How do you know that spring is here?

 

…because the Montreal Miniature Show has taken place!! 

Before we talk about that wonderful springtime event, I thought I would share the new look for my home-made tiered tray centrepiece.  With St. Patrick’s Day behind us, I removed everything from the trays and started going through my stash to find items that would give me a springtime boost regardless of how much snow is still on the ground.  Here is how the trays look now.  The view from the ‘back’ of the trays show the small faux white narcissus planted in a broken eggshell. 

From the front you can see the overall centrepiece as well as my attempt at creating a happy spring feel on the top of my buffet.  Of course, you also get good view of the cat tree in the corner.  Unfortunately, there’s not much I can do to make that look any more spring-like!

Taking one tier at a time, on the top layer I placed a tall candle in the back corner and leaned a gold picture frame against it.  I used a piece of a pretty floral napkin cut to size as a picture inside the frame.  I loved the colours and look of these gorgeous roses.  I nestled a large spotted ceramic egg in some greenery in front of the picture and set the small wooden crate I made last spring with the flowers, eggs, and the little bunny butt sticking out.  I love that little crate!

In the next level down, I placed a ball of fake greenery that provides a nice hit of bright yellow in the back corner. In the right corner is the most  adorable set of hand-made bunnies riding a rocking horse which they are leading by dangling  a cluster of carrots in front of it.  I am not sure who the craftsperson  is who created this wonderful little piece of miniature art but my DH, Bruce,  purchased it from the Freedom Miniatures booth at the Montreal show as an early birthday present for me.  He’s my favourite husband ever!!  I will show you more of these little bunnies a little later in this post. 

Next to the bunnies is a tray of incredible primroses made by my good friend, Marijke Hurkens of Pulchinella's Cellar.  The tray is sitting on an incredible bench hand made by Shelley Acker, owner of Freedom Miniatures in Kentville, Nova Scotia.  The bench is made with three different woods – cherry, walnut and oak or maple from the look of it – perfectly sanded and finished.  It is truly lovely.

In the front you can see one of my green turf bunnies and another large speckled egg as well as a beautifully-aged press-backed chair holding a pot of pansies and other mixed flowers.  This gorgeous little piece was made by Debbie Bettaglia-Fawcett and I was lucky enough to receive it as a “giftie” at Camp Mini Ha Ha a few years ago.

Moving to the bottom tier, in one back corner is a ball of a different kind of greenery and the little white narcissus you saw in the overall picture. In the other back corner is the little Irish cottage I had also used in my St. Patrick’s Day display.  You can also see the other turf bunny I have placed in the right front corner and just a glimpse of the back of the beautiful bench that takes up the other front corner.

And here is a better view of the bench with my last speckled egg in front.  The incredible spring flowers in trays that are sitting on the bench were made, of course, by my friend, Marijke.  Her skill in flower and plant making is phenomenal as these pieces show.  There is also a small resin bunny I picked up in Montreal from Grandpa’s Dollhouse.  The bench is made of walnut with a leather seat and was expertly crafted by Iris Sutherland – yet another “giftie” I picked up at one of our Camp Mini Ha Ha events.

Now for my purchases at this year’s Montreal Miniatures Show.

In this picture we see a filled punch bowl with glasses that I picked up at Fay-vourite Minis, and 2 mixing bowls I purchased at Pacific Wood Imports and Miniatures.  I bought the 2 breakfast plates from a vendor who did not put their receipt in the bag so I am unable to give you the gentlemen’s name who made them.  Similarly for the laser-cut Noels and the 3 glass jars – different vendor but I have nothing that can tell me, after the fact, who they were. 

Here you can see items I purchased at Grandpa’s Dollhouse: a kitchen bridge-type faucet in a brushed brown finish, 3 lady figurines that will look great on a mantel in one of my projects, the little resin bunny you saw on the bench on my tiered display, and 4 tiny little wooden houses which will be placed above the window in my Christmas advent room box.  I am hoping I will be able to find a way to put teeny little lights in them as well.

I bought a Christmas dessert table from One Lady’s Art, a first-time vendor at the Montreal show and I picked up an inexpensive basket and two adorable monkeys from Pacific Wood Imports and Miniatures. I have purchased one of these monkeys before because I find them far too cute to ignore!!  I will find a little table or mantel somewhere to put them on.

