Saturday 31 December 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I would like to start my first post for 2012 by wishing everyone a very happy and healthy 2012 filled with all the good things - like love and laughter and wonderful friendships!







Sydney was beautiful - but we were all very happy to be home again!!

And look what was waiting - a beautiful Stanhopia orchid in flower.



Aaah - home sweet home!!!
And now I can return to making my baskets and finishing off countless projects that lay in wait!!

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Christmas Greetings and my swap from Carmen!



Seasons greetings to all of you - and I wish you all a very healthy and happy 2012!


And in keeping with the theme - look what I got from Carmen!  Just gorgeous and I'm sure that these will all be put to good use once Indy's house is anywhere near complete! 

Thank you so much Carmen!




Saturday 17 December 2011

A Long Post!

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've posted - so apologies - but I got focused on making some baskets.  More on that subject a little later!

I have to apologise for not being here for so long and I have to welcome new followers.  Thank you all for dropping by and taking a look.  I love it when people come visiting!  And a thank you for all your lovely comments too!

Now back to what I've been doing all these weeks!  Well, I saw a photo of a Norfolk Eel trap in a basket book of mine and it presented a bit of a challenge which I always love!  It literally took me almost 2 weeks to sort it out - but I won in the end.  Photos below!

I also wanted to make an Asian style fish trap and needed to "tweak" the procedure somewhat - and good news - I won that battle as well.  Take a look below!



The Fisherman's Baskets!!






The eel trap on the left was a real challenge as there is an internal tunnel and then the outer basket but it's all worked on the same base!  Let me tell you it was fun!


















The fish traps were also a bit a challenge as they are open top and bottom!!






Lobster pots, and some fishing net which I have made using sewing cotton!  And a lobster!


Then I amused myself making a few different baskets as shown below.



I should perhaps mention that all the baskets shown are 1:12th scale.



Saturday 19 November 2011

Another Shopping Basket!

I've been working on this little number for a few days now - glad I finally got it finished so thought I would share it with you.

Shopping basket give-away - winner!

Hey everyone - this morning I used a random number generator to pick a winner - and of course it got it all wrong!!  I wanted everyone to be a winner - but unfortunately this would keep me weaving forever so I will go with the numbers as picked!  I say "numbers" because I have added another little basket as a consolation prize!!
Anyway - enough of this!  Announce the winners!

First out of the hat (so to speak) was -

NORMA!!

Second was -

ANA!
(yours will be a surprise!)

Ladies, please message me with your postal addresses so I can get the baskets posted on Monday!!

CONGRATULATIONS to both of you and I look forward to doing this all over again soon!

Monday 14 November 2011

Another Market Hall Update............

Well, it's finally on it's base and work has started on the cobbling.......still more to be done as can be seen!




This wall took me a few days solid work to complete but I'm happy with the results.











Another view - and you can see the area that still needs cobbling, plus the door to be inserted.










Back view - ground floor market, first floor guild hall, top floor library/office....
floor still to be stained as are the stairs.











View of market area showing "goal"









Other view of market area.










It was hard getting a shot of the fireplace!

Thursday 10 November 2011

There's something about Christmas!

With Christmas approaching, all those lovely Christmas lights are appearing on shop shelves, and this year more than ever before, many of the lights are LEDs.  They are diffused which makes them useful for dollshouse lighting, and they are relatively cheap which makes them even better for dollshouse lighting.

Big W in Australia (a bit like Walmart in the States) has a string of 20 lamps with battery box and switch for about $2 or if you like doing it yourself and pulling things apart, and getting them back together so they work which is the trickier bit,  you can get a string of 200 for about $20. This includes a transformer, which is rated at 22 volts - too high for normal dollshouse work.

This is what comes for $2. Note:  This is cool white

Now come the penalty clauses - you need to be selective. The best LEDs I have found are about 5mm diameter cylinders with dished tops (not domed like normal LEDs), which helps to diffuse the light. Go for warm white which gives a pleasant colour similar to a normal light bulb.

Picture on left shows dished bulb. 
Picture on right shows warm white and cool white.

Cool white has a bluish tint to it, which is OK if you want a fluorescent lamp look.  If the packaging just says white, you could end up with anything, but most likely cool white.

If you are pulling things to bits, LEDs are more sensitive than normal light bulbs and tend to die if connected incorrectly. They need a DC supply of the correct voltage (not 12 volts)  and they need to be connected the right way round - long lead to positive.

If you need more information on how to connect them successfully, fell free to contact me.

Wednesday 9 November 2011

Oooops!! Re give-away comments!

