Award

I am honored to receive this award from Eloisa - http://heloise-minimundo.blogspot.com/
I want to share it with all you, miniatures bloggers.  I believe each and every one of you deserves this award for sharing, inspiring and, most of all, caring.
Thank you Eloisa.

Summer Swaps

I have to thank our dear Caterina - le minis di Cockerina, for organizing the Summer Swaps.  Here are photos from what I received from Maria - http://prettythingsireland.blogspot.com/

The photos, now that I look at them, do not give enough credit to Maria's wonderful work.  The dress and hat are so dainty and summery, beautiful colours too.  The picnic basket full of delicious food, wine, sodas, cheeses, salad, cakes and cookies, fruit....  and mostly hand made by Maria.  Thank you so much Maria, I'll treasure everything you made.

I sent my Summer Swap to Ingrid, in Belgium.  I'm afraid mine was not a big one.  I do hope Ingrid liked it.  Here is a photo.

Thank you Caterina for arranging all this.  I am truly grateful to you.

I have new followers to welcome.  One of them from a new country to my blog Viva Argentina!!

Teresa Goller - http://www.weewhimsyway.blogspot.com/
Auxi - http://www.minisdeauxi.blogspot.com/
Rosa Kreattiva - http://kreattiva.blogspot.com/
Kikka - http://pienisammakko.blogspot.com/
Kaisa - http://dollhousemansion.blogspot.com/
Otterine - http://www.otterine.blog/blog1/php
Ivana Noelia Paez - http://minisdeivi.blogspot.com/
Once Upon a Time - (Cannot find blog to follow)

I am so happy you chose to follow this blog and here is a warm hug to you all.

200 Followers

I am so happy!!!  I would never, even in my wildest dreams, think that 200 wonderful people, all sharing my hobby, will be interested in my blog.  Bringing into account the fact that I am blogging in, what for me is a, foreign language, it is quite an achievement.  Little by little I'm getting acquainted with the secrets of my computer, my camera and the still to be repaired printer.  Sweet Jennifer Rydall, helped me with the side-bar business for which I am ever grateful to you Jenny.  I am ever so grateful and thank you all from the bottom of my heart.


Before I go on to the giveaway part, to celebrate this special occasion, I have to welcome my new followers with a wide warm hug:

Yam Yam - couldn't locate your blog to follow.
Carla Alessandra - couldn't locate your blog to follow
Doortje - http://rdoortjesminis.blogspot.com/
Dale - http://dalesdreams.blogspot.com/
Lil- http://lilsdolls.blogspot.com/

This is my giveaway scheduled for 30 September.  The rules to participate in the draw are as usual:
1.  Be a follower to my blog.
2.  Make a comment in this post.
3.  Only if you want to, put an announcement about it in your blog.  If you do so and win, I'll add a
      surprise item to this giveaway.

I made all the items in this giveaway, except the planting pot.  The geranium plant is my work.  It's 1/12" size.  Good luck!

Greek Islands scene completed

The hardest part was making the box which, now I look at it, is not too bad. The back and the floor are made of plywood.  The walls and ceiling are made of foam core, framed with my faithful 1/4" square wooden strips.  I made the furniture, the geraniums and climbing plants.  The rest of the plants, as I already mentioned before are gifts from Susi and Neomi.

This project is an inspiration from a video clip with background scenery of places in Greek islands, accompanied by the beautiful, soothing voice of Greek Nana Mouskouri singing a lovely song called "A Place in my Heart"

Greek balcony scene almost finished

I was able to locate a store where I found the wooden (bamboo) cocktail forks.
  They are not as fine as the ones Mary sent me from USA, less curves, but they served well enough for the railings I wanted. It's a store that sells disposable party plates.  It is also a place where you can find minis. 
I want more climbing plants for the walls, as well as hang on them a few decorative pieces. Also there is still the ceiling that needs to be cut and glued on.  On the whole it will be one project I am going to complete within a few days.

By the way, my printer is still dead.  I just let a photographer's shop do the background for me and it was really expensive.  I would have prefered to make several and try to see which was best suitable for this scene.  To repair the printer will cost nearly as much as buying a new one.  I realize that the price of a new printer is not high. Manufacturers make more money by selling  the inks.  These are expensive.

Neomi's visit

Neomi form neo-mini.blogspot came to visit me today.  Neomi drove all the way, from the north of the country, to Rishon-Lezion, about 3 hours drive.  This was a first reunion with a fellow miniaturist and blogger here in Israel.  We spend a very pleasant time  talking about what we liked most, about miniatures and we exchanged gifts.  I was extremely happy to have a chance to meet Neomi.  She's a lovely person and has an interesting blog.  Being an art teacher she has some very original ideas.  The two photos here show the beautiful gifts Neomi brought me.

This is a Petite Princess grandfather clock.  The rug is a modern one, very pretty.

Above photo shows a purse made from a special glass bead created by a friend of Neomi, a glass artist, 3 very lifelike mini cacti which already found a home in the Greek terrace, a 1/24" beautifully decorated chocolate cake for my mini cafeteria and four icecream scoops.

Thank you Neomi!!!

  

The Greek scene slowly progressing

Made another chair and a little table.  Also the flower pots stand.  The 3 hyacinths pots, the cacti and the shells' stand are gifts from Susi of Mini Eden.  These are the most delicate, lovely plants I have and I think they are will be best displayed in this scene.

I went out today, trying to buy wooden cocktail forks but couldn't find them. I need more as I want a wider balcony rail.  I am in no hurry.  My printer stopped working and I need a background picture of a sea. 

There are so many projects waiting to be finished and when they will be, I really don't know where to put them. I hope you like what you see until now and am open to any suggestion and advice from you my friends.

Rachel's PIF Gifts

I was delighted to receive my PIF gifts from Rachel - http://miniaturemaid.blogspot.com/

At first I thought I would not be able to show them since I still have to learn how to use my new computer but with a little bit of struggle I managed to log them in.   A beautiful corset (Photo doesn't show how really lovely and delicate it is, two delicious cakes, a lovely hat suitable for a royal wedding and a hand stitched rug.  The corset, hat and rug will go straight inside my sewing room.  The cakes will go to my candy shop.

Thank you Rachel! I am so fortunate in having you as my friend.

A warm welcome to my new followers

Elian Martins - Terra dos Gigantes
Robin Britton (No blog located)
Las Manos de Sca
Minteriors - Pie-in-the-Sky
Terefer - Secretos en el aire
               Signando con el Corazon