Now to my purchases from the wonderful Janice Crowley.  I bought a bumblebee teapot and a yellow butter dish which will be going in my honey store project, a gorgeous bunny teapot, creamer and sugar bowl on a leaf platter which is now sitting on the right-hand end of the bench in the bottom of my tiered spring display, a cottage tea pot which I purchased for my friend, Louise, and some blue and white pieces to add to others I have purchased in the past.  I see a display of fine china pieces somewhere in the future!

Behind these is a set of pink glass candle holders purchased from Fay-vourite Miniatures and 4 glass wine glasses from Pacific Wood Imports.

Last, but certainly not least, I give you a couple of closer pictures of the early birthday gift Bruce picked up for me from Freedom Miniatures.  The wheels are already turning and I think I know how I will make a special piece to properly display this piece.  Not only are these two adorable bunnies riding the rocking horse but the larger bunny has a little stuffed bunny under their arm to add to the charm.  I just adore this piece and hope you like it too – but you can’t have it!!!

So that is a look at my Montreal purchases.  In past years I have taken pictures of the display items made by the members of the Montreal club and posted them here on my blog but one of their members, Michele Castonguay, has been taking pictures and putting them online on the Club’s website during the Covid years and he will be doing the same with this year’s actual in-person event so be sure to be on the lookout for them at the official Miniature Enthusiasts of Montreal (MEM) official site.  Also – make sure you start planning to be at the show in person next year.  It’s a great little show with enough vendors to make it well worth the trip without becoming too overwhelming and tiring.  Plus, it is so great to met up with old friends and cultivate new ones.  Always a bonus!!!

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse at my new spring table display and my Montreal show purchases.  Until next time – TTFN!!! - Marilyn

Did you think I was gone forever??

 I know it may seem that way since it's now been just over 5 months since my last post but yes, I am still here!  I must admit that although I have done a little bit of mini-ing during those months, not much has been accomplished.  As spring is nearing though, I seem to have found my mojo again and plan on getting back in the mini saddle.  

I had planned on starting back up weeks ago but, unfortunately, I was unlucky enough to have had a visit from Covid.  It certainly came uninvited and then refused to leave!  I know that my age and the fact that I have asthma does put me in what they call a  "compromised" category, but I was still very surprised at just how bad it was - and that I am still recovering from the fallout.  For those of you who have not experienced it yet, I am here to tell you it is nothing to trifle with. Despite having had all 5 recommended vaccinations and starting on Paxlovid the day after I first tested positive,  things went downhill for me very quickly.  Part way through I did end up spending an afternoon at our local hospital's  emergency room as they got me stabilized with an IV for hydration and courses of IV antibiotics for my throat and cortisone to help my lung function.  I was then back home and continued the Paxlovid, cortisone and antibiotics until they were done but it continued to be a serious struggle.  I really do think that if it had not been for my vaccinations over the last year and the medications I received during the course of the infection, I do not think I would have made it - and I mean that quite seriously.  Please, please take the warnings seriously!!  Your life, or the life of someone you love, may depend on it.

Okay - with that lecture done, I move on to something I did do this week.  While sorting laundry downstairs on the weekend, my eye was caught by a small, framed, mixed-media picture leaning on  shelf in our family room.  It has a small ceramic black cat leaning over a glass of Guinness ale with a caption above that says "Guinness - Feline Good!"  It brought a smile to my face, followed quickly by the realization that it was now March and I hadn't decorated at all for St. Patrick's Day.  I quickly dragged out my outdoor St. Patrick's wreath and our Irish flag and Bruce hung them up outside our front door.

Back inside I starting looking for something I could use for the centre of my dining room table when my eyes fell onto a set of 4 nesting shadow boxes on my craft shelf.  I bought them years ago thinking I could make small mini vignettes in them and hang them on a wall.  However, by taking the three largest ones and two small wooden candlesticks I had also purchased a long time ago just "in case", and gluing them all together, I now had a three-tiered tray to work with. Then I went looking for things to place in them. Combining everything together and setting it on a lovely shamrock table runner my sister had made for me several years ago, this is what I ended up with:

All in all, I am happy with how it turned out just by using stuff I found in various places in my home. Now I'm thinking of how I will change it out for Easter!!

Although I am still recovering from the aftermath of my Covid infection, I am going to try to do some minis this week and will hopefully get back into a regular work routine moving forward.  Until the next time - Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!!  TTFN!!! - Marilyn