Lloyd Loom Crib

Hello mini friends,

Firstly I apologise, it's been a long, long time since I updated my blog.  I blame life lol, yes somehow life got in the way and after all the time spent with my granddaughter Phoebe who is almost two now I just never found much time to mini make.  I have however rectified the situation and have made a few things that I'll show you further down the page.  Firstly though I must tell you of some sad news that also made life a little more difficult for a while...

Be warned this is sad news although there is a more positive side to it at the end.

Last year my eldest son Nicky came to see me and he told me he was to become a daddy.  I was overjoyed as was he.  Nicky went out and found a big house to move to instead of his flat and made all those baby preparations including reading baby books and even downloaded an expectant dad apps (yes there is an app for everything these days).  Sadly in September I received news that my little granddaughter's heart had stopped beating and we rushed to the hospital only to find that she had indeed died inside the womb at 27 weeks.  Devastated is an understatement.  We hugged and cried and then as my son's world fell apart I had to try and put my sadness aside and be strong so I could be there for support.  My granddaughter Cassie Elizabeth was born sleeping on 20th September 2015 weighing just 1lb 11oz, she was so tiny but so perfect.  We had the most beautiful send off for her with balloons and bubbles and everyone wore little butterfly pins and it was, well it felt magical because there was so much love from our whole family who had all pulled together to help each other.  We even had little packets of seeds to sow this year in remembrance. 

At the time of Cassie's birth my son was supported by a charity called Harry & Co who created special rooms in the hospital for parents and families to spend some time with their baby before the inevitable farewell.  The charity also provide memory boxes with tiny clothes and hand and footprint kits so that some memories can be made and parents can take something home with them.  My son had always said that when his child was born he would take her to see and experience the world and they would have lots of adventures together so after her funeral my son climbed his first mountain in Cassie's name, taking with him her teddy bear.  My son Nicky also wanted to give something back to Harry & Co so he went to talk with them.  Harry & Co was created by a mum and dad who also suffered baby loss - Harry and found there was a lack of facilities to support parents in these circumstances so they made an effort to change that. Harry & Co suggested my son leave a Harry bear at the top of the next mountain he climbed and then my son had an idea, he talked with me and with his daughter Cassie at the baby garden and he decided to climb 100 highest peaks in England and Wales for the charity Harry & Co. 

So, my son Nicky is busy climbing mountains in order to raise awareness and funds in support of the families of angel babies.  He takes with him his daughter Cassie in his heart and her teddy in his hand and he leaves a note and a Harry Bear at the top of each mountain so that people can read about the work that Harry & Co do.  If you would like to you can read my son's story here...  https://www.angelcassie.org/

These are my granddaughter's tiny feet. 

Ok, now onto the minis...

I made a standard pram and then decided to make a smaller one for a doll (a child-doll's doll lol), then an even smaller one just because that was the mood I was in lol.  So here they are the lilac trio.

 

 

 

I was asked earlier this year to make a little mini version of the Lloyd Loom Crib as seen on Call the Midwife so I researched how these cribs were made and found that they were woven on a loom from paper and metal, which sounds like a strange combination of materials but as I researched I found they were very popular and here is a picture of a full size vintage one.

I made the crib and stand in the same sort of way that the full size crib was made and tried to get in a much detail as possible.  I individually attached each tiny section of the frame and wrapped each one to securely hold it in place, it took a while but  I'm rather pleased with the outcome.

On the table at the moment are two other orders almost finished - an Oberon dolls pram and a Dansette record player.  I'm hoping to get these completed by the end of the month so look out for more pictures then. :)

Well that's all for now.  I do have plans to do much more this year now that little Phoebe is growing up and not taking up so much of my time so fingers crossed I mange it this time lol.  Talk soon.

Mini hugs

Gill x 

Low Slung Pram 1/12th Scale

Hello mini friends,

After a long time being unable to use the craft room because it had to store lots of things while we got our bathroom refurbished finally I have managed to make a new pram.  This time it's a low slung period pram in black and cream with all the usual features... it has a fully lined and gently padded interior and moving wheels, a collapsible real leather hood and this time I have incorporated a little removable section in the centre that reveals a foot well to accommodate the older child... just like the real thing! 

This time I changed a few materials and even did some drilling into metal with my new dremel - which I feel was very brave of me (lol) since it took a bit of time to get used to this new tool because it is more powerful than the hobby drill I used to use.   I've another four period prams on the table but this low slung pram will probably be the only one of its kind that I ever make so it will be completely unique.

As always I have a long list of mini's I want to work through but I hope to get these prams finished first before making some modern prams, pushchairs, highchairs and then some sofas - just because I can.  :)

Well I better get back to it... this pram will be up for sale probably sometime over the weekend in my Esty shop.  I'll add a link here soon as it's up. :)

Have a lovely weekend all, till next time.

Big mini hugs

Gill x

Hello again!

Hello mini friends,

Well it's been approximately one year since I last posted and why?  Because a certain little girl kept me busy.  Yes was blessed with the chance to take care of my darling granddaughter while her parents were at work and university and we've spent many hours together.  Needless to say I didn't get much mini making done.  I had quite forgotten just how much time babies take up!  Little Phoebe is one year old now and walking round getting into everything but she's ever so cuddly and she means the world to me as does my grandson Bobby who's now six. 

Here's Phoebe and Bobby.

