HAPPY CHRISTMAS

so sorry I have just not had time to write anything on my blog, had some orders for miniatures that I had to get done for xmas presents, then my own stuff, so have decided to wait till next year and start then
I hope you all have a very merry christams and a happy new year
see you in 2011
Debs x

up date

morning all
sorry for delay, having to have a few days off, theres me all ready camera loaded, items ready, stepped back and fell over, now suffering with a bad back, so out of action for a few days, i have a condition called RSD, i know fancy words, basically i stay in pain and anything can make it worse, so falling over is not my best idea, but hopefully, it usually only takes a few days then i am back to running around, so my friends will be back as soon as i can
take care

how life conspires against you

I did promise tutorials, got everything done, dog walked, housework finished, started to sort out tutorials for you and guess what battery gone on camera, so will do it tomorrow now, plus had a phone call from my friend who needed a sledge and father christmas for a 6 year old, could I do one, so I have been sitting here trying to come up with something, thank goodness for this months Dolls House and Miniature scene magazine, great project of just what I wanted so using that as a guide made one, had to make it a bit more sturdy and slightly bigger, its getting there, will show you when finished.

too little time, too much to do

Hi all.
first a big thank you to all of you that follow my blog, when I started this I just thought it would be me and only me that looked at this, but day by day I seem to be picking up followers,
I had promised to put on some more tutorials, but forgot that Christmas would be coming and my time would be taken up with other things, have got big withdrawal symptoms and need to get creating fast, to curb them.
Today i have promised myself, get up early, Done, get housework over quickly, well can't do that while I am writing this, walk the dog, then get into my workroom and get some tutorials for you on this blog, so lets see by the end of the day what I get done.
did find a little cabinet that I made some time ago, using beads to make little pots so will be poping a picture for you on at the end of this,
having trouble with doing my web site, think I will have to wait for the new year then get some help, I can manage the basics, but have trouble adding pages ect, anyone have any tips would love to hear,
hopefully then I can start to sell my miniatures from the site, have done Ebay in the past, but with the costs and hassle its not worth it, maybe if you are a power sellar and sell lots at a time its good, but for me who takes time to make my miniatures it does'nt seem to work, so web page really needed.
there I go rambling again, told you thats what I do.
so will leave you with the picture of the cabinet and catch up with you all later

up date

what a week, computer went down, I did not know how much I missed it, still it gave me a chance to catch up on some chores, I did get round to finishing off my decorations, and the tree is up all lit up and looking pretty, now I just have to get my son to get the rest of my decs from out of the loft, I have some lovely father christmas figuires that I got in Germany, and I get them out every year, must remember to take some pictures, I have also been making my Christmas cards, buying presents, starting the food shopping, got the family coming christmas day but have managed to get invites out for the rest of the holidays, have not done much on my miniatures, i redressed 3 beds, and dressed a dressing table.

Pictures of what I have been making, these are now for sale in my friends shop.
I have also been putting together some more projects and I hope next week to start putting them on.
how are you all coping with the snow and cold, I am only going out when I really need to, anyway you all take care, keep a look out for the projects

Christmas is coming

Christmas shop, I made nearly everything in the shop, including dressing the dolls
this was sold

Woke up this morning looked out the window it was very icy and cold, lots of frost over the garden, its begining to ;look a lot like Christmas, we have no snow yet but they say its on the way, still busy making my xmas bits, made 14 cards yesterday, to cold to go in my work room, last year I made a Christmas room box so I thought I would show you it

hope you like this one

Welcome Pan

Hi Pan,
welcome to my blog, I hope you find it interesting, thank you for your kind comments, I am really pleased to have you all following me it gives me confidence to know others enjoy my creations,
I am getting stuck on the web site I am trying to create harder than I thought, may have to to talk nicely to my son, if I can get him off his play station long enough to have some sort of conversation, kids!!

the photos

Remembered to take the photos, first up the Xmas decs, these were made by using craft eggs and material, I had to cut up so many squares, fold them into triangles and cover the eggs using pins, hence the sore fingers. I just love them do you like them?

