Better Late Than Never!........Kensington 2011

Best laid plans and all that, but I can at last sit down and put a post together. As mentioned before I have a set pattern when I go to Kensington and Miniatura. First to Anne Willis of Fine Design  for an owl before she sells out. Then on to Sarah Hendry of Pocket People for a cat and kitten maybe. Then to Michael Mortimer of Nine to look at his marvellous furniture. 

Then I go to the stand of Jain Squires and Julie Campbell. This time I was blown away by the the huge range of dolls these two talented ladies had on show and my budget went completely out of the window. 

 

I just couldn't resist buying these fabulous characters from Jain 

and believe me I could have bought more!

I have included lots of photographs so you can see the incredible detail of each character.

My first choice had to be this pedlar witch. She is ideal for Diagon Alley up from the country to sell her wares.

 I especially liked her back pack full of pumpkins.

 Jain always seem to think in 360 degrees so her characters have interest from every angle which makes them even more special.

 Her tray is brimming with all sorts of magical pieces and she seems a very happy witch. 

I saw this wonderful character on Jain's blog a few months ago and thought it was destined for a lucky collector.

Now in her full glory on Jain's stand I could not resist her!

 The only excuse I have is that I have learned that if I don't buy the ideal piece when I see it I may never get another chance......yeah, I know it didn't work on the husband either!

 The truth is I just had to have her because she was so vibrant and colourful.

 Even her hat is stuffed full of goodies.

 I am sure that all the Hogwart students would be stocking up on sweeties as well as books.

 A full tray of candies set to make your fillings tingle!

With two witches destined for the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley it seemed only right to choose a wizard to accompany them.

 I chose this character because he was so different to the usual wizard with robes and beards.

 My Alley is post 'He Who Must Not Be Named' so this scarred and troubled wizard is perfect.

 Who knows what terrible events led to his injuries.

Perhaps the silver frog is a clue to his special role or skills. 

I was also sorely tempted by the three 'Alice' characters that Jain had on show. I loved the darkness of Alice and could see her in a really surreal tea party........

But I resisted having absolutely no plans for any Wonderland projects and the whole of the fair still to get round!

I will probably regret my resisting in the future but I will hopefully still be married!!

A Day of Freedom!........The Kensington Dolls House Festival 2011

I took a whole day off from the puppy on Friday to attend the Kensington Dolls House Festival. This is my favourite show as it doesn't take me too long to travel there and the range of exhibitors is amazing. There are always a lot of artisans from Europe at this show and I really enjoy looking at the different types of styles.

Two artisans that I do not remember seeing before were Gerd Felka from Germany who had the most beautiful collection of glass pieces, including some miniature bottles in very interesting shapes; and Elizabeth Causeret. I am not sure why I have not noticed Elizabeth's work before as it is absolutely perfect for the mini projects I have been working on for the last two years!

 I had already been more than a little naughty by the time I got to Elizabeth's display so I only bought these three pieces but I could have bought a whole lot more!

 The cask and drip cup were perfect for the bar of The Leaky Cauldron. The cup is so fine and delicate, amazing work.

The pitcher too looks perfect on my new pub table by Michael Mortimer. Unfortunately Elizabeth does not seem to have a website so you can't see the huge range of perfectly formed stoneware she produces but a lot of her pieces are sold by Swan House Miniatures in the US, the prices here are an awful lot more than I paid though. 

I now have a collection of miniature artisans whose stands I visit as soon as I arrive at either Kensington or Miniatura.

There are two main reasons why I highlight where these stands are on my map: firstly, they are always very popular and can sell out of certain pieces very quickly, secondly, I know I will want to buy particular items from them and have learnt that cash can disappear very quickly from my hot little hands at these fairs. So I now make sure I visit my favourites first.

 Michael Mortimer is always highlighted for me now as he produces such beautifully made oak pieces.

 This pub table and chairs were just what I wanted for the front area of The Leaky Cauldron.

Again they are perfectly scaled and will soon be full of wizard good cheer!

