"Pillow talk" ( and a couple of new rugs)

 "PILLOW TALK"

Last November, shortly after my birthday, I received a small package in the mail.  It was from Margaret of "Petite Parterre" in Australia!  I had been long awaiting the arrival of this Givaway and eagerly opened the parcel only to find not Just the Giveaway prize but TWO additional floral pillows and a lovely Christmas card from Margaret!

These are the mini pillows by Margaret, tied so prettily with a wide pink silk ribbon!

I had to try them out on the bed of #43
Here is the square pale blue floral cushion, I love it but I decided to try out the pink ones, too!

 Uh oh, now I love these ones also!
(which ones to choose??)

A little step, further back and I love the look!

And now a closer look at the delicate floral  prints

Such a lovely collection of cushions and such a generous gift!
THANK YOU
MARGARET!!!

*****
now for 
TWO NEW RUGS

(one for the bedroom)

                                  I decided to up-grade the bedroom area rug and the rug in the parlor. 

above and below photos, are the old "BEFORE" area rugs
just before I installed the bed curtains

And here is the "AFTER"
I chose a more subtle pattern of toned down color so that it would not compete with the abundance of  new drapery surrounding the bed.  The ground color is a near perfect match with the 'metal' bed frame of the single bed.  

I also decided to increase the size of  the area rug to cover more of the floor space which made the room look bigger!

And this is what the bedroom looks like now
Much better!

 and now I need a new rug for the Parlor...
this was the very beginning of the Parlor when I was still experimenting with the floor plan but right off the top I had chosen an area rug and used it for determining the color scheme that I would eventually use.  

The rug had a coral/ pink back ground color that was bordered with some greyed blues.
( above and below are the "befores")

Here the old rug is a little more visible
( oh, hello Nate!)

and here is the new one!
I found an oriental area rug with more burnt orange tones and some blue in the pattern
I like the way it fills up the floor and carries all of the colors of the furniture and accessories so easily, and Nate seems even Happier than before, in his spot by the fire!

A picture of contentment

And one of repose!

elizabeth

My little brother

Last night just before midnight, my "little" brother, Gregory, went to meet Jesus.  My family are Firm believers in Jesus Christ as the Son of God made flesh.  We also believe that Christ was crucified as a sacrifice for our sins and that he took away our eternal punishment by dying on the cross himself, and that He was raised to life again through the power of God, and that One Day the same will happen to us and all those who die before Christ returns again.  In other words, I know that physical death is not the end of my little brother and that I shall see him again.   Greg battled cancer for nearly 2 years and for awhile he was in remission.  Only last Tuesday, after finding out the month before, that they didn't expect that he would live another 6 months, he was admitted to the hospital where he died a week later.  He was a good man with a wife and 2 children, and he lived for Jesus.  He didn't understand why he had the cancer he had but, he didn't blame God or turn his back on Him.  Greg said that there was a reason and that God would use it for His purpose.   His final week was filled with physical pain which was greatly alleviated by the pain-killers that he needed to take just to get through the days and the nights, but through it all, he remained cheerful and with a smile on his face, because he believed that whatever God had decided for him would be the Best and if he was able to survive the cancer, he would be happy but if not, he could die happy because he knew that This life was not the Only Life.  I believe this too as does all of my family.  I weep and grieve for my beloved little brother but I can rejoice and thank God that because Christ was raised from the dead, one day I will be too, and so will anyone who puts their faith and trust in Him.  So truly, though right now, my heart is breaking over and over, I can still with confidence say to anyone who reads this that whatever happens to us, whatever pain and grief we have to go through, whatever situation seems hopeless and unfair, God can comfort and sustain you, God can encourage and keep you and give you hope, God can save you because He loves you, because GOD IS GOOD.

elizabeth

Gifts from My Friends!

