Tuesday 27 November 2012

Help! I've Lost It!!

Evening everyone!

I hope you're all okay! :)

I am so sorry that I have been away for some time now. I have been so super busy it's unreal! I've had the decorator in the flat for the past week and a bit, so I haven't settled down to do any template work for Old Generals because my flat was in so much chaos - every time I tidied a room, the decorator would empty another into it, so I gave up. My evenings were spent trying to burrow a tunnel through my flat to make it liveable!

Now... the real reason for this post... I wondered if you guys could help me track something down. When I'm doing the templates I use a Scale Calculator, which I found straight away with a simple Google search when I first started this project. Somehow though, I can't remember exactly what I typed in, but it couldn't have been anything spetacular.
I've since done lots of cleaning of files etc on my laptop, and it appears the link got cleaned away too.

This evening, I have set aside some time to get back into the templates and get the outside shell completed. Thing is, I cannot find the calculator anywhere online!!

I am in absolute dispair!!

I have tried all the different ones which keep popping up in my Google searches, but I don't trust them, and I don't like them.

The one I was using was really simple. It was a case of type in the measurement (which was in my case typed in, in inches and mm's). And then in the box below it came out with the 12th scale measurement in inches and mm's. I really liked it because it was so simple to use, easy to see the measurement at a glance and the page wasn't full of distracting text and adverts like all of these other calculators I'm finding.

It was also on a red background.

Please, please someone help me find it?!
I've typed in all kinds of combinations of scale conversion calculators and it's not showing up. If the creator of this calculator has since removed it I will be distraught.

Maybe I should've posted the link on my page here, but I didn't think of this at the time. I'd like to use the same calculator because if there is just the smallest bit of difference between calculations of this site and another it could mess everything up. Plus, I really don't like the way these other calculators are set up and most of them have really distracting pages.

Please, if you recognise the description of the calculator please post up a link :)

Now, I must dash. Got some more Google searching to do!

Thank you everyone!
Hugs ox

Sunday 11 November 2012

Are You Wearing Your Poppy?


Good Morning Everyone!

I hope you are all well today.

This is a very special post today, not miniature related, and something very close to all our hearts. 
Today is Remembrance Sunday. Today is the day we Remember all those who fought and gave their lives for our freedom. 

I'd like to share with you a poem I heard every Remembrance Week in assembly while I was at school. It was always read out by the Team Captains- Hurricane, Spitfire and Lancaster - these were our teams (I was Lancaster). 

It is written by Harry Riley and it is called Remember Me (The voice of the dead.)

Remember me
Duty called and I went to war
Though I'd never fired a gun before
I paid the price for your new day
As all my dreams were blown away

Remember me
We all stood true as whistles blew
And faced the shell and stench of Hell
Now battle's done, there is no sound
Our bones decay beneath the ground
We cannot see, or smell, or hear
There is no death, or hope or fear

Remember me
Once we, like you, would laugh and talk
And run and walk and do the things that you all do
But now we lie in rows so neat
Beneath the soil, beneath your feet

Remember me
In mud and gore and the blood of war
We fought and fell and move no more
Remember me, I am not dead
I'm just a voice within your head

I will be taking part in the silence and watching the ceremonies on TV today. I hope that you will join the millions of people around the world who will also be Remembering. Such as sad, sad day - but we must not dwell on the death, pain and sorrow - but instead celebrate the men who fought for us and for the lives we have today. There are no words to describe such men, Brave and Heroic don't even scratch the surface. 

So, are you wearing your poppy today?

Saturday 10 November 2012

Another Day of Tape Measures and Graph Paper!

Hi everyone,
Hope you're all okay!

I'm sorry I haven't been around these past couple of days, I do have some progress to show you - mainly in the form of pictures though. I've been suffering with sickness again - all day yesterday and today. Been extremely busy at work and if it hadn't been for the manager who works next door in our bar and resturaunt, I don't think I'd have coped! I've been grabbing 10 mins of sleep here and there when I can, but my stomach and my head will not allow me to get any proper sleep! :( Booo!

Anyways, on Wednesday Thomas and I went back to Old Generals and did some more measuring up. This time I was the one who was really late, busy updating our other receptionist who has just gotten back from holiday and paying the tyre man for fixing my flat tyre!

When I got there, Thomas had already measured up quite a few of the "panels."
The way that I'm going to build this house, since it's got so many sides to it and it's such a big house, I will have to do each outside wall as a panel, and then add the internal walls and floors afterwards. This will obviously be tested out in my big cardboard stencil of this build.

Anyways... side tracking! Thomas had provided me with some... er... rough sketches of the sides of the house he had so far drawn. I'll admit, a brief glimpse at these and I understood them, while I was facing the wall we were looking at on paper - sitting on my living room floor inspecting them Wednesday night... hmm, Thomas, I may need you to decifer which drawing is for which wall here? Please?

I managed to snap some amusing pics of Thomas on a ladder though! :D



Each photo was snapped with a rather rude comment from Thomas himself, basically telling me to stop taking pictures. I couldn't. It was too funny. I stopped when he chased me around the house with a wooden ruler though... that was not funny! :'(

But anyways, we got the measuring completed outside - all except for the conservatory. We got all of the measuring done inside too, all except for my bedroom. It was 5pm, pitch black outside and we were freezing (as the house is empty and there's no heating on) and my bedroom is the most complicated room upstairs to measure, so we decided to leave it until next week!

