Blogging, friends, and everything else!

Before i waffle on and on here's a picture of the potting table i finally have ready for etsy this evening. I love it but it got me to thinking about lots of things while trying upon trying to take a good photo. Your brain kind of goes numb when your not great with a camera and so it tends to be the time i think the most. This one took 200+ attempts.

While taking the photos and obviously looking at the potting table it got me onto thinking i have learned so much in such a short space of time, and most of what i have learned has happened since blogging.
I've been making miniatures for 3 years now, and only two of these have been making witch and wizard miniatures. Making what i do came about by total accident. There have been some wonderful people along the way that have urged me on or helped in small and big ways. These are all the people that have influenced me in many ways and without them i would never have even been able to make this table. Without them i wouldn't have got to this point in my learning.
On my sheleves i have numerous how to books and magazines, and there are always online tutorials i can follow, plus scan the net for images.
But it is everyone here in blogland that influence and helps me the most. Even when they are not aware!


First off there is kat the hat. Kat always makes me laugh when she puts HA HA in everywhere. Without Kat i would never have had the little bits such as feathers, plants and mini flowers she has helped me out with along the way. I can never find these items and somehow when most needed she always sends a parcel just at the right time. We must have some kind of witchy magic going on. Without these lovley parcels i wouldnt have made quite of lot of the minis i have done so far.

Then there is Debbie from tiny treasures. She intoduced me to blogging and so everything to follow in a few mins is because of her. She always encourages me and boosts me up and tells me off when i pick every little fault with all i make.
Debbie is also a fantastic friend and is as honest as the day. Once again a tiny treasure in every way.

Leaves and plants have always been something i wanted to make. Watching Jayne from tallulah belle make her beautiful flowers encouraged me to give this a go. I dont really like kits and wanted the freedom of having exactly what i wanted.
From everything Jayne blogs about and all the pictures she shows it kind of gave me an insight into how to go about making my own. My own are basic at the moment and more or less all the same but i wouldn't have even dared try without jayne.

Then there is Debbie from Piskies and Poppets. I'm a bit of a make everything straight and perfectly lined to the point where it's too perfect. Debbie is loose with her work (this is a compliment), and things flow and look more natural when you have the ability to let this happen. I also get this from various other people but i like Debbies style the best.
Debbie makes fantastic faces and hands and how i wish i could too!

Then of course there would have to be Jodi. How i would love to sculpt faces so well and sew like she does. I have to admit i'm ever so envious of this ability.
But what Jodi's work made me do was try, and try to make a figure i did, which resulted in my much treasured Wizard.

There is also Jain from The Giddy Kipper Dolls. I found Jains lovely dolls long before she joined blogland and instantly fell in love with them. How could i not!
I like the freedom she also shows in her work much like Debie from Piskies.
This is also a compliment but i love all the tiny little tatty bits here on there on the hems and the tiniest of little touches just showing beneath things.

How could i leave out Casey and her witch Tessie. Casey is amazing what she gets up to every day and she never fails to astonish me what she will come up with next.
Quite often Casey's blogs give me loads fo ideas for my own work, but i wish i was as fast at the making.

Blogs have also brought many new friends like Susan, Debie, The other Debbie, Lisa, Jayne and so on and so on. A year ago i knew nothing about these people, but throught the use of a screen i'm always taken into their world and i'm always happy to go.

I'm running out of time, but if you look to the sidebar and all the blogs i follow then it is each of these people that help me the most. Most of them i never leave a comment for or even know, but they truelly are amazing people and whenever i need ideas or the enthusiasm to carry on they are always around.
I must also not forget everyone that buys my mini's and especially the whittakers who truly are a lovely couple. I have also picked up a few new customers in the last week, all of which are lovely and also they send me helpful links, ideas and suggestions. Last week all of my sales have really helped me out and i'm ever so thankful people like my work enough to thank me in more ways thatn one.

There are other blogs i follow but have not got them all showing here. You would need to click on my profile to find them. I also follow the blogs of everyone that leaves comments but i could not find the time in a lifetime to comment everywhere.
I always appreciate the time everyone spends commenting. Commenting can be a tricky business... lol.

