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Sunday 22 December 2013

Happy Miniature Christmas!

Really late with this Christmas post, and nearly everything that I wanted to do, hasn't been done. I didn't think that little decorations would take so much time to make, so no mince pies or turkey, not even time for the presents under the tree, yet again! And then I had to remove the cat hair from the tree and garland. Hoovers do not remove cat hair, so it was cellotape and tweezers for that job. I will not be leaving those lying around, EVER AGAIN, MINNIE (the name of that cat). So this is a work in progress for next year, I think I will have to make the festive items throughout next year, starting from the beginning of 2014.

Anyway, do come in, though it is a little sparse...don't stay too long, as there is LITERALLY NOTHING TO EAT OR DRINK.

The front door is a bought one, the door furniture is by Tony Hooper. The miniature wreath base is a keyring fob, covered with tufts of model railway grass, fine chenille yarn and brass ivy leaves, the bow is made with raffia ribbon. The wreath is not actually finished, neither is the door :D 



 The fireplace was an old resin one I had, which I modified by cutting out the old fire basket, and replacing it with a phoenix miniature one. Though it should sit further back than that, which would require cutting a hole in the wall or making a false back.  The hearth is made with Richard Stacey tiles, left over from the kitchen floor. The fender was made with miniature scale dado rail, beads, copper rod and card. Oh, and the needlepoint rug is FINISHED. Without a fringed edge, I haven't worked up the nerve to try doing that yet. 



The mirror frame was made using miniature frame wood, with pieces of brass stamping arranged over it and then painted. The branch is an Alder twig, with the cones removed and brushed lightly with white paint, you can't see the ornaments very well, but they are Swarovski crystals. The garland was made using the same materials as the wreath minus the ivy. The stag is an old sterling silver charm.  The star tree topper is a jewellery finding mounted on a wire spiral. The fire logs......are not very artistically arranged :D I just bunged them in. Shopping list for next year, fire lighting and led nano chips for the tree.



Donkey had some otoplasty done for Christmas, my treat, I ripped his old ears off, and gave him some new finer ones. By pasting the back of some fabric with pva glue, I was able to cut out new ears without the edges fraying, which is how Bears' ears were done. The base of the ear is then glued into a slot on the head.  The skates are pretending to be drying off. I had wanted to hang them somewhere, but at the moment there is nowhere to hang them :D



 The baubles are a mix of beads, filigree, fluted and swarovski. Each bauble has a silver crimp bead superglued on the top with a wire loop to attach the waxed thread loops. Which took forever to do, and when I thought I had made enough the tree was only one third decorated.  The robins I made last year, the snowflakes are lasercut paper from True2Scale. The tinsel is Turrall chenille sparkle in micro. 



The dresser is a bought one, with the doors and drawers customised. The star ornaments on the "nail head" handles are jewellery findings, with no hole beads glued onto them. (The dresser needs feet, the phoenix fridge, isn't finished either...)



The runner is an old ribbon, the design is woven into it, I have been saving it for years....  The candle is a cocktail stick painted and dipped in wax. The twine heart is made from paper covered wire, wrapped with thread. The "bells" are crimp beads on wire. The pine cones are made with paper.  The key is by Tony Hooper. The owl is a sterling silver charm. The bauble garland is made with small filigree beads and miyuki glass beads. The finer chain was one I bought on Ebay last year. The wooden heart, is just that, with a piece of detail from a postage stamp stuck to the front.



The snowdrops are a Georgie Steeds kit. A plate of mince pies or christmas biscuits, would have looked nice and festive beside that pot..just pretend they are there :D



Not much to say here really, except that I hope I have not lost the handle of the fridge, I have just realised, it isn't there :D



"FAKE snowdrops!!!!!!"



Teddies do not drink or eat anyway, but they look great sitting beside empty tea cups and a giant matchstick.



Shake paws :) I don't know why he is smirking..
And that is Christmas here, over......I am really annoyed there were no mince pies!

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas and New Year! Thanks everyone for following and for your comments this past year.


13 comments:

  1. Lovely setting. I like the details you added to the dresser. Bears should be in all good houses!

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  2. Just amazing shots and beautiful miniatures! Wonderful

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  3. So happy to see mini Christmas! It seems it has been a slow-to-start Christmas. Very nice details and oh, yes it all takes longer than we imagine.I think,you should have a plate next to teddy with crumbs only left on the plate. "Santa ate the mince tarts of course!"
    Merry merry Christmas.
    Regards Janine

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  4. Your living room is very elgant dress. I love your snowdrops.
    I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
    Hugs
    Wyrna

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  5. Oh dear, I agree with you: I am always late for Christmas miniatures too, this year again ;)! But your miniatures are so delicate, elegant and so well done, Sarah, they are amazingly realistic treasures!
    Thank you for sharing this beauty!
    I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and my best wishes for 2014!!
    Hugs, Ilona

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  6. I haven't decorated much this year.. And reading your text I thought you didn't either, but here are lots to look at! So beautiful =)
    I love that donkey and the snowdrops looks just like real ones (and I love them in "real life" too =) ) And the skates are wonderful, and the birds in the tree, and it's a lovely tree, and.... I can go on and on ;)
    Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
    Hannah

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  7. Sarah, this is absolutely stunning! I could happily shrink down and spend Christmas in your miniature house even if there isn't any food, I'm over food at the moment!! I feel like I have been cooking for a week solid, no time for the miniature post I planned. Your work is so lovely,it's inspirational, the attention to detail is superb and it makes me wish I had piffed the cooking and spent all my time decorating my miniature house.

    Merry Christmas to you and yours,

    ML Fi xx

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  8. Wooo es increíble el trabajo que has hecho, fantástico , me encanta, feliz navidad:-)

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  9. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
    Thank you for sharing all these beautiful photos! Your decorations are fabuluous.
    Geneviève

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  10. Feliz Navidad !!!
    Comida no hay pero tienes una preciosa decoración

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  11. Simply Magnificient!! Happy New Year.

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  12. Hi Sarah, I just discovered your blog today after getting back into the miniature swing and am enjoying going through your posts. I'm building a Beacon Hill dollhouse and have been looking for a front door. May I ask where you got your door from?

    Thank you and keep up with the inspiration!

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Thanks for your comment :)