My Workspace - Chimney for the Cottage

....And another thatched cottage update! Here I'm working on the chimney. I'll be able to start on the thatched roof over the next few days and then can finalllllly start to paint!

I'm using PaperClay for the chimney over the foamcore base. The shapes of the bricks are carved into the wet clay using a needle tool.

See past Thatched Cottage posts below and don't forget to follow the blog to find out more or become a fan on Facebook!

Cottage update 3

Cottage update 2

Cottage update 1

Mirror Mirror... Fairytale Furniture

Hi everyone,
It's a beautiful sunny day here in LA and I have been having fun working on a UK commission and various projects for magazines (for my other blog here). The deadline is tomorrow so must rush to finish...

However, taking a small break from food, I decided to organise my fabric and trimmings draw in my messy workshop. I'm just dying to dive into the Fairytale Furniture Range which you have heard me mention before in previous posts agggges ago! Well I am finally getting around to making some for fairs and my online shop.

I had such a great time at the garment district two weeks ago finding the right fabric for my first range, which will be my Mirror Mirror range, inspired by the movie. Have a look at my silk fabrics I sourced to match Eiko Ishioka's incredible inspirational costumes.

I had already drawn up lots of designs and sketches for all sorts of fairytale furniture, but when I sat in the cinema watching 'Mirror Mirror' I got so inspired to use some of Ishioka's colour schemes and designs and interpret them my own way into a furniture range. So expect canopy beds with yellow and pink embroidered silks with butterfly and flower designs... couches and chairs with deep reds and white peacock details, sage greens and rich purples.... I can't wait to start making and share here on my blog and the Pixie Dust Miniatures Facebook page.

Scroll past my fabric swatches to the images I found of costume designer Eiko Ishioka's designs. Please note that this amazing woman passed away last year and if you have fallen in love with her designs like I have then you must look her up and read about her.

And whilst we're talking about furniture, here's a glimpse at a finished Potion Table...

And here's the dress I love SO much that I am almost bound to make into a costume for the next masked ball in Los Angeles. (PS I have made costumes before for parties in LA and have a video on my YouTube channel here if interested!)

My Workspace - Potion tables

I'm working on some very pretty Potion Tables at the moment - one or two will be sold at my online Pixie Dust Miniatures shop, and the rest will be sold at the Good Sam Show (assuming I get in... I'm on the wait list due to my application form getting lost in the mail on the way from NZ, but I'm preparing for it anyway!)

I painted and aged the wooden tables and have been making little aged books and scrolls to fill the shelf underneath. I'll post some nice finished photos soon. :)

My Workspace - making Potions

Since my Elixir of Life potions (blogged about here) were so popular last week I decided to go the whole hog and make a big range of lots of different potion bottles. I've made 11 different types and it's taken the past 42 hours and lots of patience... I never ever want to see another miniature potion bottle ever again! And I'm fairly sure I wont be making anymore of these once they run out. I'll be taking a lot to a fair I am exhibiting in next month, and the rest will be sold online as sets.

Have a look at my workspace at these potion bottles in the making... I'll post proper photos of the finished items soon. ;)

My Workspace - Cottage update

Here's an update on the fairytale thatched cottage project. You can see past posts on this miniature scale model house here.

As you'll see I've made a front door, added wooden beams to the front, stone wall details using Paper Clay, and changed the front door shape from rectangular to arched. I just felt it suited the design better.

I'm going to do a full in-depth tutorial on how to make this cottage and release that soon. It will include a step-by-step guide to making the door. I've shown a few pictures of the door process below, but there were actually many more steps to it than that and these are all outlined in detail in my tutorial.

Don't forget to check back here or the Facebook page for the final result!

My Workspace - the Thatched Cottage

Just to keep you all updated, here are some photos I took today of my thatched cottage. You can see the photos I showed before (the very first stage of the cottage) here.
Now you will see that clay, wood and plaster have been added. I've probably only put in another 3 or 4 hours since those first photos, but I plan on taking lots of photos of the process so you can get ideas and be inspired to create your own things. As usual feel free to stop by the Facebook page and comment / ask questions about materials and techniques. You can comment on this blog as well of course and I'll answer questions.

In case you can't tell, I am going for a whimsical almost (but not quite) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs style fairytale cottage rather than a realistic representation of a Tudor house.

More to see soon, don't forget to follow the blog and stop by!

Elixir of Life Potions

Ever craved the secret to eternal youth, immortality? Mystics, necromancers and sorcerers from East and West claim to have found the key, the mysterious water which grants immortality to the drinker. It was a French wizard by the name of Nicholas Flamel who reputedly created the Elixir of Life.

And now at only $8 a bottle (for a limited time), you too can own it!
Find my 'Elixir of Life' potion bottles over at my Pixie Dust Miniatures online store. It's made by myself in one inch scale and a great way to fill those cupboards and tables in your miniature fantasy scene. They really sparkle in natural sunlight and cast tiny rainbows around them - difficult to photograph, but take my word for it.

You can also see them in the making (blogged about here) at my workspace. As always, email me or comment on the blog if there's anything you'd like to see in the making and I'll remember to take photos next time I'm working on it.

* These Elixir of Life bottles do not really provide eternal life. They are decorative and do not hold liquid. *

My Workspace - Potions and an old Cottage

Another glimpse into the maker space of my magical miniature world...

Since I moved into my new apartment I have been busily making all sorts of fantastical items and running through commissions. However, I haven't had my proper studio lights unpacked and ready for use so have been unable to take proper photos of my new ranges. Still, I can take these snaps of my works in progress and always happy to share them here on my blog and on the Facebook page since so many people ask to see them. :)

Here you'll see my new potion bottles - my Elixirs of Life in the making.

Scroll past these for photos of a thatched cottage also in progress. Don't forget to stop by and check out this blog over the next few weeks so you can see updates on my projects and the finished cottage.
And pop by the online Pixie Dust Miniatures store soon to find Elixir of Life potion bottles for sale and also those dragon egg crates (previously blogged about here).

American Miniaturist Feature

I recently received my copy of American Miniaturist from Dec of last year (2012) with a little two page feature on my Pixie Dust Miniatures magical scene in Santa's workshop. They also included some photos from my other brand (blog here).

Here's the article and the images used below. They used pictures from my Christmas 2010 Range.

Click on the magazine front cover to be taken to the American Miniaturist site where you can find their back issues and such.

:)