Yes, i know i've gone all slushy today. I'm just in that kind of mood!

Bertram Birch on ebay.

Because i have moved mostly to etsy i thought i would pop a little reminder in that Bertram Birch is for sale over at ebay. The auctions ends Sunday evening around 7 pm UK time.
Here is my ebay link: Bertram on ebay

The Wonders of Pondering and Good Health News

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and best wishes last week. My husband has now been for his further tests and everything is fine with his heart. It was great news when he came home on Fiday.
We just need to figure out now whats giving the same sypmtoms as angina and heart problems.
It was lovely and funny to hear all your miniature potentials from your daily travels and the strange place we search out such treasures.

Onto pondering!

At times I have days of pondering and wondering. These are the days where I collect together a variety of items, group together and spend what seems like a life time deciding what to make and create.

Here are a few for today that I still need to poke around my craft room in search of the perfect accessories for.

First off I have this pocket watch casing. I’ve seen quite a few people fill these with wonderful sculptures and strange oddities.

In particular this is my favourite created by

http://oddfae.blogspot.com/ I love this and isn't it clever? The lady also creates other such wonders. Check out her blog and etsy/ebay page.
I want to come up with my own unique idea and hopefully this will come to me at some point today.

Second, I found these wonderful deep picture frames while in hobbycraft earlier this week. They are perfect for making mini scenes and I’m thinking one will be for a mad scientist and the other for some sort of wizard/botanist or apothercary.

This is the kind of idea I have in mind (below). You can find this and further images here at this fabulous blog.

http://cauldroncraftminiatures.blogspot.com/

Make sure you check out the magical creations also made by this talented lady. Everything is fab and full of whimsical twists. The lady has created the best posting i've seen in a long time with great links and ideas.

Before I go on with the third here is an update on the witches house. Not really much going on. I promise one day soon I will attack this and move several stages forward.

Here is the mad idea I had while ill a few weeks ago. I didn’t have the strength for much and one morning while almost better I decided it was time to start a mushroom house. As you can see it is just papier mache at the moment but I do have visions for it becoming a wonderful little house full of colour and lots of happy airy fairy fairies, and perhaps some little gnomes and hopping toads.

You have to think like a child at time!

Ok, back to the third. My lovely friend Susan http://tabithacorsica.blogspot.com/ sent this fab material to me as a surprise. It’s quite spooky that she thought to send this to me because it was what I was looking for. I think we must read each others thoughts. I find this keep happening all the time at the moment!

Thank you for sending Susan and I will make good use of everything.

My idea is to make a spooky table with spooky accessories for witches that love to dine and drink wine. I shall have to get some dirt out and tat up some but I think the idea will work.

This idea came to me while talking to another very talented lady that has plans to make these in full scale. Not being the sharpest tool in the box it took me a while to think i could do a minis version.

Also i bought some fab books from

http://www.petite-properties.com/
The books and site are 1:24 but could easily be scaled up. The ideas and tutorials in the book have been put together is an easy to follow way and the materials needed are cheap to source.

I could go on forever and a day but I’m sure I would bore you all to tears.
I need to get my skates on now and actually go and make something, or atleast finish everything i have been starting for the last few months.

My Friend Debie on etsy

My lovely friend Debie from Piskies and Poppets has finally put some of her beautiful miniatures, sculptures and pins on etsy. Here is the etsy link http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5968276
And heres a little peep. My favourite is the Goblin Brooch pin called Erk.
This is Debies first time selling on etsy and i send her my best wishes for lots of success.

New things for etsy.

Going to put a few items on etsy this evening around 8 ish pm UK time.
Off to take some photos now.
From now on rather than putting this info here i will put it on my shop page. I will also always list around 8pm Uk time from now on a few times a week. Please check there for info.

Thank you!

