GOTHIC RUG IS FINISHED

I finished stitching my Gothic rug. It was stitched on 40 count silk gauze, the size of the rug is 5" x 5". I used Black and Grey Gutermann silk, Dark Red and Red over dyed Gloriana silk.

Now I need to block it and finish the edges.

I am so excited to start a new rug...

SCARLET SAILS MINIATURES

I've been asked where the name of my business "Scarlet Sails Miniatures" came from. Thank you for your question, I am more than happy to answer it.

It was painted by a Russian artist Svetlana Pottratz that lives in Oregon, here is the link to her website: http://www.mysvet.com/

The name Scarlet Sails was adopted from the name of a novel written by Alexander Green "Scarlet Sails".

"Scarlet Sails" is one of the most famous work by a Russian writer Alexander Green.

"Green" is his pen name and sounds un-Russian just like the names of his heroes: Thomas, Asole, Grey, as well as the names of the places where the heroes live: Caperna, Lisse, Zurbagan. The appeal of Green's writing is universal. It lies very much in exotic, romantic, faraway atmosphere that he creates. Because of this he has been compared to Edgar Allen Poe, Robert Lous Stevenson... Yet Alexander Green was a Russian as Russian samovars. He was born as Alexander Grienyevsky, in 1880 in Vyatka, and lived the entire life in Russia.

The plot of the novel "Scarlet sails" is that as a little girl Asole

has been told by the chief of all the sorcerers that once, when she would be a grown up, far out to sea, the sun will shine upon a white ship with scarlet sails and that a handsome prince will be on that miracle ship, and that prince would take her forever to his kingdom, where they will live together in a deep valley of roses, in friendship and joy that she never knows tears and sadness.

Since that time Asole has been waiting for the prince and his ship with scarlet sails.

Her dream came true. One day the miracle ship with scarlet sails arrived.

The prince, Grey, reached out his arms to Asole.

"Asole closed her eyes, fearing that if she kept them open everything would disappear. Grey took her arms, and knowing now where she could find safety, she hid her face, wet with tears, on his chest. Carefully, but with a smile, shaken himself by the fact that the precious moment had arrived, Grey raised the long-dreamed-of face to his. In the girl's eyes he saw reflected everything that is the best in a human being".

Arthur Grey falls in love with Asole without ever having exchanged a word with her, because through her he has learned that "miracles are made with one's own hands". Isn't it a very beautiful and true moral?

I wish that all of your dreams come true!

Have a great weekend!

New Real Size Project was Completed

Last July on the way back to home from the Southern California we stopped at one antique store and I had a luxury to buy this chair for $7.00.

Last week I finally found time to take care of it, I cleaned, sanded and stained it with Red Oak color.

While it was drying I took care of a seat. As a seat cover I used a piece stitched in Bargello I've had.

Here is how my new chair looks like today:

How to Entertain Yourself

Last weekend I entertained myself by applying different ways of finishing on some pieces of furniture from a kit.
This candle stand was aged. First I applied acrylic brown paint, let it dry. Then I sanded a surface a little bit. After that I applied another acrylic Buttermilk paint on the top with a dry brush and wiped it with a cloth.

I crackled another candle stand using Blue acrylic paint as a primer color.

This settee will suite any Antique store, or attic, I guess. I stained it, sanded, and finished with Lemon oil. The idea was to give a look of an old, neglected but still in a good shape piece of furniture with a needlepointed seat cover

Actually it has been already sold.
This little toy wagon was crackled using Red acrylic paint as a primer color

Update: Gothic Rug

Another wasted week, I worked on the rug only last Thursday and a little bit today.

Have a great week!

UPDATE: GOTHIC RUG

Here is a little Sunday update on stitching my Gothic rug. I planned to finish the dark red medallion this weekend, unfortunately I don't feel well lately, out of energy, week and dizzy, so I haven't done it. It means: more work this coming week. Stay tuned! Happy new week!

CABINET MAKING, Not Minis, But Still Fun

It is 1.00 a.m. in the morning here. I came home 2 hours ago. It was last day of a Cabinet Making class at the local Woodcraft store. I brought home my first cabinet I've made by myself. It doesn't relate to the miniatures but I really wanted to show you the cabinet. My dream is to build the kitchen cabinets for my own kitchen, someday... The design is very simple and we used birch plywood, but now I know how to build a case and frame for it,

I've learnt pocket-hole joinery,

and how to make a simple door for a cabinet, and more...

and here is my cabinet,

Tomorrow I will finish it, for now - Good night and have good dreams!

Oh, no, wait, look at this joiner,

and a router table,

and a table saw... Just a dream, true?

Now, Good night and have a good rest!

Update on Stitching my New Gothic Rug

Another week has passed by and here where I am with stitching my rug in Gothic style, just little update.

Have a great week!

Christmas Tree Workshop in Spokane, WA

Today I will load you with the tons of images. Yesterday we had the Christmas Tree Workshop in Spokane, WA, organized by a local dollhouse meeting. More than 40 people attended it with 12 dealers.

Each participant got a tote bag with a lot of goodies and surprises and kits to decorate the Christmas Tree.

There were Door prizes, Exchange Gifts and Ruffle tickets.

Everyone worked on theirs trees. Unfortunately, I didn't, I was one of the dealers, but I will make my own Christmas tree and post an image of it later.

Vicki, the President of both Dollhouse Miniatures clubs in Spokane, WA and Cour-d-Allen, ID, was very busy and tired, and I got the feeling she didn't like me snicking around and taking pictures of her but I still did it. She did an amazing job organizing that workshop and deserves to be known.

I believe nobody completely finished the Christmas Tree, that's why I don't have any images of them. The rest of the pictures will be from the Display room, and sorry if I missed somebody's name, because some of the projects didn't have them.

This project took the first place in the Category "Dollhouse Miniatures" at the Spokane Fair this that was held in September, 2011

and was made by this wonderful lady Katie

This Christmas hutch and a Christmas room box were made by Tammi

Christmas room box by Cheryl

A project by Rosemary Shipman

Project by Michelle

Christmas room box by Marilee

Another big project by Marilee "French Bakery"

This project was made by the youngest member of a Dollhouse Miniatures club, Samantha

Big Christmas house by Danny

Oh, I forgot to mention about this dealer

it is a beautiful parrot and his helper

and the others (sorry, no names)

This is the sample of a workshop that will be held in the Fall 2012:

Haven't you got the Christmas spirit yet?