Which gives me a little under a week to get the measurements we took on Wednesday scaled down and draw up so that any mishaps and discrepancies we have over the measurements can be ironed out. The clock is ticking, and I don't have much longer to get everything that I need from this house to begin my build!

I'm going to attempt some sleep now, I need it desperately. So I will bid you all goodnight, and I hope to be back very soon with some proper progress! :D

Hugs ox

Monday 5 November 2012

My 100 Things List - Why Did I Put My Biggest Fear On It?

Evening all!

I have accepted culinary defeat this evening, and the fact that the world has been against me all day!

Constant phone calls...complicated emails...to do lists the length of my arm... I smashed my new mobile phone... smashed my rice jar... burnt wedges... sour milk and no wine - I have slumped onto my sofa, with a mug of hot chocolate (which tastes vile because I picked up the wrong flavour) and I decided since there is nothing on tv I will chat on my blog tonight.

Kim inspired me with this blog post tonight, by revealing her fear to me. And then I thought I would tell you all why I put my biggest fear in the world onto my 100 Things To Do Before I Die post.
Well, the long and the short of it is - how amazing would it be to say that you have faced your biggest fear?

For me, Great White Sharks are my biggest fear. I can't even look at a picture without breaking into a panic attack. Just writing about them now is making my breathing become quicker, I can feel my heart rate beginning to race and I'm already feeling scared. Calm down ShellbyFay, it's not like a Great White is going to blast up through the kitchen sink and eat you whole is it?! Silly.

My biggest fear. To look a Great White in the eye and live to tell the tale will be the biggest achievement in the world for me. I would never want for anything again.

Yes, but why?? It could eat you dammit! Yes, there's that. From what I've heard (and it didn't help my fear) Great White's swallow you whole before they begin chewing and digesting. I've had endless nightmares where I feel trapped - unable to break free from the jaws of a shark - only to realise I've cuccooned myself in my duvet...

Of course I would only do it in the safety of a shark cage... or will I?

See, on my list is 67. Go scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef . Thomas told me last night that there are sharks here. And yes, there was a shark attack there not long ago. But I still want to see this reef.

You see, the thing is about the world, that it seems to be mainly things that can kill us that we fear. For Kim, and I hope you don't mind me using you as an example Kim, heights appear to be her fear. She told me she would have to become a ball at the bottom of the basket if she went for a hot air balloon ride.

But while she's sat in a basket in the foetal position, she's missing the view of the world below her. Everyone walking around, looking like ants. The world, as you would see it, in miniature.
The beauty of the world there for the taking, capture it as a memory. Capture it on your camera, show the world.

Okay, so yeh, looking at a Great White face to face, I won't be seeing it in miniature, it'll probably see me as a miniature snack... but if I could take a photo, prove to the world I did it. I believe it will make me a stronger, happier person in this world with the sense that nothing could get me down! Anyone can do it. Everyone can do it.

Face your fears.

Anyways, that's enough from me this evening.
Take care everyone!
See you soon

Hugs ox






Saturday 3 November 2012

My First Award!

Good evening all!

I told you I would be back today!
I'm sorry I couldn't do this earlier, I was at work and my 100 Things To Do Before I Die post was actually written up over the past couple of days - because it took a lot of thinking! But there I was this morning, logging on at work and checking out my favourite blogs and I had a beautiful surprise!

I clicked on over to my good friend Christine's blog - check it out - Hollyhock Cottage - a miniature home in the 1940s . Christine's work is amazing and I am so honoured to have found she has awarded me with my very first award!!

And here it is:
"I Love To Blog"
 
And do you know the second best bit about this - it was as if blogger sensed my excitment and actually allowed me to upload this picture!! Hurrahhh!! :D
 
Christine, honestly, thank you so much I am so grateful for this award and I'm so happy you thought I was worthy. I'd love to award it back, as I feel you so deserve it, which is why you recieved it in the first place, but I guess that's cheating...
 
Now I assume I have to award this to 6 other people now, and I've been carefully looking and thinking as to who to choose. Straight off the top of my head I could name a dozen - but when checking them out, I realised they had already been awarded this award. I know there are some blogs out there with amazing writers, with some amazing content to share that haven't been awarded this award yet, so I would like to share it with them. And I hope it makes their day just like it made mine.
 
So, in no particular order.
I would like to nominate this award to:
 
Kim, at Flowers & Art, I really enjoy reading Kim's blog and her comments here always make me smile and keep me motivated.
 
My friend Kath, her Lakeview dolls house is fantastic, looking at the pictures is like looking into a home design magazine. Everything is just so right and not a detail missed.
 
Ara, over at Addams Family Mini-Mansion, I've recently been keeping up with Ara's blog alot and I thoroughly enjoy reading her posts. Her Clue blog is pretty interesting too!

Irene at Hambleton Hall, I felt Irene deserved this award because all of her blogs are my biggest inspirations. It doesn't take a genius to work out Irene was born to be a miniaturist!