Yesterday when i asked Debbie to do a posting for me it was because i had promised people i would have items going on etsy in the evening and didnt want everyone to think i was being rude or that i dont stick to my word. Also because i look a bit daft saying one thing and then doing another.
I'm a terrible worrier about letting people down when i say something.
I never expected everyone to be so concerned and thoughtful and to send so many good wishes, both here and to my email. It really was lovely to know so many of you care.
When i started blogging i had no idea i would enjoy it so much and also find some wonderful people out there. And wonderful people i have found and many new friends that are always supportive in every way possible.
We are home now and fine. Michael is going for further tests Friday because nothing conclusive has been found as yet althought he shows all the symptoms of angina.
I've been nagging him for for the last few days to go and get checked out, but he didnt want to go incase he was wrong and it was something else. He also hates to be a waster of other peoples valuable time and especially hospitals.
I never really talk about my family much here other than tiny little snippets because it is afterall a miniature based blog. But i have been worried about him for quite some time and especially the last few days. He has looked so ill and pale. We did put this down to being tired before yesterday.
Even though i dont talk about my family much yesterday we did find humour in all of this and i reckon we must have warped minds at time.
He laughed at me checking everything out in the hospital for mini potential. I do this mini potential everywhere i go, in the strangest of places and at the most inconvenient times.
He's fine now although still getting pains but i'm hoping by Friday we find out it is something not related to his heart and can be easily sorted.
I'm really thankful for all of your good thought s and best wishes.
Nikki x

I worked it out.

I've had quite a few emails from people that are new to esty asking so many questions, most of which i dont know myself, but one in particular has really been bugging me and its the most asked.
The question asked is: When i click on add to basket i thought it was safe and meant i would be gauranteed buying this item, only to find somebody else clicked and paid before me.
What you have to do is make sure you have your address stored on your etsy, you can do this in your shipping options or personal details. It will then stay there for each purchase or sale.
Then when you see an item you would like to buy you click add to cart. This will take you to a sort of pre checkout page. You then click checkout which will take you to a final review page. once on this page above where it says add your address details there is a tab that you can click on called choose a saved address, this will take 1 secong rather than filling in the details. You click on this and then click the green final review tab at the bottom of the page. You then click commit to buy. Now the item cannot be bought by another person
I am sure to an old hand our worries and issues over this must seems daft but something new always thows up concerns.
I just did all this on a few items as a tester. I didnt hit the final button commiting to buy. But this is how you safegaurd in etsy to make sure an item is your.

I timed how long this took and it really was only a few seconds. If you run this test yourslef make you you dont hit the final commit button otherswise you will be buying stuff you dont want.

Harry Potter And The flog A Dead Horse

Well i went with my husband Mick and youngest two boys Patrick and Niall to see the new Harry Potter film today.
We all bought out drinks, popcorn and nachos and sat and waited while all the adverts and other film releases were shown.
My husband went to sleep which is normally what i do, but i was determined to stay awake. So stay awake i did.
I know everyone is loving this film but i just didn't think it to be great or anything out of the ordinary. I thought it lacked everything i love in a film.
I was sitting there thinking i wonder how much longer it will go on for, then all of a sudden the end came and it was like being cheated.
I've read all the books which are ok, but believe it or not i've never been a fan of harry and his chums. Perhaps this is why i've given this posting such a title.
Give me Alan Bennett any day, his books and tv programmes have always taken me to wonderful places and adventures outside the norm. A link to his work can be found on my sidebar. Here's a man that can work magic with words and the screen!

Ironing out the glitches!

Well, what a night last night was on esty. While everyone was happily shopping i was totally stressing.
I thought and was confident i had set up everything right, but once people started buying it soon came to my attention there were several issues with combined postage.
So this resulted in me needing to refund everyone, which then brought even more problems at paypal and these refunds refusing to send. I have now sorted this all out but have run out of time to take new photos for items i had planned to go on this evening.
So i will put new items on tomorrow evening (Tuesday).Hopefully its all set up to perfection.
Thank you to everyone that bought more than one item for being so understanding and patient. You should all have your refunds now.

I'm off to a craft village later today and then hoping to go and see harry potter this evening. Going to drink lots of coffee before so to prevent me falling to sleep.
The dark and a chair makes me nod off in seconds and have never actually seen a harry potter movie past the first few mins.
Really looking forwar to it and hoping i get a cauldron popcorn holder like Kat the Hat did. Mad i know!

