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Saturday, January 1, 2011

The New Year in Russia...

Well, not exactly "in" Russia. I just got back to work on the Russian cottage this morning. It's Walter's birthday and he is going to play golf in weather under 30°. I am staying inside where it's warm and cozy. I think that that makes more sense.

The first thing that I did this morning was paint the orange bead with antique copper Folk Art paint. It is going to need a few coats, but it looks pretty good. I have to hunt up the other bead that size. Tessie is already whining that she doesn't have samovar. "Why does April get a samovar and I don't? You like April better than me...."

You know the routine. Now I am just waiting for the paint to dry.

While waiting I hunted around and found the Faberge egg and the hedgehogs that April claimed on Christmas day.

The egg was a kit that someone gave me years ago. I have never had any place to use it, so it spent a long time in one of the printer's drawers on the wall of the workroom.

After looking at it, I am thinking of trying a few of my own. I am not sure what the original egg was made of, but I don't see why I couldn't use poly clay to do that part.

The stand is a couple of jewelry findings and the decoration on the sides is just a very small finding and a stick on "diamond". I suspect that that was originally a fingernail decoration.


I did find the balalaika. I had put it in the leftovers basket. Not a good place for it. It did survive though.

The hedgehogs started out as kittens made from pussy willow seeds. At least I was calling them kittens.

When April saw them, she imediately christened them hedgehogs. She is right. They do look a lot more like baby hedgehogs than kittens. Poke the photo if you want to see them closer.

The only serious work that I have done this morning is...I finished bricking the foundation. As soon as the glue is a little dryer, I will use a ball stylus on all of the seams and then paint them.

I guess I had better go back to work.

Happy New Year!!!
See you tomorrow.

10 comments:

Andrea Thieck said...

LOL - your hedgehogkittens look so sweet. That's something very special Cassie has to care for now. Do you think, she will do it properly?????

Caseymini said...

Andrea, Tessie doesn't get the hedgehogs. They will go with the Russian cottage, to April. I guess that April will be responsible after that.

Debbie said...

•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ★ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆
╔╗╔╦══╦═╦═╦╗╔╗ ★ ★ ★
║╚╝║══║═║═║╚╝║ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆
║╔╗║╔╗║╔╣╔╩╗╔╝ ★ NEW YEAR ☆ 2011!!
╚╝╚╩╝╚╩╝╚╝═╚╝ ♥¥☆★☆★☆¥♥ ★☆

Lucille said...

Happy New Year, Casey. Looking forward to your 2011 creations. Thanks for all the helpful tutorials.

miniaturista said...

FELIZ AÑO NUEVO
Maite

Merri said...

Happy New Year, Casey! Looks like you're off to a rousing start! Love the hedgekits, lol. Did Tessie make any NY resolutions? Wait, no..she'll just say it's hard to improve perfection, right? LOL.

marlies said...

Happy new year too and lot of good health!
Hope to visit your blog more often this new year!
* marlies

Claudia said...

Happy New Year, Casey! You've been busy!

xo
Claudia

KathieB said...

Happy New Year! I noticed that Tessie has two vertical lines between her eyebrows. My friend the Chinese face reader says that indicates two children. I hope for your sake that Tessie's kids are well away from Momma's apron strings and don't feel compelled to visit her!

Caseymini said...

Kathy, Tessie has no children. If she did have any, she would probably misplace them and forget where she left them last, so it is probably a good thing..... Consider Spike and Theo her two "lines". LOL