Crafting together - May

May 7th our little crafting club met again. It would be the last afternoon we'd worked on those roomboxes together, so I had been making leaves and flowers all weekend in advance :) About time, right? ;)

Glueing the tiny leaves on the branches
worked beter with the roombox on it's side :)

Made lots of flowers; cut them, painted them,
did some shading, etc etc

While with the crafting club I glued all the
flowers I'd made to the branches and the
result was better than I had expected it to be ;)

The next day I decided to make a little sloped
roof on top of the roombox ...

... and do bricks on the outside as well.

Then I got busy with my volunteerwork and went on holiday so nothing happend to the roombox for days. But this (last) friday I gathered the brick and all other suplies to finally finish the job :)
I finished both sidewalls and decided on a slate-shingled roof using textured cardboard. About to start painting egg cartons I remembered the tiles I'd made for the quill shop but didn't use. I'd always loved the colours, so I was glad I could use them now :)

I added some moss, made sure everything inside the box had been secured and put the front back in place.

And it's done, and I'm very pleased about that, and about the result of this project. First time I've really finished a scene/roombox and that feels good :)

We've already been talking about the projects we want to do next, and like the others I've already got an idea and I've started today with the base. But I'll tell you more about it next week :P

Crafting together - April

Last week Jolinda, Wil, Monique and I met again for an afternoon of crafting :)
We had planned to try doing some soldering, perhaps a window guard or a little fence. But first Monique had lots of fabric and floor panels for us to choose from if we wanted and we made photo's of our roomboxes.
It's very nice to see them together, with many similarities, but yet all very different at the same time. And while Jolinda, Will and I started this project a year ago, Monique had managed to catch up with us in just a few weeks :)

It could almost be an apartment building ;)

Jolinda's roombox

Wil's roombox

Monique's roombox

We did spend some time looking for examples for a soldering project and started with drawing  something for the window or door or a fence. We even took the soldering ironout of the box, but only Jolinda did a serious job with it ;) Monique had her baby to watch, Wil kept drawing her fence, and I managed to solder  one ... uh well, blob might be the right word :P

We decided unanimous that soldering might be something to try on our own.

The next time we'll work on these roomboxes for the last time together and talk about the next project we want to do.

So, this weekend I worked on some little things for the roombox; finally found a curtain for the door, so I could glue the door in its place. I made cushions for the garden bench.

 

I also realised the door needed a mail slot and a door lever, so that's what I did today. With some fancy gold coloured paper, a golden door knob, and some wire 'painted' with golden nail polish :)

With the second cushion there wasn't much room for the little girl to sit to be honest, but I like her standing there with her pet.

And no, I haven't forgotten; I still need to make all those leaves and flowers for the clematis. It will get done! ;)

Pretty in pink

"... now I've no more excuses left to not start shaping the clematis leaves and flowers," I said last week.
So what did I do? Anything but shaping leaves and flowers (a) Well, I did a few, but then I got distracted ... again.
I filled the planter with potting soil (mostly clay with a mixture of ground coffe from a coffee pad and tea from a tea bag glued onto it). While looking for some left over coffee and tea, I also found the box with the other bamboo items we made together, so I've added the bird house, the round planter with tulips and the broom to the scene.
The black bird, which Kim from Bibbidi Bobbibi Boo had made me, has found its definate place. Sitting on a broken flowerpot, a bit hidden between the garden bench and the lilac planter he's enjoying small bites of apple. The Kneazles are both made by Kim as well!

Did I originally think about putting an old man on the bench, perhaps smoking a pipe, suddenly I got the image of a little girl playing with a pet :)
I happened to have these two little christmas angels, so I gave the little redhead an make over :)

The top is reversible, so did I want to dress her in a top with 

roses and a pink skirt or the other way around?

I choose the little roses for both the top and the skirt, with some pink accents, but didn't attach the skirt to the top, so I'll be able to change her outfit if I make another skirt in the pink fabric.

I'm normally not into the (miniature)babyrooms and pink dresses but I have 

to admit, this little girl in her pretty dress has already stolen my heart ;) 

She's also the first of my dolls, for whom I sewed an outfit and I enjoyed making this 

dress more than I anticipated, so maybe Harry, Draco and Sophie will be next ^^

Well, time to continue with the leaves and flowers, right? Or should I .... ;)

Crafting together - March

Last week we had our monthly miniature club again. I thought I should call it a (little) club from now on, because we welcomed a new and enthusiastic participant, Monique ;)
Because she has small children, we'd moved the meeting to her place, so there was a lot of talking, getting to know each other and looking at her miniatures and dolls house beside crafting of course.
After working with Fimo for the last few times, we'd decided to continue with our roombox/garden project and to work on a climbing plant, so Monique could join in.
Jolinda and Monique choose to make an ivy, while Wil and I wanted to do a clematis.
We all started by painting thin shoebox paper and once both sides were done and dry, we each choose a paper punch to work with. In between Jolinda and Monique started with covering wire with paper for the branches, while Wil and I wanted to use the dried strawberry roots I still had.
It was a very enjoyable afternoon and before we left we already picked a new date for April!

I figured I'd need so much more though, so I painted more paper the next day.

