Spring is almost here! Little lavender pots to brighten the day

Hello Friends,
Just a quick little post while I am waiting for the furniture delivery men.
I am awaiting our new sofa and loveseat.  Please don't take that as braggadocio, lol, if you saw our ten year old sofa you would understand. The dogs and children have done their duty - it is a filthy, saggy mess and I cannot wait to see it leave my home and go on its way to sofa heaven.

So, anyway, here are some little miniature pots and planters filled with lavender and other greenery. These were made using the ground up paper from my last post.

 Have a great day!

~Daphne

I Am Covered in Paint, Stain and Varnish....

...but like a pig in a mud puddle, I couldn't be happier than when I have worked hard and made a mess. ;)
Do you like the new look for the blog? Let me know your thoughts, I don't want to make anything hard to read or hard to find, etc.

Here are some things I have been working on this week, some are up in my etsy shop.

I couldn't really capture the grandiosity of this armoire. It is really striking in person.

I'm not entirely sure of the official name of this dresser? Anyone know?
**EDIT** It is called an 'Empire Chest'. I Googled "dresser with columns" ;)

I've been making corsets and stockings. Fun!

I am still working on the tutorials for you! Would you like a tutorial for the stockings?  I've seen lots of tutorials for the corsets but never for the stockings (not saying there aren't any but I couldn't find any).  Hope you've all had a wonderful week and here is to hoping you have an even better weekend!

XO
Daphne

Another Bombe

I can't get enough of these. One day I will find one for my 1:1 scale home but till then...

This is the first time I've attempted faux marble. It was fun to do. I would like to try a black base with white veining next.

This piece is for sale in my Etsy shop.

I'd also like to invite you to visit my web shop. www.courtofgypsies.com
There you will find many DIY miniature items. I am still stocking the shop, there is lots more to come, it's just very time consuming.  I will have furnishings from JBM, HanaMini and many others. Lots of accessories and building/decorating items as well.  I will announce sales and specials and new items here on the blog. :)  Please feel free to contact me with any requests. The shopping cart is not currently set up to accept international orders but you may certainly contact me and make arrangements for shipment outside the USA.

Have a wonderful day!

~Daphne

Typography on Furniture

Hello Friends,
I've been busy. Still having fun with furniture makeovers. Have you noticed the trend of typography being transferred to furnishings? I think it's been around a while but I really like it.
The sideboard above has had an antique french advertisement applied to the drawer fronts. The whole piece was repainted and distressed and then sealed with satin varnish.  I'd like one of these, please, in 1:1 scale.

The little pouf ottoman in the pic with the sofa was made using the cardboard tube from a roll of ribbon.  Easy peasey!

Hope you are having a wonderful week!
~Daphne

Nordic French Brocante Style Chest of Drawers in 1 Inch Scale

Good Sunday Friends,

I've been playing with some ideas. We've got 'weather' again (read that blech, more snow!) so the Nordic French style is quite apropos with its coolness and light. Doesn't necessarily make one feel 'warm and fuzzy' but it is lovely in its stark, time worn way.

Don't mind the crazy over-sized lavendar, lol, I need to get out my flower making supplies and make some more realistic looking plants.

I really like the motif on the chest of drawers - what do you think?  I definitely want to explore this technique.

The dress form and chair are  Chrysnbon  kits (available in my shop, contact me if you'd like to order) that I have painted and distressed. The little chaise lounge is a cheaper wood piece that I reupholstered with linen. In retrospect, I wish I had made it a little more plush with a thicker seat cushion with piping...maybe I will re-do it.

Hope you have a lovely evening!

~Daphne

On My Work Table...

...waiting to be finished. :)  Two Bespaq pieces.  The legs on these are so delicate.
Please be sure to visit my new website - www.courtofgypsies.com 
I have placed my first order with my supplier and will have some lovely things listed soon. I'm very excited as this has been a dream of mine for a long time. Someday, I would love to open a brick and mortar dollhouse shop but for now, it will have to be online.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Shabby Boxes

Going in the shop this evening.

Hydrangea in Brocante Style Planter

Hello Dear Friends,

Well, I didn't stay up very late. LOL, I'm getting too old for that...just can't cut it anymore. I did make one more little planter and then went to bed.
Got up this morning and made some Hydrangea to put in.
This is the first time I've tried Hydrangea and I got a little frustrated. My punch doesn't like to cut painted paper and the little paper petals weren't holding their shape very well after cupping them with the stylus. My observation is that I definitely need some crisper paper. Anyone have suggestions for papers to use?

I did manage to make some for the planter. Hope you like it :)

Cathedral Window Planter

Haha! Two posts in one day...ah well, hope I'm not boring you, dear readers.
I've just finished up this little cathedral window. I really like the way it turned out. I'll probably be up late making more and different styles of these, that is if I don't go to the hardware store looking for wire and solder! I'm hooked on wire now... :D

Dreaming of French Dollhouses

Hello Dear Readers!

This is our new friend :) Well, actually two new friends, this little fellow has a brother that looks very much like him. They are both very sweet but have different personalities. We need to name them. Name suggestions??

We took them both so one wouldn't end up in the pound.

I've been working on the Vermont Farmhouse... Still a work in progress. I've been playing with the French Brocante look but it really doesn't suit this house. I love this style though and will eventually have to build my dream house. I will probably change most of this out but for now, I am having fun!

I made another little chair and received my lovely desk and side table from Minis De Eva. Thank you! I love them.

The little book was made by Cockerina, it is so lovely!

I also made this little sofa a la Christine Lea Frisoni's pattern and instructions. I am going to try one in wood with sculpted legs and arm rests.

The outside of the house is farther along than this but I didn't get pictures of it yet. The windows and door are installed and the gable is finished. I think I am going to leave out the stairs and plug up the hole in the second floor - only because I want the extra space! Maybe not, haven't decided yet.

The swap gift for Cockerina's Swap is finished. I hope she likes it! It's so hard not to post photos until the appointed time ;)