Thursday 12 December 2019

VICTORIAN Bliss!

I have a great fondness for  Victoria Bliss Magazines and whenever I happen to see old issues of them in the thrift store, I buy them! 

 I mention this because in the fall of 2018, I made a small room box which reminds me of some of the WARM & COZY Christmas scenes found between the pages of many of the Victoria Bliss holiday issues.  

But this post isn't really about the magazine at all. 
It is more about a series of mini transformations which ultimately resulted in precious memories of my mother, who not only LOVED CHRISTMAS, but also the Victorian era along with all things British, which is why I've ended up christening this project: 
"VICTORIAN BLISS"

 Initially when I started; I had no idea that it would become Blissful or Victorian.  THE only mandate I had, was that it'd be all about CHRISTMAS 
and here's why....
  

Back in the early fall of 2018, 
my dear friend Fatima,
 was looking for Christmas related dollhouses, vignettes and/or roomboxes, 
to display at a HUGE 
Annual Christmas Craft Fair, 
scheduled for the 16th of November 2018. 

Fats' idea was 
that the miniatures displayed at the fair, 
would serve as advance advertising for the 
Vancouver Dollhouse Show 
scheduled for the following year- 
September 2019 
AND
That the variety of miniature displays would promote and encourage new membership for 
the Miniature Club of B.C.
and to Fatima's credit,
 it achieved both of these objectives 
To The Max!
 ❄️
  but getting back to my story-

Fats asked me if I had anything
Transportable and 
Christmassy 
which I could contribute?

at that time I didn't
but 
I did have LOTS of festive items on hand, 
as well as an old unfinished 
wooden speaker box 
which I could put some Christmassy stuff into.

 I told Fatima that I would have 
 a small Christmas room box display 
ready in time for the Mega Craft Fair. 

The Speaker Box I used
was the mate to the one I'd used for 
"GOTHICA" 
https://studioeminiatures.blogspot.com/2013/06/best-in-show.html
(11.5" h. x 9.5"w. x 5.5"d.)

❄️
A few years earlier,
I had sprayed the exterior of the wooden box 
with gold enamel spray-paint
 so the outside of the box 
was already halfway done.

I tore out the interior I'd started years before, 


then

I pulled out a few foundation items from my stash
which I thought might work
 and played around with a possible room arrangement.

this was my first draft
😫

The stone fireplace was too big 
and the slouchy resin chair 
(which I'd plan on slipcovering)
overshot the edge of the roombox 
and swallowed up most of the floor.


 I replaced the resin chair with

 a well-worn green velvet wingback chair 
which was an easier fit. 

 I also tried to squeeze in
 a footstool AND a side table.

The additional pieces of furniture were pushing the limits of what the box could comfortably contain. 
Something had to go 
and that 'something'
 was 
The FIREPLACE.



After checking through my stash again,
I found an "AS IS" Victorian style resin fireplace 

with an obvious repair on its left front face. 

Even so,
it's overall proportions were more refined  
and better suited for inside this box. 

I painted the fireplace in a light tan and gave it a  whitewashing in an effort to make it look 
"Shabby"
However,
 the noticeable repair was not only thing wrong  with the fireplace.  
The mantle was wider on one end than it was on the other
 so it couldn't sit straight against the wall without leaving a noticeable gap between the top of the mantle and down the left side of surround. 

SO
rather than have the fireplace positioned as the central focal point of the room,
I re-positioned it
to stand against the right wall of the speaker box, 
where the repaired crack, the wonky mantle, and its gaping side 
would appear less noticeable

Moving the fireplace to the side wall,
provided more breathing room for the chair 
and the half-round side table, 
but I now needed a new focal point for the back wall. 

I chose a tall Victorian Style Window.

I painted the side table the same yellow green as the armchair, and toned it down with a light wash of 
Rich Espresso 
a gold flecked dark brown acrylic paint
Below you can see the painted table against the left wall.
Here they are with a
 Beige Damask Wallpaper 

which at the time 
I was seriously considering.


I LOVED this beige wallpaper because it went well with the painted Victorian Fireplace
 yet I felt it was too chilly, and too formal 
especially with the threadbare green chair.  

so I tried out a completely different wallpaper
in pink
and I love pink....


yet it not exactly what I was looking for.
But what was I looking for?  

I still hadn't a clue. 


everything was feeling all over the place! 

Even the Victorian wall shelf I was planning on installing
 didn't make me happy anymore
 so
 I continued to audition and then reject a variety of different wallpapers.  
In the photo above 
you can easily see the repaired horizontal break 
across the left side of the fireplace.
So the placement of the interior lighting would need to be well considered: 
The lighting would have to downplay the repair, 
and draw the viewer's attention 
 up onto the mantle. 

Meanwhile,
after rummaging around in my stash,
I found a 12 volt "coal" fire I'd previously made 
and never used, 
which fit comfortably inside the firebox.
 I made a basket for it using sections of plastic model railroad iron fencing, 
glued around the 3 sides 
of a painted block of balsa wood.
It looked pretty good! 

