Artisans in Miniature: The AIM Advent Calendar 2010...

Artisans in Miniature: The AIM Advent Calendar 2010...: "...is now available online! Each day of advent a new FREE miniature project from some of the world's finest artisans in miniature will be ..."

Sylvie's Nursery - Soft toys by Jean Boyd

Sylvie needed some soft toys for her nursery so I introduced her to Jean Boyd who is one of the most skilled needlefelters that I know. Jean creates the most gorgeous miniature pieces and she made these two lovely toys for Sylvie to add to the nursery when it's completed. You can see more of her work at http://www.jean-boyd.blogspot.com/

Sylvie's Nursery - The Child's Bed

Well it must be obvious to everyone that I'm just not organised enough to blog and work...work and blog. I had the idea that I would keep a record of the progress of the nursery as I went along but I got so involved in it that blogging went out of the window :)

Anyway, apologies for my absence and welcome to all the new people who have joined recently...thankyou for your patience!

Back to the nursery...Sylvie loved the samples that I sent her and decided on a very pale cream silk charmeuse with hints of caramel and tan added into the decor. We looked at some prints but they were all quite pinky and 'new' looking so I decided to make up a toile pattern and print my own onto a silk sheet. The print is tiny but the effect is very antique looking and combines beautifully with the cream silks.

I started on the child's bed first as that was the first to arrive. This is a quick reminder of what it looked like

Although the bed has raised sides we decided to remove one of the rails to show off the bedding and I used a padded panel on the head and foot of the bed to cover the marks left and to make the bed cosy. I had planned to keep the toile print to a minimum so that it wouldn't be too overpowering and it just peeks out from behind the mattress and pillows. I also used the toile to trim the quilt, which is mainly silk charmeuse...soooo silky soft! I still want to add a couple more pillows and drape a throw over one post but this is the bed so far...

 I found the teddy on Ebay and couldn't resist giving her a silk hat and silk and lace dress to match the bed.

I had nearly finished the bed when all the Bespaq furniture arrived. It is so much more delicate than it appears in the photos and is such a beautiful colour with lovely carvings and little details.

I managed to get started on the changing table and have nearly finished the crib.

 This lovely piece of furniture was just crying out to be filled up with little piles of muslins and tiny silk babyclothes    




You can see the toile de joue a little more clearly in this photo.

I hope to have some photos of the completed crib by tomorrow

Oyster Silk....and a touch of leather too!

I've just put these two on Ebay auction. I think I'm finally getting the hang of Auctiva...wish I'd tried it years ago.



Oyster Silk 12th scale Hat and Hatstand
http://cgi.ebay.com/Miniature-OOAK-Oyster-Silk-Hat-Hatstand-Miss-Amelia-/200542051684?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb13cdd64



Leather Steampunk Aviator Cap
http://cgi.ebay.com/Miniature-Leather-Steampunk-Aviator-Cap-Miss-Amelia-/200542054236?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb13ce75c

Victorian Girl's Hat and Hatbox on Ebay

After ages of not putting anything on Ebay I decided to put this little set on this week to see how it goes. The silk velvet of the hatbox is such a lovely rich colour and matches the tiny rosebuds on the hat.

I spent ages messing about with Auctiva in an attempt to find a better template than the one I used to use but I'm still not happy with it. At least Auctiva seems to make it easier to upload photos and I will be able to schedule listings if I want to.

Anyway if you would like to take a peek the link is
 http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200540925980&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

and I started it at a low price (which I will probably regret :) ) so you might grab yourself a bargain before Christmas!

Children's Millinery

Every week I have this vague idea that I am going to post something every couple of days but here we are...Monday again!

I have been gathering together ideas, fabrics and things for Sylvie's nursery project and realised that I have never really made any hats for children. I have some wonderful photos of little Victorian and Edwardian girls in huge floppy hats and over the weekend had a couple of late nights to put together the following...

