Big decisions: to blog or not to blog..a fond farewell?

Good day good mini folk of the globe!

I of course have not written a goddamned thing..obvious. I will tell you I've kicked around the idea of not continuing my little blog here for the last few months....

I think like all things, life transitions and bigger things get in the way and I found myself with no time for anything other than a few minutes of "me" time.

I still love minis, creating them and sharing the process of what I learned its become to the point of either creating things in the little time I have or blabbing on about my shenanigery and crazy thoughts.

I did not want to cut all ties just yet but I did think I should say a little something outside of dropping off the planet as I tend to do...

Jane Smith can always be found if needed I am still here, I may return in the colder months but for now I think its best to say that I will be taking a long break to get some big life things in order.

I do hope you all keep crafty and creative in your ventures and if you ever need to pick my crazy brain I am available as always, you know how to find me ;)

I guess I will end it with a few pictures of things I've done the last few months to inspire you fine folks to keep mini'ing

JS~ 

Spring Equinox Potting Bench Giveaway- WINNER IS.....

Good Morning!

Thank you for all the folks who participated in this giveaway and leave lovely comments on Ye Olde Blog regularly!

Ok here we go...

1. Drora
2. Kitty And Kat Miniatures
3. Mary Ellen
4. Sarah K
5. Nina Shock
6. Fabiola
7. Maria Ireland
8. Mi mundo de miniatura
9. Cinderella Moments
10. Teruka
11. Susan@minicrochetmad
12. Isabel Ruiz Alonso
13. BiWuBär
14. The grandmommy
15. Alexandra Martinez
16. 17-17
17. Tatiana
18. Giac
19. Karin F.
20. Isle of Thwil
21. Daydreamer
22. carmen
23. JessiesMom

https://www.random.org/ was used as I've always done in the past..

9. Cinderella Moments

Caroline, this bitty bench and dodads are yours for this round! 

Caroline, please email me here via ETSY , or Google Plus with mailing info...

I have some more do it yourself greenery planned so see you soon ;)

~J

Minifanaticus, Spring Equinox Potting Bench Giveaway!!!!!!!!!

Hello kind folks of the world wide! Today is the first day of spring and what better way to celebrate than thinking on greenery and growing a new garden!

Before I get to it, I did want to share this one shot, I call it a snapshot of our mini world. Its not everything I traded swapped or been gifted but it is a lovely example of how far we've come as friends and mini fiends since I started blabbing on here many years ago..

These couple pieces represent, Israel, Spain, Germany, Holland, Ukraine, Florida, UK, Canada, France, Sweden, California, Ireland...

I thank you all for sharing this little hobby of ours over the last few years and your friendships so large they circle the world wide!

And for any of you new to the hobby or my little blog, remember, we all started somewhere and if you think, "I could never make this or that"... here is where I started a few years ago..(yes, that is fruit salad)..friggen awesome right???

RULES:

 You know they deal, you want it..let me know and we will do the number thing on Wed the 23rd.

Included in this giveaway is the potting bench, bird house, plants, frog, pail, soil.. It is all movable so do what you like with it, repaints redos etc...

Oh and I suppose Mr Floppity Hoppity should come along as well...

~J

The Potting Bench: More plants, lazy assiness, blabbing on to fill time..

Welp... I certainly did not keep to my plan of updating each week, but the first step in knowing you have a problem is.... denying you have a problem and ignoring it for two weeks... er wait I mean admitting it...

Ok, ok, so I let things slip but I did do some work ;)

Its starting to warm and I've finally gotten to get outside and look at the brown dead pile of leaves I call my garden each year... after being a lazy ass who melts in her work chair for the last few months I decided to get outside and rake and pull weeds, move rocks and oh my plan things out..

The after about 2 hours of fun in the sun I realized my mistake, I am a flabby old lady now and shall feel the wrath of burning thighs and sore under wing flaps..

So that feeling of old fartness lasted for about 2 days..did you know you had muscles under your flabby arms?? I do now!

Jane, one day after gardening

Anywhoooooooooo.. enough about how old and weak I've become....

More pots, these I've done with my old molds, if you remember way long time ago I blabbed on about caps and shapes to mold for various things like pots..

I used a mix of orange scrap clay and some sand to get a bit more texture

Then after movie magic, watered down paint mix, glue, tea leaves for dirt punched leaves, foam.. You've seen all this before I know but..uhh..lazy..

Oh and this little seed tray...

I am not always lazy, so here is some of the things I've been making for Etsy.

 Maybe these will inspire your latest creations, as always if you have questions on how or materials just ask below or message me.

Magic Prep-Board

The Steampunk Broom

Phantom the Conjured Hound

Onyx the Conjured Kitty

Pepo's Pals

Harvest Book Display

The Bone Staff

Old World Bottles

Primitive Cabinet

This one is a early view of something I might have in a printed article deal type thingie..more info in May ;)

Alrighty enough stalling.....

The Potting Bench: Plants in old pots

Good day fine folk of the world wide!

I thought I would continue with the Potting Bench and discuss the plants that I've started.

To start, I painted some simple wooden pot shapes brown, the goal here is to create aged and weathered pots like the bench.

I then covered that with a yellowish white globbing of paint.

I scuffed the edges and random spots with a nail file to remove the upper layer then added some white soft brushing and a bit of watered down brown to "stain" the pots.

I have purchased some paper wrapped wire from The Miniature Garden ..Georgie is a fabulous lady doing incredible plant kits I highly suggest a look at her Etsy store!

Adding a bit of foam in the holes, some tea grounds for dirt and a few random stems to the pots to prepare them for leaves and flowers.

If you remember my previous post on using your paper cutting stamps and re-cutting thats is what I did here for leaves, No need to purchase more if you can alter what you have ;)

I added random patterns to the stems, some flowersoft foam and created my version of vines and plants. I am not as skilled in flower and plant making as Ilona so I don't even try to replicate actual plants! I just Minifanatisize them..

I will do some touch ups and maybe add more leaves but that is a good start!

So for now our little bench sits in the fake sun awaiting warmer days, just like a lot of us ;)