Bits and pieces

Okay - I still have very little to show you because I am working on Louise's birthday present(s) so can't show those until after March 15th!  There are a few things I wanted to clear up though. 

First, in response to some questions I got about why I chose the 5 artists I featured in my last post - not that anybody didn't think they were completely deserving, just that the process to choose among so many excellent ones must have been difficult.  Indeed, it would have been but the ones I featured were chosen because they were the first 5 I had actually stumbled upon back in 2014 when I hadn't yet made the jump into making miniatures myself.  I found them so incredible to look at and they gave me the push I needed to start in this hobby myself.  For that I will be eternally grateful to them.

Then, for any of you who see me commenting on your own wonderful posts, I thought you might wonder why I sign off with my name, even though it is shown next to my profile picture, and also why I include where I live.  Well, by reading the number of blogs that I do, I quickly discovered that there are two other Marilyns who post comments on mini blogs and one of the others also has the letter D. as the initial for her last name.  So, mystery solved!  I put my name and location in my sign off just so you know which of us it is!

So - back to things I find inspirational.  I love to look at different architecture in real life to find ideas for things I might like to include in my mini projects.  I am particularly drawn to stonework and to unique doors or windows.  As such, I have collected a number of pictures over the last several years - and don't lie to me - I know you all do it too!

This is a picture I found of an incredible entry door with window above and to the side.  I just love, love, love this door and go back to the picture often.  I have never figured out what project a door like this would be appropriate for but I am now thinking perhaps I should just make the door itself into a small wall-hanging, framed piece.  I will definitely give this one a try one of these days!

Another picture I have that I dream about duplicating some day is, of course, of a stone exterior - very European looking.  I'm thinking probably Spanish?  Anyway, I love everything about this.  I would include the slant to the cobbled street, the terracotta pots filled with plants, the bougainvillea, even the downspout.  In my mind everything works together to make a beautiful, warm and welcoming vision.

I also love this beautiful entry courtyard that I found on the "magic puzzles" I used to get on my computer.  Doesn't it look cool and cozy?

All this to say that there is inspiration all around us - way too many inspirations given the time we have to work but just think of the hours of fun we can have trying to bring them to life in miniature.

I would love to hear where everyone else finds their inspiration.  What makes your heart sing when looking at it or when thinking about it and want to recreate it in miniature? 

So, while I finish off Louise's birthday gift, I find myself with lots to think about.  I want to finally finish off the North Pole Postal Service and start something new but, in the meantime, I read on Maureen H.'s blog that the Edmonton miniatures club is having a trash to treasure challenge with entries due on April 6th.  

Even though the challenge is for her club members as there is a prize for someone at the end, I thought perhaps some of us out there might want to give such a fun idea a try as well.  If so, we could send our pictures to Maureen just for fun instead of actually entering the challenge.  I think it would be a great way to show just how connected our mini community is.  To find out how her club is running this challenge you can go to this post on her site:  http://stalbertmini.blogspot.com/2021/03/hello-again-good-to-be-back.html 

Basically you have a list of 35 "trash" items and you have to use your choice of 25 of them to produce your "treasure".  I think it sounds like a lot of fun and a good way to get some of us motivated and to get our thinking caps on.  Anyone else in??

Now I will let you go to think about that last little challenge.  I think I am going to try it out myself and will send Maureen pictures at the end.  Thank you MEE for such a great idea!  TTFN!!! - Marilyn