A Lovely, Lovely Day!!

Just as we'd hoped, but not expected, the sun shone on a bright spring Sunday at Waterperrys Gardens in Oxfordshire for our first Nostalgia in Miniatures Full Day Workshop!!


It was such a great day - in every respect - that honestly I've run out of suitable and yet excitable adjectives!! The venue as you'll have gathered was superb - well, apart from creating your own miniature aged shed and friendly and like-minded company for a day, what could you want but sunshine, light as a feather lemon cake, warm scones and coffee, a wonderful garden centre and grounds and if there was still room -a delectable light lunch or (to die for) Sunday lunch !
(We were working.....so only looked....shame!!)


We've been privileged as we've been running our workshops to see just what talent is being honed in the 'amateur' ranks...how about this for a just wonderful example of an aged and distressed wood panel??

What a lovely group of participants!!!! Thank you all - you made our day and we're so appreciative of the many kind comments and emails since - we look forward to seeing many of you again very soon.

The first picture on the blog is from the beginning of the day and you can see bricks being applied to the inside and outside of the shed carcass. Take a look at this one!!

We're now much further on and in this 1/24th scale shed a rubber band is hodling it all together while the side and front panels are glued in place. It was such a fabulous old tin roof that it was tempting to see what it was going to look like...a little later.....
Shortly a nice elderly table (courtesy of Model Village Miniatures) will be put in place on the flagstone floor, a selection of ancient tools and gardening 'bits' spread about, and the outside landscaped with an assortment of planting and garden 'debris'. Lots of fun!

We - Nostalgia in Miniature Workshops - have a great slide show of the day...sadly I can't technically sort this (you know how it goes) but my partner in crime, Celia Thomas - KT Miniatures is a whizz at this kind of thing ...SO - leave me, click on her blog OR on our Nostalgia in Miniature Blog and you can see them all!!!

Thank you to my new Followers - I've been a bit tied up with workshops and kits 'n things - but I will try and visit you all. You're very welcome and hope you enjoy the blog.
Robin

Big Bird Gives Us All A Laugh!

While I'm actually knee-deep in preparations for our Nostaglia in Miniature Workshop this Sunday at Waterperry Gardens....and some lovely commissions.....we HAD to pollard our Willow Trees a weekend or two ago!!

If you know anything about Willows, you'll know that these beautiful trees grow a mile a minute...and in a garden it's necessary to show them who's boss. We've enjoyed the glorious vibrant greens of the bare branches all winter so it's been the time to give them - we have two - a short back and sides! They'll burst into bud and branch any time now and look wonderful again.

I'm a huge fan of Serena de la Hey who constructs wondrous huge sculptures in woven willow (Google her, she's amazing. The Willow Man near Bridgewater is hers!), as well as other artists who work with nature .
So - garden full of willow branches and prunings - seemed worth a go! I'm quite capable of weaving the odd plant tripod and border edges - but this was to be ambitious!

A Willow Man being somewhat beyond my capabilities...I decided on a duck.
Here's the duck!! Well...it's given us all a laugh!



Family and friends, having viewed said construction, have variously suggested it looks rather more like a swan, or goose, or ostrich. We've settled on 'ostrich' - a sitting down, Oswald Ostrich. Long legs are 'under consideration' for when we give the Hazel a short back and sides. I daren't use Willow for these - it'll grow!!


Best get back to miniatures! This little group in 1/24th scale was put together recently. Jack's totally worn out after a day's fishing and is hoping that Jill's put the kettle on!!

I've some lovely new Followers - welcome to you all and thank you for your interest.
Robin

Huge Best Wishes.... for Miniatura

Just a really quick post to wish all my friends with stands at Miniatura this weekend, a great show weekend!!!
After all your hard work and preparation I hope you have both an enjoyable and successful fair.

A special mention for my chums Louise and Marlene who are the aptly named 'Model Village Miniatures' - I know they have a loyal following, not least because the expertly designed and presented furniture kits, in both scales, allow the collector to properly build and customise their own 'makings', but also because the lovely tiny saggy and stuffed sofas and wonderful tiny knitted toys bring a dolls house to life!!
Also a mini-mention that once again my Coombe Crafts 1/24th characters will be on their stand, sitting on the kitchen and pub furniture, just to show what it can look like.

So - best of luck to you all - and if you are visiting - do enjoy all the wonderful work that the craftsman exhibiting have to offer.

Robin

Quite a Little Carriage!!!

So - my friend had said, she had a new 1/48th scale challenge for me..........she's a good friend....she's set a few interesting challenges in the past.....

Gingerley I opened the clear plastic box....and peeped inside. 'Your challenge' she said, 'is to make two posh people to ride in that!!!'


Carefully packed inside was the most beautiful tiny 1/48th scale carriage, complete with wonderful folded down leather hood and a perfect little pony harnessed between the shafts. WOW!!!!!
My talented chum had built the basic carriage from a kit and decided to enhance it a little (as she would!) - so on a husband-built wire frame, she created and added the stunning hood. The pony had fortunately been saved from childhood - which only goes to prove the miniaturists' mantra NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY!




So, notwithstanding the challenges of 1/48th scale men's suits and silk frocks and posh hats I did my best. Meet my posh people off for a drive in a very smart carriage! My thanks to Diane for allowing me to take the pictures of her wonderful work. I wonder what she'll come up with next?

Meanwhile work proceeds apace on preparations for our Nostalgia in Miniature Workshop at Waterperry Gardens on March 25th......must limit this blogging lark and get on....

Thanks for Looking
Robin