Ella-Rose Miniatures

2011-12-15T16:17:00.002Z

I can almost see the light at the end of my 'commissions' tunnel for this year, just a few more to catch up with then I can put my feet up, relax & enjoy the festivities, phew!! I hope you are all ready for Christmas too, although with just over a week to go I am sure I will see a few bits & pieces to purchase for stocking fillers. At this time of year I love to wander through the garden centres & marvel at all the pretty ornaments & displays, my favourite this year is 'Brigg Garden Centre', it's like walking through a winter wonderland & even has a section full of 'candy & gingerbread' ornaments & decorations, I felt like I was in Santa's kitchen & wished I had an endless supply of pennies ;o)
I wish you all the very merriest of Christmas & a Happy New Year, see you all in 2012.

Hugs, Kerry. xxx

Latest WIP...

2011-11-10T11:59:00.002Z

During a family day out this summer we came across a little shop that sold MDF laser cut embellishment kits for scrapbooking & other projects. Among the items were several Christmas ornament kits & a teeny tiny house kit. I made a mental note of the name of the company & as soon as we returned home I went straight on the computer. The company is called 'Twiddleybitz', http://twiddleybitz.com.au & they sell a wide range of scrapbooking embellishments & kits, including this...
...a 1/12th scale Santa Sleigh. I have wanted to make a Santa Sleigh for many years, but have never found one to my liking, until now. Unfortunately they do not ship to the U.K. & it did take me a while to find a distributor in the U.K. where I could purchase it from> http://www.craftynotions.com ,I ordered it late afternoon on a Tuesday & at 9:30 the next day the postman had delivered it!! Very impressive service. It was quick & easy to assemble as all the pieces slot together & I then strengthened the joinings with wood glue. I then began painting it, which I will admit would probably have been a lot easier if done before assembly as there are a lot of fiddly little bits to fill in.

I made some deep red velvet cushions that will line it & it is to be filled with assorted toys & santa sacks & eventually a Santa. This will be coming with me to the remaining fairs for this year.

Have a great weekend, hugs, Kerry.x.

You can't please everyone.

2011-11-01T11:22:00.002Z

Now that the hectic weekend is over & done with I thought I would share with you something that happened to me last week. I was left neutral feedback on Etsy. I had been communicating with the buyer through Etsy to try & solve the problem, they had been initially offered three options-repair,refund or replace, all of these offers were declined!! The buyer insisted on a partial refund. I have never had to issue a refund before so I forwarded all correspondence to my business manager who informed me 'that legally & for tax purposes you need to acquire proof that these items are damaged'. As the buyer had already refused to return the items I asked if she could forward photos for me, were upon recieving them I would issue a refund. I awaited her response. It never came. Instead she choose to not contact me & leave neutral feedback instead. I would quite happily have refunded her IF evidence had been provided that the items were damaged, as who in their right mind would issue a refund without any proof??!! Would you go back to a store where you bought a new outfit & demand a refund without taking the item back? I think not. Anyway, there you go, you can't please some people.
Have a great week, hugs, Kerry.x.

9 down, 3 to go...

2011-10-26T19:02:00.003+01:00

As we are nearing the end of another year I heave a sigh of relief as I realise I am on the last leg of my miniature fairs for 2011, just 3 more left for this year, including Kelham Hall, Newark on Sunday 30th October. Two more to exhibit at in November, then I can put my feet up & my tools down & relax :o)
Here are a few festive mini cabinets, a pink princess party table & a wedding table display that I have made to take with me to the fairs...

Hugs, Kerry.x.

A Few More Halloween Goodies...

2011-10-10T19:44:00.004+01:00

Just a quick post tonight so you don't think that I've fallen off the face of the earth ;o)
I haven't made as many Halloween treats as I would've liked this year, but I have spent every spare minute in my workroom creating these...

Usually at this time of the year I enjoy walking round the garden centres & certain stores as they are full of inspiration for Halloween mini-making, but it all seems to have changed this year, manufacturers have forgotten about 31st October & have already started on their Christmas displays, tut tut. So, I decided to browse the internet for inspiration this year instead & this is where I found a great little site 'www.ediblegiftsplus.com'. Amongst all the sweet treats there is a Halloween candy section with a gorgeous witches shoe full of candy & this inspired me to make my own mini version, hope you like it.

Have a great week, hugs, Kerry.x.

Not many minis being made...

2011-09-05T21:10:00.002+01:00

As most of you know we lost our much loved Poppy at the beginning of last month. She had been my fur-baby for 15 & 1/2 years & when she died I truly felt like I had lost part of me. For over two weeks I just wandered around, feeling very lost, couldn't sleep or eat & I had no enthusiasm for anything, including making minis. As it was my birthday at the end of the month my fiance & son thought they would try & cheer me up & hopefully give me back the part of me that was lost...

...so here are the latest additions to our family, appropriately named Ellie & Rosie. They are Bedlington X Lakeland terriers, sisters, & full of mischief!! Hence why not many minis are getting made at the mo, lol.
The few minis that I have managed to make (in the time when the girls are sleeping) are centred around one of my favourite times of the year. Halloween.

Some of these can be found in my Etsy shop at the moment.

Have a great week.

Hugs, Kerry.x.

Christmas Come Early...

2011-08-02T17:04:00.005+01:00

...or at least that's what it felt like when I recieved my 'swap' parcel from Victoria ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/darksquirrel) , I can't wait to find a display cabinet worthy of displaying all these beauties. Thank you so much Victoria, I love them!!

Talking of Christmas, I recently finished a large commission for a lovely lady who visits me at the fairs. she is creating a Christmas village in miniature & asked me to make all the minis to fill a sweet shop. So, out comes 'The Santa Clause' trilogy DVDs, a little earlier than I would have liked to be honest (we're only just experiencing summer here, lol) & I watched no.3- The Escape Clause over & over again for inspiration as it is mainly set at the North Pole, so colourful & candy-filled.

Normally, once I have completed commissions, I forward photos via email for approval, but the lady in question has not got access to a computer, so this time it was not possible. I telephoned her to let her know the minis where ready & once payment was recieved I sent them off. Only then did I realise that I had no photos whatsoever of the finished minis.

So, out came the DVDs again, more inspiration, & I made these Christmas themed minis to go into my Etsy shop. I hope to list them a little later on.

Sadly, on a personal note, yesterday we said a final goodbye to our beloved Poppy...

Last Night

I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.

I could see that you were crying, you found it hard to sleep,

I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,

"It's me, I haven't left you, I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here"

I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,

You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.

I was with you at the shops today, your arms were getting sore,

I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key,
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said "it's me".

You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair,

I tried so hard to let you know that I was standing there.

It's possible for me, to be so near you everyday.

to say to you with certainty "I never went away".

You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew...

in the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.

The day is over...I smile and watch you yawning,

and say "Goodnight, God bless, I'll see you in the morning".

And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,

I'll rush across to greet you and we'll stand, side by side.

I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.

Be patient, live your journey out...then come home to be with me.
...Author unknown

Chocolatier Table & 'Best Of The Web'

2011-07-16T09:07:00.005+01:00

Just a quick post today as I am uber-busy at the mo (not just with minis but real-life, too), and I should have posted these piccies early as they all finish on eBay tomorrow evening, so I am a little bit behind. After making the 'Autumn Roses' cakes last week I decided to make a 'Candy Cane Stand' & 'Candy Jar' in a similar design as I really love how the colours compliment each other...

...and chocolate is one of the loves of my life (lol), so I couldn't resist making this...

