A small accomplishment

My time at the cottage in New Zealand was not nearly as productive as usual, but at least I am happy with the transformation of the cabinet I bought very cheaply on the New Zealand equivalent of eBay just before I left last year. The colour is a few shades darker than it shows in the photo (Resene 'Jasper').

It looks like it started life as a small cottage sideboard, along the way lost part of it's back and acquired a lot of bumps and bruises - most recently it was the drinks bar/workshop bench in a university student's garage - enough said! Now repurposed as bathroom/laundry storage it fits the spot perfectly...

This is how it looked before its makeover - stained and damaged top

and partially stripped front (sorry, this image is a little blurry)

The vintage wooden ladder that I bought last year hasn't been touched but I am at least happy to report that it has so far escaped being chopped up for firewood!

I had plans to launch into minis as soon as I got back to Sydney but having come from a predominantly cool and wet few weeks in the south of NZ to a heatwave in Sydney (35 today - expecting 39 on Friday) all plans are sidelined - trying to cool down is the priority! Spending tomorrow in the air-conditioned university library seems a pretty good option, classes start first week in March so a bit of preparation reading wouldn't be a bad idea - I could keep cool and feel virtuous at the same time :)

I didn't manage any blog reading time while I was in NZ but I hope to catchup slowly with at least some of the projects that you've been working on over the past few weeks. And I hope to have some progress on the front of the French brocante/apartment to show you before too long.

Lastly, a hearty welcome to those of you who have joined my blog over recent weeks :)

Happy holidays everyone!!

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season - may you be with the people you love most, sharing love and laughter aplenty. If you have a personal encounter with Santa I hope it's happier than mine was in 1953!

And thanks everyone for the fun and fellowship you've brought my way this year, let's do it all again in 2011!

(I'm off to the cottage in New Zealand for a month just after Christmas, no internet access there but I hope to catch up with blogs from time to time. Unlikely to post, but you never know.... )

Postscript - my big brother tells me that I totally refused to sit on Santa's lap unless he did - which he was none too happy about - considering himself far too 'grown up' (ha ha!!)

I LOVE my Easy Cutter

I was chatting to Glenda (Peppercorn Minis) this morning about the medieval tower she's making and we got to talking about cutting wood. Now, I'm the world's worst at cutting ANYTHING straight - those bread slicing machines at the bakery were invented for people like me! Give me a loaf of bread to slice and it'll end up looking wedge shaped in no time at all. I know it's all in the way you hold your wrist (they told me that about playing tennis too and I can't do that either!) but I don't have to worry about that since I got my Easy Cutter. It chomps through stripwood like a knife through butter, and it does it STRAIGHT - every time! And as you can see from the pic you can easily adjust the angle of the cut.

AND it's not expensive!! It currently retails in Australia for around $40. I bought mine online from Australian company Hobbytools here.

Midwest Products (in the USA) have a store locator on their website as well as online shopping or I guess you could Google the Easy Cutter in your country if you wanted to try to find a local supplier.

So if you're a woodworking tragic like me check this out because it could save you a lot of grief!

(This recommendation is my personal opinion, I haven't had any communication with either Hobbytools Australia or Midwest Products in relation to this recommendation.)

Photo credit: Hobbytools Australia

Congratulations to Maija and Caterina!

Congratulations to new Follower Maija (winner of the French set draw) and old friend Caterina (winner of the Vintage set draw). Can you both please send me an email (normabennett@hotmail.com) with your address so that I can send the packages to you next week. I hope you will enjoy these little pieces.

Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway, and for all your nice comments. I wish all of you 'better luck next time' :)

And a big welcome to all the new Followers of my blog!

A "must see" blog if you love French style

This pretty pic is from French blog "Grange de charme" which I have just discovered thanks to Sandy at "My Shabby Streamside Studio" who told me about it yesterday. The subject of the lastest post on "Grange de charme" is Mercedes' ("Liberty Biberty") cute shabby cottage!

There are enough beautiful inspiring photos on "Grange de charme" to launch a thousand projects, click here for virtual transportation to French heaven :)

Blog birthday giveaway

This giveaway is closed
- it was drawn on 4 December 2010

My blog is 1 today!!

