Farmhouse Bathroom

Yep! It's me!! 

I'm still here making things.

I've just made the little cabinet on the bathroom wall there.

Inspiration came from this picture in an old magazine.

Some things are just asking to be made in miniature!

All I used to create the cabinet was cardboard and toothpicks.

The drawer handle is also cut from paper.

I happened to have a test pot of house paint in a similar colour to the real life cabinet.

Yes...the drawer opens!

Saturday morning there was a little beam of sunlight there in the bathroom...happiness!

Happy New Year 2022...and a little bit of Christmas!

Happy 2022 everyone!

I'm hoping it's a better year than the last couple that's for sure.

I didn't manage to get much done for Christmas in the Farmhouse...I made a start 

but as usual time ran out on me.

I also started making things for Christmas in La Maisonette...so that's a small start on next Christmas!

 

The idea of a vintage style New Year's party came to me after Christmas and as there was nothing else that I had to do I started working on making tiny things.

Kim Saulter made the cake...I think it was one of the first things she ever sent me.

I managed to print a teeny tiny banner for the cake topper. 

The trickest part was cutting it out.

More of Kim's stunning, fabulous food.

Pretty pastel colours abound here!

Party poppers had to be made.

The older I get (I just had another birthday in between Christmas and New Year...busy times here!) the fiddlier it seems to be to make tiny things. But it's always worth the effort!

It took days to make the tiny party accessories, hours to set up and photograph and a just a few minutes to remove it all and put it in a box which may never be opened again!

That's the way it is with miniatures. 

It'll take days to put everything back in the room as well because I'll be thinking about whether I should change things.

Here is a little bit of Christmas in the Farmhouse.

Yes...these were fiddly and frustrating to make...but worth the effort!

And that wreath is about as far as Christmas decorating got at La Maisonnette.

The reason I ran out of time to finish Christmas in the dollhouse was because I decided to make these 'Junk Journal' photo books  as gifts for the two little nieces I used to look after. 

I had the idea to make these albums a couple of years ago...and finally got around to it the week before Christmas. I filled them with photographs from when I looked after them.

They absolutely loved them!!

Hundreds of cookies were baked and given to my work colleagues.

I've come to the realisation that I like a production line!

And I had the bright idea to make felt Christmas decorations as I like attaching a decoration to a gift.

I thought it would be a good way to use up some felt I've had since I was a teenager.

Well, the felt was mostly in small pieces. I managed to finish this little deer and I've almost finished another decoration that may be ready for next Christmas. LOL!!

I already have far too many ideas of things to make for next Christmas...most of which I will have forgotten about by December.

So I wish you all a Merry New Year!

I'm not one for making resolutions however I feel this HAS to be a year of change for me.

Whatever your resolutions may be I hope you're successful!

Thanks for stopping by!

La Patisserie

              I know it's been a while...but life seems to throw unhelpful situations at me these days!                                                               

Progress has been made on the patisserie.

I've built a bakery counter with a marble top.

Not exactly sure where it should go yet.

I made the display case next.

Then the cabinet for it to sit on

with drawers for supplies in the shop.

There was a weekend I was obsessed with making plates!

You can find the tutorial I watched here.

The plates are made from scrapbook paper.

I made the coffee pots from paper too.

I guess it's possible to make anything from paper if you put your mind to it!

It's getting there!

All the beautiful cakes were made by Kim Saulter. 

Eight years have gone by since I visited Kim in California...It still seems like yesterday!

Maybe now I'll try and decorate the Maisonette for Christmas.

I hope you're all having a great December.

I've been thinking this year I should make gifts using only the stuff I already have.

However, even after three months of lockdown all I have made are two Christmas decorations from felt I've had since I was a teenager!

Outside and in again...and where the drinks trolley ended up!

Let's start with the outside...or if you want to see where the drinks trolley found it's home you can scroll down first.

It took a mammoth effort to finish the exterior of the Maisonette but I am so glad it's (mostly) done!

I figured there would never be a better time than Lockdown to get things finished.

I'll no doubt still add things to it...there's always another idea!

The stairs were challenging as they needed to be quite steep.

That funny little booth with the map is hiding the back of the built in cupboard in the patisserie.

I found some paint that was a close enough colour to the other walls I had already painted so I was able to finish this wall.

I didn't use anything fancy to make the stairs...just whatever I had lying around.

I don't buy cardboard I use anything nearby, that cardboard was some packaging.

I've already added an 'Apartment for Rent' sign.

This wall looked far too bare...

That's better!

I finished all the trim around the edges of the walls to tidy it up.

Then after I took the pics I realised I'd forgotten the trim on the inside kitchen wall.

Lights!

Back inside now...I've been adding little details...the fun things that make it feel cosy. 

Looks like someone's been reading.

Cushions have been made...

As I'm challenging myself to make everything in this little apartment I decided I should try making a fire screen. 

And in this pic you can see the drinks trolley has ended up on the right side of the fireplace which was where most of you thought it should live. Thank you so much for all your comments, they were very helpful!

Now I'm thinking about what to make next.

I haven't made furniture for the Patisserie yet. 

I have to be in the mood and I'm waiting for inspiration to hit!