I used to be a pipe cleaner

A pipe cleaner is a type of brush originally intended for removing moisture and residue from smoking pipes. 

But what if you don't smoke a pipe?
But do have a lot of pipe cleaners?
Crafters have the perfect solution:
By twisting and shaping these chenille stems it's possible to make the most wonderful things giving the pipe cleaner a total new function! 
Browsing the internet I came across the most beautiful creations ever.

I decided to have a go at it and after trying, plying and molding the first doggies came to life.
Here are a few of the creations I made.  No doubt more will follow. It's so much fun!

While I was taking pictures I could have sworn I heard them say:

 'Take all the pictures you want, but whatever you do, please keep us away from a pipe!" 

They are such softies!

Stocking up!

I was able to finish the miniature flowers I mentioned in my previous post AND some other 'springy' miniatures that were on my to-do-list. 

As I'm writing this I'm taking pictures so I can list them in my Etsy shop (hopefully) today. Gosh...I do sound busy, don't I?? 

Here's a little sneak preview of the new stuff being delivered to the shop.

As you can see the sun is really shining, how I love spring!

Real versus Miniature

How to cultivate irisses in pots in the real world?

What you need is:

bulbs

pots

soil

garden tools

water and sunlight

patience and determination

How to cultivate irisses in the miniature world?

What you need is:

paper

pots

glue

coffee grounds

scissors and punches

patience and determination

I'll let you in on a little secret: I'm a total failure as a gardener in real life that's why I try my luck in the miniature world!

It's Spring and I'm back....

Wow, I've been neglecting my blogging for way to long! It's not that I've been gone, I've been busy. I know...it's not much of an excuse but it's the truth. 

The Etsy shop took much of my time and to be honest I absolutely LOVE it!

I love searching for new ideas...

I love experimenting with new skills...

I love being secretly proud of my creations...

I love the positive feedback I'm getting....

So...as you can see life is great for me, I'm into a spring mood. Happy and cheery!

Been making loads of flowers and plants, ofcourse in miniature size. Funny how once you get started you can't seem to stop making them. To bad they don't have scent, it would bring spring right to my worktop.

I still have some new flowers I want to try out, list them in my shop and see how others like them. I can't wait!

My Etsy Shop...LOL

I'm dreaming of a pink Christmas

I definitively have something wrong with my sense of time. It's kinda...ehm...mixed up. I make spring decoration items in the fall and now I'm already busy with Christmas!

 

And I'm back to shabby chic again which means bows, whites, pinks, blues, flowers and lace are scattered all over my worktop.

Here's a little sneak peek of what I'm making...a pink forest!

 

Oh...by the way, I'm humming 'Let it Glow, Let it Glow, Let it Glow' nowadays. LOL

New stuff!

A new year, new ideas, new inspiration and new listings! This weekend I'll be listing loads of new miniatures in my webshop (  http://www.anothercosyshop.nl  ) and here's a picture to give you an impression.

And I'll let you in on a little secret...I'm trying to get a shop started on Etsy! Yes..a new shop! I'm so excited about it.  I'll keep you posted on my progress on that. Does anyone have an idea for a 'grand opening'?

Stocking up!

During the summer break I've been real busy making new miniatures for my webshop and I was able to list them last weekend. Here are a few pictures of the new items I made.

French Country style cabinets and chairs

A new theme: Ballet

 

Nostalgic toys

 

Shabby chic

There is lots more, all the new items are listed on the page 'new items (september)'. It would be absolutely great if you would take a peek at http://www.anothercosyshop.nl

Thank you all!

Time flies...

Is it already july 14th??? I've been so busy lately time just seems to fly. In between birthday celebrations of our youngest son and the festivities because one of our elder sons completed high school, I even found time to make some more miniatures for my webshop.

I've been totally into the shabby chic theme lately,  i'm even thinking in pink and blue, roses, lace and bows . Yesterday I've been filling the webshop with the new items but I just can't resist showing off a bit here. Here are some pictures to give you an impression.

Shutters...geese...crowns...containers...shelves....

banners...tables...birdhouses...

and lots of chairs...

I mean really lots!

Roses and dots...

Pinks...whites...blues...

By the way...I'm stunned how fast the miniatures sell. I have one eye on my email and the first orders are coming in. Yeah!! (hands up in the air).

See you all soon, I'm off to get some groceries and I really..really should mop the floor. On the other hand, the kids love pizza and the floor isn't sticky yet. I'm going to upholster some miniature chairs!

As promised...

This morning I couldn't wait to take some pictures with the photobox I made. It was so much fun filling it with the miniatures that will be listed in my webshop soon. Here's a little peek at the first pictures I made. I know what I'll be doing today!

So if you happen to see a woman with a French shabby chic shop under one arm, a box full of miniatures under the other and a camera around her neck, looking for the best daylight AND with a huge smile on her face don't be alarmed...it's just me and usually I'm quite harmless.

Have a great day everyone!

A posh photobox

Whenever I want to take pictures of my miniatures I use these two boxes: one with wallpaper and a simple wooden pattern on the floor and one with a garden theme. They are easy in use because I can take the anywhere I want to catch the best natural light and using the boxes enabled me to arrange the miniatures in little scenes...

A few days ago I was in the garden with the boxes to take photographs and then it suddenly hit me...I wanted something different, something prettier, something shabby chic; a new photobox!

So out came the wood, the cardboard, the paint, the tools and I couldn't wait to bring the idea to life. Why not make a miniature shop as photobox?

A shop needs a huge window to display the merchandise so I used all kinds of leftover wooden bits and pieces to create one.

A shop with a vintage French look was the idea that stuck in my mind. I decided to decorate the front of the shop with cardboard.

As primer I used Gesso

I decided on egg-white paint with a drop of medium taupe for the wall, I didn't mix the paints thoroughly because I wanted different shades on the wall.

I chose softblue and egg-white paint for the window and door. For the door and window I used grey paint as undercoat.

And this is the result after the paintjob: the front of the shop with the window and door and two side walls.

After attaching the walls to the base I painted the outside floor grey.

I found used sandpaper that was perfect for floor tiles so I cut the sandpaper in little squares and glued those on the outside floor.

As finishing touch I used green flower soft  as grass peeping through the tiles.

Because I was going to use this project as a photobox I didn't want a roof on it. Instead I cut out a strip of cardboard and found some cheap thin wood I had lying around. I cut rectangles out of the wood and glued that on the cardboard. After drying I painted the rooftiles grey and glued the cardboard on top of the walls.

I made a decal with the name of the shop and pasted that above the front door.

And here it is...my new photobox!

The whole project only took 3 days and I'm so pleased with the result. I can't wait to fill it up and start making pictures again.

Have a great day!
Peggy