Ideally I would love a sweet little girl mannequin with ringlets to show them off properly but I'm afraid that my first ever attempt at wigging this mannequin head was a bit sloppy :) Anyway, you get the idea and I'm sure there is a sweet little Victorian miss in 12th scale out there just waiting for a new hat. 

Regency Millinery 1802 - 1822

 Although the Victorian era continues to be a firm favourite amongst miniaturists I do receive a lot of visitors to my Georgian and Regency millinery pages and they have sadly been neglected in past months. I decided it was time to add some new pieces and have been working for some time on the following 12th scale collection. There are still a few items waiting to be completed but I will be adding these first bonnets to my website this evening. I have tried to include some of the more diverse styles that were around in the period...do let me know what you think. http://www.missameliasminiatures.com/georgianhatsbonnets.html

1819 White silk bonnet with black and white striped ribbon. Black silk lining. 12th scale



 

1808 Honey silk bonnet with black trim



  









Lace lining with 'Miss Amelia' label











1802 'Ashes of Roses' silk and tulle bonnet with jewel and feather





1811 Blackberry taffeta and silk bonnet







1802 Emboidered silk bonnet with feather



Lemon silk lining



1821 Chocolate silk bonnet with pink organza and trim

 

Sylvie's Nursery - Furniture

Well, after having looked at all the possibilities in walnut nursery furniture, Sylvie has chosen a lovely little child's bed by Eurominis and the most gorgeous set by Bespaq called the 'Sweet Home' collection. Although I enjoy dressing  all sorts of furniture, whether they be 99p Ebay bargains or handcarved artisan pieces, I really do love Bespaq. This set in particular is very delicate with ornate carvings and Sylvie has chosen the crib, a rocking chair, changing table and a lovely armoire which I plan to fill with clothes and accessories for the children. It all looks a bit stark and cold in the photos but hopefully that will soon change :)

I plan to remove one side of the toddler bed to be able to show off the bedding as much as possible in a similar way to the way cot bedding is displayed in real life.

Now I'm just waiting for the fabric samples to reach Sylvie and the furniture to reach me... I can't wait to get started!

Sylvie's Nursery

Well I promised that I would post details of my latest project and this is it! A couple of months ago I supplied a dressed bed and chaise longue with matching curtains for Sylvie in the UK. She was pleased with the results and almost immediately started planning the next room in her house...the nursery.

I get as excited about the planning of a project as I do about the making of it. I could (and do) spend hours looking at different fabrics and trims and sketching designs and possibilities. Sylvie is so enthusuastic about this room and the emails have been flying backwards and forwards with ideas....we can't wait to get started!

I thought it would be fun to follow the progress of the room on my blog and give you a chance to see how we get on.

Below you will see a mix and match of some of the ideas that we have looked at while planning the design of the nursery bedding and furniture.

The nursery will be in Victorian style and we have decided early on that we will have a small child's bed and a crib for a baby. Sylvie would like the wood in the nursery to be walnut which looks fabulous in 12th scale and we have been looking at the furniture available in that colour. She should receive the silk samples that I have sent through this week and I will keep you posted as to the final choice of colour and design.

French Millinery - Late 19th century autumn designs

 I love rich Autumn colours and having received a wonderful new textured silk recently in shades of chocolate, caramel and dusky pink I decided to put together a small collection of french style millinery in those tones. Silk velvets and brocades drape together beautifully and, as always, I have a weakness for long trailing veils in matching colours. Brims are narrow and upturned and these little hats will perch beautifully on your 12th scale lady's head or look great on display on a tall elegant hatstand.

For further details please visit
http://www.missameliasminiatures.com/victorianhatsbonnets.html

I must take this opportunity to welcome the newest followers to my blog!

Hello to you all and I hope you will find something that interests you among my ramblings...

which reminds me....I'll be starting an exciting new project over the next couple of weeks so do check back and I'll let you know more about it tomorrow :)

Have a good week!