...Chocolatier Table. Filled with an assortment of chocolatey treats. I think my favourite has got to be the chocolate cherry cups :o).

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Scott, from Become.com, who wanted to feature my blog on his blog. All I had to do was write a little bit about myself along with a photo, which I submitted recently. Here is the link: http://pocketchange.become.com/2011/07/best-of-the-web-be-home-31.html
Have a fantastic weekend, hugs, Kerry.x.

'Eye' Candy, 'finger' food & Etsy Summer Sale!!

2011-07-04T08:29:00.003+01:00

It finally looks as though Summer is here at last & I spent the day yesterday on the seafront supporting my best friend as she took part in her first 'Race For Life'. It was a glorious day for it, me & my fiance took a picnic with us & clapped & cheered as each participant crossed the finishing line. I took part in it a few years ago after losing someone close to cancer & I will be taking part in it again next year with friends, it is such a worthy cause!!
I don't normally get much chance to enjoy the sunny weather, always cooped up in my workroom, & I'm not really one for just sitting about it in, but it was nice to be out & about yesterday (although I did forget to put sun lotion on & I'm looking a little bit pink to say the least).
I have been working on a few 'spooky' minis for a swap with Victoria (http://www.etsy.com/shop/darksquirrel) who wanted some spooky desserts for her house...

The Collection so far :o)

Really hope you like them Victoria!!

I have also decided to have an 'Etsy Summer Sale' in my Etsy store, all items have been reduced, some by more than 50% including this...

Tiered Chocolate Charlotte.

A few of the miniatures are due to finish in the next couple of days, so why not pop over, have a browse & grab yourself a bargain. http://www.etsy.com/shop/ellaroseminiatures.

Hope you all have a very sun-shiny week. Hugs, Kerry.x.

More Colourful Candies...

2011-06-26T19:43:00.003+01:00

I've just got back from exhibiting at my third fair this month, Kelham Hall, Newark, so it has been a very busy month for me, but I am not exhibiting again until August so hopefully I can catch up on commissions & a few other bits & bobs I have got on the go. Normally when I make new minis for the fairs I forget to take photos & pack them up, but this time I remembered. I made more of the candy stands & cupcake stands to take with me as they were very popular at York & proved just as popular today...

...and more 'Choccywoccydoodah' inspired 'Mad Hatter Tea Party Cakes' (very popular).

As we got there earlier than usual (we are normally rushing to get set up by opening time) I had a walk around to look at what other exhibitors had to offer & found this gorgeous hat & stand on KattyKorners' table!! I just had to buy it as it will look perfect in the master bedroom of 'Casa De Groaza' & I also have my eye on a black & red corset & bedroom furniture display that they have, but that will have to wait for another time.

I hope you have all had a fantastic weekend, hugs, Kerry.x.

Real Life, Facebook & Colourful Candies.

2011-06-16T10:11:00.003+01:00

As many of you know, my son had a minor accident the other week & broke his wrist. On our first visit afterwards to see the consultant we were told that the break was more complicated than first thought & that he would have to go into theatre where they would manipulate the bone into place & re-plaster it. After a ten hour stay at the hospital he now has a cast from his fingers to his shoulder, this is so that there is not any movement at all which could hinder recovery. Sadly, one of his main interests, kickboxing, is now on hold for a couple of months & he will miss a grading, but his instructor has informed us that he can arrange it for a later date. Thankfully his other interest, drumming, can continue as his drum tutor has told him that he will teach him to drum one-handed as it is a useful technique to know. Now, I don't know about anyone else but I struggle to make minis if someone else is in the house as they always want to distract me and as my son has been off school for a couple of weeks & the week before that my fiance was off work for a weeks holiday, I don't seem to have made as many minis as I would have liked, much to my frustration. Although, one of the benefits of my son been here has been that he has sat with me in my workroom watching films of his choice, namely the 'Harry Potter' series along with 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory', 'The Santa Clause' trilogy, 'The Grinch' & various Disney films, which all helped to inspire me to make this...
A 'Cakes, Cookies & Candy' Table. Whimsical & colourful, but still with a little bit of work needed on it. Whenever I make a new piece I always face the dilemma of where to place it for sale, shall I put it on eBay, Etsy or take it to a fair?, so while I am still 'titivating' this I will ponder for a little bit longer over what to do with it. I am also in the process of creating a 'Pink Princess Party Table' and this...

...is going to be the centrepiece. A Rapunzel/Disney's Tangled inspired novelty cake. Once everything is finished & in place I will show more photos.

Facebook...

I have now deleted my old Facebook account (too many game requests that I wasn't interested in & people adding me to groups that I really don't have time to keep up with) & set up a new 'fan' page. The link is to the right under 'interesting links', I hope to see you all there.

Have a super fab & fun weekend, hugs, Kerry.x.

This Weeks' Minis & A Door 'Hand'le...

2011-06-06T18:57:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I exhibited at York Miniatures Fair (my favourite) & had a very enjoyable day, coming home with a list of commissions that will keep me busy for a long, long time :o) I was hoping to find a few bits & pieces for my own project (Casa De Groaza), but I was too busy all day & only managed to leave my stall about 15 minutes before the fair closed so all I managed to grab was some clay.
Normally I am all packed up & ready for a fair a couple of days beforehand but this time I wasn't. I still had a few minis to finish off & pack up by Friday evening but told myself that I could finish them Saturday, unfortunately Fate had different plans for me. Halfway through trying to finish the minis I received a phone call from my Mum saying that my son had had a little accident & she would pick me up on the way to the hospital. Apparently, being the accident-prone that he is he decided to show-off in front of his cousins while playing on the swings & jump off while it was high, he did manage to land on his feet but then fell forward, needless to say he has now broken his wrist :o( I still don't think he will have learnt his lesson, but that's kids for you.
Anyway, here are the few minis that I have made for eBay this week...

Chocolate Gateaux
Strawberry Charlotte

Pink Patchwork Cake

...and here's a few new minis that I have made for 'Casa De Groaza', a skull & bones windchime with dripping candles...

...and a door 'hand'le. If you 'google images' door hand lots of fantastic pictures come up including a door hand knocker, which I think I will make next as it looks really effective. Neither of these are fixed on permanently (just a bit of blu-tack) as I still have the windows & door to finish painting, but you get the general idea.

Hope you all have a fantastic week, hugs, Kerry.x.

Meet Varulv & Lilla Röda, Master & Mistress of Casa De Groază...

2011-05-23T07:34:00.007+01:00

I finally got around to almost finishing the Master & Mistress of 'Casa De Groaza', Varulv & Lilla Roda (swedish for werewolf & little red, respectively), there's still a little bit of work that I want to do on both of them, but not much. One of my all-time fave movies is 'An American Werewolf In London' & I have sat watching it over & over again (I have a tv/dvd combi right beside my work desk) to try & hopefully recreate some sort of resemblence.

Most of the items I will be making for 'Casa De Groaza' will be inspired by movies or halloween decorations that I have seen, but I saw some candle stands in the garden centre & wanted to create them in miniature with dripping candles in them, I ended up making two as I didn't particularly like the first one although now I think I'm going to keep both.

This 'warning sign' will be placed on the front porch, it was my second attempt at making a crow, as the first one looked like an overgrown blackbird, this one looks a little more menancing, next to it is the 'rat on a pumpkin' that I won in Mags' giveaway, isn't it fantastic!! I love it & the detail on the rat is perfect. I was going to place this on the front porch but I'm now thinking it can go in the kitchen.