So mini-wise what have I managed to do... well I like a challenge so I was asked to make a luggage trolley so I played about with various materials, plastic, metal, card and so on and the result was this.

I had to make the wheels myself from plastic and wood, they are delicate but do turn and swivel round.

I did start work on my pram kits, well my pushchair kits anyway.  I got quite far but really I needed time to just sit and work on them without stopping and with a small person making lots of visits that didn't happen so I'm afraid they are still sitting half done in a box in the craft room.  I am making four period prams at the moment though.  However I also have a mini keepsake table, some light up lamps and a light up TV on the table with a view to some sofas in the near future.  If only I had a bigger work room I'd be able to spread out, as it stands I keep projects in separate boxes and keep swapping them around lol.

As I say I didn't have much time to myself over the past year but I managed to sneak in a couple of projects and one of them was a little highchair and matching pushchair in lilac.  The highchair has a flip over tray and I used some slightly different materials for this and a new style and I do love the way it turned out, hope you like it too.

Well that's all for now.  I plan on working hard to get myself back on track with my blog, facebook and website while continuing with all the projects I have already on the go so with a bit of luck I'll be back again soon with some new pictures of my latest minis.

Hope to see you soon.

Gill x

Our Precious New Arrival and a Twin Pushchair

Hello all,
Well I had begun the year with great intentions to keep everybody updated but then I got a surprise, a new granddaughter so all my efforts went off in a rather PINK baby girl direction lol and oh am I enjoying her.
I thought I'd show you all a few pictures of my gorgeous 1st granddaughter Phoebe, she weighed 8lb 6oz at birth and she's almost six weeks old now which means that I have finally managed to slow down buying her gorgeous outfits and actually apply myself enough to finish off a twin pushchair that I started some months back - pictures below.

I have another twin pushchair on the table almost finished and then I've got some new materials to test out before I begin making some pram and pushchair kits.  The patterns for the body of the pram/pushchair is the easy part of designing a kit but I'm not sure how to convert the rest of the process into kit form so a little working out is needed here.

AND, as if I didn't have enough projects on the go, I started my DHE mountfield doll house, so far it has been just glued together but soon I'll be priming it in white before testing out my brick effect  mix that I got from Bromleys that I've never used before... I'll post pictures as I go so you can see how easy or difficult it is to use.

Ok now for all the pictures, firstly my little princess Phoebe...

She's absolutely gorgeous and I love her to pieces :) 

And here is the pushchair with separately reclining seats, yes it is like the last one but that is because since I made it everyone has asked me to make another one so, here it is and it is up for sale. 

Now if I can stop buying pink baby things I'll finish off my twin red and grey pushchair and then maybe manage to start designing some kits :)

Till next time...

Big mini hugs

Gillx

April 2014 Update

Hello everyone,

Long time no blog... but I'm back now... with a super LONG post :)

In this blog there will be lots of catching up so I've added some pictures of the 'Twelve Days' minis both the sent and received gifts.  I have included a couple of pictures of the baby things I made recently and of some of the furniture I made to sell in my Etsy shop.  I also got a wonderful surprise this year too, my mate from down under, Susan kindly made me a gorgeous christening gown for my belly button baby so I've taken pictures to show you.  

Well I guess I'll just briefly update you all on life and such, sadly my mini making time was hugely interrupted for a while because one of those nasty gas companies has decided to build a well with a view to fracking just a mile from my house :(  Not sure what people know about this but it is extremely dangerous and should not be carried out at all let alone that close to people's homes (it is actually illegal in the UK but they are doing it anyway).  So my time went towards working hard to try and put a stop to it. 

Right, moving onto MINIS... over the Christmas period my lovely friend Ginny knitted me twelve beautiful gifts, they are pictured below.  In return, for the swap, I made her twelve minis and they too are pictured below.

The wonderful gifts from Ginny 

The gifts I made for Ginny

Now for the baby things I made recently for an order.  Some of the pictures feature the minis in their new home with their new owners :) 

This little pram was created for a customer who specifically asked for a little duck and pram toy.

Here is the pram in it's new home.

Here is the play-mat with it's new owner.

Now for the furniture I've just placed for sale in my Etsy shop.  I love this muted turquoise blue and I coupled it with pink roses which I think works really well so I made a whole bedroom set just because it made me happy :) Perhaps I'll make a bed to match soon as I get a chance. 

I decided to make something a little more unusual so I created this little ladder shelf for the garden.  I think it offers a unique and rather pretty place for displaying tiny plants and it would look equally good indoors in a shabby chic living room. 

Now for the BEAUTIFUL gifts from my mate down under...

A gorgeous christening gown.

You may remember the little accessories that Susan made for me some time back.

So here is my lovely belly button baby made by the wonderful Ginny and gifted to me at Christmas with the ever so cute outfit lovingly fashioned by Susan.

Too cute!! This will give you an idea of size! 

Yes the buttons really fasten!

 

Beautiful and all to match!

All this dressing up makes little babies tired :)

So tiny and cute shooz!! 

Awwww!

 

I hope you like all the pictures :)

I've also begun making my big DHE Mountfield kit so as soon as I get chance I'll show you some pictures of it.  Oh and I will also be stocking some Dolls House Emporium minis in my shop soon too... and they will be priced at lower than the DHE charges :)

Till next time, big mini hugs

Gill x