Hello! :)

 Oh, my! I cannot believe how long it has been since my last post. Twas never my intention to just walk away, but, it is what it is.

So much has happened in the past two years, gees, this year alone has been a roller coaster ride of good and bad for me and my family. I won't bore you with all of the details. ;)

Let's get up to date! :)

Please do let me know what you have been up to as of late!

Most recently, I exhibited at Philadelphia Miniaturia for the third year in a row. Best time evah! and best show to date! So happy to be included with so many fabulous artisans. I feel so privileged to be included in such a fabulous show.

This year I had the opportunity to teach that went really, really well. My students were so happy with their mini creations and I am so bummed that I completely forgot to bring a camera. I will try to remember for next time.

For now, some pics of my table at the show;

My very sweet son took this pic;

and I took this one of the table;

I have more pictures on the ipad, but have yet to figure all of that out completely yet. I'm still learning, even though I am old! lol

Okay, so bear with me, this old dog is going to have to learn new tricks, after being away for so long, everything is so new and different, I have much to learn, but I will keep on trying!

Thank you for still being around and interested. I really appreciate it. :)

There is much in store for dale's dreams in the coming months and coming year and many new minis to be seen. I hope you continue to join me in this miniature journey. I'm still loving it and I hope you are as well.

Many blessings sent out to you and yours!
As ever,
dale :)

AMERICANA is now live at Etsy!

By working together, we can accomplish great things!

May I present to you;

AMERICANA!

  

 These are the collaborative works of myself, CalicoJewels and KatiesClayCorner

all are now available for sale at etsy in our shops

If you would like to see the inspirations for this line, you can find them here on pinterest.

Feel free to follow my boards.

My mother was very patriotic, it gave her great pleasure that her father in law was a Yankee Doodle Dandy (born on the 4th of July), she loved history and was a genealogist. When our country celebrated the bicentennial, my mother recreated the flag that Betsy Ross made. It is for these reasons that I dedicate my new line of miniatures, AMERICANA, to her memory.

Sharing Sunday! :)

 Yes, I will use any excuse I can find to pull out my blue and white china.

Photo credits below.

I especially added these top two because they fit in with the season.

I recently got this gift from Lyssa. She had a giveaway on her blog and added a special one for those that had been most supportive of her. I was so touched to be one! :)

I know the fence shelf looks a bit Halloweeny, but later it's gonna be shabby chic-y some where in one of my houses. I love her paintings and check out the basket, would you believe it is made of paper? I had to really examine it.

Sweet treasures, thank you Lyssa!

You can find her blog here and her etsy shop here.

These are from my friend Heidi. She dressed the skelly herself and that has got to be the tiniest cameo I have ever seen. I have to make up those boxes now.

I met Heidi on facebook, she's been down here to visit twice now. We have minis and food and music in common... and the occasional sarcasm. ;)

You can find her blog here, where she writes about life and day to day kinda stuff. :)

She's been back to making minis again, maybe she will share some pics soon!

Patricia from Papillon Bleu made me this dolly when we did a trade a while back. I made a proper mattress for Alienore. She gave her a pink dress because of my affinity for pink and dark hair to match me, but look at her bracelet.

She gave her a pink bracelet just like I have.

Have you any idea how hard it is to take a picture of your right hand with your left hand?

I don't suggest trying it! lol ;)

Just one of the many moments of serendipity that I have had with so many of my mini peeps.

More hat stands from Tom Saunders.... perhaps I just leave them out some where to remind me to make some hats soon! :)

He doesn't seem to have an open shop at the moment..

I thought I bought yellow apples, bananas and peppers.

According to the receipt it is bananas, grapefruit and tomatoes!

Too funny, I don't even like grapefruit!

Guess I need my eyes checked. ;)

They are from the Fieldwood Company, Inc.

Of course, we should all be preparing for this holiday!

I got this from Pepe when Caterina had a swap for Christmas.

Sadly, I cannot find her blog now, she might not have even had a blog, I am not sure, if anyone knows, please let me know and I will edit this post.

Photo credits:

Fireplace, bench, and blue and white china from my private collection.

Blue jug from Sandy Copeland

Miniature photography from Wanderinon

Folding screen, pillows, rug and shell mirror can be purchased at my etsy shop.

Thanks for joining me for sharing Sunday! :)

Latest works...

Spent a good portion of this week painting these pieces with many coats of paint and sanding.

Highlighted with gold paint and the chair has been reupholstered.

I liked them so much, I decided to keep them for myself. :)

In progress...

You can see the bedroom pieces in their before look.

A while ago, my cousin who is a professional organizer gave me a bunch of furniture from a woman that was downsizing.

 and a dollhouse...

and a box of furniture to make, though, some of it is missing.

