Victoria Carriage in Miniature - the end of the 19th century

The design of a Victoria carriage that I've finished last week is based on a typical carriage made in Dereham at the end of the 19 century and which Mr. Skinner (the Original Director of Hobbies in December 1895) used to transport himself and his family to church each Sunday.

The design has been reproduced by Hobbies Design as close to the original as possible. The original that you see in black/white picture was cut in white holly.

I used black walnut and white ash for my Victoria Carriage to get the contrast of 2 woods and enhance the beauty of the carriage.

Originally I cut out the knobs for the wheels from the black walnut and made the wheels working,

but later have changed my mind and switched the knobs on white ash and made the wheels non-working.

The Victoria Carriage is 13,5" long and 7" high. There are 3 seats there:

the coachman's seat and the passengers' seat

as well as a place for your baggage

The floor of the Victoria Carriage is covered with a velvet paper color Wine.

I used working LED coachman lights to make it easy for a coachman to drive in the dark and be seen by the others.

and I see there is a first passenger already, but the horses were not chosen yet...

Have a great day,

Natalia

Hiking Season 2014 is Opened. Part 2.

While checking out another hiking place we came to the conclusion that that part of the State Park is not taken care well at all. See yourself. We parked at the public parking lot and went straight to the information table to introduce a new route to ourselves. This is what we saw:

Since there was only one road leading forward and no any other paths, we decided to follow it. When the road turned into completely covered with ice disaster we took a right turn and started climb up. We climbed up pretty high.

This is our turn,

and this is an icy road we tried to avoid

We followed that road till we found the fallen tree on our way that we successfully went around and it appeared to be the top of the hill.

Still no signs, so I can't tell you what elevation it was, what is the name of the hill, but we stubbornly followed the road

till we found some signs of previous human being presence, like old pieces of a broken building, some metal pieces, etc...

The place felt uneasy, unhealthy and creepy. The gloomy weather didn't help either. In a word, that place felt dead, and I just refused to go further, and the curiosity brought my husband to the ruins of an old building

If you look to the left side - there is a forest,

if you look to the rite side - there is a forest

At that moment I felt that we were so careless and negligent to ourselves: not knowing where we were, no water with us, no knife, no nothing, only a cell phone without reception...

The way back was much faster... 6 miles of walking and no fun today...

I am thinking SUMMER...

But it was not the end of a day. Absolutely not satisfied with that walk we went to a new place and did a fast but very steep 2 miles up and 2 miles down climb.

That was a workout, I must tell you! and such a fabulous view!

I am thinking SUMMER more...

Natalia

Hiking Season 2014 is Opened. Part 1.

I have a lot of compassion towards the rest of the country and people who suffer the severe cold this winter.

Even though the winter officially is not over yet I can say we didn't have much snow this year, and due to the weather we opened our hiking season early in 2014. My Sweatheart and I love hiking, especially exploring new paths and testing our own possibilities.

It was 01.18.14 when we decided to go back and finish the trail we started last April and didn't finish it, because we saw a couple of big bullhead snakes on the way and I made my hubby turn around. It was a fast and nice warm up for us.

We saw beautiful mallard ducks habitating (is it even a word? :))) the Little Spokane River along the trail. After observing them for a while we found they have a nest in this little "cave"

We saw some deer on an island, unfortunately they went their way while I tried to get my camera out of the case, :(((

There is a part of the trail that is closed, but my dear dear, who is always full of adventure, decided to check it out anyway.

It was so interesting that there was no snow around and only the path itself was covered with ice...

Even this big fallen tree didn't stop my explorer (the picture doesn't show how big the tree is, but we actually had to clime on it in order to get on the other side).

We figured out that this part of the path being located very very close to water and being bushy is a dangerous place to be, because of the snakes during the summer.

We successfully reached the end of the path

It has been gloomy like this since last November, but we can't complain, true?

As you remember, we moved to a new house last April, and since that time I've heard a lot about so-called Indian Painted Rock. Even our neighbour (who actually doesn't hike) told us we need to see it. He said that the painting is hardly seen now and the rock is gated to limit the access to it. In my imagination I pictured the Indian Painted Rock as a good size of mural some where on the to of the hill that you have to conquer. I was a little bit disappointed when I saw it at the end of the path. We actually passed by it so many times while driving and I never paid attention and never gave a though that this place could be a historically preserved Indian Painted Rock.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you too much about it, because we couldn't find any information on the Information table. Sad...

to be continued...

Have a great weekend and a lot of hiking! Stay safe, calm and healthy!

Natalia

Victoria Carriage - New Scroll saw Project

Four Days ago I started to work on a new scroll saw project - a Victoria carriage. The pattern is not very difficult but like everything requires consistency and patience. Each day I tried to cut out as much parts as possible balancing between real and miniature life. I used 2 different contrasting kinds of wood: walnut and white ash, 1/8" each.

These are results of 4 days of work:

Day 1 - It was very late but I was so excited and cut out a couple of simple pieces.

Day 2 - It was a very productive day! That day my hubby called me a NUT, finding me in the garage at 5.00 a.m. working on these parts, :)))

Day 3 - There was not too much of free time, but I managed to cut out back wheels

Day 4 - I have finished cutting out front wheels and some small pieces.

I used very fine blades trying to avoid too much of sanding after all, however you can't ignore this process completely, so I prepared these pieces for sanding:

Time for sanding and finishing the wood! It will take some time!

