The Woodpecker Cottage

A BREAK

2008-04-24T08:05:00.000-07:00

Dear friends I'm very sorry I havent updated my blog or replied your comments. Right now I'm just too busy to do it so I'm having a break. I'm very grateful for all of you who were worried about me. Happy spring!
Hugs Maria

MAD ON MINIATURES!

2008-02-03T04:19:00.000-08:00

Hello ladies,
Time flies! I've been soooo busy with my dollhouse project that unfortunately I havent had time for you ladies. Now I have to show you whats going on here so here are some photos for you.

The first photo tells you how someones rubbish can be someones treasure. I have used caps of the bottles here; the part of inside. Then print or search old magazines where you can cut pictures like these on the left and......

Tadaa! Plates are ready.

I had some leather at the storage and I used it for....

a briefcase.

also for the leather boots

A dollhouse isnt nothing without paintings dont you think. So I used old magazines and made the frames myself.

...aaah and spring is coming soon (I hope) so I made the daffodills. The material is called Fimo.

Then more frames, a white lantern on the left made of folio etc.

Here's the dolls pram closer.

...and here's a trunk

Hope you liked the photos. I can tell you there has been a hard work for doing all these. For example those leather boots and briefcase took me hours and hours and hours.... I dont know why this miniature world fascinates me so much. Somehow its so relaxing to concentrate on these mini things. It also teaches you the patience!
I'll show you my dollhouse after it looks better. It's on construction right now so after changing all those old tapestries and adding new floors, I'll show you my Victorian style rooms for you. Now I have to get some fresh air. Yesterday it rained and almost all the snow melted but during the night it started to snow again and it all looks very white and temptating for a walk. We have had a very mild winter so far and it looks to continue. Have a nice February!

SKATES

2008-01-06T13:28:00.000-08:00

Dear friends!
I'm so happy about your good wishes for the Christmas and New year. Of course my PC didnt want to co-operate with me and all my plans and good wishes were disappearing. When I finally got my repaired computer back I couldnt use my e-mail....had to wait new passwords before I could reply you and then when everything looked good and I was finally ready for updating my blog; I realised I didnt have my Photoshop programm here any more...Well, my boy had the CD but it didnt work....Oh NO! You can imagine how much grey hair I got during all this process!!!!

So you wont see any good photos sorry, but I try to manage some how.
Although Christmas is gone I want to show you my Christmas table. This Christmas the main color was brown. I've done all these flower arrangements.

Then remember my chroset work? Tadaa.....its ready!

Then something interesting. Do you have old skates somewhere but dont know what to do with them?
I used some paint and fur (not a real one)....

haa and what do you think about these...

or these...? Its so easy. Just use your imagination. There are so many possibilities.

Have a creative year!

SOUTH-FINLAND TODAY +7 C

2007-12-08T06:52:00.000-08:00

Wheres all that snow? ...yes, gone couple days ago. Actually there wasnt much but enough to make the days lighter. Almost all my Christmas mood disappeared with the snow but I have to do some Christmas decorations to get it back. Would you like to see my garden today? Here are some pics I took for you.

Whats this? Somekind of bud? Yes, its Helleborus. Unfortunately I have to wait a little bit cause I wont see the open blossom until April. The snow and frost will come back believe me. Did you know that Helleborus was the most famous Christmas flower 50 years ago. The people had them in pots inside. The finnish name is "jouluruusu" which means "A Cristmas rose". Isnt the name lovely!

Is there something else which loves this mild temperature? Look at my Rhododendrons. The leaves enjoy moist and rain.

Well, back inside then. I started to chrochet Grandmothers squares. Is it familiar to you? I'll do a waistcoat for me....Have a nice time my friends!

VINTAGE ETC.

2007-12-01T04:16:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!
Here are some new photos I've been taking just for you. Here's one display.

This is my window at the living room. Theres not much snow outside as you can see.

A little bit red of course...

and heres the latest find. Many of you have this too and I've been admiring them ever since. OOOh and now I found it. YES!

Thanks for stopping by!

I'M BACK!

2007-11-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

Hello guys! When gardening season was over I started to look around inside. Thats always how it goes....you need new curtains...new furniture....new wallpapers...at least a new tablecloth! I desperately need something to do inside so if I dont have a glue what to do I start to craft...or knit. Here are some examples I've done so far. I really recommend knitting for you, is there anything more relaxing than sitting by the fireplace and listening a good music? Find a lovely easy pattern and yarn and have fun!

Heres my kitchen window. I bought cheap Christmas Tree balls and glued them on the cardboard. I didnt want it to look too red or green this time so I added only neutral colors.

DECORATIONS OF FALL 2

2007-10-14T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hello bloggers! Here are the pics I promised to show you earlier. These pics are from the left side of my front door.
I have made some elves years ago but they didnt have a house. So this autumn I got an idea to build it. The bottom of the house is from a birdfeeder and the roof is a piece of a fishnet covered on moss. Maybe I should add a fence there too?

Here are some close up pics.

The younger elf is snoring....shhh..

Then back to reality. Heres one autumn pic I took a week ago while cycling with my husband to the town. This place is only couple hundred meters from the market place. I wish you all sunny and colorful days!

DECORATIONS OF FALL

2007-10-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

Today I want to show you my front door decorations. (The right side of the door). I'll show the left side later. I think the photos tell more than words so here we go.

Hugs Maria

SEPTEMBER

2007-09-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

HI EVERYBODY!
One finnish blogger called Inkivääri sent me a challenge: Take a photo of your blogging room or the view from your window where youre blogging.
Okay, here it is. You can see a part of my neighbours house and the woods. Also my pink Geranium is blooming.

I've bought a new grass called Miscanthus sinensis; common name Zebra Grass.
Doesnt it look funny? Do you have this too? You maybe think the grass has some kind of disease but no, the foliage looks like this.

Then the last photo is a birthday present to my husbands cousin. He will turn 50 years soon and has built a summer cottage. I think this suits there very nicely....I also made the heart. The material is lingonberry. (also known as cowberry or cranberry). Unfortunately the color doesnt stay green long.

THIS AND THAT

2007-09-18T13:54:00.000-07:00

Today is this and that-day. First I want to show you a heart I made couple months ago.

Then I continued my birdhouse project (and I still think this isnt my last one...)

I found my old frames and added the heart, ribbon, stars and moss. This is for outdoor.

...oh and how do a gardener know autumn is here? Well....useless watering can...and

empty hammock....