Forward planning......

So.

In between eating unconscionable quantities of cheese and Christmas cake, washed down with lashings of Yuleade and gin, I've been doing some gentle planning for the next few months.

I've bought myself a new little notebook for ideas and the like, and am quietly looking forward to getting back to work and putting some of my plans/ideas into practice.

Small Dog opined that I should get one of these....

.... but I brushed off her sarcastic slander.

To be fair, I couldn't get back to work even if I wanted to, as the workroom is currently piled high with all the detritus of the festive season, as well as acting as a de facto laundry room because all of our spare bedrooms have been in constant use for the duration.  I'm itching to get in there and re-establish it as a proper workspace again, which will give me the opportunity to have a bit of a re-organise.  *ahem*

For my new venture I've decided that I really need a new little table to replace the utilitarian and unlovely folding camping table which has been acting as additional workspace since I upcycled my lovely bureau cabinet last summer.  I've been looking out for a second hand table for a while, but nothing suitable has come up.

However I'm really rather taken with this....

There are lots of reasons to love it, apart from the fact it's cheap.  The two drop down sides mean that I can have THREE different sizes of work surface and when it's not in use it has a small, dainty footprint.  It has pretty turned legs and a handy foot rest.  It even has a very useful little drawer (although I'll replace that basic black knob with something much nicer).

It will look much more in keeping with the style of the room and I will then have a dedicated workspace looking out through the front windows.  

I love it when a plan comes together......

'Twixmas.....

And so.... like the lingering Ghost of Christmas Past, here we are again the limbo known as Twixmas.  I usually have a mini project squirreled away for this period, but not this year.

Although, strictly speaking, I still have my unfinished Twixmas project from last year, which I could unearth from the bowels of the workroom, if there was even a waffer-thin iota of space on which to work.

So no.

Traditionally it's also the time during which I plan work-related projects for the first half of the coming year, although I'm uncharacteristically ahead of the posse on that one, as I've been planning stuff for ages.

It's also the dawn of a new decade, which sounds as though it should feel sort of encouraging, although if the last few years are anything to go by, we're all still plummeting towards hell in a handcart.

However, impending apocalypse aside, I have put ALL of January aside to work on a very new, NEW project which is not in the slightest related to miniatures, but into which I'm going to put my heart and soul.

However, I have long, established history of doing this......

....so what could possibly go wrong. 

Christmas Show......!

This weekend marks the year's final major doll's house and miniature fair here in the UK.... the Kensington Dollshouse Festival Christmas Show.  We exhibited at this lovely fair for several years and always had a thoroughly enjoyable time.

So, to coincide with this seasonal show, this weekend there will be dozens of discounts (up to 50%!)  scattered across the website, from Friday till Sunday.  

In addition, newsletter subscribers will also receive a discount code, offering a further 10% discount on any order of £25 or over (excluding P&P).  If you're not already subscribed to our Tower House Doll newsletter, you can sign up HERE

Perfect timing to beat the impending last posting dates if you fancy a spot of 'self-gifting' 😉

Christmas is coming......

While waiting for the glue to dry on a some projects today, I idled away a few minutes completing an online survey.
For some reason, I can't imagine why (!) I seem to get quite a lot of questionnaires about dogs.  Predictably, Small Dog seems to have a second sense about these, and usually emerges from one of her many naps, to offer her insight.

Scene: In the office with a spare five minutes, I'm sitting at my laptop embarking on a survey.  A few moments in, Small Dog yawns, stretches, then ambles over to see what I'm doing.

SD:*perkily* Ahhh..... a survai abowt dogs.  Ecksillent!
Me:*distractedly* Oh, hello SD.  Didn't notice you there.  Thought you were have a nap.... as usual.
SD:*haughtily* Doant be sarkastick. Yue kno yue olwais knead mai advys abowt survais.  Espeshullie when thair abowt ME.
Me:*resignedly* Hmm.... well, OK.  Come and sit on my lap if you must.
SD:*makes herself comfortable and peers at the screen* Rite.  Whotts furst? O gude.... itts abowt Krissmuss.

SD:*aghast* Onlie phiftean pownds!  Luke... thers an opshun fore £151+ !!!
Me:*undeterred* That's ridiculous SD.  As well you know.

SD:*mollified* Hmm....Ai shude thinck so two.

SD:*aggrievedly* Ai wil nevur fourgiv yue fore thatt.....

SD: *doggedly* Ai dident mined the Krissmuss jumpr too mutsch.... butt the elph and santa hatts wer ridickewluss.
Me:*challengingly* It could have been worse... there's a turkey outfit on that list!

SD:*regally* Wel yess off korse.  Ai doant jusst poot mai naim to evrithing.

Me:*swiftly* Right, before you start, sneakily jumping up onto an empty chair does not constitute you joining us at the table for Christmas dinner.
SD:*defensively* Ai doant kno whott yue meen.....

SD:*triumphantly* YESSSSS!!!!!  The besst bitt off the dai!  Ai liek oapening mai own presints the besst but ai do liek to plai with oll the rappen paypur and tare itt into tienie peeses!
Me:*resignedly*  Yes SD.  You most certainly do.

