green and white garden

Seems everyone likes a Circus...

2012-02-14T15:54:00.000-08:00

Roll up! Roll up!

Come see our Circus

(nursery mobile...that is)

with the amazing Ringmaster as he tames the kooky Lion, and the performing seal.

See the juggling monkey do his clever tricks and watch the dancing bear.

Yes it seems everybody really does love a circus.

Here is the latest article featuring our Circus mobile,

on Handmade Cooperative's blog.

Our Circus mobile has had a lot of attention lately.

We are due to be featured in another two magazine articles in the next few months...all due to our Circus mobile catching peoples attention.

How exciting!

Don't be late!

2011-12-06T22:39:00.000-08:00

Quick!! Don't be late!

Click here to see my latest creation.

A Turquoise Twilight...

2011-11-29T13:37:00.000-08:00

...through our front door.

Hmmm...perhaps I should have included some

green coloured fairylights

amongst the pretty blue bulbs,

then it may just have succeeded in being a

true turquoise theme this year.

Starting with tiny 3M hooks,

(the ones that un-stick without doing damage to the walls)

a long set (200 leds) of warm white led fairylights

was then strung across our foyer.

LEDs are wonderful

because they do not give out heat

to become a fire hazard.

My Knight watched on in curiosity.

Wondering where I was going

with this years Christmas decorating.

Once the lights were in place,

it was time to add the sheer nylon fabric.

I have had this particular piece of white fabric

for a very long time.

It measures approximately 18m in length.

Over the years it has been

used time and again throughout the house,

draped over windows or doors, etc.

It makes a perfect backdrop for a photo shoot.

I did previously warn you

that I was not going to a

great deal of effort

with this years decorating.

Just a few baubles and beading

with a splash of tinsil...in the pretty turqoise colour, to compliment the white.

The large decorative glass bowl

was a real find at a bargain price,

at the weekend markets some years ago.

A white glitter coated, plastic reindeer

(inexpensive from Lincraft)

and a glass votive candle holder...

...join with the 'Katherine's Collection' fairy,

(not so inexpensive!)

along with some glitter covered plastic snowflake cutouts and white poinsettias

make up the bulk of the display.

The four tiny white Christmas trees,

were purchased late last year, during the sales, for a few dollars each.

(now you can see that I really do spend about a year thinking of what our next years Christmas display will be!)

Two inexpensive plastic beaded curtains hang in the opening between our foyer and lounge room.

(again using those wonderful 3M hooks...only, big ones this time)

A couple of lengths of faux icicles

(polyester wadding held in place using just the sticky pads from the tiniest 3M hooks)

and a few more glittery cutout snowflakes...

Yes...I really am being very lazy this year, as I have not even put up our 'proper' Christmas tree.

Instead, I have opted for just the fibre optic one, which takes all of 2 minutes to assemble!

With its white twiggy branches and a few little glass baubles

it puts on quite a dazzling show come nightfall.

I was lucky enough to find these little hearts which go perfectly with this years theme.

(I think I got them from Myer or David Jones...?)

Sorry to disappoint anyone who

was expecting something showing

a bit more effort.

In years past I have spent many days on the decorating.

This was accomplished in just one day.

But I am just a bit out of oomph,

as the year draws to a close.

In all the prettiness and buildup to Christmas,

be sure to make time to remember exactly WHY we celebrate this lovely season.

HE is the reason.

Merry Cristmas

to all those who stop by to read my little blog.

May the coming year 2012 be kind to all.

A taste for turquoise

2011-11-20T03:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas is upon us soon,

and it is time to make a reality,

of what I have had floating

around inside my head

for some time now.

This Christmas

my home decorating

is going to be a bit more modest.

I have gone with Anita's favourite colour.

Turquoise.

(For those of you who are not familiar with the beautiful Anita, do yourself a favour and check out her gorgeous blog called 'Castles Crowns and Cottages')

Yes Anita is quite smitten with this amazing colour...so much so, that I think some of her enthusiasm has rubbed off on me.

Turquoise...the colour reminds me of a wonderful holiday we enjoyed a couple of decades ago (was it really THAT long ago?)

We stayed on a boat, at sea on the Great Barrier Reef for about five weeks. It was the BEST holiday ever!

My favourite memory was of a magical little island of sand called Davy Cay.

The water was crystal clear

and the most magnificent turquoise

I have ever seen.

So with thoughts of this most magical place...I am about to decorate my foyer...in the cool colours of white and turquoise.

Check out my latest Frost Faery here. She is also donning these colours!

Peas Please

2011-11-02T00:55:00.000-07:00

To see what

has been keeping me

so busy lately...

just click HERE!

A Royal visit...

2011-10-21T00:36:00.000-07:00

I have had royalty on my mind, lately.

