MINIATURES FOR DOLLHOUSE AND MODEL HORSE COLLECTORS HANDMADE BY GOLDEN UNICORN MINIATURES

Where I Have Been

2012-01-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

Been away from my blog for a while due to a bad fall which injured both my legs. Am currently in rehab trying to learn how to re-stand and re-walk, so have no access to any of my supplies with which to make my dollhouse florals and model horse props. And, do not have access to my desk-top where all my pics are stored.

Am hoping (planning) on being back to 'normal' and my home by nlt first week of March. Sooner would be nicer tho :). Sooooooooo...any new minis will have to wait until after I get home but won't be making any right away either since by the time I get home I'll be looking forward to standing/walking/moving/dancing with joy rather than sitting 7/8 of every day (my arse is rather numb anway lol).

I really appreciate all of you who have lingered as a follower. Thank you!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2011-11-18T04:34:00.000-07:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Many, many thanks from my heart to those of you who, over the years, have followed my blog and continue to.

May your cornucopia be abundantly filled with all your dreams and wishes.

A MINI HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO YOU!

2011-10-30T12:44:00.000-06:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

(ONE OF MY 1/12 SCALE MINIATURE BAT WINGED SKELETONS

WITH A GOURD HAT SITTING ON A PUMPKIN)

2011-09-10T22:14:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I posted in here. Now that the weather is cooling down and almost all the (real) yard/garden is almost ready for the colder months, I'll begin mini making again! Probably next month tho since some of the (real) house also needs 'winterizing' :)

A BIG Thank You! to all of my patient followers - you all ROCK!!

2011-05-15T16:20:00.000-06:00

Have been busy with custom orders, plus my Dad passed away a couple weeks ago and I've been dealing with everyday life stuff.

Thank you to all of you who continue to follow this much neglected blog. Eventually I'll have some new pics to post.

Update Re Golden Unicorn Miniatures Etsy Shop

2011-03-14T11:34:00.000-06:00

To all my customers, friends, and family...

If any one of you have been getting spam emails from Etsy, I want you to be aware that it is THEY and not me who is sending them. Accept my apology if you have received any.

As soon as I became aware that Etsy was publicly making all private information available, I opted-out of their idiotic wannabe social network but I'm not sure if my opt-out was quick enough. All my once favorite sellers have been deleted, and no one is in a "circle" via my shop.

My Etsy store will remain on 'vacation mode' indefinitely. However, my ArtFire studio is open and will be stocked with new items as soon as some custom orders are completed. Please visit Golden Unicorn Miniatures on ArtFire, and if you have any questions send a message to me.

Thank you.

My Etsy Shop

2011-01-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

Due to Etsy's massive invasion of all their sellers' privacy, my shop there will remain on 'vacation mode' until Etsy returns to being a selling site rather than a wannabe social site. Who knows how long that will be? Your guess is as good as mine.

My ArtFire studio is open, and next month I'll be stocking it with a few more items, so please visit Golden Unicorn Miniatures on ArtFire.

The Language of Trees

2011-01-18T08:21:00.000-07:00

I love trees, and when I saw the following blog post and read the accompanying lovely poem by my friend, Esmaa, I wanted to share it with you:

The Language of Trees

by Esmaa Self

Deep in the forest

and high on the hill,

trees have voice.

If you would hear their speech,

if you would learn their words,

you will venture far from mankind.

You will learn to pick out the childlike pop, the joy...

the wail, the crackling moans of standing timber.

Eventually you will learn to walk in silence.

If you would know the language of trees,

you will walk very far in silence.

Visit Esmaa's interesting and informative blogs:

Homeostatis

Middleground Farm

Thank you, Esmaa, for letting me share your wonderful poem

Model Horses and Their Scales

2011-01-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

What is a model horse?

Model horses or toy horses are scale replicas of real horses and are highly collectible. Most model horses are in the 1:9 scale (such as Breyer Traditionals and Stone Horses) while others are no bigger than mice, such as Breyer Stablemates and Stone Chips.

What are the model horse scales?

*Traditional Series: Approximately 12"L x 9"H - Scaled to 1/9th scale
*Classics Series: Approximately 9"L x 6"H - Scaled to 1/12th scale
*Paddock Pals: Approximately 6"L x 5"H - Scaled to 1/24th scale
*Stablemates Series: Approximately 4"L x 3"H - Scaled to 1/32nd scale
*Mini Whinnies: Approximately 1.5"L x 1.5"H - Scaled to 1/64th scale

2011-01-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

Four days into the new year and 'life' is still getting in the way of my making new miniatures and re-opening my Etsy shop. One of these days soon...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-12-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Wishing you a fantastic 2011!

May it be overflowing all year through with

Happiness, Good Health, Peace, Prosperity,

and Success in all your endeavors.

A Unicorn's Musings

2010-12-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

I'm a unicorn (from Latin unus 'one' and cornu 'horn'), and am called a 'mythological creature'. Though the modern popular image of me is sometimes that of a horse differing only in the horn on its forehead, my traditional body also has a billy-goat beard, a lion's tail, and cloven hooves. Marianna Mayer observed in The Unicorn and the Lake that, "The unicorn is the only fabulous beast that does not seem to have been conceived out of human fears. In even the earliest references he (I'm a 'she'!) is fierce yet good, selfless yet solitary, but always mysteriously beautiful. (S)He could be captured only by unfair means, and his (her) single horn was said to neutralize poison."

Contrary to popular belief, you won't find unicorns in Greek mythology, but rather in accounts of natural history, for Greek writers of natural history were convinced unicorns were real (of course we are!). They found us in India, a distant and fabulous realm for we unicorns. The earliest description is from Ctesias who described us as wild asses (I prefer the horse description, thank you!), fleet of foot (definitely!), having a horn a cubit and a half in length (some are two cubits) and colored white, red and black. Aristotle mentions two one-horned animals, the oryx and the so-called "Indian ass". Strabo says that in the Caucasus there were one-horned horses with stag-like heads (much nicer description).

Cosmas Indicopleustes, a merchant of Alexandria, who lived in the 6th century and made a voyage to India, states, from report, that "it is impossible to take this ferocious beast alive; and that all its strength lies in its horn. When it finds itself pursued and in danger of capture, it throws itself from a precipice, and turns so aptly in falling, that it receives all the shock upon the horn, and so escapes safe and sound." (very true!)

Medieval knowledge of we unicorns stemmed from biblical and ancient sources, and we were variously represented as a kind of wild ass, goat, or horse.

