Artists Choice?

Firstly, Hello and welcome to my new followers, it's lovely to have you stop by, I really appreciate anyone that takes the time to have a look at my Blog.

Today is just a quick one as Paul and I have been away this week end and I haven't got to any miniatures recently. I must say whilst I love and adore my children it was a whole new experience to have each others undivided attention over the weekend without the interruption of teenage expectations. We stayed at The Blackman hotel which is part of a series of Hotels dedicated and named after some of Australia's most significant Artists. Charles Blackman is one of my favourites and if you click on the link you will see a little about the Hotel and the Artist. Yesterday we spent the day at the Heide Gallery of Modern Art which is something we have been meaning to do for some time. I had a wonderful day, Heide is a very important mark on the Australian Artistic landscape. The original house was the home of John and Sunday Reed who were two very influential people in Australia's Modern art movement. They supported a community of  Artists who today are known as our finest and as you can imagine there are all sorts of tales of love and betrayal that emerged as the group came in and out of each others lives. I will leave you to read about them if you wish by clicking on the link above. Needless to say we had a wonderful time exploring the Art and the grounds not to mention the wonderful food and wine.

Now given the Artistic tone so far I thought I would show you the little experiments I have been doing. I have for some time liked the idea of making authentic miniature stretchers to paint on, by authentic I mean as a quality artist would make and that is with an oak frame and a linen support. Easier said than done!! Firstly I don't have a mini saw to cut small straight lengths, I can cut them okay but they must be perfectly straight to get a straight frame right? Not going to happen. Okay, I can cut a straight piece of oak and then stretch the linen around it, yep, I can do that but when it comes to hammering the pins in, (pictured in front of the white stretcher ) not only are they incredibly small and I can't hold them in place but the oak is so hard I have no chance of penetrating it. Okay I'll glue it down, yes that works but not how I wanted it to be and  I like the look of the nails down the side of the stretcher......grrrr!! Okay, next try, wrap the linen around a piece of balsa wood and press the pins in, yep that works, if I can cut down on the tiny pins flying through the room and landing in the sisal mat never to be seen again ( except by the vacuum cleaner) it has the look I'm going for but not the quality. What to do? Perhaps painting directly on the oak (with a ground of course) would at least be a more authentic way of painting a picture? Yes that might have to be the answer if I am to have a piece of artwork that is close to real life. I tried painting on the linen (the little chicken) just to see wether the weave might be too thick but I think it worked okay. The little chicken was just a tester, I can use as a filler in the storage of the studio when I get to it in the next 5 years....lol 

I'll keep you posted on the final results of painting on the oak board.

Meanwhile.......

Santa, can I please have a mini saw????

Happy minis every one.

ML Fi xx

Ilona......Ilona

Magnolia - Magnolia Grandiflora how beautiful and perfect for Ambrosia Place and made by the exacting hand of the beautiful Ilona from mimimumloon . Many weeks ago Ilona showed us a beautiful magnolia she made. After reading my post about Ambrosia Place she was inspired to create, as soon as I saw the beautiful blooms I knew they must find their way to live in our house. Finally the Magnolia branch arrived and I have to admit to having a tear in my eye as I held it in my hand. I had a strong feeling of my Mother looking over my shoulder and admiring the careful detail that was in the delicate and striking flowers. Every detail has been carefully crafted right down to the rusty under leaf, the lichen moss and the pollen, even a slightly browned petal. This is perfection and my photographs do not do the detail justice.

Please take note of the careful detail in every petal and leaf on the back as well as the front, it doesn't matter which angle you look, it's all there, even the little buds of flowers. Ilona was so kind that she also sent to me a collection of beautiful gifts that all had the magnolia signature that is so perfect for Ambrosia place. Above you can see some tiny linen  towels and soaps and believe me there, were many more. I sadly ran out of light before I could photograph and I have been waiting for some good light but we have been pounded with the most awful weather, it wont clear for days. So I thought best to post what I have now and the rest when the light is better, I really would like to do this kindness justice.

Dear Ilona, thank you so much for your kindness, you know how much it cheered my heart. 

Thank you my dear friend. XX

Much love to you all and happy minis.

Fi xx

Foot note : I just wanted to clarify that I commissioned Ilona to make the Magnolia after she made this lovely post about being inspired by my story of  Ambrosia Place. Click here to see the post. I'm afraid I have given the impression it was a gift, the gifts are to follow.

