Tuscan Book Room Mk II

Two posts in a week!!!!! Oh my and the sky didn't fall in. Bonus!! I liked my Tuscan inspired book room so much I made another one which was better and gave it away so I could keep my original one. I think that made sense. Anyway my Grandmother lives so very far away from me and my kidlets. I thought I would use the Tuscan Book Room as a showcase of all the mad mini-ing that I do. So she knows what I'm on about. It may seem wicked I know to give a woman of many, many mature years a gift whose items are so teeny she can't see them but that's what glasses and magnifying glasses are for. Electron microscope anyone?!!! Anyhoos it got put on the back burner what with Maison de Livre, New Zealand, kids and that life stuff. Today I finished it, yay!!! The crowd cheers!!! Any way here are some pics. The light is getting lousy for photos. Sun heading to the other side of the house like it does this time of year and the tree outside my window just keeps growing, as they do. Have a squizz, I got to put dinner on.

See you all and be safe!!

Carriexx

A Little Room Box...with one wall and no roof.

 For photos of larger items I had been using the attic room of the Maison de Livre. It was just perfect!!! But it needed to go with the rest of the house when my niece Bek finally took the keys. Argh what to do says I. Well an amazing thing happened, my brain worked! Yes in a mathy numbers and use of rulers kind of way. I usually work in the way of mmmm a gap...need to cover it...timber bit all shabbified will do. Bingo and all done. Actually it was probably motivated by what usually motivates me, a desperate need not to do more work than I need to. I didn't want to make another room box ergh too much work!! Now I sound like my kids. So mathy numbers part of my gray matter stirred from it's deep slumber and a light bulb turned on. Before it blew out I quickly sketched down the idea. And lo and behold drum roll please, it worked. It's just a little photo studio. No walls or roof. Let's in more light that way. I don't plan on talking panoramic shots here. Foam core 5mm thick. The base is two thicknesses. 5mm from one long end I have left a chanel 5mm wide. Lots of 5mm here, not too mathy. There are two wallpapers I just lorve so I wallpapered both sides of my wall. Added base boards 5mm up on both sides. So the idea is the wall just slides in and out. I can have a choice of two types of wallpaper for my pics. The base boards help it to stay in place. Did any of that make sense?? Anyways I thought I would share my mathy moment thinking it could help out someone else. I am very sure I'm not the only one to have done this but here it is, save you some Googling.

With the green wallpaper side, I can't remember the name of it doh.

Foam board is 20cm x 25cm. Channel 5mm wide and little bit at the back is 5mm. To glue on the baseboards (once the wallpaper was on) I slid the wall piece into the channel , glued both cut to size pieces of timber and bunged them on, holding them till they dried. Perfect fit then. The timber floor is just an image I found of the net and printed.

Other side, Emma in cream I think it is.

I think it works purty well.

Fizz pop there goes my light bulb. Ahh it was good while it lasted.

Nite folks!! Carriexx

Home Again.

Home again, sigh. The three hour flight over the Tasman did not disappoint. It was just majestic. I couldn't resist taking photos of the beautiful clouds.

See the dragon head? I thought it was neat. And he's even spewing out a bit of white frothy 'fire'.

I could tell we were close to Australia when I saw this cloud formation.  This cloud is a baby storm in the making. This time of year you can see them almost every afternoon hovering just off the coast. You wonder if they'll just fade away or explode into a ripper of a storm. I love the ripper storm. But not the mini cyclone variety. That's just a bit too much.

South east Queensland coastline. 

Brisbane, one more flight to go.

I was brave this morning and opened the special wooden box that was made up for our houses. I was worried how it had traveled thousand's of km and three separate flights. That is to say being tossed on and off multiple conveyor belts and the little trucks that zip around those big planes. Phew, glad to say it still in one piece. Now to clay the outside walls, the roof shingles, the landscaping and the idea of resin for the water. How am I going to decorate?!! So different to my usual fare but what a delicious challenge!!

Easy peasy.

New Zealand thank you!!!

Be safe you all!! Carriexx

Workshop!!

Rik Pierce Fair Rosamund Bower Workshop. It has finished as soon as it started. But what a blast!! A fantastic workshop!! Flat out for five 8+ hours a day. Up everyday before the sun. Great people!! A beautiful place. Totally wonderful.

The sun makes an appearance as we arrive every morning to get started. It was very cold. Well for someone like me who comes from northern Australia it was. Lots of hot tea was had.

 Redwood Valley Hall, built 1887, where the workshop was held. I just loved it.

The view out from the front of the hall. Ahhh. 

Rik's resin dormer window. Just fantastic!!

Upstairs. Paper clay walls finally conquered!! And it was terribly easy. Good quality clay really makes all the difference.

Rik working on my house. Eekk!!

Downstairs. The tile floor put up quite a fight. The very cold morning my the vinyl hard to cut.

Wow what an awesome experience!! I am so very thrilled to have been a part of Rik's final southern workshop. To everyone there thank you for five wonderful days!!

Bless you all, Carriexx

New Zealand.

New Zealand. What a beautiful country!!! So much to see!. I have only been here for three days and have seen so much. I am looking forward to tomorrow. Another day of driving this time along the north coast of the south island. Can't wait to see what other beautiful places I'll find. Seems I arrived in time for the first rain they have had for a long time. I don't mind at all though! The Rik Peirce class doesn't start for another three days yet. I hope I won't have worn myself out!!

Lake Rotoroa.

Lake Rotoiti

Take care, Carriexx.

A Book Shop

I thought I would post a couple of pictures of the book shop. Although it is still waiting for all of it's books. I'll put up some more pictures when I can.

The store is still being arranged. Still a work in progress and new books are always coming in. When I make them anyhoos. :0)

List of artists who work I have used all found on Etsy:

Monbio. Leather wall letter holder, parcels and tied stack of books.

L Delaney. Books, yellow letter pad which looks so real defies logic.

Evminiatures.  2 glorious leather books in the display case. They are just incredible.

Minimodels. Books

Bagusitlay,. Books

Spirited Woodland. Parchments and papers in drawers and on walls.

Thank you!! Carriexx

Salon

A quick post and some pics of the Salon of the Maison de Livre. 

I hadn't finished fraying the edges of the rug!! It was taking soooo long and I needed to get other things done!

Most of the books I bought from Bagusitaly from Etsy. The ones on the vintage player in the fireplace are from LDelaney also on Etsy. So well made.

 This dresser I love. It is a Petite Princess one from the 1960's in mint condition still with it's box. I think I got it through eBay.

I made these french doors to come out so that I an get into the little foyer area to dress it and change light bulbs when needed.

I love this Mucha poster. I have been trying to find one in RL size.

I still haven't finished off the ceiling treatment yet. It is a small space and I have been looking for a ceiling rose that isn't too busy. I have a wonderful 5 arm chandelier from Art of Mini waiting to hang up once I have the rose.

No knob on the drawer, I had run out of the little glass beads I use!! Argh!!

Only the book shop to go!! Actually only 200 more books to go!!!

Be safe!! Carriexx