The predecessor of the medieval bestiary, compiled in Late Antiquity and known as Physiologus, popularized an elaborate allegory in which a unicorn, trapped by a maiden representing the Virgin Mary, stood for the Incarnation. We unicorns also figured in courtly terms: for some 13th century French authors, the lover is attracted to his lady as the unicorn is to the virgin. We also acquired more orthodox secular meanings such as being emblematic of chaste love and faithful marriage.

Back in time, we unicorns, or rather our horns, were coveted by royals who feared poisoning and many times would only drink from goblets made of "unicorn horn". Thus, sadly, hunting we unicorns became a popular 'sport'. One traditional method of hunting unicorns involved entrapment by a virgin. In one of his notebooks Leonardo da Vinci wrote: "The unicorn, through its intemperance and not knowing how to control itself, for the love it bears to fair maidens forgets its ferocity and wildness; and laying aside all fear it will go up to a seated damsel and go to sleep in her lap, and thus the hunters take it." (stupid males! - those were the times I was grateful to be a female). Hunts for an actual animal as the basis of the unicorn myth, accepting the conception of writers in Antiquity that it really existed (of course we do!) somewhere at the edge of the known earth, have added a further layer of mythologizing about we unicorns.

Do we unicorns really exist? If you believe, yes, we do!

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicorn with my apologies to the article's author for my taking liberties with his/her writing.

Merry Christmas!! Happy Yule!!

2010-12-18T09:21:00.001-07:00

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Yule!!

Seasons Greetings!!

Wishing You and Yours...

Peace, Harmony, and Joy

Is It Life Size Or A Miniature?

2010-10-31T16:58:00.000-06:00

This was a Treasury which I curated on Etsy over a year ago. I found life-size items and paired them with 1/12th scale miniatures. Before you read each individual pic title, see if you can guess which is the miniature.

Flower Of The Month For October...The Calendula aka Marigold

2010-10-07T10:02:00.000-06:00

Marigolds

by Robert Graves

...Look: the constant marigold

Springs again from hidden roots.

Baffled gardener, you behold

New beginnings and new shoots

Spring again from hidden roots.

Pull or stab or cut or burn,

They will ever yet return...

October's Flower, the Calendula, is said to have originated in Egypt, and is a member of the marigold family. Its Latin name, calendula, derives from the Latin word calendae (kalendae) "the first day of the month". Calendula also translates as "a little calendar" or "little clock". The name was appropriate since the flower bloomed throughout the entire calendar year and provided monastery gardens and altars with a constant supply of golden blooms.

Calundela afficinalis valued for its medicinal and culinary properties. The word officinalis means "medicinal" and the Latin word calendae means "throughout the months" meaning that the plant flowers for many months. It's colors are yellow and orange. It's common names include: Pot Marigold; Summer's Bride'; Husbandman's Dial; Mary's Gold; Souci; Marybud; Bulls eye; Garden marigold; and Holligold.

Calendula has been used to treat ulcers and other illnesses. It was used during the Civil War to help stop bleeding and help speed the healing of wounds. The Romans used Calendulaas a remedy for insect bites and stings. During the 1600’s it was highly regarded as a remedy for smallpox and measles and has been used as symbol of constancy in love as a flower for weddings or in love potions. Calendula is known for it spasmolytic, mild diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, antihaemorrhagic, astringent, vulnerary, antifungal, antiseptic, cholagogue, emmenagogue, menstrual regulator, antioxidant, antiviral, and mild antibacterial properties.

Some of the legends and folklore of the Calendula/Marigold:

*Eating Calendula was thought to make one see fairies, be easily induced to sleep, or to feel more amorous.

*During the nineteenth century the marigold, which represents the shining sun, became a symbol of life, yet, its strange smell caused it to be planted in graveyards as well.

*During the Victorian era these flowers meant "My thoughts are with you", i.e., symbolizing sorrow and sympathy .

*Dreaming of marigolds was indicative of future prosperity and riches

*Early Christians called the Calendula ~Mary's Gold~ and placed them by the statues of the virgin Mary.

*Considered to be one of the most sacred herbs of ancient India, it is still used in temples and weddings. The blossoms were strung into garlands and placed them around the necks of the gods.

BONSAI in 1/12th Scale

2010-08-30T10:01:00.011-06:00

Bonsai (盆栽) is the art of aesthetic miniaturization of trees, or of developing woody or semi-woody plants shaped as trees, by growing them in containers. 'Bonsai' is a Japanese pronunciation of the earlier Chinese term, Penzai, (盆栽). A 'bon' is a tray-like pot typically used in bonsai culture. Around 1800, the Japanese changed the term they used for this art to their pronunciation of the Chinese penzai with its connotation of a shallower container in which the Japanese could now style small trees.

Container-grown plants, including trees and many other kinds of plants, have a history stretching back at least to the early times of Egyptian culture. Pictorial records from around 4000 BC show trees growing in containers cut into rock. Pharaoh Remesses III donated gardens consisting of potted olives, date palms, and other plants to hundreds of temples. Pre-Common-Era India used container-grown trees for medicine and food.One of the oldest-known living bonsai trees, a 500 years old five-needle pine (Pinus pentaphylla var. negishi) known as Sandai-Shogun-No Matsu, is considered one of the National Treasures of Japan and is in the Tokyo Imperial Palace collection.

The following are a few of the (artificial) miniature Bonsais which I have made in 1/12th scale for dollhouses.

Writer's Block

2010-08-25T17:28:00.006-06:00

Ok, so I'm one of the World's worst bloggers. I either forget I have a blog, or I have a real bad case of writer's block. Actually it's a combination of both.

My writing is either funky or technical. It's the in between syle of writing which ends up taking forever to write and that's when I encounter writer's block at every turn. Like now.

That said, I leave my readers in suspense wondering at the fate of my pen...errrrr... blog.

Flower Of The Month For September... The Aster

2010-08-25T09:02:00.003-06:00

Wild Asters
by Sara Teasdale
"In the spring I asked the daisies

If his words were true,

And the clever, clear-eyed daisies

Always knew.

Now the fields are brown and barren,

Bitter autumn blows,

And of all the stupid Asters

Not one knows."

September's Flower, the Aster, is botanically named Aster, which literally means star. The association with stars, clearly references the flower’s shape. Asters are sometimes called the Michaelmas Daisy because their blooms coincide with the feast of St Michael.

Asters generally bloom in late Summer and early Autumn, and produce large clusters of delicate daisy-like flowers in white, purple, lavender, blue, pink or red. Alpine Aster blooms in May and June and usually bears one-and-one-half inch, violet flowers. The most popular variety is the New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae). You will often see native Aster varieties growing wild in almost any environment from the tropics to the coldest regions of the north, in habitats ranging from extremely arid deserts to bogs. Cultivated Aster plants range in height from a few inches to four feet.