With how busy I was this past summer, I think I forgot to share all of this. 

I painted this buffet or console table to have an Asian style to it and it's been distressed to show age.

I don't often venture outside of 1/12th or one inch scale, but I did for this little bed. 

You can see it's before look in the group photo above. Bed measures less than 3" wide.

Painted, sanded, aged, and distressed.

New floral rose print has been combined with two vintage fabrics, one featuring hearts, the other polka dots. Fine vintage and antique trims and lace have been used to embellish the bedding and pillows.

Country, cottage, shabby chic.

Before.

In progress...

 The bench has been embellished with pink, blue, and yellow roses, it's also been distressed. Upholstered with a blue floral and rose pink pleated trim. The pillows are all loose and filled with a material that makes them appear real, along with a folded "quilt." Rag rug is braided from a yard each of the fabrics used.

 I didn't forget about the series for the Denver show, Part II will be coming soon and so will a giveaway.

Stay tuned! :)

Denver Dollhouse Miniatures Show Part I

 There is so much that I want to share with you all that this is going to be broken down to three postings.

I apologize if you think this is over kill, but otherwise, it would be one humungous post! lol

When I teasingly referred to it as the epic cross country adventure, I had no idea how true those words would come to be! Thank goodness, my dear sweet hubby was along for the ride and the journey. He is really my BFF (best friend forever). Over the past almost 30 years many "friends" have come and gone, but, he remains and will hopefully always be, my best friend, my greatest supporter and my soul mate.

Plus, he makes me laugh all of the time! :)

I am very blessed. 

We took three and a half days to get to Denver, CO from New Jersey. We thought this would be a leisurely pace, but still, they were long days of driving! The first night in Denver, we stayed with my oldest sister. When I went to first grade, she went to college and a year later she transferred to Denver and she has lived there ever since. The last time we drove across the country was in 1976, so it was nice to repeat that journey as an adult and to be the one driving. :) Thank goodness for planes in the mean time. ;)

I'm bad, I didn't get a picture of her and she looked fabulous, too!

I love and adore her so much!

I did get a pic of her new kitty though, Rascal. :)

The next day, we met up with my friend Cathy, because I told her I would share table space with her and have her floral items for sale. I've been friends with Cath for four years, in fact, she was the first one that accosted me on etsy and we became fast friends. :)

Did I get a picture of her? No! I am so bad!

We were under a time crunch as hubby had a work deadline so we basically were just rushing in to pick up her merchandise and rushed out.

But, you know what is funny about peeps you know online but never have seen?

They usually lie about the way they look. lol ;)

Cath told me she was big, imagine my surprise when I find this tiny little woman! lol ;) Big my foot! ;)

You can find Cathy's blog here.

Anyhoo! I will never forget the girlish twinkle/sparkle that was in her eyes and we finally got to hug, a few times, in person, after having given each other so many virtual hugs over the years. :)

I could not have picked a better place/show to be my first. I was surrounded by my hubby, sis, good mini friends and even a gal from high school that I got to catch up with who has been living in Denver for a while. The people that ran the show were so supportive and excited for me for it being my first show, as well as the other dealers and the customers. I could not have asked for a better experience. I learned a lot!

Okay, enough blabbing from me, on with the show! :)

Here's my table.

I was tickled to get to meet so many peeps in real life that I have met online. :)

Julie, I have known since blogging, but got to know her a lot better on facebook. We have so much in common, including last names (her last name is my maiden name), we both have family from the same small town in Western Pennsylvania and a host of other things, like loving nature... well, the list goes on and on and I won't bore you further, but, I have to tell you, it was such a joy to get to meet her in person and get to hang out with her. She is such a real and fun person to be around, it was a true gift. :)

You can find Julie's shop here, her blog is currently under construction. ;)

Check out the gourd bird and house! Cool, right? :)

And her caravan, she sells instructions how to make one.

Pamela J is another I met through blogging and etsy and eventually facebook. Her minis are fab! One really needs to see them in person to appreciate the detail, especially with her mini food jewelry.

I loved this! :)

 

Bear, I have had the pleasure of seeing his turnings the past few times at the Philadelphia Miniaturia. He is now president of the board for the Denver Dollhouse and Miniatures Museum.

  These bowls were made soon after he became president. Apparently the day after he took office, a storm wreaked havoc on the grounds and these were the little blessings from the storm. :)

Kathy, I met her at etsy she has a shop here. What I really like about her fabrics is that she has them professionally printed. She was busy promoting her items by giving out some free samples to a few dealers. I was tickled of course, to be one of them. :) So nice to get to meet her in person after corresponding with her. :)

And here is me at the show, my friend Cath took this pic of me.

Next time, some new peeps to meet!
...and coming up soon, a giveaway! :)