A Piskie Give Away...

My dear friend Debie, over on Piskies and Poppets, is having a give away on her blog to celebrate 200 Followers. So if you'd like to take part, please pop over to her blog, and leave a comment.
Yes, I know, I also promised a give away here as well. But I'm waiting for Debie, to help me sort out the prize, while her and her lovely family are staying with us next week. They should be with us, sometime on Saturday.
Mind you can you imagine two Debbie's in the same house, I'm sure its going to cause much hilarity. Just imagine us both, sitting at the table and someone saying Debbie can you pass the salt!. LOL
I was hoping that another little Poppet was going to join us, but unfortunately she can't make it.
I'm sure we will have lots of photographs to share and hopefully some mini making as well. Plus Debie has promised me a Sculpting lesson..
I'm so excited, I could crush a Grape...

Mini Links Page.. Help Please...

Just wanted to let everyone know that I've updated the Tiny Treasures Mini Links page layout and added a few more links.
I was also wondering, how many of you actually use it? I would be really interesting to know.
I've tried to add every mini related blog over there, if I've missed you out and you'd like to be added, would you please leave a comment with the link and I'll add it. Or if there is a blog that you visit and I've missed it, please let me know.
That also goes for Miniature Artisan's web site links, Etsy and Ebay links, if there are any that you'd like to add, again leave a comment and what category it should go under.
I know some people, don't have a blog or web site, but do have Flickr, Photobucket, and webshot albums. If you'd like to share your miniatures with us, again please leave a comment and the link and I'll add it.
Also is there a category I've missed?.
I'd really like to know what you all think, so could you let me know... Thanks xxxx

Welcome..

Some more followers have joined the throng, a big Welcome to you all..
They are:-
Looking Glass Miniatures who has four blogs, Looking Glass Miniature, Miniature Apothecary, Style In Scale and Hobbit Dollhouse. All of which are filled with wonderful miniatures.
Zsuzsanna Paláné Horváth who has two blogs, Dreams In Miniature and Alomvilag miniaturben, which is the same blog but written in Hungarian.
Silvia who's blog is called Il Piccolo Mondo Di Silvia. Silvia has made the cutest little Elf in a dinky little lantern setting. She's also made some other lovely minis.
Catherine who's blog is called Kilmouski & Me, I've been following this blog from the beginning. Catherine makes the most incredible miniatures, if you haven't seen her work, then make sure you go over for a look.
Janny who's blog is called the Art Of Mini, its a beautiful blog filled with fabulous photographs of her Miniatures. She also has a web site also called Art Of Mini.
And last but not least is Kerry Alexander who's blog is called Cherry Berry Miniatures. Kerry makes lovely miniature food and real life sized Wedding Cake Toppers.
As always please pop over and say Hello....

There Be Dragons....

For those of you that don't know, my eldest Son Ben likes Dragons.
So much so, that when we moved here, he asked me to paint a Dragon on his bedroom wall. I agreed on the understanding that it was subtle. Well Ben looked through loads of Dragon pictures, and came up with a design for Chinese Dragon, that was originally a design for a Tattoo. I then drew it on his wall and painted it in, free hand.
We happened to be looking at some Dragon pictures on the Internet, a few weeks ago and I found a drawing of a Dragon's Eye, which Ben really liked.
Now Ben is going off to University, in September and I wanted to make something, that he could take with him.
Now my hands are quite swollen at the moment, so its nigh on impossible, for me to make any miniatures. But I thought I'd have a go at making a plaque, to go on the front of a journal, so that Ben can take it with him. So yesterday afternoon, I sorted out some clay, which I got Mick to mix for me.
I rolled out a sheet of clay by hand and then pulled it out of shape, as I didn't want sharp corners. I then embossed the Clay to give it a Dragon Like skin. Then I made the eye, popped it in the Oven and Hey Presto, my interpretation of the Dragon Picture. As I had some left over clay I started playing about with it last night, while I was watching the TV and ended up making a little Eye as well. I've used the Fimo Powders on this to give it a shimmer, on the larger piece I used an arcrylic antiquing medium.
For the first time doing anything along these lines, I'm really pleased with the results. I just need to find a really strong Glue to affix to the journal with now. Any ideas?

Tea Anyone?....

