Count Your Blessings from Janet Granger

This is Janet Granger's latest addition to her range of mini samplers. It is called 'Count Your Blessings', and is to be worked on 32 count evenweave fabric. The kit contains everything you need to complete the sampler, including the wooden picture frame to mount the finished stitching in. We often take for granted what we have. However much we DO have in the way of ‘stuff’, we always seem to want something more. And in the affluent West of the 21st Century, there seems to be a huge range of products ready to tempt us to buy more, when it may be that things you can’t buy, such as friendship, is really more important. In Victorian times, young girls were taught to value what they had (however little that might be), by stitching a phrase such as ‘Count your blessings’ as a sampler motto. Imagine how it would be drilled into your brain, if you had to painstakingly stitch this for months, gradually building up the words and motifs, when you were maybe as young as six, as many schoolchildren were when they were instructed to make samplers such as this! Priced at £7.95, the kit is available from her website,  www.janetgranger.co uk

 

1/24th items from Mary Williams Dollshouse Dolls

Mary Williams has made these 1/24th scale items

they will be available at Thame Dollshouse Fair

next Saturday 19th February 2011



New From Angelique Miniatures

Angelique Miniatures has a new February posting on her blog showing several miniature (and larger) doll costumes inspired by St. Valentine's day and hearts themes.

http://angeliqueminiatures.wordpress.com/whats-new/

'Token of Love' from Janet Granger

 

 

 

This is Janet Granger's latest addition to her range of mini samplers. It is called 'Token of Love', and is to be worked on 32 count evenweave fabric. The kit contains the wooden picture frame to mount the finished stitching in. It is in the style of the Ackworth school, which was a boarding school opened in 1779 in Yorkshire, where the girls were taught this unusual style of sampler in their needlework classes. Priced at £7.95, the kit is available from her website http://www.janetgranger.co.uk/

 

Michelangelo's David by Linda Master

Inspired by Michelangelo's David...

Linda Master's meticulously hand carved (from tooling board) David measures just 5/8" high, thats an amazingly small 1:350 scale! 

To view more of Linda's miniature and micro scale woodcarving please visit...

miraclechickenurns.com

1:48th Yule Tide Christmas Shop Kit By Petite Properties Ltd

Petite Properties are delighted to announce that the first kit in their new 'intermediate' kit series; Yule Tide Christmas Shop is now available to purchase via the Petite Properties' online shop:

www.petitepropertiesltd.com/onlineshop  

Further pictures and information about this much anticipated new kit can also be found on their  newly updated website:

www.petite-properties.com

 

Miniature Advent Calendars from Maias Twinkle Miniatures

These miniature advent calendars have 24 tiny windows that you can open; there is a different picture to discover under each one!

You can view more designs in my website: http://maiastwinkleminiatures.com

Christmas items from MiniAcquoline

 On this miniature Christmas table, everything you need to celebrate a merry Christmas!

A big chocolate cake decorated with green Christmas trees, with a slice on a plate ready to be eaten.

Two big slices of italian Panettone on a paper doily, Christmas trees biscuits filled with green cream on a decorated oval paper tray, a paper box filled with mixed cookies and candies, a nougat wrapped in plastic, a little gift and a bottle of Chianti wine.

Three handmade wooden display boxes, painted in white or red and full of Christmas treats, each one with a nice Christmas vintage picture.

Inside each display box you'll find mixed candies, including green, white and red Christmas lollipops, gingerbread girls, paper cones full of red and white candies, plastic bags with mixed biscuits, some nougats, candy canes.

Each display box is decorated with a different elegant decoration on the sides.

Perfect for a candy shop or for your dollhouse to celebrate Christmas!