Coming soon

Hello every one,

My goodness when I look at the date of my last post I realise just how long ago it was. It has been very hectic here for a while but I can now see light at the end of the tunnel.

I would like to welcome my new followers and I have notice I now have hit 100 so I will be preparing a give away shortly just as soon as the holidays hit next week. This weekend was the first one in a while I have had a chance to play with my miniatures. As you can see from the photo I have finally finnished my kitchen except for one little painting I would like on my shelf. I took a quick snap so you could see that after many frustrations I have completed the range hood lighting I had so much trouble with.The difficulty was working out how to get access to the bulb without effecting the out side wall. Both the flue and the hood are completely removable in case of any problems and I am so glad I have that access as just as I was about to take the photo the light went out due to a loose bulb. A quick bang on the wall fixed that......; ) but I will be able to remove the hood and tighten the bulb YAY!!

Next week should give me a bit more time to take photos of all aspects of the kitchen and some very special miniatures I received in the mail this week, I can't wait to show you.

Until then happy minis every one and apologies for not keeping up with every ones blogs I promise I will make up for it shortly.

Much Love, Fi xx

Treasures from Italy

Hello everyone,

I have finally photographed my little treasures from Italy and it was not easy let me tell you. The detail was so tiny I found it difficult to get in focus. I have purchased some divine little books from the lovely Caterina from le minis di Cockerina please click Here to find her blog. When I saw the little book of Pinocchio she had made with the lovely explanation of the original Italian version and how it had been changed for the Walt Disney animation I felt I had to have it. The book comes with the original illustrations and text (not that i can read it its so small ) some of the illustrations are in colour too and it also has a removable sleve. It is beyond my imagination how anyone can work with such small pieces of paper. Pinocchio is a story I was so fascinated by as a little girl and spent many hours studying the images of the story book I had at home. Whilst in Sienna a few years ago I found this little ceramic Pinocchio I had to have.

 I also purchased a little copy of Little Women which was a favourite of mine many years ago. It to has been made in beautiful detail with divine illustrations in side. I thought it was a must for the twins bedroom as something they might read when a bit more grown up.

I must thank Caterina for her beautiful work, I have looked on her blog again today and already I have seen books I would love to buy......such a talented Lady.

This is not painted by me but taken from a Citrus website click Here to go there.

Now my next important news is that my darling little girl (not so little any more) has decided to get started on her miniature shop and has started a bog of her own to show her progress and to also get some very experienced advice from you talented Miniaturists out there. Her blog is called Mini Citrus as every thing she names must have a link to fruit, ha! Maybe because she is a bit of a 'Fruit loop' like her mother!! Any way here is the link and I would love it if you would take a look. Click Here for Princess Mia Orange lemon............

Happy Minis,

ML Fi xx

Vintage shop finds.

Hello every one,

I would like to welcome my new followers, thank you very much for visiting!

Now, I know last post I promised treasures from Italy but I have been a little side tracked. Today I went for a little fossic through the Vintage shop with my friend Sharon and what do you think I found? Firstly, this rather unusual but some what quaint little dollhouse cupboard that is just begging for some love and attention. It is in fact sold but I think it would have made a rather curious project. The fact that the interior doors are some what out of proportion to the windows is intriguing and perhaps suggests a trippy sort of house, this could indeed conjure some interesting decor choices. The lace curtains made me think of Andy instantly as a "what not to do" and believe me they look far more stained with life than they look in the photo! The plastic blue shower curtain material used for the curtains in the other room made me think OMG what were they thinking? Were they expecting rain through the windows? I then reverted into the "this was some ones happy little play house and I shouldn't be mean"kind of thinking, lets not then discuss the not to scale carpet and interesting lino. I think it does however belong to the world of much loved Dollhouses and I would certainly love to bring it back to life but clearly someone else has had the same idea!!

Now this next house is for sale at a fairly reasonable price and is actually an Architects model. I am not sure of the scale, but it does look like it could be 1/12th as I didn't have my tape measure. What do you think? Is this something I could work with, it seems a shame to let it go? It's hard to work out how to get access, it's possibly something that is a little beyond my experience, so I thought best to refer to the experts......am I crazy to entertain the idea????

