When is a French attic not an attic?

... when it's a book-box!!  

Before Christmas I spent quite a lot of time making this little French artist's attic in a fake book (which is really a storage box) as a Christmas gift for my artistic daughter-in-law Lamina.  It was very difficult to keep it a secret as we're usually chatting regularly about the projects we're working on.

Sketches by Lamina @ doabit.blogspot.com.au
The Tale of Mr Cat from inalux.blogspot.com.au, reproduced with kind permission, visit them to see his true beauty 

The life-drawing and landscape sketches are Lamina's own work, copied from her blog.  The wonderfully colourful cat is a mini-reproduction of one of Lamina's favourite art works 'The Tale of Mr Cat' by the incredibly talented artists at inaluxe - many thanks to Kristina and Jason for generously allowing me to copy this work for Lamina's mini studio - it wouldn't be the same without the contrasting style and colour it provides. It's impossible for me to do it justice here, visit them to see Mr Cat's true beauty and admire their other fabulous creations.

Other credits are due too - the pretty jug and flowers were made by Flora, the well-worn little canister by Mercedes,  the tiny angel was a gift from Synnove.  The graphic on the box of rags is from The Graphics Fairy. 

Much as I enjoyed making this tiny attic I'm still feeling inspired by Jean Jacques Brisson (see post dated December 3, 2012) and continue to dream about creating a larger version...