ARTS AND MINIATURES

Merry Christmas

2011-12-21T13:14:00.000-08:00

I would like to profit this Festive occcasion to welcome my new followers, thank you very much. I know I negleted my blog lately but I´ve been occupied with Familly obligations and with another ancient hobby in which I concentrate now all my spare time.

During my artistic life I had several passions, and this hobby turned now into a new one. It´s out of my control, I like to change from now and then and try new forms of art, so for now I embraced Jewelery Design.

Necklace with natural silk, raw synthetic rubies, tourmalines, silver from India and a belt to match made by a dear friend.

A set of necklace and bracelet made for a special gift to my daughter to match a scarf. This set includes Coral, onix, ancient resin beads and silver from India.

Now I would like to wish my visitors a Merry Christmas, and I hope to appear more often next year.

Cranberry Glasses

2011-05-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

First of all a special wellcome to my new Followers, thank you very much for visiting my blog.

And I profit the occasion to show you some of my last acquisitions at the 1st Portuguese International Miniature Fair. I found the Cranberry glass very attractive.

Works on the table

2011-04-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

I selected a few pieces to decorate and I choose one of my favourite motifs of inspiration, chinese landscapes, birds and flowers.

Two oriental boxes: I started already with the one on the right, inspired by a snuff bottle of my collection bought in China, I just love these kind of snuff bottles painted by the inside, they are amazing.

Another tray made by Maria Armanda. Happy me, from now and then I receive these lovely hand made pieces to decorate, now I have to decide which motif to paint,different from the one on the left, which gave me a great pleasure to paint, thank you Maria Armanda.

May be I will choose birds and flowers....

Or may be a chinese landscape like these one I painted years ago with tempera on a real egg, duly emptied and cleaned ....

Also I decided to make a new border on this table, decorated last year, inspired by a tissue, in which I painted the decoration freehand over a black ground, I was luky with the result.

I started with real silver leaf, then I will "age" it .

Birds or flowers to decorate these two side tables?

A delicate table I bought from David (David Iriarte) for my collection, I´m awaiting for inspiration to decorate it, but for the moment I keep it in my Neoclassic Room.

And a last lovely piece made for me by Maria Armanda. Don´t forget to visit her blog, she updated it with new pieces, I appreciate very much her work, she is improoving everyday. Thank you Maria Armanda for this new lovely piece of furniture, I know already I will enjoy very much to decorate it. I think I will decorate it also with chinese motifs in gold over dark blue. At the back you may see a chinese landscape painted with tempera over a wood panel painted by me in the years 80.

And to finish I made two photos dedicated to my new Followers - Spring Roses from my garden, and my miniature roses made with paper with accents of watercolour. Thank you for following my Blog.

Painting on China

2011-04-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

Yes I´ve been absent for some days but here I am again, and to begin with I would like to thank to all my new Followers, it´s nice to have you near by.

At this moment I spend my spare time trying to organize my self with my work, but this is not very easy because I have too many passions, one of them is painting on China. Years ago, more than 20 I involved my self repairing old china after a Course I took in London, then followed by several classes to learn the technique of painting on china over the glaze. The following pieces were painted in the years 80.

Days ago and after so many years I opened a big box with lots of white porcelain and decided to paint a few pieces, I started with porcelain boxes, which I´m going to show you but please note that this boxes need two more fires on the kiln, I usualy paint in three steps. Among theses boxes you may see some miniatures, but as the are so tiny I have to make some experience first, I hope they don´t brake inside the kiln, but this is my next target to paint porcelain on scale 1/12.

Fist fire at 750º near you may see the proper brushes, a spatula to mix the pigments, a pen to do the pen work and a little box with purple one of the most expensive pigments.

A round plate painted free hand, in two firing 25cm dia.

A plate inspired on a tea porcelain caddy - 1750 Cie. des Indes - Décor Occidental,

I loved to capture the real character of the people involved in this decoration, it is not easy

A detail (I used to sigh all my works only with my initials AM)

Dish with a Japanese woman (it was painted with a chinese ink pen)

Dish with fruits, and insects

A cake dish inspired by Meissen décor

Decoration - a Coat of Arms

Detail

Another porcelain Box - with a fine work in gold over relief (four firing at the kiln)

Detail

A jar painted freehand, which means no previous drawing

Romantic decoration on a plate (also freehand) 22x14

Art Nouveau findings

2011-02-23T12:33:00.000-08:00

Today I would like to show you my latest Art Nouveau findings, but before that I would like to thank to all my new followers, I´m glad to have you following my Blog.

Days ago I found these pretty ornaments in a desplay at an antique shop, I realized that they had very good quality so I couldn´t resist, here they are together with two items I had already belonging to this decorative style.

The Art Nouveau jardinière - Leda and the Swan - is inspired on the Greek Mythology in wich Zeus came to Leda in the form of a swan.

Grandfather clock with pendulum, made of pewter and gold painted, the clock-face is behind glass, date around 1910 - height 13cm. It needs and deserves some repair work, I hope to do it one day because it´s very lovely.

Detail of the one above - A Japanese Fan

6cmx2,5cm

(The ornaments in background are from a Art Nouveau book).

I hope you get inspired by this decorative style. In wich concerns my work I hope to apply my Art Nouveau ornaments in a decoration one day, if not I will simply look at them fascinated for this decorative style.

And to finish I took a photo from a book, also fascinated by the Art Nouveau Decorative Glasses, these begong to Daum Frères - 1904, as I can´t afford them in scale 1/1 I imagine to have them made in scale l/12..........

A break for a tea

2011-02-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

First of all I would like to wellcome my new Followers, thank you very much for visiting my Blog.

I´ve no news in which concerns my work, I´ve been operated a second time to remove the "support material" of my broken foot, and I hope to get well in a near future, and hope also to return to my studio as soon as possible.

Now I profit to invite all my Followers to join me at another cup of tea, and a slice of marble cake.

Tea cup from Limoges and marble cake

Porcelaine "Tête-à-Tête" tray, with a simple but lovely hand painted landscape

I "bought" this tea set more or less 20 years ago from an antique dealer to whom I restored some porcelain pieces, instead of receiving money from my work I preferred to buy this antique tea set from Limoges. The lids have a few damages but I never had time to repair them....