Another of my fave movies is 'Practical Magic' & on the dvd menu screen there are little symbols beside each selection. One of the symbols is an 'all-seeing hand' & I knew one of these would look perfect on the fire surround (when I get around to making it,lol).

As well as making a few bits for myself I have been working on some new minis for sale, I love making fruits & flowers & have created a little display that incorporates both. I tried to make a cupcake stand like the one I have in my kitchen, a metal spiral one that holds 24 cupcakes, but I just couldn't get it right, so I decided to go for a different design instead before I ran out of wire. These will be going up for auction on eBay tonight.

Have a fantastic week, hugs Kerry.x.

Lost the Comments, so did it my way :o)

2011-05-14T08:19:00.002+01:00

Finally got the missing blog-post back this morning, but lost all the comments (very unfair) so I did it the only way I could think of & that was to go back into my e-mail account & copy the comments then paste then, but now it looks like I'm the only one to have commented :o) Never mind, at least I got the post back. Have a fantastic week, hugs, Kerry.x.

Blogger Bother!!

2011-05-13T20:15:00.002+01:00

Blogger has been playing up today for quite a few of us it seems, apparently they are carrying out some kind of maintenance, but in the meantime I have 'lost' my last post :o(. And I haven't been able to log into my account. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that when they have finished everything will be re-stored again as I don't want to re-write it. Have a fantastic week, hugs, Kerry.x.

Teapot Madness & 'Casa De Groază'

2011-05-11T19:51:00.000+01:00

Multi-tiered 'Tea Party' Cake

I seem to have entered my teapot phase again, it's been a while since I made some but I think watching 'Choccywoccydoodah' last month has inspired me again & the multi-tiered teapot cakes have proved popular at the miniature fairs, mainly because a lot of people seem to be re-creating the Mad Hatters' Tea Party scene :o)

I have made a little more progress on my own dollhouse, painted the window frames & doors although I think they need another coat before I start the actual wood effect on them. I have made a little name plate for it which will go on the wall just to the side of the front door when I have finished applying all the 'bricks'. I have decided to call the house 'Casa De Groaza' which is Romanian for 'The House Of Horror'. Most of the inhabitants will be characters from horror movies, but I couldn't think of a suitable mistress that appealed to me. I was thinking maybe Morticia Addams, Lily Munster or even Valeria Watts (Carry On Screaming) as I do want a 'vampy' mistress but then, while flicking through the music channels on tv, I came across Christina Aguileras' 'Fighter' video & knew straight away that that was the image & inspiration I wanted for my mistress character. I have begun working on her already, albeit it's only her boots & legs, but it's a start :o)

I hope you all have a fantastic week, hugs, Kerry.x.

A Right Royal Knees Up!!

2011-04-30T14:41:00.002+01:00

I am not an avid royalist, however I could not let this monumental occassion pass without a mention on my blog. From 8 o'clock yesterday morning I sat glued to my television screen, taking in every wonderful moment of the Royal couples big day. I was joined by my dear friend at ten o'clock & we both sat 'oohing' & 'aahhing' as the guests arrived. I tried to take in every single little detail as I really want to remember the day for a long, long time. I was very young when Prince Williams' parents married & can only vaguely remember a few details (mainly Lady Diana's dress being very crumpled as she entered the cathedral). It was nice to see a few celebrities there too (David Beckham looked very handsome & Victoria was stunning but I do wish she would smile more often, & what on earth was wrong with Tara Palmer Tompkinsons' nose??!!) You could almost feel the excitement in London as the bridesmaids & pageboys exited the hotel & got into the waiting cars as you knew that the next person to leave would be the bride. And didn't she look stunning!! A beautiful, elegant dress that wasn't overfussy & distracting from Kates' natural beauty, she wore the dress rather than the dress wore her. Even before the commentator mentioned it I said to my friend that it reminded me of Grace Kelly's wedding dress. And wasn't it heartwarming to read Prince Williams' lips as he saw her for the first time "You look lovely, you look beautiful."

I wish I had being able to be in London yesterday to see everything first hand & soak in the atmosphere (although a better view was had watching it on the television), the crowds were very well behaved & controlled and it is events like this that make me very proud to be British & what makes Britain Great. I wish both the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge a very happy marriage. Congratulations!!

My Own Personal Project :o)

2011-04-21T14:38:00.005+01:00

I've finally begun work on the house my family bought me for Christmas!! This is how it looked after I built it (which was quite easy to do as the windows were already in place, as was the door & verandahs & rails). I then removed the front verandah rail (both top & bottom) as I have specific ideas about how I want this to look when completed.

I then painted the exterior a mid-grey with a heavier wash of dark grey. I then cut out ten assorted sheets of sandpaper into tiny rectangles & began gluing them on to look like bricks...

...which has the desired effect that I want. Eventually the whole exterior will be covered with the 'bricks', but it is quite time consuming & I do not want to rush it.

I have very specific ideas about how I want the house to look when finished inside & outside & I am always on the look-out now for minis that would fit my ideal perfectly, other than that I will be making the minis myself, as I am also working on a budget. One item that I have treated myself to is this...

beautiful dresser display from the wonderfully talented Victoria (you can visit her Etsy shop here http://www.etsy.com/shop/darksquirrel ) I love all the miniatures that Victoria makes but this one in particular caught my eye & I knew it would be perfect for the master bedroom.

I will keep posting photos of my progress on the house as I go along & some of the minis that I have already begun making to go in it.

Have a fantastic Easter weekend, hugs, Kerry.x.

Never put off until tomorrow...

2011-04-16T12:45:00.002+01:00

what I should've done months ago!! After the last computer drama/crisis (were I completely lost over six years of work, accounts, photos, etc) you would've thought that I would have learnt my lesson & backed everything up on discs or flash drives when I received a replacement computer, but...noooooooooo, I kept putting it off & putting it off until...Bam!! got up Wednesday morning & couldn't get the bl***y thing to work!! Now, to be fair, I knew the replacement computer was only going to be temporary & I knew that eventually I would have to buy a new one, & I knew I really, really should've backed everything up, but as usual just didn't get around to it. Thankfully there was only about six months work that I have lost this time, but still, I would have preferred not to lose any of it. I have now got a brand spanking new computer (first time ever!!) courtesy of 'The Family' & I'm still finding my way round, but I LOVE IT!! And I have a flash drive to hand ready to back everything up, Yeah!! Lesson learnt (fingers crossed). I hope you all have a fantastic weekend (I'm going to spend most of it indoors playing with my new 'toy' lol). Hugs, Kerry.x.

And The Winner Is...

2011-04-04T10:24:00.003+01:00

I hope everyone had a lovely Mothers Day, (mine was very busy). I decided to leave the drawing of the giveaway until this morning as I was too tired to do it last night. So, this morning I printed all my followers names, cut them out, folded them and placed them in a bowl in front of...

Sid (my independant adjudicator & permanant resident in our dining room), he kept a close beady eye on me as I picked a name out of the bowl...

and the winner is...(drum roll please)...

WHITTAKER'S MINIATURES!!!!

Congratulations Kate, I will be contacting you later for your address.

Thank you all for being a part of my first giveaway & keep popping in as I will be having another giveaway soon.

Have a fantastic week, hugs, Kerry.x.

Giveaway Reminder!!

2011-04-02T12:11:00.002+01:00

Just popping in to remind everyone about my 'Mother's Day Giveaway', which will be taking place tomorrow (Mother's Day, U.K.) & I will be announcing the winner on Monday 4th April. All followers on my blog (by 6:00 pm Sunday 3rd) will automatically be entered in the draw. I hope you all have a fantastic day tomorrow & Good Luck with the giveaway.Hugs, Kerry.x.

