Kreativ Blogger Award

Thank you so much Marlene of http://marleensminiaturen.blogspot.com for giving me this award back on March 19 (my time). Marleen has just soldered together the most beautiful metal bed. Finally finding my way around a PC as I'm used to using my Mac laptop computer which is still in pieces unfortunately.

The rules for the award are:

1. Thank the person that gave it to you.
2. Copy the logo and place it in your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that nobody knows.
5. Nominate 7 kreativ bloggers.
6. Post link to the 7 blogs that you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know that you nominate them.


Seven things nobody knows about me, ummmm?
1. When I was about 13 I was in love with Ilya Kuriaken from a show on telly. One morning before school I slipped his photo in my bra next to my heart. When I undressed that day I thought I had some terrible disease as all the black and dark print had come off on my skin!
2. I love to watch 'Big Love' on telly, the latest season has just finished here though.
3. I'm a bit of a chocolate addict, I can never stop at one, in fact once I start I can't stop until I feel quite ill. Thankfully that doesn't take too long, which reminds me, there is some in the cupboard.
4. I have already started eating Easter eggs and it is still lent. Lindt dark choc. eggs the best so far!
5. I talk to my dog and cat when I'm home alone and they're very good listeners.
6. I can sometimes become a bit obsessive-compulsive and have to watch that I'm not overdoing things, like reading blogs.
7. I love old black and white movies with Bette Davis, Katherine Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, etc etc, but they are difficult to find now.


It is difficult to choose just seven but I'd like to nominate the following people for the Kreativ Blog Award:
1. Norma who passes on her great finds: http://makeminemini.blogspot.com
2. Linda, awaiting her next project: http://une-petite-folie.blogspot.com
2. Muriel who makes wonderful mini displays: http://lecoffredemilie.blogspot.com
3. Ana at: http://tinydelights.blogspot.com
4. Sylvia at: http://lutjeboudel.punt.nl
5. Eliza whose mini paper chateau is amazing: http://wasting-gold-paper.blogspot.com
6. Jean who shares her skills generously: http://jdayminis.blogspot.com
7. Lisette whose miniature shop I love: http://lisettesminiaturen.blogspot.com

 
Mini hugs, Margaret

Parterre Gardening

I've attached a photo of part of the garden where plants for the shop are being nurtured in readiness for display (just to show I have been doing something, although the shop hasn't progressed any). While parterre gardens generally only exhibit perfectly symmetrical specimens, the petit parterre will include those that are downright wobbly, even odd, but all will be healthy, carefully tended and clipped.

We like the weathered look for terracotta pots so they are left outdoors until they have just the right degree of moss and mould on them. Some of the plants are in root-control bags at the moment, until a suitable pot is found for them. Flowers are in another part of the garden that will be ready for showing before too long.

I'd also like to welcome three new followers, thank you for coming by, Jonna, Catherine and Obsidian Hall (I can't find your site and cannot remember your real name, sorry).

Hope you enjoy the results of my mini greenthumb!

Help!

I've been trying to add a google translate gadget to my blog but can't figure it out. Anyone out there who can stear me in the right direction?

I'm thrilled to welcome new followers, Muriel, Victoria, Coby, Chadina and Glenda, I'll be following your posts too. I'll have to think of a giveaway when I reach 50 followers, but don't think my skills in miniatures are at a level where I could inflict them on anyone - except my sister who received some of my first mini fruit!!

Must put the thinking cap on. I've added some more photos from my last trip to France and one from Dusseldorf, hope you like them. The first is a wonderful old church in Dusseldorf; the second is you-know-who's house in Giverny, lovely garden; the third a house in Paris, it looks like it's out in the country and it was all locked up as evidently the Parisians desert the city in summer when all the tourists swarm there; and lastly the vision I got home to, my precious Ollie had torn something to shreds in his excitement at seeing me after three weeks away. He's looking a little older now - aren't we all.
A bientot!

Struggling on

My computer is in pieces at the moment with not a very good prognosis, meanwhile I am using Brad's PC intermittently. I am happy to welcome four new followers to my blog: Mina, Anthoula, Sylvia and Evelien. Wow I have almost 40 followers now, hopefully soon I'll have some interesting items to show you. I'll also enjoy reading your posts regularly.
xxxx

Dreaded computer problems

Disaster has struck, my laptop computer seems to have lost its marbles. Sorry I haven't been able to welcome two new friends to the site, Eva and Ascension. Thank you for your comments and hopefully I will be able to get back to normal soon. I am used to using a Macintosh and don't know my way around a PC, so unable to load any photos or retrieve information from my own files.