The mark at the bottom of the tea cup

And of course a miniature tea set near one of my cakes. As I can´t find any supplier of good white porcelain one of the experiences I would like to try some day is to enrich some of the miniature porcelain I have, i.e. I intend to profit the decoration made with decals of these serial pieces, and paint some more detail and a border using porcelain pigments, there´s one thing I don´t know, if these tiny pieces will stand high temperatures of 780º., as always I´ve so many ideas on my mind and so little time to accomplish them.....

I would like very much to find good quality white miniature porcelain to paint, do you know any supplier?

An unexpected gift

2011-01-03T11:01:00.000-08:00

I began the New Year receiving an unexpected and amazing gift, just take a look

I looks real, in scale 1/1 doesn´t it? Pay attention to all the detail...

BUT.......

It is a lovely work made by Maria Armanda in scale 1/12 , she has such a talent!

Enjoy the detail: the perfume bottles, the mirrors, the lip stick, the nail varnish, the comb, the necklace, it´s incredible, everything is in place for a great evening, I can imagine the "owner" of this cozy corner spending some hours preparing herself for the party.

Note the evening dress which is embroidered

The shoes are lovely

I will treasure it, thank you so much Maria Armanda for this lovely gift, an I wish you a Happy New Year with great projects.

Something finished

2010-12-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

At least I finished something for my country house, I´m thinking to add a few more details using Bindels ornaments to decorate it, but here it is:

The bed was lacquered, and "dressed" with Tilda tissues and antique laces, everything is stiched by hand because years ago I gave the Singer Stich machine that belonged to my Mother, nowadays I regret it very much

Detail

On the ground you can see some metal strips covered with paper which I used inside the eider-down to give shape and so adhere to the mattress. Mine is not a real eider-down...., because the real ones are made of the soft feathers of the female eider - ducks from the nothern hemisphere.

The bed before being lacquered

Decorations for the room

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

2010-12-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

I would like to wish a Happy Christmas to all the Followers and Visitors of my Blog

Bottle Gardens

2010-12-14T12:39:00.000-08:00

In real life bottle gardens are variant of the terrarium, and as long as the plants we put inside have the right soil, sufficient light and moisture content they will long last. In 1829 Nathaniel Ward a London physician discovered accidentally that some variety of plants were able to grown on a closed glass. Water evaporated from the leaves during transpiration condensed inside the glass being then absorbed by the roots. This concept was adopted by Victorian gardeners and had lots of enthusiasts.

At home I have always a bottle garden, the plants I put inside lasts around three years, after that I have to change them. So I was glad when I found these miniature Bottle gardens at the Madrid Fair, now I have to decorate them - the final destiny is my future greenhouse, and here they are:

The two garden bottles together with a few containers for miniature gardens

A detail of my future greenhouse, everything is in preparation

Another detail, I think I need a bigger greenhouse because I have lots of nice things related......

Everything is out of place awaiting for the structure to be painted; one more project to add to the list of the unfinished ones.....

A few acquisitions and a warm welcome to my new Followers

2010-12-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

First of all I would like to welcome my new Followers, thank you very much for following my Blog.

And finally today I found some time to make a few photos of the miniatures I bought at the Madrid Fair, as soon as possible I will take some more pictures of my acquisitions.

The Fair had so much attractions, and it was difficult to choose, here I´ll show you some of my options.

Lovely miniatures from http://www.twinheart.com/

I´m fond of these fishes with their big eyes and elegant tales, I found them very real and the aquariums are made of glass

The photo was made against a painting on silk from Thailand inspired on those fishes

Three miniature orchids photographed against real flowers

More flowers from http://www.twinheart.com/ they are very well done. At the backgrounf I put a photo of a lovely Edwardian Conservatory, just for my inspiration

I bought them thinking of my future green house

A miniature structure of a fan nearby a real French fan, I hope to decorate it some day...

A book for my greenhouse with engravins of birds, I found it lovely

A cute little doll

The same doll photographed together an antique doll, it is real tiny.

Shall I ever finish it?

2010-11-25T12:03:00.000-08:00

I talked already about this unfinished project - The Country House - in my other Blog, but everytime I enter my studio there it is looking at me "asking" to be finished; the lower floor is almost accomplished, now it follows the upper floor - bed room and bathroom, and the finally roof. And here are some photos:

A vew from the porch

Detail in the Kitchen

Detail in the Dining Room

Some tissues, ribbons and cross stich for the bed room

Hand made cushion, a vase covered with tissue and a few roses, a crochet hat, a shaker hand made box and a vintage wood doll

Hand painted decorative dishes

And this is the project that I think everybody knows already from Planet Agostini

Presence at TOM BISHOP´S FAIR

2010-11-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

After some hesitation, I decided to keep company to Maria Armanda again this year at the Tom Bishop´s Fair, the motiv of hesitation is that I have only a few new pieces to show, I had to make a stop in my work against my intention, but here I am ready to go and I hope we shall profit to amuse ourselves and make a few aquisitions, there are always so many exhibitors with lovely things to attempt us.

We shall be glad to be visited by some of you. Our table is under the name PERFECT MINIATURES and AM -MINIATURES.

And here is a photo of my last work:

Victorian Fan, all hand made, (support: 2mm wood, lacquered and painted with oils, inlays of mother of pearl, and finished with touches of gold leaf engraved over the black lacquer)

A wellcome to my new Followers

2010-11-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

I would like to wellcome my new Followers, for them I send a few orchids from my garden, I´m lucky to have a vase plenty of them.

Orchids adorned with a velvet ribbon and a vintage lace with rinestones

And I profited to take some photos of a very tiny gift I had from a friend - two silver rats and a dog, they are so cute and so very tiny.

They were tempted by a chocolate

The little dog near a German tiny glass

Scale 1/144

2010-10-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

Years ago I bought two miniatures in scale 1/144, they were the first miniatures that I saw in this scale, and I found them pretty at that time, then I thought to do my first try in that scale, indeed I started to do it, but I faced a problem with the lights, I choose the lamps which they call rice grain, but I found they warm to much, and then I put the work apart, but I will try to finish it in future, one more project to add to the others.....

