Wednesday 19 June 2013

Despite the Poor Summer the Garden Has Been Calling But........

I have been doing some bits and pieces. I filled the upper floor with all the stuff I have been collecting and placed it willy nilly to try and give it and untidy air of chaos. I am really hoping I will be able to replicate this dis-order as I go along and fight the urge for co-ordination and tidiness.
There will obviously be a lot more gloop and sticky messes once I start dressing the furniture.
 So my plan is to get all the printies finished. This sounds like a five minute job but the amount of labels needed just to make a small pile is ridiculous. So I trawl google images print them off, burn the edges of some, sort them into size and then glue them in small stacks.
 Then I have glued the small stacks together in order to make a tower of labels. I have also been making tons of scrolls and manuscripts ready for shelf filling. Lots of cutting and gluing!!
 I also played with the idea of making opened paper packing for some of the items being delivered to the Slug & Jiggers potion room. I took a couple of Potter printies and covered them in PVA back and front. Then I screwed them into a loose ball and unfurled them carefully into a scrunched up shape. They have hardened quite well and are ready to be cut to size and filled with odd ingredients.
 This is my first full, un-coordinated and untidy shelf. It has a selection of everything. Potion bottles by Kastle Kelm and Nikki Rowe. A skull and bottle of spitits by Julie Lawton of Cottage Kitty, Julie makes a whole range of fabulous miniatures do visit her Ebay site. 
I have also recently received this fabulous cart in the post all the way from Italy. I saw it on the stand of Cinen Miniatures but walked away with a few of their shabby chic pieces. When I returned later it had been sold but the lovely sellers agreed to make me another. I think this will look great on Diagon Alley. I will probably change it a little bit but the quality and shape is just right.
 It seemed a strange piece to be sold on the stand of an Italian miniaturist as I always associate chestnut stands with London winter streets from my childhood. When I was young my mum would take me up to Oxford Street in December to buy my winter coat from C&A's and visit Gamages toy shop to buy my Christmas doll. The chestnut vendors and their hot braziers would be on every street corner and the smell was delicious.
This cart is perfect for a Harry Potter scene and will always make me think of those childhood trips.

14 comments:

  1. Loving all the untidiness in Slug & Jiggers, Janice. We still have toasted Chestnuts in the winter, one of my favourite things..x

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    1. Ah, that smell Debbie takes me right back to my childhood when anything seemed possible!

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  2. Wonderfully bright and colourful and love the buisiness of it all :)
    Just love the chestnut stand Janice too.. In one of the films.. I think it's after they leave visiting the weasleys shop.. Two children go to get something like chestnuts from a little stand and a little miniature dragon breathes fire on them to make them warm.. I though that was a nice idea.. :)

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    1. That sounds like a perfect addition to my cart Michael. You are my fountain of inspiration once more, thank you for that little idea. I am sure I have one of Nicky's little dragons somewhere that will do just the job!!
      I really must watch the films again!!

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  3. Hello Janice,
    I can just imagine how much time and effort went in to making all those items. They were worth every minute. Everything looks great. Even though you might want to make thing tidy, I think you have wonderful vision of what you want and I know it will be perfect.
    Big hug,
    Giac

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    1. Hi Giac,
      I will try with the mess although it always seems to look staged when I've tried it before. I think I need to put it all on the shelves and leave a few items loose then give the house a gentle nudge and leave everything where it falls!!
      Mini hugs,
      Janice

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  4. Loving the chaos in the room but I understand what you mean about fighting the temptation to 'tidy'. Love the cart.

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    1. I seem to really struggle in creating clutter, it never seems to look natural when I do it.

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  5. I love your piles of papers. I've never had a roasted chestnut before, but my grandparents had a chestnut tree and I used to help my Grandad collect them. I'd use my gumboots to break open the spiky pods. Must have been a sight. IndyPoppy

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    1. I am so glad the chestnut cart brought back such a happy memory Poppy.

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  6. I like your new pieces. The cart is fantastic.
    Greetings, Faby

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  7. Fantástico, esta estupendo me gusta todo se ve un conjunto muy armonioso, y el carrito de las castañas es genial.
    Un abrazo.
    Yolanda

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  8. Love the chestnut cart! So different!

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