My name is Lorraine Cosburn
I am a seasoned miniaturist (maker and creator of fine dollhouse furniture and realistic miniature plants and flowers for collectors ) sometimes referred to by non miniaturists as 'crazy person' or 'obsessed' when it comes to miniatures. I have been lovingly creating, collecting, and hoarding miniatures for some 30 years now.
Being obsessed by miniatures is not a bad thing; it permits me to see the fascinating world around us through a different view than people who are non-miniaturists. Although I do have trouble understanding why anyone cannot see the wonders of all things tiny. But then again, we each dance to a different drummer. While walking, I am constantly scanning the ground around me, looking for tiny items that could be used in miniatures. This tends to leave my pockets full of tiny things to be inspected and classified how they will be used in the world of miniatures. Some end up in the bottom of the washing machine.
I love creating, love making miniature furniture, flowers, and accessories. I admit it! I am harboring an obsession, but it gives me great joy and allows me to see the world a little differently .
I have created this blog to share my love for miniatures, and to perhaps be able to share this passion with others.
I had this blog started back in 2012, with a couple of years worth of posts and pictures, and somehow it was deleted a couple of years back. Fortunately I was able to recuperate the posts, but cannot recuperate the actual blog. I hate computer stuff. In any case I have repeated some of the old posts simply because they still exist. And they tell a story.
Today, November 1st 2017 is the first day of my retirement. I am thrilled that I will have the time to post new items here on a regular basis. And so happy that I will be able to spend days at a time in my workshop, like a mad scientist, creating new little works of art, sometimes well into the early hours of the morning. What the heck, I have to work when the energy and ideas are flowing!
Back in 2012 when I started the blog, I was living in Quebec, married and working in an office at a job I really didn't want to be at. Things change, I left my job, left the marriage and in February 2014 moved to Preeceville, Saskatchewan-a rural prairie town that I had fallen in love with during a visit in October 2012.
Back in 2012 when I started the blog, I was living in Quebec, married and working in an office at a job I really didn't want to be at. Things change, I left my job, left the marriage and in February 2014 moved to Preeceville, Saskatchewan-a rural prairie town that I had fallen in love with during a visit in October 2012.
Post from July 18, 2012
Yesterday, one real 'dog day afternoon', while hiding out in my basement
workshop to escape the 37degree heat wave, I spent hours looking at
different miniature sites and drooling over miniature scenes and 'How
to's' and this morning I woke up with all sorts of ideas. The problem
is to organize all those ideas, and focus on only one. Absolutely
impossible - any respectable miniaturist that I know, whether an artisan
or collector, would never (NEVER) have only one project on the go at a
time. It is just unheard of. Part of the miniature madness is the
scatterbrained inability to focus on one thing at a time. Any true
blood miniaturist knows what I am talking about:)
So today I am going to make a (another) list, (Its another scalding hot day today in the forecast) look through all my ideas and 'to make in the future' Pictures, and come up with some tangible new projects to start when the heat lets up (of course projects that I started last week are not yet finished - Never mind)
Post from July 8, 2012
Its the
beginning of July and we woke up to one of those warm, balmy, beautiful
mornings, where everything smells like the earth and flowers - bringing
with it promise of a gorgeous day. I am sitting here on the deck,
relishing my first coffee, listening to the sound of bees, and asking
myself what could be better than this. We live in the country, albeit
not far from the city, but I am surrounded by sweet birdsong in the
trees on all four sides of the house. I cannot think of another place I
would rather be right now, and the idea of spending the whole day in
my workshop, planning, building, creating and generally doing what comes
naturally, leaves me with the particularly satisfying feeling that I
am in exactly the right place, where I should be. This is a feeling,
that at this time of my life, is constant when I am doing what I want
and need to do, and that is create miniatures :)
Here are some new pics of items that I have discovered out there, that I would like to make in miniature. One can spend hours and days even, surfing on the internet, finding treasures to create and buy. But these are a few that I will be working on in the near future.