The Aster is also known as Starwort. 'Wort' refers to the root and was used in ancient times to indicate a plant with healing properties. A number of Asters worldwide have been used historically as medicines and in a few cases as food. Asters belong to the Compositae family of which there are a great number in herbalism (ie. echinacea, boneset, etc) In Chinese medicine it is: A. tartaricus that is chiefly used and, other than in Chinese medicine, Asters are not used today.

Some of the legends and folklore of the Aster:

*When humans began to become more and more corrupt, Astraea, the Greek Goddess of Innocence left earth to dwell in the heavens as the constellation Virgo. Eventually, even Zeus became tired of the corruptness of humanity and created a flood to cover the entire earth except for the top of Mt Parnassus. Two humans, Deucalian and Pyrrha survived the flood on top of Parnassus. However, after the flood receded they wandered the earth lost and alone. Astraea took pity on them and created starlight to guide them. As she wept from pity, her tears landed on earth and formed the star-like flower, the aster.

*Asters symbolize love, daintiness, and affection.

*Astrologers regard it as an herb of Venus. It is used in love divinations in many countries.

*Asters were burned by the Greeks to drive away serpents. The Romans dressed up altars to the gods with wreaths of aster blossoms.

*The Chippewa Indians smoked the dried, powdered root of an aster species to attract game.

*In some Native American tribes, asters are associated with Bear, the most powerful of all mystical beings. According to some legends, Bear gave mankind a particularly powerful medicine, the aster root. It is named for Bear - Bear Root or Bear Medicine - and is regarded as being the next best thing to a panacea.

*In China, according to the Feng Su Chi, the people of Li lived well past the 100 years because the water they drank was flavored by the asters growing up in the surrounding hills.

They Walk Among Us - TeamMIDS Competition

2010-06-03T16:45:00.003-06:00

Once Upon A Time
From Galaxies Far, Far Away
There Were Mini Aliens
Who Visited Earth One Day
Some Returned Home
Some Chose Or Had To Stay...

They Walk Among Us

Earthlings...you are invited to meet twelve of my fellow travelers of the Universe who, because of one reason or another, were at one point in their lives hit by a shrink ray gun and are now miniature (2" to 6") versions of their original selves.

These twelve friends are competing to see which one is the most liked of the dozen so be sure to cast your vote on the Voting Poll. Voting ends at Noon on June 14, 2010.

http://teammidscompetitions.blogspot.com/

"Life"

2010-06-03T16:36:00.003-06:00

I haven't posted in here for quite a while. "Life" got in the way, and it still is, but I shall try to post more often.

Flower Of The Month For March ...The Daffodil

2010-03-01T19:10:00.000-07:00

March's Flower...the Daffodil

I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD
by William Wordsworth

"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze..."

March's Flower, the Daffodil, is botanically named narcissus. Some people call them “jonquils,” but, technically, jonquil refers to only one specific type of daffodil, not the whole family. They come in three size groups (Miniatures; Standards; and Intermediates which are in-between Standards and Miniatures), and six colors: white, yellow, orange, pink, red, and, green. Six outer petals surround a cup creating the trumpet-style look of this flower. Some stems produce one flower; others produce clusters. The outer petals are yellow or white; cups may be white, yellow, orange or salmon, and some have an orange edge.

All Narcissus varieties contain the alkaloid poison lycorine, mostly in the bulb but also in the leaves. In kampo (traditional Japanese medicine), wounds were treated with narcissus root and wheat flour paste. The Roman physician Aulus Cornelius Celsus listed narcissus root in De Medicina among medical herbs, described as emollient, erodent, and "powerful to disperse whatever has collected in any part of the body". Roman soldiers would carry several bulbs with them and if mortally wounded, they'd chow down on the bulbs. The bulb would work its narcotic wonder and the soldier would painlessly die.

Some of the folk lore and legends associated with the Daffodil:

*Plant lore tells us that daffodils bring good fortune to the person who avoids trampling on them.

*The daffodil is a symbol of rebirth, Spring, and Easter.

*Because of its association with the God, Narcissus, the daffodil symbolizes unrequited love, vanity and excessive self-love. The center of the daffodil cup is said to contain the tears of Narcissus.

*Never give a single daffodil, as bringing a single daffodil into the house will bring misfortune.

*As a spring flower that blossoms when the sun begins to shine, it expresses the joy one has when in the presence of one’s partner, signifying love, regard, and respect.

*Chinese lore says that the daffodil flower brings good luck for the next twelve months if forced to bloom during the New Year.

*The narcissus was also used as a ritualistic flower of death by the Egyptians. When Pharaohs were buried the skins of daffodil bulbs were placed over the eyes, nose, and mouth of the mummy.

*The daffodil was accepted by the Druids as their national flower, symbolizing purity.

*In medieval Europe, it was believed that if a daffodil drooped when you looked at it, it was an omen of death.

CDHM and Etsy TeamMIDS

2010-02-22T20:38:00.005-07:00

There are two great groups of International Miniaturists and Doll Artists of which I am a member. Whether a collector or artist of miniatures, you might want to take a few minutes of your time to visit each one and see the awesome handmade miniatures my fellow group members have created.

These two groups are:
CDHM (Custom Dolls, Houses & Miniatures)
and
Etsy TeamMIDS (Miniatures In Dollhouse Scale)

CDHM has an online Gallery where members can choose to sell and/or market their creations: http://www.cdhm.org/ (click on 'Search Miniature Gallery') - this is where you can view some wonderful dollhouse miniatures. CDHM has a great online monthly magazine, "The Miniature Way": http://www.cdhm.org/news/newsletter0210.php They also have a blog: http://www.mycdhm.com/

TeamMIDS is an Etsy (sales venue) group of shops owned by individual Team members. TeamMIDS has a blog: http://teammids.blogspot.com/ ; a website: http://teammidsdollhouseminiatures.goods.officelive.com/default.aspx ; and a Flickr Pool: http://www.flickr.com/groups/mids/

Sneak Preview

2010-01-20T13:11:00.004-07:00

Here's a sneak peak at the TeamMIDS Valentine's project. Warning: adult-themed; adults only. http://teammids-ntm.blogspot.com/

2009-12-31T19:43:00.002-07:00

Wishing you and your family

a healthy, peaceful, wonderful,

prosperous, and successful 2010.

Happy New Year!!!

2009-12-14T13:15:00.001-07:00

Dollhouse Miniature Christmas Decorations

2009-12-07T20:34:00.004-07:00

A sampling of my Christmas Holiday miniatures for dollhouses.

2009-12-03T11:39:00.003-07:00

December has arrived but I'm still lagging (more like procrastinating) in adding anything new to this blog. But I shall. Eventually. Maybe this weekend if my writer's block goes away.

