miniature Archives | The British Craft House

Watendlath Lake District cottage with bunting and tree

Hello from Cumbria, where, ironically, we actually seem to have avoided all the snow! The usually wettest place in England, is currently not wet at all.

I thought I’d try blogging here after joining a British Craft House workshop the other day, where it was recommended.

My name is Nicola, and I create miniature Lake District cottages right here in Cumbria. I used to sell in the two Cherrydidi shops, in Keswick and Ambleside, but unfortunately they closed down, which put an end to my shop sales. Since then I’ve stocked with another couple of places, but sales are slow and shop rent is expensive, so I’ve moved online, using Etsy first and now The British Craft House, which seems a good fit for my handmade products.

My work has also been slightly slower than I’d like due to being a carer for 2 of my 3 children (a teen and an adult), so there’s a lot to fit in with school meetings etc, around attempting to sell my creations.

My background is in traditional animation (I have a BA Hons), so I love a whole range of creative activities, and have recently tried making some silver clay products too, which I hope to add to my shop soon – watch this space.

Anyway, must go for now – the laptop is needed for my daughter’s homework!

Thanks for reading.

Nicola

I love buildings – preferably old ones, a little tumble-down & time-worn, built for working people by working people from the materials at hand.

I love details – a wooden door, blue shutters, red roof tiles, ricketty steps.

Put the two together and it’s no surprise that I have been inspired to make detailed miniature buldings, inspired by some of the old architecture of France.

In Provence, the ‘mas’ is a traditional farmhouse which was built from inexpensive local stone & wood. It was made up of a kitchen & bedrooms for the family, storerooms for food & animal feed as well as shelter for animals on the ground floor.

These buildings have a wealth of details which I use when making my miniature houses – highlighted by small splashes of colour, textured glazes and intricate modelling.

The mas of Provence always faces to the south to give protection against the Mistral wind which blows from the north. Also because of the Mistral, there are no windows facing north, and on all the other sides, windows are narrow to protect against the heat of summer and the cold of winter.

If we can’t visit France at the moment, or have the luxury of owning a ‘mas’ of our own, then a miniature version is a pleasant substitute.

Bonne journée mes amis!

Tag: miniature

Hello!

French farmhouses as inspiration