Etsy sales and blog problems. Ooops forgot to say!

I'm having a few problems with my internet connection and can't leave comments on other blogs and my own after everyones kind comments for my previous post.
I dont know if this is blogger at the same time as my rubbish internet connection.
So yesterday i phoned india... lol, and have booked in a slot for virgin to sort me out and put in a much faster service. They are coming in August which seems a life time away.
Can you believe i've spent 6 hours taking photos and uploading them today? Its driving me nuts and should have been done by lunch time.

Anyway i have managed to take some photos for etsy this evening and in the min will go and sort out the descriptions.
Etsy i have discovered is unlike ebay where you can schedule a listing so i will have to put them all on one by one. Perhaps i can schedule them but so far have seen no evidence of this.
Lord knows how long it will take me to list them all with my bad connection.
Here's some pictures of whats going on this evening around 8 pm, and if you pop over to my other blog you can see lots more. Heres the link http://niksimagecollection.blogspot.com/

I will put more on tomorrow evening (Monday) at the same time.

To make you laugh... lol. The light is not always on in my tiny brain. Can you see the jar in the bottom picture with unicorn horns in? Anyway it was rattling around my brain what on earth could nrocinu be. I even did a search on the internet, oh lol. Then i stood back, looked at the word and realised it was unicorn backwards.
Still with the light not on the other one that says tac ybbat also took me some time to figure. Its tabby cat and is full of the cats whiskers.
I will just blame my stupidity on being tired.

I forgot to say that this little man Bertram Birch is going on ebay. I'm rubbish at trying to price certain items so will leave it to the auction to decide. He's going on this evening.
I know its daft, but i love him to bits and shall miss him watching over me as i work.
The name Bertram means Bright and bright raven in certain countries.
My ebay link can be found on my sidebar.



Nikki x


I can't leave a comment so will do so here. Hopefully this will stop happening. Is anyone else having this problem?
In reply to susan. Lol at you. I opened the door and cut the ribbon, then got in a pickle sitting here. Phew, they are all done now!
Thank you Debie for the valued comment. I've worked so hard trying to improve and learning so many new things. I've spent many an hour just experimenting, trying everything and researching. Alongside trying to make and creat on a very tight budget.

Etsy and first sale!

Yey, i just put my first ever item on etsy. Heres the link - Mandrake Potting Table

On Sunday evening around 8 pm Uk time i will list lots more. The mandrake table is my tester to see if i have it set up right.

Its quite daunting doing something new and hope its worked ok.

Here's some pics of the mandrake potting table.


Also, check out this fab website - The Fabulous Farmhouse.
If you like sweets and chocolate in miniature this is a fab place to visit. The prices are good and the items are fantastic quality.
Plus there's lots of pretty things too.

Mandrakes and Harry Potter

This week Jodi over at http://creagerstudios.blogspot.com/ is showing lots of Harry Potter dolls that she has worked on with Richard over the years. Make sure you pop over for a nose! My Fvaourite is Professor Pomona Sprout and the fantastic mandrake.
Also new this week if you pop over there and then click on their etsy link it will take you to the new creager shop. So far i've seen some fantastic face pins and looking forward to anything new that comes alomg.

I'll get back to my own mandrakes in a moment but first i just wanted to apologise to anyone that has emailed me in the last week and must be reading this thinking i'm ever so rude.
I've had some kind of weird bug/virus and have been feeling sick, with sore a stomach, a fever, a headache and aching limbs. I'm better now though and back to working.
I've kept meaning to email people and then kept running out of energy.
So apologies if i was meant to have sent a parcel or email and everything is late.

Anyway, the Creagers mandrake table inspired me to make my own and so started on this today. I still need to age all the pots, the table and the tools but quite happy with the basics so far.
The mandrake is sleeping and once he's potted you will just see his lips popping over the soil.
I also put together the basket and the little baby madrake roots on newspaper today.
These are not part of the table but thought i would share with you.
I love mandrakes and always enjoy seeing them made by other people. My only wish is that i had more patience and didnt want a face to appear in seconds. I have to learn to slow down, take it easy and take as long as needed. I'm like a child with short term interest in any one thing.