My Halloween Miniature Decor For 2009

2009-10-11T03:56:00.006-06:00

My Halloween-themed miniatures for this year...a pair of bat-winged skeletons wearing gourd hats, and sitting on top of large pumpkins :)

Great model horse prop, or fab outdoor decor for a dollhouse.

Currently for sale in my Etsy shop: http://www.goldenunicornminis.etsy.com

Happy Birthday to the Dolls & Miniatures Category on Etsy

2009-10-06T13:49:00.004-06:00

Happy Birthday to us
Happy Birthday to us
Happy Birthday dear DAMs
Happy Birthday to us!!!

Hurray! The Dolls and Miniatures Category on Etsy are officially one year old today!

My thanks and kudos to my fellow Campaigners for their hard work and determination during the many (official) months of frustration in getting us our own category:
MikeRowe; BlueKittyMiniatures; turningsin; dalesdreams; BassomBear; Wanderinon; FairyGarden; LilWitchy; Kibbles; WhimsyCottageMinis; Faedriana; SandyCopeland; PolkadotToadstool; AngelaMichelleDolls; BerryBlueCreations; LoopyBoopy; Traighmor; mostlyart; PetitPlat; ladyartisandolls; pumpkinhau; knotbygranma; dollsetc; Jemjoop; jellybeanjunction; warpedandwonderful; PJJammers; kyeliza; faeryspellcreations

Thanks also to all those Etsians who are not miniaturists nor doll artists but who helped us along the way:
schOOLLOcker; eclipse; quirke; sherrytruitt; GreenMamba; jenstitches; foxaz; DesignedByLucinda; craftdiner; antb

(I know there are more but memory fails me at this point so forgive if I faied to mention your name)

More thanks go to each of the 711 folks who signed our petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/add-a-dolls-category-on-Etsy

And, a very special thank you to one member who began this 'good fight' along with me back in 2006...Kibbles.

Yup, it took almost 3 years for Etsy to grant our request.

And, finally, Thank you, Etsy!

Flower Of The Month For October...The Calendula aka Marigold

2009-10-01T09:49:00.005-06:00

Marigolds

by Robert Graves

...Look: the constant marigold

Springs again from hidden roots.

Baffled gardener, you behold

New beginnings and new shoots

Spring again from hidden roots.

Pull or stab or cut or burn,

They will ever yet return...

2009-09-29T18:42:00.006-06:00

Well, I thought I'd be able to get back to making minis by October 1st but that is going to have to be delayed for another couple weeks. At least I am hopeing it will only be a couple more weeks but actually it may be another full month or more. *Sigh*

Major back surgery means no bending, lifting, twisting for quite a while (it's difficult getting in and out of bed and also a car), and I didn't realize those ramifications came along with the recouperation period. My problem is that 98% of my supplies are in file-type boxes, some of which are heavy, and all of which are stacked 6 high one atop the other from the ground up.

I need a robot to fetch my supplies :) Anyone have one I can borrow for a while?

I'll probably be re-activating my shops on the different sales venues sometime this week or next. I do have a few minis I managed to finish right before the surgery, so there will be some new items for sale definitely in my Etsy shop.

But...I can sit and work on computer stuff so maybe this blog of mine and perhaps my website will see a little more activity than normal :)

Big "Thanks!" to everyone who has wished me a quick healing period.

2009-09-05T16:17:00.003-06:00

Due to everyday life things, I am going "inactive" and have placed my shops/galleries/blog/twitter in vacation mode until probably the end of this month.

May your September bring you happiness and peace!

See you next month :)

Flower Of The Month For September...The Aster

2009-08-31T18:55:00.005-06:00

Wild Asters
by Sara Teasdale
"In the spring I asked the daisies

If his words were true,

And the clever, clear-eyed daisies

Always knew.

Now the fields are brown and barren,

Bitter autumn blows,

And of all the stupid Asters

Not one knows."

New Miniatures...Finally!

2009-08-30T10:55:00.010-06:00

In between my custom orders I have managed to make a few miniature florals which are currently for sale in my Etsy shop. Here's pics of three of some of the new items in my shop:

Short Note

2009-08-02T21:41:00.008-06:00

I have sadly been neglecting my blog due to custom orders, for which I am most thankful, and also because I'm building an actual website for Golden Unicorn Miniatures.

Not sure if I'll have the time to write a flower of the month for August post, but will try next week.

My First Award - Thank You!!

2009-07-12T11:46:00.008-06:00

This award was presented to me on July 9, 2009, by fellow Miniaturist and Friend, Mike Rowe, who is one fantastic Turner. Thank you very much, Mike!

The rules are: I have to pick up a book that I have at hand, turn to page 161 and write the fifth sentence on that page here. Then pass the Award onto five other bloggers.

I recently finished reading a book so I hope that counts... "The Green Gardener's Guide" by Joe Lamp'l, a neat book with info on going even greener in your gardens and yard. Page 161, 5th sentence: "Salt is salt (at least from the standpoint of what it does to your soil and plants), and synthetic fertilizer has a lot of it." Just what you all wanted to know :)

I hereby present this award to the following wonderful folks who have become friends over the years:

Angela of Angela Michelle Dolls, a very sweet and talented Doll Artist http://angelamichelledolls.blogspot.com/

Ray of Mini Builder, an up and coming fantastic miniature furniture artist http://minibuilder.blogspot.com/

Pat of Miniatures by Pat Carlson who has a big heart and creates and publishes fantastic miniature books http://skywind.mycdhm.com/

Candy of Fairy Garden (aka Gypsy Trading Company), whose quick wit is enjoyable and finds its way into all of her "dead" Fae
http://gypsytradingcompany.blogspot.com/

And, a "right back attcha!" to Mike Rowe, a great guy who is a superb miniature Turner and Carver http://mike-rowe.blogspot.com/

Flower of the Month For July...The Larkspur

2009-06-30T20:34:00.005-06:00

"...The larkspur listens,'I hear, I hear;' ... ~Tennyson

July's flower, the Larkspur, is a genus of ranunculaceous plants and has often shared its identity with the Delphinium. The original Latin name for the flower was Delphinium Consolida. Later, botanists divided them into to separate groups and the Larkspur became Consolida ambigua. The name "Larkspur" is derived from the spur of the flower and reminded some people of parts of the lark, hence "Larkspur".

Characteristics of the Larkspur are showy flowers, a spurred calyx, and tall stems with many branches. The European form of larkspur supposedly had medicinal properties that made it useful in healing poisonous stings, and it was also dried and used in a powdered form as an insecticide. The American larkspur. the nuttalianum, was known to West Coast tribes who used it to make a blue dye; and the settlers used it to make ink.

