Sunday, February 8, 2009

Play Per View

Welcome. It's so nice that you've dropped by.
I guess it would help to begin my blog by sharing a bit about myself.
I've really only become aware of the miniature world a very short while. Yet, I've been amazed by the wonderful creativity of so many talented artisans that I've been discovering and have most certainly been totally captivated time and again. So much so, that lately that's pretty much all I think about..almost anyways.
Currently, I am on sick leave from work. I had been working as a nurse for twenty seven total care patients, full time on night shift. This job unfortunately, has left me with considerable damage to my back, left hip and knee. From x-ray and MRI results, my doctor said only by surgery -in each area- I "might possibly find some relief." Many of the patients have been a two- person assignment for any other shift, but nights. I never understood how my employer -a world leader in Elder Care- could expect anyone alone attend this number of patients..But anyway... This blogging is not about that...
I'm glad to share, however, when I focus my attention on the world of minis, it is helping a great deal.

My journey to the miniature world began with a few Ebay purchases, that have quickly become priority in the old china cabinet that once belonged to my Great Aunt Hilda. I've decided to make some alterations to the cabinet, as one of my starter projects. There are only two shelves to the cabinet at the moment, but my son has offered to change that for me. yeah!!
The cabinet is also very dark...and so.. I will also need to think about some lighting. Any tips or suggestions you may have will sure be greatly appreciated.
The cabinet being very old, and roughed up even prior to receiving it, could also use a good refinishing. The fact that it's an old china cabinet, obviously excludes it from being an actual "dolls house" and I believe it will take some time to get it even half way decent. But I do imagine it has great potential in the making.
I would also like to try my hands at building room boxes and an actual dolls house, along with the wee furniture, items and dolls of various ages to go in them. I realize there is a lot for me to learn on the art of such creations though. I have already joined a few online groups to help me get started. Conversions, measuring, cutting, etc...there's a lot indeed to cover! whew! But I'm certainly willing to learn. All advice or tips will be greatly appreciated.

Try as I have, taking decent pictures will also have to be on my list of to do's. I seem to be having trouble getting clear images, and still need to learn how to transfer them onto this blog...But promise to get a handle on that asap!
I named this post Play Per View, as you just might agree.. It is impossible not to be inspired by all the wonderful pictures of mini creations others have been so graciously sharing in their blogs. I thank you emensely!

24 comments:

  1. Welcome to the Blogosphere Mary. Looking forward to seeing your creations and if you ever need any help, just shout, one of us out here will try and help.
    Here's to your Mini Making.
    Mini Hugs

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  2. Hi Mary, Yes! Welcome. You sound like the perfect mini person to me. It is a wonderful escape. It still does great things for me everyday. Please feel free to write any of us with any questions. No worries! We love to help and spread our mini knowlege Lol. Happy mini making,picture taking oh and blogging. You will figure it all out.
    Hugs from a mini friend :)

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  3. Hi, Mary! Welcome to the world of miniatures and thanks for leaving a comment on my blog. I'm sorry to read of your work-related health issues and hope those improve with rest and 'miniature therapy!'. I'll add your blog to my blog list and will look forward to following your miniature adventures.

    Jody
    Mini Leaps and Bounds

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  4. Hi Debbie. Kim and Jody! Thank you so much for your warm welcome. I'm so thrilled to have come across your blogs and am looking forward to following your mini journeys. You're all so wonderfully talented and very inspirational to me. I will surely welcome and appreciate your knowledge sharing any time, even when I haven't yet thought of a question. So please jump in where ever you feel to, your input will be very much welcomed.
    I've just finished making my first wooden table that measures 1 1/4"W x 1 1/4"L x 2"H. I carved the legs by hand to give it a bit of umph. It's very rustic looking, but then, my aim was for a potting table. So, it just might do. I also made three wee ladies from Fimo that measure only 2 cm tall. One of the ladies was coloured using make up powder prior to baking. The other two I will try painting today with an acrylic paint wash. I still can't get the pics to upload from my cell phone camera. grrr!! The pics my husband took previously have uploaded to our pc just fine. hmmmmmm...I'll get them on here sooner or later..hopefully sooner!
    Mini Hugs for each of you,
    Mary

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  5. Welcome to two new and exciting worlds. Miniatures and blogs. I have only been doing miniatures for about four years and I find it to be a very relaxing, satisfying hobby. I only started blogging a month ago and I love it. It gives me a chance to share my hobby with others and to sit down and converse with people all around the world. I am sure you will love both hobbies as well and if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask. That is how I learned.

