Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

The Gingerbread House!

Hi everyone, hope you all had a great Christmas! Mine isn't over just yet, as I have to go and visit my family on the coast at New Year. Looking forward to that! ;)

As promised a picture of my Gingerbread house. It's not as fancy, or finely finished as the ones I showed earlier in this blog,  and it does look a little like the Christmas bling houses that are covered in lights and upet the neighbours, but it has stayed up! The windows area fruity flavoured stained glass, the roof is tiled in Jazzles and there is a wobbly set of columns beside the door (Dolly Mixture order).

Random Christmas Stuff Number 24!!!

Yes, this comes a little early, as I will be too busy tomorrow to have much time for the blog, I thought I'd post this a day early. It is the Christmas Card David and I sent out last year, Our favourite soft toys were used to create a rather touching bear nativity scene. I hope you enjoy it!

Joseph with the Virgin Beary and the little baby Cheeses!

Merry Christmas every one, may it bring peace and joy! Warmest wishes for the New Year!!

Random Christmas Stuff Number 23

Which Santa?

The time is fast approaching when Father Christmas/Santa will be visiting all the little (and big) kids to deliver his Christmas Surprises! (He'd better, I asked and I'd better get!! thanks John again!! lol) But surely our dolls houses all need a Christmas visitor too?

So I have searched high and low for suitable santas for the dolls house. My findings are as follows;

Santa Number One, not very impressive, a little too thin, and the beard doesn't look real!

Santa Number Two, even less impressive than Santa One, a rather cheerless Santa this one!

Santa Number Three, a resin Santa, who looks about the right size, and quite jolly too, he's Ok, would be fine, but I'm sure there must be a better Santa out there!

Santa Number Four. Now this Santa looks like he plays rugby in his spare time, and though I'd be happy to wake and find him filling my stocking, I think he lacks a certain something! yes clothes, that's it!

Santa Number Five, now he is PERFECT! I love this one, his cloak, beard and sack of toys, a real old Father Christmas! This one gets my vote as best Santa!

Random Christmas Stuff Number 22

I found this photo of a Royal Marine making a dolls house for his children at Christmas during  WWII. It's a beautiful house, typical of the period and was rather touched, so thought I'd share it with you. The photo is from a collection at the Imperial War Museum, and comes with the following caption.

Royal Marine J Lynch of Newport building a dolls house, complete with furniture, 1943. In the weeks before Christmas, men and officers in the Royal Navy often put their practical skills to use in making presents for their families at home. This photograph shows Marine Lynch on a battleship putting the finishing touches to a large dolls house, complete with furniture.

Random Christmas Stuff Number 21

I've just found some pictures of the room box that Mulvany and Rogers were displaying at the Kesington Dolls House Festival earlier this month. It's a wonderfully atmospheric Christmas scene, I would love to have this, but fear it is well beyond my means. I really like the tree, and would love to have a Christmas tree in miniature somewhere in my dolls house, but they only became popular with people in England in the Victorian period, though evergreens were used. (I imagine the 50p coin has been used to show the comparable size).

The room box is set within a mahogany cabinet.

A miniature train set used in the room.

A table set with drinks for residents and guests!

Random Christmas Stuff Number 20

To get you all into the festive spirit I have picked a few of my favourite classic Christmas songs, hope you enjoy them!

Random Christmas Stuff Number 19

Sprouts!

You will either love them, or hate them, but they seem to have become a staple part of the Christmas dinner in the UK, partly becasue they are one of the few seaonable vegetables we have at this time of year.

I am a firm fan, I adore sprouts, when fresh and cooked correctly (not frozen ones which are quite horrid, or ones that are boiled for hours!). My sisters both hate them, but will allow themselves 2 on their Christmas dinner every year! Still that just means that there are more for me!

These miniature sprouts are from Delph miniatures, and will look great on any dolls house table this Christmas, that's if your dolls like them!! ;)

Random Christmas Stuff Number 18

Whilst hunting for some perfect images for gingerbread houses to go on the previous blog entry, I stumbled upon this disturbing version made from sausages and bacon. The first question that comes to mind is - why?! 'well, it's certainly original' I thought to myself, but then....

I stumbled across this, meat and spaghetti nativity scene. It's clear that there are some very creative people out there, as it's not something I would ever have thought of doing!! Do you think that they ate it all after Christmas?

Random Christmas Stuff Number 17

On Friday I made the first stage of my gingerbread house, cutting out the shapes and baking them, I have yet to assemble the house. I can't claim to have had any input into the house above, which I love! However, my does at least have real windows! I can't wait to assemble and decorate mine!

here's another very impressive gingerbread house, It puts mine to shame really! The roof looks great and I love all the fine detail, it could almost be a dollshouse! When I have finished mine, I'll try and upload a picture for you.