To make the fire look more 
"FIRE-LIKE"
I glued gold-foiled cardstock 
onto the back wall of the firebox to reflect and intensify the light. 
Lovin it! 


Once I was happy with the fire,
 I was emotionally ready to commit to 
  A WALLPAPER.

I chose the
French Toile scrapbook paper

 which I'd purchased from Hobby Lobby.
 You can see it featured up close in one of my 
VERY FAVORITE blogposts
The Subject was Roses! 
https://studioeminiatures.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-subject-was-roses.html


I re-papered all 3 walls
in the French Toile pattern, 
and after that
everything else progressed rather quickly.

I laid a wood plank floor, 
and cut out the opening for the window.
I moved the half-round table to under the window 
and the wing chair into the corner. 
The room was FINALLY coming together! 
In the photo below,
I am trying out a set of paper drapes
hoping they would inspire me to actually make some.

and they Did!

I found a shiny PLUM satin scarf in my fabric stash which made a small throw cushion that I filled  with tiny glass seed beads for the required "slouch". 
The cushion was tucked into the corner of the armchair and it not only complimented 
  the apple green furniture but also picked up some of the rosey tints in the wallpaper.  




I also found an off cut length of a heavier
 Leaf Patterned Synthetic fabric in a dull plum 
which I was 
DETERMINED
to use for the drapes
even though it fought with me every step of  the way! 
I struggled with this fabric in the 
Pretty Pleater for 2 hours 
because it simply wouldn't stay flat inside 
the pleater! 

I eventually had 

to overload the fabric 
with Aleene's Tacky Glue; 
and then use knitting needles 
to keep each of the folds inside the pleater.
Then I placed  
 a glass plate from a picture frame, 
on top of everything 
 to keep the fabric from lifting up and out of the pleater, as it dried. 
Lastly, 
I BLASTED the the top of the glass plate
 with a heat gun to speed set the glue
 so the pleats would hold their shape. 
WHEW!!! 


Needless to say that both panels are

(*knock knock*)
 AS STIFF AS BOARDS!

but it was all worth the extra work and worry
 because they look right for the window and make an excellent backdrop for the furniture in front of them.

My confidence was growing

Soon, more Christmas-related items began to fill out the room:
some of them stayed, 

whilst others were just passing through. 

 Gradually
 the room began to remind me of  
1) Charles Dickens 

2)vintage Victoria Magazine covers

and
(to my surprise and delight)
3) it was reminding me of my mother! 
❤️
 The development of the room
 from here forward,
was decorated with my mom in mind.
Would mom like this, 
or would she prefer that? 
What would she like to see while sitting in her comfy chair? 
What would she enjoy reading? 
etc. etc.... 

Pictures were hung on the wall
 and tiny Christmas presents 
(cut down wine-glass tags) 
were displayed on the side table and on the mantle.

The above arrangement was fine but not something my mother would do.
My mother LOVED CHRISTMAS

and exuberance! 
and had decorations and ornaments galore! 

so I made some mini Christmas ornaments 
using a string of metallic plastic beads, 
fused to a very thin wire.
I cut them apart leaving a stem on one end 

and glued on a gold seed bead over the wire. 



 To display the ornaments, 
glued lengths of lycopodium across the crooked fireplace mantle top, which helped to disguise its deformities and its other imperfections,
then I glued the Christmas baubles into the branches.


A tall mirror painted the same colour as the fireplace, 
was hung over the mantle and tilted forwards 
  Victoriana style.

I'd made the pair of brass candlesticks from assorted metal beads and topped them with

fat candles 
cut from a saved lollipop stick that 
 I'd covered with mini tea-dyed sheet music. 
Their wicks are tiny slivers of black painted wire. 


 I repainted a metal french mantle clock, 
in green, and then gave it a wash 
of purple glass glaze and gold gilt highlights on the raised portions.
I applied the glaze and quickly wiped it off, allowing the green undercoat to still show through.
The clock face was given a big drop of 
Glossy Accents dimensional medium by Ranger
which dries clear and stays domed. 
I dabbed textured snow paint onto the boughs of the lycopodium 
and tucked purple silk bows in around the clock.

'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!' 
Linda Park had made me a Lovely Holly Wreath 
the year before
which I glued onto the fringed valance over the window. 

 I added 'Belle" the cat by Valeria Erokhina 
2014erok 
on ebay
because for a couple of years,
 my mother looked after my sister's cat while my sister was overseas.  

At this stage,
most of the main elements, 

including a small
rectangular area rug,
 and a tall table lamp were in place, 
although nothing other than the fireplace, 
 was permanently glued in. 

  The light from the fire and from the table lamp
gave the interior a very cosy atmosphere

which I knew was just right for mom,

and yet-
I felt the room 
required 
 some additional illumination so that mom could see the mantle better.

