Miniatures Festival

Hooray!  I know that all lovers of toys and miniatures are looking forward with me to the Parkhurst Miniatures Festival this coming weekend.  This annual event is all about scale miniatures.  Dollhouses and miniature scenes made by club members are on display.  At the sales tables you can find everything from a miniature rose bush to a racing car.  Refreshments at the tea garden.

Saturday 29 August 9am – 4pm

Sunday 30 August 9am – 2pm

Parkhurst Recreation Hall

Corner 13^th St & 5^th Ave Parkhurst

GPS:  S 28 02’07.0  E 26 07’22.0

Claudia and I are sharing a stand this year.  We have almost exclusively new stock and we are very excited to share it with you.

Please help us to promote the exhibition by forwarding this email to a few friends, and do come and say hello to us at the fair. 

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone.

A time to help and to be kind

Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.
--William Arthur Ward

Three weeks ago today my mother in law fell and broke her leg, a dangerous fracture of the femur.  It was a traumatic experience transporting her to hospital and having her admitted to a high care ward.  She has since been operated on, been in ICU and an ordinary ward, and was discharged from hospital a week ago.  Home nursing a senile, incontinent completely bedridden person is more than a full time job.
My life is once again on hold.  I am doing my best to help and to be kind.  There are times when life is all about living for the needs of others.  I know that I will have an opportunity and the energy in future to dream again, and to work towards my own goals.

Friends like magic

I had a magic time this last week.  My friends made it so. 

Last Saturday Carlien McPhee and her husband Bruce visited me.  I'd never met them in person.  We've been corresponding for years though.  What a delightful couple.  I feel privileged to know them.  They are intelligent and witty and interested in so many things.  We talked for hours.  Carlien brought a fairy door that she made and stacks of magazines to share. Thank you for the visit Carlien and Bruce, you really lifted my spirits. 

On Tuesday Dawn and I took a drive out to visit Other Dawn in a town some distance away.  I had made a tiny clay Tilda for each of them, both Dawns are Tilda collectors.  The Tilda tiny doll idea is something new I'm working on.  You will see them again. 
There was a very tasty home made orange cake and we spent hours chatting and kicking around ideas.  We drooled over Dawn's craft stash and were awed by the number of projects she has on the go.  I received a set of Tilda books, an early Valentine and a crochet cupcake as a gift, can't tell you how excited I am over my little treasures.   I came home feeling dog tired and very inspired.

Wednesday saw me early out of bed and off to Ceramix.  (I have this thing going on Wednesdays at Ceramix).  Margaret and I had a productive day working in the glaze room.  While our hands are busy we are putting our worlds to rights by being each other's sounding board. 

A bunch of glorious yellow roses came with Thursday's visitor. I owe Marlize a debt of gratitude for lending an ear and offering good advice in the days after my illness.  Being a woman and a pharmarcist, I think she understands quite well how I feel.
This morning when I went to the post office...  Lo! A parcel from Nancy in the US.  It's a beautiful woven leather strap for my glasses, and ingredients to make a few more.  Nancy, you are a marvel.  How did you know that after months I still haven't got around to making one? 

Tomorrow we have a play date at Ina's house.  We have a doll and teddy bear making group that get together every once in a while to work on our projects.  Lots of creative talent and inspiration there. 

I'm looking forward to the weekend.  Wishing you a good one too!

Cupcake, anyone?

In the interest of a healthier lifestyle, I promised to stop stuffing myself with cake in the New Year.  But the craving lingers... Last weekend I made a batch of polymer clay cupcakes.

They are approximately 1cm (3/8 inch) tall, and iced in colours of violet and rose.  I put them on pins so that you can stick them in your pin cushion to enjoy.  Yummy to look at and calorie free!
I have put more pictures on my website, and a link to order if you need a few.

The cupcake pin cushion in this photo is made of felt.  The pattern is available on my website, and in my Etsy Store.

Today is Henning's birthday. After blowing out the candle, there was hardly time to take a photo before the cake was demolished and eaten.
No more birthdays for six months. I'm taking a break from inventing cakes.
This holiday season was a culinary adventure.  Even Clyde is too stuffed with good food to stir.
I do think this cake begs to be recreated in miniature in polymer clay for my dolls house collection though.  The look on everyone's faces as I cut the first slice was memorable!

My Wish For 2015

 Beautiful bonfire built by Henning for our New Year dinner party.

I thought that if I could start 2015 with a tidy workroom and a clean house I would be happy.  Every year the same idea comes to my mind.  I really tried.
This morning my studio is scattered with so many works in progress that I can't even count them. 
The kitchen counters are piled high with dirty dishes and there's a trail of mud on the floor where the dogs ran through.  A tangle of laundry waits for the washing machine.

I'm happy.

Never in my life have I started a year when I felt that I had as much potential and new ideas as I do today.
The party around a fire with friends and family was memorable and a quiet celebration for making it through a difficult year.
My home is filled with the humans and animals I love.

I'm happy.

2015 will be the year when I make a bonfire of wants and wishes.  I'm burning away all the trivialities that aren't pertinent to living a purposeful life.  I will work hard beside that fire.  Because I have a plan.  This is a year for taking action.

May your year be filled with purpose too, and may you have the strength and good health to put your plan in action.