Ups and downs

Life is full of ups and downs and turns in the road. Some you know are coming while others are delightful (or not) surprises.  I had a delightful surprise recently when I won a giveaway on Chrissey's blog - my minature world. Delightful because I really enjoy her work and love the things she makes and a surprise because I hadn't entered and discovered it when checking on her latest projects! Chrissey had popped her followers in a hat and drawn a winner and I was the lucky one. We have exchanged emails and I will show my prize off when it finishes it's international journey and reaches me. 

At times these unexpected gifts mean more than they would at other times. A twist in the road saw the end of my 26 year marriage and 12 hours later I was told that not only had my relatively harmless basal cell skin cancer returned but it had been joined by the more serious melanoma. 

I don't really know what else to say so will close with Max Ehrmann's 

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Gone Quilting...

For the past week and during February I am giving my time to another project so no dollshousing for me!

This means I have an entire post to catch up on my welcomes. My 't' isn't cooperating today without a few good bashes so if there are any unusual phrases, just see where you can add a t to create a more convenional word (Discussing 'boiled peanuts' on a forum with the t missing was probably a concern).

Norma at make mine mini is currently a Sydney girl but her heart remains firmly in her little cottage in New Zealand. As well as her miniatures I have enjoyed looking at her home which is a mix of vintage and pretty set in a stunning location.

Sherry is about as girly as you can get and this is reflected in her blog so for a feast of friendliness, feminity and family and beautiful photography call by and leave a comment.

Maija from iidasanttu is another whose life and blog revolve around  family and simple pleasures. How many others already have a Christmas countdown going! I'm enjoying her photos and am still working through the language list in google translate to enjoy the text as well.

I don't think my next follower, Mick, has a blog but he does have an Etsy store where he sells the most amazing turned items and miniature leadlights. Mick is the creator of the only craftsman piece I own, mentioned earlier in this blog (scroll down to mortar and pestle) and has worked on items for displays by some of the bigger names in professional miniatures as well as more unusual full size items (where else could you go if you needed to replace the eyelets in your antique corsets!)

Sylvia has the most awe inspiring ability to create realistic scenes in her miniatures. If you have an evening to spare, keep going back through posts to see the deail she puts into her work. Her home blog is of the same style but perhaps simpler and beautifully pristine.

Another sewer and creator of beautiful soft dolls is siebedina. Her most recent post makes you appreciate the perserverance and optimism she needs for her creativity to blossom. She is awe inspiring.

Anyone who creates beautiful books is sure to have my attention and the books at Life in Miniature  are stunningly beautiful. Make sure you check her free project links and miniature projects gallery as well. Wow!

As often happens, I am tantalised by hese followers who I can't find blogs for yet am sure I have seen while browsing, so if anyone has links for   minineedleworker, Eli en Karina, Kelly and Iluna45 please pass them on.

I always enjoy doing a welcome post and seeing the amazing things people are doing out there. Have a creative February and I will see you all in March!

Rain and rain and too much rain

How lax I've been with both mini-ing and my blog.

After 6 weeks of seriously regretting that I hadn't caught up on my childhood immunisations (anyone in Australia born before 1964 may like to see if they need an update, especially if they have grandchildren) and not achieving much  I 'bit the bullet' and decided that I would finish the inside and outside of my house. First step was to plaster over the wallpaper in my loungeroom. The wallpaper was something I have always been unsure about and while it was sad to see it disappear under the plaster, it was a better decision...or was until I painted the newly plastered walls, not once but 3 times in the hope that I would get the effect I wanted by adding more paint. The more paint that went on, the more plasticky it looked, so next step was to sand all the paint off again. A process made complicated in a room which is 15 inches deep, 7 1/2 inches tall and 9 1/2 inces wide, covered in beams and with a built in chimney breast.  Aaaarrrgghh!

Much sanding took place in the unusually wet weather we had been having and I was pleased to take a break one Monday when after an early lunch Miss 19, Master 14 and I decided to visit the library in the centre of town. Remembering an earlier plan to go the movies the next day (again in the centre of town) we headed off to the uni library instead, Miss 19 on her 'L' plates driving ("Mum, you know I have to get experience driving in rain!) The trip over was uneventful, we were soaked running through the carpark, but rain was still such a novelty in our drought stricken town that it was a laughing matter rather than an irritation. 