The display measures 2,2 x 3,5 x 4 cm,  1:12 Scale,  Everything handmade by MiniAcquoline

http://www.etsy.com/shop/miniacquoline

http://miniacquoline.blogspot.com/

Advent Calendar from Buttercup Miniatures

Following the success of last year’s Advent Calendar we have decided to again feature a special Advent calendar for miniature knitters. We had a good response to our request for suggestions in our October Newsletter. Ideas were many and varied and we decided to make this years project interesting but not too complicated so that it will appeal to all levels of knitting ability. This makes the project suitable for both novice and more experienced knitters. The patterns are also designed to use oddments of yarn you may have in your workbasket and a commonly used needle size, which many people will already own, thus keeping your costs to a minimum.

This year’s calendar will make a set of four 1/12th scale brick toys with alphabet, numbers, textures and geometric shape designs. Each brick is made up of 6 small squares which when stitched together will make a cube.

Knitting instructions for one square will be posted on our blog http://store.buttercupminiatures.co.uk/newsblog/
 on each of the 24 days of Advent, with the final square and finishing instructions being given on 24th December.

The Advent Calendar will remain online until mid-January 2011 to allow people unable to join in during Advent a chance to complete the project. After this time the calendar will be removed and will be available for purchase.

Buttercup Miniatures

http://www.buttercupminiatures.co.uk/

NEW Three designs for needlepoint Christmas stockings just launched by Janet Granger

Janet Granger has just launched three new designs for miniature needlepoint Christmas stocking kits on her

website – why not have a look? Each stocking is to be worked on 40 count silk gauze, and is designed to be really simple to do. Everything you need is included in the kit, from the silk gauze and Rayon silk thread, to the backing fabric. Detailed instructions are included, as usual with Janets', along with a clear colour block chart to count the design from.
Choose from a Victorian girl carrying presents, a jolly Santa, or a snowy village scene. This last design co-ordinates with one of the recently-launched Christmas tree mats on 32 count gauze.
See the designs here:  http://www.janetgranger.co.uk/acatalog/Christmas_Stocking_kits.html

There is a FREE TUTORIAL on the website, to show you exactly how to make the stockings, and how to do the stitches. Click here to go to the CHRISTMAS STOCKING TUTORIAL now:
http://www.janetgranger.co.uk/tut_stockings.htm

Contact details:
Janet Granger

Janet Granger Designs

Rose Cottage, Leek Road, Waterhouses,

Staffordshire ST10 3JS

Tel 01538 308860

Email: mail@janetgranger.co.uk

For the best in dollshouse needlepoint: www.janetgranger.co.uk

Santa Baby! From Sassy Mini Dolls

Santa Baby

Santa Baby

available from

http://www.sassyminidolls.com/

http://sassyminidolls.blogspot.com/

http://sassyminidolls-tutorials.blogspot.com/

OOAK Christmas Cottage from Bear Cabin Miniatures

Over the next couple of weeks we will be showing you Christmas themed items available from our talented members

OOAK 2010 Special Christmas Ivy Cottage

A lovely little one up one down cottage, this cottage has been decorated to imitate a snowy little cottage for Santa to sit back in and ponder his busy night!!

The lift up roof reveals a large room with cream painted walls and a red carpet. There is a hardwood non-opening door to give the impression of an upstairs landing leading down to the main room.

The main room is decorated in reds and browns with real wooden floorboards and a large fireplace opening. The carved fireplace mantel is held up by two wooden Christmas style toy soldiers. To the left of the fireplace on the back wall, there is a little carved shelf and along the left hand side wall, we have made a large dresser for all the toys to fit on. To the right of the fireplace you can see the first few steps as you go upstairs.

The front of the cottage opens and has a non- opening front door which is half glazed with 'Christmas Ivy Cottage' and a Santa etched into it. To complete the christmas look and feel, we have placed Holly and Ivy around the door and window.

Measurements in inches; House 19.5" high by 18" wide by 17" deep

The cottage is for sale in our Etsy Store at £170.00

http://www.bearcabinminiatures.etsy.com/

http://www.bearcabinminiatures.blogspot.com/

New! Miniature diorama jewelry by Maia’s Twinkle Miniatures

These tiny miniature vignettes have been turned into a pendant and a brooch! You can now take your miniatures with you and use them everyday!

