because I found their post offensive, alas, I cannot bring myself to purchase items from them. While a blog belongs to that person and they are free to say or post pix of whatever they wish to (and gosh, this extends to every nook and cranny of one's life and body both physically and metaphorically-speaking if you search blogs at large out there! Whew! Some people's lives and personal habits are just an open book--and to think I had to really work up to posting my own pix here!), I'm afraid I just can't purchase from people who use their hobby/handicraft blogs as a pulpit to share their political views which may or may not align with my own. As a Christian, I will pray for the safety and guidance of any elected official who to whatever degree holds our collective futures in their hands and can re-chart the paths of history and who are daily faced with personal, local, and national threats but why would you alienate a large portion of the populace whose views may not align with yours if you are seeking to sell items of any kind to all?? Some may think this a strident, close-minded view of things but there you have it. I guess I inherited that from my mother--she knew what she knew and what she knew, she knew and she wasn't afraid to say so. So, personally, I may post about my family or other goings-on of note periodically but I personally pledge to refrain from spewing forth my personal political stands and opinions here.

Anyhoo, though I like to keep my miniatures blog about miniatures, Ben's little mishap in which he got his boot stuck getting off the four wheeler and rammed his shoulder into the post, took precedence over my miniature collections, plans and ramblings. And we middle aged parents did not know that they no longer try to 'set' the bone when I took him to Urgent Care on a Friday evening and they told us to call an orthopedic surgeon on Monday. They give you pain meds, a figure-eight bandage, an arm sling and wish you the best of luck. Who knew? When my 48-year-old husband, Jerry, broke his at age 12, the country doctor pulled his shoulders back and wrapped it and thus 'set' it back into place. He will heal fine barring some further injury to it and we are so thankful it wasn't a broken neck. Just had to post pix of the poor little 6'2" soul. Thanks for indulging a Mom.

Thanks to Daisy! And "It's In the Mail!"

2009-01-19T11:35:00.002-05:00

A Few Things That Are On Their Way To Us
I love the Lee's Line furniture pieces and already have the red checked chair and sofa waiting for whenever my beloved ever gets a spare minute to build my dream log home in miniature. I'll have to post again the pix from the issue of Veranda magazine, I think it is a 1989 issue, that pictured a gorgeous log home in Highlands, NC owned by two interior decorators from Atlanta. I was so blown away by those images, I've kept the magazine and used to dream of owning a cozy cabin like that in 'real life'. But as children arrived, and the realities of budgetary limitations set in, I realized that the only way I'll ever attain that cabin is in miniaiture so I dream and collect towards that. But I digress. These pieces are for Joanna's Victoria's Farmhouse.

We've are in the midst of two notable news flashes here that I must write about. Our son, Ben, 16, managed to get his size 12 boot caught in the brake of the four wheeler Friday afternoon and as he stumbled off, banged his shoulder into a post on the back porch hard enough to break his right clavicle. I took him to Urgent Care where they x-rayed it, wrote a prescription for pain meds and gave him an arm sling and said to call an orthopedic surgeon Monday. We called that evening and had an appointment for this morning. We were amazed that they seemed to be a bit more laisez faire about the whole broken bone thing than we were but the surgeon explained that with broken clavicles, they pretty much heal as they are and the only thing that can be done is a figure eight brace and arm sling and pain meds as needed. The other news of note is that we in this foothills region of South Carolina, right under the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, may actually have snow! The mountain, just an hour or so above us by road, get all the snow and we have a few flakes or a bit of slushy sleet or just plain ice that brings down trees, knocks out electricity and makes roads as slick as glass. They are actually calling for up to three inches! Not anything to brag about to our northern neighbors but we get all excited and there are immediate runs on bread and milk at the grocery store and the waiting to see if school will be called off (we are not used to driving in snow and ice so everything shuts down and we hunker down in our little caves for a few days until the temps go back up to at least the 40's and like moles, we can poke our little heads out and see if it's safe to go about our usual routine!). But alas, poor Ben says, "Yep, that will just make my life to sit inside and watch Joanna sledding down the hill while I'm inside with a hump on my bone and my arm in a sling."

