The Easy Version - Bow Making Tool

Look for a nice bottle of wine and invite some friends to share it with you...
Keep the corc and get rid of the bottle...
Take a needle (preferably an insect needle) and stick it very carefully deep into the corc.Oh - yesterday I said, that you wouldn't need any tools for this bow maker.... I have to admit that I overlooked the scissor - sorry.
So rifle through your toolbox and cut the needle.
Remember - the height of the needle sets the width of the bow:Gosh - I overlooked the pliers too.....
Again - rifle through your toolbox (perhaps it would be better to keep it near - who knows what I forgot as well....), extract the needle and turn it around.
Now dip the end of the needle into glue (as I showed yesterday) and stick it into the corc again.
You don't have to move the needle up and down as with the wooden bow making tool.
Let it dry.
I hope, tomorrow we'll find the time to make photos of the actual bow making!

Link of the Day

I found this book binding tutorial from rutchee's on flickr.

Making Of --- Bow Making Tool

Today I'd like to show you the Making Of a very usefull bow making tool. You need:
1 piece of round wood
1 needle (insectneedle)
glue
very fine drillI like to use my proxxon tool, because I have to place the needle very straight. Otherwise the loops of the bow will be irregular. When you drill the hole freehanded, try to make it as vertical as possible.

Take the smallest drill you can find and be careful not to break it. It's another benefit of the upright standing proxxon. I can lower it very sensible.
Now take your needle. I prefer insect needles, because they have a very fine tip but the metall is very robust.
Cut the needle with a craft scissor or pliers a in matching length.
The height of the needle sets the width of the bow:Dip the end of the needle into glue. I love Aleene's Thick Designer Glue, but every other glue will do, when it sticks to metall and wood.
Put the needle into the hole.
Move the needle up and down till the glue feels thicker.
Put the needle deep inside the holeRemove excess glue and let it dry.
Tomorrow I show you an easier version, where you don't need any tools. And I hope, I can show you photos of the bow making this week. But I need both hands for it and I have to wait, till the best husband of all has time to take the pictures...
Have a wonderful day!

Link of the Day

Tutorials for making books , printies etc. from Saskia. For personal use only!

Sun shelter and no cat

No miniature today. I was busy making a sun shelter for our balcony. Normally there would have been a cat in the flower box (just in the middle of the photo), but because Rossi is so much NOT like Nuri, he often escapes, when he views my camera. I'll try to make another picture with a planted cat and perhaps some more, who like to occupy the seats - when I like to sit there.... So tomorrow I'll announce loudly, that I want to sit on the balcony ALONE and WITHOUT camera - perhaps I'll be lucky.....

Link of the Day

Owned by my Cats has some very nice printies for catlovers....

Annies Rabbit

The last one of the Forgotten Box" miniatures. It's again from Annie Willis. She makes wonderful animals and I'm happy to have 1 dog, 2 cats and this little rabbit from her.

Link of the Day

Great tutorials from Gina C. Bellous

Brush it up

Another mini from my forgotten box. I hope I'll have time in my life to make the hotelroom with adjoining bath like the one I had in Deauville 30 years ago. Therefore I need some nice things like these brushes. They are from L & A St Leger.

Link of the Day

Great tutorial for mini jewelry

Kids & Cats

The last weeks I made lots of ribbonboxes. Here are the Kids & Cats themes.....

Link of the Day

Brick Tutorial from The China Doll. Check out her website for more.

Nuri

This is Nuri. He came to us when he was 14 years old, with a very severe kidney disease. The doctor said, he has only a few weeks left.... HA! I treated him and he lived with us nearly 3 more years. When I saw the miniature cat from Annie Willis, I had to buy it. This was Nuris favorite position, as soon as he saw me with the camera! Annie makes wonderful animals. The fur of her cats are so silky. Unfortunaley Annie has no website. These are her contact details: Great Britain 01737 21 0886 finede1999@aol.com. Jana also bought one of her cats. You can see it here.

Link of the Day

Nice little Tutorial for a kitchenboard from Marja's Poppenhuis.

Paeonies

On Saturday I visited my friend Reinhold in his beautiful little flower shop. He has no website, but his shop florartistic is in the Belziger Str. 25, 10823 Berlin. There I found these great Paeonies and remembered, that I made some last year:
Reinhold has always the most wonderful roses and orchids, but this time I only bought a lot of plants for the balcony. I couldn't carry them and he was so nice to drive me home.

Link of the Day

A very nice tutorial for an Louis XVI chair.

I forgot completely...

...to unpack one little box from the KDF with these bookends from Veronique Cornish and another miniatures, I'll show you this week. The books are from Jana.

Link of the Day

Marsha has a great tutorial for this - a little bit desoriented - witch. Perhaps she had too many flying potions..... - the witch, not Marsha!
picture by courtesy of Marsha Mees

Felted Bags

A few months ago I found the picture of this felted bag and fell instantly in love. And because I'd liked it so much, I had to make them also in mini.... You don't believe how long it took, to make these tiny felt bubbles!!!

