Birthday Swap 2016

I belong to Yahoo Group Swap Shop.   One of the swaps they do is a birthday swap.   In the fall we sign up for it, listing our 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices of items we'd like in miniature and the scale we would like.   I, of course, asked for Raggedy Ann items and tea shop items and blue and white vases, dishes etc.    As you can see, it was a lot of really nice items.

 

 

From Audrey

 

From Barb:

From Adrian

 

 

From Fern

 

 

 From Laurie

From Liz

 

 

 From Melody

 

The birthday swap is by far my favorite.   I love the anticipation.

 

 

A week doing artsy things in Portland

Yesterday you probably saw a misplaced post of mine about Art & Soul Retreat in Portland Oregon.

I am directing you to ART AND SOUL RETREAT.   I am trying to capture the essence of the retreat. It was so much fun!!!!

Minis in Marathon

As most of you know, I travel quite a ways (generally 8+ hours) to attend miniature workshops.   Way too far but worth it.   However, a few weeks ago, Sophia Harris called me and asked if I was interested in attending a workshop at her boat slip in Marathon with Ruth Stewart.   Well, COUNT ME IN!    So this past Wednesday, I found my way to Marathon about 50 miles from my home and there was Sophia, Linda Zechel, and Ruth Stewart, getting ready to create a wonderful 1/12 scale cake.  

This is the cake we were going to make.   It is a birdcage wedding cake.   There are 16 layers of cake here.   I could slice my cake if I wanted, but I think that is not to be.  

Sophia

Linda

Ruth

Cake in process

Me, Sheila waiting for the net step

Cake after it was iced and layers joined together.

My inspiration again.

Still my cake undecorated.  

The white icing with decoration at each layer.   Hard to see it in this photo but it also has micro no hole beads.  

Better picture with the icing.   Ruth's was straight lines, mine were wavy, but consistent.   Everyone has to demo their own skill.  

There I am with cake with 4 roses added.   I put all my roses on the bottom layer.   I had to leave a bit early for other obligations, but jeez what fun.   Thanks ladies for a great day, CLOSE TO HOME.

January 2016 OMB - Furniture

As I might have mentioned a few times; I like to have quite a stash of items made up to furnish mini projects.   In January I did kits - kits and more kits.

Now I'm ready to furnish something.   Stay tuned!

More Swapping - Art Studio Tour

You can see how lucky I was to get the spool people for the pear painting.   My friend Michelle created this great cross and I loved it.   I was surprised it didn't sell in the showing, but my good fortune.   I wanted the cross.   I told her I had an idea for her and would make her something special.

I also used them for my One A Month Group.   I built two shops.   (I had to have one too)  Michele's shop is called GYPSY PALACE and mine is called JUNK AND JEWELS.    In November I built them and wallpapered them.   On Michelle's shop I knew I would do a container to hold it and mine would be built self standing to be a part of a larger project at sometime in the future.

Front of the shops!

 The interior of the shop.   I tried to do tiny little replicas (or as close a possible) of our projects.   I did the pears and her macaw; tables, mirrors, painting station.  I also included a picture of the Eifle  Tower to fuel Michele's dream of going there.

There is still room to add things.   I am trying to make a quarter scale guitar made from a cigar box.   That cigar box will be less than a quarter inch.   If I can get a couple of them made, I update this.

More pictures showing better detail.

Oh, you might be asking what did I swap for.    Here it is:

Isn't it lovely.   I absolutely love it.

It looks so nice on my living room wall.   Thanks Michele.   

Let's swap out some art!!

My friend, Michele, is moving and this has been known for awhile now.   I am very unhappy about her move and will miss her terribly.   She is a very artistic, talented, crafty, and accomplished artist.   She is always inspiring me in my art work.   We met online and got to be really good friends when she moved back to Key West.  

She had some art work that I wanted and would have been happy to buy it but she suggested a swap.   Worked for me.

These are lovely assemblage people with a base of an industrial thread spool.    I really liked them.   Now what to swap for them.

I didn't know how much Michele liked my pears.   She received this in exchange for the spool people.

The Pears in their new home.  

   It is about 2 ft x 3 ft.   I love pears and have painted quite a few of them ---and will probably paint more since I now have an empty space.   I am so glad the pears went to someone who really liked them.   

Stay tuned for another swap.

Okay, I am falling behind. Carol finishes her Raggedy Ann Tribute.

Okay, I posted Alice Zinn's Raggedy Ann Dome.   I was pleased that someone finished a tribute to Raggedy Ann's 100th Birthday that participated in our swap in September.   Now, my friend Carol Kira has also finished her tribute.   I need to get my act together and do something!!!

Thanks Carol.   Hopefully I can get my act together.

Isn't   this lovely!!!