Free printable! Ballet calendar 2024

Happy holidays!

Long time no see!  It's been some time since my last entrance.  I have been busy with work stuff, preparing a belly dancing showcase, and also sick with COVID.  Both hubby and I caught it at the same time.  Thank goodness we were not that sick, and we were fully recovered in about 2 weeks.

So how about a little mini to celebrate the holiday season?  As each year, I am happy to provide a calendar for your mini scene.  And as always, with ballet scenes, because ballet goes with every decor.  Here is the link to the printie.

The picture that is featured in the calendar (which is special to me) is not included this year - I chose some new ballet pics I found on the internet.  However, if you like that particular pic, you can find it in last year's calendar printie.  For the pages I used the Print a Calendar website.

 

Feel free to print as many as you like, make gifts for friends and pass the file along to anyone; links back are nice too.  Just please do not sell the file or your creations.  Thank you very much, and enjoy! ♥

New Magictail skin! With extra fins!!!

Wow, I am so, so excited!!

Three weeks ago I went to take a look at the Magictail website, to see if they have something new that I could fancy.  Well, apart from the fabulous Marina Pro that will be mine someday, I was so surprised to find that they offer now tails with add-on fins!  

I was hooked.  The good thing about this feature is you can send them your previously owned Magictail and they will incorporate your chosen fins - this option is certainly cheaper.  But I was worried that my fabrics would not match, and that it would be a kerffufle to send my tail and get it back - it can always get lost in transit.  Besides, it was a good moment to get a new Marina skin, which was my first and most beloved tail.

And so, I ordered a Marina with hip and dorsal fins.  You can also add lower fins, but I chose to omit those.  Why?  Because the Magictail monofin is very bulky at the ankles, and I wanted to draw attention from it using the other two sets of fins.  You can get just one set of fins, or any combination of the three.

It took a little more than a week to ship, but I already knew that as it was specified at the time of purchase.  It arrived today in the mail, and I am over the Moon with it:

Front view; hip fins.  Monofin was inserted

Detail of the dorsal fin

Back view

The colors are absolutely out of this world.  It has changed a lot from my last Marina Magictail.  The fabric is not shimmery anymore, and the black/grey hues are totally gone.  Now we have vibrant blue and purple hues everywhere.  The scale design is also different - the scales are less rounded and more elongated:

Scales detail

Fluke detail.  Notice the difference in colors.  The fluke still has the extra fin tips that look gorgeous while swimming

The fins are not just a piece of fabric attached to the tail.  It actually has some kind of thick fabric insde - you can squeeze them, and they are mushy.  The fins have consistency and they keep their form.  However, they are not rigid; they are bendable and will not cause harm or inconvenience while sitting.  I cannot wait to see how the dorsal fin looks while swimming!

I have tried it on for the size - I got an L.  It fits me perfectly.  Another thing that they have modified is that the waist now has a pull cord to adjust the tail to your waist, so it won't slip down while swimming.  I have never had that problem, but I guess some people did when the tails got stretched after a lot of use, and they took that into consideration:

This time the tail did not come with matching bikini top and bottom - if you want those you have to get them separately now.

In any case, I am eager to try it out.  Hopefully I will be able to get some pics and maybe video next week.  I'll keep you posted!

My work featured in a book!

I had a surprise today when I found one of my old creations featured in a book!

The book in question is "How to be a vampire", by Amy Gray.  I was perusing the book and was so surprised when I found one of my wedding ring pillows (the ones I used to sell on my shop on Etsy) in page 79:

See the red pillow with ribbons and black leaves? That's mine!

I have absolutely no idea how this picture of my pillow got to be in this book.  I searched the book for pic references, and it only states that all pics (with some exceptions that do not include mine) come from Shutterstock.  So I guess that my picture got stolen at some point.  Which totally sucks.  But oh well...

Here I include the original picture I took of the wedding ring pillow when I put it up for sale, and the modifications that I made so it would look better on the listing:

Original, taken outside on a bright morning

Modified picture that I put as main on the listing

As you can see, they match exactly.  

Well, it is still as surprise that my work was interesting enough to be added to a vampire guide.  I feel honored!! ♥♥

Scene: Beach wedding book nook

A new scene finished!  This time, it is a wedding beach scene for a couple of friends that got married last summer.  

