Thatcham Moving Along.

Amazing it is that something as small as my little house can take so much to 'fill' up. The kitchen was easy. Kitchens especially old ones have lots of lovely interesting things to put in them. In fact I had to pull up the reins there as I was filling it up so much that no little person in their right mind would work under such claustrophobic conditions. The lounge is a struggle however. My own house if full of bits n bobs picked up haphazardly from years travelled but when you have to make them to put in a house it a little bit more awkward. So I'm still working on the downstairs. Basics covered but it the little things that make a house a home that are eluding me. The little table still needs a finish and lots of plump cushions of course. My sewing machine sits glaring at me from across the room. We are currently on speaking terms only. It knows it's too fancy for me and I just don't treat it the way it feels I should. That is why the curtains are for the time being made out of paper. The kitchen needs a rag rug I think. Whipped up the little sewing basket, took hours! The basket is still a work in progress but I used this one for now. I'm making a lidded one. Well I'm having a go at making one anyway. But it is school holidays here in Queensland so I'm off to the bush for a week. See you then!!


Yes this photo is terrible. I used my Iphone which had just had it's third drop in water for the week. Remarkably it still works.

Cookbooks and Dolls

I have finally finished these little dolls. There were a few prototypes till I got them looking the way I wanted. They come with their own little tissue lined boxes. They have been called Daphne Dolls, by my sister. I'm not very good with names I'm afraid and a quick phone call last to her saw them more appropriately named. I had just been calling them Dilly's!

Did these cookbook covers over the weekend for Warm Thatchams kitchen. They are mostly from early 1900's through to the 1940's. I just made them with balsa as the body of the book. I have also made up a printout of magazine covers from the same era and I'll post them up when I get a chance to clean it up a bit. I do love scouring the net for hours finding vintage material. So much artistry!! No computer graphic programs for designers back then.

A Warm Kitchen

Told the kids to look after themselves on the weekend, I had a kitchen to do. They did for the most part. I haven't done much to my little house for quite some time. The boys took in turns to get sick and Etsy orders to fill. As well as other general life stuff that gets in the way. But the majority of that was all settled and I sat down and finally put all the bits n pieces I've been hoarding into some use. This side of the kitchen is done for the most part. Need to add a few things here and there. Hanging bunches of herbs, more utensils, tea towels and fire wood. Stuff. The other side will now get my attention. A pretty shelf over the table and a little cupboard to go behind the door for all of Mrs. Thatcham's pots and bowls. It is so nice to see it finally come together. Canned food is just lengths of dowel cut painted silver and printed out labels gluesticked on. The jars of preserves are filled with clear silicone with a drop or two of food colouring and then polymer clay slices pushed in with a toothpick. The muslin tops were off an old quilt. The cotton had worn down so much into lovely soft muslin. Squares lightly glued on the top then very fine gauge wire around to hold. Then trim off the muslin. Had a go at ageing enamel canisters. Now where as scary as I thought.

Looking through the net on how women cooked with open fires I discovered all sorts of cast iron 'technology'. One of which was a swinging plate to cook on directly or to put pots on. I made one up from carboard cirlces glue together to for the plate. Electrical cable bent and glue to another smaller cardboard plate that would be glued to the brickwork. All glued together and painted black it works a treat.