In Love With The Old Backyard.....

Isn't it usually the case that if you're a mini-maker, the last project becomes (at least until the next one) your absolute favourite.......disasters of course don't count!!  Well I'm absolutely in love with this old rather dilapidated but so nostalgic backyard!

ROUND THE BACK OF THE OLD GARDENER'S COTTAGE on 26th April is the next Workshop in our NOSTALGIA IN MINIATURE WORKSHOPS series and I love it to bits!  Celia and I have so enjoyed working together on our latest project and are delighted to unveil the 1/12th prototype.  Participants can choose to create the project in either 1/12th or 1/24th scale  - we'll show the 1/24th scale another time.

The drawer of the old table opens - he's obviously planting turnips next!

We really got to indulge our love of creating shabby, well-worn and well-loved accessories that bring a scene to life and planned the setting with great care so that it is not only naturalistic but evokes memories of a gentler decade and tells a story. You can see that we love old walls and poppies!!

Old pots, pans and seed trays - and beautiful pansies

Our old gardener and his wife have lived in the cottage for half a century and although he's retired now he still enjoys pottering out of the sun under the lean-to in the old backyard round the back of his home.  We imagine him pricking out seedlings and potting up some pretty flowers for his wife - we're using the beautiful pansy kits by Georgina at The Miniature Garden Centre once again. He presses some old pans into use for growing  herbs for the kitchen - and leans on the old table to read his paper with a mug of tea and decide whether to do a bit of weeding in his veg plot or grease the wheels on the ancient Victorian water carrier that has been there even longer than him.

Nasturiums tumble from the old fashioned hanging basket

We aim through the workshops to encourage and inspire others to just 'have a go' - it truly is surprising  what you can make from an old cornflake packet if someone gives you a nudge in the right direction. So it doesn't matter if you've never attempted your own miniature scene before, or are more experienced - working in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere everyone can go home with a project they are really happy with and some new skills and ideas to bring to their own original work.

For this workshop we have chosen a super new venue in Oxfordshire - BICESTER AVENUE GARDEN CENTRE OX25 2NY, which is just off M40 Junction 9 - we have the Conference room which is within the Four Seasons Restaurant area, so tea and coffee, lovely lunches and snacks are just around the corner.....not to mention the other great stores like Hobbycraft, Laura Ashley, Lakelands etc. which are in the same complex. (If you're into shopping, the well-known Bicester Outlet Village is literally just down the road!)

We are already taking bookings for the workshop and numbers are limited.  If you click on Nostalgia in Miniature website you can find all the details as well as a Downloadable Booking Form. If you're a member of a group of friends or club, we have a special discount this time and we're both very happy to answer any queries if you'd like to get in touch.

Hmmm....thinking that we do need a gardener...a cross between old Mr Arlott and Uncle Norman I think..... time to get back to Coombe Crafts....

Thanks for looking
Robin