Belly Dance Workshop with Jillina!

I have certainly been busy!  I had scheduled a belly dance workshop with the lovely and talented Jillina the same weekend as the Tom Bishop Show.

I booked the workshop (3 lessons of 2 hours each) last July, so it has been a darn coincidence that the two events ended up being at the same time.  I had to renounce to one of Jillina's lessons to be able to go to the miniature show; I have been very sorry to have to do that, because the lessons were beyond awesome.

It was so much fun, and we ended up learning two choreographies of about 3 minutes each.  But it was less about what I had the opportunity to learn and more about the good vibes, the energy, the sisterhood and being able to dance and chat with such magnificient dancer. 

I had been wanting to do a workshop with Jillina since I found out about her (circa 2005).  When I lived in the US I never had the opportunity to do so, and thus this has been a long dreamed moment. It was well beyond my expectations.  I did not have a moment rest in all the weekend (and the following week I was exhausted), but I ended up so so happy that it was very worth it.

I also had the chance to buy some DVDs from her, and I heartly recommend them: Immortal Desires, Dark Side of the Crown and Oriental Choreography with Jillina.

Taken when the last workshop finished :)

Very looking forward to the next belly dance workshop, whenever it is!

Tom Bishop Show!

My mom and I went to Tom Bishop Show last Saturday morning.  And it was awesome, as always. 

We met a lovely woman and her son.  She told us that she had to be on sick leave this year, and that that made it the perfect moment to start her dream of having a dollhouse.  Of course, she was ecstatic when she saw all the beautiful things the show had to offer her.  We hope we can met them again next year.

Here are the treasures I brought home.  These are a pair of DIY kits from Nalladris:

An enchanting greenhouse from Minis By Angie:

It even opens!

 A pitcher and a pillow from Pilar Alén Miniaturas:

A lot of bowls and glass bottles (for the soap shop), and planters (to make plants for the greenhouse) from Chic Dollhouse:

A couple of jars for the soap shop from Viliaminiature:

A lovely pair of domes from 64tnt Miniaturas:

I am still unsure about what to do with the empty one

And I could not let the show pass without visiting Beatricce Miniaturas.  My mom gifted me the caramel-colored jar:

Some of them are already in their final place.  Others, I am still thinking about.  Have you been to any shows lately?

A marvelous gift

A couple of weeks ago, one of my classmates at the belly dance academy I go to dance and I engaged in a very animated talk about dollhouse miniatures.  My classmate, Cris, said that she and her sister used to make miniature hats out of antique and vintage materials; they even went to sell them as far as Japan, and they were part of several Tom Bishop shows, although they stopped making miniatures and selling them many years ago.  I was so very impressed, and asked her to let me see some pictures of their work.  She asked for the link to my shop to see mine.

She sent me some pics, and what I saw left me speechless.  What beautiful works of art!  I have zero talent to sew, so making clothes and other accessories is something I cannot do.  Likewise, they both were impressed with my minis.  Her sister wanted some maps to put in one of her scenes, so I made them for her, and included as gifts a couple of tiny button cards with pearl buttons.  And a couple of days later, Cris sent me a text saying they were gifting me with one of their hats.  And she sent me some pictures; and I was in awe:

The hat and the box are already on Kassandra's bedroom; she is ecstatic with them, as she loves antiquities and vintage clothing.

I will cherish this gift as something precious.  Cris told me that she only has gifted two hats in her miniature career: one for an old classmate, and one for me.  Needless to say, I was so very honored.

Thank you SO much, Cris!!