Kensington and my list........

I had a fabulous day at Kensington yesterday. No massive scrum like at Christmas, calm and pleasurable shopping. My only complaint being that I couldn't get there until 1.30pm so lost out on a lot of Nikki Rowe's fantastic magical creations! I am sure you have already seen who the early birds were! So I didn't get a dragon eye book which I had lusted after but I did get lots of other lovely things from Nikki.

Anyway my list, I made my way to Julie of Bellabelle Dolls to say hello and look for characters for my witch shop and toy shop. She has agreed to make me a slightly smutty potion making witch, a tick on my wish list!

Moving on I went to Kathryn and Alan of Templewood Miniatures where I purchased these 144th house kits for my toy shop. The market square kit even has mini mini dolls houses inside, how cute is that!? I also picked up a couple of more flower kits to keep me busy. Previously I had bought a very fine tipped glue bottle from Kathryn which I told her I had found to be the best thing ever for detailed work and it never gets gummed up! So another tick from my list, doing well so far.

 

Off upstairs I came across these flower kits for foxglove and hollyhocks which were too witchy to pass by. They were a little bit pricey but unusual plants were on my list. Tick...Next stop was at my favourite whitewood furniture maker Rob Lucas of World of my Own, unfortunately there is not a website but mail order is available. I am a great fan of whitewood furniture cos it is reasonably priced and you can do what you like with it. This is what I bought.

 

This furniture is so well made and perfectly scaled with lovely clean lines. I have learnt to my cost that furniture scale can vary a lot especially at the economical end of the price range. So rocking chair tick, potion table tick, dolls house making table tick, unit for toy shop tick. I know the round table was not on my list but....I am going to cut it down as a coffee table for my witch sitting room and I have been looking for something to fill that space for a long time: so I think I can be let off!

 A visit to Mouse House Miniatures gave me a tiny teddy and a basket of vegetables, teddy tick but a big cross for the basket. I just couldn't resist it I love Charlotte's food minis and it had a lovely raw, country quality ideal for my witch. My bag was definitely filling up now and noticeably heavier, my budget which we all carry with us was making itself known but not too badly yet so off I went to Shoebutton Bears.

 Here are my little cuties. I adore their bears as they are really tiny and can come in lovely costumes. I was very good and only bought two as there was still a lot left on my list! But teddies tick.

Then going downstairs I met a little huddle including a little girl who looked just like Lola, I had bumped into Kate of Whittaker's Miniatures and Michelle of Michelle's Mad World plus another enthusiast whose name I didn't catch. They were really welcoming and we came clean about our purchases, I soon found out why Nikki's stand looked so bare!

The lovely Kate had made gifts for us bloggers, a super pile of books with a frog and potion bottle - as my daughter would say 'How kind is that?!' I was really touched, the miniature community is a real haven from all the cross and disappointed people I deal with every day, a mini haven.

Still lots more to look for, unfortunately I could not find any scissors or candles or glasses so it will be back to the internet for them. No 'toy maker' figure to tempt me but as I have two dolls to come from Julie this was just as well! More disappointingly I was unable to find a fairy for my cage, Penny Thompson did not have any of her tiny ones, I think getting to the show late meant I did miss out on a few things.

I was still within budget, hooray, and was doing well with my list no silly purchases yet and lots more to look at. 

I do not have any more photos today because Number One son left for Indonesia on Thursday with my camera charger and spare battery. Don't you just love 'em. I have ordered new ones but at the moment the camera is dead poor thing.

Still to come Nikki Rowe, old favorites for my toy shop, the one thing I just had to have, fabulous kitties and what every toy maker needs.

But no rats, again I think I was too late. On the good side I think my Spanish exam went well so my delay should be worth it, fingers crossed!