Jazzi's Christmas in July Swaps

This year I was again very lucky to have a wonderful swap partner.  Anna.  Look what wonderful miniatures, all beautifully created by Anna, arrived.

Books by Gerald Durrell.  I read his book My Family and Other Animals for the first time somewhere in the
late 70s and this was the reason I stopped learning Italian.  Our next door neighbours' son was going to study medicine in Italy.  I was beginning to teach myself Italian from a wonderful book my father gave me.
When the boy saw the book he begged me to give it to him.  In exchange he gave me the Durell book.
It was a soft cover Pinguin edition.  I was enchanted and never regreted the fact that because of this book I don't know Italian.  Many years later I learned  a little Spanish and when visiting Italy I almost understand what is spoken.
The book and the author became very popular. Most of his books were translated to Hebrew and were eagerly read by the entire family.  I am so happy to share this love with Anna.

Miniature maps of Greece, wonderful cook books and herbs planted in a pot Anna made from paper strips.
You can see her work here.

A  beautiful Christmas wreath.  I'm keeping it wrapped up until Chrismas when it will go to one of the stalls.

You can see in the first photo above, together with the Durell books, two sand and seashell filled glass jars.  Look how cleverly Anna covered the toppers.

Last, but not least, Anna's visiting card.  Can you believe how tiny the scenes in a sea shell are? Enchanting!!

To see what I sent Anna you'll have to visit her blog here.

THANK YOU ANNA AND THANK YOU JAZZI!!!

It's been quite a while since my last post.  I did make some miniatures for swaps and friends, most of which
I cannot show yet.

I wish you a wondrful weekend with my blessings.

Making flowers helps getting well

Hello all,

I am recuperating and getting stonger daily.  There's nothing  I love better than making mini flowers.
I want to learn to make flower arrangements.  Here are some attempts.

And I went on to cakes. Those precious doilies  Manu sent me just begged to be used.

Here is what I used to make this cake tray.  A cut cheap plastic check game piece for the leg, the inside of a Coca Cola 1.5 lit. bottle cork with one of Manu's doilies glued on it and a vending machine tiny toy transparent ball for the cover.

More raffia bags and shoes. I really have  to choose other materials to work with. Raffia is so uneven.

This is my latest experiment with making potion bottles from scratch.  I found these lovely beads,  punched circles of cork sheet with a recular office punch, stuck two circles together to make the stoppers.  I rather
like the result.

I am happy to welcome two new followers

Anne 
Buzzirk Bryan

A big warm hug to my new and old followers and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your "get well"
wishes. It warmed my heart to know so many people cared.

Blessings

Swap with Emanuela

Hello dear friends

I feel as if I've been away for ages.  The early summer weather was lovely, we were having a great time outdoors and everything looked promising and good for plans, when out of the blues I caught pneumonia.
A really nasty condition.  Ironically, last year we all  took anti shots.   We were told they were good for at least 5 years...  I am still on antibiotics (Two types) with absolutely no appetite, and loosing weight which I can't afford.  So my dear friends, this is the reason why I am scarcely able to visit your blogs and leave comments.  As soon as I feel better I shall make up for lost time.

Emanuela, my sweet new friend from Italy, when she learned it was my birthday last month, wanted to send me a gift.  We decided to make a swap instead.  My parcel is still somewhere in Postland but Manu's arrived and made me very happy.

A lovely bag and hat together with a very sweet card.  Everything beautifully packed in a rose colored box.

A beautifully embroidered picture sign.  It will hand in on of my market stalls.

Very cute silver trinkets.

Great white doilies.  I'm always looking for these to put under my cakes.

Beautiful white lace.  I love it.

THANK YOU DEAR MANU.  I AM DELIGHTED WITH YOUR GIFTS.

Hugs to all and blessings