SMILES AND TEARS.

It's been a while since I last spoke with you.  My little dog Nicholas is back to his normal self again. His operation healed up within about ten days, I couldn't believe just how quick it was from looking awful and painful to now where I can't even see the scars.
 He's much happier, jumping up for a cuddle and wanting to go for a walk and his appetite is good too.  So much to be thankful for and thank-you to all of you, my dear friends, who said prayers and wrote lovely comments.    Nick and I are very grateful.


I have had a very sad few weeks recently.  My dear friend Ruth passed away on April 20th. She had fought a cancer battle for the last 16 years and even though we all knew her life's journey was coming to an end, it was very hard to accept, she was only 61.
 Ruth was one of those people who touched many lives in such a positive way. She was a true Christian person and had love and caring for every-one she knew. I will miss her so much but am thankful that I was able to have her as a friend.

I think our lovely Autumn weather has gone for this year. We were blessed with some of the most beautiful days in recent weeks. Ballarat is a wonderful city in the Autumn, trees in splendid colour,  leaved to rake up for the garden and a special atmosphere of peace and calm.  Now it's just colder and we want to stay nearer the heater and get out all the Winter woollies to wear!

Until next time, take care,
Vicki xx

GOOD NEWS.

Thank-you for your good wishes and prayers for my Nicholas.  His operation went well, the lovely vet Rob, was very happy with it all.
 He was able to get the large lump all out and now Nick is home with a plastic collar on so he doesn't hurt himself and a very sore, stitched up rear end!
He was able to eat his tea with a bit of juggling and he's mostly following me around or lying nearby looking suitably put out.

Both cats are giving him a wide berth, they don't like the look of the collar. Rob said the recovery should be about ten days. We can take Nick for short walks and hopefully he will be back to his old self quite soon.

Life really is good when all the "family" are home and safe.
Blessings,
Vicki x

MY NICHOLAS.

I have a favor to ask.    Would you please think of my dear little dog Nicholas and say a prayer if you wish. He's going to have a big operation tomorrow for a large cancerous lump

He's 13 years old but I hope and pray we will have him to love and spoil for a while yet.
 He's my little shadow, never very far away from me.  He follows me from room to room and just loves to be cuddled and patted.

He loves having a bath and being dried with the hair-dryer.  When he goes outside in the wet weather, his feet get dirty so as I let him inside again I say  "hands and feet",   he sits on the mat and holds his paws up to be wiped dry with a hand-towel.  My daughter usually comes for tea on Tuesday night and Nick sits in the hallway and just watches the door waiting for Jenny to arrive.  I swear he knows what day it is!

Blessings,

Vicki x

WELCOME NEW FRIENDS.

I just popped in to say hello and feed the fish and was so thrilled to see that I had two new followers.
 While I was composing a message to you both you will never guess what happened. A third friend joined my blog almost in front of my eyes!!
To Susan of Minicrochetmad,    Shez from Enjoying Life and Helen who didn't have blog details, a warm hello.   I'm so glad that you decided to stay. I hope you enjoy reading about what I get up to when I should be cooking or cleaning!!!
 I have been neglecting my miniatures a bit lately because I had surgery in my nose a few weeks ago and what with one thing and another, it's still painful to rest my glasses on my nose for long and I need to wear the "specs" for close-up work.  It's much better than it was so hopefully I will be back in business soon.

If you have looked back through my rambling, you will have seen photo's of garden flowers that I hope you have liked. I'm pleased to sat that they are all from my garden and when I take a close-up photo without the surrounding weeds, gosh don't they look great!

Take care,

Vicki x

GOOD MORNING.

I have created a new blog and hope you will drop in to see what I spend my time on when not making mini's.

http://vicki-thespiceoflife.blogspot.com

It's all about my other crafts and hobbies. I love crafting and over the years have certainly been involved in a large variety, cross-stitch, stitcheries, painting, porcelain dolls, teddy bears, card making and the list goes on.

I do hope you will call in and say hello,   I would love to hear from you.

HARRY THE EXPLORER.

I'm sure I've told you about one of my cats called Harry and his ability to climb up onto anything in the house.

I've found him on top of the wardrobes,  book-cases,  kitchen cupboards,  shower recess. In fact anywhere he can climb up to for a better view of what's around and new ideas for somewhere else to climb!

I recently took one of the small drawers out of a cabinet to look at the contents in the kitchen when I heard an odd noise.  This is what I found.

What goes in....

Must come out!

Then I need a little rest just to show you how cute I am.

MY DAUGHTER'S HOUSE.

After publishing my last post, I realised that I forgot to show you the photo's of my creation of my daughter's house.   I made this from scratch, it looks just like her home.  The colours are the same but I didn't have the right material to replicate the wrought iron lace-work on the verandah.

I found the lady sitting in her rocking chair and told my daughter that it could be her in the future! 

 She has two cats and no dogs but I think the dogs look very much at home here. I also love the rubber boots, they feel soft and realistic.

There isn't a wicker planter and plants either but when making mini's, we can surely have some say in how we want it to look can't we?

THE REAL ME .

After quite a lot of thinking and soul searching I have decided to "come clean" and use my real name on this blog.  I decided to use the name Sandie, as my blog name when I started it. Even though I thought I had good reasons, it has become too confusing for the lovely people that I've made friends with so....here I am as myself,    Vicki.
 What a good feeling  to just be me!

I also want to show you a project that my grand-son made at school two years ago. he gave it to me last week-end as he's now 16 and  interested in other things. I have always loved it, mainly because he made it ( with help from his Dad ) but also because it depicts a miners camp on the gold fields.

Welcome to you both.

Hell and welcome to Ascension and Jazzi.
 Ascension your tiny little elves are fascinating. I can't believe they could be made so small.
Jazzi, It's lovely to hear from a "neighbor". I really like your teapots. I have a few full size ones that I've collected and would love to have several smaller size too.  I have emailed you in the hope of us meeting up soon.

Australia Day.

I can't believe that I haven't posted since before Christmas. What have I been doing with my time?

I promise you I have been busy but just doing the things that I want to do. I love January because there's usually no commitments in my diary, so.....lovely days spent in my craft room,  in the garden or catching up with friends.  The weather has given much variety but lately, quite warm to hot.  I put a bag of sugar cane mulch on the front garden but will have to buy several more bags to finish the job.

I recently joined a new group, Miniature Haven and I'm loving it. There is a Project of the Month and for January it's items for a bathroom . As I was planning on getting serious about finishing my house, the motivation is back and I've made almost everything my bathroom will need.

The bathroom set is from the Delprado part-works that I "invested" in a few years ago. I re-painted the timber, it was dark brown. I made the towel, slatted mat, slippers, over the bath timber shelf, soap and loofa.

The soap is a tiny button on another and the hand soap dispenser is made from small beads, the face washer is fine terry towel.

 I painted over the blue motif on the suite with a soft green and made the toilet brush and waste bin too. You can't see the toilet roll and holder on this photo.

The pink towel was made from a piece of soft cotton that I dyed with acrylic paint in some water. The white one has some embroidery also.

I still have to find some small labels to go on the items in the cabinet that will go above the basin.

 I found a chair in my stash, repainted it and had fun making and placing a silky nightie and pink bra on it. I gently glued the nightie in place.

This was also fun to make. I cut out the shape of a dressing gown and glued and folded it to the look that I wanted. I left it on a sheet of plastic over-night to set. A tiny brass nail was pushed through at the top and it will hang on the back of the bathroom door.

I arranged some items on a small shelf and added a hand towel.

 You can see the basin better from this angle. I was really happy with the tiny  pink button, it makes a good bar of soap.