the next lot is the furniture I carefully  took off the varnish around the edges and repainted using Liqued gold, I have to now start to dress them,
well more to do so catch up with you later

morning all

Morning every one
and what a cold one, glad I do not have to go out this morning, we are sitting here with no heating, waiting for workman to come round, my timer panel went last night and we could not get hot water or heat, lucky I have a electric heater that I use in my work room, trouble is it makes my joints very sore and its difficult for me to move so I get very slow, my son always says I am doing my old persons impression, well at least he knows what I will look like.
well that's life these things are sent to try us!!
back to miniatures, I am busy restocking the items that have been sold, came out the blue that one, so making some more stuff to go in my friends shop, just destroying items at the moment ready for me to re do, will have to put before and after pictures on for you to see, make a note to remind me as I get forgetful, last night was so pleased I am making my own Xmas decorations and got some lovely cones finished, used material, but fingers very sore from all the pins I had to push in the egg, curious? will add pictures later, got to get batteries for my camera. add that to my list.
Have been having problems with my other dog, Freebie a little 2 year old Yorkie, she missed Beth a lot and pined for her, she is only now beginning to eat properly and play, worried me for a while, the only thing now is she is very clingy and whats to be with me all the time, can be difficult when I want to go out, I am hoping that she will give me puppies in the new year, I want another dog so does my mum and aunt, will not be selling them do not believe in that would be forever checking up that they are being cared for.
told you I ramble on.
theres the knock on the door, will have to go hopefully heater man

Freebie

bye for now

Hi Lucille

Hi Lucille
thats for your lovely comments and I look forward to you following my blog.

So busy

Items sold this weekend .

Busy Busy Busy, so much for starting my Egyptian shop, there I am busy making my bits to go in it and I get a phone call from my friend Pat who has a dolls house shop, she has just sold some of my furniture and needs more, so everything went on the back burner and I got busy, got a double bed done and have started on a nursery, not complaining just glad my bits are selling, apparently the lady who brought it was very pleased and will be looking for more of my work, fame at last,
I also got it into my head that this year for Christmas I would have a totally different look for my decorations, so I have been making my decorations, I am stitching bells, stars ect, must be mad have loads of decs in the loft but wanted to do my own,  am recycling material and have set myself the challenge of making them as cheap as possible, spend so far 5.00, when done will put on some pics for you to see.
Not liking this cold and damp weather makes my joints ache so much, some days I have to increase my medication and then I cannot do anything as they make me very sleepy, so I have to work when I can, never mind there is a lot of people worse off, my glass is always half full and i think its my happy attitude that keeps me going,
well that's all for today folks must get housework done, boring,
thanks for taking the time to read my blog, I look forward to any comments,
take care

AS PROMISED

As promised I have been very busy creating and making items for my latest project
Egyptian shop,
I made the pots from wooden beads which I painted gold and added tops, others were made from beads and findings, I had a book which showed some pictures so I cut them out, laminated them and later I will frame them, I had a wire settee which I sprayed black and high lighted in gold. my favorite piece is the gold casket, i will be having this spilling over with gold and silver jewels, The furniture has also been sprayed gold, My hardest part was deciding how to do the wall, I finally made some wallpaper from pictures I had in my book, I still have more to do, as I want the shop filled with lots of goodies,
there are a lot of pictures for you to see, including all the items I have brought.

items I have made or decorated



furniture sprayed gold ready for decorating



items I have brought

double fronted shop before pictures

I am still in the process of making my items, still got to make a counter  and lots more pots, I made a great discovery I had some gold paint in a little dish which I had just left, when I went back the next day it had become a gold powder so I filled 2 jars with it the effect was great and it really looked like gold in the pots, funny how somethings just happen,

I hope you are enjoying my blog, I would love to hear your comments on the miniatures that I create, I am really excited about this project and I am having a lot of fun with it.