" We'll be Friend's Forever won't we Pooh? asked Piglet

Even longer, ' Pooh answered - A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

 ( this is Fatima in front of her 'infamous' Garfield doll's house )

I have been blessed to have two Extraordinary Friends and the fact that these two friends of mine are also both Extraordinary Miniaturist is a double blessing!  
Everyone who reads my blog has heard me speak of Janine of MINWORKS ( and her sidekick hubby Bruce ) on a fairly regular basis and just in case you didn't know this already, Janine and I have been friends for about 30 years.  That number seems outrageous to me when I think about it!  But it is true!  However, I haven't known Fatima that long, maybe only since the late 90's but again, it feels like we have Always known each other and the 3 of us make up what Fats has dubbed as
 "The Miniteers".  
While Janine and Bruce were away this past Spring, touring their homeland Downunder; Fats and I held the fort here and got ready for the West Coast Miniature Show which Fats actively helped organized and which took place this past June with great success.  Immediately following the show, she threw herself full throttle, into wedding plans for her daughter Sheena, and the 2 of them put on a wonderful wedding celebration where Fatima and her daughter, did the majority of the decorations, the cake and the, flowers and the entertaining of out of town guests and that too was a resounding success!
 ( Fatima is a Powerhouse, a one (wo) Man show, the 'go-to' person if you want to get something done, and done RIGHT.)
So FINALLY, Janine returns after having been away for months and months. The Miniteers got together once again, meeting here at my house and Yes, we had presents for each other.  Janine brought Fats and I a wonderful Empire Sofa kit that had been on hold with her sister in Australia for a long time and here it is ....

I love this!  I have just the house to put it in when I get the Arthur doll's house finished.
I shall leave you in suspense for awhile but the kit is Perfect for that future build.
Fats also gave me something special...

She wrapped it up, and when I opened the box inside was an assortment of memorabilia of Green Dolphin Street!  Movie poster, record covers with mini albums inside and movie stills from the movie.
All Green Dolphin!

There are books and book jackets of Green Dolphin Street!
WHO KNEW THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH VARIETY!!!?
I used one of  the wonderful little books and placed it in the Parlor on the sideboard. 
 It is right at home there,

But there was MORE in the box that I  almost missed until Janine pointed it out.

Fats made me a Scrapbook!
Look at that cover!
And inside there was.....
YUP!
Green Dolphin Street clippings
 and photos and sheet music from the movie score, and book jackets 

Fats even downloaded photos of my doll's house from my blog and made them into mini photos and included them in the pages!!!
the 2 on the right are of the bedroom; bed (before bedcurtains) and the fireplace mantle

Dried flower pressed between the pages

movie stills and more of the movie score

this photo on the right, has my Parlor form the very first set up!

And this one has the fireplace and The DOOR

A vintage book jacket died flowers and the theme music from the movie 

What a Wonderful Gift!
What I find so Amazing is how she finds the time to do all of the research and make this in between all of the 10,000 other things she is constantly involved in.  To see the Paris Scrapbook that she made for Janine just go to MINWORKS blog.  Janine  has had Bruce take some really professional photos of hers and She Loves It!!!

BUT THAT IS NOT ALL

Last week it was my birthday and as Jane Smith of Minifanaticus says
I'm 29 again!
heehehe
This time We 3 celebrated it at Fatima's house where we enjoyed a lovely lunch made by Fats and a Scrumptious dessert of homemade Lemon Cheesecake
(my favorite dessert)
made by Janine
THANK YOU LADIES!
Janine gave me a gift card which I have used on a non-mini present for myself
(my favorite perfume) 
and Fats gave me this...

No NOT Lana Turner from Green Dolphin Street, but do you see what Lana Turner is wearing?

This is the actual REAL LIFE dressing gown that Lana Turner wore in the movie 

And this is what Fats made!
a miniature copy of the real life gown from the movie 
Happy Birthday to ME!!!!

And she made some matching slippers too!

The collar is hand embroidered and beadwork is added just like the real McCoy

And lets not forget the buttons that go down the front!

The fabric that she used drapes Beautifully and flows and puddles onto the floor with no effort at all
and I can even hang it on a hanger because of the way that she has made the yoke.

The slippers have real wooden heels and the tops are decorated with lace and beadwork

The workmanship is so detailed and so Perfect!!!
I can not begin to tell you how surprised and how happy I am to have this  gracing my doll's house.  So Thank You Fats and Thank you Janine for your extreme generosity.  You are both
near and dear to my heart.!

And just before I go, I would like to say that Fatima will have her web page,
BEAUXMINIS
on line very soon.
  Janine and I got a sneak preview last week and I don't think that you'll be disappointed.  Fatima will be selling her wonderful and marvelous things through her site so you can all go shopping and all enjoy her many and diverse talents! :D
***

Meanwhile,
 I'm going to go and play with my doll's house again.
 And
I have the perfect place to put those  lovely green slippers...

right next to my bed!

ahhh Friends!
blessings from God

elizabeth