Peggy at Another Cosy Cottage is a blog I have recently discovered. Peggy makes adorable little needle felted cats! And while I'm talking about Peggy, you should know she is holding a giveaway for one of her needle felt cats - a cute little sleeping one. Here's the link, and I will post up a link image on the side of my blog too. Peggy's Giveaway!

Casey &Tessie a Casey's Minis. I don't think I've ever met a miniaturist who blogs who doesn't know about Casey and Tessie, I felt they deserved this award. Since the award means "I Love To Blog" and Casey blogs everyday, it's pretty obvious she loves blogging - so it suited quite well :)

I hope to be back soon with some actual mini progress on something!

Hugs!
ShellbyFay ox

100 Things To Do Before I Die

Hello everyone!!
I hope you're all okay.
I thought you might have gotten bored with photos of graphs and card board and me banging on about Old Generals Farm, so I thought I would share something, possibly inspiring, with you.

Recently, I've been thinking about the direction in which my life is going, my achievements, my dreams, my goals, my failures. Then I realised, I really haven't done enough to satisfy myself, in the sense that if I died tomorrow I haven't done what I have set out to do! So, while I was in the bath, sipping on wine and Facebook messaging my best friend, Macky (aka Thomas), I wrote up a list of 100 Things To Do Before I Die. Kinda morbid, I know, but how can we each really grasp our lives if we don't set out what we really want to achieve and experience in life?

Sometimes, while writing this list, I found myself at a loose end. So I started searching online for what other people have written on their bucket lists. I felt happier in myself that in some lists, what people consider a goal for themselves, I have already achieved.
For examples:
  • learning how to horse ride,
  • riding a horse bareback,
  • have my own pony (Mr Pickles)
  • taking part in a show jumping competition (albeit I did terrible, but I had the experience),
  • meeting a celebrity and having my photo taken with them (I could name drop here, but I'm not going to.),
  • going camping,
  • picnicing in a grave yard - when I was younger myself, my best friend and her mom went on bike rides and we'd go to a quite little grave yard. While eating our sandwiches we'd walk around and look at the head stones.,
  • Moving out,
  • Experience all 4 seasons. Living in the UK, I experience them - although not to a great extent. I'd like to experience a really warm, romantic Fall. A rainy, refreshing Spring. A hot, blistering Summer. Snow up to my waist in Winter. I hope these more exagerrated experiences will come when I visit other parts of the world. 
And there are more, of course, but these things I have achieved. When I was younger, things like horse riding was my dream and having my own pony. My biggest regret in life is letting that pony go, I should've stuck with horse riding when I started secondary school. Sigh.

But moving on swiftly - I thought I'd share my Bucket List of 100 Things To Do Before I Die and see what you guys think. Thomas is also going to write one, and we have decided that over the next few years we will help each other achieve our dreams.

