Lovely miniatures, Lucky me...

In December, I was the winner of not one but two lovely giveaways.  One from Rosanna of La Stanza di Giuggiola and one from Deborah of Petit.

During the bustle of Christmas, I had forgotten all about them so it was a pleasure when they arrived within a day of each other just after Christmas.

Rosanna gave me a few pillows to chose from.  The one that I choose, fits perfectly into the Daydream Cottage...

The number 2 Unicorn horn was my choice from Deborah's beautiful Collection. For now it is in the Daydream Cottage, but I've always wanted to do a "Practical Magic" type witches house.  It may have to be next on my list...

Thank you to you two talented women.   The tiny details are amazing.

Daydream Cottage - Fall Cleaning

The poor Daydream Cottage has been sitting neglected in the middle of my workroom collecting dust.  I was going to landscape but I think that will have to wait.  It had become sort of a dollhouse junk room  collecting bits and pieces.  I spent the afternoon removing and dusting everything then putting everything back securely with museum wax.  Adding things here and there to make it homey.  I then covered the back with a fabric dust cover. 

Before moving it up to the top of a bookshelf,  I took some pictures of it freshened up...

Though it will always be my first baby, it will stay atop the bookshelf while some other things get finished and started!

A little Daydreaming...

The other day I turned the Daydream Cottage around so that a young visitor could check it out.  I was a sunny day and I liked how the light was coming through the windows.  Just a few shots since I haven't posted is no long...

The door is off its hinges!

I can't seem to stop buying gifts for myself!  I was feeling a sorry for Emerson and the Daydream Cottage.  I had left it not quite finished and it was looking a little bare.  I've been working on some decor for the cottage but also buying some lovely things from some very talented people.

From Katie's Clay Cottage some signs and a birdhouse.  I thought the Follow your Dreams sign was just perfect for the Daydream Cottage...

 From Looking Glass Miniatures Egg soaps in a jar (these eggs are unbelievably tiny!)...

From Carolyn's Little Kitchen delicate china plates and a fun sign...

And just so the 1930's townhouse won't feel left out, some radios from Twelth Dimension Miniatures...

I've just finished my swap items for Cockerina's International Swap (nothing like waiting until the last moment).  December should be a crazy month not only because of Christmas but my boys were born on Christmas and they've decided they want two different parties!  I promise to still make time for miniatures!

Getting Settled...

Emerson is getting slowly settled into the Daydream Cottage.  She is having trouble finding a sofa that she likes.  She was having one custom made but the maker gave up halfway through.  She is temporarily using this one scavenged from the Strawberry Patch...

For now she is sustaining her self on take-out chinese  food and tea...

Her cat whiskers is settling in nicely too.  He's found a new bird friend in a cage.  He hasn't noticed the fat bird on the windowsill yet...

The bathroom has the necessities...

A few more big pieces and lots of details need to be added but she is settling in nicely. 

Emerson particularily loves her Iceland Poppy that arrived safely from Greece!  Thank you to Michelle of Little Rabbit Miniatures for this wonderful Give-Away prize!

A chair and goodies

I find that I've been trying out all of the wonderful tutorials that I come across in blogland.  Hopefully the experience of creating these wonderful miniatures will help me to come up with some original ideas!

A few weeks ago, I tried out the Louis XVI chair from Lea Frisoni's beautiful blog.  I was very happy with the results except I've somehow lost the fabric for the arm rests in my pseudo craft room:

This will go in the Daydream cottage living room. 

I was excited to receive today in the mail an order from Carolyn's Kitchen esty store.  I was so intrigued by the recent giveaway on her blog that I had to order these two little dishes and the metal picture for the daydream cottage...

They are so sweet and came so fast from New Zealand to California!  Thanks, Carolyn, for the great service!

A tenant for The Daydream Cottage

After a few failed attempts at making my own doll from polymer clay (a post for another day), I broke down and bought a Sandy Calderon doll kit from Minikitz.com. With the kit, I could at least try my hand at wigging and dressing the doll.  And so Emerson Rose Bloom was created.

 Emerson was recently laid off from her big city job and has come to the country for a little rest and to "find" herself.  She obviously needs to find a new hairdresser too.  She can't do a thing with her hair.

The cottage seems roomy and pleasant enough...

It's very peaceful.  But will she be lonely...

Ahhh, a friend...

Emerson thinks she'll be very happy here...

The Daydream Cottage

For my "starter" home,  I chose The Arthur Dollhouse Kit from Greenleaf Dollhouses.  I found it for a great deal on Overstock.com and you can't beat the shipping costs.   It was both fun and frustrating to put together.  Even after researching all the do's and don'ts there was lots of sanding, some mallet banging and a bit of swearing involved when putting it together.  But still halfway through building it, I was already thinking of the next house to build.

The house has been christened "Daydream Cottage".  A single woman will live here.  It will be very girly.  (Maybe it's the house I dream of living in if I wasn't living with a husband and two active boys.)

The stones in the foundation have been made using egg cartons.  A trick I picked up from many of different sites I've come across.

Two of the rooms have 1/12 scale wallpaper printed out from Jennifer's Printables.  Two are from the local dollhouse store.

Though I love to shop at the dollhouse store, I'm going to try and make a lot of things for the Daydream Cottage.  This is not only to keep the costs down but to challenge my creatively.