Tuesday 4 June 2013

BEST IN SHOW!

WHOOO HOO!
IT'S ME!


THE 2013 WEST COAST DOLLHOUSE AND MINIATURE SHOW
MY DISPLAY WAS

'GOTHICA'
a
 Modern Medieval Garden Shed




This is the text that I use to tie all the elements together ....

'GOTHICA'
Here is an overview of the entire roombox, which started life as a wooden speaker box which I had purchased over 12 years ago at Value Village.  I had decided at that time that I wanted to showcase some of my gardening bits and pieces and it was originally to just be a container with a loose  semblance of structure.  I guess more like a collage of gardening stuff not necessarily a representation of a "room".  It sat with a plastic bag over top of it's head for many years just waiting for me to become inspired. 
 I waited too.....
After all those years this is what it finally became.   
I made this lamp with a bubble container from a 25 cent vending machine (they are hard to find these days,) and the backside of a brass button.  I also used the bottom of a commercially made dollhouse chandelier which I turned upside down and re-strung the chain to hang in the opposite direction. I wired it with 2 grain of wheat light bulbs and painted the metal parts in black acrylic paint and aged.
The dome was over-laid with the fossil remains of Chinese Lantern flowers that left the fascinating leaded glass look when glued over the plastic dome.  I then highlighted the veining with paints and stains and gave it an aging with amber glass stain.  This was fun to do and I already have plans to make more.  I hope to give a tutorial in the near future if anyone is interested in learning how.
One of the very first things that I wanted to put into the box was this over-large picture of a  Renaissance Gardener. I framed it and glued it to the wall and although the majority of it is obscured by the old storage chest, I love the scale and the theme of it.  The colors are muted and yet the face of the gentleman is alive with light!
I found the religious icon in a grab bag at the thrift store.  Although I am not a catholic by faith I felt that it was an interesting addition that shows the viewer that there is a belief in God held by the mini gardener that inhabits this tiny domain.  As I began to fill this box the character began to find it's voice in a series of visuals that depicted both life and death almost in equal measure.  The more that I did the more the 2 began to assert themselves.  It stopped becoming the garden pastiche and collection of goods and began to become a story.  It took an entire year, Off and On, once I began to seriously work on it again and I found myself very early on having to edit, edit, edit!
The chest of drawers is from a Realife  bedroom kit that I put together and then decided it looked way too new and decided to age it.  I like roughing things up and it was fun.  I made new hardware for the dresser with brass jewelry findings and jump rings which I also painted and aged.  I wanted something tall for that picture wall which would also be functional as storage for the space.  Because of the eventual cave like atmosphere, it was good to paint it blue as it gives some needed color for the interior.  To fill the top of it I used some fresh picked berries in baskets and a dish of gourds,  along with an architectural fragment and a couple of lamps
 and a squirrel. Along the far side of the chest of drawers are a bundle of tied together newspapers that Janine (MINWORKS) had made and they are atop of an old wooden plant crate.
This is a close up of the harvested fruit at the end of the season. The gourds I made of some unusual beads that had that striping on and were already the pretty greens that you see in the photo.  The 'nuts' that you see interlaced with them are some dried flowers that looked interesting to me and visually completed the bowl.
A couple of years before I began this box, I found a magazine photo of a doorway that over-looked a canal in Venice.  The picture was of a redish peeling plaster wall which was inset with an arched doorway, that opened out onto a juliet balcony.  I saved the photo and eventually pulled it out and wanted to find a arched doorway as tall so that I could get started on the project.  I had begun to see a story-line developing, but  I couldn't find what I was looking for at the local miniature store and didn't want to order one and have to wait for it to be mailed, so I glued the magazine picture to some cardboard and cut out the arched door frame and lacquered and aged it and stained it to look like wood.  I liked the effect and it is rustic enough to work.  Sometimes 'fake' works just as good as the  real' thing!
I should probably say at this point, that I decided to cover the walls with full sized textured wall paper.
I had the pleasure of being totally abusive with the paints and slapped it on and wiped it off and slapped it on and wiped it off and slapped it on .....
I was wanting to use more red tones than brown and mixed up a variety of reds, browns, yellows, greys and blacks and kept re-adjusting the color to look sort of like the Venice plaster walls that had been in the picture.  After I got the colors I wanted I covered foam board in the pieces that I had cut for the walls and ran the electrical through the foam board and connected it to the wood walls of the speaker box.  I hadn't done any wiring for all those years but once I started it all came back to me.  I used the tape wire system and also hard wire and solder.  I bought a used transformer from Value Village and cut the push plug end off of the connecting wire and then split the cord and exposed the wires and soldered it to the wires from the lights which were then connected to two brass pins plugged into the the electrical tape.  Buying the transformers from the thrift store is a big money saver and it is a great way to recycle rather than having to buy brand new ones.  The voltages are engraved into the backs and they can run from 2 to 7 dollars on average and there are usually lots of them on one rack at any given time.  Try it and see!
Okay, back to the interior fittings;  I  bought a Mexican miniature display (from the thrift store) that had some potato sacks and some over sized ugly potatoes hot glued to the tops.   I ripped them out and filled the bag with 'apples' that I made from beads!
The veggies were some that I bought in Seattle at the show years ago and they are made of porcelain and are so detailed. I love them!  I have the bell peppers and lettuce and carrots in the bushel baskets which I painted and aged to blend into the rug (that I found at the thrift store) which was a tobacco premium in the long long ago.  I strew dried straw and dried plants all over the carpet.

