May Online Show...!

The May online Mini Miniature Show is now open until Monday, and once again I have designed a new set of kits exclusively for the show.

This time, I've chosen a circus theme, and the kit comprises a vintage board game, with clown playing pieces, a set of 6 wooden picture blocks, and two illustrated books.

The picture blocks feature vintage circus illustrations and come in a box with illustrated lid.

The board game has cleverly magnetised playing pieces that can be moved around the board without falling over.  There is also a tiny dice and box with illustrated lid.

The two tiny books have illustrated pages, several in full colour.

The complete set of kits costs £15 plus P&P and is available via my dealer page on the Mini Miniature Show website.... HERE! 

I also still have some of the previous show's lockdown kits, including... 

Little Red Riding Hood Board Game £10

Set of 6 rocking toys £8

Boxed set of 4 cats and clothing sets £5

Set of 5 Punch & Judy themed toy kits £10

Catland Snakes & Ladders game plus two mini books £10

Beatrix Potter Board Game plus set of dressing up masks £10

Doll's house child sized masks

Tweedledum - Alice themed board game, plus masks £10

Alice themed dressing up masks


Lots of new dealers to browse too!

Unintended consequences.....

I've been in my workroom almost every single day since the lockdown started, and the extended occupation has taken its toll.

Things came to a head yesterday, when finally, unable to find a single square inch of free space on ANY surface (and yes, I do include the floor) I was forced to bite the proverbial bullet, pull up my big girl pants, roll up my sleeves and set to.

Many hours later, much colourful language, and a modicum of blood, sweat and tears, my workroom has been restored to almost pristine glory.

What?

You want proof?

Sheesh... it comes to something when a girl's word is disbelieved.....

OK... I give you.....

*insert drum roll here*

Tah Dah!

My upcycled bureau cabinet, with doors, drawers and drop-down flap all closed! 

*My 'thinking' chair has been excavated from beneath piles of boxes

 *Last year, when I bought this colourful little club chair, I fondly imagined sitting comfortably in it, with one of my lovely notebooks, jotting down ideas, making lists and generally channeling the spirit of Virginia Woolf (as in A Room Of One's Own).  Needless to say, Small Dog and our little granddaughter (pre-lockdown) have spend more time in it than I have, and it frequently serves as an extra shelf.

This never happens

Neither does this.... a clear table top

Nor this.... such a delight to be able to access all those drawers without having to relocate piles of stuff...

Except.... now that it's properly tidy for the first time in months, I can't bring myself to go in there to do any actual work, knowing that within a matter of minutes, as if by magic, Stuff will appear on every work surface.

I was surveying the room from the doorway earlier, wondering at the sunlight glinting off the miraculously empty surfaces, when I felt a slight nudge, and looking down, spied Small Dog standing on the threshold.

She glanced at me, then executed an overly dramatic, comedy staggering into the room, accompanied by much eye rolling.

Me: *miffed* Oh very funny.  Hilarious even. 
SD: *innocently* Oh. Mai. Dogg!  Whott has evin happinnd in hear?  Hav we bean burgld?  Whair is evrithing?
Me: *bristling* Pack it in SD.  You know full well I've been tidying up in here.  That's why you made yourself scarce when I asked you to help.
SD: *obliviously* Is.... is thatt.... a CHARE?
Me: *sighing* Yes. Yes it is.
SD: *exultantly*  A chare fore...... SITTEN ONN?
Me: *grudgingly* Yes, well, I'll grant you it has been used as a supplementary storage area for a while.....
SD: *interrupting* With kumphie kooshuns!
Small Dog strolls nonchalantly across the uncluttered carpet and stands expectantly by the chair.  Due to her advancing years she is no longer able to leap up onto chairs, so she has to be lifted, carefully.  
I comply.
She settles down on the chair and surveys the room.
SD: *incredulously* Yore kabinett.... the doars aktewlie cloas!
Me: *tetchily* Yes of course they do.  I normally leave them open while I'm working so that I can easily get to all my ribbons.
SD: *wonderingly* And youre nue tabell.  It hass a..... *pause for effect*  flatt topp?
Me: *firmly* Right.  That's enough of that.  It's impossible to do what I do AND maintain  completely clear work surfaces....
SD: *placatingly* Oh yess... ai kno.  Kreeativ kayoss and ol thatt.  Butt now yue hav a CHARE whitsh kan be aktewlie satt on. Ai mite kum inn to keap yue kumpanie.  Maibea when yue ar haven a kupp of tee and a biskitt?
Me: *defeatedly* Yes of course SD.  I'll let you know the next time that happens.
SD: *triumphantly* Fyne.... aill jusst settel dowun heer and hav a littel knapp.  Trie knott to maik too mutsch noyse.
Me: *sigh*

Fin

Creating during lockdown.....

We are now entering our 8th week of self-isolation and it's been a long, old haul.  Plus there's no sign of it ending any time soon.  However, not once during this time have I ever felt bored.  

I haven't been binge watching box sets, nor have I been espousing the frankly terrifying Joe Wicks workouts on a daily basis.

What I have been doing is creating.  I'm lucky in that I have a dedicated workroom, full of 'stuff to do', and while I've been concentrating on making, I haven't been worrying quite so much  about what's happening in the wider world.

I think that those of us with hobbies, interests and enthusiasms are probably faring better during lockdown than those who rely on social activities with others.  Yes, it's hard not being able to see family and friends, other than via video calls, but so long as they are all staying safe and well, that's a price worth paying.

I'm still trying to rise to the challeges of re-creating wonderful Pinterest dolls in micro-miniature and mostly enjoying them.  Here's the inspiration for my latest creation....

She 24" tall, so definitely a challenge to recreate in a tiny doll just 1  3/4" tall, but I took a run at it and after two days....

After a brief lie-down in a darkened room, I decided I'd make another, learning from the things I felt I could improve.....

I had fully intended to offer them for sale but I like them both so much that I've decided that they will go into La Mignonette.... my French doll shop.

I'd also like to share a work in progress.....

I came across one of these little plain wooden boxes in my cupboard so I decided to use some of the offcuts from my lovely bureau cabinet makeover to cover it.  Still some finishing off to do on the exterior.

On the inside, I've made a little doll in the same shades of blue, plus a tiny fan and small, illustrated doll book.  I'm also going to make a few costumes to go in the lid, plus a few more accessories.  

I have loads of different sizes and shapes of little boxes put aside to make doll presentation boxes and had forgotten just how much fun they are to make, so I'll definitely be creating more during lockdown.