Precious Little

2011-03-04T16:50:00.002+11:00

Thanks to all my new followers and to everyone for their lovely inspiring comments... the time has gone sooo quickly and I have been in Italy scouring for minis... hopefully I will have some time for what I love to do most.... making miniatures!! Today I have the bug... !!

2010-05-18T19:25:00.004+10:00

Welcome and thank you to all my new followers who I have not had time to meet. I have had sooooo much work (my real job) in the last few months that I have had no time for my minis... soon... very soon... in the meantime here is a photo of my splendid Chichi....

For Francesca...

2010-03-16T23:28:00.002+11:00

I made this room box for my friend's gorgeous 6 year old daughter (Checca) with all her favorite books and family pictures. The bed head is a painted belt buckle.
I'm not the best photographer and maybe someone might be able to suggest a good camera I could purchase that would take clearer photos... ahh... the joys of minis... If only one didn't have to work and could just play all day...!!

2010-02-03T00:34:00.003+11:00

I can't believe that January has gone by and that my holidays are over... I haven't spent anywhere near the amount of time I would like to on my minis but am working on a project at the moment and will post it soon...

Merry Christmas...!

2009-12-25T01:08:00.005+11:00

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas season and looking forward to seeing many of your beautiful miniatures in 2010... thanks for following!!

Auguri per un buon Natale e sperando che il 2010 sara' piena di opportunita' per continuare a creare le miniature bellissime che vedo in tutti i vostri siti.... Buon Natale...

Bring on the holidays.....

2009-12-08T12:12:00.003+11:00

Thanks to everyone who has joined my blog in the last few months.. I feel so special...! I have not been able to play with my miniatures as I have been at work but I go on holidays at the end of this week for 6 weeks. I am still recuperating from spinal surgery so will have 6 weeks of nothing but miniatures!!!! In the meantime Chichi had a birthday.. she is now 15 (77 feline years) and is anxiously waiting for me to pull out all my miniature items so she can play too!! Hope you are all well..

Finally...

2009-10-09T15:48:00.005+11:00

It's so great to live in an era where I can sit in my pyjamas in front of my computer and shop in the USA.. received my purchases of olive oil, onions, garlic, spaghetti on the boil, artichokes, pumpkins and a brass mould... Such joy!!!

My favorite rooms

2009-09-07T02:46:00.010+10:00

These are my favorite rooms so I have put them on top!! Descriptions of what I made are in the "older posts" section. For an idea of size the plates on the left hand side on the wall in the Chichi boutique above are about the size of a 10 cent piece. These 3 rooms are part of an 11 room cabinet I have been making over the last 8 years. Double click the picture to enlarge.

Emanuela's Room Box

2009-09-07T02:35:00.004+10:00

This is a roombox I made for Emanuela (Federica's sister in Italy). I designed the wallpaper in photoshop and made all the books, handbag and perfume bottles. There is a battery operated light on the shelf and lots of photos of her and her family. The cross stitch angel on the wall was a printout of one that I actually stitched. Gave both these things to her for her wedding.

Federica's Room Box

2009-09-07T02:16:00.003+10:00

I made this room box for my cousin in Italy therefore all the wording is in Italian. This room box was quite intricate. I made all the balls of cotton, buttons, dress patterns, magazines, bolts of fabrics and books. Took it with me in my cabin luggage and put the glass frame on it when I got there. It also has a battery operated light just above the desk.

Alessio's Room Box

2009-09-07T01:30:00.007+10:00

A made this room box for a special boy with all his favorite things in it including Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, pink doughnuts and pictures of his family.

Room 11 - The Laundry

2009-09-07T00:49:00.003+10:00

The laundry is full of bits and pieces from everywhere. The washing machine and sink are both huge keyrings and battery operated. The washing machine vibrates and the sink makes running water sounds. The shoes are Barbie shoes I have painted and many items on the shelves including the books, seed packets and magazines I have made myself.

The Dining Room 2 - Room 10

2009-09-07T00:33:00.004+10:00

The dining room has been completely refurbished. It was once green. I made all the books on the shelves and purchased the cheese platter and orange juice from a wonderful lady named Andrea Currie and is usually at all the Miniature shows in Victoria. I painted all the furniture and tried to get the provincial feel that I love.

