Pizza With a Christmas Topping

Well I finished the bits and pieces for our grandchildren's Christmas scene and was in need of a snowy background - which is where the pizza came in.
Over the years I've found the polystyrene packaging that  sits under supermarket pizzas to be absolutely invaluable for such a lot of crafty projects.  It makes great light packing for fragile parcels, useful for painting and gluing things on, and can be cut, scored and painted for any manner of elements.

Anyway I needed a snowy path for the sleigh to ride along and a hill in the background just to finish it off. It took moments to slice a piece of the polystyrene, and top it with expanded polythene packaging which has a slight 'glitter' about it in a certain light and bingo!  I glued the hill to navy blue cardboard and added a run of little houses which I've left for the children to colour in - and they can add stars or snowflakes, whatever takes their fancy, to the sky as well - we want it to be their scene.

Rudolf and his chum have been in a box for a couple of years waiting to take Father Christmas out, and it won't be too long before he gets on his way.  It's not exactly an expertly crafted sleigh but hopefully it'll carry him around the globe.

I promised a picture or two of 1/48th characters - individually sculpted and fully pose-able like their bigger friends.

Thank you for looking
Robin

Getting Back to Some Doll-making

When I decided to retire it was largely because I wanted time to spend on my own miniatures and other interests and say 'goodbye' to working to deadlines.
After many happy and energetic weeks out in the garden bringing it to back to some kind of order, the weather is pretty much dictating things now.  That being so, it's been nice to get back to some doll-making and planning (only in my head) what I might do next.

I promised a friend to make her a little group of 1/24th dolls to complete some scenes - so I've finished them.  Sorry, photo quality isn't great...one of those days...
Looking forward to summer, which isn't any time soon here in U.K.,  a couple of spritely pensioners are taking a trip to the seaside - sweet- I think he's giving the wife a lick of his icecream!

Summer is gardening time, and chats across the hedge with neighbours.  Madge is clearly a keen gardener - maybe she's giving Florrie tips on planting up her summer pots.

Christmas is only just around the corner of course so I thought I'd make a little Father Christmas for the youngest grandchildren...and maybe a sleigh and a sack of toys.....
Amid the muddle on the workbench, Santa is waiting for some shiny buttons on his jacket and not too thrilled about the cardboard affair next to him. He's hoping for something a little more impressive - I'll let you know how we get on.

As my friends know, I can't resist a bargain, especially in the plant department so this is my latest - a Streptocarpus or Cape Primrose that was only 25% of the marked price.  Oh Yes!!  I love these plants and used to grow lots some years ago, but was down to my last ancient one.  I bought two - both half dead and with no flowers - and only one was labelled as  'Ruby' which I knew to be a lovely cerise. Both recovered so well and are flowering their socks off. I was thrilled with the one pictured which I believe is called 'Harlequin Lace'.

I'll let you know how the Christmas scene turns out.

Thank you for looking
Robin