Which is kind of appropriate...

seeing as Queen Elizabeth is visiting us (Australia) this week.

Her Majesty is not the only one who happens to adore CROWNS.

I myself have a fondness for these highly ornate and ridiculous head pieces.

They can be any size, shape or colour...I love them ALL.

Which is what led me to make this latest creation.

To get a better glimpse of it, just click here!

(oh...in case you were wondering...that little Princess in the pink gown is my grandie, Lilli)

Thanks for looking!

Princess

2011-10-18T00:52:00.000-07:00

Just had to share this
adorable little princess with you.

She is our three year old Grandie,

Elliana,

who has a 'slight facination' with the Disney movie, 'Tangled'.

Her mother has made her a 'tangled wig'

to go with a princess gown

that was recently picked up for a song.

Ellie LOVES it!!!

While I'm on the subject of Princesses...

you might want to check out my latest project.

Just click here

for more details.

Finding Neverland.

2011-10-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

via

Phew! I have been so busy

slapping glue and paint about,

these past few months.

Not to mention the KNOTS that

have had me in a tangle!

But I am pleased with how well my little ships have come together.

You will have to click HERE for a sneak peek.

Are you QUIETLY curious??

2011-09-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

If you are...

...then you might want to

tippy-toe over to here to

discover what we have had

in the works for

some time now.

(via our new blog)

It just gets

curiouser and curiouser...

...are those

magical pixie dust sparkles

I see radiating from my

very clever daughter's hands

and

trusty sewing machine???

Well...then that might explain how she keeps coming up with such delightful creations!!

(ps...while you are there, please don't forget to click in the sidebar on the 'networked blogs' thingy, and follow...to ensure you don't miss any news via facebook)

Thanks!

Tales of Beatrix Potter??

2011-09-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

When I 'stumbled' across this little item,

I was shocked and strangely delighted.

The cutesness cannot be denied

...but there IS some ghoulish strangeness to it all.

Even so, bearing in mind the era in which it was created 1835-1918

I do still love it.

Bunnies School Room

Click on the video below to take a whimsical vintage look into Mr. Potter’s Museum of Curiosities, a (now closed and dismantled) English taxidermy museum, in this circa 1965 film made by British Pathe. Revel in the magic of anthropomorphic taxidermied animals that eccentric curator Walter Potter dressed up and staged in various scenes.

Various taxidermy scenes are shown including the kittens’ wedding, the squirrels’ club, kittens’ tea party, bunnies’ school room, all accurate down to the tiniest details. We also see Potter’s famous “Who Killed Cock Robin” tableau which took seven years to complete. Children admire the tableaux and a young woman sketches.

Narrator states: “Walter Potter … was a genius who made fur-lined dolls into whimsical but veritable works of poetic art.” Wonderful or disgusting depending on your viewpoint…

The Kitten's Tea Party

The Kitten's Wedding

I personally think that it was a little sad that this collection was sold and dismantled in 2003, now no longer able to be viewed by the public, and no longer a complete collection.

"The Death and Burial of Cock Robin"

was the highest-selling item of the sale,

raising £23,500 pounds.

Just a quick reminder,

that I now share a blog with my wonderful daughter, Jillian,

called Lilliput Loft.

We would LOVE you to see our latest creations that have been keeping us busy...and perhaps become a follower!!

Bye, till next time!

Nothing here folks!

2011-09-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm afraid
if you want to
see and read anything new and interesting...
then you will have to go here.

...oh, alright then...here is a sneak peek...

(Quick!... you'd best scoot on over to our new blog)

Lilliput Loft

2011-09-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

'bout time we had a blog that was JUST for Lilliput Loft.

For all the latest on what my daughter Jill, and I have been up to

click here!!

You start with a box.

2011-08-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

After you have

gathered together

a few kitchen utensils,

along with an apple,

and

some milk and butter...

...you put the cake mix

into a mixing bowl.

Then you carefully

crack three eggs

into the cake mix.

Add a couple of

tablespoonfulls of butter

into the mix.

After you add the cup of milk,

you can start to blend everything together on low speed.

Once you have everything nicely blended,

you can turn up the speed

and mix at high speed

for three minutes.

(watch your fingers don't get near the beaters...or it will hurt)

When you have finished

with the mixing part,

you can then lick the beaters clean...

...followed by the bowl.

Yum!!

Once you have poured all the mix into a cake tin,

then you can neatly place the

sliced apple pieces on top.

After about 45 minutes in the oven,

you will have a very yummy

Apple Cinnamon Tea Cake

to share with Poppi when he gets home from work.

...oooOO0OOooo...

(do you know how delightful it can be to watch a three year old crack eggs into a mixing bowl??)

