Small stuff

I had a bit of spare time this week and tried to make a few things to fill the cupboard, and some other corners and shelves (later) in Eucalypta's cottage.  So I got the Fimo out (and Sculpey and the rest of the clays, because I use all sorts, depending on what I want to make) and set to work.  Admittedly, I have had a good look around at a lot of your blogs to get some inspiration.  Since I don't have any glass jars yet, besides a pot with wild honey that I used 'as is', I had to come up with something else, so if some of you recognise containers, I must have tried (with the emphasis on 'tried') to copy them.  I don't think you'll mind, as I only use them for my own pleasure.  I am not into selling stuff, so won't make any money using your imagination. :-)  Besides, I am not at all good with working with clay and I can only dream of making scrumptious food like I have seen a lot of you people do.  The mind boggles sometimes and I admire everyone who can work so precisely and so small and produces such perfect cakes, cookies, lunches and what not.  Chapeau!!!

Enough of that.  Here is what I have produced:

On top (you can hardly see it) is my first attempt at a skull.  Not very successful, but I may try again....  On the top shelf the jar with wild honey, a fancy jar (bead and finding) and a pottery jar.  I made a few of those to compensate for the lack of glass jars.  On the next shelf down, a few more pottery jars and another one with a funny face.  On the bottom cabinet besides the jars I have tried to make one of those fancy bottles (with a crooked neck), but wasn't so successful.  You may have seen the originals. Oh boy, what a watered down version this one is!  A lot happier was I with the mortar and pestle (a downright copy of the one in my own 1:1 kitchen and I am really happy with this one) and a delightful little blue-and-white bowl.  The latter I was given by a 12 year old girl who really was a miniaturist in the bud.  She made if of a gumnut and I have always treasured it.  It deserves a place in Eucalypta's cottage.  Behind the doors are a few attempts that don't need to go on show!

This is a close-up selection of the containers I made:  I like the ones with the funny faces.  And like the bottles, these I saw on your blogs as well and they inspired me greatly.  I loved them, and I loved making them too. 

This is the little cauldron for inside the cottage that I made of a large bead some time ago.  It was waiting to be filled with some mushroom and herbs soup (including Eucalypta's other secret ingredients), but I had to wait till I could find liquid polymer clay.  Which I did last week, hence the final picture.

And in preparation of the soup Eucalypta has a board on the floor near the fire with a few of her herbs and mushrooms, which are partially sliced.

Of course, she grows and picks her own mushrooms, although these are different from the ones she's put in her soup.  They grow elswhere, a place deep in the forest, only known to Eucalypta.....  The basket I haven't made myself, the bowl I did.

That's it for now.  More photo's to come when everything is in place.

In the meantime I have gathered a few more followers.  That's great.  Just as well I had something new to show, because that's what you're here for after all......  At least, that's my guess. ;-)

So, a warm welcome to Clara again, but now I have discovered that you do have a blog after all: La vida en miniatura (Life in miniature) and the following people who all have blogs worthwhile visiting:

Tabitha at Tabitha Corsica (something for Alice in Wonderland fans).
Lainie Ball at Lainie's Little Things,
Casey at Casey's Minis,
Janny Warnaar from The Netherlands at Art of Mini,
Kim Saulter at It's a miniature life,
Marit at Black Cat Cottage,
and Jan Squires at The Giddy Kipper (I like the name of your blog!)

I hope you all will enjoy visiting my blog as I do yours.  You're all very inspiring.

Till next time
Marion

A new corner cabinet

Slowly inspiration is coming to me, but every so slowly.......  Eucalypta needed a cabinet for storage, but I couldn't make up my mind.  Finally I settled for a corner cabinet.  Not too big, because it's only a small cottage and big funiture doesn't look good. I didn't feel like working with wood, so I dug out some cardboard from a box under the bench and set to work.  Here is the result:

I didn't really want some old looking cabinet.  Eucalypta is entitled to some good stuff too, don't you think?  It's amazing what you can do with card and a few embellishments.  I painted it a very dark red, because I don't like too many different colours in any particular setting.  I think it's more pleasing for the eye this way.

Now I need to fill this cabinet.  I wish I had some glass bottles that I could fill.  I'll have a good look and in the meantime will try and think of a few other things.  I'll show you when I've got something to fill this and who knows, I might also get inspiration to make some more furniture.

I might as well welcome two more followers: Francesca (Chipironini) at Petitissim who makes beautiful baby dolls and Clara who doesn't seem to have a blog.  Welcome to both of you and I hope you'll enjoy following my blog.

See ya,
Marion

New shoes

What's a witch without shoes?  That's what a good friend of mine thought! Nadia came to my workshop at the weekend and had a present for me.  Uhhhh, no, not for me.  OMG I nearly stept on Eucalypta's toes....... (pardon the pun).  A present for Eucalypta.  How she knew her size, I don't know, because Eucalypta is currently packed away, or shall I say: "Not At Home"......  So, therefore I have put her new shoes under the chair near the fire.  When she comes home she'll enjoy nice warm shoes:

They look so lovely.  I am thrilled.  I should be working on the cottage a bit more.  Will do my best!