Since I had quite a few battery powered LED's
I tried them out in different colours,  

and in different positions around the room.
First I strung warm white lights from the ceiling over the fireplace 

and took photos to see if I liked it 

 as seen below

Although having over head lights helped alleviate a lot of the dark shadows above the mantle, 
it wasn't exactly the look I was after. 
I chose instead 
to install the LED's across the mantle
threaded through the greenery. 
I used a string of Orange LED lights rather than white, to keep the interior looking warm.   


same lights top 
and bottom

Because the walls were already glued in, the only way to get the string of lights into the room 
and across the mantle
and still be able to hide the wires 
and the battery pack, 
was to thread them IN through a hole drilled through back wall, 
on level with the mantle. 

 I used an awl to make an opening
 right through the wallpaper and foamcore back.

 (the awl poking through the back wall.) 
🙄

An eyelet plug was used to help guide the LED string through the foamboard, 

and into the roombox. 




sorry for the very blurry picture! 😖

To place a tiny LED "flame" at the top of each candle I wound the wires around the candlestick to keep it in position and pressed the wires in hard
against the metal  
to make them as inconspicuous as possible. 

The excess wire between each bulb,
 was folded and compressed and hidden amidst the
ornaments and the greenery
To give the impression of it being
a COLD night OUTSIDE,
I hung some cool blue LED'S outside 
 the exterior window
which you can see reflected  
in the mirror.




Pinned to the wall on either side of the mirror 
are an assortment of vintage Christmas Cards 
(these were free printie inserts cut from dollhouse magazines). 
fyi
Every Year,
my mother used to hand write hundreds of Christmas Cards and hand out candy canes to EVERY PERSON in the Church directory, 
whether she knew them or not. 
People still remembered her kindness in doing this and how special it made them feel-
I remember asking my mother why she insisted on doing this each year, 
and she told me that if she was a stranger in a big group,  
or all alone at Christmas,
and someone handed her a personalized Christmas card with her name inside, 
she'd feel like she was noticed 
and that she belonged and it made her feel good to make others feel good. 
Jesus said:
"do unto others as you would have others do unto you"
GOD bless her! 
this as well as many other
 "insignificant"little things, 
were those personal acts of kindness which have remained in people's minds, and they continue to tell me about them to this very day!
😇

Once the lights were installed on the mantle, 
 I proceeded to fine tune the rest of the room- imagining what my mother would like to have around her at Christmas time. 



Linda Park had made me the little needlepoint footstool which I KNEW my mother would enjoy resting her feet on 
but I was needing a pair of slippers for mom too,
so
I borrowed Linda's  custom made pair from the bedroom of

VILLA LEONE
They are Exquisite! 

However,
my mom needed
"MOM SLIPPERS"
so 
I decided to make her a pair 


I used the same fabric I'd used for the drapes 
and edged them with some fuzzy chenille trim.
The worn and familiar slippers fit right in with the
 rest of the rest of the casual atmosphere.  




Mom would have had a lap blanket for over her legs,
however
 I chose instead,

 to drape a Victorian lace shawl across the chair to keep her shoulders warm.

My mother always put up her Christmas tree in early NOVEMBER 
then loaded it up with assorted gaily wrapped parcels,
and so 
I loaded my mini gifts under and around 
the bright green table and chair.
I had fun piling up and arranging the various parcels
just as my mother used to do,
filling up every free corner inside this room box. 

I mixed solid resin Christmas presents with miniature paper boxes
wrapped with metallic nail art ribbon.

Nothing matched yet it all seemed to work


To fill up the wall space above 
her "sleepy chair"
is artwork clipped from magazines.  


The needlepoint was former brooch pin 
found at a local thrift store. 

The antimacassar on the back of the chair 
is cut from a section of fine lace ribbon

The iridescent limoge tea set was borrowed from another
of my mini "projects -in-waiting".
It's luminous finish ties in with the gilt, green painted table. 

 The more I worked on this project
the more it was reminded me of my mom.

She was ALWAYS reading something whether it was "The National Enquirer " or the "HELLO" 
tabloid magazines; 
she loved biographies especially about past and present royal families; 
and
 Catherine Cookson novels.  
but most of all-
SHE LOVED TO READ HER BIBLE!

so I added a Bible opened to the
Book of Mark-
 the Story of JESUS 

whom she Loved 
and is now with. 
Each new detail was moving me closer towards the finish line 

But I wanted more light!
So after looking intently at the mantle,
 I decided to put more lights on it.

And even though
 everything was already
 FIRMLY GLUED IN PLACE,
I re-open the original hole in the back wall 

then very carefully threaded MORE BULBS in through the same tiny aperture, 
shifting the first batch of bulbs over
 to make room for the additional ones.

  I continued to thread the long length of LED's through the hole & across the mantle, 
folding and tucking in the excess wires, 
until I was completely satisfied 
with its level of illumination.


It took some doing

but in the end I got it done! 


ahhhh yes! 
MUCH BETTER!



I'd covered the ceiling in mottled pink patterned  scrapbook paper and added the raised "plaster" details around the perimeter
 using a cut up plastic doily

LAST of all-
to finish off the front of the box,
 
 cut down a gold painted resin picture frame 
and hot glued it to fit around the front opening of the speaker box . 