These are the miniatures I bought in this scale

This is the project I intend to finish

As this work was done years ago now I know I will have the opportunity to do a better work, I´m not happy with this one now that I see it.

(The fireplace and the painting are not ready)

This is a work that needs some dedication, but now I think I have some more materials adequate for this project, so I will try to put them among the others.

Vintage findings

2010-10-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

For the moment I´m still organizing my studio and future work, so for the moment I will profit to show you some recent vintage findings.

Porcelain plate showing an autumn scene - the harvest, suitable for this time of the year. I think it was one of the plates of a lamp shade with the four seasons of the year, it only shows its beauty when put against light.

I can imagine how beautiful should be the complete lamp, may be in sec. XIX

Cross stich embroidered purse, scissor and needles in a display, the purce needs a little repair work but it is lovely, the flowers are stiched with thread with a velvet look, it was a bargain I found.

My Summer ending

2010-09-25T11:48:00.000-07:00

First of all thank you very much to my new Followers.

I´ve been very busy after some days at the seaside to rest and collect forces to start work on my studio. I have been so little productive this year; now after some repair works in my house I´m trying to put everything in place because everything got upside down, and I hope this time to start with my works very soon, I sincerely hope so because I´ve so many projects in my mind and also so many that I´ ve already started.

This summer when I was walking on the sand, and I profited to walk two hours each day trying to get better of my brooken foot, I decided: now it´s time to finish my miniature acquarium, I´ve been collecting seaweeds, little shells, and I started already to model a tiny fish (it´s not ready yet) you can see it on the following photo near the seaweeds.

The fish at the bottom is made of porcelain and I included it on the photo just for inspiration for another tiny fish

I love acquariums and years ago we had four large ones which gave us too many joys and some annoyments, nowadays equipments are much more effective, but we gave up already this wonderful hobby.

Some more photos of my summer place

The beach was so quite at the end of September

A forgotten toy on the sand

Another day with announcing a storm but with a temperature around the 23ºC

The same beach at a different day

It´s wonderful to observe sealife near the seashore

And a lonely seabird

I´ve put a seaweed I found floating inside a plastic bag full of water just to oberve it

My working table in the last months

2010-09-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Two months ago and after some "up and down" with my recovery from my broken foot, I thought that it was time to start working, but no way, we had already scheduled maintenance works in our house, which took too long, and so I had no opportunity yet to start painting.

My "giveaway" to Susan and a swap with Eve are on the table and I hope to finish them still this year......,
please excuse me, but I didn´t forget.

And here are some photos:

When I work on the roses I like always to collect a real rose in my garden, it helps me with the colour

Paper roses, painted with watercolour, they are formed with individual petals

Covering the frame with real silver leaf

Watercolour and frame

An amazing gift

2010-08-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

This month I received an amazing birthday gift from my friend Maria Armanda , a beautiful bird cage

I was so happy with this gift, I found it absolutely magnificent, now I have to create a special interior to accomadate such beauty. And here are a few photos so that you can judge for yourself.

Obrigada mais uma vez Maria Armanda.

Pastries for my shop

2010-08-08T04:08:00.000-07:00

First of all thank you very much to my new followers, I´ve been a little absent lately but I decided it was time to take some days of vacations to help me recovering of my broken foot.

My miniature production was so reduced last months, what I can show you for the moment is the pastries I made in June for my shop, the shop it self is awaiting for better days, but when ready I have lots and lots of pastries to decorate it.

All the cakes and cake stands are made of FIMO and SCULPEY

A sketch

2010-07-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Today I found a study in my files I´ve done before decorating this japanese lacquered tray, I´ve done it years ago but I still like it. Gouache over paper (scale 1/1)

Lacquered tray, hand painted with egg tempera over gold leaf l/1

Also when I found today the photo of my last oil paintings, I wished to restart soon, my recovery from the brooken foot is doing well. Thank you all to the ones who were concerned about me.

Oil paitings in scale 1/12

My 2nd adventure in the Pastry World

2010-07-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

These last months I had to avoid the real world of desserts. Because of my broken foot I had to make some diet, I didn´t want to get more weight, and I succeed, but I took some revenge, as I had my box of FIMO kept at home, one day talking to a friend who also appreciates good pastry I decided to do again some desserts to compensate myself, and I was lucky to have by the hand some material to distract my mind from my problem.

I´m very fond of good pastry in the scale 1/1 and unfortunately in my Country the confection of pastry is very industrial nowadays, although we have very good pastry-cooks in expensive Hotels and Restaurants which are recognized internationally.

In this Blog World I´m very attentive to Blogs regarding original desserts, and lately I´ve seen wonderful works in this area, congratulations to all of you.

Now I will show you only some of my experiences in this area, I did a lot of cakes but some of them are still unfinished, this is a work that I think I will repeat and hope to improove . All the following cakes are made of FIMO and SCULPEY. For instance the Lilac Fantasy one of my preferred, is inside made of "Chocolate", and then all covered with thin round petals. All of my cakes are original.

Marzipan Star

Orange Sensation Cake

Lilac Fantasy

Angel Cake

Quetzalcoatl

Fruit Selection

Cake stand

Wedding Cake

In my projects I have two room-boxes and one Corner Shop which I intend to decorate as Pastry Shops, and a few years ago I bought in Thailand three pieces of furniture and some cakes to decorate this last one. By that time I liked the cakes very much but now I think I will keep them hidden because I´m not fond of them any more, but now I´m glad I have already enough cakes for the three projects, later I´ll show you more.

Cakes I bought in Thailand

My Corner Shop

A gentle gift from Australia

2010-06-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

This week I received a very gentle gift from Australia. Norma from - http://www.makeminemini.blogspot.com/, wished to send me some souvenirs for my grandchildren (one of them has two months). When I opened the parcel I was delighted with the contents, thank you Norma, I apreciated your gift so much, and the little koualas are amazing.