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  6. Welcome!!
    I love also do things with my hands. I am sure that you will enjoy this mini world, in my opinion is one of the best relaxing ways to forget troubles.
    Mini Hugs from Barcelona (Spain9

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  7. Thank you for your warm welcomes Doreen and Eva. I've just returned from visiting your blogs.Doreen I'm glad you documented on your toy making. I've been wanting to make some of those toys, so I will head back soon and have a good look at that.
    Eva Congrats on your 10000's visitas! Wow! You are really do a great job in painting miniature scale. I just love those wee buckets of yours.
    Thank you for being open for any questions I might have Doreen and Eva. I really appreciate it.
    Well, it's been awhile since I last posted. And I haven't done too much crafting over the last few days. I did however stock up on some Micheal's Hutches when I was there last week. I've been looking at many of the tutorials that I've come across and saved to favorites those I would like to get around making.
    I also just found some great books and have been oogling over them. Each were either 4.99 or 3.99 regularly 34.99 and 36.99.. So I was quite lucky indeed! They are The Decorated Doll House by Jessica Ridley, The Dolls Dressmaker by Venus A. Dodge, Slip Cover Magic edited by Dorothea Hall, House Beautiful 750 Decortating and Design Ideas, The Big Book of Decorative Borders by Jodie Bushman, Decorative Furniture by Donna Dewberry, and Shabby Chic by Rachel Ashwell. Some were on sale at The World's Biggest Bookstore and some were found in a used book store. I thought I might use these books as inspiration or reference along the way.
    The projects I worked on since I last posted are three delicate floral fimo picture frames, a fimo head, arms and legs for a wee doll, and an iron. (still need to attach the handle which was baked separate)The flowers were baked on the frames but fell off. But for some reason, I'm having a hard time finding TLS here in Toronto. I may have to use glue to adhere the flowers and handle, but I'll wait a bit longer just in case I find some. Hope so! ;)

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  8. Welcome! Can't wait to see pictures when you get them ready to post. Miniatures are a great source of therapy... of course they're also a source of frustration from time to time. Particularly when tiny bits fall into shag carpeting. ;-)

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  9. Hi, Mary! I'm with the rest on mini-therapy. It's the only thing that keeps me relatively sane.

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  10. BTW..."Widdle Hinges"...I love the name. Is there a good story behind it?

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  11. Hi Mini Kat, I agree. Although I don't have a shag, there's a tile floor here that seems to camouflage little bits all too well. It's like treasure hunting eh?! hmmm, now where did that go!
    Hi Brenda; Thank you. Years ago, I looked after a five year old boy from time to time, who used to live next door for a year and a half. When meeting him for the first time, he proudly introduced himself as Widdle Dougie. I thought he said that because his dad was also named Doug. But when I called him Dougie, he corrected me. "I'm Widdle Dougie." So then I said, Little Dougie. But he corrected me again..."Woops! Ok sorry, Widdle Dougie." Some summer mornings I would find him sitting on his back step waiting for my daughter who was a few years older than him, to come out to play. Widdle Dougie would always ask, "if you go to the park today, can I come too, cos I'm too widdle to go alone." He had just the cutest wee face that would melt my heart instantly! So sure enough, we'd always invite him to come along.
    Well, I hadn't thought of Dougie in years. But when I took a trip to our local Doll's House store, and saw some little hinges for the first time, that "widdle" resurfaced perhaps subconsciously when I showed my husband, pointing to a package. "Omgoodness, look at the widdle hinges." ...Henry teased me about it for the next two days! lol But in a nice way of course. :)

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  12. Hi Mary, I love the history of your name for the blog.