We've already started planning a trip to Paris, and I'm looking at tickets to see Bon Jovi! :)
This is what I came up with:
100 Things To Do Before I Die
1.  Do a skydive for charity
2. See Aerosmith perform
3. See Bon Jovi perform
4. See Pink! perform
5. Complete Old Generals Farm 12th Scale
6. Raise £10,000 for Air Ambulance (realistic goal of £1000 a year for 10 years doing some kind of amazing event - maybe something that can tie in with my 100 list.)
7. Have at least 2 children - at least 1 girl. I will name her Nevaeh. (Heaven spelt backwards)
8. Own my own hotel - my dream - a big eco friendly, luxury hotel in the Lake District with different rooms dressed in period styles with modern facilities. Offering long country walks, picnic spots, fishing and horse carriage rides to a nearby village. A real couple's romantic getaway.
9. See Flo Rida! perform
10. Go to a silent rave!
11. Run a very successful Etsy shop
12. Travel the world!
13. Fly!(in an aeroplane.)
14. Visit Paris
15. Visit New York
16. Visit Los Angeles
17. Visit California
18. Visit Eygpt
19. Visit Australia (Christine put the kettle on!)
20. Have a 6 pack! (Weird, but yes, I'd like a 6 six pack for at least 1 month! Haha.)
21. Get married
22. Own/Hire a volkswagon mini van (pale blue one) and tour the UK (Scotland, Wales and right down to the bottom and back again) with Thomas! (He hates mini vans and is secretly dreading this! haha)
23. Visit Italy!
24. Drive a funky scooter thing in Italy!
25. Live in a totally French inspired cottage in the country
26. Own a Shetland pony
27. Own another German Shepherd
28. Visit the Lake District
29. Vist Harrods and buy something
30. Learn to do Jumpstyle Click This Link Too See Jumpstyle dancing!! 
31. See Pitbull perform!
32. Go to Jersey!
33. Inspire someone.
34. Own a pair of Louboutins. (Extravagant I know, but I love heels - and I would like to tell my granddaughters that I once owned a pair of these high style, expensive, designer heels! Even if they did only survive one night out on the tiles!)
35. Go for a meal in a sky scraper resturaunt.
36. Visit Las Vegas
37. Publish a book! (childhood dream)
38. Visit Jamaica!
39. Visit Hawaii
40. Honeymoon in the Maldives (You got that future hubby!!)
41. Ride the UK coast on horse back
42. Go Whale watching
43. Stay in a luxury 5 star hotel!
44. Visit the Tombs in Eygpt!
45. Go on the Eurostar
46. Spend Christmas in another part of the world. Either New York or Paris!
47. Swim with Dolphins
48. Get a tattoo
49. Build and sleep inside an igloo for 1 night. I'd have to go somewhere cold for this....
50. Do a "Come Dine With Me" style dinner party with friends! :)
51. Learn to meditate - connect with my soul and mind
52. Throw a fancy dress Steampunk themed birthday party! :D
53. Camp on the beach for a whole night :) - a warm beach - maybe do this in another country, because I would freeze in the UK...
54. Visit Rome
55. Learn a new language.
56. Learn how to knit! (I learnt a little bit when I was younger, but Id like to learn some more.)
57. Learn how to make my own scented candles!
58. Learn how to weave miniature baskets!
59. Become a successful blogger.
60. Go Zorbing (rolling down a big hill in a ball)
61. Plant a tree. Not just any tree in any spot, but a tree with a specific meaning. What that meaning will be? Who knows.
62. Shower in a waterfall!
63. Sleep under the stars in a scenic place.
64. Go on the biggest Roller Coaster in the UK!
65. Drive a convertible across Route 66! (Complete with mirrored shades, rock music and long hair!)
66. Go for a Hot Air Balloon ride!
67. Go scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef
68. Quad Bike in dunes and on the beach!
69. Go for a driving day experience - drive a Ferrari, Lambourgini or another really awesome car!
70. Go rally driving!!
71. Go skiing.
72. Stay in a log cabin in a winter wonderland! Drink hot chocolate by the fire and roast marshmellows!
73. Take a tour of the Grand Canyon
74. Visit the 9/11 scene in New York (a bit morbid I know, but my grandparents went and they said it was a real life changing emotion and atmosphere.)
75. Walk along the Great Wall of China
76. See the Northen Lights
77. Have my palm read
78. Have a Medium assess a house I am living in.
79. Climb a Mountain and camp at the top for a night. Not sure which Mountain yet.
80. Stick a map with a pin and go wherever it says!
81. Climb a Volcano
82. Go skinny dipping!
83. See Michael McIntyre live
84. See Lee Evans live
85. Hold a Masquerade party. (Everyone must bring a +1 and wear matching masks.)
86. Ride horse back across the beach
87. Ride a Dune buggy across the desert!
88. Witness a meteor shower
89. Meet a Holocaust Survivor
90. Ice skate in New York at Christmas
91. Eat in an underwater Restaurant.
92. Watch a drive in movie!
93. Sing drunken Karaoke in a foreign country with my best friend! Song of choice must be: "Don't Stop Believing - Journey"
94. Design and build my own home. Decorate and furnish it until it is just perfect.
95. Have £1,000,000 in my bank. Apparently, after doing some reading, this isn't such a hard achievement. We'll see.
96. Visit an undeveloped country
97. Watch the sun rise.
98. Experience Mother Nature at her best - go camping and trekking through Rainforests, Waterfall locations, The Wild.
99. Fall head over heels in love.
100. Conquer my biggest fear. Great White Sharks.

As you can see, in teal and crossed out there are two things that I have already completed. This was a great feeling. I watched the sun rise with a friend on top of a big hill not far from where I live. We sat in his Cavalier Convertable and looked up at the stars. If he wasn't a close friend, I'd have said it was something quite romantic. We talked and talked all night and watched the sun rise in the morning. I went home at about 8am, showered and slept! Haha.

That was one big memorable moment in my life and it was just perfection. I plan on visiting lots of other parts of the world, and I will have a "To Do List" of things for each place - and of course experiencing a sunset and a sunrise with be on these lists!

I met a Holocaust survivor while I was at college. We took a trip to a holocaust centre here in Lincolnshire and we met Arik. He is a really inspiring man, I bought his book and managed to read a little bit of it on the journey home. I'd like to finish this book some time.
So there you have it, my bucket list. I can't say for sure that all of these things will remain here. I like to think I will review this list in a year where I will add or remove things. But this is quite an interesting list and I think it reveals a lot about me. I'm pretty adventurous and willing to try new things.
Once I start making solid plans on completeing some of these things, I am going to set up a blog especially for mine and Thomas's adventures!

Watch this space everyone!

Hugs,
ShellbyFay

PS - I'll be back later this evening with a very important post! ;)

Wednesday 31 October 2012

Something Is Missing Here...

Hi everyone,

So yeh, this dolls house could get a little bit drafty if I don't figure out what's going on here...
(click the link!)

http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/funkymonkey1993/DSC03342.jpg

I've spent today cutting this cardboard straight so that it is easier to handle, and I've just finished pinning the graph to the cardboard, ready for my to draw around. Good new is, it just about fits the width of the cardboard! Whoo.

I've also done a rough measurement of the house so far (may change once I find this missing piece of wall, or realise I've added a wall where a wall shouldn't be somewhere here... But hey, it gives you an idea...

http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/funkymonkey1993/DSC03340.jpg

It is a little under 5 foot 10" wide.
And 2 foot 6.5" deep.