Easter Minis 2011

2011-03-18T17:56:00.002Z

I didn't plan on making many Easter minis this year, but I realised that I have a miniature fair a few weeks before the Easter weekend & began making them to take some with me, & really enjoyed making them so I made some more for eBay & Etsy. I have recently become hooked on a programme on the 'Good Food' channel during the week, "Choccywoccydoodah" (what a fantastic name!!), & these are the creators of the cakes & treats that featured in Tim Burton's films 'Alice in Wonderland' & 'Charlie and The Chocolate Factory'. The shop is based in Brighton & I can't wait to visit it!! Chocolate Heaven :o). I couldn't help myself from making a couple of mini versions of their full-size chocolate delights. Hope you like them.

Have a fantastic weekend, hugs, Kerry.x.

Mothers' Day GIVEAWAY!!

2011-03-11T08:20:00.003Z

Mothers' Day Giveaway Prize!!

Flower Displays

Fruit Bowls

Here in the U.K. on Sunday the 3rd April we will be celebrating Mothers' Day & what better way to celebrate it than by having a GIVEAWAY!! I made the little set, which consists of a pretty pink & white iced cake, a plate of toast with butter, blackcurrant jam & knife, wrapped presents, card, bunch of daffodils, coffee pot & matching sugar bowl & cream jug, specially for a giveaway prize. All you have to do to enter & stand a chance of winning is...NOTHING!! That's right, absolutely nothing. All my followers (including new ones who join before Sunday 3rd April) will automatically be entered into the draw. (You can of course still leave a comment if you so wish). The draw will take place over Mothers' Day weekend & I will post the results as soon as they have taken place.

As well as making a few Easter minis recently, I am busy making fruit bowls & flower displays as these are proving popular at the fairs.

Good Luck with the Mothers' Day Giveaway & have a fantastic weekend, hugs, Kerry.x.

A Bit Of Extravagance...

2011-03-04T17:57:00.003Z

I recently purchased Sofia Coppolas' 'Marie Antoinette' on DVD & since receiving it I have watched it a lot!! I am mesmerized by it, not the story (personally I thought it was lacking something & a bit dis-jointed, only my opinion mind you) but by the opulence of the decor, furnishings &, most importantly, the fashion. This is what has inspired me to make my latest minis, modelled on the fashion of the era, the extravagance of it all. I love the soft pastel colours, the roses, butterflies, frills & bows & I have even made a little gateaux with one of her delicate pink slippers on it. So, as the lady herself supposedly said..."Let them eat cake".

Have a fantastic weekend, hugs, Kerry.x

Easter Minis

2011-02-28T19:58:00.002Z

A quick post to show you what I've been working on lately, an Easter Display Cabinet (which is now on Etsy) & a little Easter Gift Set (now on eBay).

Hugs, Kerry.xxx

Chocolate Fountains & Wedding Gifts

2011-02-15T12:16:00.002Z

I hope everyone had a fantastic Valentine's Day yesterday & spent it with someone they love. I, myself have been a little bit poorly so I spent most of the day in bed (which, incidently, I do love!! my bed, that is, not being poorly!!) I managed to get up to open my pressies from my beloved (chocolates, flowers, Stephen King DVD 'IT' & a packet of chicken noodle soup, LOL) & enjoy my heart-shaped ham & scrambled egg toastie that he made me, bless him, & then I went back to bed to try & catch up on the sleep that had evaded me the night before. The rest of the day I spent slobbed out in the front room watching trashy horror movies & generally feeling unwell, not the best way to be waited on hand & foot but at least I had my dinner cooked for me ;o). Anyway, just before I became too poorly to venture into my workroom I made these little chocolate fountain sets & wedding gift sets that will be coming with me to my next fair. Enjoy. Hugs, Kerry.x.

Latest commission pieces...

2011-02-04T08:23:00.003Z

*MONSTER OF ROCK* CAULDRON
*HELPING HAND* BOTTLE & BOWL

*DRAGONSKIN CAULDRON*

I bet you were thinking I would be posting pics of new Valentines' minis, but you were wrong!! Everybody seems to be making them at the moment so I thought I would (almost) give it a miss this year. A couple of weeks ago, while exhibiting at a fair in Lincoln, one of my regular customers asked if I would make her one of my miniature pumpkin cauldrons, filled with eyeballs, slimy tentacles, etc & she will pick it up at a fair in a couple of weeks. After I completed this piece I decided to make a few more different variations of the cauldron & a few extras, I love making items with faces in them & I am really getting the hang of making hands. So, here are my 'helping hands' bottle & bowl, wizards table (waiting to be filled with potions & stuff) dragonskin cauldron & 'Monster of Rock' cauldron!!

Hugs, Kerry.x.

A Few Valentine's Minis...

2011-01-26T18:11:00.002Z

Just a quick update & a couple of pics of what I have been doing recently. I haven't made many Valentine minis this year (normally make quite a lot) & probably won't be making many Easter minis, either, & the reason for this is because of all the miniature fairs I am exhibiting at this year, fourteen in total, & I do like to be fully stocked for these, so I have decided to concentrate more on making minis for the fairs, rather than eBay or Etsy. I will still be listing minis on both sites, but not as many. Hugs, Kerry.x.

New Etsy Shop, finally!!

2011-01-18T09:24:00.003Z

Here we are, in the middle of January already & I am busy, busy, busy making new minis to exhibit at the 14 miniature fairs I will be attending this year. I am working at triple speed now as not only do I have minis to make for eBay, but also for the fairs AND my new Etsy shop which I have finally got around to opening!! I have been meaning to open an Etsy shop for ages, but haven't gotten around to it until now. As soon as I find a way of linking it to my blog I will do (bit of a computer dunce, to be honest, lol). I have also been given a new camera that, eventually (when I figure out how to work the settings) will take better photos of my minis.

Have a fantastic week, hugs Kerry.x.

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-06T16:39:00.002Z

Just a quick post today to say a belated 'Happy New Year' to you all & I hope you had a great time no matter how you choose to celebrate it. For me it was a quiet affair, my son spent the night at my parents' house & my fiance was playing his last gig with the band. So it was just me & the fluff-ball celebrating. I did venture out into my front garden to see all the fireworks & chinese lanterns (there was soooo many of them this year!!). I took a short break from mini-making over the Christmas period, but got back into the swing of it on Tuesday after my son had returned to school & my fiance back to work. Aaaaaah, it's fantastic to get back to 'normality'.

Hugs, Kerry.x.

All Xmassed-out!! Phew!!

2010-12-15T21:43:00.004Z

1/12TH SCALE FROSTED FRUITS CAKE

1/12TH SCALE TARTAN CANDY BOX

1/12TH SCALE SNOWMAN CAKE

1/12TH SCALE 'WINTERS SCENE' CAKE

1/12TH SCALE GINGERBREAD BOARD

It seems like I have been making Christmas minis for months (which I probably have, to be honest), but tonight I listed the final few Christmas minis for this year & now I can breathe a sigh of relief & look forward to making new, original & fresh minis for 2011. I don't know if I will have chance to post again before the New Year, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for following me & commenting & appreciating my minis. I wish you all a very, Merry Christmas & a Prosperous New Year!! See you all in 2011. Lots of hugs, Kerry.x.

A Tad Of Bad Luck!!

