Thursday, July 14, 2011

The beginning


After several months of procrastination, today I am posting my first blog! It is also due to the kind encouragement by Catherine of Kilmouskie and me and Linda of Une Petite Folie to start this.

I initially wanted to do a blog on miniatures only,  but realized that I have so many passions in life,  that restricting myself to only one, would be hard.  However, I will start with my love of miniatures and of french design, that will be used for my dollhouse.

My passion with miniatures started about 10 years ago.......................over the years I have accumulated hundreds of pages of ideas and photos for my future little dollhouse.................it still has not happened (procrastination again).  I have purchased almost all the furniture pieces that I will need, but have left all the finishing touches for when I design each of the rooms.  I plan to only build one dollhouse!!!  The style will be a french chateau.  I am designing it myself, so that is why it is taking so long.  It is hard to put everything into the dollhouse that you want, especially if you are only making one!!  In future blogs, I will show my plans of this dollhouse.

For the past 4 years, I have been addicted to needlework for miniatures in the form of petitpoint. I started out by making items in too large a scale to look right with miniatures.  By trial and error, I am most comfortable with using silk gauze in 40 count and 60 count to the square inch.  Before I discovered silk floss, I was using only DMC......................now it is all I use!!  I love the look and feel of it.  I will endeavor to share with you some of my newest creations in subsequent blogs.



Here are some of my earliest creations:

This was  my first petitpoint on 40 count gauze and I used DMC cotton.  It is my interpretation of  'Victorian Animal Rug',  originally designed by Elizabeth Bradley.  It will be going into the 'study' or the 'studio'


                                  
    These were the first mini slippers that I made and they sure look it............a bit clunky!  They were made for dear Mercedes of 'Liberty Biberty'.  She is so talented and has such a generous heart!

                                I also made her a mini tea cozy for her shabby cottage.


    I first made a tea cozy for Linda Carswell because she had admired the one that I had made for Mercedes..............actually I was so in awe of Linda and all her talents!!!!!...........that I was more than honored to have any of my petitpoint in her charming petit chateau. 

                                          
                                                     Next, I made some cushions for her 'salon'


    While I was working on these projects,  I was also working on a rug design for my 'mini family room'.  This is a picture of the inspiration rug which I have revised.  It is a 'Agra' style rug.


                                                              
                                                               This is my version in progress........it is on 40 count and DMC cotton and the last time that I will use cotton on 40 count!!!!! 





    Next post, I will show you the finished 'dog' rug..............it only took me 3 (!!!!) years to finish.  Not because it was so hard but because other projects got in the way.  Considering, that I still have rugs left to make for the Kitchen, Living Room, Dining Room, etc. etc. etc.................I will be busy for years (ha!!)

    Well, there it is, my first post and please bear with me while I learn how to post properly.................and hopefully, not write so much!!!

    Hugs to all





    31 comments:

    Linda Carswell said...

    Dearest Sandi.....Finally...lol!!!

    I am so thrilled to see that you have started your blog....I look forward to seeing all the wonderful items you have been working on and I know that there are many (many) other bloggers who will be 'blow-away' by your amazing talent!!

    Linda x

    ps....you have made my day!!!

    Catherine said...

    YIPPEE!!!! Dear Sandi... I am so happy to see that you have made your first post. Welcome to Blogland!

    These are all so beautiful. The ones you made for Linda and Mercedes are like old friends of mine that I visit from time to time. :-)

    I adore these beautiful rugs. I would love to see them in person. I look forward to seeing each new post here, whether it is about needle work or design. Catherine XXX

    Elga said...

    Hi Sandi, what a lovely surprise to wake up and find your first post!!!!!!. Your work is all so lovely and I love all your rugs. Well, I have been building on my single dollhouse for over 10 years and I am not even halfway, it is Victorian but I would like to also build a Tudor and Georgian house if I ever get the time so 3 houses is my total. Looking forward to see more of your work and ideas.

    Elga

    KK said...

    Hello Sandi & a very warm welcome to 'blogland'! Your items are exquisite & I really look forward to your future posts! With very best wishes from the UK! :) x

    Patty said...

    Sandi, Welcome to the world of blogging! Your work is so stunning and it will be great to be able to see more of it! I have admired your work for some time now via Linda's wonderful Maison. I love the rug that you are making for your future house. I am like you and still collecting for that future house of mine too. We love reading long posts that have tons of photos so don't think your first post was too long.....it wasn't. I enjoyed reading it!!!

    Caseymini said...

    Sandi, I found you through Catherine's post this morning. Your needlework is wonderful. I will be happily following along as you write.

    sylvia said...

    Sandi, welcome in the wonderful land of blogging.
    Beautiful work amd I am looking forward to see more.
    Sylvia

    Cate and David said...

    Sandi your work is glorious! Thank you Catherine for pointing us here! What a pleasure it will be to see more!

    cockerina said...

