Crafting together (the Italian project) - February

Last month while crafting with Jolinda and Monique I'd made a planter for the Italian bistro, and when I got home I made this test model from paper for the awning.

So last week we  met again. Jolinda continued with the stone steps and Monique worked on her garden. For me it was time to figure out the awning for real :)
For the frame I got the inspiration from Miniature House, but I didn't want mine to be as neat as hers and there was no need for working blinds :)
I wanted something like this one below. Red and white striped fabric crossed my mind, especially since I want red and white checkered tablecloths, but in the end I choose a blackberry red fabric, which I intend to use for the waitress apron as well.

While at the craft club I cut the parts for the frame from Balsa (2,5 mm) but in hindside I should have just used card board, since I had to start at least four times over :') That was also why I didn't get much further that afternoon.
That evening at home I glued four skewers to the fabric with textile glue, a little wider than the test model indicated. One by one I attached the Balsa parts onto the skewers.

Then, when the glue had dried long enough, I put the four Balsa parts together with masking tape to see how it looked. At that point I didn't had a clue as to how I'd do the sides ;)

I like that the fabric isn't pulled tight on the frame. That's why I glued the skewers a bit wider in the beginning.

I put some masking tape on the overhanging fabric at the front and drew a scallop pattern. I cut them with sharp siccors and removed the tape.
The sides were just done with a bit of tweaking and adjusting, glueing it on the frame and cutting the exces :)

I liked the resulting sides of the awning.

I'd like to stain the Balsa frame, but then I have to replace to masting tape holding the parts together with something else.

I also want to put the name of the trattoria on the awning, but I need to figure out a way to do that first :')

Mini-knitting

I totally had forgotten to talk about my New Years resolutions on crafting projects :)
After one failed attempt a couple of years ago, I'd decided that this would be the year to finish a knitted miniature o.O
Instead of the Venne Shetland wool I used the first time, I now choose Venne cotton (34/2), in the hope it would go better with my dry, rough skin, which it did.
Of course me being me, I started the first weekend of January with a very difficult pattern. So that didn't work out well (a)
A simpeler one, with just knits and purls, worked better and I thought it would make a nice cushion cover.

Because I had 'plans', I went ahead of myself and ordered some new Venne cotton in colours matching the (Harry Potter) Hogwarts Houses ;)
The plan was knitting something else for the birthday of my friend Kim the next month. Hardest part was not to tell her about my progress and pretend I kept failing and trying again and again ;)

But the next miniature knitting went even better - probably because of the lighter colour. I found a tutorial and taught myself how to maze, so it would look like a Hufflepuff scarf in progress. The wrapper reads 'Never-tangle wool', and was designed by me.

Because there was still plenty of time before I had to send the parcel, I wanted to try the ultimate (for now at least); a sock.
It's kind of a joke between us that Kim would ask (nag :P) for socks and I would tell her that would never happen ;)
I'd found a pattern in an old Dutch P&M dollshouse magazine for socks, using only two needles, so I tried. And succeeded! Yay, So proud of myself. And excited, but of course I couldn't share for another couple of weeks :')

It all arrived exactly on her birthday and I was so happy with her surprised and enthusiastic respons! :)

The living room rug - February

A month ago, well five weeks to be exact, I started cross stitching a rug for the living room.
Even though I've worked on a lot of other miniatures as well, I've made some progress I'd like to share :)
If only to keep me motivated to keep going so I can post an update next month ;)

This was on Januari 16th
(4 days after I started ^^)

Fair in Rijswijk and meeting new people

Last year I hadn't been able to go to a miniature fair, so I was very glad and excited to go to Rijswijk again yesterday :)

As usual I could get a ride with Jolinda, so time went by very fast while we chatted about mainly miniature things :)
We were very early this time and arrived at nine past nine and while Jolinda went through the back entrance to join the Minidoor team, I got in through the front where I enjoyed my iced coffee and  waited till the fair opened at ten o'clock :)

As soon as I got inside there was a stand from Heidi Ott, which hadn't been there the previous times I went to Rijswijk. And even better, they had dolls and I have been looking for a Heidi Ott doll for the cottage for a few years now. And then I saw this doll and I knew this would be Bianca, the witch living in my Hogmeade cottage with her ten year old daughter!
Later I also bought the 'mirror paper' here.

  

They also had a lot of great wall lamps and chandeliers and since I knew Jolinda wanted to look for those this weekend, I went to Minidoor first to tell about it.
When I showed to doll, Thea gave me some advice about how to make a wig. I've bought some vicose for wigging as well as some fabrics, including a brown one which I hope will make a nice couch for the living room. Also found this beautiful lilac Venne cotton :)

From there I went to Gweaneth's Dream to have a chat with Lousise and admire her gorgeous crochetting. I aslo wanted to take a sneak peak at her latest spooky roombox with special affects.
In the next P&M magazine she will explain how to make this trickery and I'm looking forward to that. It might be very nice the use it in a Harry Potter scene ;)

I saw some gorgeous knitting at Wol wereldje!

 Some lovely displays from Gerrie La Lau, made of porcelain clay.

At De Poppenkraal I saw this bird cage. You can open and close it and I want to try to fit the tiny owl inside. Not sure if it will end up in the cottage or somewhere else, but I just couldn't resist it (a)

I was shown this great display which has another bird cage and more owl, but the first thing I said was: "Owww, Dobby!"<3 Ghe ghe

On Jeannette & Riana's website I had seen this pottery (wall) plate (?) and I was happy they'd bought it to Rijwijk. Will feature in the cottage.

On top of my list were punches with leaves, but this was the only one I've found :) From Vlinder Koud Porselein.

When I was a teenager making cushions and rugs with something called latch hooking (Smyrna knopen in Dutch) was very hip and happening. I remember making a wall hanging of a sun set with the whole family.
So, I'd like to try make something for the cottage as well. Maybe a cushion or a rug (or both), and maybe I can make my own design. I've bought the needle and canvas at Anja's Handwerkatelier and I can't wait to start ;)

It is always nice to see familiair faces, meet new people, either from (web)shops of from FB groups.
So it was great meeting some ladies from the facebook group Actieve Poppenhuisforum at noon. Enjoyed chatting with Ilona, Inge, Joke, Lenie, Sandra, Wilma (hope I haven't forgotten anybody?).

I got linnen photo paper from 

Inge, for making bookcovers <3

For lots and lots and lots of books ;)

Sandra and I decided to go back inside together and that was fun. I had already spend most of my budget so it was mostly looking at all the stands and chatting.

At Jolanda's Miniaturen I found another lovely colour of Venne cotton (a)

After we had another drink, we decided to go. Sandra dropped me off at the railway station near The Hague of which I was very grateful since it the journey back would be 2,5 hour anyway :')

AS always after going to a fair I felt like a very happy, exhausted, but grateful person!