One more wellcome to my new Followers

2010-06-13T13:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I´ve been so away from my blog, but I´m still recovering from my "accident" and I´m so stressed because I didn´t start yet to work in my studio, but my process is doing well with the phisiotherapy,.

So today I would like to thank you to all my new Followers, thank you for visiting my Blog.

As for the moment I have no important new work to share with you I decided to show you some of my small porcelain boxes painted years ago, although they are not miniatures, some of them have miniature paysages, and I remembered to show you these because I´m thinking of painting some miniature paintings for my projects. The only problem is that painting on porcelain, is a slow process, because the colours have to be prepared with oils, and the porcelain must be fired at the kiln at 730º to 830º at least for three times , and I have so many projects in hands, but we are allowed to dream aren´t we?

The Paysages have between 2 and 4 cm

A miniature rose to my new followers

2010-05-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

One month is already gone, I spend my days quite entertained, between reading, sewing some pieces for my country house, that I will show in due time, consulting my art books, taking notes for new little projects to complement my "big" projects, and this weekend when my husband brought to me a few roses from the garden, and I was so glad that they inspired me to do my first miniature rose , does it look like a rose?

And here it is and I dedicate it to my new followers, thank you very much for following my blog.

Also I was temptated to do some jars for one of my greenhouses, they are rather colourful because I´ve used some decorative papers, glued over watercolour paper and then duly cut into the form of the jar, I remember these jars when I was a child, they were in white enamel, but I decided to decorate them. Later I will put some touches of decorative motifs in accordance, and varnish them, although they are made of paper I was surprised that at the final they got quite consistent.

I forgot to say that the rose was done with white rice paper, then I found it was to white and asked my husband to bring me one of my small watercolour boxes, he asked me already if I wanted all the studio mooved to the first floor....., so I painted a few touches of yellow and rose very diluted and then I thought that I had to put a few leaves, so I got a paperpunch and cutted a few leaves also in white, then I painted it and in result I think that I have to repeat the roses, I never thought to be able to do them properly by I think I can, with lots of time and patience.

My work in backstage

2010-05-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to share with you some of my work in "backstage" I hope you like it, some of the works are originals others inspired in by gone artists but I always like to mention it.

Some of the pieces I´m going to show

original

Lacquered Chippendale chest of drawers

To decorate this Chippendale chest of drawers I used two techniques, one for lacquering the panels and the drawers - and other of "faux finish" in which I painted over gesso to resemble wood, my "secret" is always the same, too much layers all of them duly worked with sand paper until no traces of brush are seen, too many hours of labour but the final is very rewarding.

Wood screen covered with silver leaf and decorated with tempera, the silver leaf was applied as always over the "lacquered" surface.

Original

The screen was decorated to complement the console, so I choosed the colours to match

Frame and Easel by Maria Armanda

Oil Painting

Original

Frame from my friend Maria Armanda, lacquered by me in the techique of décapé with touches of silver leaf, and oil with roses at the biginning

A master piece carved from Maria Armanda in wich I concentrate all my love for miniature painting in order to honour her work. The wood was very carefully painted in several coats of beige with lots of work of sand paper but a very delicate touch because of the fragility of the wood. Then I used tempera to decorate the details.

Original

The finished tray with some of the detail brushes I used

Lacquered Screen with Pillement decoration

Originals

Two little chest from Paulo Gomes, the one on the right is already decorated and one table I ordered from David from Iriarte, which is still awaiting to be decorated

Next time I will share some more photos.

And the Winner of my last giveaway is......

2010-04-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

Now I´m pleased to announce the winner of my giveaway, I´ve put in a box the names that were close to guess what happened to me that day, sorry some of you did´nt guess, and the name that came off the box was:

Susanne from http://miniaturedreams.blogspot.com/ .

Thank you all for your participation.

Now Susanne you have to be a little pacient because in this moment I still wonder when I shall be able to go to my studio.

And briefly I will tell what happened to me: When I was leaving our friends´house, I slape in the paving stone, I fall forsaken, and broke my right foot. It was a very bad facture involving ligaments, I had to come to Lisbon and entered a private hospital otherwise I had to wait to be operated, and I was operated the next day, the doctor had to implant several metal, and here I am waiting very patiently to be ready for fisiotherapy. In resume my fracture was very, very bad, and as I´m already a "young" grandma, (this is a subterfuge not to tell you my age, although I don´t mind to do it often), I have already some problems with my bones.

And now I will leave you with some flowers and some of the respective "resident" of my garden

Dolls, Dolls, and more Dolls for my new followers

2010-04-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

Time is passing slowly, in the meantime I would like to thank my new followers, and profit to remember you to try your opportunity to win my giveaway.

Today I´would like to share some of my dolls with you. I started to collect dolls many years ago, and I have
quite a big number of modern dolls, antique dolls and dolls from my childhood - the 50ties.

I will choose randomly only a few of them:

Dolls´houses dolls - antique German Bicuit in their original costumes.

My first antique doll, it was given to me by my Grandma, it holds the marks AM 390 DEP, 1890 which means it is a doll from the German manufacturer Armand Marseile, model of 1890 and the head was made from this manufacturer to the French market, (DEP means déposé). This one is of the best quality but I have others from this manufactuer that are not so good. The body is of jointed wood.

Doll of the same manufacturer but of medium quality, I bought it in Brussels in very bad condition, and it was a bargain, now I´m dressing it slowly because I sew by hand, I never liked to sew, but I like to dress my dolls when I have time to do it.

Japanese little doll with around 50 years (I estimate)

And now some of my Collector Barbie Dolls:

Greyhound - Silkstone

My first "love" I could´nt resist, I like fashion dolls and found this one amazing, I bought itat FAO SCHWARTZ, and that same day I return to buy other ones, I never thought to buy Barbie dolls, and by that time did´t know there was such a lovely variety of dolls to please all sorts of collectors. In Europe they are not very easy to find, the best market is USA and Brasil.

I keep some of them inside their boxes in the condition NRFB (Never removed from box), in order to keep their value although I think they are much more astonishing outside the boxes.

Some more Fashion Barbie Dolls I bought that day

Charlston, Fabergé and Capucine

A significant part of my Barbie collection is composed by Silkstone dolls.