Driving home the rain became heavier and the roads deeper in water. Conversation in the car was terse, 'You have to brake a lot earlier in wet weather, Elizabeth...' 'My foot is right down, Mum!'  

Cars around were sliding slightly despite travelling slowly and there was nowhere safe to stop. At one dip in the road the water level was well  past the bottom of the car doors and moving rapidly. A truck screamed past with it's horn blaring at a very major intersection, unable to stop for the cars already in the intersection, also fighting the slippery roads. Miss 19 kept her head, perhaps better than I would have, and continued driving slowly and steadily, marvelling at flowing waters until we were finally safely home . We dried off, laughing with relief and amazement. 

After the water had subsided in our street

Later still but still a steady stream, an hour later our street was dry

Soon after, the Toowoomba flash flooding must have hit the news in other states because we began to get emails and phone calls from worried friends and relatives. Not knowing why it would be so newsworthy (scary yes, but nothing like the flood stricken areas we had been feeling sympathy for) we turned the news on to see what had become of the centre of town and to begin hearing the stories of people who had not been as lucky as us.

Margaret, Dent and Victoria Streets - Library on right *

The 'what ifs' haunt me. 'What if' we had gone down to the library. 'What if' we had separated as we often do, each with our own business to get on with before meeting back. Neo Tokyo, Master 14s favourite store was deep in water. 'What if' we had been in the carpark when it hit- the timing was right, 'what if', 'what if' 'what if'....

For too many people the 'what if's' are a reality. Ordinary people doing normal everyday things and never expecting that life would suddenly end in a flood beginning in a drought stricken town on the top of a mountain with no river.

I know that I have new followers and while it is my custom to introduce you, I will beg your forgiveness and do so in my next, more cheerful, entry.

*Photo from Kris at Tagalongteddies

Happy Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my followers. May today be a day of peace, love and goodwill.

2011 is on it's way.

This is the time of year when I start thinking about New Year's resolutions and reviewing the old year. Some resolutions I will make again, even knowing the same ones made every year are broken within days, but maybe 2011 will be the successful year! 

For the magic of New Year's resolutions to work though, I have to get everything tidy from the current year, so it is a time of pulling out old projects and finishing them - not the dollshouse, much to my husband's disappointment, but some of the unfinished furnishings came from their takeaway containers to be worked on.

With the larder still waiting for materials, the kitchen table was the obvious piece to pull out. It is semi based on our real life kitchen table. I have always loved the square turned legs on it and used to puzzle over how they were made. A needle file and half a dozen emery boards later and I now know. Possibly the real life craftsman 100 years ago used different tools.

 I've always wanted a drawer in our table so could add one here instead and I love the cutlery which were a pack of jewellery charms - a complete set for 50 cents on a sale table! With the rings filed off and the knife handles painted cream, they were just what I wanted. Even though the drawer will generally be kept closed, I like knowing they are there.

Pip, the eldest boy in my dollshouse family, finally got a desk, maybe one day he will have a bedroom to put it in!  After the war materials were in short supply and a 1947 'Hobbies Weekly' magazine recommends using cardboard or black linen (blackout fabric?) to back a tallboy until ply became available. I can't imagine that in our time when materials of all kinds are so readily available. 

With that in mind, I decided a piece of furniture which looked 'repurposed' with a slap of post war brown paint would be perfect. The authenticity was increased when the cat knocked the drying piece off the desk and rather than replace the resulting broken leg, it seemed right to splint and paint it. Maybe it had been a broken washstand stored in the attic from an era when nothing was thrown away? I think when it is finally in place I will give him a crystal radio set to work on and I had to smile after doing the inkstains, when I realised that Pip must be left handed. How often these dolls houses take on their own life and build their own stories!

Last was Pip's toy chest, from an old blind slat and my first attempt at 'joining'. It is pretty rough (it was a very hard blind slat!), but I like the effect and as I imagine it as a chest used to bring treasures back from Istanbul/Constantinople where his father was on a dig before the war, it doesn't need to be a craftsman piece ...fortunately!

Pip's mat was done a while ago and was so much easier than the plaited methods I had been playing with. Crochet a chain of variegated thick wool and start winding into an oval. As you go, either ladder stitch it into shape across the bumps on the back or glue it to a piece of card, then press with a hot steamy iron and liberal amounts of spray starch until it is flattened.