As this should be a blog about dollshouses and miniatures, I thought I'd better include something for the dolls house here. This wonderful miniature is available from linsminis.com. I want one!! they are £35.00. This is a great website for miniature food, there are also miniature Christmas puddings, Turkey dinners, and even goats cheese tartlets for your vegetarian dolls!

Random Christmas Stuff Number 16

It's SNOWING!!!

There is something quite magical about the first laying of snow in the season, particularly when it's near to Christmas! I drew back the curtains this morning and was greeted by a blanket of white! I took great pleasure in climbing back into bed, all cosy and warm, and watching the snow as if fell. ( a blessed day off today!)

We have a carol concert on the village green outside our house this evening, the village band will be playing and people come to sing carols from the village and nearby town. It will be all the better for being in the snow, with a glass of mulled wine and warm mince pie!

The photo above was taken in a field near to our village!

Random Christmas Stuff Number 15

Christmas crackers are a big part of British Christmas dinners, we buy millions of them every year. They were invented by Tom Smith, inspired by bon bon wrappers in France, they usually contain, a paper party hat, a rubbish novelty (you'll be lucky to actually be able to use any of the things that you find in a cracker, but I still have one or two things that came from crackers) and a really bad joke!! along the lines of  'what do polar bears like to eat? - Arctic Roll!'

Do any other countries use Christmas Crackers?

They are often quite expensive, it's not unusual to see them for £25-£30, but I have never seen them at the price these crackers are selling for before...

YES! £599.00 for 6 crackers, utter madness!!!

Random Christmas Stuff Number 14

Hello Dear Reader,

Having just finished trimming the last of the decorations for Christmas, I thought I would show you a selection of personal favourites  to hang on your tree!(although some probably wouldn't be given house room here!). There is, I think, a fine line between Kitsch and downright tacky, and I hope to clarify that a little here too!

We'll start with Kitsch;

I do like Polar Bears, and this one is quite sweet, it's a jaw-dropping £150 from Liberty! It is also too big to go on a tree by the way, more a statement piece!

 

 

these are both colourful and fun, I might actually have these on my Christmas kitsch-en dresser! available from Paperchase.

Tourist Tat maybe, but in perfect colours for Christmas! I actually think this is just the right side of Kitsch!

Likewise this Double Decker bus! All available from Historic Royal Palaces website

For a little more serious minded folk, how about this Henry VIII bauble, doesn't come with his six wives though sadly!

 

 

 

Well it is certainly kitsch, and would suit the colours on my tree! Animals are very popular it seems. I do regret not buying a crocodile in a tutu last year!

Mind you, there's always this one, cute, but not quite my scene!

 

 

Aww! pretty Kitty! My sister would love this one!

Now this is just getting silly!

An unusual Christmas choice, but I know someone who would love it!

Bright and colourful, full of Christmas cheer, I do like these! Both from Paperchase.

The following have been chosen especially for Fi! Well she did say it was the theme for her tree this year, and I want to see photos!!

Neither big nor Swedish, but it's gotta add some sparkle to your tree hasn't it!? ;)

Go on Fi, you know you want them!!!!

The following are not Kitsch, they are just very, very wrong!!

Maybe, just maybe, if you're a huge fan of Dr Who, you might get away with using these on your tree, but otherwise I think not!

What the....? This isn't good, it's a bit sad!

And finally! who actually sat down and thought that this would be a great product!? it's HATEFUL!

There, I hope that has helped in some small way, to solve any last minute decorating dilemmas

Random Christmas Stuff Number 13

I think this is an amazing image, my first reaction was to say BRRRRR! wouldn't want to be stuck in that house! Not sure where the picture was taken, but I imagine, looking at the style of the building it's somewhere in North America.

Random Christmas Stuff Number 12

I hope this works! Behold, one of my favourite clips from 'Are You Being Served' with a very naughty Father Christmas!

And you can even watch the whole episode! It really does remind me of the store where I work!!

Random Christmas Stuff Number 11

I might have mentioned my annual Christmas treat of going to Fortnum and Mason to see the Christmas windows, and do a little shopping while I'm there! This year they were FAB! So I thought I would share some images with you. The theme this year is show girls, which isn't particularly Christmassy, but the colours and kitsch make it wonderful!

and the theme continued inside...

Plum and pink colours with feathers on the Christmas trees

These are actually dancing girls dressed as birds in little wire cages hanging in the central staircase