Thankyou 'Cherish your Cherubs Project' by Naomi at 'Seven Cherubs', for allowing me to share with you our very delightful granddaughter, Elliana.

Published

2011-08-27T05:12:00.000-07:00

A parcel from Sweden.

Yes, it finally did actually arrive.

I was a bit bemused and a little flattered

when I had contact from a complete stranger, named Mark, via our Lilliput Loft Facebook Page.

He asked me, after reading my blogpost regarding our painted Faerie Room,

if I would mind if his wife used a photo from my blog, for the cover of a book she hoped to publish.

The actual photo was of an unfinished wall.

I replied, "Sure. No worries."

I offered to photoshop a few of the finished pictures into the scene, but they really didn't seem to mind that the scene was not fully completed.

A few weeks went by,

before I heard from this Swedish couple, again.

They informed me that they would post me a copy,

with a 'thankyou acknowledgement' inside the front cover.

OK...so they mis-spelt my name.

Not to worry.

Bit of a buzz to actually see my painted wall on the cover of a book.

I have yet to read this tale, so I cannot tell you what I think of it.

I will try to find the time before too long, to read why my 'wall art' was "SO Perfect" for this tale.

Hope your book goes well for you, Cecilia.

Wishing you all the best.

Paper dolls

2011-08-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

"What one loves in childhood...

stays in the heart forever." -Mary Jo Putney.

Oh, don't mind me.
I am just having a little bit of child's play.

When I was little (ok...little-er than I am now),
oh how I loved to play with paper dolls.

I loved how fiddly they were to play with.

Those tiny paper tags that clung to the figures

were always only just strong enough to hang on

...but you couldn't be rough with this plaything.

You had to look after each piece or it would quickly be ruined.

Sometimes incredibly

frustrating and infuriating

when things just wouldn't sit right

...you had to have perserverance and patience.

I learned a lot through playing with paper dolls....

Patience.

Self control.

Fine motor skills.

Attention to detail.

Love of beauty.

Imagination.

...and a LOVE for all things paper.

(above: A Steampunk Tinkerbell and Captain Hook)

Paper can transport you to many new worlds.

Whether you are reading it (storybooks),

or folding it (origami)

cutting it (silhouettes & paper dolls)

gluing it (papier maché)

drawing on it (artwork)

or writing on it (poems and stories)

...even the smell of paper is delightful to me.

(above: Steampunk characters from Alice's Wonderland)

A true 'Wonderland of Creativity'.

That is what paper is.

(makes me wonder how the world ever managed without it??)

All of these lovely paper dolls are courtesy

of wonderful website, called

Mary Davis (Dover Publications).

Once you have subscribed to this site (for free!)

then they will send you a regular email

informing you of new books that are available.

These new books always have samples (also for free!)

that you can save and use.

I personally love the samples of childrens books.

My grandies have enjoyed colouring in sample pages

from colouring-in books, that I printed out.

The books are always well priced, so one day, I will probably purchase some.

But for now, I am very happy to enjoy the freebies!

above: some sheets that I have printed out.

Forget scissors when you are thinking about cutting paper.

You really MUST buy yourself a pair of these cutting thingys from Fiskars.

I purchased these from Spotlight.

So much more enjoyable to use!

(thanks Jill, for putting me onto them!)

Just maybe I have enticed the little child within you

to pick up some sharp cutty device

and return to cutting up paper.

It really is so fun...and very therapeutic!

Goodbye Nursery

2011-07-30T01:04:00.000-07:00

The excitment and anticipation has been building.

In soft shades of pink and grey with white...TODAY we were able to see Ellie's bedroom finally come together.

I told you I would post photos of the finished room...and as it turned out, Josh and Jill had to be away when the delivery truck arrived. So instead of postponing the arrival of the long awaited items, we waited at their house to accept the delivery for them.

They had been waiting months for the furniture to arrive, and literally years for the manchester (you see, it was purchased years ago in a sale, and has been quietly stored in the cupboard for this special day to arrive.)

Josh painted the walls using a Dulux colour called 'taupe stone', a few months ago,

in preparation of this exciting day.

Sort of a warm gentle grey.

Then Jill attached the tree mural decal onto the wall,

once the wall paint had cured.

A theme of polka dots took shape right from the start.

Even the bedside lamp (found at 'Freedom') has white pompoms on it's pink shade!

I glued three wooden capital Es together to form a sturdy single large E. Then after sanding and painting it white, added two different pink scrapbook papers to add pattern and colour to the front and back. Finally decorating it with a MDF flourish also from Spotlight which I painted white.

above: baby bunny

We were lucky to find a pink and white spotted rug while visiting the Butterfly Expo at the RNA a few weeks ago, and just knew it would work in beautifully with the theme.