Fin

Jiminy Cricket....

If you're anything like me, you will have an inner voice forever upbraiding you about your lack of application, your tendency to procrastination and your abject failure to stick to anything remotely resembling a sensible schedule.

Sometimes my personal Jiminy Cricket is A Good Thing... taking me to task for faffing and filibustering and generally giving me a not so gentle push to Just. Get. On. With. It.
Other times I rail against the daily grind and deliberately frustrate my own best intentions.

After a week of saintly diligence, systematically dealing with orders for my Christmas Toy Doll Trunk Kits (just TWO remaining.... HERE!!!),  answering queries, packaging boxes and practically taking up residence in the Post Office, I reached Friday feeling rather pleased with myself.  

Of course, that simply couldn't last.... could it.

Scene: Saturday morning, in the workroom, clearing up after the chaos of the previous days. Almost immediately after I've rendered the room relatively tidy, I decide that I must find my camera tripod and special stand, which I need for this week, and which I haven't laid eyes on for months.... since the last workroom makeover in the summer.

Jiminy:*questioningly* What ARE you doing?  You've only just finished tidying up, and now you're going to turf out all the cupboards!!!
Me:*defensively* Yes.  I can't find my tripod and stand.  They must be in here somewhere.
J:*flippantly* Well you should remember where you put stuff.  You only have 6 cupboards so surely the application of logic should help you in your quest.
Me:*mumbling dark expletives from the depths of a cupboard*  That's all very well for YOU to say. If I knew where they were I wouldn't have to search for them, would I?
J:*sagely* Tidy room, tidy mind. 
Me:*wildly* Oh bugger this!!!  Where are they... they can't just have disappeared......

Sunday morning... in the workroom, peace reigns.
Jiminy: *brightly* Oh you found them then.
Me:*sullenly* Yes.  In the back of that horrible cupboard there.
J:*placatingly* Well done.  I expect you've been setting them up and working out what you're going to do next.
Me:
J:*encouragingly* You know.... that deadline you've been banging on about.
Me:*simmering dangerously*
J:*coughing nervously* Yes.... well. I'm sure it will all be fine.  Lots of time yet.
Looks around for something diversionary.
J:*peering into cupboard* Gosh darn it.... that cupboard is SOOOOO tidy!
Me:*self-congratulatory* Ah, well, while I was looking for the camera stuff, I spent some time sorting through the basket of gripseal bags..... *tailing off* it was a real mess. *ploughing on* I've put them all in order of size and have labelled each bag.  I'll be able to find the exact right size I need, in seconds.
J:*appraisingly* So I see.  
Me:*quietly* And I've organised my bubble wrap.
J:
Me:
J:*blankly* Bubble wrap.  You've 'organised' it.  
Me:
J:*sighing* Well... yes.  That's errm.  Good.  That's good.  Can't abide messy bubble wrap.  Job well done I'm sure.
Me:*tentatively* It was dreadful.  Just all balled up and crammed in.  It's nice and neatly folded now.  Flat.  Stores easily. *shuffling feet*
J:*rolling eyes* Fine.  Good.  So workroom is tidy *tick*  Gripseal bags in order of size and labelled *tick* Bubble wrap organised *tick*  Camera accessories found *big tick*
So.... there's nothing to stop you getting stuck in tomorrow then.... is there?
Me:*meekly* No.  Nothing at all.  I'll get right on it.  First thing.

Jiminy disappears in a puff of sceptical smoke.

Christmas Special Workshop Pack

I've been working on a bumper special Christmas workshop pack, for which I've pulled out all the stops!

It is available to purchase from this Friday 8th November, in a very limited quantity.

So what is it....?

A wooden trunk...  decorated inside and out
with vintage illustrations

It opens to reveal......

.... a winter toy doll, plus lots of accessories

A total of 10 different elements

Choose between Holly or Noelle.... two winter themed toy dolls

Bejewelled marotte toy

Vintage litho-style Christmas tree, tiny wee bears, set of 3 festive nursery blocks
rocking horse toy, fully illustrated book.

Set of three vintage litho-style rocking toys

Set of boxed paper animals with removable costumes

Set of boxed paper cat doll and costumes

Set of 8 assorted vintage dressing up masks

Choose whether you want Holly.... dressed in red silk with white 'fur' trim and holly-sprigged hat..... or Noelle, dressed in white silk with 'fur' trim, 'snowball' buttons and holly-sprigged hat.

All the kits shown are included, as well as illustrated step-by-step instructions for each element of the workshop pack.

The cost of the complete workshop pack is £50 (plus shipping) and the two toy dolls are available separately as individual kits or as a pair at a discount.

The listing is now live..... HERE!

As always, if you need any further information, please use the contact form to get in touch.

Coming soon.....

I've been working flat out for the past week,  putting together all the elements for a bumper Christmas-themed home workshop pack.  It's scheduled to go live on the website on Friday, and will coincide with a Tower House Dolls newsletter giving the heads up.

I'm really pleased with it... full details will be in a blog post on Friday so keep checking back.

Or better still, sign up for our newsletter HERE!