It has definitely been awhile since I last posted, but I am finally in a good place to be able to work on my hobbies again! Life has brought some big changes, but we are doing great and I am delighted to be working some of the fun stuff back in to my day.
I had a great time this summer at a NAME National Miniature Convention and I am definitely feeling the lure of my miniatures… It was a Castles and Cottages themed convention and I am full of ideas and renewed passion. There is nothing quite like meeting up with a few hundred people who share your interests!
I gifted a few of my miniature baskets at the Convention (there are always lots of pressies at any Mini gathering) and the feedback was very gratifying. So now that I am back home, I have been re-learning my weaving and improvising some new tricks with a fresh point-of-view. I have really been enjoying making baskets again, and it is an excellent excuse to watch too many movies (and the Olympics!)
This weekend I will badger my husband into taking pictures of some new baskets and we’ll get them posted here soon!
=) honey

I originally started weaving miniature baskets for a 1″ scale castle that I am currently obsessing about… and found it to be very relaxing. I am improving all the time (less glue marks, tighter weaves, better handles) and hope to be confident enough to put one up for sale on Ebay soon. Assuming I can part with it when the time comes. We’ll see. =)

I am crafting the “wicker” baskets of imported waxed linen thread over a wire armature. I learned the basics of this method from Marilyn Crockett at a recent NAME National Houseparty. Four hours and one basic basket later, I was hooked! My first day home, I made baskets for 9 hours straight… until my hand ached (but just before it actually fell off.) Since then, I have been conditioning and training and learning discipline (hah!) Confidentially, typing a blog is actually just another hand-strengthening exercise in pursuit of my basket glory.

If you have never attended a miniature class, I highly recommend it. They are fun, informative, and in many cases, highly addictive! Classes usually range from several hours to several days and cost anywhere from $25 to, well, alot more (let’s not scare you off just yet!) Check with your local miniature store and/or NAME for a class near you! It’s a small investment of time and money to discover your own obsession, errrrr, hobby. I personally like to sample different crafts and then experiment with inexpensive kits and my own ideas afterwards. I started with a 1-day class taught by fabric genius Judee Williamson. She was fantastic and I learned to accept that mini pleats are not my thing! Next, I tried a 3-hour class from Sherri Macraid to make potted flowers from paper, floral tape, and wire. It was love at first sight… I can spend hours cupping individual petals. Hopefully, you will soon see baskets of flowers all over the site! I have also made three different vignettes (small scenes, soon to be full of baskets, I’m sure.) Two were 1-day classes, and the third was 2-day class by Rik Pierce, (sigh) an absolute magician with clay. I’ve also recently taken a class on Fimo desserts from Carolyn Eiche, so a basket of cookies is certainly in my future! Mini classes introduce you to wonderful people, clever methods, and ingenous tools. Try one!

Well, it’s been hours since I last made a basket…

=) honey