I'd love to hear your thoughts!!

Happy minis,

Ml fi xx

Mirror, Mirror.

Hello every one,

Firstly I would like to welcome all my new followers, I know not every one likes to comment but it's lovely to know that people are looking and I very much appreciate anyone joining my blog, so a big hello and thank you to anyone that I haven't greeted yet!

Here are some of my latest purchases from the Fair. This lovely mirror came from Christmas every day who had a stall on the day, I'm not exactly sure where I will put this but perhaps in the Drawing room or maybe even the hall. I'm really not sure but I had in mind for a while I wanted a mirror in this style and as I said last post I have learn't to get something when you see it.

I also had in mind for some time, to have a potted palm in Ambrosia Place as I believe it was quite the style for the era and the climate and I think a little bit of greenery always adds some freshness.I don't have a firm idea of where I will place this either but it seems to look nice in most of the rooms. These beautifully detailed plants were hand made by a lovely Lady named Dianne from To Die For Miniatures who does not have a website either......I guess this is why we go to Fairs so we can get hold of otherwise unobtainable hand made miniatures. She makes quite a range of beautiful plants and flowers but I do have a budget I must stick to......however when I saw these lovely little geraniums I couldn't walk past as my mother had a thing for white geraniums to the point where she often had pots of them by the window in her kitchen and she also did a very beautiful painting of white geraniums in a mossy pot that hung in our family room. I plan to paint a little moss on this pot also and I know exactly where it belongs!

The last little things I want to show you are tucked away under the table in the first image, they are biscuit tins that I thought were very necessary for a kitchen, I'm not sure if you can see them there but I forgot to take a proper picture of them.

Next post I will show you some lovely little things I recived in the mail that came all the way from Italy and I just love them!!! I haven't photographed them yet but will do so this week.

Happy minis to you all!!

ML Fi xx

Fair Fare.

Hello every one,

Whilst I have been a little on the quiet side in blog land I have actually been busy with Ambrosia Place. I am just about ready to add the final little touches to my kitchen and show you the final pictures but in the mean time I have been to a local Fair and purchased some lovely little items. As you may notice I have shifted my focus to the next room I will be working on, the "twins room" or nursery which it may other wise be called. This will be the room for Ashly and Tibet (hehe, click here to find out the relevance of the names in a previous post). The bassinet you see above may not wind up in the nursery as I think it is for a boy baby, possibly in the Master bedroom so I must check with Miss Mia to be sure.  I did however learn from past mistakes at miniature fairs and purchased this darling little bassinet as soon as I saw it. It is hand woven and sewn by a lovely lady named Dawn who does not have a web site or a computer for that matter. Her work is just delightful as you can see in the above pictures she has sewn not only a tiny quilt but lace trimmed sheets, pillow and blanket, her work is so lovely. I photographed it with a tea died tulle pompom I made for something else and I thought they worked well together.

Next I have a little shell frame to show you that I made my self so that I could use a beautiful little poem written by David Huckvale.David left this poem on my blog some time ago when I posted about my tiny shells and I was so taken with it I thought it should go as pride of place in the twins room. Given Ambrosia Place is set in South Carolina and many beaches are near by I thought shells would be something that the family collected as we do here. These are all little shells I have found on my beach, I have put some regular size shells in the picture to give you an idea of how tiny they really are.( I had to use tweezers to place some of them.) There are some funny shadows on the print but I have also aged the paper to give it a nice patina. I have collected the big shells from beaches in the past but we are not allowed to that any more.

Here is the poem from David incase you cant read it very well. Its perfect for the little girls.

Come walk with me

Along the sea

Where dusk sits on the land

And search with me

For shells are free

And treasures hide in sand

Now last but definitely not least are these exquisite little dolls made by Dawns friend, Win Garside. Neither has a blog or website, which is just as well really, as I think if they did they would be run off their feet. These little dolls are for Ashley and Tibet and will live in their bedroom but I thought they looked pretty in the bassinet for the photo. Aren't they just the sweetest little things, so small they almost fit inside my thumb nail, they have the tiniest little roses in their hair.

I did make quite a few more purchases but I thought I would save them for next time. I am afraid this is a bit of a girly post, not much interest for you chaps out there but next post should be less so. 

Happy minis,

ML Fi xx