Saturday 24 October 2009

Hello and welcome!!!

Well, Julia of http://bearcabinminiatures.blogspot.com/ said that she's following my blog! Actually it was her idea that I have one, so here I am! lol I honestly don't know how often I will post items on my blog as I do work full time, but I will endeavour to do so! At the moment I am off work with a serious knee injury which may need (no pun intended!!) an operation to put right, eeek! So I have more time on my hands than normal.
Recently I was in a dolls house shop in Winchester and a fellow shopper said that dolls house making and collecting was like having a disease! Hmm... I hastened to add a 'likeable and friendly one'! I have been making mini's for a few year's on and off and now have 6 dolls houses, and if I had my way I would keep buying them, as I'd love a couple more themed ones! They are all in various stages of completion..... My first house was a Victorian shop (called Erica's Emporium) and sells a variety of things (hence the name) and I do change the stock as it makes it more interesting. I want to revamp it, mainly the kitchen!
My favourite house to date is my witches house (made from the Dolls House Emporium's Toll House), my Mum bought it last October as a little pressie. It's mostly complete, but it does need some serious tweaks and more work to be done. I've added a garden and a potting shed and a metal spiral staircase that I made from a kit..I am very happy with the final result, even though the men in white coats nearly carted me off as it nearly drove me mad to make, it was a nightmare! lol I recently sent my witches dressing table (that I stained and aged) to the US to a well known and very talented artisan to dress it, as I was so stuck for ideas (I'm normally not like this! lol).
I also have a Sid Cooke house (my most refined house). One of my favourites is my Nanny McPhee cottage, it's made from a kit from Corona Concepts - The Orchid Dollshouse, it's tiny, but I love it! It will have a mixture of bright colours (like Nanny McPhee) and pastel's, in a shabby chic sort of style. I will be adding a back to the house (and make it front opening), as like most American dolls houses they don't have backs and I think you lose a lot of space. It will also have a large tea pot collection that will be on a large shelf in the kitchen (I have bought many to date).
I have a 1/16th scale Honeydukes, actually it's more of a large room box, so I'd love a proper sized shop in 1/12th scale! Just don't tell the family! lol ;o)
My latest addition is Hogwarts, I couldn't see a decent castle kit and I'm not that great with wood to create my own houses (I wish I could!), so instead I'm going to transform a large Tudor Coach Inn kit, it will probably end up looking like in belongs in Diagon Alley as I want to have the house in Rik Pierce's style (old cracking render and bricks showing). It has a large forecourt and I plan to add Sid Cooke's Orangery and a small walled garden. It's the largest of all my dolls houses and I have the design and plan's already in my head!
I'd love to do a Ron Weasley's home, and I have seen the perfect kit for it! Hmmm....not sure I could convince anyone I would like another house! lol
I will be adding some photo's of my houses on here, but I am the world's worse for taking photo's of anything or anyone, and I really take so few when I make anything (my family and friends are always telling me off for not doing so!! lol). I plan to take some as I complete work on my houses from now on, though when they get uploaded on my blog is anyone's guess! lol :o))
Michelle :o)

12 comments:

  1. Hi Michelle, WOW sounds like a lot of fun and interesting things to come! DITTO on the Soooooo many houses thing! We have well over a dozen and am not one that works on one til its finished so they are all in different states of being done! Potter projects are a favourite of ours too, having a Potter 'Castle/House' and more plans for a hagrids Hut too! Nanny Mc Phee is one of our favourite films, we love it so cant wait to se that one develop!
    lovley to join your blog. Take lots of pics we want to see! How about that witches dressing table to start!!! And would love to see the staircase and ask how easy it was to make, Im planning a spiral for my antique shop.....when I get round to it!! Kate xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi and Welcome Kate!!