I glued a small gold foil gift box to the top of the unit 
to house and to hide 
the 2  
LED battery packs,
then wrapped it all up with a wide,  
Plum and Gold edged wired ribbon 
and tucked in some mistletoe. 

This project was now ready for Fatima's display 
at the 2018
 Christmas Craft Fair. 


I'm Almost at the end of this post-
but not quite
because...
After posting my most recent tutorial
"Stocking Up for Christmas" 

https://studioeminiatures.blogspot.com/2019/11/stocking-up-for-christmas-couple-of.html 
I decided to use the curly toe sticker stocking
 and hang it on the fireplace of
VICTORIAN BLISS
then I took a few more photos
and here they are...


A closer look at the dressed mantle
and below
is the stocking in situ


 Mom got a plate of homemade cinnamon buns
(which she loved to make )
A treat for her to enjoy with her tea!

Christmas Presents for her many grandchildren 
are piled up everywhere! 

I made and decorated a Glass bead Christmas tree to sit on the side table. 
And below you can see 
a container of candy canes 
which mom loved to hand out to strangers. 
I think my Mom would feel right at home 
in this cozy corner 

And although 
she wasn't a big fan of cats,
mom might even tolerate the well behaved 
Belle
as a permanent resident
 because who could resist 
such a sweet little cutie face?
So ends this tale of a roombox,
and of 
why and how it came into being.
A journey full of twists and turns- 
and 
Comfort 
and 
Joy
and

VICTORIAN BLISS!


this one's for you mom!
❤️



elizabeth 































64 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for this wonderful post. I really didn't get a chance to look at it properly at the Fair in September and your detailed look at it is great. The thought and intricate details are truly exceptional.I only wish I had met your mother. Your tribute to her is so special!!
    Hugs, LInda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank You Linda for enjoying this post and for your mini contributions towards it! :D
      The little stool and your lovey holly leaf wreath fit; like a hand in glove and it ALWAYS makes me VERY Happy to be able to include your Amazing work into a scene, as I admire your Talents so much! ❤️
      My mother was one very special lady to MANY people and after church I literally had to wait in line, as people stood around her WAITING for a hug and a smile and /or a word of encouragement from her! I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing.
      But she had a special gift for deeply caring, which resonated and connected with other people's hearts: she was indeed a very "special" lady.

      elizabeth

      Delete
  2. What a wonderful post AND lovely tribute to your beloved Mom, Elizabeth!! You've really thought of everything, in every detail sounds your love for your Mom. In my turn, I have to thank you for this detailed report, otherwise I would have missed lots of detailed miniatures (although I meticulously looked on each and every picture). While I was reading I had to return many times, to see things I had missed already ;O!!
    At that particualr Fair in September, I bet your beautiful mini scene must have had lots of visitors, who were looking at this very special mini Christmas scnene, built with so much love, craftsmenship and attention. Amazing work, Elizabeth!!
    Hugs, Ilona

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I Appreciate your comment Very Much Ilona and I am so glad that you have enjoyed each of the photos in greater detail! :D
      Because I built this roombox last year, it was interesting experience for me to re-examine each of the pictures and in remembering what I'd done along the way.
      Often once a project is completed, one can easily forget how many forks in roads it took to reach the final destination, so looking back, helped jog my memory by recalling what I'd felt but had long forgotten.

      The miniature display at the mega Craft Fair gathered LOTS of ATTENTION from hundreds of people!!!! Fatima's "VITORIA" CHRISTMAS GARFIELD HOUSE which she'd been working on for YEARS AND YEARS, was the undisputed SHOW STOPPER of the entire display, with a wide horseshoe of high tables filled with smaller displays, surrounding it.
      People were crowded around ALL of the exhibits for the entire 3 day weekend and so all of us who were there to help man the tables, were Talked Out by the time the Fair ended- BUT in a GOOD WAY! :D
      So many of the people who viewed the miniatures, didn't even know that it was a legitimate hobby; or that it was geared for Adults more than for children; or that there was an active and growing club especially for it; or a bi-annual MINIATURE SHOW where they could make purchases for themselves. And so I give Fatima HUGE HIGH 5's for not only getting the displays organized, set up and staffed with enthusiastic volunteers but also for bringing a public awareness of our passions out into the limelight which proved to be a resounding success for all concerned. :D

      elizabeth

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  3. It's always fascinanting to read how you work to achieve such an amazing result. This scene is a beautiful tribute to your mother.All the details are perfect, the fire makes it so welcoming and I love how you decorated the mantelpiece. I Wish i could sit in the armchair.
    Geneviève

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    Replies
    1. What a BEAUTIFUL comment Genevieve: Thank YOu! :D
      I think that when you can mentally shrink yourself and put yourself into the scene and "feel it" then there is no higher compliment than that!
      And so it makes me happy that the fire in the fireplace, and the armchair across from it, feels "welcoming" to you: which warms my heart to hear. :D

      elizabeth

      Delete
  4. What a lovely thing to create in honour of your Mum - it's beautiful and you've managed to get so much interest in such a small space. I'm loving it! Best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Ix