The George Washington desk is for Dr. "Bernie" Dunlap's roombox also being planned amidst the operating synapses and cobwebs of my cluttered brain. I saw it--and especially the reasonable price--and had to have it for Dr. D.

And a huge thank you to Daisy Carpi (you can find her blog in my list on the sidebar and go there and see what she is up to!) for this award! I am so grateful to her. Sometimes, if no one comments or checks in with you (and I am guilty of being too busy to check in with my fellow bloggers as well) you sometimes feel you are muttering to yourself.

A Few of the Things I Bought After Christmas

2009-01-08T08:58:00.003-05:00

Here Are a Few of the Mini Goodies I Bought After Christmas

There are several miniature projects I'd like to accomplish/finish this year--a sort of list of mini resolutions if you will. The first is to finish the ongoing projects I have started, namely the fairy house since I did manage to throw together the witch's cottage at the last minute right in the nick of time before the witching hour of Halloween.

So, the fairy house needs to be completed--hopefully by spring. I envision offering to have it displayed at our main branch library (or, if they do not wish to do so, perhaps one of our lesser branches?!). I have a plethora of seashells, pine cones, trinkets fairies might pick up in their travels, pebbles, etc. so now to arrange them in a pleasing manner throughout the tree stump house.

Also, I was completely captivated by a vintage kitchen layout, circa 1947, in Reminisce magazine, I think the September or October issue, so have been collecting miniatures towards creating a kitchen much like it.

And then, of course, there is Joanna's Victoria's Farmhouse which is still in the box. Should I call it the Pandora's Box? I fear that when unleashed from the box, that kit will look as if it should have been in a cargo freight box as you might see traveling down the rails on a train car. I am much better at envisioning, planning and spending too much money collecting items to go inside than I am at the actual construction. And my good friend and fellow miniaturist, Gen, has graciously offered to help me as she has a VF already put together and mostly furnished but if she saw my basement where all the 'magic' of my varied arts and crafts endeavors take place. . . . she would politely withdraw that offer. You might think it is the lair of a deranged, albeit crafty maniacal lunatic. In fact, while I am off work today and should be headed down there to attempt some semblance of order, I am sitting here typing away . . .

And lastly, and you will laugh at this one, I was so blown away and impressed to the point of starting a cult when I first heard my daughter's college president address the students and parents--and then even more so when I read his biography and viewed his You Tube videos, I was inspired to create a room box for Dr. Benjamin Dunlap, President of Wofford College. My Dad graduated from Wofford in the early 50's and Maggie is happy as a clam there. There is a sense of community and appreciation on that campus that you don't experience on others. I grew up going to Wofford football games but, alas, did not choose to attend there (my great loss). I laugh at myself, a mere pauper by comparison, deigning to create a room box for a man who graduated summa cum laude from The University of the South, attended Harvard and has traveled internationally speaking and organizing lectures and events involving world-renowned individuals of great accomplishment. He is a published poet and fiction author and yet, he is as friendly, gracious and genuinely kind to us 'little people' when you meet him. As a very jaded, cynical person who is not impressed in the least with 'celebrities' or certainly the yawning majority of politicians, I was literally in tears that I had been stupid enough not to attend Wofford which was 30 minutes down the road from where I grew up and so, so thankful that Maggie is when I heard this man speak! When I reached out and grabbed him as he passed by at one of the football games to introduce him to my Dad, he acted as if he was thrilled at last to meet us. So, in honor of both my Dad and my precious daughter, I want to create a room box for Dr. Benjamin Dunlap who lives in the President's Home on campus. So, with my little pittance of a part-time salary and part of my Christmas money, I have ordered a black wingback and wallpaper with a gold filligree design (Wofford's colors are black and gold), pictured above, found a corner bookshelf that had been returned at A.C. Moore, and yesterday ordered a fireplace, electrified fire, a fire screen and fireplace tools. I hope to sculpt a Boston Terrier, the mascot and make a small Dr. D. to go in it. Wish me luck especially on those counts! My sculpting and mini doll making is in need of improvement. And, gee, I hope he doesn't spend his valuable time perusing miniature blogs since this is meant to be a surprise! Shhhhhh . . . . . .