    Lovely to see you! I have visited your blog many times, but until I get a better 'blog photo' I haven't added myself as a follower to any blog! lol

    I found some VERY early pics of my witches house (very erm non professional looking! lol), but at least it's a start and will upload soon! I hope to take some recent photo's soon probably of the witches house and inside the shop - I'm bascially bed bound with the knee, so it's not so easy at the mo! :o(

    I will take some photo's of the witches dressing table as soon as Ericka post's it back to me. I can't wait to see it myself!

    Oh the staircase!! lol Not easy Kate, you will need lots and lots of patience!!! I will put a bit about it on my blog too and you will be able to see it in place now, when you see the photo's. ;o

    Michelle :o)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Michele,
    Glad you made it here, you will love it and it will help pass the time waiting for your knee to mend. I think miniature collecting is more of an 'addiction' than a disease, you always want to do more!! I go to sleep thinking of new designs and wake up with ideas still going round my head... and yes, I work full time too! I like to theme houses too, I would love a shabby chic/french style house, but alas no more room. Take a peek at Linda's house on her blog Une Petite Folie, it is superb.
    Look forward to seeing some pics when you able, you are so lucky having a large Tudor Coach Inn, Tudor houses are fab, I love all the cronky beams and wooden floors. Before you buy an orangey, take a look at The Dolls house builders conservatories. They are really nice(and cheaper) he has a website and an ebay page.
    Have a great sunday and I hope your knee isn't giving you too much trouble.
    Hugs, Julia x

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Michelle.

    Lovely to see you here and hope you enjoy blogging. Can't wait for pictures!

    You know how you said miniatures are addictive?
    Well...blogging is even more addictive!

    Lol.

    Nikki xxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi and welcome Julia!

    I agree, a dolls house hobby is more like an addiction! lol It's okay though when your whole family has it, sadly mine don't and it can be a battle! I too go to bed mulling over ideas in my head and they keep me awake, but it‘s productive, so I can't complain!

    I checked the Dolls House Builder website, gosh, they have some really great kits of all kinds! I love the little beach hut! Some of the dolls houses are quite substantial and I love the idea of having cupboards underneath to store things. I get terribly excited when I see new kits and all the things I could do. lol I only got back into dolls house making last year after a few years lull (since 2000), so I need to catch up on quite a number of technique’s and materials available etc. I will check the other blog too as I haven‘t viewed that yet.

    Best wishes (hugs)!
    Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Nikki,

    Great to see you too! lol Blogging addiction lol lol well, I guess it can't be that unhealthy as everyone seems to be so happy who does! I'm in the midst of sorting out my next post and some pics.... :o)

    Michelle (hugs)

    ReplyDelete
  7. A very big welcome to the blogosphere Michelle.
    Looking forward to seeing all your Houses and Miniatures. So pleased we have another HP fan joining the ranks..
    Mini Hugs..x

    ReplyDelete
  8. Warmest of welcomes to blog land you will love it here. Looking forward to seeing your pics and minis.
    Debie xxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Debbie and welcome!!

    I'm so new to blogosphere, I only started in July when I stumbled upon Nikki's!

    I heard so much about you (all good stuff)!

    I've been sorting out blogs header's and erm background, still not there yet as laptop crashed a few times! Grrr!

    Michelle ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi and welcome Debie!

    Gosh so many Debie's (my Sister is called Debbie too! lol).

    Just preparing the witches house for pic taking, it's not finished yet, but I have bought some new things for it, so I want to add them before I click away! lol I had so much planned for today....I just didn't envisaged lappy problems and now I'm behind!!

    Michelle :o)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Welcome!
    I can't wait to see your houses! You'll find that taking pics tp post is actually fun and the comments you get encourage you to take more and more!
    A little Blogger tip, upload all your pictures in order first, then write your comments or story aroiund the pictures. I find this much easier then trying to place my photos later!
    Heather

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi and welcome Heather!

    Thank you so much for the advice, I've been having probs today with that! My text keeps disappearing every time I go to preview and can only see the pics. I've checked everything but can't see the cause, so, I'm going to start again!

    I think today I've been trying to attempt too many things at once, and making little progress! lol

    Michelle ;o)

    ReplyDelete