Tail between my legs here - after a major brain fart!!
I deleted my comments list - and if you asked me how I managed that, I would have to say - easy!!
However, I did have a print-out of names - so you will end up in the draw.
Audra, Terefer, Eliana, Drora's minimundo, Kikka, CSPoppets, Teresa Martinez, Roelie, NarinaNapertas, Ultsu, Linda Carswell, Hilsu, Lataina, Elga, Rosamargarita, Jennifer Rydell, Catherine
See what happens when you're as computer literate as I am???
Apologies!!

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Look what arrived today............and a thank you give-away!

The post finally brought my long awaited treasures all the way from the UK.  In May this year I met with Collin Bird while attending the Kensington Dollshouse Festival where I ordered these two beauties!  Their final destination will, of course, be in Indianna Jones' house.  I am so ecstatic - they are just unbelievably beautiful.





........and a thank you give-away!!

I can hardly believe that I actually made it to a 100 followers!  Wow.....thank you all so much for your support and kind comments.  So you better keep those comments coming as.............

....everyone who comments on this post will have their name in a draw for this basket.

I choose Friday 18 November as the closing date - short and sweet!!

Good luck everyone!

A walk through the bush........

And this was a very pleasant discovery indeed.  So pretty - and I didn't even have to plant it.  This is a native cymbidium orchid which I discovered close to our bush house.

Monday 31 October 2011

A Quick Update!

Lots of work being done here - but lots more to go too!!



From this.......................................












To this took 2 days, working from 6.30 in the morning until it was time to feed people their evening meal!!  I get very focused!

I needed to get that wall finished and behind me - I think you will understand what I'm saying here!






Work continues............................

I just couldn't resist it!!

People by Kim Murdock.

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Tudor Market Hall Update!



It has  taken me a while to get this far - but at last this side wall is finished - apart from inserting the painted window panes.

Tomorrow I move on to the back and finish the surrounds of the "jail" door.

That leaves the very large wall at the other end of this view to work on and finally all the cobbles underneath the building which will be the market place.

Still a lot of work to be done - but it is starting to look as if it might turn out "OK"!!

Sunday 23 October 2011

More baskets.........

I managed to complete a couple of baskets over the weekend - in amongst putting the Tudor market halls together.  Thought I would show them here!



A bike basket!











An old style shopping basket with mustard X trim and beads to match! 



Now I can go back to claying with a clear conscience!

Saturday 22 October 2011

Tudor Market Hall ......and Welcome!

Wecome!
Before I go another step further  -  I must welcome new followers to my blog.  Thank you for dropping by and I hope you stay awhile!

Tudor Market Hall
I was lucky enough to be able to acquire this Rik Pierce kit - and talk about a jigsaw puzzle - but it has been a heap of fun and hard work!!  I am making 2 - one for a friend and one for myself and I'm working on them in tandem so it has kept me very busy - like one on a mission!!  The mission being getting it finished as soon as possible.

The jigsaw puzzle!!

My friend Leif literally saved my life by assisting with the distressing of all the wood needed for both kits.  A lot of work there - but it kept him busy for most of a weekend!!







The internal walls clayed and lightly painted.  Further aging later!!








See?  I did my exercises on this day - I picked up the weights off the floor and placed them carefully on the table.  They really come in handy for holding things in place!






Here it is taking shape - albeit slowly!












Here the beams and floors have been added.












Now I can continue to clay the outside - brickwork on all external walls.
The roof can then be added and I will put it on it's base and work on cobbling the market area.  Still a fair amount of work to be done!

I'll keep you posted!


Thursday 13 October 2011

A Cane based shopping basket.........

I have spent the last few days having fun with this little number!  It has been made for a friend and will be travelling across the world to its new home.





Here it is poor thing - in all its nakedness!  I just thought you might like to see some of the process!

Below are pics of the basket finished!







View showing finished basket front on with the dominant Godseye!










Side on view of basket for an idea of the shape!







View of basket showing detail of  handle.









I get a whole lot of enjoyment making my baskets and I hope I won't bore you all to death with them!
I am working on a little tutorial for a hanging basket to put on this blog so you can have a go at making something simple.  A little more on that later.

Monday 10 October 2011

A Pair of Picnic Baskets.....and some orchids for colour!

These picnic baskets have taken me soooo long to complete!

They are made using cane which I have cut down and sanded and then soaked to shape into the formers.  I have also used cane for the stakes and the weaving material is 2 ply waxed linen thread.

These two baskets are basically made on similar formers but have been shaped differently with the stakes!  I had fun doing them both.



I couldn't resist adding the orchids below - they are so pretty!  I hope you enjoy!




Yet Another Project - Tudor Market Hall

This past weekend I drove to the Gold Coast and back (800km) to deliver the second Venice Canal House that I completed recently.  This has opened the door to starting yet another venture in the shape of Rik Pierce's Tudor Market Hall.


These are the bits that hopefully will be transformed - soon!!  I will keep a little diary on progress!