But I like also exotic dolls:

TATU - From Byron Lars

The Pirate

Fantasy of Asia - from Bob Mackie

Next time I will share with you other dolls.

Time for the 2nd giveway

2010-04-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

I´ve been absent the last two weeks for a sad motif: Two weeks ago we went for a large weekend, as we do often, we started with a lunch at some friends´home, and in the afternoon in their garden I suffered an "accident". These past two weeks have been rather difficult for me, and I had already enough sorrow but now I thought that I needed to cheer up and so decided to organize a 2nd giveway.
So let´s have some fun:

The gift to be attributed shall be an watercolour similar to the next one that I´ll execute as soon as I´m able to go my studio, (I think I gave you already some trail.)

To take your change you have to guess, here in this post what happened to me that afternoon, and which were the consequences. Difficult isn´t it? You may try your chance until the next wednesday.

There are 6 of my Blogger friends who cannot participate because they know already what happened to me but I will arrange a way to compensate them as soon as I can.

1OO FOLLOWERS

2010-04-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

What a nice Easter gift - I reached today 100 Followers and I would like to thank you all, I´am both glad that you are interested in visiting me from now and then but I´am also very pleased to visit your Blogs and see your love for miniatures. Thank you all.

One of my favourite flowers - Strelitzia Reginae - they grow all the year in my garden

When I organized my first give away I kept one more silver jar to my 100 follower, I was awaiting and today I was surprised when I saw that it was my friend Sofia http://o-mundo-de-zaphia.blogs.sapo.pt/, may be you are thinking that it was agreed between us, but I assure you that it was NOT. Sofia has been retired lately from miniatures and she felt that her Blog was not being duly actualized so she didn´t want to appear in my blog, but now she has no excuse and I know she will be happy with this little gift.

I think I was inspired by Synnove and to make new photos adding cactus and flowers of my garden, thank you Synnove for the inspiration

In this photo I received an unexpected visit, it happens a lot of times, now I´m glad with the photo but I have to confess that for me bees are always a problem, because I panic if they are around me.

HAPPY EASTER

2010-04-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

I wish a happy Easter to all my Friends, Followers and Visitors of my Blog

Porcelain Eggs painted a few years ago

A welcome to my new Followers

2010-03-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

I would like to welcome all my new Followers, it´s so nice to have you visiting my blog.

This time I would like to share with you a few images regarding one of my several hobbies, as I feel an attraction for minerals, sometimes I like to entertain recycling some necklaces, I buy some other pieces to complement and start working, hope you like it.

Volcanic stones (lava) silver, and semi-precious stones

Quartz, and silver

Quartz, pearls and silver

Spring is on the Air

2010-03-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

I hope that Spring brings to you all lots of Sunshine and Flowers to cheer you up

A card allusive to Spring, my chest painted with flowers and birds and two glass miniatures - artisanal work from a glass factory

A natural flower and miniature birds

Detail of the glass

A miniature basket

And I profited to photograph some of my miniature glasses

And for those who liked the chest - a few details:

The chintz tissue of a bed cover I had once

An watercolour on paper I made to match the decoration of the room years ago - 120x60cm
Please notice that I made a symmetry of the pattern

And at last I reduced the drawing freehand and adapted it to the chest. I used acrylics to paint the decoration. This chest was decorated to be presented at the Madrid Fair in November last.

SINTRA - A source of inspiration

2010-03-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

thFrom this Blogger world - from the blog a miniature life Anthoula asked me what could she visit in my Country, and I remembered to put here some photos of my archive albums, (these are not recent photos) and advise her to visit the beautiful Villa of Sintra nearby Lisbon. So enjoy your visit Anthoula.

"Palácio da Vila" - with lovely interiors to visit

Monserrate, and Palácio da Pena on the horizon

Palácio de Monserrate - with beautiful gardens to visit

A cascade - you are going to find several in the gardens

Several beautiful architectural monuments

Charming private houses

Lovely perspectives to take photos

Cozy tearooms to take a cup of tea and the so well known "queijadas e travesseiros"

Nostalgic architectural details to keep

Palácio da Pena - Also worthwhile to visit the interiors

And please don´t forget to visit the Toy Museum - "MUSEU DO BRINQUEDO"

17th Century interior - Museum Collection

And at the end some of my miniature paintings inspired on this lovely Villa

Oil on canvas - Palácio da Vila

Oil on canvas - Palácio da Pena

The same Palace - Watercolour

Palácio da Pena - oil on canvas

Sintra - Oil on canvas

Enchanting world of dolls´houses at the revue HOMES & ANTIQUES

2010-03-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I bought as usual the Revue HOMES & ANTIQUES, and I was glad to find that this April issue includes an article about dolls´houses, I found it very original only regret that the pieces of furniture aren´t so original., nevertheless it is wordwhile, I´m very fond of the revue.

Re-starting with a greenhouse

2010-03-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

Today I decided that it was time to clean-up the studio and re-start working on my projects after this hard winter. And as the sky is so blue today I choosed to put on the table one of my greenhouses and try to finish it.

I know already that I´m not able to discipline myself and I will go on jumping from a project to another till the next winter....

I bought this greenhouse in Seville, already with this finish, I would prefer the white colour, but I think they only supply this colour.

Two years ago I started already to paint a trompe l´oeil in tempera for the background but today when I saw it I decided to finish it in oil or re-start from the beginning because I´m not satisfied with it. You know that oils can be applied over tempera, but the contrary is not possible.

This is the set I choosed to the decorate the inside, I had it already.

I hope to show you more photos as soon as possible.

Do you like Mushrooms?

2010-03-13T13:52:00.000-08:00

Today I bought mushrooms for lunch and I thought to my self it´s funny I´m not able to eat them, because I don´t like the flavour, but I find them so attractive.

So I profit to show you a box made with the technique of decoupage as proof of my appreciation to these Fruits of the Fungi World.

The box is lacquered in dark brown and the mushrooms were cut from a decorative paper; the grisaille engravings are from Nicola Wingate-Saul. One of this day I will talk about the technique of decoupage.