A petite pink tuffet is one from my collection of little tuffets that I sell through our Etsy shop, Lilliput Loft.

This one has pink ball feet with white spots and white pompom trim.

Jill finds it excellent to sit on as she reads a bedside story and say prayers at night with Ellie.

Other finishing touches include this wooden jewelry tree...doesn't it match the wall decal soooo perfectly!!

above: Note the tiny bunny necklace. Yes Ellie's Room was always going to have to include some bunnies!!

About three years ago, while my Knight and I were off on an interstate motorbike trip, we found this giant bunny. It is from 'Christopher's Collection' and not from 'Jellycat', who make the other bunnies. It was so similar to Ellie's bed bunnies, that we had to buy it...knowing that ONE DAY Ellie would actually be larger than this 'Poppi Bunny'.

I had promised Ellie she could own him once she had her 'big girl's bedroom' finished.

So today I said goodbye to Poppi Bunny, and gave him a big hug.

It is for Ellie to care for him from now on.

No longer a baby with a nursery...but a beautiful little girl with a new room to match!

"We love you Elliana."

A Miracle

2011-07-26T00:12:00.000-07:00

Oh dear. I know it's been a while since I posted a pickie in my 'Photogenic' collection.

What can I say...I've been busy.

But when I came across this photo, it made me stop and marvel at the amazing miracle of a new life.

So this is # 30 in my Collection. Enjoy!

(just click here to view the rest of my Photogenic Collection)

Photo credit

Stained glass window

2011-07-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

Been away from the Land of Blog for a while. Always so busy. Life just takes up so much time! Heeheehee.

I suppose that is much better than being bored.

But last weekend we took time out for a two hour motorbike ride up the coast and spent the Sunday strolling round the Montville shops, again. Always a lovely thing to do.

As well as stopping for a bite to eat and to admire the amazing views, we took the time to peek inside a small local Montville church. From the outside, the stained glass windows had intrigued me as we ate our lunch, so once lunch was eaten, I just had to slip inside the building to get a look at the prettiness of the stained glass with the sunlight streaming through.

This vision reminded me of the beautiful song by Clay Crosse.

below: the hill top cafe and lovely views to the Sunshine Coast's coastline.

Hope your week will be wonderful for you, and you get to do all the things you like to do.

Thanks for dropping by!

Mad Tea Party 2011

2011-06-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

What time is it????

I don't want to be late!

Yes, it's that time of the year again!!

Having heard the call to come to Tea...

'MAD Tea' that is,

the girls were all pretty happy to

BE here

for THIS years get together.

(you see...LAST year, they were nothing

but a twinkle in their creator's mind ;-)

Yes, the one and only, very whimsical Vanessa Valencia,

from 'A Fanciful Twist'

has again thrown out the annual

intangible web invitation

to join her in this crazy

Tea Party Nonsense

that is quite MAD.

So....because they now can,

the girls (Millicent, Chantilly and Paige) decided on a Mad Tea Party

in the Rose Garden.

It would be a marvellous excuse,

to dress up in the favourite gowns and

don their best wigs and hats.

Of course, NO Mad Tea Party

would be much fun

without the company of the charming Marques,

to regale them with his make-believe stories

about his past adventures.

After they had all had their fill,

of cups of TEA and nibbled on

delicious sweet treats

till their contented tummys could no longer fit

another morsel in...

They all joined with Marques in lounging around on the lawn,

for a spot of cloud gazing...

finding strange and peculiar shapes

amongst the clouds,

that kinda looked a lot like

teapots and cups and saucers....

I hope you have all enjoyed

this years Mad Tea Party. For other delightful parties please go here to view the MANY more that are on offer over at
'A Fanciful Twist.'

...PS.thanks Vanessa!

(To view LAST years Mad Tea Party...click here!)

Oh...and the girls and Marques can all, be found in my Etsy shop, Lilliput Loft.

Paris Ponderings

2011-05-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

Get an eif-fel of this!

Once upon a time, way back in 1889,

the French people became tired

of tripping over all the disgarded pieces of iron

that were laying round about.

What to do? What to do??

Each day they would sit mulling over their dilemma

while sipping a coffee in a sidewalk cafe.

Then a bloke by the name of Gustave Eiffel,

while chewing on a croussant and doodling with his pen on his napkin,

came up with a great idea to use up

the surplus supply of iron that was littering the town.

He called his sketch a puddle iron lattice tower.

They found a vacant spot on the Champ de Mars...

"Trust me...this will work. It's gonna look good!"

The town's folk could not come up with a better idea,

so they listened to Gustave,

and proceeded to help assemble all those annoying bits of iron.

Before too long, they had finished erecting their huge iron structure,

which could be seen from miles around.