Here are some new pics of items that I have discovered out there, that I would like to make in miniature. One can spend hours and days even, surfing on the internet, finding treasures to create and buy. But these are a few that I will be working on in the near future.
Of course, there is never a lack of ideas, only a lack of time, or the ability to organize my time.
Post from May 21, 2013
Hearing the birds singing their melody at 4:15am is probably one of the
nicest ways to be awoken (at least now that I am no longer working in
an office and can go back to sleep :) And being able to sleep with the
windows open now that it is milder is another little gift of spring.
There is a lilac bush just outside the window and there is the constant
heady scent of lilacs that drifts in through the windows and fills the
house with the sweet spring scent.
Spring inspires me to go into my workshop and create. Flowers inspire me to create. Green grass inspires me to create. Actually just about everything about nature inspires me to create.
In the last few months, I have spent more time on creating miniature flowers and plants than ever before in my life. Miniature flowers has become another passion, and I have to admit that I have been negligent with furniture making for a little bit - even though I still have so many ideas for furniture - some put down on paper already, and some still in my head. Winter is a time when I make and create most of my miniature furniture. For some reason, when spring arrived this year, I just had to make flowers and plants.
As one can see, I have been very busy.
In a fit of flower folly, I have ordered over the last few months just about every mini punch available on the internet, and the floor of my atelier is often covered with minuscule tiny bits of colored paper.(The punch often leaves tiny residues all over the place and who has time to clean up? - heaven forbid that someone should pass a vacuum in a miniature workshop! Hubby passed the vacuum once in my workshop, and I guarantee you he will never do it again. He has been banned from my workshop as long as he has any kind of sucking or blowing tool in his hand! :)
So the experimenting goes on, I spend a lot of time lately with my nose in flowers, trying to come up with ideas. Lots of time googling images of flowers and plants - here is one that I am tempted to try next. Wonder if there is a market for it hmmmm..........
POST FROM APRIL 1, 2013
To day is April 1st - I haven't been on the blog since I got back from Saskatchewan in January. I have been spending all my days in my workshop on 'intense' production mode, building up stock for the MEM show (Miniature Enthusiasts of Montreal) which took place last weekend (March 23rd & 24th). This show is an annual affair, hosted by the Montreal group. Many thanks to all the members of the club. As usual, a very nice show.
This was the first MEM show I have done in years, I used to participate as a dealer on a regular basis back in the 90's and it was a real pleasure to be back in the miniature show after all these years! Met a lot of new friends and old acquaintances too! Can't wait for next years' show now! As usual, I came away from the show with too many ideas - I will need a couple of lifetimes to make all the things I want to make.
Hello fellow miniaturists! Its been a while :)
I am now retired from office work! Loving it - don't miss the office one bit!
I have been away from the computer and away from my workshop for a few weeks; I took some time off to visit family in rural Saskatchewan. I had a wonderful time visiting and discovering a part of Canada that I had never seen before - Preeceville, Saskatchewan. I fell in love with the golden fields, and the endless blue skies.
Well, christmas is coming - I already have my two trees up, much to the dismay of H. But it inspires me, and makes me happy. Besides Victor loves to hide and sleep under the tree. He thinks no one sees him there.
Of course at this time of year I am busy creating for an upcoming Miniature show and for stocking my Etsy Shoppe ,but eventually I will have to get some christmas shopping done! One tip I can give to anyone who has presents to buy, is to check out the website ETSY. The shops on ETSY are filled with mostly handcrafted items (some Vintage) but what is wonderful about this site is that are made by unique artists from all over the world. I love browsing through the handmade items - and most of the artists are stocking up their sites now with the christmas rush coming, so there are always new items on the sites at this time of the year. One can find something for everyone on the site.
I have been trying my hand at making miniature christmas decorations, poinsettias and christmas wreaths. This takes a lot of patience for me, as working with paper has never been one of my greatest talents, wood being my favorite medium. But with time and practice I was able to come up with some very passable decorations!