    I have admired your work for a long time in the blogs of Mercedes and Linda, now I can finally put a face to this extraordinary artist .. thanks to have opened the blog, I truly admire your masterpieces often ..
    welcome to the blogosphere!
    Caterina, from Italy.... :))

    Linda said...

    Welcome to blogland its so much fun :D I love your work its fabulous! :D Linda x

    lesnuestrescoses said...

    Hace un tiempo que conocemos sus trabajos y son magníficos,"pequeñas obras de arte". Gracias por permitirnos conocerlos. Saludos

    Maru said...

    Bienvenida al mundo de los blogs. Acabo de ver el post en el de Catherine y me alegro muchísimo de que hayan conseguido que abras el tuyo. No conocía tus trabajos pero por lo que voy viendo son una verdadera maravilla, así que espero ver y disfrutar muchas cosas más. Un beso, Maru

    TINK - SONIA said...

    Hi Sandi,your work is amazing and so delicate,I love it! Miniregards from sunny Spain,Sonia.

    Catherine / Mooghiscath said...

    Très belles broderies , bravo ! et bloger c'est pas si dure que cela ! on peut parler de tout !

    Tricotine said...

    Bonjour Sandi,
    I look forward to the finished dog rug. I like very much your roses design.I also use dmc on 40 count and I know it is time consuming and addictive.
    Je vous souhaite une très belle journée.
    Sylvie.

    My Wee Life said...

    Welcome to blogland and it will be a pleasure to follow your blog as your work is stunning :)

    malu2 said...

    Felicidades!!!!!por tu blog, tus trabajos son magníficos, gracías por permitirnos disfrutar de ellos, una pequeña sugerencía, podrías poner
    traductor en tu blog, sería más facíl para las que no sabemos idiomas.Gracías.Ya tienes una seguidora más, te invito a visitarme. Besos desde España.MªLuisa.

    Teresa Martínez- IGMA artisan said...

    Sandi bienvenida al mundo blogger.
    Felicidades su trabajo es maravilloso.
    Ya tiene una seguidora más.
    Abrazos
    Teresa

    Sandi, welcome to the blogging world.
    Congratulations your work is wonderful.
    Already have a follower.
    hugs
    Teresa

    rosanna said...

    Welcome to blogland, I was looking forward to your pics. Your works are so beautiful and I long seeing more. Have a nice day,Rosanna

    by Sonya said...

    A Warm Welcome from Roma!
    Best Compliments for your miniature works!
    Hugs
    Sonya

    Flora said...

    Hi and welcome :-)
    I look forward to your next long post :-)
    Mini hugs, Flora

    Daydreamer said...

    I LOVE your needlework, Sandi! I am going to watch very carefully all the tips you give so that I can try my hand at making the mini needlepoint tapestries for my Castle dollhouse.... an adventure I am looking forward to! Welcome to blogland..... it is more than fun... it is positively INSPIRING!

    Jackie said...

    So looking forward to future posts, Jackie x

    Kleine Vingers said...

    Your embroidey is so delicate and beautiful! I love it. Hope to see more in the future. Therefor I follow your blog so that I do not miss anything.

    marlies said...

    Welcome to blogland!
    I love your needlepoint and I will look forward to see the other passions you have. Your blog is looking great and I hope you like it here so far!
    * marlies

    monique said...

    Welcome to blogland Sandi!!
    I've seen your work on the blogs of Linda and Catherine and was verry impressed. Absolutely gorgeous!! I'm looking forward to see more off your work.
    Hugs, Monique

    Judith said...

    Welcome to this very addictive world of blogging. Your work is beautiful and so detailed. I'm so pleased that we're now able to see more of your work, having caught glimpses of it in other people's photos. You are a very talented (and patient) lady. Judith x

    Arantxa Fariña said...

    Hi Sandi,welcome to blog world!!
    I see some of your creations in blog of Linda,Mercedes,Catherine and always i love it, i like it so much!!!

    I can't wait to see more creations!!

    Mini Hugs

    Arantxa

    Garden of Miniatures said...

    Hi Sandi,great to see you here in blogland ! Your work is really amazing and I'm very glad that we now have the chance to see more of them ! Jeannette

    Norma Bennett said...

    I'm delighted to see that you've started your own blog Sandi!! Like many others I love your work and look forward to seeing more of it here, as well as learning more about your other 'passions in life'.

    And thanks to Catherine and Linda for their part in encouraging you to leap into Blogland :)

    Sarah said...

    I remember reading about your petitpoint on the Petit Folie blog. Didn't know you had a blog. It was your cushions that got me into needlepoint. Though I don't think I could ever go beyond 40 count.

    P.s. Sorry to hear about Peaches, and also I really enjoyed the non-miniature posts as well. Your real house is so pretty. I vote chateau A for the miniature one xx

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