Please visit my website maiastwinkleminiatures.com to view more pictures of these pieces. I will be adding more soon!

NEW 1:12 Scale Bread Moulds

Just add clay...

...to NJD Miniatures Bread Moulds, press in firmly, pop out, colour and bake!  Hey Presto… practically perfect 1:12 scale bread!

I’ve added the 6 moulds shown to my Blog Shop, they are available at the teensy price of £3.75 each, not including the P&P charge of £2.40 no matter how many you order.  AND… even if you don’t buy the moulds I won’t stop you from downloading the Free Instructions Project on how to use them.
The non-stick silicone moulds are made to order so that they are as fresh as a daisy when they reach you and they are of a ‘shore hardness’ that ensures perfectly detailed results every time.

for more information and ordering please visit...

www.njdminiatures.com

Halloween Goodies from Melanie Navarro

 1:24) Witches EYEBALL Stew

 By: Melanie Navarro - Mels Miniatures - These Halloween goodies and more can be found in my Etsy store - www.etsy.com/shop/MelsMinis

Bobbing For Apples - $19.99

By: Melanie Navarro

Meet our Members - Kate Pinsent

I grew up surrounded by miniatures made by my mother, Jill Bennett. I have always loved making and designing clothes and after my marriage decided to stop working as a theatrical agent and embarked on a dressmaking and pattern-cutting course. I made clothes to order, specialising in women's tailoring, until the birth of my son and our move out of London. It became impossible to have large amounts of beautiful fabric in the house, especially after my daughter was born, so I scaled down and started dressing dolls for mum. She encouraged me to think about my own business and after a trip to Miniatura I became very excited about the 1/24th scale.

The dolls are cast in pewter with twisted steel joints, so that they are fully poseable and robust. They have painted faces and hands, shoes and hair. I enjoy making all periods and will happily make any doll to order. I use a variety of materials and am surprised at how adaptable the scale is. I try to make real people, capable of having a story all of their own, who look as if they live in their clothes.

Accessories
I now have a small range of accessories - cats, babies and some baskets - and hope to develop more in the future.

I love the 1/24th scale - it has a special charm all of its own.

Contact details

Contact: Kate Pinsent

Telephone: 01225 722685

Email: kdesigns@btinternet.com
Website: http://www.kdesignsdolls.co.uk/

Meet our Members - Linda Master

I specialize in hand carved/hand painted wood miniature animals 1:12 scale and smaller. Fully detailed with carved eyes, toes, paw pads, birds fully feathered. Each is carved entirely from one little block of wood, meaning nothing is glued on later.
I carve "your pet" from your photos, for the personalization of pet cremation urns, or for the dollhouse. Have your pet residing in your dollhouse!
I also make functioning dollhouse miniature accessories. Hand made, many different mediums used.
I make very realistic drawings and paintings that look like a photograph, full size or miniature.
I named my little business after my beloved Miracle Chicken. I hatched her, she was my child. You can read a short story, The Story of Miracle Chicken at http://www.miraclechickenurns.com/.

 

About me
My first memory as a baby was loving tiny things. I began collecting miniatures, then as a teen, I was thrilled to discover I could make minis. A friend gave me my first carving set, x-acto knives. I still use them to this day. I began carving animals from people's photos, and then when my rabbit died, I made him an urn and the business was born.

Contact details

Linda Master
Miracle Chicken Urns
37716 County Road 18
Dexter City OH 45727
U.S.A.

Tel: 740-732-0185

Website: http://www.miraclechickenurns.com
Email: urnartist@miraclechickenurns.com

Meet our Members - Robin Britton

Coombe Crafts was originally established in a small village in Wiltshire in the mid eighties … although we have moved around a bit since then …. To produce unusual and original craft items in a variety of natural materials, with an especial interest in small dolls. A chance encounter with Pat Cutforth and the Marlborough Dolls House Fair, led us into our first real miniature work, and me to polymer clay. We have not looked back.