Let's have a party - the best kind of party - one where you get the gifts ;)

Just leave a comment and tell me WHICH SET you would prefer -

the French set with the French style 'burlap' cushions and shopping bag

OR

the Vintage set with the faded (but not quite as faded as they look in the picture!) tapestry style cushions and vintage mail

Drawn on Saturday 4 December (by the way, you must be a Follower to enter)
Draw procedure: A few of you haven't made a choice of which set you prefer (and I didn't make it clear either that I would do 2 draws, one for each set). SO I'm going to copy Marit's draw procedure, those of you who have indicated which set you prefer will each get 2 chances in the draw for that set, those who haven't indicated a preference will get 1 chance in each draw. (this postscript added 23 Nov)



Credit: The French 'burlap' style cushions are miniature versions of a 1:1 design by Michelle at Petite Coterie. Michelle generously gave me permission to reproduce her design in miniature (personal use only). Michelle has a link to her Etsy shop on her blog, be sure to drop by and take a look, she's got some gorgeous new designs.

Summer break here at last!

Yay! No more thinking about classes and assignments for three whole months *big smile*

It's been a challenging semester - I've really appreciated all your comments and emails over the last few weeks - thanks so much for your friendship and encouragement.

And a big welcome to new Followers, I didn't expect to see so many new faces popping up while my blog was inactive, nice to know that you visited and decided to stay around :)

I do have one little thing to show you. Towards the end of my mid-year break I started this little beach house daybed for Marit and I've worked on it now and then over the past few weeks.

It's now in her otherwise empty beach house which hopefully we can tempt her to work on soon because it's sure to be gorgeous.

Marit has some fabulous projects on her blog including a conservatory which I just love, just click here to visit her at Black Cat Cottage. She's a really talented miniaturist, a couple of examples are these tiny wooden candlesticks, etc and the truly amazing birdcage - complete with bird - which are pieces of hers that I'm so lucky to have.

I've got lots to catch up on, in both the 'real' world as well as minis, but I'll be back to post again soon because I want to share with you some lovely minis I've received during my blog break.

Time out for study

A short note to let you all know that my blog is in recess until the end of October - these last few weeks of the semester are so busy!

I'm looking forward to getting back to making minis (especially the pieces I've promised to my blog friends who are still waiting, and waiting...) in November when my summer break starts.

See you all in a few weeks!!

1:12 or 1:1 - I want this!

Stine's blog (Vintage Chic) is one of my favourite places to visit for inspiration, this is from her latest post featuring Olsson & Jensen -I just love it. Olsson & Jensen have some really interesting pieces in various styles including grunge, colourful Indian inspired and retro. Click here to visit them if you're looking for something different to jumpstart your mini (or 1:1!) decor dreaming.

Photo credit: Olsson & Jensen, my source Vintage Chic

I'm so lucky! Thanks Rachel, Mimmi and Lillian :)

During my 'blog break' I've been the lucky recipient of goodies from Rachel, Mimmi and my cousin Lillian. My apologies to Rachel and Mimmi for the time it's taken me to publish photos of their lovely gifts.

Rachel sent me these beautiful mats, which will find a home in my French apartment, as a very generous gesture after I sent her a small mat kit. Such generosity wasn't deserved I have to say, the kit had been languishing in my stash for some time with realistically no prospect of every being stitched so it seemed appropriate to send it to Rachel in the hope that she'd be able to use it somewhere. I certainly never expected to receive two beautifully stitched mats by return mail. You can see how skillfully they are made. Thank you Rachel!

My next stroke of luck was winning Mimmi's giveaway, my sincere thanks to Mimmi for making this lovely giveaway, and thanks to her son Noah for drawing my name as the very lucky winner! All of these pretty things are destined for my French apartment. Everything single thing is absolutely gorgeous. Thank you so much!

I've also received a parcel from my English cousin Lillian who has been trying out working with polymer clay and she's made all kinds of cute little things for me. Thank you so much!! I know it's been a trial working with polymer in the summer months, I really appreciate your tenacity and your kindness :) I'm delighted to share some pics of a few of these little treasures including some fruit for the kitchen, toys for the nursery and plants for a 'witchy' hutch...

That's right, even I'm not totally immune to the influence of the 'dark side' LOL - I've made a few bits and pieces to put on a hutch that might be suitable for a witchy old woman's humble abode, Lillian's plants will be perfect for it. Hopefully I'll get to do a bit of work on it this week as I've got a short break from university. It's only one week though and I've got quite a few other things I want to do too so will have to see how it goes, but I will try to post something about it soon at least.

Thanks again Rachel, Mimmi and Lillian for your great gifts, every piece is appreciated :)

A few of you have been asking how uni's going this semester - well, it's challenging so it's taking a great deal of time and effort which is why I'm pretty quiet in Blogland at the moment. However, only a few more weeks of the semester left and then I'll be able to get all my mini stuff out of the boxes again and have some FUN!

I also need to say "Hi" to some new Followers, thanks for visiting and I hope you'll come back from time to time :)