Chicago International 2017 - my work begins.......

This show has been on my bucket list for a long time and I finally applied for a spot - and I got in!!

So exciting - and yet so "OMG - what have I done!!"  I shall be making and making for the rest of the year just to have enough stock - but it will all be worth it in the end.

I am taking a miniaturist friend with me so we shall have the best time.

A very small start has been made -

A new basket!

Where has 2016 gone!?  I seem to have been immersed in this haze of making baskets as fast as I can and all of a sudden we're almost half way through the year!  My last show was Sydney at the beginning of this month and what a fabulous show it was for me.  I came home almost empty handed and now I'm back on the whirly-gig of making.  I have decided not to trade at any more shows this year as now I am in work mode for the Tom Bishop Show in Chicago in 2017.  It has been on my bucket list for some time now - but now it means I have to work twice as hard!!

I was recently asked to do a commission - and the first photo is the full size version.  It is a French vintage picnic basket and looks amazing!

It took me days to sort out - but I got it in the end - and was very happy with the results.  The following pics are of my 1:12th replica.

I was really happy with the results!

Wishing all my Blogland followers..........

I wish you all a prosperous, safe and healthy 2016.  Have fun!!

Some brain-free activity..........

.......over the christmas break.  Somehow, they always manage to turn out nicely when you don't have to engage the brain too much.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

A couple of Rocking Cradles........

....finally finished!  I am so pleased with the results.  Here they are pictured together - slightly different and using different techniques.

The first cradle - representing 30 hours of work. It is finished with a three-rod plain border and a three-row follow-on trac. Decorated with a celtic knot at each end of the cradle and a ribbon bow on each side.
I'm quite happy with the result. I've already started my next one.

My second rocking cradle - this time decorated with tiny beads and some blue silk ribbon bows - and finished with a two-rod, three-stroke plaited border worked directly on the basket - no glued borders here!! Again - lots of hours!

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh!!!

These bottles kept me quiet for just a little while - I'm happy with the results!!

Something to look forward to..................

Hope to see some of you there!!

A wickered flagon.......

Another potato basket........and our miniature group Christmas get together.

I've made another potato basket, slightly larger than the first one and this time the "lip" is on the basket, not the lid and this way the lid sits over the lip - if that makes any sense!!

Does anyone have a preference re the shape?  I'm not sure which one I like better!  Hmmm!!

Yesterday, the mid North Coast Miniatures Group had their Christmas get together and we all had such a great day.  Typically Australian weather - we started the day off sweltering in 38 degree heat and by the afternoon we were looking for a cardigan because it had cooled down drastically!!  We all survived though!

Thank you Narelle and Laurie for opening your house to us - we all had a fabulous day - and wasn't the food great??

Some wildlife in our garden...............

.............in the form of this lovely water dragon.  He's the smaller of the two we have in our garden - just gorgeous!!

I've also been doing some weaving - made this picnic basket and tried a new weave on the handle - quite happy with the result.

Some Wall Hanging Baskets.........

.....to hold your keys, mail or anything else you may care to put in them!!

Do you have a favourite?

An Onion Basket......

I've still been weaving - in amongst playing with other things mini!!  This is a little onion basket, with a lipped lid.  This little number takes a lot of patience and sometimes that's really hard for me!!

And that's it for me.  I'm sure I'll be back again soon!!

Doing other things mini........and having fun!!

It is so good to have the pressures of convention over - but oh boy!  Did we have a ton of fun? Hell yeah!  My two classes were filled with the loveliest people (I can't say any different because some might even read this!!)  No - seriously - it was super great.  The accommodation was good, the food was - well apart from yummy - it was plentiful.  Like being force fed really.  So all in all a wonderful weekend of minis and catching up.

So now I'm home - lining up all the things that I have on my to do list and it seems to be really long.
There is the Venice Canal House to finish, the Indiana Jones' House, the 2 story Tanglewood and a heap of others waiting in the queue!

I have started with the Venice Canal House because it is the one most near completion.  It just needs the final bits doing - like the fire mantles painted and fixed - a decision on the lights - and of course the furnishings.  And with that in mind - I begged Pete to make me a box bed for Ezio.  And here it is!

I am so happy with the result!  It has a sliding door and an internal shelf for odds and sods!  Now all I have to do is make the mattress - and that is another story altogether!  I hate needles - in fact, I'm allergic to them because they bite me every time I touch one!!  But I'm going to have to brave it obviously!  I'll have to build up the courage........

Peter didn't stop there though.  He kept making ........And I so love the double door number!!

What do you think?

Anyway - enough of my rambling for now.  I hope everyone out there is keeping well.  I'll be back with more soon!