It became know as the Eiffel Tower,

(or the iron lady to those closest to her)

and is the tallest building in Paris.

Just lovely!

Today, Paris would not be PARIS without the Eiffel Tower.

I hope you have enjoyed this Paris pondering.

For other delightful pathways through the city of Paris

please be sure to visit with the magnificent Anita,

over at 'Castles, Crowns and Cottages',

...she will have a whole list of places you can wander, on the 28th May.

(just be sure to allow for the time difference...the USA is 15 hours behind Australia)

photo credits:

(from Etsy)

aubabi78

Bleeding Hearts Design

little {random} happiness

Down up pedal...down up down...♪♫

2011-05-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

♪...gotta get across to the other side of town...♫

before the sun goes down...hey hey hey!

These delightful little bicycles

took many many hours to

create...

...and I ended up with very VERY sticky fingers...

...but I think you will agree,

that they turned out so cute!

Not too sure if I will be embarking on this project again.

Maybe once is enough.

I have just listed this set of three in our etsy shop.

Serendipity

2011-05-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

Serendipity: n. the faculty of making desirable but unsought-for discoveries.

At about 9am the other morning, while walking down our dark hallway, I came across this beautiful bright sight. Our hallway is 12 meters away from our front door, yet the bevelled clear glass was able to throw out a couple of gorgeous little rainbows for me to catch and admire. Having lived in this house for over sixteen years, I often find pretty rainbows(from the morning sun reflecting through our front door), but I have never actully found a rainbow as bright as these were.

I quickly grabbed my camera

to capture this one to share with you.

Sheer enchantment.

Enjoy!

Reuben

2011-05-07T18:36:00.000-07:00

Debonair and looking very dapper,

is Reuben,

in spite of his wayward hair.

The gold embroidered epaulettes on his shoulders and also decorating his jacket sleeve cuffs, have a tale to tell all on their own.

They had spent 30 years being buried under the remains of the Brisbane 1974 flood.

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be told about a 'stash' of goodies that had long been forgotten. This stash was underneath an old house that once doubled as a doll hospital or some such thing. The house had completely gone under during the flood. Now in the throws of being renovated, the old house was being cleared of all 'rubbish' which was underneath the house. Though still covered with much mud which had long since dried, most of the 'goodies' were enclosed inside sealed plastic bags. So once I opened the bags, I found quite a treasure trove of undamaged pretty trims and such.

Reuben's epaulettes were one such item. As luck would have it, there were four of these to be found, and I have waited for just the right project to use them. They seemed destined to adorn his beautiful jacket.

above: Joining the rest of the gang.

Just a quick glimpse

2011-05-06T03:25:00.000-07:00

Just a quick glimpse of my latest Art Doll OOAK.

More pickies soon.

Oh...and I think this one will be named 'Reuben'.

Three Years of Wonderment

2011-04-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

It's been three of the most wonderful years of my life.

Three years ago, a tiny angel alighted into our everyday existance, in the form of a little grandaughter.

Happy 3rd Birthday,

Elliana.

YOU are the sunshine in ALL of our lives.

Ellie is going to, very soon,have a little girl's bedroom.

Her Mummy and Daddy are in the process of renovating her nursery.

I can't wait to show you all some photos of the new room, but there has been a delay with the furniture delivery date.

It will now take a few more weeks until the big reveal.

In the meantime, her cot adjusts to form a small sleigh bed, which will have to make do.

Oh...I can't wait!!

I just KNOW it is going to look fabulous!!

'Papier Boudoir' petite paper dresses

2011-04-27T04:50:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love the smell of brand new paper.

There is something about it that takes me straight back to my high school days and the start of each new school year.

I think it is because, that was probably the only time of the year when I got to own something that was brand new.

I love office supplies stores (like Officeworks)

and I can get quite heady as I take in a few DEEP breaths while walking through the aisles.

Secretly swooning as I pick up a folder or two

and poke my nose into the pages...ahhhh...*paper bliss*

I also love the smell and feel of old books.

There is something strangly comforting about them.

So much life has touched each page,

yellowed with the passing of time.

(iPad ...just NOT the same feeling)

above: Music Box Dancer - with tulle

I bought a couple of old library books

a few weeks ago,

during one of their charity weekends.

I had tried to tear up

some old books that I had at home,

but I just couldn't do it...except for the old phone book.

So I decided that I had to buy some

with the specific purpose to be torn up.

I also love ballet dancers and the theatre,

so beautifully graceful and elegant.

Full of whimsy and fantasy.

above: Music Box Dancer

These two loves of mine have come together

with the creation of these tiny dresses.

I've made a few little paper dresses

to sell in Lilliput Loft.