Big.

See you all soon!

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Template and Tips On A Burnt Pan Anyone?

Hey everyone!
Hope you're all good!
I'm back and feeling much better after being poorly sick.

Today I did the template for Old Generals Farm. Already, removing the remaining bits of paper from the graphs, it looks a little more managable... but I'm not going to lie - it's still pretty massive!
Here's a photo (click the link!) I've used a saved TV box... which wasn't quite wide enough... oops. I can add bits to the cardboard until it's right. But hey, the outer edge of the bits of paper is the outline.

http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/funkymonkey1993/DSC03339.jpg


My next step is to make this into a one piece of card, thick and sturdy and use that as a baseboard and template.

Thomas and I won't be able to get to the cottage to do the remaining of the measuring this week, so instead I'm going to spend my day researching building methods - angles for those scary dormer windows - and some doors and windows :) Exciting.
I also want to dig out my clays and see what I can come up with :)

I can't wait to get cutting wood up and really seeing this build take shape. I have the space picked out in my living room ready for it with plug sockets right near by for the lighting :D Eeek!

Oh.. and before I go, anyone know how to get rid of this awful burn on the bottom of my pan? I got chatting to a friend last night and completely forgot about the rice I had cooking... this was the result :( . I've tried boiling salt water, it's made a slight difference but not an awful lot (it's also why my pan looks really grubby around the edges.)

http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/funkymonkey1993/DSC03336.jpg

See you guys tomorrow! :)
Hugs ox

Monday 29 October 2012

Feeling under the weather, but still finding inspiration!

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry I've not been around much the past few days, and I haven't followed up on my plans for Old Generals Farm either, like I promised and I apologise for that too.
I've been a little bit under the weather, feeling a little ill, very tired and run down. I'm still not feeling great today, not ill - just generally. Like my spark has gone awol.

I'm determined to get it back though! I'm going to go through to the bar and get myself a hot drink, then I'm going to come back, get on with my work and then read through all of your amazing blogs later. I've been keeping up with you all quite well I think, thoroughly enjoying a lot of mini creations I'm finding and they're sparking my enthusiam and inspiration!

Ara at Adams Family Mini-Mansion has inspired me with some books she's made recently. The Fairies at Bruion could do with some books, so I must make them some when I dig out all of my supplies!

I want to get back into making some foodies, now that I have my own oven to use and no parents nagging me about the cost of gas, I still haven't made the most of that feature yet! So I hope to be doing some of that soon.

I also need to get Old Generals Farm's second template make and cut out so I have a true ground floor image of how big the house will be and what it will look like. I'm making plans with Thomas in regards to when we can get back to the cottage to finish the measuring! I'm still so excited!

I hope to be back very shortly! Please keep going with your hobbies and making your miniatures! You don't only inspire me, but you inspire hundreds of other people, just like others inspire you!

See you guys soon!
Hugs ox

Thursday 25 October 2012

Ground Floor Graphs First Bit Of Progress Pics

Well Hello Everybody!!
How are we all?

I've been busy this evening converting measurements to 12th scale and I have some progress photos for you!

I have finally completed the ground floor conversion. I had to do a couple of tweaks - tweaks I hope won't effect anything... eeek! But we'll have to wait and see.

Well, bluntly put - it is HUGE! I always knew it would be. But I'm seeing a lot of paper. A lot. So maybe once I've done a cut out stencil it will look a little smaller and I will have a true size of the house. I would measure, but I've spent the past 20mins looking for the tape measure so I think I'll save that exciting part for tomorrow. I believe I've left it in my car. Silly me.

Anyways, this first picture was of my progress last night. I did half of the converting and it took me about an hour. Everything seemed to go pretty smoothly, all the measurements added up and I did well.

http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/funkymonkey1993/DSC03329.jpg

This second picture is of my progress tonight. I'm sorry you probably can't see much more than just paper - if you click the pics to bring them up bigger you might just see some faint lines there, but I thought I would show you were I'm up to now. You get the general jist of the size this house isn't going to be this way too. :)

http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/funkymonkey1993/DSC03335.jpg

See you guys tomorrow.
I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do, but I'll do something :)

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Today's Exciting Progress!

Hi everyone!

Today finally arrived! I woke up this morning all like "yaaaay!" excited, and was dressed and ready to leave the flat in record time. I got to the house, expecting to find Thomas there since he lives two minutes up the road, but he'd lost his keys - so off I went to pick him up before I could start my day measuring and photographing every inch of wall!!

I took pictures of the inside as well as the outside, but I had more time to photograph the outside while I was waiting for Thomas to show up - until he told me he'd lost his keys.

My parents told me today that within about a month they will be putting the house on the market to rent. Next week the decorator will be in to paint all of the walls. That's okay, I took pictures of all the rooms so I know the room colours. When it comes down to particular brands and colour shades, I don't think it'll matter - just as long as I have the right colour and shade to my memory.

So I really have to step up the mark now and get everything I need from the house. Theoretically, I only have 4 days left. Since I only have one day off a week that I can get home to do all of this, and even then I have to find the time!! I decided a week ago I was going to go home to take all of these measurements - luckily I wasn't busy with an overload of work to do! Fingers crossed it will be the same over the next few weeks!!

