A Dressing Room Makeover.

I thought I would post some more photos of the Maison de Livres. The idea of this room is that it was a dressing room off the washroom but it is now a study. I have been in many old buildings, mostly Victorian, and I love seeing how they have been modified over the years. I love trying to spot the changes that have been made. My own little house had this strange little cupboard out on the back verandah. Also found some yellow tiles in the garden below. Some thinking soon made me realise that they were footprints left from the evolution of my loo. I am very glad it is in the house now.

I have had lots of compliments on the wallpaper in this room. It is 'Emma' from Itty Bitty.

 The wonderfully detailed albums on the floor and the parchment letters on the desk are from Montserrat aka Monbio on Etsy. Her sealing wax stick and seal are my favourites.

 I found a great movie poster and in French no less of 'Sabrina'. A firm favourite. Movie and the poster!! The pitcher I got from Susie at Minieden Tienda on Etsy. She also made the mirror for me as well.

 The box of Paris memories on the floor are from Terulka on Etsy.

The Lavender is made by Marianne Cook who is also on Etsy. I adore her Lavender and have bought so many. I am now quite addicted to her Daffodils and have made a very good start on collecting those. Think I will have to do a conservatory.

Be safe, Carriexx.

A Kitchen at Last!

I thought the kitchen would be the best place to start. I haven't got a photo of the entire house yet as it is so tall it was impossible to catch it all in the cameras frame in my tiny workroom. This French townhouse I made for my niece Rebekah who recently turned 18. It took 18 months to complete. We both have a passion for all things French, Italian, old and just wonderful. The townhouse used to be an old narrow bookcase. Perfect I thought for a small bedroom. It is 144cm high. The shelf spacing completely lent itself for the towering ceiling heights of grander old homes. Not many of the walls were square or flat for that matter but that didn't bother me. I find those sorts of challenges make you think outside the box and come up with something different and new. I used foamboard, balsa and heavy card. Lots of gesso and Spakfilla. Items that I have purchased from other artists I have credited so that you may find their work if you like. If I have missed something please shout out and let me know!!

 Table by Janet Stoffel from Etsy (Minisby Jan). Chopping board by Hungarian Miniatures.

 Oil can and food canisters made by Susi at MiniEden Tienda

We are Aussie and love our Vegemite!! A must have!! Amanda Speakman (amanspeak on Etsy) made some Vegemite toast for me.

Bottle of Grand Mariner on the range mantle was made by My French Cuisine on Etsy.

I can finally show off all the glass ware I have been hoarding. This cabinet which is so lovely I bought form Villa Miniature on Etsy.

Ring cake made by My French Cuisine on Etsy. Shabby utensil rack by Hungarian Miniatures on Etsy. Another food canister from Susi. Knives from Hungarian Miniatures.

I used Lea Frisoni's staircase idea here to construct a stairway to now where. Rebekah and I absolutely love all things Art Nouveau and in particular Mucha so I added a bit here and there. This woman's face was a jewelry finding from long ago. 

Stack of books on the staircase are from Monserrat, Monbio on Etsy.

I have a rather tall space vacant now in my mini mess room. Mmmm what shall I do next?? So many ideas!!

Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoyed it!! Be safe!!

 Carriexx

Unfortunate but necessary

I don't like having to do this, I would normally just keep on moving and ignore it.  An old customer of mine saw a plate which looked identical to mine in another etsy shop and asked the store owner if she was selling AlavenderDilly plates because she wished to purchase these and some other things from the shop. Fair enough.  What proceeded after that was nothing short of just gobsmacking.  She received a series of ranting emails from this person where she was accused of actually being me setting up a fake Etsy profile. Huh? After reading the messages that were forwarded on to me I was very alarmed at the threats made, which is why I am writing this post.  I do not want any of my customers being sent any correspondence from someone who has an issue with me and what I do.  This person has already harrassed one customer, I am horrified at the thought of it happening to someone else.  So if anyone receives anything, just ignore it. Hit delete, spam, junk mail, whatever.  I'm so very sorry to everyone for this.

Be safe everyone, Carrie xx

Time for Dressing!!

The last room, the ground floor shop, has finally been completed!! Wohoo!!! Of course the lights I bought worked during every test but chose to fail as I was about to install them. Of course!! Yay to my stash and hoarding habits a new one was found although it was considerably de-brassed. so shiny. But anyways it now means I can start dressing rooms up. Painting up furniture and all that fun stuff. That's where I hit the wall. It had been so long since I had played dress-ups I had quite forgotten how to do it. Also had forgotten where all the goodies I have been buying for the last 18 months ended up. Woe! So four hours later I mostly sort off finished up the we laundry/washroom in the Maison. Four hours!! Argh, I did find most of the goodies though. Anyway it's a start so I can see what else needs doing.

