Granny Gesine's kitchen

This is the third kitchen I made so far. The first was the kitchen of my dollhouse, the second I made as a present for one of my sisters.

Then one day I saw this shelf

at a miniature fair and fell in love with at once. I bought it of course, knowing I had no use for it at that time. Some time later the same happened when I found this sink.

I don't have to tell you how I came by this preparation table, don't I. Only difference: I found that one online.

I decided then it's time for a third kitchen. 

In the kitchen Granny Gesine rules.

Quite recently the cat Lucy-Lina fka Billie move in with Gesine.

Shelf and sink by Rainer Augat, Kreuzau

Cupboard and chairs by Mini Mundus. (I kit bashed the upper part of the cupboard a wee bit.)

Preparation table by www.countrycontrast.co.uk/

Doll kit for Gesine by Helena Reijnen

Cat by Mary Anderson

Espresso maker by ELF Miniatures

Kitchen Aid by WonderMiniature

My first doll

or rather my first dolls.

Back in 2001 a small group of german miniaturists planned to dress dolls with Rose's boarding costume from Titanic.

One member provided us with the pattern and another one with doll kits (if wanted). I took one of her doll kits. The kit came with full arms and as you can see on the photo of the finished doll one arm was bent. Never having dressed a doll before the bent arm almost drove me crazy. I couldn't get the sleeve to fit. At last I gave up for the time being and put the whole thing at the back of a very very dark cupboard.

Some time later I bought the Lady Starlight-kit from Dana at a Dollshouse Fair. With the help of the instructions even I was able to get that doll dressed.

After this success I had the courage to give the other doll another try. I shortened the sleeve and made some more alterations on the jacket and

tadaa!

There is Miss Hester taking her dachshund for a stroll.

Doll kit for Hester: Manuela Schulz

Meet Rufrilema

May I introduce you to Rufrilema?

She's a witch. A good witch. A nice witch. Most of the times at least.

Handing out advice, magic potions, powders and herbs to the people that come to her for help.

Here you see her sitting in her parlour, enjoying some quiet time with her animals.

Room details

 If she overdid the being a not so good witch Guðvarður the Grim, grandmaster of the witches and wizards guild, comes around to call her to the order.

Judging by his expression and the curve of his hat she overdid it big time.  People say that if he is in a good mood his hat stands up straight. But I don't know if anyone has actually seen this happen …



Witch doll by Manuela Schulz
Wolf by Mary Anderson 
Stove, small table with book on top (left corner) and chest (right corner) by Karin Caspar 
Owl and raven by Irmgard Gritzan 
Dresser hutch and table (undecorated) by Small things by Amanda 
Shelf (decorated) by Judith Dowden
Wizard doll and staff by Nancy Cronin
Dress pattern for wizard Helena Reijnen

Miniature Food

Last week I visited the Arnhem Miniature Fair. Among other things I bought some delicious foods. One of my favourite miniature food makers is Carmen Sitter from Miniaturen Schneider  and as I hadn´t visited a miniature fair for more the one year there were lots of new must haves for me ;-)

baked apples

 

chocolate covered cake with cream and cherries (named Donauwellen i.e. waves of the Danube)

  

assorted chocolate candies

  

more chocolate

  

If you´re not into sweets and would like something more savoury better - here it comes:

plate with meatballs and cherry tomatoes - plate with steak tartare, brown bread, gherkins, chopped onions and olives - grilled sausage with spicy sauce and french fries

  

 and last but not least a vegetable pizza from minicaretti

 

Same Material Contest

Today I worked on my doll for the Same Material Contest. It is almost finished now. Okay, I still have to wig her, not my favourite part ;-)

It´s the first time I tried to replicate an opera costume.

New doll

At last I finished a new doll. So let me introduce you to Violetta:

The dolls head is poured, fired and painted by DANA of MiniatureArt. I can't say who made the legs and arms as I tend to mix my doll parts …

Her underwear and dress are from silk with cotton lace. My inspiration for the dress was Jeanette from Annemarie Kwikkel. I did not have a pattern for the dress and worked like I do often: just let´s start and cut a bit here and a bit there and see where it takes us ;-)

And I think it was the first time that I wigged a doll only once ;-)

Same Material Contest

The MSAT MiniDollList is doing a new Same Material Contest. I choose the raw silk material and am now waiting anxiously for the package to arrive. So far I have no idea what sort of doll to do. I have to see the fabric to get an inspiration - I hope I do get an inspiration at all ;-)

But as the doll must not be finished before the end of October there´s still a lot of time - and I work best when I am under a bit of time pressure :-)

We did a Same Material Contest back in 2003 which was great fun. Here is my doll:

Carla, giving her hair its daily 100 brush strokes















All the dolls were exhibited in the Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis. How I wished I were able to visit the exhibition.