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank You Irene for your thoughtful comment and for your observations regarding this roombox. :D
      Although I didn't start out thinking that I could get as much into this tiny space as I eventually did, yet ( as I'm sure you already know), along the way, a project begins taking on a personality of its own, and you are allowed to see new possibilities which you would have never even have considered at its inception.
      I know that my mom would have enjoyed imagining herself in the room surrounded by Christmas, and I feel honoured, to imagine her enjoyment!
      Wishing you also a VERY Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year, too! :D

      elizabeth

      Delete
  5. How a great way to remember your mom. I just hope that the missing is not too great.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank You for your Very Kind comment Jette! :D
      Each of us are pilgrims on this earth and only passing through and so I KNOW that I WILL be reunited with my mother once again, whenever my turn comes to join her.
      Meanwhile, it was an unexpected surprise that this Christmas roombox project, became "a great way" for me to remember my mom, and some of the singular things which she liked to do.
      Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas Jette! :D

      elizabeth

      Delete
  6. Your mother would adore her room. I can almost see her sitting there. You make it all look so simple and easy and beautiful. I've done a bit Christmas decorating in the Bellingham, but I have decided that making Christmas minis has to be a summer project because there is so much to do. I love watching you work and seeing how you create such beautiful pieces. Merry Christmas, Elizabeth. Looking forward to the new year to see what more you create.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ann! :D
      I think that my mom would have plunked herself down into the chair and would've refuse to move, so I am Very Glad to know, that you can see her there too! ;D
      I know what you mean about making Christmas minis during the summer months because once autumn rolls around, each month thereafter, requires lots of time and prep work for the next up and coming holiday.
      I'm still way behind on family Christmas shopping although I've finally managed to get the tree up and decorated. My mother used to have her up in early November, which is way too soon for me!
      I Thank you for your Lovely comment Ann which I really appreciate and I
      wish YOU a Merry Christmas and A Creative New Year, too! :D

      elizabeth

      Delete
  7. What a delightful room, and what a lovely story about its creation. The gold foil in back of the fire is genius. The struggles with the drapes were worth it, because they are perfect in this room. I absolutely love the candles covered in the tea-dyed sheet music, and I'm glad you were able to get some lights in to "light" them. The mom slippers! How perfect and sweet they are. The whole scene really does have that Victorian air, and is so warm and inviting I'm sure your mother would love to spend time there. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this wonderful post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am So Glad that you have enjoyed reading this post, and for mentioning so many of the details peppered throughout.
      I am always surprised at how things evolve and eventually end up as, and so when I share my zany adventures and they are received with such interest, I feel rewarded all over again, so Thank You Very Much, for your comments Deborah! :D
      I wasn't sure if the gold foil backing inside the fireplace would work or not however, I really wanted that warm glow to radiate out into the room and having a reflective back seemed the only way to fully achieve it.
      I think it also worked because the viewer isn't able to see the gold, with the fireplace in profile.
      The lights on top of the candles might have been better if I had planned it from the start but that idea only occured to me, afterwards as I was treading the LED's through the greenery. Yet with all the photos I took during the construction, I only took ONE close up of the light at the top of the candle and that ONE had to be the blurry one- go figure?!
      There's not getting around it- drapes were A NIGHTMARE but making the "mom slipper" was surprisingly quick and easy. I can easily understand why your passion for making clothes, hats and shoes has taken off, because it's really addictive! :D
      But Knowing my mother, I think that she would have immediately claimed this tiny space as her own, so that she could spend time enjoy Christmas every day of the year and never take her slippers off!

      Wishing you and yours, a Wonderful Christmas, Deborah! :D

      elizabeth

      Delete
  8. It is such a wonderful treat to see the evolution of a project in your hands, Elizabeth. But in this inspired instance, when it becomes a personal quest to honor and appreciate such a special person, and one so significant in your life, it's amazing. I'll be coming back again and again to soak up the photos and the wonderful and serene environment you've created with love. There's no cure for the deep ache we feel at the absence of our beloved family pillars, especially this time of year when we refocus on the the real meaning of life. But paying homage in such an incredibly special way helps us to keep the memories close and feel comforted that one day we will be united again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes and Amen Jodi! :D

      After recently reading about how you plan on honouring the memory of your grandmother by reproducing her vintage kitchen, with authentic wallpaper and all, I realize that it too, will be a scene filled with Love and many cherished memories!
      There are people who go about their daily life, not realizing at the time how much they are positively influencing the trajectory of the lives of others simply by being who they are! Their normal, simple, and everyday interactions such as you with your grandmother, has left a lasting impression because true love Never dies.
      I am eagerly looking forward to seeing how you will translate your grandmother's loving spirit into the pride of place kitchen scene inside the hutch you've inherited from her.
      Meanwhile I, Thank You for leaving me with such a Beautiful comment Jodi and May GOD continue to Bless you and keep you, in all that you love to do!