2010-12-10T07:31:00.002Z

Here in the 'Ella-Rose Miniatures' household we have had a run of bad luck this year, a lot of big things breaking down on us & we've had to replace, the boiler, the car, the bath, the toilet, etc, etc. I could go on & on...Last weekend was no exception, hearing a loud bang/popping noise, I went to investigate only to find that my computer had 'popped it's clogs'!! Gutting!! A very, very nice man came along to have a look at it to see if it could be revived, but sadly no! The powerpack had blown & 'frazzled' the motherboard AND hard drive, nothing could be retrieved, everything that was on the hard drive is now lost forever. 6 years of miniatures photos, gone. 6 years of Christmas, Birthday, days out photos, all gone!! Until I can afford a new computer I am borrowing an old one of my parents & it's taken a little bit of getting used to, but I will get there. Everything that was on my favourites list has been lost & I have spent the best part of two days trying to build up my favourites list again, just hard to remember everything that was on there. I have now learnt my lesson, I should always ALWAYS have a back-up copy of my photos. Thankfully my accounts were up to date, printed off & safely tucked away in a binder. But I am gutted about the photos. Anyway, I will be glad to see the back of this year I think & will look forward to 2011 with optimisism & hope!! Will be back before Christmas with pics of the latest minis I've been making.
Have a fantastic weekend!! Hugs, Kerry .x.

Candy Counters & Chocolatiers Table.

2010-11-27T17:04:00.003Z

THE CHOCOLATIER TABLE
CLOSE UP OF CHRISTMAS CANDY COUNTER

CHRISTMAS CANDY COUNTER

CANDY COUNTERS

I will be exhibiting tomorrow (Sunday 28th November) at my last miniature fair of the year, York racecourse, York. I really enjoy exhibiting there as it is so big & full of top quality miniaturists. I don't normally get much of a chance to see what everybody is selling as it does get very busy, but I am hoping to have a wander around & see if I can pick up a few bargains because I know what Santa is bringing me this year!! It is going to be a very early start tomorrow as I have a lot of new minis to display & will really need extra time to make sure my stand is looking spotless, plus I don't know how bad the weather is going to be travelling there. We have had a few flutterings of snow, but not enough for it to settle, or make a snowman - much to my sons' disappointment. Everything was safely packed away & boxed, then I remembered that I hadn't taken any photos of the new candy counters & chocolatiers table that I have made recently, so I very carefully unwrapped these, quickly took a few pics & then packed them away again. Didn't want you missing out on seeing them. Have a fantastic weekend, Kerry.x.

Meet Mrs Claus...

2010-11-13T16:32:00.004Z

1/12th SCALE CANDY CANE TREE
CLOSE UP OF MRS CLAUS

1/12TH SCALE 'LA PATISSERIE' DISPLAY COUNTER

MRS CLAUS WITHOUT HER CLOAK

MRS CLAUS WITH HER RED VELVET & FUR-TRIMMED CLOAK

Well I have finally got around to finishing my first poseable doll. Mrs Claus!! And I love her!! I must admit that she really was a labour of love, but I am so pleased with the result. Her deep red velvet cloak, trimmed with soft white fur, is removable, as is her basket of treats & apron. Her clothes are non-removable. Her snow white hair is fashioned into a bun with a few ringlets softening her features. She stands at 5 & 1/2 inches. I will be (reluctantly) putting her on eBay Monday night. I have also been busy making a few new items to take to the last two fairs of the year, a 'La Patisserie' display counter & a glittery, snowy, candy cane tree.

Enjoy, Kerry.x.

Cupcakes & New Dolls

2010-11-07T11:23:00.003Z

Well, Halloween is over for another year & Bonfire Night passed by with little excitement, not sure if it's the recession or not, but Friday was not the usual 'big bangs' & constant explosions that it normally is, maybe people are finally being sensible with their money & not spending it on silly little fireworks that cause a moments amazement then disappear in a puff of smoke (sorry, but I am not a big fan of Bonfire Night & think they should only be sold to official organisations!!). We are now fast approaching the festive season & as usual I am getting into the spirit by watching endless Christmas movies while making my minis, I love 'The Santa Clause' trilogy with Tim Allen, I watch them over & over again & now know all three films word for word (sad, I know!!) I have finally made a start on making a poseable doll & when she is finished I will post pictures for you. In the meantime, here are a few new minis that will either be up for auction on eBay or taken to my next couple of miniature fairs. Enjoy, Kerry.x.

Something a little different...

2010-10-18T22:45:00.004+01:00

I have always admired doll artists & wanted to have a go myself, but fear of 'stepping on someone's toes' has always prevented me from doing so. This week I decided to bite the bullet & tinker around with my doll clay that has been sitting in my clay drawer for a while. As Halloween is approaching I thought I would have a go at making a few witches, not your traditional 'all in black with green faces' type, but something a little different. I was also inspired by one of our Halloween decorations, an animated four foot butler, & made a couple of those, too. What do you think? In between making these little figures I also made a few more Halloween treats that are on eBay at the mo, & a few more besides as I am once again exhibiting this weekend, this time at Craven Park Stadium, Kingston-Upon-Hull, if anyone wants to come along.

Have a fantastic week,

Kerry :o) .x.

I'm in a 'TrIcK oR tReAt' mood :o)

2010-09-14T12:04:00.003+01:00

1/12TH SCALE HALLOWEEN 'COFFIN' CAKE

1/12TH SCALE CHOCOLATE PUMPKINS TOWER

1/12TH SCALE PUMPKIN DISPLAY WITH 'CREEPY' HANDS POKING OUT

The nights are getting darker, chillier & more crisp, but I don't care!! As much as I love summer & the warmth of the sun, I also like the autumn/winter months, the scrunching of leaves under your feet & the chill of the wind on the tip of your nose! Wrapping up warm in thick wooly scarves, gloves & thick socks, so comfy. When the seasons change it helps me make more Halloween minis, which I love to make!! I am even considering carving my own real pumpkin this year, I have never done it, but have always been tempted & this year I think I am definately going to go for it. I have seen some fantastic templates that I would like to try.

Have a great week, Kerry .x.

Oh, What a night!!

2010-08-31T16:45:00.004+01:00

After months & months of careful planning & buying I celebrated my 40th birthday on Saturday with a fun-filled retro 70's style party surrounded by family & friends. And I can honestly say, hand on heart, that it really was the best night of my life so far, I had so much fun!! It was fantastic to be surrounded by people I love & everyone had a great time, so much so that the last person to leave didn't leave until 10 a.m. Monday morning, LOL. I recieved a mountain of birthday cards & some lovely presents, but I also got the shock of my life. My partner of 3 years surprised me with a proposal & engagement ring!! Even after 3 days of trying to get used to the idea that I will be getting married I am still in shock. I guess he thought I might be bored of having nothing to plan now the party's over, so now I have a wedding to plan!! :o)

With all the party planning going on I didn't plan on getting many miniatures made last week, until I recieved an e-mail from the wonderful Martha Puff (American Artisan) who is doing a couple of features for Dollshouse & Miniatures Scene Magazine (U.K.) & Dollshouse Miniatures Magazine (U.S.A.) who would like to feature my miniatures for the up-coming Festive/Holiday editions, so I had to quickly rustle up a few festive miniatures & send her the photos. This will be the first time I am to feature in an American miniatures magazine & I am quite excited about it, Martha has even promised to send me a copy of the magazine when it comes out over there!!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the photos & have a fantastic week. Kerry :o) .x.

