On leave!!! WOOHOO!!

2 weeks off work - yay!! I HOPE to be constructive!! So.. my first day has started with a 3.30am rise - not sure what that's about!
Sis-in-law Kez bought a storage cabinet a while back.. my room is in such a mess I decided to follow that trend and get one too.  Not moved into it yet, but cant' wait to make sense of all this stuff I have accumulated.
Going to the VAME workshop today and really excited about it!
More later when I have stories to tell about my first workshop and meeting all these wonderful ladies!

New followers & my coming weekend!

Welcome to my new followers - it's lovely to see people tapping in to my posts even if I'm new to all of this!

I HAD posted that I was going to a workshop today - oops!! It's next week, which I didn't discover till I got there and couldn't find anyone!! Rang my son who checked the sheet.. doh!!! Oh well, can knuckle down and complete something here at home :)

*shudder*

I've been working on one of the kits from the VAME show.  here's the result.  Not so happy with my gardening tools but can reshape them when i have more time to make them a bit better (ugh the fork looks dreadful!) Anyway I do love the little bag..the apron was really stiff LOL so I scrunched it up a little for the pic.. will probably scrunch it up more - my aprons are never starched!  Just to prove I did 'something' I'm posting the pics although not entirely happy with the outcome yet LOL - a few final touches & tweaking will complete the picture.
I did change a couple of things from the kit too, to make life a little easier for me ;-)

VAME show in Aus..

So.. been there - oh wowww!!! Never been to a doll house/mini show before and it just blew my mind.  Out the front was a sign asking for no photo's to be taken without the consent of the member.. went in.. paid, and went straight to the membership counter.  Yes, now a proud member of VAME - which will give me exposure to workshops, and of course, meet like-minded people!!  The people I met were amazing and SO welcoming - I was a tad overwhelmed to be honest - it is SO easy to talk to people who share the same love!

The show was amazing - had to line up to get in the door which was a surprise to me - I didn't expect so many people!! Was welcomed with open arms as they knew I was signing up to become 'one of them' haha!! I met so many terrific artisians - people I have shopped from often on eBay, and some who's work I have admired from afar.  These people were from all over Aus - much larger event that I had thought it would be!  Went armed with cash - oh wow that goes quickly LOL - I did do the rounds before making any decisions though - only one impulse buy.. oops!!! Some pics : I didn't take many as it was SOOO crowded - sorry :((

 This gentleman does fret work - amazing what he creates!

A gypsy Caravan

Oops, tis came out terribly - such beautiful work in it though!!

Some stuff I bought..

Close-up, the guy who makes these does it purely for love.  He doesn't sell them on the internet - not in it for money - purely for enjoyment - they're just gorgeous (got 2 different ones for you Kez)

Wooden planters? They're so cute lol, the mouse I just couldn't walk away from, and that doll is fimo - isn't she the cutest?

One of the kits I bought (there is one for you Kez.. lol) the two on the top right and the washboard were from a lucky dip - and some pewter things.. gosh I could have bought ALL the pewter - sensational!

Book & Trinket box...

My big spend.. always wanted one - too hard to walk away.. the Heidi Ott Train Set - just gorgous!!

LOL some business cards

Oh and some windows - so

And just for you Kez... Lesley LOLshe didn't stop knitting!! Amazing work - she is the queen of thread!!

I did buy a couple of other things, another 'kit' for Kez.. (and one for me lol) and a deck chair for my front deck of the homestead.  Met the guy who makes the homestead, and another man who makes a few other doll houses.  They are SOO passionate.  I was amazed to see people of all ages spending up, but possibly more amazed at just how lovely most of them were.  My biggest dissappointment came with 2 stalls, who charged like wounded bulls, and were pretty conceited.. gosh - it's a hobby isn't it? Lighten up ;-)

All in all a good day.. just had to escape because I was sweating like a pig, and the crowd was huge and pushy - plus I'd spent too much already LOL

I really look forward to my first workshop weekend!!

A couple of aussie links: 

Victorian Dollhouses and Miniatures

Lesley's Miniature Knitting

Christmas Every Day

MiniMum Minis - user ID: minimum-minis

This... marks the end of my post - unless you want me to rattle on forever - which I really could!! Fantastic day!!

Tiny Post!

I've been working on things this weekend but really have nothing to show for it - nothing is really ready including the chairs below.. which are still drying and the cushions aren't attached yet LOL - they won't be quite so shiny which is the look I wanted.