  Stuff that the cat dragged in.  

 Well actually, stuff that the chickens dragged in.  I love the chickens and right from the beginning I was determined to use these two.  I posed one on a chair that I aged and wore the threads out with a good scrub of sandpaper on the seat cushion.  The hen has laid an egg on the chair and the rooster now has something to crow about!  I made a lap robe by buying an old shirt at Value Village and cutting out a square and glued a piece of tin foil onto the back side to allow it to drape and I positioned it repeatedly until I found what I liked.  All the furniture that I used, "use to be 'nice' and was cast off and scavenged from the 'Manor House' to live in this out building.", so I could mix the styles to my hearts content.  I had this dollar store sideboard that I had painted and decoupaged to look French and Formal.  I layered the top of it with Medieval accessories such as the iron grotesque and the candelabra that I made.  An old silver pitcher with books and painted silica gel grapes (see my grapes tutorial) to snack on and packages of seeds to be planted and a cup of tea to take the chill off, which are just some of the items that litter the fancy desk top.  Oh!  and Books!  Books on the desk as well as under it where it is difficult to see!  How could I ever have a display without including them!?


The mirror that sits on top is a repainted Christmas ornament that I purchased several of from the dollar store, all those years ago and this is what inspired the title of the roombox.  Gothic mirror = 'GOTHICA'
It is funny that once I got a working title for the space things really began to gel.  When cleaning out the garage and in the course of rediscovering the contents of long forgotten boxes, I discovered a set of medieval weaponry.  The scale was right and I chose 2 of the 7 that I had and placed the trident and a tasseled spear, into the corner.  "Swords into plowshares" began to seriously run through my mind.
I found a scull that was not too scary( "Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him well") and moved it about until I found the right spot on the lip of the stereo casing.  The manuscript was from a cut out in a magazine that was stained and torn and glued to the outside corner. A tiny turtle was glued under it just because I liked the effect.  I found the sword in a bag of junky bits.  'Swords into plowshares' was fast emerging, by now.
This grotesque was originally a fridge magnet that my sister found at the thrift store (it runs in the family) and although too big for anywhere inside the box I wanted to use him anyway and found that the lower left outside corner was a good place for it.
The same thing applied to this lion which I painted and aged and that I found at the thrift store. 
 Hey, guess where I shop a lot? ..... 
 At the thrift store?

(How'd ya know?)

Anyway, the lion was glued to the top of the box and is finally at rest.
(and I ain't lyin)
I made 2 finials for the corners out of wooden beads topped with a fancy head pin and painted it all and stained and aged it and the base around it. 

Meanwhile back inside again.
Here is a closer look at the wall finish and the iron chains that are holding the mirror in place.  I had painted the mirror to look like a really solid wood and for it to just SIT on the table was not enough security for anyone who might be sitting in front of it.  Heavy chains were in order and water marks from the damp in the walls generated rust stains too.  A flattened embossed button of a viking is mounted above and in between the still alive ancient vine that has worked its way across the ceiling and along the mirrored wall.


