About Me

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IMAGINATION IS THE EYE OF THE SOUL Joseph Joubert. I am a mother of four...I still remember the smile that refused to go away for weeks after our daughters birth. To have a little girl appear after three sons seemed such a miracle. I have always enjoyed My Doll World, sharing it with Lara when she was little. Today I design knitted outfits for miniature dolls and enjoy every minute of it. The fact that the outfits are removable is what makes it so special for me. Using ever finer threads has opened so many MINIATURE DESIGN opportunities.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Days of Our Lives

Well the first Rule of moving into a new house, 
is make up the beds first.....

Did I do that for Julie ....NO
It took me two weeks to find the key to the Chinese Chest, that is where I had put her bed for the Great Trek to Cape Town




I found it last night and made up her bed just a few minutes ago
She is as now "Happy as the day is long"
In her 5 ***** bed


Days of Our Lives


 I GIVE UP 

Madam has taken over the new home
she is now on the dining room table
SHE KNOWS WHOSE THE BOSS


    

Julie has decided she needs to clear the dining room table and become a miniaturist I think!


She looks surprised that I am not a Happy Chappy with her dining room table lark!



Maybe she is telling me to sew those darn curtains.....
But she is such fun you know.....

Days of Our Lives

Well am I glad it is not this time two weeks ago...
Moving is certainly a very stressful and tiring time 
I don't care how old one is.



My new home is nestled under this mountain called
"Chapman's Peak"
as one drives to the local store you find yourself surrounded by the mountains, I love it and the sea is just 5 minutes away.




One of my passions is arranging furniture which I know I do well as people always ask me to help with that.
This home has been particularly difficult as I wanted to create a studio area without having the feeling I am locked in the basement.

Fortunately I don't have to share the space on a permanent basis.
Only when friends and family come to stay. 
The guest bookings book has already been created...which is great

I could not find the special key for the Chinese Chest and that is where Julies bed had been packed.

So I made up a cozy place for her on a chair in the studio.
It appears she has lost all her manners.....

I turned around to find this situation.


"The Table Climber"

I could not believe my eyes, I wonder what she thought she was doing, playing "King of the Castle" I suppose.




One word from me and she was back in the chair but admittedly with a rather playful pose. 
I turned around and she was back on the table, I just worked it out she wanted to have her chair closer to me, a bit like when the kids were little and they would fight as to who would sit behind the driver in the car....Now Missy is all settled.



I am on the last leg of the move now and am busy playing with the display cabinet.




I am using the ironing board as a temporary table.
"MY BACK" has said How is your mother..my reply 

Oh! not too good today.... can't take the bending anymore!


I think I am going to put all the knitting work in a different cabinet I have one of those old fashioned bookcases. It is only a two shelf unit, I am sure it will be enough, now to figure out where to put it.



Excuse the ironing board in the middle of nowhere, I rather like the little sitting room area I have created.
It is the place to put the feet up and put the brain in neutral and watch TV.
Do you know the TV was the last thing that we connected, just shows how TV does not play a major role in this household.





I have created a table area in the studio for when friends come to work and play. This table used to be in my kitchen and my friends and I always sat in the kitchen to chat.
Gee-sh the vacuum is still out.

 



 At least the computer is up and running, not that I have much time to spend here at the moment. In a mad moment I agreed to do a tutorial for AIM magazine luckily it did not take too long.




 
Then as an extension of the studio is the dining room table where I hope to give my knitting lessons.


I have a feeling the surface is never to be seen again......
As you can see there are still some really diabolical areas...how long it is going to take I simply don't know.




Every surface has some "STUFF to be sorted on it.





When I want to feel all clean and tidy I go to my bedroom. 







There is one part of the bedroom that
DOES NOT PLEASE ME 
so I have made a PLAN  of sorts.

I have put up a board to hide a really ugly window behind the bed the architect sure shot himself in the foot putting that window in his design. Now that still has to be painted out....never to be seen again while Sharon lives in the house. As I told the landlord I want to LIVE here not CAMP.




This painting job is a project for July I think...I want to knit.

Well at least you can see the progress.




Monday, May 9, 2011

GIFT Pay it Forward

GUESS WHAT

5 is my lucky number and my Followers now number 55

I felt I need to give somebody a gift

I have so many things to celebrate, and be thankful for

Being able to move to Cape Town
Finding a place for me on my birthday holiday
Actually getting my Fellow first time round
Enjoying what I do for a hobby and a mother who inspired me through out my life
Nearly finished packing, having friends and a son to help me unpack

The draw will be on the 2011 JUNE 02 and it will be for





Leave a comment and I will add you to the draw!
Thanks for all the wonderful things
you have all had to say about my work
Makes me feel rather humble that I have been given this talent
and have been guided to using it in this exciting way

I am going to start teaching miniature knitting
when I am settled in Cape Town
A few ladies have offered to be my "Guinea Pigs"
This is a learning curve for me, as I would love to teach in
Guild School in Castine, USA

I would like to have the perfect prospectus for that!

I will be finding out from the ladies "What I  know!"
and what I need to teach them
.
So many things we take for granted I am truly grateful




Saturday, May 7, 2011

Teddies in My Life

These two little bears I could have sold a 1000 times but they are simply too precious to me. One thing I find is that is is very difficult to make two bears exactly the same. 

The little faces always turn out differently,
but one can see they are family
So I call them "Chrystal's Children".

The patterns for the bear outfits are available.
I call them Christine and Christopher the boy is 4" and the little Girl just over 3 1/2"
They are both packed so I can't measure her exactly.



I often find myself making designs as if for twins, usually a boy and a girl, my mom always said my brother and I could have been twins, although he was five years younger than I

Miniature Knitting Patterns 3" Sean

I had made a very similar design called Antionette but I found it a little too wide, so have reduced the width of the skirt and knitted it with a different stitch calling it                                                                                                                                               


AVA for SEAN

The pattern includes, dress, 2 bonnets, knickers and booties.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Days of Our Lives

This is a GOOD DAY as I received such wonderful news yesterday!

Hi Sharon

Congratulations and well done! This is a brief email to confirm that on Sunday, May 1, 2011, you were elected a Fellow member of The Guild by the IGMA Board of Trustees. 

Best regards
Pat Hartman

The box was made for me by Brian Coetzee a South African wood artist, he made it for me in a week which was extraordinary to say the least. I love the masculinity of the box..... then upon opening it one see's all these feminine little things

I have this stupid grin on my face that is so very difficult to remove......I thought I would share some pictures of my submission.

A friend Ana Esteves made the little teddy, bunny and lamb. The teddy and bunny have moving arms, legs and head. They have been flocked and are perfect replicas of a large teddy, they are only 1 inch BIG/SMALL. Ana also did the flowers for me, at that point after my Mom had died I simply was not up to it any more.
            

























   
I used Madeira Catona 80 thread for all the outfits.
They were made to fit the 
Belly Button Baby

I hope you enjoy!