One left!!!!

Well, we had an exhausting weekend! We travelled down to London to stand at the Kensington Christmas Festival and then went back up to Manchester to stand at the Altrincham show on the Sunday - Madness lol

Kensington was well worth the trip ;o) and we had a customer who came all the way from Denmark to collect a doll. Her friend had bought one of our characters in Arnhem and so she had to have one too. So as soon as the doors opened she found us and luckily she loved him ;o) and she even promised to let him travel back home in style lol

We had a great show and as we were next to the cloakroom we had people passing our stand all day long! One problem with this is we now have a very empty stand, almost no dolls and no fabrics and only less than a week left until York - Major PANIC!!! We have 8 orders for dolls which are being collected at the show and we are doing a workshop! Sooooooooooooooooooo much to do this week and I am not home as I am with my mum all this week!

But the end is in sight and then we can relax...well almost! Aidy is giving up work to work full time on Lilyelf from next year so very exciting times ahead!

Welcome

A very warm welcome to all our new followers and a huge thank you to old ones! Sorry we are not posting much at the moment but we are just so busy with work, shows and commissions.

We had a great weekend. We did our very first talk to a dolls house club on Saturday and for me it was a bit daunting (Aidy being a Teacher had no such worries) but they were all such lovely people that I soon felt at ease ;o) and we even sold a doll and lots of fabrics and bits and bobs which was unexpected but nice!

On Sunday we had a stand at the Brentwood fair in Edinburgh http://www.brentwoodfairs.com/

Although quiet compared to the same show earlier in the year it was still well worth the trip to Scotland! Thanks Pat ;o)

D-A-M-E also had a stand run by Beverly Read and they did very well too so thanks to everyone who sent items along to sell, you did the group proud!

Sorry there are no pictures as everyone forgot to bring a camera!

One down...four to go!

Well, we are back from Pudsey. It was a very strange show as it became very busy around lunch time and then went quiet early afternoon, which never happens at this show! It normally stays busy all day. It was bad on the sales front for most people around us which again is strange for this event but maybe all this credit crunch talk has finally hit?

Doreen always runs a very good event and this time was no different as she got the public in - they just left early! They raised a huge amount for Children in need too, which is fantastic, I think it was around £800! So there is one very good positive about the show ;o)

We were lucky in that we covered costs and have four people who bought dolls and are picking them up and paying for them at york at the end of the month! It seemed lots of people were saving money until York this time. But then times are hard and what we sell are classed as Luxury items! We also had 6 bookings for our workshop ;o)

We have been very lucky as Lilyelf and have not felt the pinch so you have to take the good shows with the bad!

Roll on next week at Edinburgh, I love the Scottish shows!

The picture is of Priscilla one of our cats looking most unimpressed at having her picture taken!

Getting ready....

Not for Christmas as the picture suggests, but for the last 5 shows of the year! Yes, 5 shows in 4 weeks, we must be mad!?! Although Christmas will be here before we know it... and I have yet to make 10 Christmas cakes for family and friends, not to mention go to a wedding in Ireland...PANIC!!!

We are really looking forward to Pudsey tomorrow (http://www.doreenjeffriesdollshousefairs.co.uk/leeds-fair.php) as we have so many friends who stand very close to us at the show so we get to have a lovely chat and plenty of laughs throughout the day!

We have made some new characters for the show but not many as we have so many commissions we are working through to meet the Christmas deadline! It is at times like this that I wonder why we do what we do??? Oh yeah...because we love it!

I have loved 'meeting' so many talented artists through blog land, online groups and Facebook, it is truly amazing what some people can do with a few simple materials! I love seeing what you are all up to and WIP pictures, so we are going to try to return the favour by making some tutorials and taking some WIP pictures of our own to share some of what we do! Although we are not the most organised and we tend to forget to take pictures as we get caught up in what we are doing!

We hope to get the website sorted out as soon as we can. It has become a tad bit neglected of late, but it should be up and running soon! We have lots of very new exciting things planned for next year if we find the time to do them and we can't wait to share them with you! December is going to be a very very busy month...