The Larkspur was a favorite flower during the Victorian Era, and the message it conveyed varied according to color:

Pink symbolized fickleness

White was a symbol of joy and happiness, levity, lightness, laughter, and purity of heart

Purple/Blue was associated with a sweet disposition, first love, ardent attachment

Some history and folklore associated with the Larkspur:

**Delphium ajacis owes its name to the Greek hero Ajax. When Achilles was killed, his armor was supposed to be given to the most heroic of the Greeks who remained alive. The two candidates for this reward were Odysseus and Ajax. Minerva swung the vote to Odysseus since she felt heroes should mix intelligence with bravery and Ajax was not very sharp. The dishonor drove Ajax mad and he began killing a herd of sheep believing them to be his rivals. When he realized with he had done, Ajax felt the honorable thing to do was to kill himself and so he impaled himself on his sword. Where his blood fell, larkspurs grew. On their petals, one can find the Greek letters AI, which is the Greek cry of mourning.

**In Germany young men and women stared at the Midsummer fire through a bunch of Larkspur. It was believed this would preserve their eyes for another year.

**An old Italian myth tells of three brave warriors who slew a dangerous dragon. Once the beast was conquered, they wiped their swords on the grass to clean off the blue blood which made the blue flowers of Larkspur, and the venom in the dragon's blood made the plant poisonous.

**A Pawnee legend tells of Dream Woman who was rather nosy and was very curious about the goings on in the world of humans. To satisfy her curiosity she cut a hole in the sky and took some of the green material which is the inside color of the sky and made it into a stalk. But, some blue flecks of the outside of the sky got mixed in. When she lowered her stalk toward the Earth and began to climb down it, the stalk dried in the sunlight, became brittle, and broke into millions of little pieces which became our Larkspur.

**Some Native American tribes called this plant sleep-root, and gave it to whomever they were sitting around with for a night of gambling. It dulled the senses of the person on the other side of the dice.

**Because it is poisonous, Larkspur was a favored herb of English witches. And, in France it was used to keep away ghosts.

Linda Master...Fellow Miniaturist and Hand-Carver Extraordinaire

2009-06-17T12:43:00.007-06:00

Linda Master

Fellow Miniaturist

Hand-Carver Extraordinaire

I have admired Linda Master's hand-carved Miniatures for quite some time, and when she completed her Noah's Ark masterpiece, I knew I would blog about it. Through CDHM, a group of miniaturist artisans, I was given the chance to see her hand-carved animals come to 'life' for her Noah's Ark scene in a time lapse -.before, during, and after pics - then saw the finished scene. Please enjoy!

Ancient historical records belonging to many different Peoples contain references to The Flood and a large vessel being built. Throughout time we humans have depicted The Flood via art and the written word, with the Biblical story of Noah's Ark being the most referenced and well-know written version.

"It all began with a miniature elephant I carved, and a friend suggested Noah's Ark in miniature." That was two and one half years ago, and Linda Master "jumped at the chance," and began her version of Noah's Ark. She hand carved the Ark and all the animals from Jelutong wood, hand painted everything, and created the entire diorama.

What is so unique about Linda's interpretation of Noah's Ark is it's size...micro-miniature also known as 1/144th scale. (For those of you unfamiliar with 1/144th scale...1/12th of an inch is the equivalent of one foot.) The Ark is only 4" long and 3.5" high. The Zebras only 1/2" high; chickens less than 1/8" high. In all, there are eleven pairs of animals. Those with paws have carved toes and tiny paw pads; those with claws have teeny carved claws.

Bringing a Flamingo to "life"

More animals but not all

The diorama 'before'

The completed Noah's Ark

To view more pics of Linda's Noah's Ark as well as her other awesome miniature carvings, take a leisurly stroll through her web site: http://www.miraclechickenurns.com/index.html

Some of her miniature carvings are for sale through her CDHM Gallery: http://www.cdhm.org/user/miraclechicken

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

2009-06-17T12:30:00.001-06:00

Flower Of The Month For June...The Rose

2009-05-31T11:34:00.008-06:00

"O my luve's like a red, red rose.

That's newly sprung in June;

O my luve's like a melodie

That's sweetly play'd in tune..."
from: A Red, Red Rose

by Robert Burns

June's flower, the Rose, is possibly the most popular flower in the history of the world. DNA research has traced roses back some 200 million years. The Rose is the national flower of England and the United States, and the provincial flower of Alberta, Canada. There are over 7,000 different rose plants of approximately 550 varieties. The roses bloom from April through October with the peak coming in June, depending on the weather.

The Latin name for the Rose is rosa, which means red, but Roses come in many different colors each with its own specific tradition and meaning:

1. Red Roses are the traditional symbol for love, romance, beauty and perfection.

2. Pink Roses symbolize grace, elegance, admiration, appreciation, and joyfulness.

3. Yellow Roses are associated with warmth, happiness, and friendship.

4. White Roses represent innocence, purity, honor, reverence, remembrance and are traditionally associated with marriages and new beginnings.

5. Orange Roses symbolize desire, enthusiasm, passion, excitement and fervent romance.

6. Lavender Roses are a symbol of enchantment and express feelings of love at first sight.

Some of the folk lore and legends associated with the Rose:

*Roses are ancient symbols of love and beauty. The Rose was sacred to a number of goddesses, and is often used as a symbol of the Virgin Mary.

*Roses were introduced to Rome by the Greeks. During feasts young men and women in Athens adorned a crown of Roses and danced naked around the temple of Hymen to symbolize the innocence of the Golden Age.

*Cloris, goddess of flowers, crowned the Rose as Queen of the Flowers. Aphrodite presented a Rose to her son Eros, god of love. The Rose became a symbol of love and desire.

*Eros gave the rose to Harpocrates, the god of silence, to induce him not to gossip about his mother's amorous indiscretions. Thus the rose also became the emblem of silence and secrecy. The Greeks would plan their battles in the secrecy of a rose bower or sub rosa. In the middle ages a Rose was suspended from the ceiling of a council chamber, pledging all present to secrecy.

*Prostitutes in Nimes were known as roses. Clearly a visit to a rose would need to be done in secret.

*Jewish legends attributed the red color of the Rose to the first blood that darkened the Earth’s soil.

*The Teutons believed the Rose was a symbol of the underworld and called their battlefields rose gardens.

I Have Been Tagged!!

2009-05-28T10:11:00.010-06:00

I have been tagged by Joyce, an awesome potter, of Mostly Art. ♥ Here is her blog: http://mostlyart2.blogspot.com/ .