And I profit to show you some photos I made some time ago during a walk with the Familly on a beautiful day .

I´m always very attentive to everything that surrounds me, looking for sources of inspiration, and I keep lots and lots of images which sooner or later are very useful to my work.

Sometimes my camera catches details that I don´t see at the moment, here I caught a mosquito

And finally as I don´t know their names and ignore if some of them are poisonous here are the names of some of them.

(Click on the image to see the namesof the different species)

This is the glue that I use for decoupage, and it acts also like a varnish, but if you buy it you have to check if it has a gloss finish, because if you don´t want to apply a varnish at the the end this product is enough, for both operations. And don´t forget to seal the paper before gluing the paper. I use an aerosol sealer.

If you are attentive you will find beautiful wrap pappers suitable for decoupage, if you want to apply them on miniatures you may reduce them at the proper scale, and for that purpose I´m fond of Conqueror paper, both white or very light creme.

To my new Followers

2010-03-13T12:51:00.000-08:00

I´m so glad to receive new followers in my blog, to all of you I send lots of marigold.

I started already to visit your wonderful Blogs, one by one, and I´m delighted to see your work, thank you for sharing.

Ana

And finally the 3rd winner

2010-03-09T13:37:00.000-08:00

And finally I the lucky winner for the 4rd jar is Anthoula, , congratulations to her.

I´m so glad for your participation, and I feel quite lucky to find your beautiful blogs, now in future I will also follow you. Thank you all, and I hope to organize another giveaway as soon as I can, the next time with a painting, but it will take some time because I have aleady a long list to accomplish.

For those who didn´t win, I send a sign of Spring arriving in my garden,

I have another winnner for the giveaway

2010-03-09T07:58:00.000-08:00

And I have already another winner selected between the 50 first followers, the lucky one is Synnove

Congratulations Synnove, I´m very pleased also to offer you the two jars.

And in the evening I will sellect one of the ladies that participated in the post regarding this giveaway, and she will be presented with one jar, the other as I told belongs already to Norma.

You have still this afternoon to participate until 18h, in the meantime please have a cup of coffee,

The two jars near one of my oil paintings

And why not a bit of a "flan caramel" I made today....

Thank you all for your participation

More about the giveaway

2010-03-08T07:46:00.000-08:00

I have to thank you all for your participation in my first giveaway, I did´nt expect such good enthusiasm, for the moment stay a while and have a cup of tea, I will also make a pause with you and think in adding something more to this first give away.

Earl Grey tea served on a chinese cup and a miniature tea set in jade from China, over natural silk with oriental flowers and parasol. As I´m fond of tea I collect tea cups and tea sets from miniature to larger scales.

The above cup of tea belongs to a set and everytime I drink from these cups I wonder how they achieve the technique of inserting this image at the bottom with such transparency.

As I mentioned already I have three other Blog, where I receive lots of visits, but usually people do not participate, and I´m glad to be visited by you and receive your comments, in this Blog. Besides, since I began this Blog I had the chance to visit lots of beautiful blogs that I did´nt know.

Usually I´m always very busy with my Family life and my work although I work for my self , but this year I did not yet entered my studio to work in my projects, and I blame this endless winter so I had all my spare time to dedicate to my new Blog.

Well, at this point, I have already achieved the 50 followers (I didn´t expect it so soon) and now I will give one number for each of them by the order they entered, and then choose a number .

Furthermore I decided to buy two more jars (I hope to find more) and will atribute one to the participants in the initial post until tomorrow by this hour, and the other one shall be given to NORMA http://makeminemini.blogspot.com/ who kindly divulged my giveaway.  At the end I´ll ask your adresses.

Thank you all
Ana

It´s time for my first giveaway

2010-03-07T13:24:00.000-08:00

I decided it´s time to organize my first Giveaway and as I am almost reaching 50 followers, I will select one between all of you and give the two silver filigree jars I bought this week, I bought four and shall be pleased to give two, it´s nice to have you following my Blog, because I like to share my work.

Yesterday I went shopping

2010-03-05T10:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday (a rainy and grey day) I found something nice to cheer up:

And I bought these feligree jars, and the following pieces: A harp, a chair, a phone, a piano etc.

They are all made in silver filigree and they were conceived to decorate bracelets, they are known as "charms" now I must take of the respective rings, because I found them lovely to decorate my projects instead of using them on a bracelet.

And I remembered that I have a few "charms" also in silver but from the last century.....they are already considered vintage and I confess they are lovely.

Filigree is a process and type of design that uses twisted wire to create delicate openwork jewelry. Filigree is usually made from fine metals like silver, gold, and platinium. It has been used from centuries to craft jewelry, rings, pendants, bracelets etc., To create filigree the artisan rolls the maleable metal into thin filaments, then twists and bends them into intricate shapes.

Earrings and pendant in Filigree from Viana do castelo

Pendants in Filigree from Mozambique

I love roses

2010-03-01T12:44:00.000-08:00

Today I found the first rose in my garden, a very shy botton.....but for me it is a sign that spring will arrive soon, this year we are crossing a very hard winter.

A lonely rose bud in my garden

Every year we have lovely roses and the most beautiful are these in lilac.

I assure you that the colour of this roses is absolute natural and they are beautiful.

I am also very found of these ones: yellow and orange:

As soon as the weather gets better I will return to my studio after these months of "hibernation" and start painting, and I´m thinking precisely in painting some roses. Next I will show you some of my paintings dedicated to this beautiful flower.

Oil on canvas - scale 1/1 - (the lace is also painted on a black background)

Oil on canvas - Miniature scale 1/12

Oil on canvas - miniature scale 1/12

Oil on canvas - scale 1/1

The almond cake recipe

2010-02-25T11:04:00.000-08:00

Almond Cake

250gr sugar

250gr almonds without peeling

6 eggs

Line the bottom of a 28cm round cake pan with butter and after put a round parchment paper, also greased, and dust it lightly with flour, tapping the excess.

Then mix the six egg yolks with white sugar, stir this mixture very well until making bubbles, ground very well the almonds without peeling and add to the previous mixture. Using the electric mixer beat very well the egg whites and start incorporating very lightly. Bake around 35 minutes at 180º or until tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clear, do not let it dry too much. There´s no need of adding Baking Powder. Bon apetit...