Just a quick post :o)

2010-08-14T11:27:00.003+01:00

1/12TH SCALE TEA-TIME TREATS SET
1/12TH SCALE THREE TIERED CHOCOLATE MARBLED CAKE

1/12TH SCALE JARS OF PRESERVE

1/12TH SCALE SUMMER FRUITS CHARLOTTE

Just popping by for a quick post today as I realised I hadn't posted for a little while (been quite busy with minis & home stuff), so here are a few piccies of the minis I have been making recently. Not only has my time been taken up with commissions & mini-making but it is the school summer holidays so my son is demanding my time (bless him :o)) & it is only two weeks now 'til I turn the big 4-0!! Preparations are well underway for my 70's themed party, invites have gone out & this morning I found the perfect accessories for my outfit. Will post pics on a later blog post!! Hope you like the minis, Have a fantastic weekend!!x.

Lost my 'mini-mojo'.

2010-07-18T12:12:00.003+01:00

It's been a strange couple of weeks, and not many minis have been made :o(. Three weeks ago I took an impromptu break from mini-making to help my partner 'landscape' our garden, which desperately needed doing as we hadn't bothered with it since we moved in almost two years ago (we concentrated on decorating the house as it was more important). It took two weeks of very hard labour to get the garden how we wanted it to look, but now it is finished we have a garden we can sit & relax in during these glorious summer evenings. While I was helping with the garden I had a lot of ideas of what my next mini project would be & thousands of ideas were running through my mind, but now the garden is finished & I have (almost) all the time in the world again to mini-make, I seem to have lost my 'mini-mojo' & am struggling to get it back!! This is proving to be very frustrating for me, I still have a lot of ideas but cannot find the energy or inclination to actually make anything & the more I think about it, the more frustrated I become! I know that once I get my 'mini-mojo' back I will be on a roll & won't be able to make minis fast enough, but until that happens I am just going to have to be patient & make minis as & when. I did manage to make a 'busy baking day table' last weekend & that is on eBay at the moment, I was hoping this would inspire to me carry on mini-making all week, but sadly not. Oh well, I'm sure I'll get my mojo back eventually. In the meantime, here are a few pics of our new garden & the 'busy baking day table'. Enjoy.x.

If you look really, really closely...

2010-06-21T12:08:00.002+01:00

...you might see some non-sweet food!! Have you found it yet? Lol :o) I've been unbelievably busy these last few weeks & the reason for this is my last fair (York Racecourse) was almost a complete sell-out!! I had a fantastic day chatting to customers old & new & other miniaturists, too. I now have to replenish my stock in time to exhibit at Kelham Hall on July 4th. Here is little preview of some of the minis I have been making recently, including a handful of masquerade masks on stands. Enjoy :o) .x.x.x

Having a Pink Week

2010-05-17T09:43:00.003+01:00

*1/12th scale White Chocolate Fountain with treats*
*1/12th scale Candy Basket*

*1/12th scale Selection of Party Cakes*

*1/12th scale Selection of Pink Pastries*

*1/12th Scale Birthday Cakes & Birthday Balloon Display**

Having had looked at the calendar I realised that for the next couple of months it's nothing but birthdays! birthdays! birthdays!, which is what has given me inspiration for this weeks' minis. I also tried something a little different, the birthday balloon display, with princess castle, pink pumpkin carriage, flowers, hearts, glittery bows, birthday banner & of course, balloons!! Very pink & very girlie :o) These are all on eBay this week. Hope you all have a great week. x.

Feeling Fruity!!

2010-05-03T13:44:00.003+01:00

1/12th scale Candy Basket

1/12th scale Individual Passionfruit Desserts

1/12th scale Presentation of Fruity Pastries

1/12th scale Fruit & Cream Cake

1/12th scale Making a Fruit Salad

I always find it fascinating how the weather affects our moods & the slightest bit of sunshine can put the biggest smile on our faces :o). Now that the days are warming up my thoughts have turned towards making fruity delights & salad dishes (in miniature as well as reality), & as I have my next exhibition coming up in a month I am working twice as hard so that I am ready & full stocked up for it. These little treats are coming up on eBay tonight. Enjoy!! :o) .x.

Little Victorian Secrets

2010-04-25T15:10:00.002+01:00

It's not very often that the postman brings me a surprise, usually bills or bank statements, so I was surprised after hearing the letterbox rattle & a soft thud landing on my doormat. Upon investigating I found a jiffy envelope with a sticker on the back saying 'Fact Not Fiction Films', my hands trembled with excitement as I opened it, as I had already guessed what was inside!!

In November while exhibiting at Kelham Hall, Newark, I had been asked by a film crew if they could interview me for a documentary called 'Little Victorian Secrets', & a few weeks after that I received an e-mail inviting me to the press release private screening of the finished film. Unfortunately I could not attend as it was too far for me to travel with my spinal problem, & I thought that would be the last I would hear from them. But then last week a package arrived for me...a complimentary copy DVD of the finished film!! I resisted for a whole 5 hours before sitting down, by myself, with a cup of tea & watched it. It is mainly filmed at Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens which has the most amazing dollhouse & miniatures exhibition & includes interviews with various miniaturists...including me!! It is a fascinating documentary & can be bought from 'Fact Not Fiction Films' website under the documentary films section. If you do happen to buy a copy please let me know what you think of it :o) Have a great week.x.

Addicted to Cakes!!

2010-04-14T10:42:00.003+01:00

1/12th scale garden bird bath/planter
1/12th scale 'whimsical' Mad Hatters Tea Party Set

1/12th scale Mad Hatters Cake

1/12th scale 'Designer' Shoe & Bag Cakes

I have a terrible addiction!! I am addicted to making miniature cakes & just cannot make enough of them at the moment. The main reason for this is that I will be celebrating a BIG birthday in August & am frantically searching for an amazing cake for the centrepiece for the buffet. At the moment the plan is to buy it from the little chocolatier shop in Louth, Lincolnshire (mentioned in a previous post), but in the meantime I am searching the web for other options. Most that I have found are in the U.S.A. & I don't think it would be practical to have one shipped over, LOL, so I am still searching for one in the U.K. that will be able to deliver. The only other option is that I make one myself (eeeeek!!!!) but I don't think I would be up to it, plus there will be too much for me to do on the day as it will be a 70's themed party, so I am also on the look-out for lava lamps & disco balls. Anyway, here are a few of the items that I have been making this week & will be going up for auction on eBay next week. Have a great week :o) .x.

Happy Easter!!.x.

2010-03-29T12:13:00.002+01:00

Another week has flown by & just as I was believing that Spring had finally sprung, we get the news that more snow & wintery weather is on it's way back to us this week!! Oh well, it's a good job I hadn't made plans to go anywhere then. Most of my week will be taken up with Spring cleaning as we have my partners family descending on us for the Easter weekend (not that I only clean when we have company coming, lol, it just means that I will be doing all the extra little jobs that get put to one side usually, I'm sure you'll all know what I mean :o)!!)

Anyway, I have had a lot of fun this past week making these latest minis, I love making flowers & fruit & the colours look stunning together. These have just been listed on eBay today.

I dare say I will be making some similar celebration cakes in the near future, meanwhile I'd better get on with the housework, I can hear my hoover & polish calling me...lol.

Have a great Easter & don't eat too much chocolate ;o) .x.

All Aboard!! It's the Easter 'Eggs'spress'!!

2010-03-22T14:09:00.002Z

I haven't yet tired of making Easter minis, so while I'm still on a roll I thought I would share these little cuties with you. Three little Easter Eggspress cakes filled with mini eggs and/or cookies & two Easter House cakes, (one chocolate, the other with pink icing & teeny tiny Easter Bunny). I have also included a photo of one of my Mothers' day pressies now that they have bloomed...Chrysanthemums, beautiful aren't they? I also received chocolates, but they didn't last long enough to take a photo ;o) .x.