Anyways, enough boring you - here are a few photos of the outside.
(I hope they're interesting enough for you Kim!)

PS - You have to click on the links, its the only way blogger will let me add images I'm afraid :(

http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/funkymonkey1993/DSC03013_zpse1c1dc3a.jpg

http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/funkymonkey1993/DSC03150_zpsc17931ca.jpg

http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/funkymonkey1993/DSC03151_zps2af8d0b4.jpg

http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z356/funkymonkey1993/DSC03155_zps532130b3.jpg

Please note: All of these images are of my own. If, for whatever reason, you wish to use them - please contact me first. Thank you :)

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Tomorrow's The Day!! 1 More Sleep!

Hi everyone!!

I've been busy running around my flat preparing for an early start tomorrow.
I've made 100% my camera is charged, I have my camera lead on the kitchen table read to put the photos onto my laptop when I get home. I have my list of things I must not forget to photograph. I have my list of things I must not forget to measure.

I even have my clothes laid out on my chair in my room ready to put on! I haven't done that since school?!

This new project has really got me by the tail, and I plan to allow it to take me anywhere it has to, to complete it! I'm so excited and all I'm going to be doing is measuring walls. Pahaha!

Any tips for tomorrow?
Anything in particular you think I should look out for or pay special attention to?

I hope to have everything measured by the end of tomorrow - including inside. Then I will transfer all of the measurements onto graph paper before I go out and buy the MDF.

Hopefully, next Tuesday or Wednesday I will be able to go to B&Q, but the MDF and have it all cut out. That will be when we know this project is for real!

I will see you all tomorrow, bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning!! :)

Night!

Monday 22 October 2012

Just Dropping By...

Hello everyone!
How are we all?

Before I begin writing this post, I would like to say a huge thank you to those who have started following my blog recently. I really appreciate it, and I hope I continue to post pages that interest you. A big Welcome from me :)

Now...
I've been going crazy at my reception desk today, plotting and planning the build for Old Generals Farm 12th scale! I have a To Do List - of course! And I have my best friend, Thomas, helping me on Wednesday to measure the house from top to bottom - literally!

Since moving out of home and into my flat, I haven't photographed anything, so the number one item on my To Do List was to dig out my camera... and then my camera charger. Mission accomplished. I have emptied my camera's memory card and I plan to fill it up again with billions of photos for Old Generals Farm. I'm going to photograph every tiny detail so that when it comes to adding those finishing touches once I have built the house, I can add every tiny bit of realism I can.

Oh, I really mean every tiny detail.
On my "To Photograph" list is the following:

- Cobwebs
- Mould patches (around the windows outside)
- Birds nests
- Slipped roof tiles
- Weeds

All of these details will add the finishing touch to Old Generals and I hope it will really help the build to resemble my old home perfectly.

I cannot wait to go home. I'm so excited it is unreal. I've been counting down the days all week. Just 2 more sleeps and I can finally set this ball rolling!!

Hurry up Wednesday!!!

See you guys soon :)

Friday 19 October 2012

A question for all wood savvy miniaturists out there!

Hi everyone,
I hope you're all okay!

I've been going through my own blog today, as well as many of my favorite blogs which got me started in all of this in the first place!!

I found a couple of posts within my blog, that were basically My Future Project List.
One project that was on this list, and is still something I feel very passionately about doing, is Old Generals Farm - the house I used to live in before I flew the nest, as they say.

My parents have also moved out, and although they still own the cottage and have no intention of selling the house this side of Christmas, I still feel time is of the essence for me if I wish to do this project.

When I looked into having the cottage professionally built to scale for me, I was put off by the price tag. £5,000 to build the project for me ready to go, which in fairness is a really good price considering the hard work and efforts which must go into this, but there is no way I can afford £5,000 and I cannot warrant spending this amount of money on the shell!!

May I please ask - all wood savvy people out there, how on earth can I gain the confidence, skill and knowledge required to attempt such a project myself?

I would really like to attempt to build Old Generals Farm in 12th scale myself.

My dad has some suitable tools in his garage at home, I can buy the wood required at my local B&Q. I have a ruler, pencil, rubber (for the many mistakes) and an image in my mind of how I will like this project to look when finished. Is it bad enough that I already have the space picked out in my flat? :o

I will do whatever it takes!!


  • Where do I start?
  • How do I know how to measure the roof if I can't get up there?
  • How do I make sure all the doors fit properly?
  • How do I get all the measurements to add up right? It's okay measuring it in real life, but then converting it to 12th scale and making sure it measures up right on paper and on wood is going to be the hardest thing of all right?
  • And what about getting all the angels right? The roof and all that?!
  • Would it be better to have the squarish walls cut out for me at B&Q and then attempt to do the not to square parts myself? Since that would help in the amount of waste wood and mistakes?


I've linked to the original post so that you can see a photo of the cottage, unfortunately blogger is still not allowing me to add photos to my post! :(

Scroll down to the bottom of this post for an image of the cottage

The photo shown in the blog post above probably isn't the best for showing how complex this house could be to build, I will try to dig out some better ones. Or take some myself next week.

Thank you to any advice anyone can offer!!