about the vines ....
I was walking the dogs during the winter months and someone had thrown out an uprooted rose bush.  As I passed I marveled at the interesting shapes of the roots that were now sticking up into the air, and then right away I tried to remove some of it.  But roots are tough and I wrestled with it in the alley for a good 5 minutes before I finally won the day.  I gleefully took it home and washed and dried it and wondered how I could use it.  I got up the nerve to try a tiny piece in around the door of this hideaway and before you know it I had used up the whole thing and then had to return to the fallen rose bush and wrest off some more roots to further enhance the corner with a more earthy cave like 'hobbit' atmosphere.  It was looking like it could be carved out of a tree hollow or a cavern in the side of a hill.  This space was constantly changing on me! 
This wasp began as a novelty pin and when I had purchased it from Value Village, I had thought of wearing it on my lapel, but I then didn't want people hitting at me trying to knock it off!  I liked it but others would Freak!  It used to have one wing but it fell off a long time ago. Just to make GOTHICA more interesting I decided to stick my little 'killer bee' in the corner close to the viewer for added perspective.  The wasp is life-sized but the interior is one twelfth and the scenery is even smaller.
  
Just behind the wasp is a button ornament glued onto decorative strips of wallpaper border in a gold tone.
Magazine cutouts of regency garden plans that I rolled after staining and  aging and I placed them in  another old flower bucket along with some old garden tools and yet Another sword.
Finally I added a plastic sheep that I remove at will and placed him just outside the door of the building.  There are a pair of wooden garden clogs on the threshold which are right under its nose. The clogs use to be earrings ( thirft store)  The sheep (thrift store) was added the night before the Miniature Show and so I was working on this project right up to the wire.



The landscape is a mural that came from a book of trompe l'oeil.  Guess where I bought it?
YUP!
So after a very long time and through many transformations over the course of a year, this is the project that I took to the 2013 West Coast Miniature Show.  I am very proud of it and I hope that you have not fallen asleep through the viewing of it.  I thank all the public that voted for my project and I have to say that I felt ELATED after they announced my name at the end of the day! After more than 12 years absent.
BEST IN SHOW!
What a wonderful feeling and what a wonderful blessing!

God is good!

elizabeth

78 comments:

  1. Congratulations Elizabeth! Well deserved!! Wow, I can't believe the detail you have in this project.

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    1. A sincere Thank You, Susan! Your comment means a whole lot!

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    2. Just reading comments Elizabeth and I see you apologising for too many photos - it would be hard to put up tooooo many pics, bloggers looove pics!!! We love to see all the tiny details and your work is all detail, hence global love :)

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    3. Hahahahahah! Global love indeed!? Susan, being a woman who is also "technically challenged" I think that you can appreciate that when I say too many photos I mean also that some of them were just plain BAD! My skills with the camera are improving but NOT by great leaps and bounds I had so many repeated shots as well, ( When you have seen a photo of a bag of apples do you really need to see it in 5 other pictures!? No Susan, I will have to veto additional pictures if I want to keep all my friends: You will just have to trust me on this! (big smiles)

      elizabeth

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  2. I can see why you did so well. The lamp is fabulous. I really like the details. Well done! IndyPoppy

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    1. Hello Indy_Poppy! Many Thanks to you for your comment and also about the lamp! I really do want to do some more, and soon!

      elizabeth

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  3. Me he quedado alucinada por tu escena y tus explicaciones ¡Maravillosa!, todos los detalles la lámpara ,increíble me encantará saber como la has hecho , el envejecimiento que has dado al conjunto , me quedo sin palabras para expresar como me ha gustado, felicidades :-)

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    1. Gracias Rosa Maria! I really am happy that you also like the lamp and I will be very happy to show you how! I really appreciate your comment and kind words to me!

      elizabeth

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  4. Congratulations Elisabeth!
    Your roombox is fabulous!! The scene is rich in detail and each piece is perfect.
    Thank you for your comments to each photo. They explain how much work and imagination you used to achieve such a result!
    Bravissima!!!

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    1. Thank you Ersilia! I am so glad that you like this project! I am happy that you have enjoyed the commentary with the photos as well! I sometimes feel that I am using way too many words and I try to condense it down so I don't talk peoples ears off and put them all to sleep! So thank you for your compliment and the good wishes!

      elizabeth

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  5. Congratulations Elizabeth!
    Talent! Talent! Talent! You have so much incredible talent. Gothica is a treasure! I could go ona bout the finishes, the composition, the lighting, the accessories....but the one thing you did better then anyone is you created the absolute perfect atmosphere. I honestly dfeel like I am being pulled into a little gothig world. not just looking at an exceptionally incredible roombox. Congratul;atinos again Elizabeth, I know I will be coming back to look at these pictures all day. Fabulous!
    Big hug,
    Giac

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    1. Hello Giac, my friend! You have made my heart glad! I love atmosphere and ambiance and whatever it takes to get there is my objective! Things don't have to be perfect and as a matter of fact it is often better for me if they are NOT. It is a good thing because I know my limitations and I'd just make a Perfect Mess of it otherwise. Thank you for all your encouraging and supportive words Giac!
      Big Hug Back!

      elizabeth

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  6. Wow! ..uhhh WOW! I don't think I have ever been flustered so much I don't know what to write.