Link of the Day

A great tutorial for thatching dollshouse roofs from Earth and Tree Miniatures and Dollhouses.

Ready

Finally they are ready. 5 ribbonboxes for Janny. They are - as you can doubtless see - not OOAK, but exclusively for Jannys Shop.
I hope, tomorrow, I can show you some of my new OOAK boxes.

Link of the Day

Be prepared against vampires! Here is a tutorial for a garlic braid.

It's Rasberrytime

A few years ago I made this caramel flummery. The plate has 2,2cm in diameter.

Link of the Day

A Tutorial for a nice and easy Christening Gown from Doll Artist's Workshop

Cheese Counter

I just wanted to show you my cheese counter from the Kensington Dollshouse Festival. I hope, that I'll have more time in the next weeks to make new minis and photos of course!

Link of the Day

Jean Days Miniatures.
This blog isn't in progress any more: Jean Days Tutorials but a few posts are there to find.

I'd like to know your opinion

I'm making ribbonboxes - since days! And now I'm finishing them. What do you prefer??Ribbonboxes nice & clean or....

...distressed?

Link of the Day

La maison de Micki has a pattern for a nice, little cap.

Délices des Dieux 3

And that's the complete front. As you see, it's after shopping hours. The gate is closed and the blinds are down.

Link of the Day

Jeanette from Garden of Miniatures made 2 wonderful new scenes. Wouldn't it be nice to have something like this also in 1:1? Heinrike made the desserts in the glasses, which where made by her husband Rainer. Great job. You should often work together!
Dear Jeanette, I hope, you don't mind, that I didn't ask for permission to use this photo on my blog.

Délices des Dieux 2

And that's the right side of my Patisserie.. Oh dear - I think, I have to go to my chocolate stash...
I just see, that one of the chocolate chip muffins is trying to escape.

Link of the Day

Jana made a new book! Elixir of Life. Isn't this even better than a pair of new shoes?

Délice des Dieux

Because I'm still working on ribbonboxes, I have no time to make new photos. So I show you the left window of my Patisserie "Délice des Dieux". The glassware is from Rainer Stadler and the chocolatebox on the left is from Heinrike Stadler. Everything else is made by me.

Link of the Day

A simple tutorial for making shoes from Shoe Pat. And, hey girls - who don't need a pair of new shoes.....

Link of the Day

I don't know, if I have the time for posting this weekend, so you get another timeconsuming and joyspending link. It's for Cynthia Howes great website with tutorials for everything you need, if you like to make your own doll. From the basics of dollmaking -over wigging, dressing... absolutely great. She also offers online classes and has an online shop, where you can get all the supplies you need.
picture by courtesy of Cynthia Howe

Ribbonbox for Janny

Janny from Art of Mini asked me, if I could make ribbonboxes exclusively for her shop. These are the 2 motives, that came in the finals... Janny at last decided for the girls. So she'll get 5 of these boxes for now. There are not OOAK, as my other ones and they can't be opened. Therefore they are less expensive.

Link of the Day

Janny has a very nice online shop in the Netherlands. It's called "Art of Mini". I hope, I'll get the boxes ready till the end of the month, so she hasn't to wait toooooooooo long.

Mini Art

In "Link of the Day" you can see an art supply store, I found a few years ago. Since then, the idea of making such a store is floating through my brain. When I found this wood modell at the table of David, I couldn't resist. I'd also liked it in other sizes, but the smallest was the only size left, when I visited the stand. David has no website for his miniatures, but here is his contact:
DAVID PROVAN
Tel 01865 72 5347
david.provan@btinternet.com
If you google - "David Provan" miniatures - you can find pictures of his wonderful works. In a few days, I'll also show you his classic desk lamp.

Link of the Day

I found this art supply store a few years ago on the website of Teresa. But I can't find it anymore. It's a pity, that the site isn't updated anymore. It's a rich source of ideas. Have fun with the many, many great miniatures on her site! And be aware, that you need the rest of the day - and perhaps the next day too.....

Link of the Day

Perhe Malströmin kotisivut - a lot of tutorials. Even if you don't understand the language - the pictures makes the progress really clear. See under "tee se itse-OHJEET" on the left side

Feline Guardian Angel

Because I'm too busy to make new photos in the moment, I scored my archive for nice pictures.
This time it's not a miniature (it had approx. 8 cm width), but I liked it so much and I wanted to share it with you. It was the present for my first grandchild in Berlin. Meanwhile it kept wake over the second one. She makes her job really fine (for sure she's female), even if it has lost her halo by now.

Link of the Day

A very good tutorial for kiwis from Marjo Caris
picture by courtesy of Marjo Caris

Precious one

That's the most expensive item I bought at the KDF. Greg from Swanhouse Miniatures bought a lot of my minis (they are at his online shop now: link) and I thought, I'd must have a closer look at his stand in London. BIG mistake - ore better EXPENSIVE mistake. No - not really. This plate is so beautiful and delicate made - I just had to have it!