This is how being tagged works:

1. Name and link back to the person who tagged you. (See above.)

Be sure to visit Joyce's blog. She is a fantastic potter! All of her pottery (both miniature and life-size) is shaped and molded and carved by hand. She does not use a wheel - just her two hands and ten fingers. Her miniature scale dollhouse pottery is awesome! I know that for a fact because I own several of her fabukous scale mini pottery pieces ♥

2. List 6 unimportant things that make you happy. That's harder - if it makes me happy is it really unimportant? (this comment was a quote from Joyce's blog, but isn't it true?). Here's mine:

•Hugging my real Oak tree
•Talking to and touching my real plants
•Not worrying about anything
•Being 'kissed' by my cat, Holly
•Dancing whenever the mood arises
•Surprise visits from family and friends (and the house is a mess)

3. Tag 6 bloggers and let them know by leaving a comment on their blogs. Off to go tag some friends.

Note: If I tag you and you don't want to participate, I won't be upset. I understand that we all have busy lives and you might not have time for this. ♥

This Memorial Day...

2009-05-23T21:52:00.007-06:00

Remember those

who gave their tomorrows

for our todays

Miniature Dollhouse Garden Potting Benches/Tables

2009-05-15T10:09:00.010-06:00

This is the perfect time of year to help get your 1/12 scale dollhouse garden started, and these miniature potting table scenes created by me are the perfect starting point...

These potting benches are currently for sale in my

Etsy Shop and CDHM Gallery

Spring Has Sprung, May Is Here, Time To Garden!

2009-05-04T19:12:00.003-06:00

By using one's imagination can a faux garden almost become real? A garden where the plants are made from clay, paper, silk, and/or resin? Where the plants and soil have no "smell"?

Imagine...you are planning on transplanting various potted vegetables into a garden plot. You have tilled the soil which feels soft when you hold some in your hands and crumbles easily as you return it to the ground. You dig the holes in which to transplant your favorite veges.

So far you have five neatly lined rows of plants; only one row to finish but you decide to take a short break. You hang your hat on the handle of the spade shovel and go inside your house for something refreshing to drink. You return to the garden, finish the last row, clear off all the empty pots and tools, grab the hose, turn on the water faucet. You give your plants and the garden soil a good watering.

Standing at the edge, you admire your small garden and take a deep breath. You savor the rich, earthy smell of the wet soil and the fresh, green smell of the wet plants. Then, while patting yourself on the back for a job well-done, you realize you forgot to buy cages for your Beefsteak Tomato plants :D

Flower of the Month for May...Lily of the Valley

2009-05-01T21:47:00.004-06:00

"I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley"
...from the Song of Solomon/Song of Songs

May's Flower, the Lily of the Valley, is known by two Latin names... lilium convallium and convallaria majalis. Other names include May Lily, May Bells, Lily Constancy, Ladder-to-Heaven, Male Lily and Muguet.

The stems grow to 15-30 cm tall, with one or two leaves 10-25 cm long, flowering stems have two leaves and a raceme of 5-15 flowers on the stem apex. The flowers are white tepals (rarely pink), bell-shaped, 5-10 mm diameter, and sweetly scented; flowering is in late spring, in mild winters in early March. The fruit is a small orange-redberry 5-7 mm diameter that contains a few large whitish to brownish colored seeds that dry to a clear translucent round bead 1 to 3 mm wide.

All parts of the Lily of the Valley (stalk, flowers, and berries) are highly poisonous, containing cardiac glycosides and saponims. An extract of the plant, digitalis glycosides, has been used for centuries to help treat heart ailments.

Some of the folk lore and legends associated with the Lily of the Valley:

*According to Christian legend, the tears Mary shed at the cross turned to Lilies of the Valley, thus giving the plant another name, Our Lady’s Tears.

*Picking and giving bouquets of the flower bring good fortune in love.

*During the Middle Ages and up to modern times, the blossoms are often included in a bride’s bouquet symbolizing modesty and purity.

*Another legend tells of the nightingales who only sing after the scent of the Lily of the Valley fills the air, giving the plant yet another name, Fairy’s Bells.

2009-04-18T23:23:00.001-06:00

Flower Of The Month For April...The Daisy

2009-04-02T16:13:00.009-06:00

April's Flower...The Daisy

"He loves me, he loves me not..." and, "Rich man, Poor man..." and stripping the petals as those words were chanted are perhaps the most well known bits of folklore associated with the Daisy. Thought to have magical properties, the Daisy has always been used in love divinations and also to 'predict' the amount of children a marriage would produce. They are an important part of the decorations for Midsummer's Night festivities.

The Latin name for Daisy, bellis perennis, comes from the word bellus, which literally means beautiful. Daisies are known by several names: Bachelor's Buttons, Bull's-eye Daisy, Butter Daisy, Dog-blow, Dutch-curse, Dutch-cuss, Herb Margaret, Horse Daisy, Maudlin Daisy, Maudlinwort, Midsummer Daisy, Moonflower, Moon-penny, Poverty-weed, Rhode Island Clover, Sheriff-pink, and Whiteman's-weed.

Daisies are associated with the planet Venus, their element is water, and they are considered feminine.

Daisies were sacred to Freya and Ostara, both Germanic Goddesses, and has also been associated with the Greek Goddess, Aphrodite. They were in the past dedicated to Artemis, the Goddess of women, and considered useful in treating women's ailments.

Dreaming of Daisies is considered good luck in Spring, and bad luck in Winter.

It is lucky to step on the first flowers in the spring but extremely unlucky to uproot them.

Daisies were popular in Medieval times, when knights at tournaments wore the flower, while their ladies wore Daisy wreaths as crowns.

American colonists treated cuts and bruises with a Daisy lotion, and Daisy tea was used for whooping cough, asthma, and as an anti-spasmodic, as a diuretic, and as a tonic.

Elizabethans cured joint pain with Daisies, and Yugoslavians drank Daisy juice for their upset stomachs.

New England Puritans used Daisies to cure deafness.

2009-03-13T00:25:00.002-06:00

DEAD FAIRY FOUND IN NOTTINGHAM FOREST

The Fairy Tale Case Of The
Dead Fairy Who Loved Flowers Too Much

*******

Dear Diary,

(Fairy by Fairy Garden)

*Sniff* Tonight upon my return home from doing my usual job of being the night shift PalPay Fairy, I discovered to my dismay*Sniff* that my locked cabnet had been broken into.

(White Fairy Cabinet by Enchanticals)

My white cabinet with all my special potions, and someone stole my potion jar with Dead Fairy Dust in it. As you know, Dear Diary, Dead Fairy Dust is very poisonous to live faeries. *Sniff*

('Stolen Potion Jar' by Mike Rowe)

My phone was ringing too when I got home. I received some very sad news from Scotland Yard. *Sniff* My sister, who is also a PayPal Fairy (PPF as many humans call us) was found laying on her back in a pile of leaves in Nottingham Forest by a poacher. *Sniff* Just her skeleton and her tutu and her wings. *Sniff* They said she was holding a pink flower. *Sniff* My sister loved flowers. *Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa*

"Dry your tears, and call your friend, Hercule," said the Diary as it rolled its eyes.