Monday 15 October 2012

Itching To Get Back To My Beloved Hobby!

We must all go through it from time to time, a break, a lack of inspiration, or where life just gets too busy to allow you just a minute to think about your beloved hobby - whatever it may be.

Well here I am today, flicking through this blog - my very first blog - wondering how I lost my path? It's seriously overgrown that's how!!

It's been such a long time since I indulged in anything miniature related that I've lost all my original ideas, inspiration and love for my dear projects. It's been so long since I picked up Greg - my first and only hand made doll. I really should dig him out, maybe he can spark that love of miniatures I have that's hiding away somewhere deep down.

All my dolls houses and dolls house related items are at home, in my old bedroom. Dad has told me they will need to come back here soon, because they are considering renting out the house. I don't mind that. I'll be glad to have my dolls houses with me :)

Today I'm going to go through all my favorite blogs, draw inspiration and ideas out of everyone's current projects and pray that I can find my mini-mojo again :)

Wish me luck!
And don't forget to check out my new blog, link is in the post below :)

By for now!

Thursday 11 October 2012

I'm Still Around!

Ahh jeez... it's been almost (almost) a year since I last posted here... yes, I'm ashamed.
So deeply ashamed.

But I thought I'd drop by to let you all in on the reason why I've not been around!
Mainly because, simply, I haven't had any time at all for dolls housing :( boooo!

And this blog link here will explain why: Lazy Girls Guide To Life - Living As One .
Uh-huh... I have flown the nest as they say!

Fingers crossed once I've finished staring at colour charts, shopping for furniture and have some spare time - and money - again, I'll be back dolls housing and enjoying the fine life of miniature creations once again!

Sees you all again soon!
ox

Sunday 5 February 2012

Meet Herman and Hetti

Hello everyone!

It's snowing here, in Lincolnshire, and I thought I'd share some photos with you all :)
Enjoy!








Have a lovely day everyone! :D


Saturday 21 January 2012

Future Projects List *Updated*

Hey everyone!

As part of the makeover for Anything Miniature, I decided that I would do an updated Future Project list. You can find my original post about my future projects here. The Future Projects list post was originally inspired by Wanda of So Mini Projects. She still has her dream project's list on the left hand side of her blog, and I have to say, reading her ideas again definately helped to expland my own list once again!! Oh dear!

A lot of my original Future Projects still stand as projects I would love to do, but as my passion for my hobby has escalated, my visions and imagination has grown stronger and my wealth of inspiration is bursting at the seams, it's difficult to keep a head full of ideas calm and content, when all you want to do is get stuck in.

Well, here's to my first step! I am trying to complete Bruion and The Bakers Dozen so that I can move on to another project. My aim now, once I have completed these two, will be to start and finish one project at a time... but realistically, how many people say that and then end up contradicting themselves?

Well either way, here goes: The projects highlighted in purple are projects I am working on, or have completed.

  • A Bakery
  • A Country Pub
  • A Stable and Horse Scene
  • A Grand House - complete with maids and butler.
  • A Lighthouse
  • A Windmill
  • A Florists
  • A Fantasy Dwelling (Bruion)
  • A Scene from the film Dirty Dancing
  • Old Generals Farm (the house that I live in)
  • A B&B
  • A Modern Family Home (made from the DHE kit, Mountfield.)
  • A Woman's Dress Shop
  • A Haberdashery
  • A Country Tea Rooms
  • A Post Office Roombox
  • A Children's Toy Shop
  • Grandma's House
  • A Winter Scene (yet to be decided upon)
So there we have it. The list has most certainly grown and it's probably safe to say that I may not ever be able to do every single one of these, and they may most definately swap and change as new inspiration comes to me. All a good excuse for you to keep checking back!

I hope you've enjoyed reading this post and you are enjoying the Anything Miniature Makeover so far!

Bye for now!
ShellbyFay

Anything Miniature Needs A Make-Over!

Hello everyone,

I've been reading back on the old posts of Anything Miniature this morning. I'm so glad that I started this blog. Looking back on everything I posted about makes me realise I have come a long, long way. Looking at my very first bread attempt out of polymer clay, my very first dolls houses, my very first Giveaway win and my Future Projects List inspired by Wanda.

It's been a heck of a journey, and one that I aim to continue for many, many more years to come. My dolls houses are my passion, and sadly I don't always get the time to spend on them that I want. That's when I come to my blog, and your blogs to look around and keep my creative mind working. I love each and every one of your blogs that I follow, and I'm always keenly looking at what you're all up to, even though I don't always comment.

I started a new blog this New Year, one that I'm keeping on top of quite well I think. It's not exactly dolls house related, it more like a sort of journal. It talks about me, my life, what's going on in my mind, what I've been up to, and blogs/people that inspire me. If this interests you, check it out. I Pinky Promise... This blog got a few full days work on it, and although it still isn't finished, I like the layout and simplicity. I decided that Anything Miniature needs a make over so that it's neater, calmer and easier to get around.

So over the next week or so, if everything looks a little higglety pigglety, don't worry, I'm on it!

Now, I best start looking for those notes on HTML...

Cya!

Monday 16 January 2012

Pretzels!

Hi everyone!