I started the construction almost the same as the First Communion scene, but with slightly different measurements, because I wanted to add more decorations and needed extra room.

The easiest part was cutting some pieces of black foamboard for the walls, floor and celing:

Next, I tried a sand wallpaper for the floor.  The idea was that the wedding is taking place inside a tent, but since it is in the beach, there is no need for hard floors.  I liked the effect very much:

Very nice sand color!

Checking if I have enough space for the decorations...

Next, I mounted the structure of the "tent":

Then, I started wallpapering the sides and the back.  For the back I chose this beautiful picture from Evona´s shop:

Super pretty!

The rest, as you can see, is just white paper:

Then I started the work on the table that would hold the wedding cake.  I bought a chess table very cheap.  When I got it, I already knew I was going to paint it white.  I assumed that the chess board was a piece of paper glued to the table.  I was wrong!  It was actually painted it, and my white spray paint did not cover it:

Oh my, what to do?  No worries!  Since it is a beach wedding, I thought of adding a nice tile board on top.  I simply printed it on cardstock, glued it and applied a layer of Mod Podge to make it shiny, as tiles are:  

Love the Mediterranean vibe!

Vòila!  No trace of the chess board!  The tiles come from Pixelmarket's shop (she was nice enough to feature my table on her listing!).  Time to check the progress:

So nice!

Love it!

It took me a while to retake this project (two bellydance shows, the remodeling of Kassandra's bedroom), so now the pictures are scarce.  But anyway, the only thing to do was decorate the ceiling.  I found a very cute tutorial on YouTube to make hanging jellyfish, so I made two.  And I decorated the walls with some posters celebrating the newly wed couple.  Also, I added some battery operated LED string lights that my mother gave me, leftovers from a Christmas tree that she did not want anymore:

So, I finally attached the ceiling and covered the outside walls with a tropical leaves wallpaper:

Looking good!

I also purchased a kit to make wedding boxes and bags, from the shop of Odin's Miniatures, and finally, the scene is finished:

Lovely boxes and bags!

The happy couple's names are on the wall ♥

Love that cake!  And the bouquet! ♥

So, so happy with how it turned out!

Review: Anastasia's necklace and earrings

Many of us have watched the animated movie Anastasia - or if you are lucky, maybe even the musical.  I have only seen the movie, and was hunted by the beautiful songs and the magic of a story that sadly, never came to past.  

As my interest for props used in movies is never ending, I wanted a replica of Anastasia's necklace - the one she used to open the musical box that her grandmother gave her.  As the movie is an animated one, the take on the necklace is an approximation.  However, I was lucky enough to find one that caught my attention.  The seller is LAcchiappasogni, from Etsy.  This is the exact necklace I bought.  I chose it mainly for the colors of the crystals and the size of the actual pendant.  I also chose a length of 65 cm and a type 3 chain.  Well, was I surprised when I received the package:

Look at that tiny Eiffel tower charm in the box!

 The packaging was done very carefully, and with great attention to detail.   I was enchanted by the Eiffel tower charm.  After all, it was "Together in Paris"!  I kept it and placed it on a shelf in my dollhouse.

And look at that!  The seller included a little gift in the tiny envelope.  A pair of clover earrings  So cute!! 

Now, back at the necklace.  It is simple gorgeous!  It is made with Swarovsky crystals, and you can tell by the way they shine and reflect the light.  The chain is very dainty and delicate, and also reflects the light beautifully - just like the one in the movie.  And of course, there is the engraving "Together in Paris" in the back of the pendant:

I am very happy with it.  I think it is a very well researched piece of jewelry.  It is obvious that there is a lot of care in the making of this necklace, to make it as screen accurate as possible.  That said, I would not give this necklace to a child smaller than 15-16 years old.  Playing with it would probably ruin it, as it is meant to be just worn and not handled too much.  

I also got a pair of earrings that Anastasia takes to the ballet:

 

I chose them with the silver setting.  They require pierced ears, as they close with a stud.  They are perfect.  They are not heavy at all, and are simple enough to be worn frequently or with any outfit.  They really look like a pair of icicles, and they shine beautifully!  They do not really scream movie accessory, and that makes them even better.  Good for ice princesses too! 

I highly recommend both of them!