An Award and A Kitty

2009-01-05T11:55:00.003-05:00

Thank You, Debbie for the Award!

Debbie from Tiny Treasures awarded me this nice award today along with 14 other recipients--wow! I'm going to have to look them all up! I don't think I'm aware of that many other mini blogs out there but will pass this award on to some of my favorites:

Kim Saulter at It's a Miniature Life--Kim's shabby chic creations, mostly bakeries and baked goods, are exquisite
Stephanie at Petit Plat creates wonderful Fimo miniatures
Katie at Katie's Clay Corner features her various sculpts and creations and mini collections.
Michaela Devi Genaine from Creations from the Heart at Wordpress creates gorgeous, fantastical fairy dwellings.
An Australian blogger who shares her creations and minis of interest at Living in the Past and Fluffy Bricks.
Doreen Playter, a new blogger who is sharing her mini collections and creations at Doreen's Miniatures.
Kathy Calhoun over at The Garfield Manor who is blogging about her journey in creating The Garfield.
Gina at More Mini's who graciously shares a tremendous amount of how-to's on the construction of various dollhouse kits.
Daisy at Daisy's Miniaturas who shares her creations and collections.
Rachel over at Miniatures by Rachel who specializes in exquisite cakes, pies and various foods that look as beautiful as they would be delicious (if edible!).

Below are pix of my latest attempt at sculpting and furring a miniature cat. He is a tuxedo cat and someone on one of my groups said she had a cat that looked like him named 'Boots' so Boots he is. Yet again, I think he is a bit too large--I can't seem to get them teeny enough, especially since I am far-sighted in my waning years (I'll be 46 on Wednesday!) but I persevere. I also seem to be having issues getting the 'fur', which in this case is clipped mohair so turned out more like fuzz, to lie in the intended direction. See Kerri Pajutee's site for perfect miniature animals which seem to be ready to leap off the pages and lick your hand.

What Santa Brought Us . . . Joanna, I Mean!

2008-12-31T22:18:00.003-05:00

Joanna at Christmas

Here was Joanna at the Biltmore Farm where we went right before Christmas holding a chicken at the farm. As it turns out, we weren't supposed to pick up the chickens but since we used to have chickens and this one didn't mind . . . . .

Here was the little dressed bed by LovNStitches on Etsy, a mother/daughter team and pix of the house kit--wish I was a whiz at putting them together.

We used some of our Christmas money to buy some furniture, the Lee's Line floral chair and loveseat the Spice armoire and coffee table. What I want is Mike Rowe's turned Bradford Pear table, as seen here in his Etsy shop, http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=cat2_list_2&listing_id=19186171. I may have to splurge unless someone beats me to it. He showed this on CDHM and I think it is beyond beautiful! (Scroll down to see it pictured in my Etsy favorites!)

Happy New Year and here's wishing everyone health, happiness and lotsa mini time and goodies! And remember my favorite Irish blessing:

May all who know us love us.
And if they do not love us, may God turn their hearts.

And if he cannot turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles so that we may know them by their limp.

Christmas Door

2008-12-19T09:05:00.002-05:00

Christmas Door Shadow Box In Progress'

I thought it would be perfect to create a Christmas door shadowbox using one of the purchased shadow boxes at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. I used Paperclay on the wall but, as Tracy Topps of Minis on the Edge, points out, beginners usually get carried away with the darkness of the colors on the stonework which I did. I used a purchased artificial 'frond' from Hobby Lobby, cut it apart and glued it around the door for greenery. The brass mailbox was yet another little gift from Kim Saulter (now officially my 'best friend' in miniatures!) and I sanded the plexiglass and glued a paint chip sample behind it. It needs a step and snow yet and I think I needed to use the larger shadowbox but I like it. The wreath I received in a swap but I am not allowed by the rules to let you know who made it unless the artisan contacts me and gives me permission--if she stops by my blog! Let me know what you think! I hope these will appeal to 'non-mini' folks.

