Summer Fun

     I have been trying out different types of clay.  In the past I have worked in porcelain,but found it too abrasive for my system.  I found some La Doll at Amazon and spent a little time with it today.  The chimney tile is a quick piece of work.  I didn't spend much time refining it, but I can tell that it will be beautiful to work with.  It has many of the same qualities of porcelain but it is more malleable.  One of the things that I like about porcelain is that you can paint fine details on with slip...La Doll allows for this technique also.

       I can,t wait to have more time to work with this clay. I think it will allow me to make great details in my work, but for now, my children and I are  off to Boston to visit my mother and the museums.

Tile for beach house chimney (2 3/4 x 2 3/4 inches)

 Normally, I would knit or embroider my own window treatments , but summer's end is close, and Annabelle's house needs to be finished.   I have a nice collection of  of vintage lace, and have used some  of it  for the beach house windows.

I have used some roses made from cold porcelain to tie back the bedroom curtains. 

I made this  blue wicker Chaise longue this week.  I used directions in  the book Wicker Furniture by Sheila Smith to get a basic idea, but changed it to suit my needs.  The lounge will go o he porch.

I need to make one more chair, a bench and two little tables, and the porch will have all of it's furniture.

Details of Gwendolyn's dresser.  I painted the china with china paints about eight years ago. The blank pieces were from Avon miniatures of the UK http://www.avonminiatures.com/  .   I plan on working on my flowers at some point, but for now they are just balancing in the vase.  The wall paper is from Itsy Bitsy Mini, and is described in an older post.

Annabelle solved our cat-in-the-house problem.  She made Bella a cardboard house which I put on top of a china cabinet.  She loves to sleep in it and to look down on all of us.   

We are planning to do a lot of mini baking.  We made these whipped cream dollops out of silicone caulking that I put in a disposable plastic pastry bag fitted with my smallest star tip.  The clean-up was easy, as the caulk cleans with soap and water until it dries.  Once  they dried I was able to store them in a little plastic container.

I finally got the nerve up to use liquid resin.   I  used Easy Cast, and it was easy. My biggest fear was that it would harden all over the place, but it takes a few hours to set, giving you plenty of time to add color, mix with tiny fruits, drop into jars and clean up.  If you are afraid to try this project, don't be.

Have a wonderful week,
Lucy Coles

progress on Gwendolyn and Joseph's home

Bella, our cat, feels the need to try out every room in the house.

Annabelle chose the above perfume bottles and corgi pillow from Gillian at Make it Small.  She then  used these items to choose the wallpapers .  The top one is Cottage Rose and the bottom is Fifi and Friends , both are from Itsy Bitsy Mini.

When Annabelle was sick, my mother bought her the puppy in the previous picture.  Using    Wicker Furniture For The Doll's House , by Sheila Smith, Annabelle and I constructed this little dog bed.  Anna did much of the weaving, the braid, her first embroidery and sewed and stuffed the little pillow.

Fifi enjoys the porch.

Gwendolyn tries out her new chair.  She is going to spoil that baby if she doesn't stop holding her!

Have a Wonderful week ,
Lucy Coles