    Obviously your talent is astonishing, the amount of detail of course is amazing but I love how you have cataloged items from all of your mini stash years and found the most perfect place for them.

    Kismet!

    Everything you have created is masterful but the bubble light is so fantastic...I ..I dunno I think I love you...er something :P

    I must shrink down and spend the day walking in your fantasy of fantastical transportation

    Bravo!

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    1. Hi Jane! You crack me up! I am so happy to hear from you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this comment, it makes my day! Cause, I love you too Jane! .... er somethng! haahha

      elizabeth

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  7. Wow! Congrats on Best in Show... It is much deserved!!! Love all the details you included. :)

    It makes me feel better that it took you a long time to create this. There are some people that can knock out a roombox in just days! I don't know where they find the time... I guess they don't have a full time job! :)

    toddlindsey.com

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    1. Hello Lindsey! Thank you for this lovely compliment! I am glad that you like all the details that is what is always the most fun isn't it? I took a year to put this together but I had thought I had finished it months ago! It sat on a shelf more or less done and it wasn't until I got it down to dust it out that I began to play with it all over again and make adjustments to it and get the exterior finished up! Sometimes my projects need some time 'alone' and 'away' from me so that I can see them later with 'new' eyes. What was fast initially, (because I was anxious to get re-involved in this hobby again), took time later to 'simmer' on the back burner while I worked on other things. When the time was right a "quick fry" to refresh and adjust the ingredients to the finished project was in order. I feel that you can always find the time to do the things that you really want to do! My sister famously whips up a batch of muffins just before she goes off to work whereas I would prefer to wait until my 'days off' to do it. Everyone has their own priorities, don't they? It is always about finding time to do what you really want to do.

      elizabeth

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  8. how in the world could we fall asleep--I was wishing for more shots! The bubble light is amazing- but the entire scene is amazing as well. So many details that most would not think of adding- your imagination and creativity is wonderful! I love it--congratulations--well deserved!!!!

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    1. Ha ha Kim! I said that because I wrote this posting quite late in the evening and by the end, when it was all done, I was nodding off with my fingers still on the keyboard!!! I edited out over 2/3 's of the photos because, well... it was just too much! However, I am thrilled that you want to see more. What a wonderful compliment that is to me, Thank you, Kim.

      elizabeth

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  9. Congratulations, Elisabeth! You have very much talent! Gothica is a master work, you created a magnificent atmosphere. The amount of details is amazing and you have a wonderful creativity!
    Your price is much deserved!

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    1. Bonjour Nono! Thank you so very much for this compliment! I am a great admirer of YOUR creativity too! (as I am sure you know ) I am glad that you enjoy the details in Gothica, those are always so important to me as they help CREATE the atmosphere! Many many thanks, Nono!

      elizabeth

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  10. Congratulations Elizabeth, it is very well deserved. It is a matchless room box you made. So beautifully matched in color. Your theme is so wonderful. Your details are well thought out.
    Your photos are very special to look at, you seduce me with this box, there is a special aura about this room box. You are such a talented and creative artist.
    Hugs
    Wyrna

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    1. My dear Wyrna! As usual you have such lovely words to say and I really Thank You for each of them! I have to say that the word "seduced" is very descriptive! Whenever I look at this project, I also am drawn into it; and I am USE TO SEEING IT everyday!? Go figure!!!?

      elizabeth

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  11. Congratulations Elizabeth! Your work is beautiful and that's wonderful that you received an award.
    Hugs,
    Ruth

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    1. Hello Ruth! Thank you for your good wishes and the lovely compliment! This project was a lot of fun ONCE I got a good idea which direction to go in. Everything just fell into place with only just a bit of help from me! (smiles)

      elizabeth

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  12. I just have to add my Congratulations to the list, Elizabeth your work always draws me in...I can imagine myself right there within the scene..the hair on the back of my neck standing on end......ooooo
    Well done xxx hugs n stuff

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    1. Hi Sharon! Your words mean al lot to me! I put a lot of my own self into this project and I am so happy that so many have responded to it with such great feeling and emotion too! Thank you!

