27 August 2010

1:48 Scale Money Boxes

I got these two kits from Petite Properties on Monday, and started to assemble them that same night. I've since painted the interiors (black) and the door and window frames in antique white.

These two buildings are actually money boxes! I'm going to make them up to use as money boxes, but I want to cover up the doors and windows so you can't see the coins inside, and also to keep the dust out.

They are in 1:48 scale. They're called Pennypinchers Cottage and Miniature Savings Bank.

20 August 2010

More Cupcakes

Baked these today. Decided to keep them nice and simple, so I just put a little blob of icing on the top and some sprinkles. Wanted to use this stand I bought on eBay ... but it's so wobbly - the top bit doesn't screw on properly!

16 August 2010

Miniatures

I came across a box of miniature kits this afternoon, and quickly put these three together. The tapestry stand is going in the haberdashery shop and the two shelf units will go in one of the shops - not sure which.

I will paint the shelves when I know where they're going to go, but I may leave the tapestry stand as it is.

06 August 2010

Sandwich Cake!


Here's another cake I baked today. Wanted to try out this Cakewich silicone mould I bought on eBay. It really does look like (an oversized) sandwich!

The plate the cake is on is a dinner plate.

02 August 2010

A Kitten's Tale BOM

These are the patterns and fabrics for the A Kitten's Tale BOM, designed by Lynette Anderson. I've printed out the applique pieces on freezer paper now and would love to start on this project ... but it's so hot at the moment, and I can't do anything. It always annoys me - I have all this extra time during summer hours (when I'm home by 3.00 pm), but it's always so hot that I spend the time sitting in front of the fan, sweating and wishing that summer was over! If I had it my way I would have summer hours in the winter instead!!

So I have plenty to get on with during the cooler months. It's frustrating then that when it does start to cool down, soon after it also gets darker earlier in the day, and before I know it, by the time I get home I have to close the shutters and turn the lights on!

OK, that's enough grumbling for one day ...

Cupcakes


A different sort of make today. I bought these silicone teacup cupcakes moulds on eBay and couldn't wait to use them - although I've had them for over a week now ... Today wasn't the best day to bake cupcakes though, because it was so HOT!!

I think they turned out OK ... and the icing wasn't too bad - some cupcakes looked nicer than others though!

I made butter icing to top the cupcakes, but would like to try something less sickly sweet next time.

I ate 3 cupcakes and gave the rest away ...


30 May 2010

Cotton Wool Bag

I made this little bag to keep cotton wool in. I was fed up of the tatty plastic bag the cotton wool came in.

I think the sheep looks perfect on the front of the bag .... of course I know cotton wool doesn't come from sheep!!

I sewed up the bag on the sewing machine, so it went together very quickly. I was going upstairs to Ang's to watch the Eurovision Song Contest, and I needed to add the drawstring, so I took the bag and some ribbon. But the ribbon was too narrow, so I had to come back for my box of ribbons - and this one was just right.

I got the pattern for the bag from the Internet, but in the end I simplified it by turning down the top and cutting slits on the sides to insert the ribbon. The pattern had instructions for making casings, but that was too much work, and I wanted to finish it quickly!

07 April 2010

Mini Rag Dolls


Haven't posted on this blog for ages - and that's because I haven't actually made anything for ages!

Thought I'd do something simple over the Easter long weekend. I thought I could make, say, 12 of these little (4") dolls ... but it took me three days to make these 5!

First I tried to sew them on the sewing machine, but I was having a hard time keeping close to the traced lines on the felt, so I sewed them up by hand instead.

I embroidered the features - French knots for the eyes and straight stitches for the nose and mouth. The hair is embroidery thread. I tried to use the cheap stuff, but run out of that and had to use DMC for the fifth doll.

These dolls were made to display (as toys) with my 10.5" Heidi Plusczok dolls.

Some of the members of the HP Yahoo! Group asked me if I was going to sell them. I would like to, but they take so long to make ... Maybe I can make a few here and there, and when I have enough I could offer them for sale. Wish I could find a thin yarn to use for the hair instead, because I have to use a whole skein of embroidery thread!


20 January 2010

Flower Star Table Topper - Step 9


That's it - "finished". But, as I thought, we were told to quilt and finish it as we preferred - no instructions, so I guess it will have to wait until I pluck up the courage to try the quilting on the sewing machine!

After I'd finished it yesterday I was checking that everything was where it should be, and I realised I'd made a mistake. At some point I picked up the wrong fabric for the flower centres, so that some are red and some pink! It doesn't look that bad actually, because the centre flower matches the ones round the outer edge, so it looks like it's part of the design.

14 January 2010

Flower Star Table Topper - Step 8


Step 8 done. This step has taken me a little bit longer, because I didn't have enough of the background fabric! Panic. My last resort was going to be to get the bow from the Forever Friends picture - which I didn't want to do. Luckily I found some more of the fabric in the hamper in my bedroom and was able to cut out the four extra bits of fabric I needed.

We get the final step on Saturday, and I'm looking forward to seeing what it will look like when the jigsaw puzzle has been put together. I don't think we're going to be told how to back it and do the quilting though.

05 January 2010

Flower Star Table Topper - Step 7



And that's Step 7 done. Two more to go.

04 January 2010

The Little Post Office (1:24 scale)

The Little Post Office, one of my 2009 birthday presents. It was made by Fiona Broadwood from Petite Properties, and is fully decorated inside and out - which makes a change because I tend to make everything from kits or from scratch!

When Mum asked me the annual question - "What do you want for Xmas/your birthday?" I couldn't think of what I wanted/needed, so I went looking and found this building. I'd wanted to buy a Petite Properties building for a while, but could never decide which sort I liked best. I'd wanted a cottage or a shop/flat type building, but when I saw The Little Post Office I knew this was the one!

I'm planning to make a counter for the Post Office on the ground floor, and an office on the first floor.

I've had the 1:24 scale Mini for ages, and was originally going to "park" it outside the cottage, but I think it looks better with the Post Office. The black bicycle is a new purchase, bought especially to go outside the post office.