Ceiling for the bedroom installed

Today Kassandra and I finished installing the ceiling in the newly refurbished bedroom.  She chose a white, decorated ceiling - actually, the same as she installed in the living room.  It took us very little time to put it in place:

Before...

... and after

 

Simple yet elegant.  She is very excited now to get some decorations for the walls.  She says she is expecting the delivery of a new night stand, and a mirror.  

In the meantime, I guess we will be looking for some pictures to hang...  Once they are installed, we will be putting up the lighting again.

New furniture for the bedroom, and free printables!

This weekend Kassandra and I have been busy getting ready her new shelves for the refurbished bedroom.  We had a great time assembling them - she said this was her first time assembling furniture, and she thought it was a lot of fun.

She has decided to go for an Scandi look, and this was the first one we did:

Can you see the assembly guide on the floor?

"Thank goodness for illustrated instructions!", she said.  "I thought we would be having to go through technical names, and I am terrible at that."

"Yes, it is true that this furniture is very easy to put together.  Are you going to use it as is?"

"Oh no, I got some storage boxes for it.  What do you think about them?"

 

"Always black with you, my dear!  But I really like the dotted one!  It gives a pinch of informality to the set."

"Yes, I think so too.  Let's start with the second one!"

And said and done, this was the second shelf:

"Very nice!", she said.  "I like the simplicity."

"Let's put it in place."

"I love it!  I'm so happy with my new bedroom!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fantasy apart, I love that these pieces are so similar to a real life ones from a very well known Swedish  shop.  I am very happy that we can find modern looking furniture for modern settings.  You can find them already painted (I have seen them only in white), or in untreated wood (like mine).  I painted them white, obviously.  I have another set in my Japanese room.  In that case I painted them black.  You can find these kind of shelves at Beautifully Handmade.  

Also, the storage boxes I designed myself specifically for these shelves,  inspired by the real counterparts.  So, if you have these same shelves, I am happy to share with you the free printable to make them.  Also, if you are a devil for the details as I am, here is also the assembly guides printable.

As always, feel free to print as many as you like, make gifts for friends and pass the file along to anyone; links back are nice too.  Just please do not sell the file or your creations.  Thank you very much, and enjoy! ♥

Renovations! Kassandra is at it again...

I was afraid that this could happen... Kassandra was very excited last time I talked to her.  She said great changes had happened in her life, and wanted to do some renovations at her new place. 

"What is it this time?", I asked.  "The floor in the ballet studio?"

"No, my dear.  A bedroom renovation.  And I can't wait.  Some days ago I purchased a new bed, furniture and linens.  So we need to get this done this weekend."

And as it could not be any other way, I agreed to help.  We started by tearing off the old wallpaper - that crypt wallpaper that she had liked so much, and I was skeptic to put on - and started installing the new one.

It was sad seeing the bedroom like this...

... but we started working very excited to see the results

"This is a change from your usual choices", I said.

"Yes.  I have noticed that my own tastes have changed recently, and this is more atuned to my new style."

Left wall finished

It's starting to look good...

"For the last wall, I am doing something different.  I am using a mural with birch trees.  To break the monotony and provide a different visual effect."

"Wow.  You seem to have been studying interior decorating."

"Ha, ha, not really!  I just saw this wallpaper and liked it very much.  I thought it would be an interesting addition.  Let's see how it looks."

"Well, I think it looks fantastic, Kassandra!"

"Thank you, dear.  We are only lacking the floor.  Luckily, it won't take us long to install it.  I cannot wait to see the whole room finished."

"Very nice!  I'm assuming the wallpapers and the floor come from you usual sources?"

"Oh yes!  My friend Ana provided them.  And Jessica Cloe did the birch forest.  Let's put the new bed in place!"

"Oh, that is very nice!  Where did you get it?"

"It was made for me by Joann, of ZJMiniatures.  She is fantastic making furniture.  My sofa and ottoman are also from her.  I love her style!  The bed linens come from her shop too."

"I assume you are not going to use your old furniture, right?  It will look out of place in such a modern setting."

"Of course not!  I have bought two cube storage shelves.  I already have them, but I have to paint them in white.  And today I ordered a new nightstand and miror."

"I can't wait to see your new decoration!"

"Well, give me some days.  I think you are going to love it..."