      elizabeth

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  13. Congratulations! This room box is fabulous, rich in details.
    Bye, Faby

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  14. Hello Fabiola! Thank you Faby for all your good wishes and the compliment about the details! Details are always the most rewarding of any project, BIG or small!

    elizabeth

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  15. Congratulations, Elizabeth! Your roombox is stunning and the award well-deserved. I love the shabby, worn, aged look of things. xo Jennifer

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    1. Hello Jennifer! Thank you so very much! I love it when things are shabby and well used and often find myself going over board when aging things. For this project though I felt I had just the right balance of 'decrepitude!'

      elizabeth

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  16. congratulations, it's a very well thought out piece..I really like that it's shabby and worn out looking

    Hugs
    Marisa :)

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    1. Hi Marisa! You know thinking about "thought out" I had to re- teach myself how to begin this project! I had forgotten that there are steps that you have to take in a certain order before the next phase can begin. I never thought about that aspect of it until you mentioned it just now. Thank you for that observation, very much appreciated!

      elizabeth

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  17. Dear Elizabeth,
    What a story.
    Your lamp is wonderful.I love it. The details are amazing. The wasp, the journal.
    The complete scene is wonderful and I wish I can reach your level.
    Hugs Dorien

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    1. Hi Dorien! What a lovely thing to say to me! I am always my own worst critic and find fault with just about everything that I do, thinking it isn't good enough, and that I haven't attained the level that I want to aspire to. I am hard on myself that way but with this project I decided that I would just do what I do best and ''LIVE'"inside this tiny little garden snug. I can't stress this enough, the best way to make any project come alive is to live in it yourself! Think about what would happen IF I .....? I realized that once the interior walls were done that it looked quite dank and probably would be chilly, so I had to have a lap robe on the chair. I enjoy a hot cup of tea and something to snack on after the garden labour so some nice juicy grapes have to be at hand. I'm a reader so books are a must and they have spilled over onto the floor for lack of storage. If a storm crops up and the power goes out while I am gardening then this shelter has candles that can give light while the power is out! The books are there to pass the time etc. ..... Once you begin to put yourself into the picture, even if you are the lady of the house or the ladies maid, you will find that things will change and develop on their own. This is the best advise and encouragement that I can give to you or to anyone else. Look at the work of those you admire and notice that it is the Life that is in them that is usually the most compelling!
      I thank you for liking the lamp and I shall do a posting on how I did it. It is so easy! You'll have fun with it, I guarantee!

      elizabeth

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  18. Congrats Elizabeth! This is so awesome! You are really talented and have an eye for detail. It must feel great to get an award for something that you've worked with so long.
    And you've found a lot of nice things at the thrift store ;) It's always so fun to see your work, and I am always so happy to read your comments on my blog =)
    It would be fun to have a little swap sometime if you want?
    Have a good time!
    God bless!
    Hugs / Anna

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    1. (Sorry Anna! Fats bumped my reply further down a bit)

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    2. Hi Anna...I feel like I also know you from this blog...
      I think "swaps" between mini people would be great fun. We should try this ..I would love to participate.
      fats

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  19. Hello Elizabeth....now that I have recovered somewhat from the show, updating database, balancing numbers and having a wee "postmortem", I dropped in to take a peak at your Blog, secretly hoping you had posted a new entry....and buddabing!....You did! Now is my turn to say a GREAT BIG THANK YOU for submitting your entry to our show. What a masterpiece! I have to add and share with everyone that Elizabeth's entry was a "runaway" winner at the show. Although the photos are great this piece is truly an amazing piece seen with your own eyes and not that of the camera. CONGRATULATIONS my dear friend, your talent is much deserving of this award. Thank you thank you! Now on to the "Arthur" for our show in 2015. Don't forget to keep challenging me to finish my Garfield ...here's hoping that some of your talent rubs off...fats

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    1. Ha Ha Ha Fats, my dear sweet friend! You don't need any of my talent when you are loaded with so much of your own! Thank you back for encouraging me to participate and critiquing my work and for your honesty and helpfulness in all things both big and small! You are a REAL BLESSING in my life!

      elizabeth
      p.s. I still have stuff from the show that I haven't dealt with yet! You are way ahead of me there! I'll contact you later and we can chat!