(my Etsy shop)

above: Ballerina

above: Little Dress

After I have made the tiny coathangers

from a piece of wire,

they are then spray painted with a

couple of coats of white paint.

These petite dresses are a great way to use those tiny pieces of trim and ribbon that are often left over from other craft projects.

Now...I'm off to tear up some more paper.

See ya!

Papier Boudoir

2011-04-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

Oh...OK...so I couldn't wait to show you what I have been busy with!

Oh so pretty and so cute!

I was going to wait until tomorrow to reveal these petite lovelies,

but I just couldn't wait.

I am in the process of listing them in Lilliput Loft on Etsy.

Creative ideas...

2011-04-26T21:53:00.000-07:00

...must be able to make

something beautiful

from all these items...

Happy Families

2011-04-17T22:47:00.000-07:00

Pandemonium!!

What a rumpus!!!

Such a commotion!!!

When I looked out

to see what all the noise was about,

I found a little 'Noisy Minor', (or 'Happy Family', as we know them by),

looking for something to stuff into her babies very loud and squawking beaks.

I tossed out a piece of multi grain bread,

onto the table outside our kitchen window.

The harried little mother

was quick to gobble up

a huge beakful of bread

in an effort to help silence

the demanding pair of offspring.

Who were perched up on our house guttering, above. So cute...but OH SO NOISY!!!!

Yes I know nature is supposed to be wonderful and all...but really.

The sound these little blighters create is very much like a loud squeaky plastic toy.

Magnificent Millicent

2011-04-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

Bonjour!

Very French, in pink and black,

Millicent is my latest creation.

She is a O.O.A.K. Art Doll.

Yes, as you can see,

I kinda got stuck in the Marie Antoinette phase!

Love those corsets and bustles,

and lots of embellishment!!

Oh so very pretty!!!

Millicent's underskirt is sewn from a wonderful fabric that I found while doing the rounds of my favourite opp shops.

It was actually a ladies blouse.

The fabric was so striking that I had to buy it and stash it away for just the right project.

Then Millicent came along

and she knew it was meant for her!

(Just click on the pictures for a larger view of the details.)

I am about to list Millicent in our Etsy shop, where she will join Marques, Paige and Chantilly.

Now I'm wondering about my next Art Doll...

nothing has completely settled in my mind just yet, though I have a few ideas.

I guess it will reveal itself all in good time.

Easter Bunnies

2011-04-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

Easter

I'm not too sure why we think

of bunnies and chocolate eggs,
(Ruben might know!!)

at this approaching, important date on the calendar.

But, because we do,
(and because I love the little critters...they are just so darn cute!!)

I wanted to showcase
a few of my favourite rabbits.

All of these needle-felted rabbits are the
fantastic creations of one lovely lady.

Her name is Sara Jo Renzulli.

She has an Etsy shop, called

The Barnyard,

where you will also find other kinds of gorgeous creatures,

all hand made with her very clever hands.

Sara lives in rural Elkton, Maryland - USA

(that's on the east coast for those

who are not sure where that might be)

This is her story:

"When I was a little girl I lived in the city.

Yet, I had an innate love for all things rural.

My bed was a nest of stuffed animals,

the more realistic the better (I would cut off their tags to erase any sign that they were actually made in China.)

They were my protectors and a connection to something that I had not yet defined.

My favorite toys were my Breyer horses

to which I gave my attention as if I had had

a lifetime of training in horsemanship.

On Sundays,

I would sprawl in front of our TV

for a big dose of PBS nature shows

undaunted by the fact that the

powerful lioness was eating the lovely zebra

right in front of my face.

Their fantastic wild world all made sense,

even to my young eyes.

And in a no-pet policy household I angled

for every little critter I thought I might stand a chance to convince my Mom to keep.

All the while, I was drawing, drawing, drawing.

Today, I work at my home in rural Elkton, Maryland

where I have two young boys and many critters dotting the hillside and underfoot.

I am a self taught
painter and needle-felter.

My intrinsic need to know animals
and to create has followed me and,
I expect, will never leave."

I hope you have enjoyed Sara's rabbits.

I love them.

Below, are some MORE gorgeous rabbits that I actually am lucky enough to own. They all dwell in our backyard. I bought them gradually over a period of time, from a potter who frequents the Tamborine Mountain Sunday Markets.

As is always the case with an obsession,

I started with one, then added another...

and before I knew it they were breeding like rabbits!!

Last count I think there were 14 of the cute critters scattered throughout the garden.

As you may have already guessed,

I really do have a fondness for RABBITS.

Prior to our grandaughters birth,

I was fortunate enough to find
the PERFECT rabbit
for a small child to love.

'Bed Bunny', has bonded with Elliana from birth.

Ellie cannot go to bed without him,

and when she is upset,

he wipes her tears away with his soft ears.