Another artist whose work I cannot resist is that of Sarah Hendry of Pocket People. She makes both cats and dogs all of which are then hand painted in the most amazing detail.

 This time I decided on a tabby cat and playful kitten.

Light was pretty poor today but I hope you can see the detail in the coats and expressions of these cats. I have been slowly building a collection of Sarah's cats for a while now and never tire of looking at them. For me she is the best miniature cat artisan I have come across because I like the sculpted look rather than the furry kind. 

Sarah does not have a website but will always email pictures of the cats she has available and send by post.

As I have not made anything for a while now due to the new arrival, I did feel a little stir-crazy at the fair, which means I have lots of things to show......but at the moment I will finish with yet another photo of Lily.

Tomorrow I will come clean about my addiction to the characters of Jain Squires but shhhhhhh, please don't tell my husband!

Lily Would Like to Say Thank You.....

 A big "Thank You!!" to everyone who has commented and email-ed my new mummy with both encouragement and much needed advice recently.

Poor Mummy is a little shell-shocked but is getting better every day. At the very least she has stopped putting me in the bath every other day and I have nearly persuaded her that puppies only eat roasted chicken fillets.

I haven't quite got the hang of not treating everyone like a chew stick and the garden seems like a long way away when a puppy needs to pee but sitting down does seem to bring nice treats and makes everyone happy!!

I had my second injection today but we still have to stay in the garden for another two weeks. Which is just as well as I am not fit to be seen at the moment. I have a huge bald spot on my back from being micro-chipped. Now is that any way for a puppy princess to be presented to the world!

Lovely Packages Containing Lovely Things.......

I am a sucker for packaging and I have recently purchased two items that arrived with all the attention to detail that I enjoy.

My first little parcel is from Bassom Bear who I have recently discovered when trying to work out how to use Artfire. 

 Pretty little personalised box, nice....Shredded tissue, nice....

 And inside a gorgeous tiny, fully jointed teddy bear for my Toy Shop. He is just beautiful and so well made. He reminds me of the bears that used to line the walls of Gamages Toy Emporium ( I am not as old as the writer of this piece, but it has the right feel for the visits I remember in the 1960's).

 I love the added touch of his own designer label on his bottom.

 He is a real cutie and has settled in amongst all the other bears in the Toy Shop. Lots of empty spaces still to fill though!

 Next to arrive were the wonderfully packages mini glitter house kits from true2scale. I ordered the Haunted House, of course

,

 ......and a Little Church which will go in the Toy Shop.

 Both kits are presented in their own tasteful envelopes which really make you feel you have purchased something special.

This seller also has a marvellous blog which is well worth a long visit for lots of tips and helpful advice.

I can't wait to start these kits. They are a perfect project for me at the moment as I have a feeling I will be working in small time spurts at the moment!

One Little Puppy and Not Enough Time!

Shhhhhhh, she's asleep! Thank the Lord!

I have decided that it should be made a legal requirement that all these women who get past 50 and decide that they want a baby should have to take care of a puppy for at least 3 months before any treatment is allowed. 

This will let them know that there is a reason a woman's fertility drops beyond a certain age.....looking after babies is exhausting, immensely time consuming and no matter what your partner tells you before the puppy/baby arrives - you are on your own honey!

I am convinced that all these terrible doctors making lots of money from very foolish women would be a lot poorer!

Well that's my gripe of the day! 

And of course Lily is a lovely puppy and is proving to be fun for all of us but gosh it's a lot more hard work than I had expected. 

I have not been near a proper mini in two weeks but I have got lots of gardening done as we seem to spend a lot of time out doors in an attempt to encourage house training.

 Terrible picture I know but we had to take it! 

The strange thing is that all the problems I had expected to deal with haven't really happened, crying at night, having to let her out to pee at night, separation anxiety and general scaredy-ness.

She is far too confident if anything and has a tendency to chew on anything that moves, mostly our feet!

 The only time she is unhappy is when she has a bath, definitely not a favourite past time despite me falling for the ultimate in designer dog shampoo....