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  20. Hi Anna! Thank you so much for those very kind and complimentary words! When they were announcing the awards they began with the 3rd then the 2nd then the first place! I didn't even know that they had a Best in Show category, because it has been so long and I was honestly ignorant until Fats, my friend, announced that the winner of the Best in Show was ..... and then she said "Gothica" and then my name and Up I Jumped! "WHOO HOOOING" like crazy! Just like a kid! I'm still on a high from it all and all over again with everyones Wonderful Comments! Let's talk some more on my Gmail Anna, Okay?
    God's blessings on you too!

    elizabeth

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  21. Wow! Wow!! WOW!!! You are AWESOME!!! This little box is incredibly detailed and MOODY! Not only are you a Genius at setting a stage... but you Magically Transform ordinary things into Perfect props with an Uncanny sense of feeling for the setting...! This is simply Gorgeous! And Incredibly Inspiring! Thank you for sharing so many of your tips and techniques for what you have done.... I never would have guessed the origins of half of it! Your Prize is Well Deserved!!!

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  22. Hello Daydreamer! It is Always a pleasure to hear from You! You know Betsy your Kitchen and Library in the Tree house has a lot of the same kind of ambience that Gothica has! We have much in common because you too are also thrilled with the adding and layering on of the details and your pieces are totally packed with Mood! So thank you dear Betsy for your compliment and your wonderful praise and Right back at you!

    elizabeth

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  23. Hi Elizabeth! Congratulations on your award! It is well deserved. Your box is amazing! It's so full of beautiful and fascinating pieces and I love how you have put them all together. It could not be more perfect. You have such a knack for creating special rooms, rooms that have a special atmosphere. You have a special insight when you create and it manifests itself in the way everything seems to come together, like the pieces of a puzzle. You obviously put your heart and soul in everything you do. Thank you for sharing so many of your methods.

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  24. Hello Lucille! I was hoping to get a chance to talk with you! Your words are very kind and thank you so much for saying them. I know what I like and how I want the project to "feel" but Often I am just as surprised as everyone else at the end results!. I strive to make ME happy with the spaces that I do but I am always overjoyed when others can appreciate them as well!

    elizabeth

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  25. Toutes mes félicitations Elizabeth !
    "Gothica" est une extraordinaire réalisation. Au fil des photos, on découvre des petits objets, qui se marient pour former une superbe composition. La lampe est très belle. La commode a une jolie patine ... Votre création est un enchantement !
    Bonne journée ! rosethé

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    1. Bonjour Rosethe'! Thank you for your enthusiasm for Gothica! I am sooo pleased that you have enjoyed it and the way the space is put together. I also am very fond of the blue chest of drawers! As to the lamp, I will demonstrate how-to make one very soon, thanking you for liking it too!

      eliabeth

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  26. Congratulations. What a stunning project. It almost sounds like it took on a life of its own and took you on a journey. The detail is fabulous and you are really drawn into the scene trying not to miss anything. Your work is inspirational.

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    1. Hello Sharee! Thank you for your comment and the lovely compliment! I really appreciate them both! Yes this project WAS a journey and it DID take on a Life of its own! But don't you find that to be true with ANY project that you begin? You have certain ideas that you sometimes Struggle with and want to superimpose upon the project that you are working on. Often times you have to give up the ideas you had wanted in order to find the way the project is directing you to take. This happens to me quite a bit so I can't be alone in this? It can be very frustrating but I usually get a more interesting finished project in the end IF i listen and respect the flow and direction that is taking place.
      In re-reading what I have just written, it almost sound SPOOKY! I hope that everyone will get what I do mean. But If I have inspired you Sharee, Thank you!
      God has been very good to me.

      elizabeth

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  27. Congratulations on your award, you have truly created a work of art! It reminds me so much of the work of Rennaisance painters, the lighting, the religious icon, the landscape, the painting, and the colors, all are very 16th century. Working in miniature may be many things, I think it is at its best when it is art, and your room box is truly a work of art.

    Cheers, Neen

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  28. THANK YOU! What a Delicious compliment Neen! I was trying to incorporate a sense of antiquity within the confines of this little box and was explaining it as "Modern Medieval". I made that up but it was the only way to explain all the different styles compounded together. I always feel like I am stepping backwards in time when viewing this box even though it is contemporary. I am really savoring this compliment, Neen. Botticelli Here I Come!

    elizabeth

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  29. Sleep, are you kidding me?!

    I have had so much fun reading how you made the box, E, what inspired you, the material you used. I think many of us are alike that way, we use what inspired us to make something and in your case something wonderful, like the lamp, fruits, finials. :)

    There is absolutely no wonder that the public love your work and it deserves a place of honour like "The Best"! :).

