When creativity strikes

I completely forgot to say hello and welcome my new followers on my last post, so please accept my apologises for that and say how happy I am to see new people taking an interest in my miniature adventures. I'm just doing what I love and if my work can inspire anyone else, then I'm all the happier.

First things first, I have been working on the front panel of my Regency room box. I really wanted to create a boxed window frame down the one side of my parlor, but I was a bit concerned of how much space I would lose in the room. I decided in the end to make it on the front panel. 

I cut some architrave to fit around the inside window and painted it. 

I had kept the double door frame that I had previously cut off from around the doors in the parlor and it fitted perfectly around the window frame. I then stained the wood.  After measuring carefully I made another frame from some wood strips and glued it down. I had to make sue that when I opened and closed the front panel it would glide in easily.

I used some heavyweight mount board to make the new wall. It is starting to come together and I really like how it's looking. 

I made some pagoda style curtains from some very pretty fabric I bought at last year's Miniatura show. 

I followed a pattern from the 'Dolls House and Miniature Scene' magazine

to make the pelmet. Only ever having made some basic curtains before, I was really pleased with the results, and it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.

I have now painted the front panel the same as the room, but I did omit the lower white wall. I'm not sure if I will leave it like this, but at the moment I am happy with it.

You probably won't be able to tell, but I have cut individual pieces of glass to fit inside the 12 window panes. 

I need to add some door furniture at some point, and I will look at making some better curtain ties, as I'm not overly happy with what I have done so far.  

I have added some plaster wall panels either side of the fireplace and attached some lovely wall lights and a chandelier I bought from Heidi Ott. All of the decorating has now been done on my Regency Parlor and I just need to add the furniture and other decorative items. This process will take me a while as I really do have expensive tastes and some of the items will have to be bought as and when I have the money for them.

The Library

For my next Regency room box I have decided to make a library. I have already made a plan of how I want it set out and I am busy gathering supplies, ready to make a start on it. 

I just love reading books, so a library is an essential room to have. I went on to Pinterest and found lots of fantastic book printies to download. I made sure that I had a new supply of printer ink and printed off lots of book covers. I know that I have only printed off a fraction of the amount that I will need to fill my library, but it's a start.

 I have made a a few of the books out of wood strips and some out of folded strips of paper to see which effect I like the best. 

As you can see I have my work cut out.

 A bit of dressmaking

I love seeing items of clothing in miniature scenes and dolls houses, and if I had the money I would buy as many that took my fancy. However, as I don't have the money to spare, and being a true crafter, I like to think I can have a go myself.

Here is two of my attempts to make Regency dresses. I had previously bought the book 'Making and dressing Dolls' House Dolls' by Sue Atkinson. In the book it talked about 'bonded' fabric and this is where you iron on a fusible interfacing to some parts of the pattern piece. This pattern required that the skirt was 'bonded' before cutting out and sewing, and it certainly made the fabric very easy to work with. However it also gave a stiffness to the dress, hence they can stand up all by themselves. 

None-the-less I was pleased with the results and I hope to display them when I get around to making my Regency bedroom. It has also inspired me to have a go at some more dress making, but I would like to aim to have more natural folds in the fabric. 

 A day dress

An evening dress

I hope you have enjoyed my ramblings and seeing what I have been up-to. I am also working on another little project, which I hope to finish in a few weeks. I still have a couple of weeks off for the summer, I'm lucky to work in a Secondary school and have long summer holidays.

Until the next time

Take care

Jayne x