The hanging clothes dryer thingy actually worked. I'm still stunned and I walk into my workroom every morning fully expecting to see it in a matchstick heap on the floor. I had no idea what I was doing and just went an old images of the real thing. 

 For folded linen I mostly used heavy paper towel and loo paper. It's all so lovely now and smells pretty.

 The box of Paris memories I bought from Teruka on Etsy.

I love these colours!!

Thanks for stopping by, be safe. Carriexx

A Little Bit of Mini-ing.

I thought I would just post a couple of pictures of my mini ventures. I get soo busy making and selling that I don't really get much time to play with what I make. So I took a little time this very hot afternoon and had a bit of a play.

The orange iced cupcake was a gift from a friend. The Lavender was a gift from Susi at MiniEden Tienda.

I had bought this toaster when I first discovered minis years ago. I love all retro kitchenware and had a go at transforming it to something snazzier. I think it turned out well.

The delicious ring cake I bought from My French Cuisine on Etsy.

Blessings to you all!! Carrie :0)

Christmas in Australia!!!

Christmas is very different here is Australia and I thought I would share some of what we do. I live in Townsville in far north tropical Queensland. It is summer and very very hot!!! About 32 C every day, nights are only a little bit cooler and very humid. So humid sometimes everything feels wet. There will be no cooking for our Chrissie fare. Cold meats, chicken and ham with lots of different salads and garlic bread. Ice cold fruit punch to drink. A spiked batch for the adults!! Maybe roast potatoes because we just love them so much. Seafood is a huge deal for Christmas lunch. Prawns are a must. Kids are outside playing in the water while the full stuffed adults lie back and 'supervise'. Pudding and custard for afters. We will be eating left overs for days. Aussie Christmas is very much an onslught of the digestive system. Too hot to do anything else but eat!

 

Townsville or the 'Ville' is where I live. You can see Magnetic Island as well. 

Boxing Day is usually spent at any one of the wonderful water parks are local council have available free of charge. The Strand Waterpark is one. Beach on one side and the city on the other. Surf life savers always patrol. We come here a lot.  I find a spot under a shady palm catching the see breeze in my camp chair while the kids get drenched.

We spend afternoons and nights here at The Strand. A walk way that stretches the length of the beach. The Waterpark is here, BBQ facilities, playgrounds, large park area for night markets. A pier that goes out into the water. For New Years Eve a pontoon is floated out and the fireworks are shown of it. Everyone gets a great view.

The Space Net on the beach for the kids, big and small. It's in front of the only stinger net in Townsville. Living in the tropics and having palm lined beaches and aquamarine water may look pretty but we don't swim in it!! Criminal I know. We have the box jellyfish which is about all Spring and Summer. It's sting can is extremely painful and can sometimes be fatal. So councils along the coast put up stinger nets every season so you can swim safely and they are always patrolled by trained life savers. So if anything should happen they can treat you immediately.

 

At the north end of the Strand is the Rock Pool. Nearly every summer it is closed at least once so that a crocodile or two can be removed!! Usually baby ones. Occasionally a reef shark will be washed in. They are harmless but still give you a fright.

A river goes through Townsville, I don't live far from it. Along it is more walkways that goes for kilometres. In one part we have another free water playground. It is two massive split level pools or lagoons joined by cascading waterfalls. The top one here has a gallery and cafe right on the water. There is seating and tables in the water! At night in summer a giant screen is put up and you sit in the water having a drink or two watching the latest movies. The bottom pool below is lined with giant trees and more for the kids. It is a wonderful place and my kids love it. As the weather is warm here all year round we can use these places all year. We may get a week or two in winter where I might throw on a jumper. We don't have heaters. Don't need them.

 

Our homes up here are like this. Called Queenslanders. The old ones are like this anyway. Mine is and we love it!! Always up on stilts to keep us cool and to keep flash flooding away. Always a verandah and lots of casement windows. But we do have air conditioning and I would be lost with out it on hot humid nights!!

 

We do hope this doesn't happen. This time of the year is cyclone season!! Cyclone Yasi hit us last February on my 40th Birthday!! But if is does then the Army is always there to lend a hand. We have two large military bases here. My brother in law is one of the guys who fixes helicopters. I am so lucky to have been able to go up in these incredible machines on three occasions now. It is such a buzz and a great way to see everything way up there. Yay to family days!! They are very loud though, very.

 

This is some of what I do here in Townsville and how we do Christmas.

 

HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

CARRIE,

 

Shameless Plug

This is as the title suggests, a plug!! For my sister's work!! Our views, life and loves etc are the exact same but what we are drawn to in styles is so very different. For her it is Tudor and Moroccan!! Here's a pic of her latest creation. More pictures can be seen on her blog http://lavenderbliu.blogspot.com.au/. Please have a look!!!