A cup of tea to my new followers

2010-02-24T12:47:00.000-08:00

I invite my new followers to take a cup of tea. Thank you - Mina - Lori - Evelin - Debora - Glenda - Angeles - Norma - Vane - Marivigano - The old maid - Michelle - Anneke and Irene for following my new Blog

And a slice of Almond Cake (it´s real) decorated with mini polymer cakes (scale 1/12), and real nuts

I love desserts and I regret I have no time to do more miniature cakes because It´s a work I love to do, but I take some "revenge" following marvelous Blogs of miniature delicacy.

Here I´ll show you only a few of my miniature desserts

Next time I will give the recipe for the almond cake

My working space - Part III and Memories

2010-02-21T13:36:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my projects waiting patiently to be done:

I have a few miniatures that I bought in Thailand and I would like to decorate an interior inspired on the Jim Thompson House on the Klong, the problem is that this House is precious and unique and I think I need one year to make this interior, it is an ambicious project.. As soon as I can I will put here a few photos of this lovely house.

Traditional Thay Roof

Precious tiny basket hand made and a fragment of the gold leaf used by Thay people to make offers at the temples.

A few of the miniatures I have to decorate the Thay Room, over thay silk from Jim Thompson. I confess I would like to go ahead with this project, but one thing at a time....

Jim Tompson House on the Klong

The interior of the House, as no photos were allowed, these are postcards. But it is profitable to visit the site and know more about this lovely house and its owner: http://jimthompsonhouse.com/

I made a few 20 trips to Bangkok and I have so many good souvenirs of these voyages and I keep lovely miniatures as little treasures.

With all these I intend to do a little fruit and vegetable market - with photos on the walls of the Floating Market were these articles are sold in small canoes.

Floating Market - Bangkok.

Amazing selection of Thai fruits

Vegetables inside the typical thai baskets

My working space - Part II

2010-02-19T10:23:00.000-08:00

As I told you I have a long list of projets to be accomplished in my studio, but I work very slowly, and I´m affraid some of them will never be finished.

For the moment I have in hands the Country House (you can follow it in my blog) http://am-ambientes-em-miniatura.blogs.sapo.pt/ at the same time I will try to finish the "Fine Arts Gallery"

At this stage the shop is being organized by its owner

I decided to paint the ceiling inspired by the carpet.

Detail

Plan of the Chippendale chest, decorated with chinoiserie motifs. Materials: Acrylic gesso, acrylic paintings (not less than 10 layers) , and liquid gold

The chest almost finished

The Shop is already finished but I stopped here with the façade, because I´m not quite satisfyed with it, I wanted to maintain the colours I had inside, but I need to make a few changes.

Some pieces for the shop

Antique porcelain cup of tea

Two sets of silvery cutlery - scale 1:12

Detail of the original watercolours inspired on Portuguese landscapes

I would like to substitute the lamp and I balance between these two:

I would like to put this one and the respective table lamps that I bought from Mzia Dzamia in Spain, but it is too big for the space..

Welcome New Followers

2010-02-19T08:42:00.000-08:00

To my New Followers: Debbie - Casiti Mini - Vicky - Lara - Mags Cassidy - Ana Anselmo I send a little sign of the arrival of Spring here in the South. Today we are being presented with a little glimpse of sun.

Detail of the flowers of the Almond Tree, which are abundant by this time at the South of Portugal

And nice birds that came to our veranda:

A sparrow so cute but feeling a little cold I think....

Upupa - Nice bird with a crest, they are also abundant here at the south, I find them so beautiful
and suddenly I remembered that I had a pair of porccelain biscuit crests I bough several years ago in New York - Royal Worcester Porcelain

My working space

2010-02-18T12:18:00.000-08:00

I´ve been away from my studio since November, last year I worked hard for the Fair in Madrid , it was my first Fair, and everything had to be perfect, so I decided to rest for a while, now I hope to return to my studio next month, and start working.

I invite you to take a look.

Bellow a detail of a chest I decorated 30 years ago, and went to the studio for small repairs, by the time I made these photos.

All the furniture is from IKEA

On the wall an oil painting inspired on the Ancient Syria, on the table two shops and two greenhouses awaiting to be decorated.

Lots of materials which are not always so organized

Lots of miniatures and tissues inside the boxes awating to be used

Some of my brushes, and old china to be repaired, the dish on the right, was my first work done with modeling clay when I was 12, it is now broken and I hope to have time to repair it.

My garden outside the studio, but in the early summer, now I have no flowers, and hope they will show up again with the arrival of spring

Searching for good weather

2010-02-15T10:05:00.000-08:00

I came to the South searching for a better weather but we were not very lucky, we found rain, cold and strong wind.

This is "our" beach as we left it for the last time, and now I was expecting a long walk by the sea side, but I was wrong.

I profit to show you one of my oils inspired by this seascape.

Oil on canvas - scale 1/1 - year 2007

It´s easy to transform

2010-02-12T14:03:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I look at a piece of furniture not very graceful, and all of a sudden I realize that may be with a little imagination I may turn it in a really nice one.

The original in raw wood

Which I transformed in a console, making a good use of the lower structure, making also new drawers. After these changes I proceeded with the decoration which took long hours of detailed work. But for me the final result was worthwhile.

To match with the console I decorated a screen with oriental flowers painted over real silver leaf.

Another perspective and one of the special brushes I use to paint detail, they are made from feathers.

A welcome to my first Followers

2010-02-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

A special welcome to my first followers:

Mª Armanda Bryton, Victor Mateus, Josje, Cheryl, Tink, Lise and Synnove

For you all a rose from my garden

A Few former works

2010-01-29T07:58:00.000-08:00

Memories of China - Oil on canvas and collages

Also Cascais Bay - study on the place

Cascais Bay - Watercolor (special effect on the photo)

Now I would like to show some of my former works which you may also see on my other blog. As you can imagine one of my problems is that I like to work in a lot of diferent techniques. For me this is a problem because I have always lots of works to accomplish in my studio and sometimes I loose my self a lit bit
.