A couple more bits to finish and I can start concentrating on Christmas!

Welcome to my new followers. As always it is lovely to see new faces and I hope you enjoy visiting.

From my last post is Patrisan and of course I remembered her after visiting another blog, as she has the most wonderful giveaway of teeny shoes! These are incredible! I don't often go in giveaways, but my name was down in Patrisan's post as soon as I saw her gorgeous offer. I have used the google translate link, so I hope it works, but if you visit her before the 18th, look for her giveaway post which she will be closing on that date. (if it doesn't work...that's more chances for me to win, hehehe) Congratulations Patrisan on your tiny new niece as well.

Drora Hed, Lady Jane and Beth Laverty aren't showing up with blogs, so please DO contact me if you have one we can share.

Edit - Lady Jane  left a comment on my last blog post, so I was able to track down her two blogs from there. I haven't had a chance for a full read yet, but have enjoyed what I have seen so far - another talented and creative homemaker.

Mandy  is another who wasn't showing up with a blog when I posted, then it clicked and I realised she is DHE friend. She is reasonably new to mini ing (I think) but has a wealth of talent from various crafts she has mastered,  before mini life, to draw upon.  

I noticed Lucky Little Fringer is following Mandy as well, still apparently blogless. As they were one of my first followers as well, I was intrigued. If you ever want to come from your quiet following corner, please let us know.

Another follower from my 'no picture' list is the Karen and Kevin team. I'm sorry I didn't notice you hidden away there. Karen and Kevin are building the most amazing Tudor dollshouse. I have to be careful when I call by and visit in case I come back full of discontent. The detail is amazing and it is truly a grand house, and enormous, even at 1:12 scale.

I'll see you all next time, stay safe and calm over this time.

Needlefelting - my new love

This week has been one of those frustrating weeks you know has to come around occasionally to remind you how good life normally is. Nearly every project I have wanted to do has needed something I have to buy online (or have lost and know that as soon as I buy another it will appear - aaarrrgghh) my laptop has lost yet another faculty and wont recognise USB sticks or SD cards, I have been confined to the house with a revolting 'childhood' illness and the only ones loving me at the moment are the cats...and I suspect their love is because with a temperature I am so cosy to cuddle up to in this wet weather we have been having. Oh woe is me!

So with nothing going right, it was a thrill to have some felting needles I had bought on ebay arrive and with some  rovings I had from a craft find at the local op shop, I only needed the tutorial in the December Dolls House Magazine to get started. Needless to say the magazine was not to be found ...definitely one of those weeks!

3 cm Teddy

 Determined to keep going I figured a dollshouse scale teddy bear with its round basic shapes couldn't be too hard, and if it was a disaster...well, it could be a well loved teddy.

Nowhere I had read how therapeutic sitting and continuously stabbing at a piece of wool is, giving the evil eye to anyone who came near. I am surprised all those witchy types blogging away had never mentioned it, but maybe that is a witches secret. Some of my family were convinced they were being voodooed and all of a sudden I had offers of tea and icecream and a bit of much needed spoiling.

Teddy needed a friend and  I wanted a dolly of the old fashioned stuffed toy variety but only had  teddy brown, so attacked some ancient wool/polyester crepe yarn (left over from a jumper knitted 17 years ago - never throw anything away!) with a 'nit' comb and it was even easier to felt than the proper materials!

Dolls house scaling failed so she was given to Dolly for her own little dolly.

.

Dolly and dolly

 

Several Christmassy projects followed along with a broken needle (don't try to manipulate the wool and poke at the same time) and some pricked fingers  (it is better to felt against the foam, not while holding the piece) and morale was much restored with a new craft learned, albeit at a very basic level.

2cm Nativity

 

to my new followers:

Linda with such a variety of houses from shabby chic to witchy (an entire community)! All so wonderfully realistic, and well...perfect! Her twin Beacon Hills deserve their own blog and have it so call by there as well because these mansions are worth studying.

Chelle who is an online dollshouse friend but currently occupied with her daughter's approaching wedding. Her dollshouse work is gorgeous and I can imagine her daughters wedding will be wonderful given Chelles crafty abilities. (I did enjoy seeing her messy craft room before pic- hehehe)

There is another follower I can't access at the moment - the computer has already turned itself off once this session - thank goodness for autosave! I'll look forward to catching up next post and also with some of the mystery followers I was puzzling about, which Susan so nicely solved for me.