Yesterday, I had a surprise delivery from Rosanna. When I opened the Jiffy bag, look what I found inside. A beautifully wrapped little parcel. It's an ongoing joke, that I like very strong tea and I call it builders tea. Well Rosanna, had enclosed a tea bag with the parcel, and yes Rosanna, I still Love my builders tea.
I opened the tiny little Pink wrapped parcel, to find inside one of Rosanna's ,beautifully stitched Tea Cosy's, the back is a Red and White Gingham.
It is totally incredible, it amazes me how Rosanna, manages to stitch so tiny. She is most definitely the "Queen Of The Needle"..
Thank you so much Rosanna, you are a very Dear Friend and the Tea Cosy is beautiful....xxxx

Bread Pudding Recipe...

I've just emailed this recipe to one of my Mini Friends, Susan and I thought I'd share it with everyone, in case anyone else would like to make it.
If you do, please let me know how it turns out.
I double this recipe when I'm making it, otherwise I get moaned at cause there's never enough.

8oz or 225g Stale Bread
5oz or 110g Currants, Raisins or Sultanas. (You can use a mixture of all three or what ever you have in the cupboard).
2oz or 50g Brown Sugar
Half a Teaspoon of Mixed Spice
1 Egg
Milk.

Preheat your Oven to Gas Mark 3, 170c.
Tear Bread into small pieces and soak in Cold water for one hour.
Strain the bread and squeeze out as much as possible.
Place the bread into a bowl and mash with a fork. Add the fruit, Sugar and mixed spice, mix together well.
Add the egg and as much milk as necessary to make the mixture sticky but not too wet. It should drop easily from a spoon.
Pour the mixture into a well greased baking tray, spread out and sprinkle the Surface with more Brown sugar.
Bake in the Oven for 1 Hour.
Check after one hour that the pudding is cooked by pushing a knife into the middle. The knife should come out clean. If necessary cook for a further 15 minutes.
Once the pudding as cooled down, sprinkle with Granulated Sugar..

The pudding stores well wrapped in Foil. (not that it lasts very long in this house)...
Enjoy...

Welcome...

A very Big Welcome to some more followers, they are:-
Mandie Wojciechowski who I can't find any information for. Mandie if you have a blog please leave your link on the comments and I'll add it.
Youclan, who's blog is called Koteylin Journal, this blog is filled with beautiful needlework. (I think Minikat and Rosanna will enjoy this one.)
Alicja who's blog is called At The Attic. Who does the most beautiful little animals in Needle felt. I Love the little Mouse selling Pumpkins from his sled..
Melita who has two blogs one for her Card making and Scrapbooking called Life With Nana Meme and the other called Life,Love Laughter And Tears.
Lyn, who again I can't find any information for, so if you have a blog Lyn, please let me know, so that I can add your link.
Kyla who's blog is called Picking Up The Pieces.
Otterine who's blog is called Otterine.com blog. This one is filled with beautiful Miniatures and fabulous photography of Miniatures.
Barby Anderson who's blog is called Needle Felting/Needle Felted Creations by Barby Anderson. Barby makes the most beautiful little needle felted animals, which she sells on Ebay.
BiWuBar who's blog is called BiWuBaren On The Blog. This is a blog filled with Miniatures and Miniature Bears..
Small Thoughts 29 who has two blogs, Nina's Mini Creations and Small Thoughts.
And last but not least is Misty, who has three blogs, one for her Dragons, one for her Artwork and one for her Poetry. I Love Misty's Dragons, but I also have a soft spot for her Fantasy Art as well.
As always please go over and say Hi...

Fantasy Sculpture...

While I was trawling the internet yesterday for some inspiration for the Garden. I came across this site, Brunos Art and Sculpture Garden.
The Garden is located in Marysville, Australia. Unfortunately, in February 2009 a bush fire raged through the Garden's, but through all the adversity, the Sculptor is painstakingly rebuilding.
There are some fabulous Sculptors and what inspiration for some miniature creations. There are lots more over on the web site.
The bottom photograph was another one, I found on the web, but there was no information to go with it..
Thank you, to My Wee Life, who left a comment letting me know that the bottom Sculpture, is located at The Lost Gardens Of Heligan.

Scan Today & Cute Fur Babies...

I had a phone on Friday from the X-Ray department at Carmarthen Hospital. They had managed to book me in, for a Scan on my legs this afternoon. They rang to let me know, in case the letter didn't get here on time. How about that for service. So that's where, I am heading off to this afternoon. Doubt I'll know anything today, unless they find something!.