    I am going to now read all your posts that I have missed :)

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    Replies
    1. Hello Sans! I thank you for all of the very nice things that you have just said and You have a beautiful soul, my friend! I have been following you along on your journeys and applaud all of the obstacles that you overcame along the way. Miniatures are a lot like that. You work a bit on something and then face a roadblock and surmount it and then go along a bit more only to find another one .... It is frustrating when plans go awry but exhilarating when they work out! I made the lamp when I decided that I needed something moody that looked old. I couldn't find what I was looking for so I decided to try and make one. I took it over to show Janine (MINWORKS) after I made it and she showed her husband Bruce and he said it was good. I brought it home and fiddled about with it some more and finally installed it and it changed everything all over again. I already had the 2 table lamps and they looked very modern but the lantern looked ancient! It is funny but as I write this I have just noticed that the light fixture is the reverse shape of the door opening!!!! Ha! What a coincidence!

      elizabeth

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  30. Congratulations Elizabeth! You totally deserve that ribbon. Wow! Your work is really detailed and so much fun to look at.

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    Replies
    1. Hello Isabelle my little friend! Thank you Very Much! I LOVE details and this was such a rewarding experience making this project after such a long spell of inactivity! What is even more rewarding however, is when others can enjoy get the same pleasure looking at it as I do. That to me is the best kind of AWARD!

      elizabeth

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  31. Hola Elizabeth, Waiting near Broome in Western Australia for the flooded roads to clear. So happy that you received recognition for your wonderful work and received "Best in Show".

    It is difficult for people to see the amazing "layering" that you achieve just by seeing it online.

    Congratulations and hugs from the 'road warriors'.
    Janine and Bruce

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    Replies
    1. HELLO JANINE!!!! ( I'm Yelling so that you can hear me out in the Outback!) How Marvelous to see you here, Janine! You are soooo Missed! I stop by your blog periodically just to 'touch base' with you again. Thank you my friend, for finding your way here today Mrs. "Road Warrior" ( and side-kick Bruce) I know that you and Bruce have lots more journeying to do yet but you don't feel so far away when we are able to connect like this. I have received your photos and the ground around was so parched and dry and dusty. it is difficult to imagine a flood! But I must be grateful to the vagaries of nature because it is given an opportunity for us to visit! Thank you Janine. You two are in both my thoughts and prayers. Safe journey!

      elizabeth

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  32. О Элизабет! Я потрясена! Я смотрю вновь и вновь. Я не могу остановиться. Каждая деталь так продумана и исполнена. Я как будто побывала во времена готики. Загадочный и волшебный мир теней и красок. Мне нравятся эти приглушенные тона, старинные зеркала и мебель. Невероятно реалистичные яблоки в мешке. драпировка пледа на стуле. Присутствие птиц оживляет картину. Она становится еще реальнее. Фантастическая атмосфера. Картина, корни на стене. Потрясающе! Я люблю ваш янтарный фонарь. Эти прожилки создают эффект старинного стекла. Невероятно! Если найдете возможным, то покажите пожалуйста, как вы сделали это. Ваша работа это произведение искусства. Я очень рада, что Вы получили награду. От всей души поздравляю Вас!
    Татьяна

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    Replies
    1. Hello Tatiana! Thank you so much for all the wonderful words of observations and your delight in Gothica! I would be more than happy to show you how I made this light fixture and you will be so surprised at just how easy it actually is to do. All the things that you have mentioned about the contents within this space, well .... they have Enchanted me too! From being just a jumble of things they have emerged as a cohesive unit as if they were all Meant to be together! This of course makes me Happy but I am still amazed by all of it too! Thank you for enjoying it Tatiana and I look forward to sharing the tutorial on the making of the lamp with you very soon.

      elizabeth

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  33. Congrats on your beautiful winning!!! Go girl:)))))

    Hugs Sabiha

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  34. Thank You Sab!!!!!! Delighted to see your beautiful rose icon once again! You've been sooooo missed! I hope that all of your REAL LIFE renovations are progressing well. It is always good though to take in a bit of Mini Air to clear your head and get you into the world of make believe once again, where all of life's ups and downs are more controllable!
    Hugs back!

    elizabeth

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  35. Marvelous!!! All the fabulous details. Love the wasp! :D Congratulations on a well-deserved recognition!

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    Replies
    1. Hello Brae! A Big Thank You from me! You are definitely one of my Heros within the world of Miniatures and I appreciate your taking the time to comment here. I am always stimulated and impressed by the quality of your own work and you have and continue to set the bar higher and higher. I thank you for your compliment, it means a whole lot to me!

      elizabeth

      p.s. I am very fond of the wasp too!