      elizabeth

      Delete
  9. Siempre detallas cada escena que haces,cómo logras poner exactamente cada detalle en su sitio,pero ésta escena aparte de tener la atmósfera perfecta,cada pequeño detalle en la colocación adecuada,respira amor,amor por tu madre,por su esencia y sus gustos.Esto hace que sea la escena más bonita que he visto estas navidades!
    Me descubro ante ti artista!!!
    Besos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. my Dear Pilar- Thank You So Much!
      Your comment has touched my heart and I Appreciate it deeply!
      I wish You and yours a VERY Merry Christmas season and a Blessed New Year!

      elizabeth

      Delete
  10. It's a most beautiful contribute to your mother, full of love and longings. Your mother is blessed to be remembered this way.
    Hugs, Drora

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    Replies
    1. Thank you VERY Much Drora, I really appreciate your comment because knowing my mother; I believe she'd be quite pleased imagining herself sitting in the corner chair, reading her Bible, munching on cinnamon buns whilst warming her slippered feet, close to the fire.

      The only thing she might not like - is the cat! ;D

      elizabeth

      Delete
  11. What a beautiful scene and lovely tribute to your mother. Thank you so much for showing us your process. I especially liked how you decided on plum colored drapes, pillow and slippers. Have a Merry Christmas!

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    1. Posting on the process was a good reminder for me as well Sherrill so Thank You and Merry Christmas to you too! :D

      I thought I had struck gold when I uncovered the plum satin followed by the heavier material for the drapes! The purples when combined with the green furniture, gave the room a visual balance as well as more character, even though I had to arm wrestle the drapes into submission for it! ;D

      elizabeth

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  12. It is so lovely! It has the perfect combination of cozy and elegance...Cozy elegance ;) I love the green and purple together.
    Well done Elizabeth!

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    1. Thank You Carrie for your comment regarding the colour combination of the green and purple, because I really like it too! :D
      This pairing seemed to have come from out of left field and although both are highly saturated colours, they've visually toned each other down, so that they work together even in this confined space.
      I'm So Glad you like it, Carrie! :D

      elizabeth

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  13. Que trabajo tan impresionante y lo mucho que se aprende leyendo todas las peripecias para llegar a esta escena tan cálida en todos los sentidos. Tu madre estaría orgullosa y encantada.
    Un beso

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    1. Thank You for enjoying this post Matxalen and for your lovely comment regarding my mother!
      I am very proud to have had such a loving woman as my mother, and by
      constructing this roombox with my mother in mind, it causes me to think of her everytime I look at it, especially when all the lights are on and the fire in the fireplace is ablaze. :D


      elizabeth

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  14. Es un bonito homenaje a tu madre. Tiene todo el amor que desprenden tus palabras al hablar de ellas y el calor de los detalles navideños.

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    1. Thank you Isabel and I agree! :D
      It is the words we choose to use to describe our memories of those who have profoundly touched our lives, which continue on after they've departed.
      I'm Happy to know that this post outlining some of my personal memories of my mother, has managed to given her a presence within the confines of this tiny roombox. :D

      elizabeth

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  15. Merry Christmas Elizabeth! What a beautiful roombox and beautiful post. Belle is just adorable - you are right, how could you resist that face? Everything you have done impresses me, but particularly your ability to fashion simple things to make them work in ways I can’t even imagine! I am sure your mom would have loved this room. Have a lovely Christmas and hope to see Villa Leone soon!!!! (Not at all anxiously waiting....) xx

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    1. Merry Christmas to you too Shannon and Thank You for your Beautiful comment too! :D
      Belle will be pleased to learn that she has another admirer, even though her focus is on when to repossess her spot on the chair! ;D
      As for Villa Leone, you will be pleased to hear that last night, after many tries, I FINALLY taught myself how to find and then transfer the photos from my phone onto my blog!
      They have been lost to me since September but now I've found them, so look for a VL update early in the New Year! :D

      elizabeth

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  16. Cuanto sentimiento en tan poco espacio. Te ha quedado de lujo, a tu madre la hubiera encanta, a mi me ha enamorado. Feliz Navidad,besos:-)

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    1. Merry Christmas to you too Rosa Maria and Thank you for your Beautiful comment as well! :D
      I agree that my mother would have loved this tiny space, although the only thing she might have changed would be more room for ALL of her family members, so that they could be there with her! :D

      elizabeth

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  17. Oh...., Elizabeth...., you have just Made my Christmas Dreams real...!!! What an Awesome project... journey..... loving memorial.... Perfect mini display!!!! I can't begin to say how inspiring your work is... how you show the evolution of the project... the choices and the whys.... it adds up to such a lesson and such an Inspiration! I want to make myself a little Christmas Dream room!!!! I love every single bit and piece and the fact that it is all about what your Mom loved... that just makes it beyond special!!! Wow! Wow! Wow!!! I am truly moved by this work of Art!!! You never stop inspiring me! :):):)

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    1. Merry Christmas my Dear Betsy and Thank You for every word of your Lovely comment! :D
      Back in November 2012, when I began this blog, my friend Janine said something very similar about how she enjoyed my showing and explaining "the evolution of my projects". She encouraged me to continue doing it because she thought it was very interesting, even when I'd thought it might be too boring.
      Often when I am writing a post, I'll think, "who cares about how much glue I used or the mess I made or how I fixed it?" And yet to try and condense the process, is just not in my genes: it is what it is!
      The fact that you and others continue to enjoy my journeys to Mordor, (there and back again), makes me HAPPY to know that you're all just as crazy as I am! :D
      But if I inspire YOU:.... I hope that you realize Betsy, that YOU, have continued to inspired ME! The quality of your work, the patience and discipline you have for your Art is far beyond anything I can do!
      So I hope that you DO make for yourself a little Christmas Dream Room filled with everything you love, and love to surround yourself with.
      Wishing you a VERY Merry Christmas and a Healthy, Happy, and Creative New Year! :D

      elizabeth

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  18. Lovely room, so peacefull and beautiful.