Yesterday we popped over to see our friend Tash aka The Boot Sale Queen. She has quite a few Cats living feral, where she lives and they keep having Kittens!. The first Cat she caught was heavily pregnant, and ended up having 6 kittens under the wardrobe in one of her bedrooms.
Tash managed to re-home all the Kittens, have the Mum spayed and gave her a home. But unfortunately a few months later, the Mum Millie was killed on the Road, outside her house.
Next another Mum brought her Kittens around and Tash managed to Catch one really fluffy Black and White Kitten, which is now called Lily and lives with Tash's Mum and Dad.
Then along came another Mum with her four kittens which Tash managed to bring indoors. Her four beautiful Kittens have been re homed and Tash has still got Mum at the moment. She's booked into be Neutered. Not sure whether Tash is keeping her or re-homing her. I fell in Love, with the little Grey,White and Cream one. She was beautiful, but we can't have any more, not with our six.
Then over the Weekend, yet another Cat, brought her Kittens around for a visit and some food and Tash managed to catch two of them. They are shown in the last two pictures. Which went off to a new home last night. But Tash is determined to catch the other's and get the Mother's . She's been on to a Cat Charity, so that they can lend her a special cage, then they will Neuter/Spay the Mum's.

Pack Up Your Troubles...

This is a real feel good, Summer Song..

The Frustration....

I went to the Hospital on Tuesday to see my Cardiologist.
First off, they couldn't get a Blood Pressure reading. Could get the top one, but not the bottom! Took about eight attempts and then Yeah, they finally got it. (it's all the fluid in my body causing the problem).
My Cardiologist, is totally baffled by all my water retention. She said she could understand it in my leg, where the vein had been compromised. But had no reason why its spreading all over my body! She is arranging for me to have another scan this time on my leg. She wants to rule out any clots! She's also referring me back to the Cardiothoracic Surgeon's at Morriston Hospital in Swansea, for a second opinion. To try and relieve some of the fluid, she also prescribed another water tablet, which I only take half of one, one day a week, with my other water tablets. Its really strong, so after taking it, I have to have a blood test to check my Potassium levels. Well I took it yesterday, and lets say I didn't wander very far from the Loo!. The dreaded Blood Test is tomorrow morning. I'm also going back to Physiotherapy to see if that helps at all. Then back to see her again in four months!!!!...

The frustration for me, is that my Miniature making is not happening. Its the case of the Fat Fingers. My hands are OK first thing, but as soon as I start to do anything, my hands swell and boy do they hurt.
I haven't forgotten about the "Give Away" and will be sorting something very, very shortly. Please bear with me.
The only good thing is that my notebook is over flowing with ideas, so will have plenty to do, once I'm sorted out.


Talking of Making, have you seen my friend Debie's new sculpt, over on her blog?. He is totally wonderfully Wicked.. I think Debie's work, is just getting better and better. I'm very lucky to have a few of Debie's, wonderful creations in my collection. Don't you just love his face...LOL

Welcome...

A big welcome to some more followers they are:-

Margriet Van Der Zee who's blog is called Weblog.
Margriet is from the Netherlands.
Doreen, who I've introduced to you all before in a previous post. Doreen's blog is called Small Wonders Miniatures.
Jeanette Bashore who's blog is called JRB Creations. Jeanette makes the most adorable Bears.
Dark Squirrel Victoria who's blog is called Dark Squirrel's Miniature Asylum. She also has an Etsy Shop which she shares with her Daughter April. For those of you that like Magical Miniatures or Fairy's this blog and Etsy Shop is a must look at..
Machel Spence who's blog is of the same name Machel Spence. Machel takes the most beautiful photographs of Nature. The photographs of the Mushrooms are breathtaking. Machel also has an Etsy Shop.
And last but not least is Emily, who happens to be Kate's Daughter over on The Whittaker's Miniatures & Lola's big sister. Emily is a very talented young lady, who is off to University in September to study a BA(Hons) in Fashion. Emily has called her blog EmilyClaire Fashions. On her blog Emily will be writing about her Fashion and her miniatures. She is currently working on a miniature Room Box of Gaius' Chamber from the television series Merlin.
As always please go over and say Hi...

I've also got to tell you about a blog that Nikki, found today and shared on her blog. It's called Mouses Houses. Both our Hubbies took the mickey (pardon the pun), out of us both oohing and arring at the photographs on this blog. while we were on the phone. The little Mice are so cute and the photography is wonderful.