Workshops

Details..

The Glasgow Dolls House fair run by Pat Kay of Brentwood Fairs are holding workshops at the Premier Inn, Glasgow on Saturday and Sunday, 27th and 28th February 2010. The fair takes place on the Sunday. http://www.brentwoodfairs.com/

Saturday all day: Gardener and vegetables with Lilyelf and Solway Miniatures.

In the morning you will learn how to sculpt and paint your own ooak Gardener with Aidy of Lilyelf Miniatures, 9am to 12.30 pm.

In the afternoon you will dress and wig the Gardener ( approx 2 hours) with roz of Lilyelf miniatures and then you will make his wheelbarrow of vegetables with Helena of Solway Miniatures. At the end of the day you will have a gardener with all his vegetables to take home. Students need to bring an apron to protect their clothing. Cost £50.00 minimum 5- 12 students.
Please bring you own lunch.

To book a place please email Lilielves@aol.com or solwayminiature@aol.com

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Saturday all day - Regency Doll, circa 1812 with Hazel Dowd

Doll ready made up ready to be dressed in a Regency Gown; underclothes in fine lawn, trimmed with lace, stocking with garter, viscose for hair. Ballerina style slippers. Students will be shown how to wig the doll. The clothes patterns will be pre-cut to save on time but extra fabrics will be included in the kit. Please bring your own scissors. Cost £45. - minimum 8 students. ALSO A MUST : Bring your own lunch!

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Saturday all day - Old Liverpool 3D scene with Joe Wareing.

The students will make a 28cm x 20cm x 8cm deep framed 3D scene wall hanging showing a frontage of an old Victorian house which still exists in Liverpool to-day. I assembling this project you will learn finishing techniques for brickwork; tiling and stone effects using ready available materials. Various methods of colouring will be used and the knowledge gained can be applied to any future projects of your own. All materials, tools and accessories (NOT THE DOLL) are included. STUDENTS NEED ONLY BRING AN APRON TO PROTECT THEIR CLOTHING Cost £50.00 Minimum 8 students. Please bring your own lunch!

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Saturday all day; 1.12th scale porcelain Doll with Isabelle Wood
Make and assemble a Porcelain Doll.

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Morning classes

Saturday: 9.am to 11.30am French Style patisserie cakes and mini cakes. with Solway Miniatures. No equipment required - everything is included.
Cost £8.00

To book a place please email solwayminiature@aol.com
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Saturday: 9.am to 12.pm Dress a 1/24th Tudor Doll with Lilyelf, Doll and Fabrics provided - no equipment required - everything provided. Cost £35.00

To book a place please email Lilielves@aol.com

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SUNDAY:

9 am to 12.30pm Simple Bead Bags with Joan Wareing. These bags are very simple to make, even for a complete beginner. If you can hold a needle you can make these bags! The simple method used can look completely different by using beads of varying size and shape. The kit will contain needles; extra fine Nymo thread; a special soft beading mat; enough beads ( of your choice) to complete three bags and written instructions for you to use in the future. There will be extra sets of beads available should you wish to make more bags. No Equipment needed - everything is included. Cost £10 - maximum 10 students.

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Sunday 9 am to 12.20pm Jams; Pickles; Marmalade and Preserves with Solway Miniatures. All jars will be provided No Equipment required. Cost £15.00 5 - 15 students.

To book a place please email solwayminiature@aol.com

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Sunday 9am to 10am, Learn to make removable wigs with Roz of Lilyelf. No equipment required Cost £10.00. 5 - 10 students.

To book a place please email Lilielves@aol.com

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Sunday 10am to 12.30pm Learn to make a variety of Hats with Aidy of Lilyelf.No equipment required.Cost £10. 5 to 10 students.

To book a place please email Lilielves@aol.com

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For workshops without contact info, please contact Pat Kay at pat.kay@tiscali.co.uk

Places are limited so book now!