Easter Treats & Sweets

2010-03-17T08:34:00.002Z

The shops have been stocked up with Easter Eggs since Boxing day, the winter chill has left the air, lighter nights are creeping in & the snowdrops are aplenty in my garden. I feel as though Spring is finally here. Here are a few Easter treats to get you into the 'choccy mood' (not that any of us needs an excuse for that one, LOL). Enjoy!!.x.

Alice In Wonderland

2010-03-06T09:13:00.002Z

It's not very often that I get to treat myself, but that is exactly what I did yesterday!! My son accompanied me to the local cinema to watch *Alice in Wonderland* & we thoroughly enjoyed it!!

It kept us captivated the whole time. The 3D effects are subtle but clever, the colours made you feel as though you were in a dream, the characters are lovable & it was action-packed the whole way through. Might even treat myself to go see it again :o)

I even made a couple of little novelty cakes to celebrate the release of the film & these can be found on eBay now, finish on Thursday evening.x.

It's Almost March...Springtime

2010-02-28T10:18:00.002Z

Oh Dear!!!, it seems I haven't done very well with one of my New Years Resolutions!!! As we approached the end of last year & began thinking about the new one, I told myself that I would not get 'sloppy' with my blog & try & post every week...but here we are...almost into March & this is my first post since Christmas!! Tut, Tut!! I am a bad girl. There are a few reasons as to why I haven't posted before now, but the main one is that I began the year pretty much as I ended the last one...in a fair amount of pain. At the moment I have a little problem with my spine which is making things a little bit difficult for me, I can't walk very far without the aid of a walking stick, nor can I sit for long or stand for too long either & bedtime is a nightmare!! Anyway...enough of my problems, I hope you are all well & keeping up with your New Years Resolutions (or at least doing better than me, LOL). I have managed to make a few new minis which I have been putting up for auction on eBay, & a few new minis to take to the miniature fairs that I attend this year. I have cut down on the amount of exhibiting for this year as I don't think the travelling was doing me (or my spine) any good. The last fair I exhibited at was at Kelham Hall in Newark & although it wasn't particularly profitable (the snow blizzards kept buyers away) it did turn into an interesting day. A television film crew had turned up, they were making a documentary on Dollshouse miniatures & collectors, & kindly asked if they could interview & film me later in the day!! After hesitating, I agreed. But then I spent the rest of the morning annoying my partner by constantly asking "Do I look alright?" "Does my hair look okay?" "What am I going to say?" He told me just to be myself & enjoy the moment...oh, & that I looked okay. Anyway, the film crew have taken my email address & will send me more information on the documentary when they find out more. The documentary is called 'Little Victorian Secrets'.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE & ALL.X.

2009-12-17T08:40:00.002Z

Well, Christmas is almost upon us now, so this is the last time I will post until the New Year. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my followers a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year. I hope Santa is good to you & brings you everything your heart desires. I also hope you all have a very enjoyable Christmas & I will see you in 2010.x.

"Have yourself a 'Shabby Chic-y' Christmas"

2009-12-06T20:47:00.003Z

I know these aren't at all festive or Christmassy, but to be honest I think I have almost exhausted the Christmas miniatures, so I thought I would share these little cuties with you all instead. I love shabby chic!! It is so feminine & romantic, but unfortunately I live in a house that has more testosterone flying around it than a rugby teams changing room, therefore there is not an ounce of shabby chic in it. Enjoy.x.

Holidays are coming, Holidays are coming!!

2009-12-02T17:19:00.004Z

1/12TH SCALE CANDY DISPLAY
1/12TH 'BENNIE & BESSIE TAKE A SLEIGH RIDE'

1/12TH CHRISTMAS GIFT 'TEACUP'

1/12TH CHRISTMAS CANDLE DISPLAY

1/12TH TREAT FOR SANTA CLAUSE

Now that I have seen the 'Coca Cola' Truck on television I do believe I feel like Christmas is well & truly on it's way, despite the fact that I have being making festive minis since September!! LOL. I have to start making them just as summer is ending because of the miniature fairs that I usually attend & I do like to be fully stocked up. Usually while making festive minis I will have a festive film on in the background or a Christmas CD playing away, it helps get me in the mood. Here is a selection of what I had to offer this year.x.

2009-11-12T06:33:00.003Z

This weeks ebay auctions

*Two tier Christmas Cake*

*Luxury Festive Hamper*

*Snowflake* Christmas Tree Cake

I don't know about anyone else, but this year has just flown by for me. I cannot believe that the festive season is almost upon us once again. These past few weeks I have been busy in my little work room making various seasonal miniatures, some for my website, some for ebay & some to take to the forthcoming miniatures fairs. Enjoy!!.x.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

2009-10-31T15:43:00.003Z

Happy Halloween to one & all!!! Whatever you will be doing tonight I hope you have a great time. We hosted our Halloween party last night & the photos were taken before all our guests arrived, so you get a good view of how we decorated it. Not even the kitchen escaped a spooky makeover!! Blood-soaked & torn curtains, various knives dripping blood hung up on the wall, things crawling out of fireplaces, piles of bones in corners, spiders & webs, blood-soaked tablecloth, evil clowns lurking around every corner. Our theme for us, the Host & Hostess, this year was Circus Of Horrors, so my partner was an evil clown & I was the Ringmaster. A good time was had by all. Now all I have to do is start planning next years party, LOL.x.

New Minis for website

2009-10-26T20:40:00.004Z

Phew!! It seems like ages ago since I last posted on my blog. Preparations are going great for our Halloween Party & I have finally got my website up & running, I think (?!!!). http://www.ellaroseminiatures.com/

The items that are on sale there at the moment are limited editions, so, once they have gone, they're gone. At the moment I only have four items for sale: Strawberry & Chocolate Tiered Charlotte, Truffle Shuffle Charlotte, Caramel Sponge Gateaux & Berry Cream Crunch Cake.

I have a limited amount of these miniature delights, but I will be making similar miniatures in the near future. Well, it's back to the workdesk to create more originals for you all to enjoy. :o)

The Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-08T11:53:00.003+01:00

I am still in Halloween mood & just couldn't resist making these tiny pumpkins. I have even carved faces into a few of them, which wasn't an easy task!! LOL.

I think the rest of my day will be spent making even more of these cuties to take with me to the upcoming miniatures fairs I will be attending.

We are all very busy here in the 'Ella-Rose' household with preparations underway for our annual Halloween party. This year it's going to be bigger & better!! Me & my son are being creative making most of the decorations & my partner is mixing the music to create the right atmosphere. Half the fun for me is actually making the decorations & trimming the house when the day finally arrives.

The Challenge

2009-10-02T15:47:00.003+01:00

Last week a very dear friend of mine gave me a challenge. She wanted me to re-create in miniature the most fabulous cake that she could find!! As she works as a researcher for a wedding magazine she has an unlimited catalogue of bakers & bakeries that she can refer to. So, one day last week she turned up at my house with a box full of photos, & a packet of choccy biscuits (my favourites, LOL) & proceeded to rifle through them & choose five of the best. The rest was up to me!! It was a tough decision to make, only allowed to choose one, but here is the finished result, a hand decorated cake stand with a blackcurrant charlotte base, pink sponge cake with tiny macarons, slice of pink iced sponge cake & topped with a pretty lilac cupcake. Yummy!!

Also, I have just finished my last shift at the day job & as of Monday 'Ella-Rose Miniatures' will be my full-time occupation. It is something I have wanted to do for a very long time & finally I will be 'living the dream'.