More Special Artisan Gifts!

2008-12-03T15:17:00.003-05:00

Miniature Vintage Cookbooks

We received two special packages this week, the wonderful bake table and occasional table by Kim Saulter and then yesterday, these wonderful little vintage cookbooks by Pat Carlson, Miniatures by Pat Carlson! These will have to have a special spot in Joanna's kitchen when we get her house built and ready to decorate. Joanna and I would like to thank Pat for these special gifts. I'll have to post pix of Joanna holding these precious, special gifts! And I've got to figure out a way to repay them in kind--only my little mini efforts pale in comparison. Thank you both!

Special Gifts from Kim Saulter and a Mini Rug

2008-12-01T11:59:00.004-05:00

So Excited!!!

I received the most exciting package in the mail today! Kim Saulter, a miniature artisan whose blog, It's a Miniature Life, you can find in my blog links and you can purchase her exquisite creations at CDHM, Custom Dollhouses and Miniatures where I 'met' her in the forums.

For Joanna's dollhouse Santa is bringing, Kim sent two little shabby chic 'aged' chairs, a precious little oval table with metal scrollwork legs with a sweet bouquet and a decorative china plate. The baking table as you can plainly see, is pink, Joanna's favorite color, and has a wealth of goodies in the midst of preparation--a cake, cookies, cupcakes and a beautiful cabbage rose bouquet, a mixer with frosting on the mixers and a Betty Crocker cookbook! I want to shrink and live in the house where these sweet, feminine little pieces will reside. As a bonus, she even sent two pieces of cake on two little saucers! I can't even begin to thank her enough. Now, what am I good enough at to reciprocate with??? Darnit, nothing, actually. I am working on it but Kim, you'll have to wait a while!

And above (one day I'll figure out how to load photos so that the one I want last is last) is a punch needle rug I just completed. I used the pattern Meadow Bouquet by Acorn Quilt and Gift Company using a Cameo punch needle. Jerry says it is too large and the pile is too thick. (Seems his Martha Stewart-like cullinary and decorating talents extend to the minute in size as well) and I was glad to find that Cameo now makes a micro needle for even smaller loops and lower piles. Maybe Kim would like a punch needle rug???!!

Plans for Victoria's Farmhouse

2008-11-22T09:11:00.002-05:00

Found Around the Web, Shabby Chic Decor

Here are some shabby chic items we'll need to find in miniature for Joanna's Victoria's Farmhouse. The few pieces I happen to know Santa is bringing can't be shown here, of course, until after Christmas.

And I'd like to thank Rosezanne from the Greenleaf forums for sharing her PDF Victoria's Farmhouse building log, http://web.engr.oregonstate.edu/~mjb/dollhouse/. She gave me persmission to share it here and it is perfect. I love the stencil she used for the door and shutters and the trimwork she did on the banister railings and the way she stained the shingles. And I've never tape wired a house and she shows and explains it step by step.

In other news, I have been bitten by the Christmas bug (as a chronic procrastinator this is unusual for me) so am making lycopodium mini wreaths and creating a lycopodium tree from one of the bottle brush Lemax trees I bought in a package at Michael's when they were 50% off. Now to hope the ceilings in Joanna's house accomodate a 9" tree?! Watch them only take a 7" or 8" one! That might threaten my Christmas spirit! I'll post more pix--maybe one of Rosezanne's finished house when I don't have to get dressed for work . . . on a Saturday . . . when my Dad, husband and oldest DD are headed to the football game, Joanna is going to be dropped off at a birthday party and we have a huge out of town wedding this evening. Working on Saturday's in retail is sometimes a big old bummer.

What 'We're' Getting For Christmas!