('Diary' by Blue Kitty Miniatures)

*Sniff* So as you know, Dear Diary, I tried to dry my tears and called my friend Hercule, who I met in Hyde Park. He assured me he would use his 'little grey cells' to deduce what had happened to my sister.

(Hercule Poirot by Sandy Copeland)

Well, Hercule went to the taped off area where he found my sister still laying on a bed of leaves. Without disturbing anything at the scene of my sister's death, Hercule deduced that my sister had been *Sniff* murdered *Sniff* * Sniff* from inhaling the stolen Dead Fairy Dust. I asked how he had come to that deduction and he said he could see some tiny glittery specks still on the flower my sister was holding. *Sniff* My sister loved flowers. *Waaaaaaaaaa*

(Dead Fairy by Fairy Garden)

(The Diary said nothing; just kept rolling its eyes.)

As you know, Dear Diary, I poured my heart out to Hercule and told him everything I could about my sister. He has such a way with we female faeries. *Sigh* When I mentioned this one particular human who enjoyed hoarding PPF's, his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree! Anyway, he went to visit this human who he said was just about to leave for a costume ball, but he assured her he was only wanting to talk with her about a friend of his and he wouldn't take up much of her time.

('Ugly Stepsister' by Solet Luna)

Hercule said he quickly gained her confidence, and before long she confessed to the crime and never made it to the costume ball. She suddenly poured out the whole story to him confessing my sister had some how escaped out of her cage.

(Captured Fairy by Fairy Garden)

My sister's escape so enraged her that she came to our home anticipating my being here to capture me, but as you know, Dear Diary, my hours were changed a few days ago to the night shift.

(Shroom House by WonderWorks)

As you also know, Dear Diary, we have never had any need to lock our door, so this human told Hercule she walked into the house and not finding me here broke into my white cabinet and stole the potion jar with the Dead Fairy Dust. *Sniff*

She had taken my sister's crystal ball from her and hid it. She knew it was the way PPF's communicate with each other so upon her return home, she got the crystal ball and was able to see where my sister was hiding. *Sniff*

(Crystal Ball by Enchanticals)

She also knew my sister loved flowers *waaaaaaaaaa* so she set about cutting the most fragrant of the flowers from her garden and sprinkled Dead Fairy Dust on the inside of every one of them. Then she went to Notingham Forest where my sister was hiding and laid down one flower.

(Flower by Mostly Art)

She patiently waited to see if the flower's fragrance would entice my sister to come and pick it up. It did. *Sniff*

Oh, Dear Diary, why oh why did my sister have to love flowers so much? *Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa*

("Fairy Tale" by Golden Unicorn Miniatures)

Flower Of The Month For March ...The Daffodil

2009-03-01T17:32:00.007-07:00

March's Flower...the Daffodil

Prestigeous NAN 2008 Model Horse Show

2009-02-23T15:09:00.010-07:00

Susan Hargrove, one of my model horse collector customers, had several of her horses quality for NAN 2008. The North American Nationals (NAN) is a national championship show held annually and hosted by NAMHSA (North American Model Horse Show Association). This is the world's largest model horse show, regularly attracting entrants from around the globe.

At NAN 2008, Susan's horses won 10 Grand National Champion (GNC) awards and 6 Reserve National Champion (RNC) awards. WTG, Susan!!

These are a few of her favorite "Kids" (as she fondly calls her horses) shown with their winning plaques and ribbons:

DiamondDesign, a Thoroughbred OF
GNC Western Arena Trail
(gate obstacle set-up shown with
my wagon wheel florals)

Jed, ARCM
GNC in Western Arena Trail
(ground pole obstacle set-up
shown with my potted florals)

Scootee2, QuarterHorse
GNC in Western Arena Trail
(water obstacle set-up shown with
my wagon wheel florals)

Suits Her Fancy, Paint
RNC in CM Halter Showmanship
(set-up shown with wall backdrop
and my florals)

2009-02-16T12:01:00.006-07:00

"Guardian of Broken Hearts"
An OOAK Art Doll Sculpt
by Sue Barton of Barton Originals

Altho not a miniature doll, I 'fell in love' with Sue's latest creation, "Guardian of Broken Hearts", and had to share it with readers of my blog.

Sue wrote, "My thinking behind this is that often when one's heart is broken, we try to hide it. It is like a guardian takes it and protects it for us...however at times we can't help but let the world see - thus, the open skirt. She is sculpted from polymer clay and affixed to a modified vintage birdcage. The hearts in her basket are also polymer clay. She is dressed in vintage silk and antique lace and trim. Her hair is tibetan mohair. She stands approximately 12" tall."

"Guardian of Broken Hearts" is currently for sale in Sue's Etsy shop, www.bartonoriginals.etsy.com

To see more of her beautiful Art Dolls, visit her website: http://www.bartonoriginals.com/

2009-02-14T17:56:00.001-07:00

Just For Pat

This 'Thank you' is for Pat, who I also met through CDHM shortly after joining the eBay group.

Thank you so very much, Pat, for sharing with me your wit, your kindness, your generosity, your shoulder, your ear, your tolerance, your willingness to understand both sides of a situation, your trust. For the things you taught me. For urging me onto better things in my life. For being there/here both during good times and not so good times. For allowing me to 'speak my mind'. For our interesting debates. For our long-winded phone calls. For you allowing me to be me. And, most of all, for your friendship.

2009-02-11T19:40:00.000-07:00

A "Thank You" to:

Marlene and John

For three years I was given the opportunity to be a Moderator in a special forum overflowing with members of some of the World's finest Artisans of Dollhouse Miniatures...CDHM. Yesterday, I resigned from that position. I'm still a member tho! :)

Today, I want to publicly thank the Founders of CDHM (Custom Dolls, Houses & Miniatures), Marlene and John for everything they have done for me.

Marlene found me selling my minis on eBay many years ago and invited me to join an eBay dollhouse miniature group. I was thrilled! At that time I was a 24/7 caretaker for my Father and was not able to do much away from the house because of his poor health. Marlene had given me the opportunity to save my sanity and 'get away from it all' via her group. Not having any forum/chat experience back then I was a little intimidated at first but soon got used to the ins and outs of posting and very much enjoyed the commaradarie and friendships which developed over time.