I wanted to at least post something though.  The stamp album - how cute is that! My sis-in-law sent me some little things.. the others I haven't taken pics of yet, will show them in 'their place' when the time comes. 
The chairs are house of miniatures, just changed the fabric so it will go better in the room they're going in :)

Going to a doll house show next weekend and can't wait!!

A little bit done - long way to go!

I did a little bit of work today, I'm not very accurate as you will see.. got to steady those hands and make them work small!!! But.. for a first timer I'm happy enough so far.. I see the flaws and everyone else probably will too.. but if you don't look 'too' closely - it's ok!! the furnished room is merely a vision so far.. I need to do doors, complete windows, fit cornice & skirting. Be gentle with me - I'm a learner!

So here goes.. this will be the main lounge room (living room? IDK what its called overseas lol) anyway, that tv plugs into a dvd player - rather eccentric I know.. but a bit of fun ;-) It will play a movie!! My son bought it for me and I love it! The wallpaper came from Spotlight, was duel purpose, one side had the pattern, the other the brown which is mottled.  The trim is ribbon, also from Spotlight.  They really do have some awesome papers and they're a great fit for the dolls house! I have kind of designed this around my parents lounge room from years ago, although they didn't have the room wallpapered I don't think?  Their lounge suite was white, the table I made similar to dad's, as with the lamp on it (yet to be completed properly, mum tells me it's not quite right lol), Mum made that doiley.  The guy sitting there is pretty ugly.. I'm going to undress him (woohoo) and re'dress him in something *I* prefer! the carpet is similar to my parent's carpet, not quite the same.. but close.. now to find similar curtains!!

The room below is going to be the girls room.  I didn't get it exactly straight.. oh my!! However, I'll settle for it, I fought with it for ages and for some reason couldn't get it exact.. it was losing it's sticky!! The trim from Chickenfeed .  I could only get a couple, so I asked ever so nicely (!!) if my Sis-in-law could help me out.. and she came up with the goods!!! Ohhh you're a Godsend! Thank you Kez!  It is going further than just this room.. time will show!  That curtain is my first attempt of curtains from the book Dolls House Do It Yourself Curtains - I'm not sure if I'll use them, there is a pelmet to go with them and some tassles from a kit Kez sent me.  thinking they might be a little bit pale.. so not sure.  Will try them anyway!

I laid carpet in the master bedroom today too.  A bit of trimming there yet!! Carpet (as with the lounge room carpet) came from Spotlight yet again.  This room has a long way to go.. cornice, skirting, trim, doors, window finishing and so on.. at least I got something done :) The photo doesn't do the colour justice - it's actually perfect for the room with a tinge of purple in it or whatever that colour is on the dark wall.. it's lovely! Please excuse the mess throughout - I'm not very organised!! Nice to get a couple of things done, and will continue tomorrow, so hopefully a bit more to report.

Bits & Pieces...

It's the Queen's birthday long weekend here and I was happy to be able to achieve a bit!  I can't show everything I've done, however, as my Sis-In-Law and I have a bit of a challenge happening!   None of this work can be displayed till the 1st September :)
Firstly... I found some food picks that I thought could be handy!! No.. I haven't used them yet, but I do have plans for them!

Also - I was elated to find some double sided sticky tape (cello tape?) here in aus.. I saw it on a Youtube Vid and thought it would be handy and had never heard of it!! Oh this stuff is GOLD!!!

Now down to 'some' of the work I've been doing.  Like I said.. doesn't look like much for 3 days work, but I can't show anything else yet!!!  I did buy a pretty pleater a while back, and bought a small one thinking, "I'm making mini's.. I need small" - only to realise once it arrived (from overseas - we can't get them here)... that it was too small for long curtains.. so I went the pin method::

It WAS looking good.. managed to get two done.. (of course - matching pair and all).. and I used steam from my iron.. then hairspray to finish them... they're a bit crooked looking - but hey this IS my first attempt :(

I will still use them - am going to make a pelmet to go over the top as well so it won't look quite so bad, they're going in my 'girls' room, which still has a little bit to go before completion.

I have tomorrow off too apart from an appointment in the city at 9am, so will attempt to apply some finishing touches and at least hang the curtains.. will see how the day goes.

Oh I wish I could post more pics of what has been happening hahahaha! The challenge will be fun ;-)

BTW.. click on my link on the word challenge at the top - and check out my SIL's work - she is amazing!! ;-)