I hope you enjoy following and I am already enjoying the blogs you have to share.

Food Glorious Food!

I couldn't blog about an Enid Blyton styled cottage without mentioning food. Her books are full of mouthwatering descriptions of food, which is always fresh from the farm and plentiful, even ordinary tinned foods are made to sound exotic and adventurous. Sardines at a midnight feast! Dick's eyes gleam when they raid Aunt Fanny's store cupboard in Five Run Away Together "Soup -tins of meat - tins of fruit - tinned milk - sardines - tinned butter - biscuits - tinned vegetables! There's everything we want here!" 

In between meals there are icecreams, lemonade, ginger beer and macaroons to be eaten on the beach or in teashops as well as bars of chocolate in back pockets with bags of sweets. Truly a child's heaven.

poke me for more detail

So with all these things in mind I knew that food would be plentiful in Hollyhock Cottage... until I began to research and learned about strict war time rationing. Before the war 70% of Britain's food was imported, mostly by shipping which immediately made it vulnerable to attack. Labour was down as men went to fight for their country and soldiers had to be fed so rationing was introduced to ensure that all would have food. This continued for years becoming stricter after the war with foods such as bread and potatoes being added to the rationed list. Publishing was down too, due to paper restrictions, yet, like the food in her stories, Enid Blyton seemed unaffected, publishing nearly 100 books during the war years. 

 

My main goal was to get some more building done this week, but alas, to go further I have to finish the larder which will be impossible to reach once the walls go up, so with food in mind I pulled out the Sculpey and set to. Fortunately I had made a number of items such as carrots, potatoes and honey pot a while ago plus tinned goods from some of the free printable sites found online and jars using the resin and pencil eraser method. Sorry, I didn't know to save links then. 

Even more fortunately given my limited Sculpey skills, a lot of my food won't be very visible, but I like to know it is there. 

There are always sausages in the stories, the dog usually under suspicion when they disappear, so they were a must. A meat pie and a tart were necessary too as well as the jug of creamy cold milk. As I haven't been able to source liquid Sculpey I had to improvise, so waterbased varnish mixed with paint made nice gravy and cherries were once sago, coloured with food colouring and soaked in cochineal tinted varnish. I loved the chalk artists pastels for colouring and they made the 6 Sculpey colours I have - green, translucent, white, yellow, black and red  more flexible, although my swedes have a definite peach look about them. My first 2 loaves of bread would have fed the 5000 with no problem so these were the second attempt - I have to keep scale in mind! Actually bread is a problem with me - my very first loaves using the flour/salt recipe were casualties of my 'flood' and my breadbin, made using the same method as my bucket, ran when I applied the nail varnish - obviously permanent marker isn't nail polish proof!

I have cannisters and odds and ends waiting to go onto the shelves when they are installed and think a ham hanging from a ceiling hook might be nice too...and maybe a pudding in a bowl... 

We'll see!

 In time for the feasting are my 2 new followers!

Carey at Chicory Nits who is preparing for Christmas (in pink!) both in her real house and in mini - scroll back to admire her gorgeous little Christmas house.

and Dee who I can't find a blog for yet, so please contact me Dee with a link.

Every now and then the numbers go up but no new pictures are added, so I sometimes wonder if people are following privately and would prefer not to be introduced to the rest of the gathering?  I love seeing you here and love visiting in return. It is amazing how much talent and imagination is out there!

Once again, thank you all for calling by.

Giveaway Draw

Thank you to all who entered my first giveaway. It was lovely to see old faces who have been with me from the beginning as well as newer faces and so many of my favourite people.

So with help from 2 of my sewing room dollies here we go!

All the names: folded, mixed and inspected ...

...and the winner is...

...Janice!

 If you can contact me with your address Janice, I will be thrilled to send the Phoenix farm set to you and I hope that you will be pleased with it.

Thank you again to all who entered. 

*******

Welcome to my newest follower, Sandra, a fellow Australian! Sandra has 2 blogs Snippets from my studio where she is working on a gorgeous small scale village - the most recent building being a half-timbered Dickensian bookshop. She manages to build these houses and keep up with other crafts while touring Australia in a caravan. (Sandra from Sydney)

PS did anyone notice that I cleaned my desk up from several posts ago! That was worth a photo shoot in itself because it may not happen again for a while...