A couple years later Marlene designed and 'opened' CDHM.org which today is one of the World's finest International sites for dollhouse miniature artisans and collectors. CDHM.org began as only a private forum. Since then it has grown by leaps and bounds from just a forum into a thriving marketing venture. The forum is still there - a huge forum - as well as now having a Gallery with artists' portfolios featuring the individual member's art.

Having been given the opportunity to be a forum Moderator gave me insight into what made CDHM.org tick...mostly Marlene with a lot of help from John, CDHM.org's computer guru. I also learned a lot from both of them about marketing, selling, business tactics, self-confidence, how to mix fun with business, computers, and friendship.

So...a HUGE "Thank you!" to Marlene and John for everything. Both of you are a rare gem!

**********************************************************

Pay CDHM a visit and join if you are a miniaturist and/or collector of dollhouse miniatures. CDHM ROCKS!!

http://www.cdhm.org/

2009-02-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

Pay a visit to the
Etsy Team MIDS

(Miniatures In Dollhouse Scales)

brand new website:

http://TeamMIDSDollhouseMiniatures.goods.officelive.com/

Thank you, Lori!

2009-01-27T15:12:00.002-07:00

Elaine Diehl's OOAK Dollhouse Castle

Several years ago when I lived in Arizona, I had many enjoyable opportunities to see this gorgeous Castle in person and had the pleasure of meeting it's designer-builder. Needless to say, this castle is awesome!

The Dollhouse Castle was designed and created by Colorado miniaturist Elaine Diehl, who was inspired by the character of Lady Elaine and her fantasy castle in Tennyson’s Lady of the Lake.

The level of detail ranks this Castle as one of the finest miniature structures in the world today. Over 100,000 pieces are contained within its walls, that were built, commissioned, or purchased to the highest standards. It is occupied by beautiful dolls, including Ladys in Waiting; Knights; and even a Wizard in its tower. It is 100% handcrafted in a 1” to 1’ scale and stands a grand 9 feet high (not including the base), is over 5 feet wide, and weighs approximately 800 pounds.

Ms. Diehl tapped some of the best known miniaturists and artisans in the world to create furniture, sculptings, art work, lighting, and much more to include in her Castle. The Castle and its interiors, ceilings, and floors was constructed over a 13-year period and over 6,000 thousand hours of work; not counting the time it took to create or commission the various pieces within its walls.. From 1978 to 1981 the various pieces were put together to form the final creation. It took more than a year alone just to carve the outside faux-finish stone which is comprised of approximately 200 central blocks that inter-lock into each other with precision pegs that lock into each other. The Castle was on display for many years in her store/museum (MiniElaine's in Sedona, AZ) until Ms. Diehl sold her enterprise in 1996 and went into retirement.

The current owners, Dr. Michael Freeman and his wife Lois, acquired the Castle from Elaine Diehl over a decade ago when Ms. Diehl retired. The Dollhouse Castle is on loan to the Nassau County Museum of Art on Long Island, New York. It is on public display at the Tee Ridder Miniature Museum located Roslyn, NY.

2009-01-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"Thank You!!"

to all of my customers

who purchased my florals in 2008.

May 2009 be a peaceful, healthy,

and prosperous year

for each of you and your families.

2008-11-03T18:55:00.000-07:00

Blogs? Blogging? What's it all about?

"What's it all about, Alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live? What's it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?"

Sorting one's blog is a pain. Really. Some people have the ability and tenacity to blog 24/7. Really. I've seen some that are just like that. Entries every hour on the hour, seven days a week.

Not this blogger. If you see comments, pics, whatever posted in here once a month that means I'm doing good to just remember I even have a blog in which to blog.

That said, I leave you with this pic which should explain why I don't get in here very often to blog.

DOLLHOUSE MINIATURE GARDEN POTTING TABLES

2008-10-22T11:13:00.002-06:00

Recently made miniature potting table scenes for 1/12th scale dollhouses...

Model Horses Owned By My Customers With My Floral Props

2008-08-21T11:29:00.004-06:00

I want to introduce you to another great group of miniaturists...the Model Horse Collector. Their love and enjoyment of their model horses is identical to the love and enjoyment you have for your dollhouses and miniatures.

These collectors take their horses to 'live' shows which are based on real-life equestrian shows/events, and some collectors show their horses with "set-ups", i.e., miniature jumps, dressage arenas, ground obstacles, etc. The below pics show my florals being used by some of my customers in their set-ups.

It is my pleasure to introduce you to:

"BeeGees", an Appaloosa, with his rider, Jennifer is owned by Kathy Dodson. He is showing in Western Pleasure. A pair of my flower boxes with assorted flowers and plants are placed in front of wood jump standards for his trail obstacle.

"Carringal Dulcet", a TBxConnemara Mare, with her rider Lydia are owned by Rosemary Simeon. She is showing in Hunter Class. A pair of my white urns with "mums" in various shades of yellow are displayed atop jump columns.

"Ziggy Stardust", a Gelding Paint, owned by Sherrylynne Shaver is shown in the winner's area with a pair of my yellow rose floral arrangements in pedestal urns.

"Serendipty's Sweetheart" with her rider, Judith, is owned by Kathy Dodson. He is showing in Dressage. In the background are a pair of my yellow and orange floral toppers set atop pedestals, and also one of my Traditional scale formal topiary-style hedges.

There are two very important "live" model horse shows which were held during July: NAN, and, Breyerfest. I shall be posting show pics after I receive them from my great customers.

MAY FLOWER OF THE MONTH...THE LILY OF THE VALLEY

2008-05-12T17:39:00.002-06:00

"I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley"
...from the Song of Solomon/Song of Songs

Halloween Miniature Flower Arrangements for Model Horse & Dollhouse Collectors

2007-10-25T12:26:00.002-06:00

Not the least bit spooky, but I sure had fun designing and making this pair of miniature Halloween floral arrangements.

Have a Hauntingly Chilling Halloween!!!

Miniature Dollhouse & Model Horse Grape Arbor in 1/12th Scale

2007-08-26T11:27:00.001-06:00

This beautiful handmade and hand-designed grape arbor is a commissione piece by a fellow miniature artisan, SJ of SJ's Minis. Thank you, SJ! It is 1/12th scale. The Arabian horse shown in the pic is also 1/12 scale, a Classic Breyer.

Dollhouse Miniature Rose Bud Flower Arrangement

2007-07-14T16:56:00.001-06:00

This is one of my newer floral designs in 1:12 scale. It features handmade yellow mulberry paper rose buds and soft, dusty varigated green leaves. The yellow "vase" is shaped like an open book with an oval cut-out on its front cover.

A fellow member artisan, SJ of SJ's Minis, supplied the inspiration for this particular design. Thanks, SJ!

You can view this item for sale in the CDHM Gallery. Scroll down toward the bottom of this page to see pics of some of my creations.