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    1. Thank You Very Much Merja! :D I really enjoyed making this room, and I am Very Glad that you have appreciated all of my efforts! :D

      elizabeth

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  19. What a STUNNING roombox. I enjoyed hearing about your journey to create it and fill it with items which have special significance. As always, one can just look and look at all the detail.

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    1. Thank You Megan! :D
      For me it's Always about the journey, because I Never know exactly where I'm going to end up.
      Even so, I'm Very Happy that you have enjoyed it, and as Meis van der Rohe once said: "GOD is in the details" :D

      elizabeth

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  20. WOW Elizabeth, it's absolutely gorgeous, well done you, such great ideas and loads of patience! A lovely tribute to your mum :-)

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    1. Many Many Thanks Polly and although this sounds weird to say; I Do Believe that my mother would have enjoyed picturing herself tiny and occupying this roombox, because there is so much inside which she could easily relate to.
      So whenever I pause to look inside, I see and can feel, the strength of her presence, which makes me happy. :D

      elizabeth

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  21. Elizabeth, quel magnifique et émouvant hommage à ta maman !
    Tes ajouts, retraits, réflexions, tes petites "luttes" ;)
    ont fait que cette création est superbe et chaleureuse !
    *Joyeux Noël* Elizabeth ! Je t'embrasse. Joce

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    1. Wishing YOU a Merry Christmas too, and a BIG Thank You for your Beautiful comment, Joce! :D
      and I am Delighted that you have enjoyed this post!
      In retrospect, it is always of great interest to me how a project evolves and how so many outside influences, subliminally contribute to the making of our minis: very much as it is in Real life: yes? ! :D

      elizabeth

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  22. What a wonderful post - I've enjoyed every picture and every sentence. It was great to follow you through the whole process from the beginning with Fatima's request to the first attempts to place a scene in this speaker box. Seeing how all of this developed and how one thing lead to another was a big pleasure - and it reached its top when it turned out that this was becoming a Hommage to your beloved Mom (Although I believe that it was always this box's destination to hold precious memories of your Mom inside). She most have been a very special lady and you've kept her likings and habits very well whether it's the bible or the piled up gifts or the cinnamon buns or the candy canes etc. etc. How lovely of her to generously hand out cards and canes even to strangers, no surprise she's still remembered.

    There are so many wonderful details and ideas in this fantastic roombox that it's impossible to mention all. So I'm just concentrating on a few: I just LOVE the MOM slippers - what a cute and special detail. And I'm still in awe with the blue lights behind the window, the effect you wanted really shows up, what a stunning idea. Impressive also the idea of the gift box on top to hide the battery boxes, very clever!

    Without doubt the visitors of this fair were impressed by this awesome piece of miniature art - and they didn't even know the special meaning behind all of this. Thanks for sharing this beautiful tribute to your Mom with us!

    Hugs
    Birgit (Who was really glad to hear that Santa arrived at your place. Thanks for letting me know, it's always a relief to hear that a package made it safe and sound to its destination. And it made me smile that your Mom was generously giving away Christmas cards with handwritten greetings in them. For me it's the other way round, my greetings are not handwritten due to my arm problems, it's easier for me to write on a keyboard than with a pencil… but to even this my cards are always handmade. *LOL*)

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    1. GREETINGS Santa aka Birgit! ;D
      I Thank You from the bottom of my heart not only for your Beautifully worded comment but also for your Surprize Package which I am thoroughly enjoying!
      ❤️😘
      Re: the blue lights: I was Really happy about the effect those have through the window and with how all of the rest of the lighting plays a part of the Christmas decor.
      And you may be right about this project always having been about my mother even when it didn't start out that way, since Christmas and my mother go hand in glove. :D
      Constructing the "mom" slippers just seemed to make sense to me and whenever I look at them I see them as waiting there for her to slip back on.
      I enjoyed constructing this project but being able to share it with so many others, has double my original satisfaction by knowing that others take pleasure in it too!
      GOD bless you and keep you and I wish you a VERY Merry Christmas Birgit!

      elizabeth
      and Fluby and Rosey too! ;D

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  23. Totally, totally wonderfully Christmassy and a lovely tribute to your Mom.
    Have a very special Christmas.
    Rx

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    1. Thank You Very Much for your Lovely comment Robin, and I am So Glad that you have enjoyed this post!
      I wish YOU a Very Special and Wonderful Christmas,too! ❤️


      elizabeth
      and a Christmas wish to your penguins too! :D

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  24. Nice tribute to your mom, and a wonderful atmosphere :)

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    1. Many Many Thanks Linda! :D
      It makes me Very Happy that you have enjoyed viewing my efforts regarding the overall atmosphere, which is due for the most part, to the lighting effects, which really makes this room feel the way it does! :D
      Have a Wonderful Christmas Time, and hope that your not as up to your neck in snow as you were last year!

      elizabeth

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  25. The final result is just gorgeous!