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  36. Wow! Amazing work. You deserved Best in Show. Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Thank you Powellgirls3! I am enjoying Your community blog too. From Alaska to Ohio! It is so nice to have family members that are as involved (as the 3 of you are), in doll's houses and miniatures. Thank you Chris, Abby and Hannah, for joining my blog and also for the wonderful compliment!

    elizabeth

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  38. Morning Elizabeth,
    Congratulations on your Wining First in Show! You certainly deserved it.......have never seen anything like this in such a tiny house. It looks similiar to a biblical village scene that we saw at Holyland experience in Orlando, florida, but think it was a bit larger.
    You did a phenomenal job, and so neat how you find your pieces and also things that you use, very creative and clever, also neat you
    used a verse of scripture as your inspiration.
    Thanks so much for coming by my blog the other day and for your sweet comments on my daughters kitchen. I tried to come over before but do not have google+, so I am glad I decided to come back to see if there was another way to contact you and found your
    blog address.

    Sure enjoyed my visit, and hope to see you again soon.
    Blessings,
    Nellie

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    Replies
    1. Hi Nellie! Thank you for the lovely comment and for all of your observations about Gothica! I try to use Scripture whenever I can because it means a lot to me and in all that I do on a daily basis. It reminds me of where the blessings come from ( God) and where they go back to (God)! I shop a lot at the thrift stores because I LIKE JUNK! hahaha I have always liked it even when it wasn't in fashion back in the 1980's. Now it is all the rage and good junk is harder than ever to find. But I keep going back even though the prices are getting higher because of the uniqueness of the merchandise. It is like a Treasure Hunt every single time!

      elizabeth

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  39. Congratulations! Wonderful work!

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  40. Thank you so much Merja! I am happy that you have visited and I thank you for your praise! I have enjoyed visiting your blog as well but do you have a translator somewhere imbedded into it? I couldn't find it and I would love to be able to read the text as well as enjoy the photo! l am still fairly dumb when it comes to technology and perhaps I have just over-looked it.

    elizabeth

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  41. Hello Elisabeth,

    What a great idea you had to sign up for one of my blogs, I just saw that, it allowed me to discover your talent. I love this creation that is a true three-dimensional canvas.
    Congratulations and especially let pursue your dreams, even if they are sometimes slow to materialize, never give up. ;) Hugs from Paris, ♥ Léa

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  42. Hello Lea! Thank you so very much! I am so very happy that you have left such an encouraging and flattering comment! I Greatly Admire All of the work that you do so I feel Very Honored by your visit! I have really enjoyed working on 'GOTHICA' . Of all the projects that I have done,( in years gone by as well as currently,) this one strikes a chord within my heart. It is as if it needed the 12 years to germinate and then finally blossom when the time was right. I looked at it for such a long time in its state of confusion and chaos and then once I began to seriously work on it again, it flew together so fast! But I had too many materials to work with and had to edit things out that I had originally wanted to include. I am sure you know what I am talking about, Lea. All of Your doll's houses include an enormous amount of intimate details which relate to each other as well as function independently within the confines of the allotted space, and You have Mastered these details so very beautifully!

    elizabeth

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  43. everything is wonderful, very quiet

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  44. Bonjour Claude! Thank you for your observation that means so much to me. Inside the soul searches for peace and even some solitude. This space is a tiny sanctuary for rest from physical labour and a concentrated pursuit of spiritual peace.

    elizabeth

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  45. it is a total success and I come to admire

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  46. Thank you very much Claude! I am happy to see you here again, and come as often as you like! You are always welcome :D

    elizabeth

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  47. This is stunning work! Congrats!

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    Replies
    1. Thank You Heather! This project was a great way to get my feet wet again, after such a long time away from minis, and Lots of fun to do!

      elizabeth

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  48. Fantastic roombox! all little details are stunning, but I really love the lamps (I never seen more beautiful miniature lighting!)

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    1. Thank You Magda! The 2 lamps on the dresser are Real Favorites of mine, and I have a couple of additional pairs still waiting to find a permanent home. But I have promised Tatiana, of My Little Dream, that I would do a tutorial on just how I made the chandelier. Being so absorbed with getting the Victorian cottage done, has stalled me for now, but I WILL keep my promise,( God willing), a little later this year.
      So stay tuned! :))

      elizabeth

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DO OVERS! a Glencroft Living room redecoration

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