    I hope this mini world and help you find friends and watch the world without borders, and if you need any help, we are here to help, the hard part ... is to decide ... and the limit is your imagination ... So give wings to fly. Mini hugs
    excuse my bad English

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  13. Thank you Carmen. Your offer of help is very much appreciated.
    Reading your words have been very uplifting to me. I love very much this world without borders. It is a special gift to treasure close to our hearts, that at any time, we can reach out over the distance as if none at all existed between us. I had added a traffic feed out of curiosity, just to see who might pop by..and have been amazed to see visitors from all over our wonderful world. Hopefully soon I'll have something for every one to actually look at.
    Yes Carmen, I am finding that to be very true. "The hard part is to decide." There's so many things I'd like to make, that it's hard to decide where to begin! I have been making a list- which seems to be growing- of all the things I'd like to make. Then I have to see, do I have the materials and tools needed for that project, as well as the knowledge behind it's creation. Research, practice and finding the right perspective seem to be an important element to making something that looks convincingly real. It's not easy, that's for sure! And knowing that, has increased my appreciation, of all the wonderful creations of such talented miniaturists all the more.
    Mini hugs to you too
    Mary

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  14. Mary are we going to see some of your creations?
    Been popping in to see if you've posted anything.

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  15. I agree with Debbie, I'm curious;)

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  16. There is an award That i have given to you over on my blog. Please come over to my "Miniatures" blog to pick it up.

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  17. Mary I have another award for you - a sisterhood one because I appreciate your comments on my blog. You can pick it up on my blog.

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  18. Hi Dear Friends; I've been terribly ill the last while, and also struggling with a family emergency. I just felt up to popping in a moment and found your comments and mention of two awards. My goodness..Doreen you are such a Sweetheart! Thank you. I hope you didn't change your mind due to my tardiness..
    Mini Hugs!!!!
    Mary

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  19. It's me again... I was just over to your blog Doreen, and I'm afraid I need to go lay down again..I've run out of strength before I could learn how to pick up the awards. I'll try to be back soon.

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  20. I am sorry that you are ill ad I hope you are on the road to recovery. The blog is great because you can write when you want to - there is no time limit. There is no pressure. The awards have been getting passed around a lot and they are not going to dissapear. I feel it is great to give one but when you have to "pass it on" to 10 or 15 people, it can be a chore. I think you should just pass it on if you want to. It is an honour to receive one and I know I was pleased to get mine. So just enjoy it and you can pass it on when you fell like it.

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  21. Hi, love reading your blog, there is an award on my blog for you to pick up-no pressure to pass it on!

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  22. A Very Big Thank You to both of you, Doreen and Sam. I've felt awful that it's taken me so long to be able to thank you since your last posts. I also appreciate the time to pass the awards on. I haven't been able to do much of anything, due to an extreme amount of pain 24-7. Narcotics medications have been just knocking me out and leave me drowsy or ill in other ways. I'm not one to whine about things, so it seems weird even mentioning it. But this illness has really affected my life in ways that I've had no choice but to just rest. I am still waiting to see a specialist, which hopefully won't be too much longer before I get an appt.
    I will try to take some time over the weekend to get some pictures posted by using my daughters digital camera, as well as pass these awards on by then.
    Love & Lots of Mini Hugs, Mary

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  23. Hi Mary

    I just found your blog. I don't have one myself but I enjoy reading about other mini lovers especially those from Canada! I'm from NB. Hugs
    Debra

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  24. My apologies to Debbie and Pussman. I thought I had responded to your posts to me, and only realize now that it didn't get published or ..well, what can I say other than hmmm... medication? lol After all, I went to post in someones blog yesterday,and somehow it ended up as a blog entry on my own blog. I thought it might have been an April Fool's joke, but when I found it was still there this morning, realized perhaps otherwise. lol I guess it's a good thing we need to take a closer look at things sometimes, if only to find the bits we've previously over looked.
    Mini Hugs,
    Mary

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