A Fantastic Year for My Miniature World. Looking forward to 2016!

Happy New Year From the Sea View Folk

Hello Everyone,

Once again we come to close another year... and what a Fantastic Year it has been! Just a few lines before we say goodbye to the Year and welcome the New Year 2016. 

Firstly I wanted to welcome a new follower to my blog, Welcome Natalie Withiycomb. Thank you all for your support and I really don't have words to thank you enough. xxx

Like last year I really wanted to show my appreciation to everyone to the great success we had at My Miniature World. The blog has reached 172 known followers. We had over 95,000 views.  If it wasn't for you followers and friends it wouldn't be a success at all. So once again Thank You All. I hope that you do enjoy my blog and that you find it interesting.

I will be sharing with you a run through of what a great year we had. Even if health wasn't always in my favor, the love for my hobby and miniatures will never fail me. I am thankful that I have a very supportive family and good friends that  will do anything to keep me going strong in what I do. Love you folks for I truly don't know what I'll do without you.

So we started off this year with the renovation of the Village Hall which today is called the Divine Mercy's Chapel. It's been a year since I purchased it and I still can't believe that it turned out the way it is today. It has tested my patience and my limits but it was definitely worth the try. Last Easter it was exhibited in the Local Maltese Artisan Fair. It was a joy to see it exhibited for the public. Unfortunately  I didn't get any pictures as it was displayed in a glass box and my pictures came out with the glass and flash reflections. Argh!  

After that I continued with Miss Leah's project house and the Diary Stories in Regent Street. Miss Leah will be back with us once I start renovating Matquel's Antique and China Shop. 

When that was complete I started of Kate's Cottage, the discontinued DHE Tudor house. I am really enjoying this project. It is the first time that I tried my hand with the Tudor period and I just love it. I have studied and learnt their history that I am just fascinated. Now Kate's Cottage is in it's final stages.

Between one project and another I have made a few displays and even started assembling my 1:48 scale dolls house and furniture kits. I have also enjoyed making my own miniatures for these projects and it is just rewarding. So that is pretty much a wrap up. 

I am pleased to say that we had several articles printed on various Dolls House Magazines. I never have dreamed to see any of this happening. To see what I have accomplished.  I already had some more requests for next year so I have to start getting cracking and do more work.   

My Miniature World Shop at etsy has been more busy than ever. It has grown and flourished so much. We offer over 250 different miniatures including our sought after miniature books.  We take pride in what we do and offer. We will be having new miniatures for the new year. I can never thank enough my wonderful father that keeps supporting and teaching me his artistic skills. Love you so much.  

I also wanted to thank the Face Book Fans. My Miniature World on Face Book has reached over 12,700 likes. Our My Miniature World Group has grown too. It is a lovely group with over 570 members which also serves as a forum were like minded people can share their dolls house and miniature hobby. Any one can join in. From here I want to thank them all for being a great group. 

Like promised last year, this year we also had the Advent Calendar. This year we had various miniature tutorials behind the doors which I found useful myself in the long run. I guess it was just a small treat for all my followers and friends. I hope you have all found it interesting and useful. And just like last year I am really happy that I have received such a fantastic feedback and much better results. We had over 2,400 views in this past month just for the calendar. You can rest assured that we will be having another one next year.  I also wanted to let you know that the Advent Calendar 2015 will be running until New Year's Day so you still have the chance to save the miniature projects and tutorials. Thank you all for your support and if you need any help with them please let me know.

Santa has been very generous with me and like I asked him he gave me 2 more kits that join together in one building. The lovely corner shops by the Dolls House Emporium. I already have some plans for it and it will be part of Regent Street but for now it's going into storage.

The Corner Shops kit

So here is what you folks are to expect from me next year. If everything goes smoothly and as planned I will be finished off Kate's Cottage for starters.


Then it will be time to really start working on my Vintage Dolls house the Tudor Manor. I am so looking forward to bring it back to life. It will be having a 1930's - 40's style.

After that I have decided to renovate the Summer House that I called Sea Shells. I loved this house so much but it is time for it to have an uplift. It is starting to look a bit shabby and I am looking forward to change the inside and give it more detail.

If I will have enough time I might start off a new project and there will be a few more displays that I have in mind. Obviously the making of my miniatures will never cease. 

My husband and I have a bigger project that concerns my dolls houses and as soon as the celebrations are over we will start working on it. Eventually you will get to know what this is all about.

Now there is nothing more to say but  a good time for give aways. We will be giving out 3 miniature books kits to 3 different followers. ( 1 miniature book kit each).

All you have to do is be a follower of our blog and leave a comment on our post. The 3 followers will be announced in the New Year's 1st post.

So this is all my dear friends. As you can all see we had a fantastic year were we have accomplished so much. Let's hope that the New Year will offer us the same and much more. 

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2016. 

Keep tuned for the next update on Kate's Cottage. Take Care and Keep Safe.

Hugs,

Rebecca xxxx

The Living Quarters in Kate's Cottage

Hello everyone,

How was your Christmas? I hope that you have enjoyed it and it was what you have wished for. I wouldn't have had it any different. The kids woke up early even if they slept late on Christmas Eve. Santa has been very generous to the kids. They got what they wanted and my girls got a dolls house each. I am also very happy as Santa also got me the lovely Corner shops from the Dolls House Emporium dolls house range. I already have some nice ideas for it but until next year it will go with the rest of my stashed kits. The weather was beautiful and I got to spend Christmas day with my whole family and relatives. It was perfect!