I just couldn't resist us having matching hair products, although mine is the "Dumb Blonde" version which seems pretty fitting!

 I have the feeling it is going to be a long summer but now all the bank holidays are more or less out of the way I hope to get back into some sort of routine. 

I think small tasks will probably be the best things to tackle. Maybe flower kits, book making, painting window frames, that sort of thing. These only need a few bits and bobs and can easily be done in the garden if this lovely weather continues, fingers crossed!

I have also decided to try out a bit of 'grow your own' in my very small garden. This will keep both me and the dog busy as I attempt to dig and she attempts to divest me of my gardening gloves or fork or plant or ..........

I am starting very simply with tomatoes, french beans, lettuces and chilli peppers. Plus a few herbs and a  gooseberry plant which I am going to try and keep alive in patio containers. 

As I am usually the kiss of death to all things green it could make the summer a bit more interesting!

Oh, I have a doggie question too. Is it normal for your sweet, if very active puppy, to turn into a devil pup for what can only be described as a 'mad half hour'? During which time she jumps around like a maniac trying to chew, nip, bite or chase everything in her vicinity. 

After which she collapses and sleeps for an hour.

Is the answer a padded cell and large drink? For me I mean!

A Very Different Sort of Mini......

The Easter Bunny delivered an Easter Egg with a difference this year. Here is my latest mini, she is 8 weeks old and as cute as a button. Her name is Lily and she is a cross between a pug and a shih tzu.

I have been thinking about getting a dog for a while now as I have been increasingly concerned that, with my youngest son off to University in September, I could easily succumb to my natural agoraphobic this winter.

 I have only ever had cats and am not a great dog lover. They growl, they bite, they bark, they smell, they are a tie, they do huge poops, they pee in the house and they shed hair all over the house......Some of the many reasons I have never wanted a dog!!

 But....they all need to be walked and that was the main incentive for me. A dog, even a very small one, will make sure I go for a walk every day. As good as it sounds to spend the winter in my PJ's making minis, I don't think that is the best way to deal with my empty nest!

 So after months of googling such questions as: "What dog thinks it's a cat?" and "Which breed of dog barks the least?" I finally discovered the pug cross breeds. She looks a bit like Gizmo from that wonderful "Gremlins" film but as is the way of puppies everyone has fallen in love with her.

  It has also been the perfect weekend to bring her home, lots of the family around and the most glorious weather. 

The biggest surprise has been the similarity between bringing the puppy home and my own babies. Feed them, clean them, up in the night ( to pee for the puppy, to feed for the babies!!), plus all the kit! A whole new world of gizmos and gadgets.

At the moment we are having lots of fun with her even if I do keep walking around the house sniffing!!

Now are puppies allowed in at the Kensington Festival? 

Hope you have all enjoyed your Easter break.

Leaky Cauldron Stained Glass Windows All Done!

I must admit there have been times when I have wondered why on earth I didn't just use the windows that came with this kit! The trouble is once I decided on the look I wanted for The Leaky Cauldron I just knew I had to make square Tudor-esque windows.

 Now, after much scratching of the head and many broken nails they are complete and I am so pleased I didn't go for my usual quick fix approach. I am beginning to give each project time to develop and play a little rather than simply buy whatever easy fix material is on the market.

 The leaded windows went in very easily and some did not even need a touch of glue as the lead gave the acetate extra strength.

 I added some glass paint to the edges, not too much as I like to be able to see in my kits. I chose brown paint which seems to have been the right choice. Again I took my time and played with different colours on an extra window I leaded up with the intention of trying out a few different colours.

This is the finished exterior. I still have lots of finishing touches to add of course but the main building work has been done. I think this is the first project that has come out more or less exactly as I had envisaged at the start.

I have so many of you to thank for that. I have had so much encouragement and support, as well as helpful ideas and advice. These have made me try different techniques and accept that when it doesn't work......throw it away and try again! And again!

Hooray for Blogland!!!