During an extreme moment last year,

she offered him to me,

to wipe away my tears with his ears.

(Sooooo sweet)

Oh, before I go,

I just wanted to share a few more photos

with you...

that have nothing to do with

rabbits or chocolate eggs.

But have everything to do with...

Easter.

"I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore,

and have the keys of hell and death."

~ Revelation 1:18

May you find rich blessings this Easter.

(as well as a few chocky eggs)

'Chantilly'...lace and a pretty face

2011-04-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

"Je suis une fille française"

...is my latest Art Doll.

She loves the era of

Marie Antoinette.

Lots of lace and ruffles,

stockings and bustles.

Corsets, coiffure and cleavage,

gloves and jewels.

Chantilly will soon join my other Art Dolls,

Marques and Paige,

in Lilliput Loft...

where they will continue to tête à tête about such French delights as Moulin Rouge, the Eiffle Tower and the Notre Dame, while they enjoy an aperitif with a patisserie.

Delicious monster!

2011-04-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

What’s big and green and creeping??

...has leathery, glossy, large heart-shaped leaves used in flower arrangements and is commonly grown as interior decoration?

With aerial roots that have been known to make ropes in Peru,

and baskets in Mexico…where it’s leaf and root infusion is drunk daily to relieve arthritis.

In Martinique the root is used to make a remedy for snakebite.

A member of the Arum family,

this exotic plant which is native to tropical rainforests of southern

Mexico

has found a home in our humble backyard.

Why…it has to be Monsterio Deliciosa.

Also known as: Ceriman, Swiss Cheese Plant (or just Cheese Plant), Fruit Salad Plant, Monster fruit, Monsterio Delicio, Monstereo, Mexican Breadfruit, Monstera, split-leaf philodendron, Locust and Wild Honey, Lions Paw, Windowleaf and Delicious Monster

I first planted it as a way of easily obtaining the beautiful large green leaves, when I had a wedding or other church event to decorate.

It has happily lived in our backyard for about 15 years. Just recently, My Knight had to do some rather severe pruning, or it would have swallowed our large palm tree.

But as delightful as it looks,

and as useful as it may be to many peoples…

the thing I really want to tell you about is its FRUIT!!

Which is utterly amazing in every way.

The unique fruit is up to 25 cm long and 3–4 cm diameter, looking like a green ear of maize covered with hexagonal scales.

The fruit can be ripened by cutting it when the first scales begin to lift up and it begins to exude a pungent odor. (pineapple/banana-like) You then wrap it in a paper bag and set aside until the scales begin popping off. The scales are then brushed off or fall away to reveal the edible flesh underneath. The flesh, which is slightly similar to pineapple in texture, can be pulled away from the core and eaten. It has a fruity taste similar to jackfruit and pineapple.

YUM!!!!!!!!!

WORD OF WARNING:

This totally deliciously yummy fruit…has a dark side.

The fruit often contain things called Raphides and Trichosclereids – needle like structures of calcium oxalate, approximately 6mm long. These manifest themselves more so if you try to eat the fruit BEFORE it is properly ripened…and you will know if you have tasted the not quite ripened flesh, as your mouth has the sensation of sharp stinging prickles.

So best to wait until the little scales have fallen away from the fruit by themselves, and don’t go picking them off. Just eat what is ripened and then put it back inside the paper bag until the next day.

Funny how our backyard seems to surprise me with 'usefulness' and 'yummy delight', when I only really wanted 'pretty'...must go and see if there is another of these wonderful fruit ready for picking...

Paige arrives

2011-04-01T04:23:00.000-07:00

As might be obvious to most,

Paige and Marcus

belong to a very flamboyant family.

No shrinking violets here!

Paige is my newest creation.

A sister for Marques.

Both of these One Of A Kind (OOAK) Art Dolls are Lilliput Loft originals.

They are mixed media creations.

Paige will be joining Marques, shortly,

in our Lilliput Loft Etsy Shop.

Rain Dance

2011-03-31T20:02:00.000-07:00

"There are holes in the sky where the rain gets in;

but they're ever so small, that's why rain is thin."- Spike Milligan

"The best thing one can do when it's raining

is to let it rain."

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"I love the rain.

I want the feeling of it on my face."
-Katherine Mansfield

"Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness,

has never danced in the rain."

These shots were taken this week when Ellie and I went for a wander in the rain.

This neighbours dog was in his doghouse/cubbyhouse, keeping out of the wet.

The bright yellow splash was from some previously spilled paint, on the footpath....so pretty in the rain.

Today it is still raining.

LOVE the rain!!

Meet 'Marques'

2011-03-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce you to 'Marques'.