Janine xx

Aqua tulle and velvet treasure

I added this little beauty to my  12th scale Premier Collection this afternoon -  I hope you like it! Caramel velvet combines with the prettiest little vintage ribbon embroidered with aqua flowers and ruched around the crown.

The tiny suede gloves will be included.

 Please click here if you wish to see other designs in the Premier Collection by  Miss Amelia

http://www.missameliasminiatures.com/premierdesignsooak.html

More about Vicky...

For those of you who don't know...Vicky Guile is the very talented lady behind NJD miniatures. When she is not concocting amazing pieces of miniature food and witchy accessories AND looking after her family, she somehow finds time to be assistant editor to the AIM magazine! She has been an endless source of help and patience to all of us involved with the magazine and we are very, very proud of her :) (Bet you're blushing now, LOL!)

                                                                          Thanks Vicky!!

Thankyou Vicky :)

Vickeeee...you have the dubious honour of becoming the 50th follower!!! Welcome to my little blog and thank you for taking an interest.

Thank you too to all the other 49 of you who have supported me over the past month. I am really pleased to have met so many new people since started this blogging malarkey and look forward to keeping in touch and seeing what you are all up to.

Janine xx

More Bridal...this time 12th scale

I just added these to my website this evening...

For more information please visit http://missameliasminiatures.com/dresscollection/bridalgowns.html

I will be doing my best to add some new bridal millinery this month too!

Here comes the bride...

This tiny little bridal set was recently completed for a commission. It will be part of a salon in 1/48 to be created by the customer.

Coming down to earth...

Well I am back home now and just want to tell you what a fabulous time I had at Miniatura!

My flight from Lanzarote left on Friday at midday and so I arrived in the UK in plenty of time to visit with my sister and family in her gorgeous farmhouse. I even got a chance to meet her small herd of alpacas (!) before leaving in the morning, with the mist rising up over the fields making it all so beautiful.

We got to Birmingham NEC just as the doors opened for Miniatura and I was just overwhelmed for the first 3 hours! I couldn't believe how many stands there were and such wonderful displays of work covering every theme and period.

I made my way directly to Mary William's stand and she had all her dolls beautifully set out on display with several people already taking an interest. I had planned to make my way around in a very organised fashion but once I started seeing people I knew and becoming drawn to various stands all the plans went out of the window and I just flitted around like a sort of dazed moth!

I don't think that I had really thought about buying much in the way of materials but of course once I saw the displays of silks and trims I was too weak to resist. I had also promised myself that I wouldn't go mad and would only buy a couple of bits for my own house but...well, it would have been rude not to... :)

These are a few of my treasures...

Chorizo and cheese that could have been taken stright off the counter in our local bar.
Made by EtCetera



My photo doesn't do justice to these incredible tiny cotton reels by David Edwards.
I could have bought everything on his stand!



Couldn't resist this beautiful pin box on visiting cards by Deb Jackson of  Deb Jackson Designs. Lovely to

meet you Deb...hope you're feeling better!

Mags Cassidy of Mags-nificent Miniatures and I have a love of slow cookers and she gave me this one

to remind me to send her recipes. Thanks so much Mags...it was

really great to meet you at long last



Mags also made these stunningly realistic stuffed peppers and the dirty plate and spilt stew!


And finally...I have been promising myself a couple of pieces of this glass since I first began collecting miniatures and Phil of Glasscraft was so incredibly patient while I umm'd and ahh'd over my choice. I just think the colours are exquisite and can't believe that each piece is handblown by him. I would love to add some more pieces next time...

Thankyou to all of you who made me feel so welcome over the weekend and a huge thankyou to Jackie and Bob of Ceynix Trees who were great company on Sat and Sun for dinner and even dropped me at the airport on Sunday evening (they say it was to make sure that I left!!)

Something new...

For lovers of Steampunk I will have some of these funky little heads with me at Miniatura...