2008-11-18T14:21:00.002-05:00

Joanna is Getting a Victoria's Farmhouse for Christmas!This beautiful dollhouse by Real Good Toys is going to be left at our house by Santa this year for Joanna, nine. I have advised her to decorate it in Shabby Chic style like the beautiful room featured on Calamity Kim's blog, http://calamitykim.typepad.com/. I think she wrote that this is a neighbor's cottage interior?! Wow--great neighborhood.
These two rooms in shabby chic style are by Kim Saulter (you can visit her blog from my links and buy her exquisite creations through CDHM, Custom Dollhouses and Miniatures in the galleries section. Her style is so wonderful and she mainly specializes in bakery roomboxes.

This is my favorite, a Christmas room. It is perfect in every detail.
And now that I am finally getting the hang of punch needle after purchasing a needle and weaver's cloth in Utah when Becky and I went out for HandiQuilter training, oh, three years ago, I will have to order this pattern form Joan Grimold, see her link in my listing! It is divine. Oh, aren't I . . . I mean Joanna and I . . . going to have fun decorating our, I mean, her house?!

Betsy & Mini's on Martha Stewart!!

2008-11-13T08:27:00.009-05:00

Follow the link to see Betsy Neiderer on Martha Stewart! What a great way to promote mini's:

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/christmas-cookie-ornament?autonomy_kw=Betsy%20Neiderer&rsc=header_4

Copy and paste the link in your search box to find it or go to Martha Stewart's site and search Betsy Neiderer or mini cookie ornament.

And here is Betsy's video:

The Fabulous Works of Betsy Niederer, IGMA Fellow and CDHM Member

2008-11-13T08:27:00.004-05:00

The Exquisite Works of Betsy Niederer
The first pix is of a cheese and fruit tray by Betsy Niederer, IGMA fellow and member of CDHM based on this one featured in Martha Stewart magazine. Betsy began making food for her children's Barbie house and decided she had a knack for it. You can see more of her beautiful works on her website, http://www.angelfire.com/art2/smallstuff/ and in her CDHM gallery where you can purchase them for your own!
I know that Betsy uses paper punches to punch out her cookies from polymer clay and then glazes them with liquid sculpey and/or textural paints and glazes.

When I get this good at mini foods from polymer clay, maybe I'll be an IGMA artisan, too! Betsy has been very generous to share some of her tips on CDHM and with me in an e-mail and I 'd like to thank her for giving me permission to share some of her photos here. And also to Kerri Pajutee who did not yell at me (haha) for posting her gorgeous, realistic animals. That's me--living vicariously through other miniature artisans!

Kerri Pajutee Miniature Animals

2008-11-10T07:51:00.003-05:00

These are a few of Kerri Pajutee's exquisite and beautifully detailed miniature animals. You can find more on her website, http://www.kerripajutee.com/default3.asp. She is one of the IGMA (International Guild of Miniature Artisans) who regularly contribute their tips, tutorials, and advice on CDHM, Custom Dollhouses and Miniatures. She has answered my questions after my feeble attempts at sculpting realistic animals. It's just one of the things I would like to master. I so admire her work and wish I could take a class from her.
Basically, she sculpts the animals over a wire armature using polymer clay, often in subsequent layers between baking and, if necessary, she refines them using carbide scrapers available from Rio Rondo, and then she flocks and furs them using mohair, alpaca, wool and other natural fibers. Beautiful!

Also, found on CDHM this week, I had to share what Jinny wrote about the hazards of working with miniscule little parts and pieces in a thread she titled The Horrors of Fat Finger Syndrom:

Finally the weekend...I decided to ignore my mountain of schoolwork and my majorly sleep-deprived state and ice the handful of plain, already baked doughnuts I made a while back.

Of course, fat finger syndrome stopped me from doing so. After mixing up the clay-TLS combination, I found that my too-wide fingers could barely hold the tiny doughnut, let alone ice it. But somehow, I managed to spread the icing on a little doughnut.

After making about three doughnuts this way, I set the fourth doughnut too close to the rest on the aluminum foil. And my horrendously fat finger brushed against the icing of another doughnut, causing it to stick to my hand. Frowning, I removed it with my other hand and dropped it on the baking sheet again. As my luck would have it, it landed icing-side down.