I have also been starting to do my web site, I hope to be able to sell some of my work from here, buts it taking me a bit of time to set it up I will get there soon I hope

well my friends until the next time bye for now

ITS STARTED

Its started, yesterday I sat and painted lots of wooden objects that I have made to look like jars, bottles, urns the list goes on, this is all for my Egyptian shop that is my next project.
I sorted out the items I have been buying over the year and what a lot I have got, this is going to be a big project, will be putting on photos later today to show you the shop and objects. Have got to sort out a heater for my work room, its very cold in there even my dog refuses to sit in there.
I am also looking at having a web site and linking it from my blog, if anyone has any ideas how I do this would be grateful, it took me ages to work out doing a blog so all help gratefully received.
well time to get on must do my house work, shopping, pay bills, walk the dog, then get into my little room and do what I love doing, making minis,
by the way saw a great idea on web for making books, you take the spine of a magazine cut it down length ways the width you want your book and then cut it into book sizes cover and it ends up looking like books filled with pages,
Have not tried it yet when I do will put it on here for you to see, its such a great idea and so simple, some people are able to think of some great things and I admire them for that,

TUTORIALS,

As promised some easy tutorials for you to try

Hat Stand,

needed, wooden golf tee, flat button, wooden round bead.

lightly sand the pieces, and paint I used gold but any colour looks good.
when dry attach together, golf tee into wooden button, you may need to make the hole bigger, I used 2 flat wooden buttons, glue bead to top, leave to dry, decorate or leave plain,
cheap and easy hat stand for your hats

Jewellery stand.

the hard part, break or snap the arm of a 1/12th doll, this may hurt but the end result is worth it.

you will also need a dome shaped button for stand.

if need be sand the arm to make it straight easy for gluing, paint the colour of your choice, black or gold looks good, when dry glue arm to button, when dry decorate.

There you have it a nice little jewellery stand for your shop or dressing table.

Cheap and easy picture.

look round second hand shops, car boots for brooches that have nice old looking pictures on them, the one I am showing here had a lovely picture of a girl on a swing and a boy, cost me 50p, it had a wooden surround, I carefully removed the picture and painted the outer rim with gold leaf, put it all back together and there you have it a nice picture for your dolls house.



Some more tips,

these are not all mine but what I have picked up from others on the web,

make soap from your own soap bars, cut a tiny bit off and shape into a oblong to form a mini bar of soap.

flower pots can be made from toothpaste caps,

 buy cheap necklaces, bracelets from second hand shops, car boots, you can get  findings and beads from them at the fraction of the price

also look out for very thin gold and silver chains great for jewellery making for your doll

keep a look out at the Christmas ornaments now on sale a lot of them can be used for your dolls house, try to think outside the box and look at everything with a miniaturists eye, I just brought for a 1.00 a string of beads,

get friendly with your local florist, they always have left over bits of florists wire left over, this can be used for making the stems of your flowers,

give your relatives a small plastic box, ask them to fill it with bits they don't want or would be throwing away and to save them for you, I get many an item that I can make use of by doing this.

look out for old lace and crocheted doilies, these can make bedspreads, table cloths ect.

well that's it for today, I hope you have found this blog entry useful, next week I will be starting on my next project, A Egyptian shop, last year I got a double fronted shop for 10.00 from my local second hand shop and since then I have been collecting artefact's from the Egyptians era and researching all about it, I have a book that I use and I put in it the items I want to make, colours I want in fact everything that I feel will be needed for my project, I even read books, go to the library and in this case visited a museum, this is in the hope I can get it as exact as I can, now I feel ready to start it, I will be putting it on my blog and keeping you all updated as I progress

