Little Boxes and more Tilda!

Sitting outside under the shade of the balcony seemed a good time and place to saw wood! Always a dusty, dirty job best suited to outdoors.
And these are the results as I started to fill them.

The haberdashery boxes are filled with pretty Tilda style fabrics. The big display box is filled with books, reels of ribbon, stickers, fabrics and one tiny Tilda doll.

One little box filled with more than 80 vintage style postcards.

Making boxes is very relaxing for me and now the weather is so good I can leave everything out on the garden table over night, ready for the next day. Loads of time saved by not tidying away!
I hope you have a good week,

Zips, Art Dolls and - Christmas?

Another buy from a few years ago which I just found amongst my hoard of useful stash in my most embarrasing, messy drawer were these pressed metal zips which I bought from The Dollshouse Mall

Glue each one onto a piece of ribbon for quite an effective look in a work basket or hung on a card with your haberdashery. Here they are on a real size zip.

 Oly and I did wander off subject for a while during the summer as we were excited about trying to make some cloth art dolls. Oly has made several for gifts and they get better and better as she goes. My first attempt is ok and I'm giving her to my friend who collects fairies. Here is Titania from the book by Jan Horrox.

She was fun to make and a relief from the intensity of making miniatures. Now I'm working on another doll; this one is to be a gift for my mother! She's called Gertrude and she's one of the 'Slightly Weathered Ladies' by Jill Maas. Excuse the nudity!

Now, I'm planning Christmas, can you believe?!! Kaisa has asked me to swap an Advent Calendar with her. I'm really looking forward to choosing all the little things for her to open.
Christmas seems a long way off from here - we have yet another beautiful, sunshiny day!
Thanks for calling in,

A Lovely Long Summer

It's been a lovely summer and I have to tell you that it continues here! I'm lucky enough to still be making minis in the garden and now that all the family visits are over and I have more time I can show you what has been happening in my mini world.
I was sent an amazing surprise present from Iris! It was such a lovely thing to do, I couldn't believe she had made all these things for me.

Iris is new to making miniatures (so she says!) but is obviously a natural. Everything is beautifully made. She also has a new blog showing all the gorgeous things she makes and has lots of followers already. Take a look here. Congratulations on your new blog, Iris and thank you again for the lovely presents.

I've also been making bedding for my second swap with Kaisa. She has sent me a little cradle and like our previous swap with the sofa bed, I've made bedding for hers. This is the cradle. And just like Kaisa she also sent me more presents - a rocking horse and a toy 'pop gun'. Thank you so much.

I can't show you the bedding until Kaisa receives it and I only posted it today.

As I mentioned before I don't buy many dolls but this one I bought a few years ago at a fair in Felixstow just because she has such a lovely outfit and I decided she can now sit in the tea shop.

 Now I must work on some orders I have for my Etsy shop. I hope you're having a good week and the sun is shining in your part of the world.