(In passing, have I mentioned that I don't miss office work and am glad to be retired? :)
I am taking the time to dabble in Fimo foods, which is something I lack tremendous patience in. I wanted some foods to add to miniature scenes so I picked up some blocks of Fimo and starting creating. Fimo food is not that hard to create, but I simply do not have the needed talent for creating miniature food. My talents lie elsewhere :) But I tried anyway, I had lots of fun with it and here is a picture of the results! These cookies will look pretty good in a miniature scene anyway!
I have also been busy designing some new models of shabby chic furniture; its seems to be all the rage in furniture collecting - full size and miniature ; my own bedroom in full size is done up in shabby chic style.
Have to say again that I am thrilled to be retired from office work and am consecrating all my time to making miniatures!
Spring has arrived in full bloom; we are spending all our weekends
camping. We are surrounded by the sweet songs of birds during the day,
and the harmonic symphony of frogs in the cool evenings. I find I am
inspired more than ever to create. I have been taking along items to
work on during the calm warm afternoons we have been experiencing
lately.
I have started a new project, that is also a new experience for me and very dear to the heart. I am creating a wedding cake topper, for my son and his bride-to-be, who are to be married in July. Both are passionate bicyclists and wanted something symbolic to put on their wedding cake. So we came up with the idea to two decorated bicycles on top of the cake. So after searching for several weeks on the internet, I finally found the miniature bikes that were suitable and small enough to fit onto the top of a cake.
I will be decorating the bikes with white miniature day lilies and calla lilies, with a touch of white tulle and tiny white and sage colored bows and ribbons. I will be posting photos shortly as the project progresses.
Post from May 21, 2013
Spring is in the air!
Spring inspires me to go into my workshop and create. Flowers inspire me to create. Green grass inspires me to create. Actually just about everything about nature inspires me to create.
In the last few months, I have spent more time on creating miniature flowers and plants than ever before in my life. Miniature flowers has become another passion, and I have to admit that I have been negligent with furniture making for a little bit - even though I still have so many ideas for furniture - some put down on paper already, and some still in my head. Winter is a time when I make and create most of my miniature furniture. For some reason, when spring arrived this year, I just had to make flowers and plants.
Mauve Violet |
White Geranium |
Bouquet of Lilies
|
Lavender Plant |
Lavender sprigs with Sachet |
In a fit of flower folly, I have ordered over the last few months just about every mini punch available on the internet, and the floor of my atelier is often covered with minuscule tiny bits of colored paper.(The punch often leaves tiny residues all over the place and who has time to clean up? - heaven forbid that someone should pass a vacuum in a miniature workshop! Hubby passed the vacuum once in my workshop, and I guarantee you he will never do it again. He has been banned from my workshop as long as he has any kind of sucking or blowing tool in his hand! :)
So the experimenting goes on, I spend a lot of time lately with my nose in flowers, trying to come up with ideas. Lots of time googling images of flowers and plants - here is one that I am tempted to try next. Wonder if there is a market for it hmmmm..........
POST FROM APRIL 1, 2013
To day is April 1st - I haven't been on the blog since I got back from Saskatchewan in January. I have been spending all my days in my workshop on 'intense' production mode, building up stock for the MEM show (Miniature Enthusiasts of Montreal) which took place last weekend (March 23rd & 24th). This show is an annual affair, hosted by the Montreal group. Many thanks to all the members of the club. As usual, a very nice show.
This was the first MEM show I have done in years, I used to participate as a dealer on a regular basis back in the 90's and it was a real pleasure to be back in the miniature show after all these years! Met a lot of new friends and old acquaintances too! Can't wait for next years' show now! As usual, I came away from the show with too many ideas - I will need a couple of lifetimes to make all the things I want to make.
Post from November 12, 2012
I am now retired from office work! Loving it - don't miss the office one bit!
I have been away from the computer and away from my workshop for a few weeks; I took some time off to visit family in rural Saskatchewan. I had a wonderful time visiting and discovering a part of Canada that I had never seen before - Preeceville, Saskatchewan. I fell in love with the golden fields, and the endless blue skies.
