Free printable Carpets or Rugs and Stacking Boxes

These are printable carpets and stacking blocks that I created and offered as free printables on my blog a few years ago. It has been brought to my attention that the link I had for these images on 4 shared site is no longer valid so I have removed it.

You can also click on the image and then right click save it to your computer.

Cheers, Jean

AIM, Artisan in Miniature Magazine for August 2010 is out now!

Click here    http://www.artisansinminiature.com

In case you are wondering where I have been hiding, I have recently been delighted to be asked to be part of the editorial team of AIM, Artisans in Miniature, magazine. I've had  a wonderful time helping to format many of the articles with Vickie Guile's suggestions and excellent advise. John is involved with the team now as well. I'm so sorry I haven't had time, because of our mini business, formatting and minis, to keep up with viewing your blogs. This week I hope to get around to seeing many of your new additions to your blogs, it is always a delight and pleasure.

Bea says in her August editorial column about the new AIM magazine:
"AIM members have been busy over the summer, working hard to fill an unbelievable 145 pages with fabulous miniature content for you all to enjoy ‐ for FREE!
 
Now, fresh back after their summer break AIM members have taken a closer look at the ‘humble shop’ . So if you want to find out more about the talented house builder Malcolm Smith and his doll sculpting partner Silvia Lane, gaze at the stunning hardware shop brought to life by Catherine Davies or let Vicky Guile teach you how to make your very own traditional basket (in miniature of course); then look no
further!

As you will see this August issue of the magazine is packed from cover to cover with interesting features, profiles, editorials and projects; covering every aspect of the dolls house hobby. What more could you wish for!?"

I've written an article for August AIM magazine, Smaller Scales about Quarter Scale shops, 1:48. I've featured my Chubby Cheek Toy Shop, Janet's Smith's scrumptious Shabby Chic Chocolate Shop and Bea Broadwood's two fabulous quarter scale shop kits. I have included a free printable of quarter scale toys and books in the magazine that you can print or download.

Debbie Wright's Tiny Treasures, is the guest Blog of the Month, I was so pleased to see this because Debbie is really a blogging Guru. "Paris Miniatures" fabulous new web site is featured in the Web of the Month article.

Betty Hagen, who I was delighted to see added my Steampunk photos to her miniature metalworking blog has included a wonderful Blueberry Pie article and Janet Smith blueberry pancakes in three scales.

I could go on and on but please have a look yourself, it is fabulous and free.
http://www.artisansinminiature.com
  

 Mini Hugs and Best Wishes for a wonderful August,
 Jean

Steampunk Inventor's Room, some close up photos

 Here are some close up photos from the still unfinished Steampunk room. Two masks, a rollar periferal digitator, steamclock birds and bugs. Thank you so much for all of your encouraging comments, I appreciate them so much. I've been also working on a quarter scale toy store for an article for AIM free on line mini magazine so I will look forward to getting back to this room soon.

More details from the right side of the desk, a tiny set of screw drivers and technical instruments.

Above is a photo of wind up fan and solar powered Steampunk tea caddy with a close up of the tea caddy. It automatically pours your tea and the teas are stored in the large box.

A photo showing the steamy effect in the ceiling.

A stand alone magnifier, crystal powered for amazing magnifications.

Thank you so much for having a look,
Mini Hugs, Jean♥

Steampunk Inventor's Room

I just thought I would give you a peak at the Steampunk room box I'm making. Year's ago I purchased two vintage microscope cabinets from a miniature friend who's husband had worked at the hospital where he found these, he also put in flooring and wall paper. All these years I wasn't able to think of scenes for them and suddenly Steampunk came along and my collecting life started to make more sense. I have loved all the Steampunk Art, images and miniatures and thought these two cases would work perfectly, one for an inventor's room and the other for a Steampunk fashion designer's room.

Years ago I found a large box of pocket watch parts in a jewelry store that was closing out and they have been wonderful for this room. I have made all the tools on the desk and wall from watch parts. It seems in all the years I've collected odds and ends for miniatures I have more brass and metal bits than anything else. These pieces have come in so handy for all the inventions that are in the cabinets.

In 1987 I was given a fabulous miniature Balloon etching from John Anthony Miller called "Around the World" when I joined NAME association. I thought it made a wonderful picture for behind the work table.

I've been having such a great time inventing miniatures for this scene too.

Orchids in Barbados 2, Orchid Bridesmaids

Thank you so much everyone for your kind comments on my last blog. I have so many more photos of orchids I wanted to share. This photo above reminds me of a June wedding party with the bridesmaids and wedding guests talking! Orchids really would make great miniature  fairies and flower children, they have such character. The colours are so amazing. I hope you enjoy!  Jean♥

Orchids in Barbados

It is Father's Day today in Canada, above you can see a photo of my wonderful husband John. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect partner and father for our two sons. These photos were taken on our cruise last year in Barbados. We visited Orchid World which has over 2,000 orchids and I think I took a photo of each variety. I thought you might enjoy having a look at a few of them, I tried to capture them with the light shining through the petals, it really makes glow. I've been thinking they would be wonderful photos for inspiration for watercolours. I love the little faces in the fourth photo. The third photo shows how some of the orchids were just attached to a wire fencing to get the moisture from just the air, found that interesting. It was very humid.

AIM, Artisan in Miniature Magazine for June/July 2010 is out now!

The special June/July issue of AIM magazine http://www.artisansinminiature.com/  is out now, just click on the link to take you your free IMag for some terrific reading, inspiration and projects. I'm so thrilled to be a part of this wonderful group and am proud to have two articles published in this issue. One article has a pattern for a newborn coat about "Clothes Pin Dolls' page 12 and the other is about "Tea Parties" page 62, with an inspiration board with young girls having tea parties for ideas for dressing dolls and display.
I always love all of the terrific food ideas and displays, there is a summer fete display that is presented so wonderfully, articles about miniaturist, terrific regular features and much more.

Here are two of the inspiration boards that accompany my article on "Clothes Pin Dolls" with directions about making the white coat. Two of the clothes pin dolls are dressed in my newborn and toddler Marigold Garden kit.

Our Garden Continued, Front Garden

Thank you so much for all of your kind comments about our garden, I thought this week I would show you our front garden and a couple of different views of our back garden and atrium, which is an indoor eating area shown above.

Here is a small display area I put in the back to display all of the old rusty gardening tools I found that used to belong to John's and my parents. I love rusty old things, there past and especially for their gorgeous patina. I love the red spade, if you click and look at it closely it has the most beautiful colour variations. The two old doors we found abandoned one year.

You might notice in the second photo above all of the doors, there are six large doors and two windows that open into the atrium. The atrium is two stories heigh with large sky lights and a water feature. It has two balconies inside that over look the eating area and was built between the addition we added and the older part of the house, lovely area to sit.

This is my favorite place to sit in the summer in the back. The next photos are towards the front of the house.

You can see the rock garden area in the fourth photo I did out front last year by the pink azalias, I put in small heather,  heucheras, euphorbias and ground covers. The azaleas were all overgrown with other plants that we pulled out, so much fun to redo areas. All the green with yellow flowers are the kale which has gone to seed that we have been eating all winter, nice flowers.  I planted the area by the drive way last year as well. We had new tiles put on our front steps and entrance so you can see new thymes and sedums I've put on the side path to the entrance and around the frog, by next year hopefully it will be all green. The rest of the front yard is a mound with rhodos and grass. I hope to show photos when all the flowers are out in the summer, if I ever get my dahlias planted, lol, hopefully tomorrow and next week. If I say it maybe I will do it?