A true Thespian at heart,

Marques is a sensitive soul with a flair for the dramatic.

His clothes reflect a love for the finer things in life,

and he is not afraid to wear pastel pink!

Marcques has finally arrived in Lilliput Loft.

I started working on him and his siblings

about four years ago!

Having been dragging my heels for such a long time,

it is wonderful to finally get to see this idea that has been in my head for way too long.

He started life, along with his siblings,

as a balloon...would you believe...way back in 2006!

A few wooden beads and short lengths of thick dowel,

then a layer of papier mache.

Then a coat of polyfiller to fill out the large bumps and dents...

followed by some sanding to smooth them over.

A few coats of flesh coloured paint...

and then the details are painted on.

Eye lashes make the faces complete.

Then to start work on the body...

Now that 'Marques' is finished, I will have to start work on his sister, 'Paige'....

I've created a monster!

2011-03-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

It all started quite innocently.

Having discovered these delicious little ones a while ago,

and become slightly obsessed with snacking on them...

(Perino tomatoes)

the crazy though crossed my mind,

to pop a couple of tiny seeds from a small tomato that I was enjoying,

into the garden bed outside our kitchen window.

Our backyard was only ever designed to be a pretty sight.

Visually pleasing.

We had long ago decided to keep it free of anything

that might be construed as pertaining to usefullness...ie. vege gardens and the like,

which require occasional periods of aestheticly challeged scenery.

But those tiny little seeds had other ideas!

Above: this is the view we now see from our kitchen window.

Below: where once there sat a gorgeous Lobelia filled, delightful view...

...there now sits an amazingly vigorous tomato plant.

YIKES!!!

Not only has it grown way larger that I thought was possible,

it has also produced abundant flowers...and fruit!!!

Ok. So there was a slight learning curve involved

in the 'growing of ones own tomatoes'.

It had to do with pesky little grubs.

The secret is...

that you must sprinkle yucky green poisonous tomato dust

all over the tiny yellow flowers.

If you fail to do so...

then you will end up with a super crop of

tomatoes that look like this...

Once we had used the dust,

things were looking up!

I don't know how many tomatoes

we have harvested from those initial couple of seeds that I stuck in the ground,

but there have been countless punnet sized crops so far.

Now we are wondering when the plant will have run it's course,

as it still seems to be nowhere near finished with it's growing.

You would have thought I might have learned a lesson about poking seeds into the garden bed.

But no, I couldn't help myself throwing in a couple of pumpkin seeds a few weeks ago...

Now I am wondering if THIS large leafed monster will

devour our whole backyard.

YIKES!!!

Women drivers?

2011-03-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

Poor Wallace has a tiger

in the back and

a teddy at the wheel.

It's all just child's play.

I had the delightful task of babysitting

our Elliana this week,

while her mother had to run a few errands.

It is always just child's play!

to look after her.

Ellie is such an amazing little girl.

Very well behaved, kind and caring...

that's our Ellie♥

A French Fantasy

2011-03-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

Busy Bee

2011-03-11T20:40:00.000-08:00

While taking a wander through my garden,

I came across a peculiar sight.

Someone had cut very neat holes in our Heliconia leaves.

As I stood staring at the strange spectacle,

a large bee buzzed by me and landed on the leaves,

and proceeded to slice herself another chunk of leaf.

It only took her a matter of seconds to do this,

and then she was off and making her way to her secret nest.

I raced inside and grabbed My Knight and my camera,

and together, we watched for signs of when the clever little cleaver bee would return.

Then My Knight saw her.

Carrying a slice of leaf, she very quickly disappeared
into the end of our watering wand.

We just looked at each other in astonishment.

Soon, the busy little bee again appeared from her, now not so secret, nest.

The little bee paid no attention to either of us,
as we wrangled for a better look at her hidey-hole.

We stayed to watch as she went about her chores,

This time, the bougainvillia was her leaf of choice.

We saw her quickly speed back to her hidden construction site,

carrying a large chunk of leaf.

above: dragging the piece of leaf inside

As each new piece was added to her patchwork quilt inside the nest,

she ventured out once more to

hunt and gather

another small piece to complete her youngun's nursery.

The garden is always full of surprises.

I can always discover something new,

each time I take the time to enjoy it.

Mr Google was happy to provide me with these next few photos

of the 'Leaf Cutter Bee':

Have you made time lately to

take a wander in your own garden?

There will no doubt,

be lots of wonders

just waiting for you

to rest, and enjoy.

Jack's crown

2011-03-06T23:21:00.000-08:00

Just had to share this with you all.

Remember my blog giveaway last month?

Well, the winner as you may know was Johanna Parker.

She has just posted a small article on her blog.

Looks like the wee crown found a good home.

Such a beautiful pussycat.