That Cat Lady
This is my young at heart, shopaolic, miniaturist cat lady, surrounded by her beloved cats. She just came back from Cape Town Miniaturia Guild fair, and she is dead tired and broke. As soon as she came back home, she kicked off her high heels, poured herself a glass of cold wine, and started going through her bags to remind herself of all the fun she had (and to see where all her money went!). See the few coins next to her handbag? That is all she has left after all her shopping. The cats are up to no good, but our cat lady is dreaming off all the new projects she will start this year.
During her August 2005 workshop in Cape Town, Dana Burton brought along lovely hard to find fabrics and trims to sell, as she knew how sought after it would be here in South Africa. After we have ambushed her and bought up almost all her stock, a few baggies with floral cotton fabric was left. She gave each one of us at the workshop a piece, and challenged us to dress an old lady doll, or do anything else with it.
At the September 2005 Cape Town Miniaturia Guild fair, I bought a doll kit from Jenni Matuszek. By now I felt I had the confidence to put the kit together myself, as well as doing the dressing and wigging. I also bought a few resin cats, as I had this picture in my mind of an old lady surrounded by her kitties.
During her August 2005 workshop in Cape Town, Dana Burton brought along lovely hard to find fabrics and trims to sell, as she knew how sought after it would be here in South Africa. After we have ambushed her and bought up almost all her stock, a few baggies with floral cotton fabric was left. She gave each one of us at the workshop a piece, and challenged us to dress an old lady doll, or do anything else with it.
At the September 2005 Cape Town Miniaturia Guild fair, I bought a doll kit from Jenni Matuszek. By now I felt I had the confidence to put the kit together myself, as well as doing the dressing and wigging. I also bought a few resin cats, as I had this picture in my mind of an old lady surrounded by her kitties.
Dressing the old girl wasn't too difficult, as I did a lot of sewing BM (Before Miniatures!). Wigging her was a new experiece, as it was the first time I've tried to do short curly hair. I also tried out my new draping skills with her skirt. (I used "Aleene's Stiffen Quik" for the draping).
I made her a chair, using a pattern from American Miniaturist magazine. Then the fun started!
I have lots of little bits I made, bought or received in swaps, and I was able to use much of it in this project. The cross stitch samplers on the wall were swaps I received in 2001 from Elizabeth (Australia).
I made her a chair, using a pattern from American Miniaturist magazine. Then the fun started!
I have lots of little bits I made, bought or received in swaps, and I was able to use much of it in this project. The cross stitch samplers on the wall were swaps I received in 2001 from Elizabeth (Australia).
I made a roombox, and used wallpaper with a cat border on the walls (Minigraphics Purrfect
Kitties).
Kitties).
I made the sideboard with working drawers, in a workshop with Bill de Pinho, the green runner with tassels (pattern by Alice Zinn, in the first issue of American Miniaturist), the piece of knitting in progress, and the hat. The handbag is by Joan Dawes, the vase with Peonies by Lesley Klopper, and the book was made by my friend Elke Skinner from Illinois. Its a miniature copy of a real book (titled "Elke") she had as a child in Germany.
The magazine rack was made by Melinda Meade from Sydney, Australia, and the basket on the bottom shelf of the sideboard, by Heather James.
I made the cupboard with the 2 wicker drawers in a workshop with Rob Ferracini, at the CT Guild.
The lovely round Imbuia table in the corner, was made by Herman Stindt, and the shoes by
Joan Dawes.
Joan Dawes.