Happy weekend!

Natalia

What a Surprise - I won a Giveaway!

Can you believe it? I won a Giveaway!

Last month Tricia Wilson Nguyen, whose class I am taking ("Tudor Rose" Goldwork, see the previous post) had a Christmas giveaway. One of her offerings was this little cute Santa's House cross stitch kit (http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2013/12/12-days-of-christmas-giveaway-day-9.html). I have to be honest: I participate only in the Giveaways that I really want to win! and... unfortunately, never do...

You know, I am not lucky in winning any Giveaways (even if I am signing for one, :))), but decided to try my luck again. I fell in love with this little cuttie from the first sight! So many days have passed by since and I was sure it was not my time again. Today in the morning our mailman brought a package from Tricia. I, frankly speaking, thought that it related to Tricia's Goldwork course "Tudor Rose" that I am signed up currently. I was so surprised when I opened it: it was that cross stitch kit of Santa's House! I won a Giveaway! Thank you, Tricia! You've made my day today!

Oh, by thE WAy, today I also signed up for another giveaway. The reason is: I love her work and I want that miniature soooo badly! I probably will go to Birgit's blog and talk to Magica to make a spell (I don't dare to use her magical ball or wand without her permission - don't want to be in trouble like Flutterby was, or not to get a blueberry pie (that I love) this year...).

Good Luck to me!

Natalia

Tudor Rose - Work in Progress- Real Size Needlework

Today's post is about my real size needlework I am working on in between routine in my miniature life - Tudor Rose, Goldwork.

As I've told before, I am taking a workshop by Tricia Wilson Nguyen - "Tudor Rose" Goldwork - this course is a project to explore the use of composite gold and silk detached stitches.

I have finished the leaves and started working on the petals of the rose. I am not rushing it and really, really am enjoining the process.

Happy stitching and miniaturing (I know it is not even a word, but I like it)!
Natalia

Steeple Church - Work in Progress - Day 5 - Floor

It has been almost 2 months since my last post about my latest project - Steeple Church. This project requires a lot of work on scroll saw and since it has been too cold to work in the garage (where my scroll saw is residing currently) I haven't done any progress till now.

Another reason that slowed me down was the floor. I couldn't make up my mind what floor I want to see in my church. First I decided I wanted to have a wooden floor, next I know I've been arguing with myself because the second "me" decided the stone tile floor would look just right for the church the first "me" was building.

Then my third "me" (my sweet and patient hubby says I have 9 of them) reminded all of us that long thinking is an enemy of creativity. So my first "me", that is very demanding and in control of everything (at least she thinks so...) decided to go with the plan A and make wooden floor with marquetry.

However, now I am in front of a new dilemma. Do I want the floor look like new?

or like old?

One of my "me" likes old look better.

What do you think?

Natalia, trying to find true myself...

Dollhouse Miniature Wall hangings "Pink Lady" and "Blue Boy"

Dear friends,

Today I would like to present you another 2 patterns/kits from my Classic Collection. They are: "Pink Lady" and "Blue Boy"

The design for a dollhouse wall hanging petit point pattern "Pink Lady" was adopted after one of the famous paintings by Thomas Lawrence, known as "Pinkie", 1794. The original is in the permanent collection of the Huntington Library at San Marino, California. The painting is an elegant depiction of Sarah Barrett Moulton, who was about eleven years old when painted.

44 x 71 stitches

17 colors

The finished size is 0.90" x 1.45" (2,28 x 3,68 cm) if stitched on 49 count silk gauze

The background doesn't require stitching

The design for a dollhouse wall hanging petit point pattern "Blue Boy" was adopted after one of the famous paintings by Thomas Gainsborough.

35 x 81 stitches

14 colors

The finished size is 0.71" x 1.65" (1,81 x 4,208 cm) if stitched on 49 count silk gauze

The background doesn't require stitching

In spite of the fact, that both portraits are often paired together, the two were created by different painters a quarter century apart, and the subjects' dress styles are separated by over one hundred fifty years. Jonathan Buttall, who posed for Gainsborough's portrait, wears a period costume of the early 17th century as an homage to Flemish Baroque painter Anthony van Dyck, whom Gainsborough held in particular esteem. Sarah Moulton wears the contemporary fashion of 1794.

Both designs, that have been adopted and charted by me, are available at my webstore www.dollhouseneedlepoint.com as PDF patterns and kits as well.

http://www.dollhouseneedlepoint.com/apps/webstore/products/category/963940?page=1

http://www.dollhouseneedlepoint.com/apps/webstore/products/category/1084487?page=1


Happy stitching,
Natalia


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkie_(Lawrence_painting)

Free Dollhouse Miniature Needlepoint Area Rug Pattern Round HERIZ SERAPI

Each year before Christmas I present a new free needlepoint pattern for a dollhouse miniature area rug as a gift to all my followers. I am a little bit late, but it is better than never, true?

This is my new design of a dollhouse rug Heriz Serapi and it is round. Please, use this pattern ONLY for personal use.

It requires 40 count silk gauze to be stitched on, but you also can use 35 count (if you want a bigger rug), or 49 count silk gauze (if you want to have a smaller rug).

40 count silk gauze
201 x 201 stitches
5.03" x 5.03"

There are 4 pages:

Here is a shopping list, however you are welcome to change the color palette!

Have fun and Happy Stitching!

Natalia