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    1. Thank You So Much Brandy! :D
      It was a Fun and Quick project to do and I enjoyed it MORE as I went along!
      a Merry Christmas to You! :D

      elizabeth

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  26. Hi Elizxabeth,
    you are a blessing to this hobby. Your lantern is amazing with every detail. I can see all the love you have put into it. The lantern is a tribute to your mom.
    I had to read your text many times and watch the pictures again and again.
    Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Creative New Year 2020!
    - Sirkka

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    1. I KNOW that my mother would have enjoyed looking into this small corner room and picturing herself seated in the chair, and nodding off to sleep by the fire, so it makes me VERY Happy that you have enjoyed viewing this tribute to my mother too, Sirkka- THANK YOU! :D
      And I want to Thank You as well, for your Treasured Compliments which I Greatly Appreciate! ❤️

      Wishing you a Very Merry and Creative Christmas and Happy New Years, too!

      elizabeth :D

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  27. Your mom will only be absent from the room for a minute or two she has just popped into the kitchen for a mince pie to go with her tea. Such a lovely scene as are all the things you do. They are always made with a proper narrative, purpose and love from you. This time it also has your mom's love for you adding to the perfect 'snapshot' in time.

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    1. YES! You have the storyline EXACTLY RIGHT, Marilyn! ❤️
      A story is always a Must for me and you have not only Nailed It but I am Pleased as Punch that you can feel my love for my mother in viewing it.
      I ADORE your phrase " a snapshot in time" which says it all- Thank You❣️
      Wishing you a Very Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year! :D

      elizabeth

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  28. Your scene is amazing and a great tribute to your mother.
    Merry Christmas to you and yours.

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    1. Thank You SO MUCH for enjoying this tribute to my mother Faby and for your LOvely Compliment, too❣️:D
      and Merry Christmas to you, Faby and to all of your family too! :D

      elizabeth

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  29. Merry Christmas Elizabeth :-)

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    1. And a Merry Christmas to you too Polly! ❤️

      e :D

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  30. Hello, Elizabeth - It was such a lovely treat to watch this Christmas Corner come to life. What an amazing transformation you have wrought, with one thoughtful detail following another, and the scene getting better and better and looking richer and richer. Beautiful! I love that you dedicated the room box to your mother. It's easy to see all the love you that you shared and the special memories that you hold in your heart.
    Marjorie

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    1. Thank You So Much for your Lovely comment Marjorie. Each detail which was added to this scene, not only made it look richer but made me feel an even stronger connection to my mother, although her actual apartment looked nothing like this interior- go figure? Making miniatures is a fascinating hobby, isn't it? :D
      I hope that you have enjoyed a Wonderful Christmas this year. It is odd that it's already come and gone, yet I wish you a MARVELLOUS 2020 New Year ahead! :D

      elizabeth

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  31. It's WONDERFUL Elizabeth, looks so cozy and full of life with the fantastic accessories, every one of them having it's own story and contributing to the end result. Exciting to see it progress and 'grow into itself'. I had a chuckle at the idea of 'auditioning' wallpapers, never thought of it like that but it's very apt. The baubles are very clever, I'll be trying that out one of these days, and the lycopodium looks great on the mantle, would never have thought of using that.

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    1. Hello Norma! Happy New Year and Thank You for your Lovely comment! :D
      It continues to amaze me how a project changes as a personality develops within it, be it a slice of a room or an entire dollhouse, which is what makes this hobby so interesting to indulge in, wouldn't you agree?
      And when it comes to "auditioning" wallpapers, it is ALWAYS the crucial part which is the most difficult to come to a decision on. I go through so many rejects to get to just one, but then- a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! ;D

      elizabeth

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  32. i read this at work and now im crying, what a wonderful story. it makes me miss my mom. its a beautiful roombox

    Hugs
    Marisa

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    1. HELLO MARISA! First let me say Thank you for your comment which I Appreciate Very Much. Our mothers love for us and us for them is something which should never be forgotten and so I am Very Glad to hear that this post has touched your heart in remember your own mother- thank you for sharing that with me.

      And may I also add that I have tried a number of times to access your blog but without success. The link takes me there, but moves immediately to an ad page for cell phones.
      GUESS WHAT; I just tried it again right now and it does the same thing but now it moves to an empty page requesting my email address to continue. The name on the tab is https://todays-offers5online.com
      Very suspicious!

      elizabeth

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DO OVERS! a Glencroft Living room redecoration

    Back in April of 2022, I made up a storyline for my Glencroft renovations, which went something like this...   "After due considera...