I've recently made a little set of delicious pretzels that can be displayed in your miniature kitchen or bakery!

There are 3 tiny pretzels glued into place on the paper doily which is glued into the real glass cake stand. The cake stand includes a lid which is removeable.
There are also 3 loose pretzels for you to display as you wish and a little metal pincer.
The paper bag is also included.

I've added this pretzel set to my Etsy shop: Diddies


Hope you like them!
Back soon with some more miniature progress!
ShellbyFay
xx

Friday 13 January 2012

Bakery Progress!!

Hey everyone!!

I've had yet another constructive day with mini-ing (find out why I have so much motivation here) I've been working very hard on The Bakers Dozen, and have spent many hours decorating, tiling, bricking and adding lighting! I'll be the next best Handy Woman in Lincolnshire by the end of the week!

Here's some piccies:



 
I ran out of tiles!!! :o :(

I do apologise that the first two are the wrong way around.

So there's my work complete for the day. Tomorrow I make is my mission to find my dad's mitre block and cut the skirting. If I cannot find it.. well, I'm sure there's something else I can do!


See you soon!
ShellbyFay
xx

Thursday 12 January 2012

Bruion Progress At Last!

Today, is very special!
I'm finally about to show you some proper progress... on a miniature project... on Bruion!!
I can hear the gasps from here!

Bruion sits on my bedside table. The light inside provides a nice little light to read my book with (I still need the lamp on the other side though) but it creates a lovely atmosphere. So Bruion is the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see at night. It pains me, irritates me, and frustrates me to see it unfinished and every day I look at it, it looks more and more unfinished!
I still have a huge amount of inspiration, imagination and motivation (that's a lot of 'tions' there!) for Bruion, so I decided yesterday, that I would do something about it!

I got up early. Brought Bruion downstairs, made a cuppa and then got my butt into gear!!

I started off by painting this adorable little birdhouse. It's quite a large size in comparison to some miniature bird houses I've seen, but I think it really suits Bruion when I hold it up to where it'll be put in place.


Next, I attached some more flower vines. A few weeks ago, my mom's hairdresser visited and she brought her daughter. Her daughter shares the same passion for dolls houses as I do, and she was eager to help me make some of these vines. It took up a couple of hours while our mom's talked "mom talk" and we had a good natter about all things Dolls House related!
These vines were really simple and easy to make. They're made from floral wire and flower soft. I don't think you need a tutorial, but here's a quick point in the right direction:




1) Coat the wire in a very fine layer of glue. (dont do the whole wire at once, it gets messy. Just section by section as each bit dries.)
2) Sprinkle on Flower Soft, colour of your choice.
3) Let dry.
4) Wrap around or place in desired area.

Simples.





And then finally, I had the final section of the roof to add moss to. Since this was the section where the wire for the lighting was to go, I wanted to be careful. I didn't want to glue moss straight on top of the wire, so I painted a piece of card green to match the roof. I then positioned the wire underneath the card and glued the card down. Moss on top of card. Voila!!
If I ever need to reach the lighting, I'll just have to rip the piece of card off, do what I have to do and replace card and moss.

I've got a list of things to do today that's about as tall as I am (About 5 foot something) and I think it's best I got on with it all now, don't you!

See you again soon,
Hopefully! :)

Monday 2 January 2012

Lots of updating to do!!

Hello everyone!!

I'm sorry that I didn't blog yesterday, as promised. I had to work and didn't realise I would be there all day!!
I arrived home at 11pm and decided it was too late to be sitting infront of a laptop!

Last time I posted it was New Years Eve, the very last few hours of 2011. The year of 2011 brought me some laughs and some fabulous memories - like going on holiday to Cromer with two of my friends, Macky and Harry.
And also recieving a big, brand new dolls house for Christmas... yes, I forgot to blog about this one! Oops! Well here it is! All 8 rooms of it (excluding hallways), all 9 sash windows and all working doors!




These photos really dont show you the true size of this house, it's massive! And takes up a lot of room! Hehe. I'm not entirely sure what I would like to do with this house yet. It's supposed to be a mother and daughter project, but things are still pretty  hectic. Getting my mom to sit down and discuss it with me is out of the question until the kids are back to school, dad's back to work and we can go back to our lazy days sat on the sofa catching up with Holby City! :D

So more on this in time.

Now, as I promised on New Years Eve, I would like to list my goals for the year to come. I didn't want to set any New Years Resolutions, because, when you're honest with yourself, how many did you actually keep from last year? I remember my New Year's Resolutions was to lose a bit of weight, be healthier, exercise more and save money. I saved my money until I had to pay for my car insurance. I lost a bit of weight and I'm not very happy with my shape and size, but I still eat junk food and I still eat like a horse. I don't excerise, but I consider work to be enough of that, as I work on a bar and I walk around it countless times a day.

So this year I am setting Goals. These Goals, I will make a special new post for, and will keep it updated as I complete them. I haven't yet thought of the realistic goals I know I can work to achieve. We are only on Day 2 of 2012, I still have 363 days to complete my goals, when I finalise them on this blog!

Check back tomorrow, or maybe even later tonight, hopefully I'll have my list up by then!

Have a lovely day/night!

Hugs
xx