All these works are scale 1:1

Wood Box with découpage

Porcelain Boxes

Namban decoration over gold leaf on a tray

Decorative Painting - Tempera on gold - Namban decoration

Water Colour and Guache

Decorative Painting - Panel with Chinese Painting - Tempera on wood

Alfama - Old City - Perspective from an imaginary window

Oporto - Oil on canvas

study - decorative painting - tempera

A Few Techniques

2010-01-27T09:06:00.000-08:00

Another detail

Detail

A general vue of the project

The materials

One of these days a friend of mine asked me how I decorated the table for the project "Memories of Africa" because it didn´t look like découpage. Well the technique employed is very easy and it is called "Décopatch".

In découpage (which comes from the French word découper) you have to cut the motifs and glue them with the proper glue, and you can use any paper ( which needs always to be sealed before cutting), with décopatch you have to use the proper paper for this technique which is much more thin, and before you glue it on the support you have to tear it, (when applying it to miniatures you have to choose paper with tiny motifs and tear it also in tiny fragments.

But in this case I decided to cut a mould in paper with the form and size I pretended (a rectangle) then using the mould to help I cut the decopatch paper and applyed it with the proper glue, you may consult the site of this product http://decopatch.com/ and see more details.

Please note that I covered also the feet of the table, this paper is so thin that it adheres to all forms.

Finally I decorated a border with tempera, painting african motifs, and then varnished with Aquapro Varnish.

Dont´t you want to try? It is very easy and very decorative.

Large Paintings....... Miniature Paintings

2010-01-22T10:52:00.000-08:00

Oil on canvas with lacquered frame decorated with strawberries - scale 1/1

Oil on canvas - frame covered with silver leaf - scale 1/12

Oil on canvas scale 1/1

I love to paint in oil technique and sometimes I paint on scale 1/1 and others on scale 1/12.

I have several paintings in which I like to include laces but....they are painted on a black background , it is not very easy but I like to do it, besides this I don´t know how to make any kind of lace.

Some more pieces of furniture for the Fair

2010-01-21T13:21:00.000-08:00

Lacquered Commode, with chinoiserie motifs, and oil Painting on Canvas

Lacquered Screen - Inspired on the Paintings by Jean Pillement

Oriental Chests decorated on gold leaf

Country Chest - technique décapé

Lacquered Chest with chinoiserie decoration, complemented with an water-colour on chinese paper

Detail of the table

Decorative Panel and Lacquered table with Birds

Oil on canvas in "partnership" with Maria Armanda who made the frame and easel

Chest Decorated with Birds, inspired on a Chintz Tissue. Technique: Tempera over acrylic background

The Miniatures Fair at Madrid - Nov. 2009

2010-01-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

Side Table and Wall Screen decorated on silver leaf

Country Chest and Religious Painting

Oriental Lacquered Tray

Memories of Africa

Last November I went to Madrid with my friend Maria Armanda, to participate in Madrid Fair organized by Tom Bishop.

It was her who challendged me, and I accepted gladly knowing in advance that I had a "hard" work to accomplish. I spent 10 months dedicated to decorate these pieces of furniture during my free hours, yes because I have my Family life in first place.

But I had to keep apart all the works I had in standby in my studio.

LISBON - My City

2010-01-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

Fountain at Rossio

Portuguese tiles

Stained Glass

Another detail of the same fountain at Rossio

Fountain at Rossio

One of my paintings - oil on canvas - 1,20m x 60cm,. I love this perspective of the river and I went there often to take sketches inspired by this vue

Towboats on River Tagus

Beautiful Gardens at Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga

A Brasileira - Famous Restaurant and Tea Room

When I started this Blog I thought that I would like to include several posts dedicated to the city where I was born, now I live 25km from Lisbon, not very far, but sometimes I miss the life of the City, so this is a small contribution to the city where I was born, and I will profit the opportunity to share with you beautiful images that I like to collect.

After a Break

2010-01-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

Memories of Africa

Memories of China

Fashion Room

After a pause in the miniatures, in the following years I dedicated my self to Artistic Painting and took some time to teach Decorative Arts in my Studio in Lisbon.

But one day I was again attracted by this activity, when I entered a Miniature Shop in Brussels - la Courte Echelle. http://lacourteechelle.com/ . There I bought lots of miniatures and soon I created so many projects in my mind, some of them are already a reality and I keep them in my studio as pieces of collection.

The first Miniatures in my life

2010-01-01T10:33:00.000-08:00

These were my first projects in miniature, they were the final result of my studies at the Portuguese School of Decorative Arts. They are all hand Painted. Years 0f 1986 - 1987.

Country Room - Decorated style Bauernmalerei

Egyptian interior, all hand decorated, with colaboration of Dominique Postel in which concerns furniture. Year 1987

Neo-classic Room with the colaboration of my friend Dominique Postel in which concerns furniture. This project was also all hand made and decorated, ( for instance the tiles are painted on gesso supports). Scale 1/12. (year of 1987)

You may find more about these works on my other Blog.

New Year - New Blog

2010-01-01T09:21:00.000-08:00

I decided to create a new Blog in this New Year to gather a little bit of each of the other of my four blogs. When I started them I had in mind to separate my hobbies, now I´ve changed my mind and I think it is preferable to mix them all.

http://am-ambientes-em-miniatura.blogs.sapo.pt/ + http://am-artes-e-miniaturas.blogs.sapo.pt/ + http://am-bonecas-e-companhia.blogs.sapo.pt/ = http://ajourneytrhougharts-and-miniatures.blogspot.com/

But that´s not all, I would also like to share images of places and beautiful things that deserved my attention, all of them are part and influence my artistic life
.

1st Blog : Miniature Interiors

2010-01-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

http://am-ambientes-em-miniatura.blogs.sapo.pt/

2nd Blog - Arts and Miniatures

2010-01-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

http://am-artes-e-miniaturas.blogs.sapo.pt/

3rd Blog - My Doll´s Collection

2010-01-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

http://am-bonecas-e-companhia.blogs.sapo.pt/