TrIcK Or TrEaT PaRt 2

2009-09-15T20:10:00.002+01:00

So, the Halloween bug took over & I just carried on making lots & lots of treats. They are all listed on ebay at the moment & will finish next Monday night :o) The little witch is the first of a new collection I am trying out. "The Witches Of WooleyWood Creek" & this little cutie is called 'Blossom'.

tRiCk Or TrEaT

2009-09-07T21:23:00.002+01:00

As the nights draw in & it's getting chilly my mind wanders to Halloween. I wanted to make quite a collection to put up for auction on ebay, & as I am very fond of this particular time of year I just kept going, I can't seem to stop making Halloween minis now!!LOL. So here are a few of them, a sneak preview before they go up for auction next week. Hope you like. ;O) .x.

A well earned break.

2009-09-02T19:25:00.003+01:00

I decided to take a well-earned mini-break from mini-making last week so that I could spend some quality time with my son before he starts his new school. Although we didn't go to too many places or spend lots of money, we still had a lot of fun together. The sun shone all week, which was a bonus & makes it much more pleasant when walking along the local seafront. We spent a fun half hour with my partner & his son rowing around in circles on the boating lake (and getting quite wet). But I think our best day was when we went to York Maze. What a great day out!! The maze itself is actually made up of maize & as my son is a huge sweetcorn fan I had to hold him back from helping himself, LOL. We also took the tractor ride, very rough & bumpy & needless to say when I got off the trailer I had a very sore...(you can fill your own answer in there, lol).

A Wedding Gift.

2009-08-19T19:23:00.002+01:00

I am keeping my fingers crossed that the recent good weather we have been blessed with will continue well into next week. Me & mine are attending a family wedding on Saturday & after much deliberating with the mother of the bride I have managed to re-create the exact wedding cake...in 1/12th scale!! It has been quite a challenge as each tier has an embossed pattern on it, (not too sure if it shows up well in the photo). I am very pleased with the finished result & I know the bride will be, too, although I really don't think the 20-something year old sports-mad groom will be that impressed, LOL. Still, it will be a nice keepsake of their big day for them.

Exciting News!!

2009-08-03T16:52:00.002+01:00

Exciting News!! I purchased a website package at the weekend so I am finally going to have my own website!! I am a bit nervous about setting it up as I really don't know much about computers but I have read through the instructions manual & it looks very easy to do, still it will probably take me months to get it up & running, but hopefully it will be in time for the busy period, (Christmas). I have added another photo of another bear, this is one that I made for my Mums birthday last November & she was thrilled with it.

Christmas in July!!

2009-07-28T21:54:00.002+01:00

Ok, I know it's just the beginning of summer,(although it's very much like a mild winter here, April showers, thunderstorms, etc), but I have been busy in my workroom creating new seasonal minis to be exhibited at the Autumn fairs I will be attending. I was flicking through some old photos of when I began miniature making and came across a few non-food minis that have inspired me to make these two cute little bears :0) I am now inspired even further to make more!! My work desk is full of mini bears in the making & my head is bursting full of ideas, I just hope that when they are all finished they look just as good in reality as they do in my imagination!! :0)

2009-07-22T21:16:00.002+01:00

Another of my favourites to make is Wedding cakes, where once again I can let my imagination run riot!! Last year I was first contacted by American artisan Martha Puff who was putting together a feature for the summer edition of 'Dollshouse & Miniatures Scene' featuring all things summery & she wanted me to create a summer-style wedding cake. I eagerly obliged & not only did I create a summer fruits wedding cake but I also created a summer fruits 'grooms' cake to accompany it!!

2009-07-21T08:42:00.002+01:00

One of my favourite miniatures to make has to be the 'Mad Hatter' style cakes, you can be as creative & imaginative as you like. My very first Mad Hatter cake, that I created many years ago, was a miniature replica of a full-size birthday cake, that I found while browsing the internet & was totally in awe of it. Since then I have let my imagination run wild.

2009-07-18T22:42:00.003+01:00

Being very busy recently & have neglected my blog, tut tut!! Making new minis to be exhibited at the Autumn fairs that I will be attending & catching up with commissions. My favourite minis to make at the moment seem to be none food items, including some very colourful dragons.

This is Gertie, who after a very busy day flying around the forest, decided to have a little nap. Bless.

Dollshouse & Miniature Scene Magazine Christmas Edition

2009-05-11T19:21:00.002+01:00

Last month I was kindly asked by the American artisan Martha Puff to submit a few of my miniatures for the Christmas publication of Dollshouse & Miniatures Scene Magazine & I was proud to accept the challenge. Here are the results.

2009-05-09T17:56:00.000+01:00

Tiny 1/12th scale miniature fruit basket.

Ella-Rose Miniatures.

2009-05-09T17:49:00.000+01:00

Hi,
as I am new to blogging & completely computer illiterate this should be fun!! LOL. Anyway, I thought I would 'give this a go' & hopefully make a few new friends.
I have been making miniatures for 6 years & it has become a great passion of mine. I mainly make food items but have been known in the past to make other miniatures, too.
I have made quite a few miniature friends through this 'hobby' & they have been a great help to me, providing me with hints & tips & advice.

Ella-Rose Miniatures

Latest WIP...

You can't please everyone.

9 down, 3 to go...

A Few More Halloween Goodies...

Not many minis being made...

Christmas Come Early...

Chocolatier Table & 'Best Of The Web'

'Eye' Candy, 'finger' food & Etsy Summer Sale!!

More Colourful Candies...

Real Life, Facebook & Colourful Candies.

This Weeks' Minis & A Door 'Hand'le...

Meet Varulv & Lilla Röda, Master & Mistress of Casa De Groază...

Lost the Comments, so did it my way :o)

Blogger Bother!!

Teapot Madness & 'Casa De Groază'

A Right Royal Knees Up!!

My Own Personal Project :o)

Never put off until tomorrow...

And The Winner Is...

Giveaway Reminder!!

Easter Minis 2011

Mothers' Day GIVEAWAY!!

A Bit Of Extravagance...

Easter Minis

Chocolate Fountains & Wedding Gifts

Latest commission pieces...

A Few Valentine's Minis...

New Etsy Shop, finally!!

Happy New Year!!

All Xmassed-out!! Phew!!

A Tad Of Bad Luck!!

Candy Counters & Chocolatiers Table.

Meet Mrs Claus...

Cupcakes & New Dolls

Something a little different...

I'm in a 'TrIcK oR tReAt' mood :o)

Oh, What a night!!

Just a quick post :o)

Lost my 'mini-mojo'.

If you look really, really closely...

*Having a Pink Week*

Feeling Fruity!!

**Little Victorian Secrets**

Addicted to Cakes!!

Happy Easter!!.x.

All Aboard!! It's the Easter 'Eggs'spress'!!

Easter Treats & Sweets

**Alice In Wonderland**

**It's Almost March...Springtime**

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE & ALL.X.

"Have yourself a 'Shabby Chic-y' Christmas"

Holidays are coming, Holidays are coming!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

New Minis for website

The Pumpkin Patch

The Challenge

TrIcK Or TrEaT PaRt 2

*tRiCk Or TrEaT*

A well earned break.

A Wedding Gift.

Exciting News!!

Christmas in July!!

Dollshouse & Miniature Scene Magazine Christmas Edition

Ella-Rose Miniatures.

Having a Pink Week

Little Victorian Secrets

Alice In Wonderland

It's Almost March...Springtime

tRiCk Or TrEaT