I also wanted to remind you that our Advent Calendar Page will be running till New Year's Day. So you are still in time to save the tutorials behind the doors until then.

The living are in Kate's Cottage

 Once again I am working on the inside of Kate's Cottage. There is still so much that I want to add even if it is such a small house. I never imagined that it was possible. In the past few days I have received some more pieces of furniture which came from Ashwood Designs. I have also been informed that my blog page is featured on their Links page. It is an honor and a privilege to have their wonderful pieces. 

The room is getting busy and I just love how it is turning out. So my new additions was a Serving table which you can see on the right hand side of the room, a washing tub and washing dolly, a butter Churn, a log bucket and a candle box with candles. 

Serving table

washing tub and dolly and the log bucket

The butter churn

Candle box

 So these pieces of furniture complete the room. I can't imagine adding anymore furniture in here. Maybe a shelf or two will be added to the walls.

I have added some accessories to start filling up the areas to add more detail. I have been busy making my own miniatures with polymer clay. There is still so much that I have to do and make. The larder which comes underneath the stairs is still very much empty. I still need to make all sorts of vegetables, fruit and maybe some dairy products.

My first creation was the Tudor Cheese with some grapes and figs which I made with polymer clay.

Tudor Cheese with grapes and figs

I tried my hand with pig trotters. Porky pig doesn't agree with me at all and the only time I ever saw trotters is at the butcher but it seems that they were part of their diet at that time.

Trotters

In Tudor times it also seems that oysters were very much part of their diet too. At least it was part of their nutrition. To us oysters are some sort of delicacy and eat them on a special occasions.  In the Tudor era they were sold by the bucket and folks used to stuff them into pies. I can't imagine eating oyster pies but it seems that they did. And so here is my bucket of oysters which I made.

Bucket of oysters

Tudor style pie

I also managed to make some butter and even dirtied the butter Churn 

Butter and the butter Churn

I made some broad beans and also made some more figs which were very common in that period.

Broad Beans

Figs

So here are how I displayed them so far. There might be some slight changes as I will keep on making and adding pieces.

I also added some metal accessories, and other pottery pieces.

A new addition to the family is the Big Greyhound dog called Sturdy. Greyhounds were very popular in the period and for some reason they were quite big in size. They were especially good for hunting. Well our Catherine feels very safe having Sturdy around.

Sturdy the Greyhound.

So here are some pictures of the room so far. Like I said there is still so much to add that I hope that everything will fit.

So this is all for today. I hope you have liked it so far.

Hopefully I will be posting my last post for this year in just a couple of days. A run through of this year's projects and achievements and what to be expected in the coming new year. So keep tuned.

Take Care and see you real soon.

Hugs,

Rebecca xxx

Christmas Bauble - Miniature Project

Hello Everyone, 

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve! Where did the days go? The kids are really excited for tomorrow night as Santa will be visiting. I just enjoy it seeing them preparing and seeing their anticipation. I almost love Christmas Eve better than the actual Day. I spend the day preparing for the big day. Make sure the kids are rested. We celebrate the Christmas Vigil at church. Afterwards even if it is way too late we go for a coco at my parents. Then as soon as we arrive home we prepare cookies and a glass of brandy for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer. Then I send the kids of to bed in rush telling them to hurry up because Santa will find them up. I just love seeing them running to bed. I think it is the one night they go so willingly to bed. Even if they sleep late   they wake up extra early on Christmas day just to find out if Santa was here. I just love it!

Firstly I wanted to welcome two new followers to my blog. Welcome santiaga55 and The grandmommy. Don't forget that tomorrow we will be opening the last door of our Christmas Advent Calendar. 

Today I will be sharing with this year's Christmas project. 

Christmas Bauble

This year I got myself one of these cute little kits. It is a 1:144 scale Christmas scene dolls house in a glass bauble. The kit practically came with everything even with glue, tweezers and so much more. There where so many bits and pieces. It also came with lights,

The Bits f of the house

I started off by building the house. It is so cute and best of all it is decorated quite Christmasy.

Building the house

 When the house was complete than I had to fix the lights and I just couldn't wait to see it decorated. 

 Even if the house was pretty much done. There was still lots to do on the inside. Every piece of furniture had to be built. Every chandelier had to be made with bits of wire and tiny beads.

Miniature Arm chair

The house came with three rooms which are the living room with a cute Christmas tree, the Dining room and bed room.

Living room

Bed room

Dining room

Then when that was complete it was time to wire it to the battery system and the sensor. This little bauble lights up and off with just a touch on the glass or by clapping your hands.

Lighting up the house

After that came the tricky part to put the house in the bauble and adding the snow and Christmas scene to it. When it was complete I got a stand for it designed just for these kits.

And here it is. 

Front of the House

Back of the house.

I also made a small video of it that so you can see it much better and see how it lights up.

So this is all folks. I hope you like this year's Christmas project. 

This will be the last post before Christmas. So I wish you all my dear friends, followers and fans a Very Merry Christmas. Hope you will enjoy the special day with your loved ones. 

We will be back with an update on Kate's Cottage very soon. So keep tuned.

Take Care and keep warm.

Hugs,

Rebecca xxx