 My clever half, Brad will hopefully find a solution soon and all will not be lost. Fingers crossed!

Waiting for the Fair

I'm sorry for being a little slow in saying hello to four newcomers, Carmen, Ana Rosa, Marleen and Mar. It's good to have you here and I'd love to hear your comments from time to time.

There's not too much happening at present. I'm fairly new to miniature making and just trying out different things to see what I most enjoy. At the moment I think it's creating the dolls house – I just love the look of them and I think they are a fabulous decorating item.

We have a big miniatures fair coming up at the beginning of May in Sydney and a few of us are meeting up there. Hopefully I can save my pennies to enable me to buy a few mini treasures for my shop, or for use in the future. I'm hoping I can take a few shots of the fair for everyone to enjoy.

As I don't have any miniature projects to show right now, I thought you might like these. I love antiques and wish I could create this look with my miniatures one day. First is an antique Dutch vitrine, then a French vitrine and a Sevres box. Aren't they to die for?

Welcome to the site!

In my previous post I omitted to welcome Lisette and Marivigano to my blog. It really is growing and I am so thrilled to have you all visiting from time to time from around the world. I'll enjoy following all your blogs too.
Bye for now.

Summer Fruit

Not much work to do today so I decided to make something. I'd been looking at the packet of Sculpy I bought at a doll show a couple of years ago. A lump of it has been sitting on the coffee table for longer than I care to admit to. I sculpted a couple of odd faces a while back then left the blob sitting there. Then I thought of something I could try – fruit!

This is my first attempt so they aren't perfect. When my partner came home from work I told him I'd made a nice platter of fruit – cruel aren't I. But he thought they were quite good. They will be good for a mini kitchen I might have in the future.

What do you think? You can be honest.

Recovering from blog burnout.

After spending over a month familiarising myself with the workings of 'the blog', and losing track of the hours while browsing through blog after blog and seeing so much fantastic 'stuff', I needed to take a break and try to get something done myself.

Having returned to my blog I am thrilled to welcome six new followers: A big hello to Karin, Sonia, My Realitty, Kate, Ana and lastly, The Brocantess. I also have lots of your postings to pour over as I don't want to miss anything.

Well I haven't done a lot of miniaturising this week as work had to take precedence. However I did make my way to a great little miniatures store in Sydney, name Small Pleasures, where I bought a kit and put together a dear little bed. I have a photo of my first creation, and although it was made from really quality wood I couldn't resist painting it. Once I have the look I want I'll post the photos. Unfortunately it looks way too large for the little room upstairs in my petit parterre that I had planned to make into the bedroom. I do have an idea for a small vignette that I would like to create around it though and can't wait to start.

Until next time,

Au revoire (Is that how it's spelled, forgotten my French!)

How could it be that time?

I sat down to look at my blog and found I have eight new followers! That was about 2 1/2 hours ago. While I was looking up everyone's names I got side tracked, looking at their blogs and at blogs they list as favourites. I couldn't believe I've been sitting here so long, but that's what happens when you can see such fabulous work on the internet.
Anyway, I would like to welcome Jean, Debbie, Michelle, Ingrid, Ira, Maria, Lara and Angeles. I've been so busy admiring everyone's work I haven't gotten around to doing any myself.

My next task is painting the rest of the exterior of the shop. I was going to do a brick effect and just have the facade sandstone. Now I've decided to paint it all with a sandstone effect. I'll have to match the colours up with the front. Only problem is, I'm not sure what the other walls have been finished with, seems to be a slightly shiny varnish and possibly not water-based. Have to think how to solve this problem so I can get it painted. Can't wait to make a start on the interior.

Ideas for Petit Parterre

First I'd like to welcome Linda,  Eliza and Anneke to my blog. I hope you'll find something of interest from time to time. I have some inspiring photos that I would love to be able to create in my mini shop - a kind of outdoor/rustic decorating/plant shop. Even more, I'd like to create the look in my home, but for now I'll have to be content with the miniature version.

 What a great shop window!