MY BLOG

Just right for lunch; shrimp and salmon starter, NZ Scallops in  their shells, and a NZ Crayfish, accompanied by a salad and fresh bread rolls. Yum!  Just not in twelfth scale like the food above. The big difference between a Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere and one down here in the Pacific must be the food.  For many years we have still cooked traditional Christmas Fare.  However, in the last ten years or so, our family have looked anew at the temperatures on the day, and the families expectations and now we are more likely to have a light Christmas lunch with seafood dishes and salads and fruit based deserts or Mum's never fail Pavlova.

We keep the roast turkey and roast potatoes, new peas and lots of gravy and plum puddings until the cooler evening.

This looks delicious, all made in Fimo in a workshop I took at the club one Christmas.

We have put all the new subscribers from August through to now in a draw and the winner was Merlin Samson of Palmerston North NZ

Subscribe in December or January and go into the next draw to win a lovely book called The Fairy Village.  We have to get our subs up to at least 500 to make it viable to continue to publish.  The subscription is $45 for 6 issues plus $18 postage for NZ or A$20 if you are in Australia. For overseas subscriptions please ask on 'comments' as these are checked regularly. Have a great Christmas!

While compiling the December issue of Miniature Time Traveller Magazine I put together a few summery things to share.  My wee blue Crocs for example

And Some summer food made by me and a friend.  The Fimo workshop on the crayfish dish features in the December Issue coming out in the 2nd week of December.

The October Issue will be delivered in the third week of October.

Inside we have interesting articles on New Zealand Miniaturists, some little projects to do and a little bit of serious reading.  Just a little bit!

We are running a virtual competition with prizes, for subscribers.

The subscription for 6 issues annually is only $45 in NZ and Australia. Definitely affordable and good value.  Also for new and existing subscribers there is a draw to enter and the opportunity to win a fabulous book by Jane Harrop

Lots of interesting interviews this month, and a Steampunk project to do.

There is also a pattern for a Spring dress to go with these little gems.

To subscribe to the magazine, bi-monthly and NZ $45 for a year, buy on ECWID store on this site or our facebook page.

Our December issue is a 12th take on Christmas in Summer.  The Garden City Club features in this issue as well as some amazing caravans.  And of course Christmas.

I am always striving to create and maintain reader interest in my blog pages. That requires lots of new material. To that end I went to the North Shore Miniaturists Exhibition in August and met some amazing talented members and have covered this extensively in the Spring Issue. The theme is Spring.  We are waiting patiently for it to arrive in our gardens but in the miniature world it can be Spring anytime. Articles on sheds in gardens, gardens, landscaping are all there.

Next issue of Miniature Time Traveller is out mid October

This seemed like a natural development for me. One of the English Miniature Magazines amalgamated with another, and I thought "no-one really features Down Under Miniaturists from Australia and New Zealand".  I know a lot of these clever people, have a background in commercial art and design and put together countless monthly newsletters for associations and clubs I have belonged to over the years. Why not publish my own magazine I concluded. This first issue is the outcome - I hope you like it. I'm thrilled with the first issue!

Either click above to subscribe via my secure online store, by clicking here.

Or if you prefer, email your order to us by clicking here

I would really value any support and feedback.  Jilly.

It's hard to know which comes first with me.  Inspiration that springs from little figures I make or the houses that inspire the making of little figures. Over the years they have been many.

Muriel, the housekeeper in the Arts Movement House.   Albert the painter from the pub. Or Edna the laundress who called in for a drink. Nanny Goat is a star, from my foray into Rupert Bear Land.  Hard to know who are my favorites.  They are all made of sculpey and dressed by me.  Not a pretty lot as I like them to portray characters rather than be pretty dolls. 

The Art Deco era, coming after the 1st World War and even perhaps as a response to it, was a time of change.  Women found a new confidence to dress and behave as they wanted to, found jobs and changed the furniture! It was time for a change.And as he was spinning through the years, Mac the little timetraveller, found a stylish Art Deco Apartment.And with a bit of work tracked down the owner, a famous dancer in a very racy show.

Our little time traveller Mac has been busy. Well to us on earth several weeks have passed but to Mac time has been measured in minutes. Nay, seconds.

He visited the Victorians and was invited to a soiree at Dulcie Turner's residence.

And shortly thereafter appeared in William Norris's (cousin to the other William) Arts Movement house but it wasn't the done thing to go into a girls bedroom. And then in a twinkle of time he found a very stylish Art Deco apartment. Time for a rest.  You will find this in the next chapter of Mac's travels.

One year the witches were IN. Apart from witchery projects at the club all sorts of magic was created at home.  We have Perspicacious's Cottage.

What Perspicacious has for Dinner.