Here;s a fantastic link for ageing terracotta pots http://www.weekendgardener.net/container-gardening/antique-claypots-110711.htm
I've been using just acrylics up until now but shall give this a go and see what happens. Hoping whats here will look more realistic.

Also, i ordered 60 plant pots which arrived today. They are perfect in width and height but the terracotta was not fine enough and so ruins the scale slightly.
So i have sanded them all to make thinner, and now they look more expenisive too.

Off now to paint the pots.

Link from Kat the Hat. Just for fun

Kat the Hat put this link on her blog earlier to put yourself in the Daily Prophet from Harry potter.
Here's a link to the site Daily Prophet . You have to watch the intro to the film first. On the right and very small there will be a menu and then select from that, then watch the film clips again... lol, before you get to the photo part.

My Friend Debies Witch Doll on ebay.

My lovely friend Debie from Piskies and Poppets has put three fab dolls on ebay this week.
First off there is Millicent Madagora and her mandrakes. So in love with the colours Debie has used for her clothes and the lovely red hair. Wish i could get my flowers pots to muck up like debies too.
Then we have Mrs Mudge tickled off because she has spilled her bucket of water. My nan dressed like this and tied her head scarf in the same way. Plus her neighbour and the one after that.
God knows what their husbands thought!
Lord only knows how they managed to sleep on these hard curlers... ouch!
I can remember her sitting at the dressing table putting these curlers in with the powder puffs, make up and perfume she had sitting there since the twenties. She never used any of them and kept for best, but i would use them when she was busy making tea and powder puff away. She must have noticed my ghostly face... lol.
Mrs Mudge made me laugh so much because i have a photo of me dressed in much the same way. Its under my bed and will see if i can find it and post... oh lol.
Right back to Mrs Mudge. she has wrinkled tights at the ankles just like my nan did, and curlers. Plus the slippers were the same.
Debie has also made Bill the coal man and he's lovely and dirty as should be.
My fave is Millicent and the mandrakes.

Here is a link to debies blog Piskies and Poppets

Here is a link to Debies ebay sales page: Debie on ebay

Millicent Mandagora and the Coalman auctions end around 8.30pm UK time this coming Saturday.
Mrs Mudge ends Monday at 9 pm Uk time.
Please check these times because when god gave out brains i didnt get the part needed for maths. Tried my best to figure it out... lol

This n That!

Yesterday i finished, altered, started and managed to find quite a few miniatures i had long forgotten about... lol. These are just a few.
I also have some in the finished box and many an item half done all around my table and in the box of doom.
Last week i had all these ideas in my mad head i would be so ready for this Friday and get the esty shop moving but it now looks like next Friday instead.
I think next Friday is probably better because it will give me a chance to order some much need boxes for posting, extra bubble wrap and tape etc, then hope they arrive in the nick of time. The trouble with this is i could have done so last week and it would have arrived by now but sadly i've had lack of funds. So roll on hubbies payday and i can get this done. Yipee for Friday!
I've also got those gift tags and boxes on the go, alongside the tables which i cant finish until the glue everyone suggested arrives. Plus i also started another witches potting table but sdaly cant go anywhere with until i find more nice plant pots or at least make some.
Theres also another nice batch of bottles i made from the marbles hiding somewhere in my clutter which are complete. Plus the marble bottles you can see in the picture inside the coffee lid i need to stain and glitz up.
The chicken coop (oh lol) which you have probably forgot all about is still is desperate need of eggs and perhaps a few the chickens have chucked out and cracked.
The dressers i started have gone wrong. I should have been patient and waited for the right colour wood stain. I'm sure i can rescue these somehow.
Can you see the tiny little berry baskets? I plan on making some poisonous mushrooms to go in these alongside some berriws and whatnot.

Plenty to do but never enough time!

