Heading for Kensington

Still working - with three days to go!!

It's like a sickness isn't it?  I can't stop making baskets.

This is a produce basket I made yesterday.  So pleased with the results!  Hope you like it.

I leave for Castine in three days - could still make more!!

International Guild of Miniature Artisans - Guild School - Castine, June 2018

I have a little over 2 weeks before I head for Castine, Maine.  I am so honoured to have been picked to be one of the teachers this year - and am running two classes.  One is the market basket which is a 12 hour class - pictured below:

Finished basket

Showning handle detail

The second class is the Old Style Laundry Basket, which is a 24 hour class.  Most of the time will be spent on finishing the basket with a woven border - should be lots of fun!!

Old style laundry baskets

Working on baskets.............

well, a little anyway.  After the Sydney show my stocks were somewhat depleted so I have a bit of work to do before heading for Castine next month.

Flourish & Blotts - off to the Sydney Show

Still have to complete the gate down the side alley and fill it with trash, but these are things I can do a little later.  I'm very pleased with the first of the three buildings I'm doing for my Diagon Alley scene.  The next will be Slug & Jiggers, which is actually part Tanglewood, but I've added another floor on top and a carriage way down the side.  Can't leave well enough alone can I?!!  The third building will be Olivanders.

Anyway, the Sydney Mini show was great fun - always wonderful catching up with various mini friends and seeing what everyone is doing and making.

My miniature potting wheel..............

has afforded me so much pleasure this past week!  Peter made it for me for Christmas

and I've had so much fun with it.

These couple of photos show the results of my first attempts at throwing a piece on the wheel.  I

used Creative Paper Clay for these which of course, is an air drying clay - and I painted them

with acrylic paint, aged with some pastels and then sealed with a clear varnish.

I was happy with the end results.  I think I'm really going to enjoy working with the pottery wheel!!

A "suck it and see" moment................

I had a whim to make a small table/stool with a woven top and here is the result.  I was quite happy with it seeing I didn't really put a lot of thought into it before jumping in!!

Maybe time to make a bigger one now!!

More progress on Flourish & Blotts................

Today I did some more work on the cobblestones, painted the door (yet to be installed), finished the step and the bollards got their first coat of paint.  Ever onwards!!

Another Flourish & Blotts update............

I have finally finished laying and painting the cobblestones.  Still have to add a few details like bits of grass and moss etc and I also have to clay the step.  Once the bollards have been painted, they will be installed and the chain attached.  Slowly but surely coming together.

Group Photo....................

Having a little fun here!!  I got a beautiful doll made by Irina Martin some time ago and at last

got around to making a cart for her to pull along.  I also made a few teddies

and thought they would look good in the cart.  A pleasant change to be doing

something for myself for a change!!

And here is the dolly - isn't she just gorgeous.  I was so lucky to get to Etsy just at the right time.  Irina's  dolls are so very hard to get your hands on!

A market basket and more....

I've been playing with handle decorations on this market basket.

Detail of the  cross knot at attachment point

Detail of the  V knot on the top of handle.

Just some ideas for the students at Castine Guild School to play with in June when they do my class.  Really looking forward to it.

A little bit of weaving...............

..............in between making soooo many book - I needed a book break!!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Internals started on both Venice Canal House and Flourish & Blotts......

I have started working on the internals of the two structures I want to get finished for exhibit at the Sydney Miniatures Show in May 2017.  I need to get these finished sooner rather than later, as I also need to get stuck into my basket work, but am enjoying doing something different for the moment.  However, time is running out!!

This is the start of the internal workings in Flourish & Blotts.  I have another
1300 books I need to make, which might give me the amount
of clutter needed in the whole building.  Should keep me amused
for a little while!

The right wall of the Venice Canal House completed.  I have all the books
I need for this one!!  Also working on bits of furniture to be added.

A long shot of the room upstairs.  The lower floor is his work area and I will show that
next time.

I am happy with progress to date but need to keep going and get both structures put to bed!!

Until next time!

Back to Flourish & Blotts...............

I finally finished claying the roof - nearly tiling in my sleep last night!!  But it's all over now!

Tomorrow I'm back to it with more layers of paint and we'll see what we end up with.

Playing with some 1:24th scale basket.............

A lidded picnic basket and a hamper.  They are so tiny - even I am amazed!

A basket by one of my students...............

Isn't this just beautiful work?

By Rosie Woodley, AMEA Convention Workshop, Hobart, Tasmania, October 2018

Makes my day when I can share my knowledge/experience in miniature basketmaking

and get results like this.  My time is not wasted!!

And still more progress made on Flourish & Blotts......

Front part of roof installed along with the dormer window.

A side view showing chimney stack.

Railing/balustrade fitted.

Showing ground floor.

Showing the upper floor area.

Introducing one of my supervisors................

This is Serafina - but she has many nicknames.  Some that come to mind are:

Fatty Foofa,  Fooda,  Fatty Boomba, Fatty Arbuckle - the list goes on.  Does this give one the impression that she likes food?  It should, because she does!!  And she loves hoomans too!

I'm obviously doing it all wrong!!!!

A little more done on Flourish & Blotts.............

........installed the staircase today.  The stair rail has only been propped up to show it - but it still needs painting and distressing.  The ground floor lighting is also being worked on at the same time.  Trying to get all the little things done before the roof goes on and it becomes difficult to work in!!

Mock up of the painted railing - I think it will look ok.