Herself

Her friend  Dame Agatha

Where they shop

The husband won't allow steampunk deco in the house - hurrah for miniatures. This little table I made was the inspiration for a room box. In it lives a bachelor accountant. Surprise, surprise, he likes Murdoch James wines.

There were a lot of firsts for me in this little room.  First leather upholstered Armchair. First attempt at a  wood fired stove.  First go at a swivel office chair. 

As part of a club project we created shops and of course mine had an Arts Movement theme.  The inspiration for this was a collection of miniature porcelain 'Famous women through the ages'.  A wealthy patron just cannot choose which one she likes.   Mac is fascinated by the glass fruit closely watched by the shop assistant who thinks he looks scruffy. 

The Arts movement is one of my favorite periods. Miniatures make it so much easier to recreate houses etc in this theme. My inspiration was a 'bucket' chair belonging to a friend.  I rushed home and quickly created mine in 12th scale. The cushion was hand stitched by a very clever member of our club, Barry Allen. I picked out three of his cushions from a Christmas mystery dip. Boy was I thrilled.Next came the house, cut out by a clever local man and put together by myself. What fun I had with this.  All the wallpapers are either William Morris or A. Crane, off the internet.  The lounge has a frieze with a riddle by Byron running around underneath it.  There's a challenge for you. Find the riddle. And the answer! 

And Mac, remember him, my little time traveller... Well a good traveller never goes past a bed or a toilet.

Cheers,

Jill

My husband hates markets, avoiding them whenever possible. Image his chagrin when he woke up one morning in a little French village and there was a market right outside the front door. Springing up, as it were, in the early hours of the morning. Imagine my delight.  I spied some beautifully turned tableware that I just had to have.  Then they had to have a room to be put in. This was my very first room box.

Two French friends play Chess each Tuesday. Jacques is a shepherd and Pierre is the local baker.   They share a meal and a glass of wine. The cat sits by the ornate gas heater.  Regardless of the weather inside is always warm and cosy.  Mac was very happy to sit and play with the cat.

He had brought a bottle of Murdoch James Pinot Noir  (from the family's vineyard) as a thank you gift as he had dropped in unexpectedly. Pierre won I have to say.

For more information on Miniature Time Traveller and our magazine and kitsets, check our online store here. Or visit us at the 2021 NZAME, Miniatura or VAME events

Introducing little Mac - Mac is a Time Traveller. He will link my miniature themes together.

I get totally inspired by Art in Decades - the Arts Movement, Art Deco, Steampunk, and history, the Georgians, the Regency Ara, The Victorians, Early Settlers, and the 1940's. Arghh!! The list goes on. An extravagant purchase of a John Davenport writing slope resulted in a Georgian House created from a half finished house left on my doorstep by my niece Verity.

Another miniature family had to be brought to life to inhabit Appleby Mansion.  The Squire was most astonished to find Little Mac in his room. Fortunately all his other guests had retired to the dining room. 

Update: The above post is quite old now. If you would like recent miniatures news and other interesting projects, check out our miniatures publication. There are always at least 3 brand new exciting projects in each issue of Miniature Time Traveller magazine. In addition, the magazine contains detailed reviews of shows and conventions, interviews with talented miniaturists, fun children's projects, and articles on miniatures in general. This highly regarded magazine is published bi-monthly. It has a strong focus on the work of New Zealand and Australian miniaturists. Print subscription details are here. Remember, all digital subscriptions enjoy a 14 day free trial period, and access to all back issues, at no cost. And, if you'd like to preview an earlier issue, here is a link to a free digital copy.

You can also look out for us at Miniatura, the AMEA convention or smaller events like VAMA and NZAME events

I am an artistic designing woman. Over the year's I have created clothing, knitwear, houses, furniture, gardens and businesses. Now I'm creating a new blog and website to share all that!

Now I do it all in 1/12 scale, sharing it through my new blog and website.  

I have studied fine arts, worked with a master builder and exhibited my paintings and miniatures.

Joining a Miniature Makers club was a joy to me; like-minded, eclectic, thinkers.

Through my new blog and website, I hope to bring this joy to you and, through sharing, we can inspire one another too!

If you would like recent miniatures news and other interesting projects, check out our miniatures publication. There are always at least 3 brand new exciting projects in each issue of Miniature Time Traveller magazine. In addition, the magazine contains detailed reviews of shows and conventions, interviews with talented miniaturists, fun children's projects, and articles on miniatures in general. This highly regarded magazine is published bi-monthly. It has a strong focus on the work of New Zealand and Australian miniaturists. Subscription details are here. Remember, all digital subscriptions enjoy a 14 day free trial period, and access to all back issues, at no cost. And, if you'd like to preview an earlier issue, here is a link to a free digital copy.

You can also look out for us at Miniatura, the AMEA convention or smaller events like VAMA and NZAME events