In the meantime I discovered that in our absence we have gained a few more followers.  I really need to start thinking about a giveway for when I reach 100!!!!

But first things first.  A warm welcome to:

Kriana at Miniaturas Kriana
I think a group of miniaturists (?) at Casitamini (I don't understand Spanish that well ;-))
Karen Casper from near Cologne, Germany at KC Design
Tebbina from Germany (?) at Tebbinas Traum
Lorraine at DflyCreations
Jonna "Rudoo" at Buggaboos
Allyson at Free Spirit Farm
Linda at Linda's Minis

And then there are also Ria van Woggelum who I know, but Ria, I can't remember if you have a website or not.  Please let me know, and there's also Miniaturemaid for whom I couldn't detect a link.  Anyway, welcome to both of you as well.

And this is really it for now.  It's nearly dinner time and I am famished.  See you later.....

Marion

Beatriz's Blog

Yes, Beatriz has a blog: Miniaturas de Beatriz Fernandez.  Go and check it out.  Crochet work, mandrakes, human fingers and horns of unicorn, and much more.......  Thank you Beatriz. Bye the way, my understanding of Spanish gets better every day. ;-)

Also Jana has a blog about miniature books.  Sooo beautiful: Janas Minibuecher.  Thanks Jana, when I am not making plants I am working on my next favorite part of the hobby: book making! I just wish there were more hours in the day.......

My new blog

It doesn't look like it here, but I have been working hard.  I have started another blog for my miniature hobby in general.  Go and have a look at Marion's Miniatures.  Enjoy.

Oh, and I would like to welcome Beatriz Fernandez as my latest follower.  Couldn't find a reference to a blog or website.  Do you have one Beatriz?

Again a Warm Welcome to....

...a few more followers, or may I call you friends.  We all share the same interests, don't we?

First of all a warm welcome to a 'real' friend (as opposed to a 'cyber' friend), Ria from The Netherlands.  Ria is the producer of all those lovely flower and plant kits that I can't seem to get enough of and use everywhere I can in my miniature scenes. She doesn't have a blog, but if you're interested in her kits, look at her site called VaRIAatjes. Lovely to see you here Ria.
Next there is Kat Hazelton aka Kat the Hat Lady.  Have a look at her wonderful witch hats, and of late, matching witch and wizard sets including: shoes!  Welcome Kat.
And there's also Jana Wichmann with no blog that I can find.  Do you have one Jana?  Would love to see what your interests are.

Apologies for my lack of updates on this blog, but it's just not happening.  Still being tied up with a workshop project that eats up all my time.  Hopefully finished soon, because I would love to go back to working on my witch's cottage after having been inspired by so many people with wonderful inspirational blogs.

The last ones, and a few newbies :-)

I hope to finish welcoming the last in the row of followers and also a few newbies that I discovered this morning..  Here goes (again)....

A warm welcome to
Kate from Surrey, UK at Whittaker's Miniatures
Debbie from Wales, UK at Tiny Treasures and Happy Anniversary to you!
Julia also from Wales, UK at Bear Cabin Miniatures - Congrats on the lovely cottage that Hywel made
Rianne from Sauerland, Germany at Das Strunzertaler Volk - Trollen, mmmmm, very cute
Nikki Rowe at Witch & Wizard Miniatures - one of my earliest followers and you can't get any more witchy or wizardy than at her blog........
Jeannette from Germany at Garden of Miniatures - the difference between Jeannette and me?  I make plants, she makes the most beautiful plants......
Ann at Whitch Craft, an inspiring cardmaking site. Cardmaking is my other hobby
And Icubed001, my first follower if I am correct, alas no blog mentioned

Next I want to welcome a few people that I know personally (and one at least I had lost sight of for a while)

Welcome and nice to see you here:
Carolyn from New Zealand at Carolyn's Little Kitchen I had the pleasure of actually meeting Carolyn and seeing first hand the beautiful minis she makes
Denise from Toowoomba, Australia at Deni's Dollhouse Mania - Denise not only makes beautiful miniatures but equally beautiful quilts (full size!)
Klara from The Netherlands at Klara's Blog and
Margriet, also from The Netherlands at My Weblog
Both Klara and Margriet I have known for a long time as Mini Friends from a Dutch List by that name that I have been a member of since the beginning.

My apologies to those who have visited this page before I did the editing.  I had to post it unfinished as my internet connection was playing up again and I didn't want to loose all the information.  So next in line are the latest new followers whom I want to wish a warm welcome as well:

Carol at True2scale
Michelle from Belgium at Michelle's poppenhuizen en Miniaturen
Glenda at Peppercorn Minis
Ingrid from Vlaams Brabant, Belgium at Mijn Droomwereldje

All well worth a visit.  The diversity and talent are great, as usual.

And last but not least to followers who don't appear to have a blog: aurus35 and Kayjay.  If you do have a blog, please can you make it known to us.  I would most definitely pay a visit.

That's all for now.  At least all my followers have been welcomed.  I am going temporarily back to the projects in hand.  See you and please keep visiting.  A friendly (LOL) comment  is also welcome. Don't be shy. ;-)

Bye for now........