thank you my new followers

Thank you to my new followers, its quite exciting to open my blog and to find people like what I am doing and want to follow me, as you may of read i lost my dog so for a while I did not feel like writing or doing anything, but life goes on and I cannot stay idle for long, so I have reopened my work shop and today I sat and looked at my last item I was making and I must admit I have lost all my thoughts for it, so it has gone into a box and I will return to it one day, I have another little dog called Freebie, a 18 month old Yorkshire terrier and she keeps me going, she sits with me in my work room watching what I do, but I have to be careful she will sometimes take a liking to something I am making and grab it and run off with it, her favorite seems to be when I am sewing she loves to get hold of the blankets many an item has been lost, see rambling again, told you I did this get off one subject and on to another in a drop of a hat, Freebie is used to me as I sit and chat to her all day, I am sure if anyone came round they would think me mad and have me locked up,
but never mind I am happy and that's what counts.
Back to miniatures,
well thinking of what i could do I decided to do you some little projects,
hat stand
jewellery holder
pictures and frames,
started them today and I am waiting for the paint to dry so I can then get to the next stage, there will be photos and instructions, these are so easy and cheap to do although the jewellery holder requires nerves of steel when you have to dismantle your dolls arm, suggest you give her a good drink first,
switching off now son will be home from work soon and he will want his tea, sausage mash and onion gravy tonite I think
will be back tomorrow with the projects bye for now

change of name

Hi
have changed my name after realising there is another blog withn the same name, so added my own name to save any confusion
thanks debs

sad news

sorry to say I lost my beloved dog, Beth yesterday, she was 13 years old and my constant companion, it was very strange waking up this morning without her nuzzling my hand to wake up.

update

hi all
 just to catch up, not been doing any miniatures, as I said earlier my beloved dog, Beth is poorly and I have been nursing her, she is fading now and tomorrow I will have to take her to the vets to make sure she is not suffering, its hard but I cannot let her suffer so for now I will be quiet, I will be back just need time to deal with this
debbie

check out this great designer

Morning all,
check out my friends site, she makes great ceramics, dolls and other items, well worth looking at.
brentel.ceramic.designs.2itb.com.
bit of a tough week, my German shepherd, Beth is poorly, she is 12 years old and her health is failing, so I am nursing her and trying to keep her happy and comfortable, dog lovers will understand how I am feeling, all I can hope for is her ending is peaceful and she does not suffer, but it is hard watching her, sorry to have put a bit of a downer on blog,
on a happier note, progress with my HRT, started pills last night now waiting for them to start taking effect, my son will be glad, he is tired coming home from work to this mad woman who either up the wall or cleaning .
last night spent time on my new designs coming on well, got everything painted, but now got to make a bedside cabinet, will this stop I keep adding items, hope to add photos later,
watch this space

I continue

I am getting a bit carried away with my design, I have now started a bed and chair, I have some fantastic silver metallic paint and so far everything is looking silver, I have a great necklace that hopefully will look good on the bed when I have finished butchering it,
I blame my Doctor, he took me off my HRT, and those of you will know what menopause can do, put it this way, I did not need a shower just a bar of soap when I am very hot, anyway back I went to my Doctor today, after a long discussion about the advantages and disadvantages taking HRT he asked me what I wanted to do, my answer was if you don't want a deranged, sweaty, suffering menopausal 54 year old woman hitting him with my walking stick I suggest you write out a prescription, guess what came home with my box of goodies, so now maybe my madness that seems to manifesting in the style of silver painted miniatures may abate and I will get back on course,
when I have finished these strange creations will post pictures for your advice and ideas.
see what happens I start to rant and completely forget what I started this blog for, it was meant to be about miniatures but I seem to be starting to inflict you all with my manic ramblings, I blame my medication, I used to be sane, well watch this space for my next rant

trying something new

collection of objects to ponder over, what can I do?

took 2 film canisters and covered with corrugated cardboard

decided and cut out a design I was happy with

idea forming

rough idea of the design I am going for

Today I decided to look at trying something different, Modern furniture, I did not want to go out and buy in case I did not like it, so looking round at the furniture that I had, I could find nothing that I could adapt so, decided to make my own, I drew out the style I was looking for, collected some bits and started to create, as you can see by the above pictures. I never really know what I am going to do before i do it, I make it up as I go along and if it starts to look right I go with it, so now I am forming an idea so I have started to put it together, first I am going to paint it silver and highlight some parts with bright blues and reds, I will see what I think when its dry,  will it work or will it be a waste of time, we will see, watch this space for the next installment