So then I spent hours paper punching leaves and flowers :') 

Before I could start with the branches and twigs I made a trellis from Balsa wood. Just a simple design I remembered from my parental house, because that seem to fit in this small box.

I painted a planter made from bamboo lilac to match the colour of the clematis, and then started with the flagstones. I've wanted to try making these for some time, and this seemed like the right scene to have some :) I used a tutorial from Once Upon a Doll Collection as a guidance to start.

Tearing cardboard egg cartons in different colours of gray and brown into random stone shaped pieces, getting the shapes to fit together took more time than I anticipated :)

Then I dry brushed the stones with different colors of white, brown, gray and black. Not a technique I'm very comfortable with so far, but I really like how I managed here ^^ Especially after I added some green with yellow flock between some stones.

After taking this last photo I've also added some matt varnish (very carefully because of the flock).
So now I've no more excuses left to not start shaping the clematis leaves and flowers :)

Christmas has come early!

This blog isn't about any miniatures I made, but about a parcel I got yesterday.
I'd expected it for a while and was looking forwards to finally see all the wonderful handmade miniatures I'd find inside :)

Everything inside was made by my dear friend and very talented miniaturist Kim from Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo.

I can't begin to tell you how happy I was, when I got to open each little item ;)
Photo's don't do them justice but I want to show you anyway ^^

First of all, those gorgeous Kneazles. I can't even begin to express how much I adore them. So cute, I would cuddle them all day if I wasn't afraid I'd loose them somewhere :') For those of you who don't know what a Kneazle is, it's a cat-like magical animal from the Harry Potter universe.
I think Bianca and Penny will have to make a trip to the Magical Petshop because these cuties will definately be living in the Hogsmeade cottage, whenever that will be finished (a)

The bookstand is made for little Penny. She'll love it!! It's even more wonderful than I expected, so glad I can finally see that amazing 'tree-work' for real 🙂
Some little twig branches are sticking out of the side of the bookstand, they are handy to hang a little potion bottle or some herbs.

For now let's pretend this is the front door of the cottage. Parcels delivered by owls, the Kneazles waiting for Bianca and Penny to return :)

The blackbird is so very tiny and yet realistic, I can't believe it. I needed to put on my magnifying glasses to even see it.

That cheeky Mandrake made me smile, so happy with that.

And then, last but not least, the apple baking board. I've loved it from the moment I saw it in the Etsy shop shop and it will look great in the cottage kitchen.

I am as happy as a clam at high water:)
As soon as the holiday season is over, I want to start working on the cottage for real. I feel very inspired ^^

So, I hope you've enjoyed looking at these photo's. If you want to see more of Kim's miniatures, you should definitely visit her Etsy shop.

Samen knutselen / Crafting together - August

Last wednesday we had our monthly crafting afternoon. Though the weather outside was so bad, it looked more like a crafting evening ;)
We worked on our windows and brick walls. After a few enjoyable hours we agreed to finish the windows by ourself and do something different next month. Like making a macrame cushion for the garden bench or a small curtain for window or door ;)
After Jolinda and Wil had left I finished the bricks on the back wall and stained the door and window

Ready for the ladies to join me :)

I've choosen a pine wood-stain for this project.

Really like it so far :)

Samen knutselen / Crafting together - Juli (a)

It has been a while since my last blog, and I haven't been very crafty either these last two month.
Of course the summer month are often less productive, with holidays and gardening *whistles and avoids looking outside at the neglected garden*
But besides, I've been quite busy with helping my son organize things. He's going to live and study in Breda.

Fortunately, no matter how busy life gets, there's always the montly crafting afternoon with Jolinda and Wil ;) We saw each other three weeks ago and continued with our doors. Instead of staining the doors when they were finished, we decided to do that when the windows are finished too.

  

We'll all have a different window. Mine is done the way I've done the outerframes for the cottage. I'm not sure if there will be a curtain. Maybe I can try to make a leaded glass window? :)
I like how my door has turned out. I do like to crochet a small curtain for that window.

Jolinda finished her door as well. She's working on a window in a matching style and it already look very pretty. You can see more of her roombox and her other projects on her own blog: http://jolinda2000.blogspot.nl

 

 And finally Wil's window ... she went for the fast and easy approach so her window became a picture frame (a) But I'm sure it will look very good when she has put a nice picture in it.

 

When the windows will all be finished we plan to spend an afternoon doing macramé, maybe smal curtains or a cushion for the garden bench.

Samen knutselen / Crafting together - Juni

Three days ago Jolinda, Wil and I met for our monthly crafting afternoon xD 

Since my 1:1 life had demanded most of my time and energy the previous weeks, I'd looked forwards to do some crafting again. 

We continued with our doors. Wil and I started with making the two small panels, and after that started with the frame. Jolinda wasn't entirely happy with her frame, and worked and that for awhile before she started on the door.

Despite lots of talking (mainly by me, according to Jolinda and Wil :P) we'd all made progress after two hours. Hopefully we can finish the door the next time and stain it.

 

 From right to left the roombox of Wil, Jolinda and mine.

  

It will be a bit crowded, but hopefully there 

will be room for a little window and 

a climbing (wall) plant :)