Sharing a love of Dolls House Miniatures - and making time for other creative crafts and the garden.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Just a Little Blog....

I'm sure noone is focussing on blogs - the sun's shining in the U.K.- interspersed with some Biblical storms - so summer does appear to be here.  Holidays, sunbathing and gardening are top priority but a little work is going on....

As I said, it's just a little blog.....just four little very specific commissioned characters in 1/48th scale....
Meet the ladies who just might have figured in some T.V. series a few decades ago.....



Hope you're all having a good time, wherever you are.
Thanks for looking
Robin

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Who's Taken Our Tent?

If you pop into this Blog or the one Celia Thomas and I share, wearing our Nostalgia in Miniatures hats, you'll have gathered that we're in mid-preparation of the prototype vignettes in both 1/12th and 1/24th scale - bit of a problem for Dolly and Golly and their 1/24th friends though.......


So just where is their tent???? Ummm....we promise it will be there in time for their tea-party. If you want to join in and create your own, our LET'S ALL PLAY IN THE LITTLE BACK GARDEN WORKSHOP, to be held on September 1st in the vintage classroom at the lovely Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire, has just a couple of places left. Click HERE for our Nostalgia in Miniatures Workshops Website for all the details and/or get in touch with one us. Meanwhile - just where ARE those wheels for the pushchair......???


Yes it's still too hot to weed much for fear of disturbing the roots of established plants, but I happily dead-head first thing in the morning and often take my camera out.  Everyone's roses are fabulous this year and I've taken a few more pictures - hope you like them.  I know many of you love gardening too and I love seeing the photographs of your own gardens.

This is Rosa Gallica Versicolour - quite a mouthful - an old rose and my absolute favourite 
The aptly named 'Oranges and Lemons' 
'Blue For You'
I promise I don't grow  these roses next to each other - they'd certainly clash!!!  'Blue For You' has a wonderful scent too and grows well away from the more conventional colours next to a dark burgandy coloured Cotinus (Smoke Bush) and the dying Cotinus flowers float down like frothy confetti all over it.

Enjoy the sunshine, thanks for looking.
Robin 

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Too Hot to Dig...Let's Play in the Garden Instead!

It may be too hot to dig, but I find every excuse for a little dead-heading and a wander up the garden when I should be working...which I was this morning, with Celia my partner in Nostalgia in Miniatures Workshops. We had such fun making/playing with toys (and a wander up the garden) as we created our latest scene.

It was going to be a blue garden theme today, but Little Ted got in on the act and I couldn't leave him out.  As you can see, he's got the right idea and donned his exclusive paper sun hat.

Actually we couldn't resist Little Ted when we saw him so have included him, along with a selection of our original handmade vintage toys,  for the new workshop on September 1st.

 Let's all Play in the Little Back Garden Workshop will be held at the lovely Waterperry Gardens venue once again and will be quite different to previous workshops, with an opportunity to create favourite toys from childhood, in a fun-filled setting at a time when all the summers were hot and happy. The landscaping is simple with the backdrop of a realistic hedge, so if you'd like to come along and make your own special dollies, golly and other toys with a jolly pram or cart to trundle them round the lawn in, we just have two places left and booking will close fairly soon. 
For all the details and learn more about the little back garden go to our website. The workshop is suitable for both beginners and more experienced miniaturists.

And now for some gentle blues from the garden.....

I love this blue Sage with the dark foliage
The combination of Viechenblau rose and yellow clematis is really striking against the fence.
I think this lovely Geranuim is called 'Blue Skies'
Really you can't beat native blue Scabious growing in my wild patch!
Thank you for looking
Robin

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Quite some characters..........!

After the excitement of seeing The Victorian Seaside in print - time to get back to basics.  I've been working on some new characters who should be on their way to new homes soon. It's so interesting to know how they're to fit into existing houses or scenes.

I think Billy has delusions of grandeur and fancies himself as a footman at Downton Abbey - actually I believe he's the new pot boy at a rather less grand establishment - Oh well, he can dream.


This cheery couple are running a new tea-shop - he's obviously in the kitchen buttering the scones while I think it's his Granny who's been pressed into service and 'waiting on.....'


You may have seen one of my errand boys before, but they're always a little different and this chap is delivering round the village for the local grocer.


Silverstone and Lewis Hamilton were all over T.V. competing with Wimbledon last weekend, but in 1920s Brands Hatch was the place to watch the racing cars and that's just where these two chaps are going.


Just need to finish the postman before moving to another scale....

Thanks for looking
Robin