The Kitchen - Room 9

2009-09-06T23:58:00.004+10:00

The kitchen is an old set I have had for years. I've tried to give it a provincial feel but one day I'll make a more beautiful provincial kitchen. The calendar on the fridge depicts the castle in my father's town Crecchio. A beautifual medieval village in central Italy. I try to have something depicting dates so I remember when they were made! The tulip design fridge magnet I purchased in Prague on St Charles Bridge. They were a set of earrings. The shopping list has all mine and Chichi's favorite goodies...!!

Chichi Boutique - Room 8

2009-09-06T23:22:00.002+10:00

My favorite room...

Chichi Boutique - Room 8

2009-09-06T23:00:00.007+10:00

This is my favorite room and I have just redone it all. I made all the magazines, books, perfume bottles, ribbons and the tiny soaps (about the size of a large lentil!). I named it Chichi Boutique and although it started off as a craft room it evolved into a bit of everything I like including fine bone china, porcelain and perfume bottles. I made all the labels for the Chanel bottles and painstakingly cut them out and gave them a gold border.... lost many of them along the way...The book on the counter is the story of Marie Antoinette's Perfume maker. Guerlain have a perfume named after her garden at the Trianons which is called "Les Jardins De Bagatelle". I also make all the handbags with leather bags I purchased and cut up. The burgundy one on the left is real snake skin.

The Lounge Room - Room 7

2009-09-06T20:59:00.003+10:00

The photo on the mantlepiece is of my parent wedding. I made the bellows, the books and the couches. The rugs are tapestry wallets that have been cut up and the beautiful silver Orthodox Icon of Our Lady is a key ring I purchased from a Greek gift shop

The Dining Room - Room 6

2009-09-06T20:32:00.002+10:00

The items in the left cabinet are mainly buttons. The crockery is limoges style. I covered the chairs with the material of a tapestry bag that I bought at a flea market.

The Study - Room 5

2009-09-06T20:22:00.004+10:00

This study is one of my favorite rooms. I made all the books and the Time Magazine tribute to Michael Jackson (I'm a fan). Most of the items in this room are buttons and jewellry. The coat of arms on top of the desk is a broche. The Queen Nefertiti statue is a key ring and the Melbourne Cup trophy is a tie pin.

Second Bedroom - Room 4

2009-09-06T20:03:00.004+10:00

The dollhouse in the dollhouse has lights and is fully furnished inside in 1/44th scale. There is a room box in the room box and the gnome at the front of the house is made with a monopoly player piece. I made the cross stitch of the little house on silk gauze and almost had to have glasses prescribed at the time!

The Bathroom - Room 3

2009-09-06T19:49:00.002+10:00

One day I will completely change this bathroom as I find it too dark! The seahorse on the wall are earings. The tissue box is a hair band for little girls.

The Bedroom - Room 2

2009-09-06T19:34:00.004+10:00

The bedspread is made of antique lace. The print on the wall is silk and the photo on the dresser is me as a little girl!! Most items in this room are made from recycled jewellry. The lamp shade is an earing. The picture frame is a ring. All the bottles and handbags were put together by myself. The shopping bag is from the Chichi Boutique

The Nursery - Room 1

2009-09-06T19:22:00.003+10:00

This nursery has many hand made porcelain items. I made all the books and the small dollhouse. Some of the wall features were purchased from our local Brotherhood of St Laurence and I painted the dresser.

The Cabinet

2009-09-06T18:56:00.003+10:00

I don't have enough room anywhere for a large dolls house so in 2000 I had a cabinet built with 11 rooms and a glass frame and it became my "pretend dolls house". In the last 3 months I have had time to update it all so I will post some before and after shots. Like all miniaturists I am always changing things and adding/removing. Most items have been hand made by me or hand painted and the most detailed is the shop "Chichi Boutique". As I am a devout Catholic you will find a religious statue in every room. A couple even blessed by Cardinal George Pell who said "these are the minutest figures of Our Lady I have ever seen". I did tell him they were for my dollhouse and I'm sure he thought I was crazy!!!

First Dolls House

2009-09-06T18:22:00.002+10:00

This was my very first dolls house. My father bought it for me when I was 4 years old complete with plastic furniture. The dolls at the front of the house are from my father's frequent trips to Italy. They are called "Fiammiferini" which means little matches and they came in littel match boxes. I still have them all. I also collected Enid Blyton books which my parents bought me.. still have all those too! And baby Chichi still where she shouldn't be!!