Yes, those little brown spots in the field at the top left corner are BUFFALO! |
I
discovered that small town life was very attractive to me and something
that I might look very closely at as an option in the future! I found
the way of life was much simpler than large towns, and the people are
friendlier and more genuine than in larger towns. It might be due to
the fact that life is more laid back in smaller towns, people are less
stressed; but I think Preeceville is quite special in its own right and
is unique amongst other small towns. We have decided to go out there
to spend Christmas with my family, and it promises to be a very nice
occasion, with close family and their close friends. Apparently the
Ukrainian food is a real treat!
Did I mention that I don't miss office work at all?
Well, christmas is coming - I already have my two trees up, much to the dismay of H. But it inspires me, and makes me happy. Besides Victor loves to hide and sleep under the tree. He thinks no one sees him there.
Of course at this time of year I am busy creating for an upcoming Miniature show and for stocking my Etsy Shoppe ,but eventually I will have to get some christmas shopping done! One tip I can give to anyone who has presents to buy, is to check out the website ETSY. The shops on ETSY are filled with mostly handcrafted items (some Vintage) but what is wonderful about this site is that are made by unique artists from all over the world. I love browsing through the handmade items - and most of the artists are stocking up their sites now with the christmas rush coming, so there are always new items on the sites at this time of the year. One can find something for everyone on the site.
I have been trying my hand at making miniature christmas decorations, poinsettias and christmas wreaths. This takes a lot of patience for me, as working with paper has never been one of my greatest talents, wood being my favorite medium. But with time and practice I was able to come up with some very passable decorations!
(In passing, have I mentioned that I don't miss office work and am glad to be retired? :)
I am taking the time to dabble in Fimo foods, which is something I lack tremendous patience in. I wanted some foods to add to miniature scenes so I picked up some blocks of Fimo and starting creating. Fimo food is not that hard to create, but I simply do not have the needed talent for creating miniature food. My talents lie elsewhere :) But I tried anyway, I had lots of fun with it and here is a picture of the results! These cookies will look pretty good in a miniature scene anyway!
I have also been busy designing some new models of shabby chic furniture; its seems to be all the rage in furniture collecting - full size and miniature ; my own bedroom in full size is done up in shabby chic style.
Here are a few new models that I have come up with and have, or will be putting them up on my ETSY SHOP.
Have to say again that I am thrilled to be retired from office work and am consecrating all my time to making miniatures!
POST FROM AUGUST 11, 2012
Back
from London, and my son and his wife's wedding were a stunning
success! I have never before participated in such a grand event! A
beautiful, grandiose affair.
And because I didn't have time to post these pics before the wedding, here are the pics of the cake topper that I made for the event! They were a hit! My son and his wife are avid bicyclists, to say the least, and wanted something on their wedding cake that represented their mutual passion!
My daughter-in-law wanted lots of flowers, and the books on the rack represent her hard-earned doctorate.
My son wanted his bike tools included on the bike rack, and also his bike helmut.
POST FROM MAY 28, 2012
And because I didn't have time to post these pics before the wedding, here are the pics of the cake topper that I made for the event! They were a hit! My son and his wife are avid bicyclists, to say the least, and wanted something on their wedding cake that represented their mutual passion!
My daughter-in-law wanted lots of flowers, and the books on the rack represent her hard-earned doctorate.
My son wanted his bike tools included on the bike rack, and also his bike helmut.
Here are the happy couple and the finished topper! |
I have started a new project, that is also a new experience for me and very dear to the heart. I am creating a wedding cake topper, for my son and his bride-to-be, who are to be married in July. Both are passionate bicyclists and wanted something symbolic to put on their wedding cake. So we came up with the idea to two decorated bicycles on top of the cake. So after searching for several weeks on the internet, I finally found the miniature bikes that were suitable and small enough to fit onto the top of a cake.
I will be decorating the bikes with white miniature day lilies and calla lilies, with a touch of white tulle and tiny white and sage colored bows and ribbons. I will be posting photos shortly as the project progresses.