My son Niall has his school prom tomorrow. Don't get me started on this but he's only 11, some of his friends are 10 and his mad school is having a prom. Fancy cars will pick the children up and horns will go as the little darlings approach the school gates. Oh Lol.
I have nothing wrong with proms when they are older and in senior school but 10 and 11 is simply a joke in my opinion.
Yesterday Niall came home and told me some of the girls have spent £500 on their outfits and hair etc. Are the parents nuts? This is such a large amount for two and a half hours on a Thursday evening (it will probably rain too).
I refuse to join in with this madness and have bought Niall a nice tie and shirt and some new trousers. I'm not hiring a full suit nor am i buying something he can't wear again.
It doesnt stop here either. You have to give cash to the school so they can get all the flowers, ballons and food, plus pay for the awards and what not. Then donate money again for the food and wine the parents will be drinking.
I'm not mean, but i'm just not rich and all of this amounts to far more than my food bill and its also unfair on my other two that wont get anything.
The children have already been out on trips for two weeks which cost a fortune too and then they needed spending money everyday. Alongside all the different hours they needs to be picked up by and waiiting for the coach that was always late.
For next week all the batty mothers have got together and organised a trip out to a fun park with fancy cars for the kids. You have to buy the 2009 leavers t-shirt and buy the ticket too, pay for the fancy cars and not once complain that everyone has gone mad.
Then of course we have all the leavers assemblies and leavers this and that to attend also. Does the school not know parents have jobs and busy lives they cram in while their kids are at school? Can they really believe we can take all this time off work and spend all this money? Perhaps they do.
I have mentioned all of this madness to the school headmistress but i reckon she thinks i'm just a moaner and fobs me off with well they have their peers to say goodbye to and all that garb.
How much time and money does it take to celebrate their time together since nursery and send them packing to senior school.
I'm not saying dont have fun but just tame it all down slightly.

I shall shut up now because its driving me mad. Maybe i'll add more tomorrow or Friday after the event.

He's done... yipee!!! The Mandrake Potting Broom.

Months and months ago i made this silver birch broom and then put him in my box of unfinished miniatures while i thought up what to do with him.
Then after many suggestions from everyone here in blogland i went with the idea given by Wendie from WendiesMiniWorld.
So, he has become a mandrake potting broom that scuttles around the witches garden doing the jobs she has no time for.
Thank you Wendie for the most perfect idea.
I need to work on taking a good photo but for the time being thought you may like a little preview.
I normally take photos with a white background but the white is not working with the colour of his bark. Any suggestions for taking his picture would be welcome.
He still needs a name so will have to have a good think on that too.

Slime!

Yesterday i made a nice batch of pond scum potion jars (oops forgot the picture).
While working with green i took this whole sink unit apart, sanded down, assembled again and made nice and dirty. I still have to work on the green a little.
I'm sure witches wash their dishes and clothes and where better than a sink full of slime.
Hope you're all not wiltering in this heat.

Check out this ladies fab blog - PrimGirl .
The lady makes all her dolls from scratch and i love them to bits. Wish i had an excuse to buy one for myself.
Here's a little peep.

Can you help with my glue problem?

I've tried several glues, none of which are proving to be strong enough to hold down the jars on my potion and potting tables.
I need to know i can stick something to the table and it wont budge during posting to a buyer.
I'm not too worried about the potion tables because i plan to sell each table with the items not glued down, but the potting table i need to secure everything to.
Its mostly glass and pots that refuse to stay put under pressure.
All the tables will be packed in a box inside a bigger box with lots of protection but i still fear the glass items will snap off.
Super glue is no good either with the glass jars coming off too eaily and then leaving nasty marks on the furniture.
I need something you need to take major power tools to for removal. Only then will i be happy and content to post.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Potting bench.

Its been so hot the last few days and not got a lot done. I've also been battling to use my desk against hoards of kids taking refuge from the sun.
Its 30 + in my garden and i think just as hot in my work room. All my clay feels like butter and so have not had much success with making mandrakes and other little fillers for potion jars.
Nearly got this potting table complete but going to take a break now, somehow tidy my tip of a house and have a cold bath.
I know it can be hotter elsewhere in the world but being a snow and ice lover i just wilt and moan all day.
So looking forward to icy cold days.