Annoyed, I pried the doughnut from the aluminum foil, but in doing so, my fat fingers accidentally nudged against the icing of two more doughuts. After finally getting rid of the little pink leeches, I almost gave up and went to sleep. But decided to try to finish one more.

Bad mistake.....

It was almost as if my fingers had gained weight in that short span of time. And finger obesity is a horrible thing, folks. I was entangled in a horrible pink mess. I gave up, washed my hands, and went to go take a nap.

Stupid doughnuts.

As Seen Around The Webosphere

2008-11-07T08:49:00.005-05:00

Angela, who is a miniature artisan and regular contributor at CDHM, Custom Dollhouses and Miniatures, has posted a You Tube video of her beautiful Tudor style house, Ravenhurst Manor which I assume is named for the mystery game.

The Witching Hour Approaches

2008-10-29T20:55:00.002-04:00

Progress on the Witch's Cottage

Got to clean up some of the hot glue residue. I made the potatoes from polymer clay and pastels using the paper bag trick as shown on a Victoria Miniland video. You make the potatoes, drop them in the bag one by one so they don't clump together and then rub ochre and light brown pastels on paper and sprinkle the dust in the bag. Close up and shake vigorously. Then pour them out on your surface and make indentations with dark brown or black pastel dust. Voila!

My attempt at corn stalks using a combination of stalks from dried material and raffia. Could use some tweeking on my next attempt. The pumpkins were made using a combination of translucent Fimo, bright orange and a tad of light brown. Love them! Happy Halloween

When An Artist Creates a Dollhouse

2008-10-28T08:16:00.003-04:00

When An Artist Creates a Dollhouse

Today I'm featuring the beautifully detailed, warm and inviting dollhouse created by Amy Gross, a textile artist. Above you see the ironing board folded beside the refrigerator, for example. You can see more of Amy's dollhouse on Flickr where she is amyla174: http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldinamatchbox/sets/72157603445249733/.
This chair is resin and is by Take a Seat by Raine. I'd love to sit there and read one of the many books on the shelf.

Happy Halloween! Amy has decorated her front porch for the season! Beautiful!

Witch's Cottage Nearly Done

2008-10-24T08:53:00.002-04:00

Despite My Prolonged Absence, The Witch's Cottage is Nearly Done
These shots show my attempt at Creative Paperclay stonework painted with acrylic washes. Someone out there needs to donate the funds for me to take a Rik Pierce workshop (Frogmorton Studios) or I need to take a vacation and live with Tracy Topps (toppdollar) for a week so she can teach me how to do it correctly! But for a witch's cottage, it's okay, I suppose. The little carved pumpkin on the porch I bought at Miniature Memories in Charleston, SC this past weekend while on a therapeutic trip with two friends. Miniature Memories has to be one of the best, most well-stocked and decorated miniature shops in the nation--not that I'll ever see many. In the back, there is a museum of artisan roomboxes and I understand they are seeking to enlarge it. It is worth the visit even if you're not into mini's! The other too-bright, too-shiny pumpkin I made early in my polymer clay career but he had to go in for senimental reasons.
And you'll notice that there are two window panes missing! Where did they go?! Got to find those in the basement as winter is coming and Witchy will get her toes chilled.
I must add a note to explain my prolonged absence: I have just dissolved our Bernina sewing machine dealership (oh, let me clarify: DH and I decided we couldn't keep paying bills any longer with no sales and did the only thing that made sense and sold our floor models at half price. Let me be clear: Our district manager CLOSED our dealership. That'll show us! I'm sure she would want that made clear so to anyone out there who gives a flying rip: SHE closed our dealership--certainly not us!!! We were perfectly willing to just keep paying that debt while selling absolutely nothing. Anyhoo, I am still washing off the funk from that little doomed experiment in capitolism. My parting thoughts are that while the machines are well-made and have many features, rah, rah, blah, blah, blah, most sadly, they are grossly overpriced for our small town and general area. When the new state-of-the-art, be-all-end-all 830 comes out, the suggested MSRP is $12,000. Need I say more?????