 

A bit of background  

 

We try to juggle our time to attend a limited number of fairs as it is important to stay in touch, while allowing us to fulfil mail order and commissions, as well as continuing to develop our work. It is still fun and challenging and with the advent of the internet, we can reach even more enthusiasts and make new friends.

Our original and individually-sculpted character dolls in both 1/12th and 1/24th scales, often elderly, with a bit of personality about them, add to the story of any miniature house. We are happy to costume in all periods, and to discuss individual requirements and characters, so that can we produce the little people you have been looking for. 1/24th dolls are priced from around £13 and 1/12th from about £23.

We also make ‘interesting things’ to go with them – unusual pieces of furniture and small accessories that bring a house to life. Again, the original and handcrafted items are in both scales and we can work in 1/16th if that is what you are looking for, or craft something to your specification.

We are always happy to undertake commissions and enjoy the challenge of bringing to life someone else's ideas...

Contact details

Email:  robin.britton.uk@btinternet.com
website:  www.coombecrafts.co.uk

blog:  www.coombecrafts.blogspot.com

Meet our Members - Martin and Hilary Pearce

Willow Models was established in 1984 by Martin Pearce and is based in Golcar, a village in the Pennine Hills of Yorkshire, approximately half way between Leeds and Manchester. His experience and background in model making goes back to the very early 1960s when an "apprenticeship" was started with Airfix kits, Triang trains and then scratch built models.

Originally the business concentrated on architectural and museum model making but over the years the type of work undertaken has expanded and we have made a wide variety of models for many different clients and uses. These have included architectural models for both development and exhibition, historical models for museums, scientific models for educational and training purposes and prototypes for product design. More unusual items have included a ventriloquist's dummy in the form of an apple and grub.

Although we still work in many fields of model making, we have become more and more involved in the world of miniatures and have even made dolls houses and room boxes for use as teaching aids in schools. Martin is assisted by his wife Hilary who, as well as helping at fairs and detailing many of our accessories, makes our pewter plates and trees for architectural work. With our background in model making, we can usually make anything a customer wants however strange, obscure or difficult and in very small scales. Much of our work on the miniatures side is commission based.

In the miniatures field we make a very wide range of items. These include furniture (using mainly English hardwoods), shop & room boxes (the latter often finished and detailed), woodturnings, pewter items and an ever-growing range of accessories. Although we do make houses, apart from the occasional cottage in 24th and 48th scale, these tend to be made to order. Our range of accessories includes walking sticks & shepherds crooks, kitchen items such as wooden potato mashers & cabbage presses, and nativities. Some of these such as the nativities include our own castings.

Although we started out in 12th scale, we now specialise in 24th and 48th scales. Most of our woodturnings are available in 24th and 48th and we are slowly (as time permits) making our range of furniture available in quarter scale. New items are usually directed at the smaller scales and this is reflected in the range of 24th scale lighting that we now retail.

Martin has written for the dollshouse press including a piece (for an internet based magazine) on making a cottage in 24th scale. We exhibit at Miniatura and the Kensington Dollshouse Festival plus one or two other fairs. Full details of these are listed on our web site where many of our pieces can be seen.

Contact details

Martin and Hilary Pearce
4 Willow Grove
Golcar
Yorkshire
HD7 4RX

Tel/Fax 01484 658832

Email info@willowmodels.com
Web site www.willowmodels.com

Meet our Members - Alberto Gozzi

Green Room Roombox

I started building miniatures in 1996, my first house being Lion's Head Manor.  I've always had an interest in architecture and worked for many years with my father as a carpenter in Italy.  I stumbled on this hobby by chance one day while walking down the street and thought this would be a great way to express my interest in architecture.  So far I have built several large houses and a few room boxes but would really enjoy building some smaller houses.  I currently work in 1:12 scale which I must admit is my favorite.  I am situated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Castle House

Website: www.aegminiatures.com
Email: comments@aegminiatures.com