A Quick Update!

Lots of work being done here - but lots more to go too!!

From this.......................................

To this took 2 days, working from 6.30 in the morning until it was time to feed people their evening meal!!  I get very focused!

I needed to get that wall finished and behind me - I think you will understand what I'm saying here!

Work continues............................

I just couldn't resist it!!

People by Kim Murdock.

Tudor Market Hall Update!

It has  taken me a while to get this far - but at last this side wall is finished - apart from inserting the painted window panes.

Tomorrow I move on to the back and finish the surrounds of the "jail" door.

That leaves the very large wall at the other end of this view to work on and finally all the cobbles underneath the building which will be the market place.

Still a lot of work to be done - but it is starting to look as if it might turn out "OK"!!

More baskets.........

I managed to complete a couple of baskets over the weekend - in amongst putting the Tudor market halls together.  Thought I would show them here!

A bike basket!

An old style shopping basket with mustard X trim and beads to match! 

Now I can go back to claying with a clear conscience!

Tudor Market Hall ......and Welcome!

Wecome!
Before I go another step further  -  I must welcome new followers to my blog.  Thank you for dropping by and I hope you stay awhile!

Tudor Market Hall
I was lucky enough to be able to acquire this Rik Pierce kit - and talk about a jigsaw puzzle - but it has been a heap of fun and hard work!!  I am making 2 - one for a friend and one for myself and I'm working on them in tandem so it has kept me very busy - like one on a mission!!  The mission being getting it finished as soon as possible.

The jigsaw puzzle!!

My friend Leif literally saved my life by assisting with the distressing of all the wood needed for both kits.  A lot of work there - but it kept him busy for most of a weekend!!

The internal walls clayed and lightly painted.  Further aging later!!

See?  I did my exercises on this day - I picked up the weights off the floor and placed them carefully on the table.  They really come in handy for holding things in place!

Here it is taking shape - albeit slowly!

Here the beams and floors have been added.

Now I can continue to clay the outside - brickwork on all external walls.
The roof can then be added and I will put it on it's base and work on cobbling the market area.  Still a fair amount of work to be done!

I'll keep you posted!

A Cane based shopping basket.........

I have spent the last few days having fun with this little number!  It has been made for a friend and will be travelling across the world to its new home.

Here it is poor thing - in all its nakedness!  I just thought you might like to see some of the process!

Below are pics of the basket finished!

View showing finished basket front on with the dominant Godseye!

Side on view of basket for an idea of the shape!

View of basket showing detail of  handle.









I get a whole lot of enjoyment making my baskets and I hope I won't bore you all to death with them!
I am working on a little tutorial for a hanging basket to put on this blog so you can have a go at making something simple.  A little more on that later.

A Pair of Picnic Baskets.....and some orchids for colour!

These picnic baskets have taken me soooo long to complete!

They are made using cane which I have cut down and sanded and then soaked to shape into the formers.  I have also used cane for the stakes and the weaving material is 2 ply waxed linen thread.

These two baskets are basically made on similar formers but have been shaped differently with the stakes!  I had fun doing them both.

I couldn't resist adding the orchids below - they are so pretty!  I hope you enjoy!

Yet Another Project - Tudor Market Hall

This past weekend I drove to the Gold Coast and back (800km) to deliver the second Venice Canal House that I completed recently.  This has opened the door to starting yet another venture in the shape of Rik Pierce's Tudor Market Hall.

These are the bits that hopefully will be transformed - soon!!  I will keep a little diary on progress!

Progress Report on Tanglewood

The Hot Rods came to town.....

The Drag-ens Hot Rod Club based in Chipping Norton, Sydney, NSW held their Show & Shine Spectacular in Nambucca Heads over the weekend.

More than 400 hot rods filled the main street of Nambucca on Saturday morning.

Every size, style and colour imaginable!
My all-time favourites are always the ones that have been faithfully restored rather than "rodded".

The rain held off just long enough for the show - and it has been raining steadily every since!

T

A Beautiful Visitor!

While we were out clearing and working - look who came to call.  He is a carpet python - wonderful for keeping the vermin under control and excellent for keeping other more viscious snakes away!

Isn't he gorgeous?!

Having a break tomorrow so it will be back to work on Tanglewood!  I look forward to that.

No Mini-ing today - but went back to nature!!

Today I took time off from working on ANY of my many projects.  Instead, I spent time in the garden where I found yet another lovely orchid in bloom.

These are native cymbidiums - so pretty!

Below are snaps of our 28 acres of rainforest with a shack on it.  We are in the process of clearing area around the structure so we can have extensions done and then move in.  Yet another project for us - just a change from working in 1:12th scale!!  But this too will be fun!

A lot of work to be done here!!  But it will be the perfect place to create miniatures......can't wait!

Welcome to my new followers!

I just wanted to welcome all the new followers of this blog - and to say thank you for dropping by and taking a look!

My Tanglewood Project

Several years ago, I went to New Zealand to do this Rik Pierce workshop and it has sat at home waiting to be worked on for so long.   I spent a long time thinking about what I would do with this because I just felt it deserved more than just being a room box!

This image shows how Tanglewood looked when it arrived home from New Zealand

This image shows Tanglewood on it's final resting place with the extension on the right side to allow for the stairs up to the first floor and providing cart access to the rear.

A close up - showing the cobbles and a few other details.

A view into the alley way showing access to the first floor.

And another view!!

I think it will be a while before this project gets finished - but it will be fun!

An Introduction to Indianna Jones ......and some baskets, of course!!

I have made mention of Indianna Jones in a previous post and thought I would introduce him to you all!  So drum-roll please............

And here he is - checking out his saddle and other bits, obviously getting ready to go on another of his grand adventures.

And here is a close-up!  He's quite handsome I think.

Made by Kim Murdock from Western Australia.

And I played a little too!  Some of
the results..........

.......and other stuff!

It never pays to have idle time as far as I'm concerned!!  Sitting quietly never works - it leads to trouble!  Actually,  it leads to insane ideas!

 I think they're finally going to lock me up!  A lidded picnic basket in 1:24th scale!  But I must say it is CUTE!!  Once I started, I had to get it finished as fast as I could - just to see the end result so I had a pretty late night last night!!

I'm starting on a shopping basket next!  Stay tuned!

 

Susan came to Play!

Been quiet for over a week - but I fixed that!!

Susan came to play yesterday and look what she did!!  She dressed my babies for me!

I'm one lucky duck!  Susan made the rompers, and the bear (of course) and the beautiful rug!!

 And how about Pooh Bear!!  They're all wonderful!