So, on a personal level, I didn't even realize how it enslaved me and actually squelched my creativity instead of enhancing it. I was supposed to be a slave to their product and push it mercilessly and relentlessly at my own expense. I am thrilled to say I will now be going back to working three days a week at the quilt shop and have a few days to do miniatures, my own quilting designs and I will have time to spend with my Dad who certainly deserves no less than a little bit of my time after all he has done for me in my life.

Fairy House Painted and "Ivied"

2008-09-06T19:01:00.004-04:00

The Fairy House Painted and 'Ivied'

The fairy house has been painted, although touch-up's are needed on the front and I need to do something around the windows. The inside also needs some more work and I think I'm going to add another partial floor level just underneath and to the left of the bottom floor.

And here is Seymore Mouse waiting at the door.
And here is the Dracula-styled coffin I got in a swap with Angela in the UK on one of my Yahoo Groups. I love it. Now how to incorporate it into my witch's cottage? It will fit somehow. She also included some Halloween goodies, too which I love. By the way, I sent her some porcelain mini arms and legs and a few little goodies. So, I swapped body parts for a casket--wickedly morbid!

Fairy House Progress

2008-09-03T10:08:00.003-04:00

Some Progress on the Fairy House

Between moving our oldest DD, Maggie into college (at least it's local so I'm not grieving as badly as if it were out of state), getting back into the school routine, work, after-hours quilting classes I've been teaching, etc., etc., I've hardly had time to do anything on the mini front. I've been mostly awol from my Yahoo Groups and just made fleeting 'appearances' at CDHM, Custom Doll Houses and Miniatures. And then there was the fairy house set-back.

I had started using Creative Paperclay on the exterior over the layers of masking tape and strips of newspaper soaked in glue and water. After using five packages with no end in sight (that is roughly $25 despite my 40% coupons if you add in the gas I spend getting back and forth to Micheal's and Hobby Lobby which is about a 20 minute drive from home) I decided that good old paper mache was the better way to go after all. So, yet another very costly lesson learned both in time and bucks which I have neither to spare. Then it was the search for the best paper mache-- or papier mache, as they call it over the big pond--recipe. I researched various recipes in my 'spare' time and after rejecting the toilet paper, flour and water one which I could visualize as a sticky mush and the boiling flour and water for so long and then cooling, etc., etc. as too time- and effort-consuming and the sugar and water one as not very longlasting albeit tasty for every bug within a five-mile-radius of my basement, I decided to go with the old stand by of white glue, water and more strips of newspaper. Plus, I added my own 'secret' ingredient of cornstarch which I also mix with acrylic paint as a cheap thickening agent. Joanna and I spent part of Labor Day covering all of that wonderful Paperclay up with newspaper strips. Since she wore surgical gloves, she mostly enjoyed mixing and soaking the strips in the water/glue/cornstarch bath.

This morning I actually mixed some cream, brown, black and gray acrylic paints with water and cornstarch and started slathering that on with a sponge brush. Depsite my mild depression over having invested so much time and money on Paperclay and then deciding it best to cover it up with strips of free newspaper, the act of slathering paint on willy-nilly with a sponge brush was cathartic and liberating to say the least. I intend to keep layering this and as I twisted and folded some of the strips of paper and layed them on in a mostly vertical fashion, after several layers of thickened paint, it should resemble rough bark. We'll hope. And the beauty of it is that only I will know its true dollar value (how could I be so dumb?????! I continue to amaze myself through this journy of life).
I am also experimenting with a free motion stitching technique to create miniature textured rugs. These are two I designed and stitched. I'm hoping to perfect this technique and make some to sell to support my mini habit. They are pictured with my little checked chair by Lee's Line and a side table. And, hey, if you're interested, please do shout out! I am in the process of reopening my Etsy store to give that a go again since Maggie's tuition is nothing to sneeze at and I do need to find a way to make my various creative endeavors pay off!!!!!!! Wish me luck and visit me there at Cotton Blossom Designs. Please!