Tuesday 6 September 2011

Day 276-Home In A Handbasket

31st August, Bedtime 

Dear Diary,

I weaved you a home today, one that is just big enough to hold you snugly with a wee bit of room left to fit Dollie so that she can keep you company. 


Two old friends kept safely together in a handbasket and going wherever I go. Mama need never nag me again for leaving you or Dollie lying around the house, always asking if anyone has seen either one of you.


It was not easy weaving this handbasket (2 handled and 8 ribbed). Until this one, I have only been weaving single handle, 6 ribbed frame baskets.


Making the handles was really tricky and I did such a messy job trying to lock the 8 spokes to the main frame. I nearly threw this basket away because the handle and rim binding was so ugly. 


It was Mama who came to the rescue. She brought out two white paper flowers that she bought from JJ market 2 years ago and showed  me how to stain the flowers with coffee to give them a rustic feel. She then told me to fasten those flowers with some gum onto the ugly binding so that we could hide the untidy weaves. 


It didn't turn out too badly. Although it is still far from perfect, at least it is no longer ugly. 


And it is really nice knowing that you both are safe and close when I am sleeping. Now let me kiss you both goodnight and place you back in your home. I will see you both in the morning. 

57 comments:

Susanne said...

Okay, okay, I´ll say it once more: I just adore your sense of details! Great basket and great cupboard by the way...
;-0)
Love, Susanne

rosanna said...

Oh dear, she is such a sweetie! There will be a queue when she will grow up enough to get marrie ;o)
Lovely work my dear, the basket is wonderful, I love it to bits ad I cannot spot any defect.
Talking about bags...did you receive my small parcel? let it go in July , it must have gone lost.
I'll write to you soon, thngs are getting bette here, one piece at a time :o)
Minihugs Rosanna

Margriet said...

I'm glad you didn't throw the basket away, it's lovely with those flowers. And don't we all have to hide something not so perfect sometimes??? ;-)I know I do!!! Hugs, Margriet

The Old Maid said...

BEAUTIFUL basket!!! Again fantastic detiles, Sans!

carmen said...

que preciosa cesta!!

Maria Ireland said...

Its a beautiful basket. The flowers are just perfect on it. You have such a great talent for showing your things to perfection. Hugs Maria

Eliana said...

This is a fantastic basket, very beautiful! I really like the flower decoration.
Hugs

BiWuBär said...

This is hard to believe - how could this beautiful basket ever have been ugly??? Neverever... It's so nice the little girl now has a place for her diary and her dollie, a kind of treasure-basket...

You always take my breath away with your work, your talent and your outstanding storytelling. Did you ever check my Sheherazade-theory? I bet she'll be found somewhere in your family tree... ;O)

Greetings
Birgit

Lataina said...

I love your baskets Sans, and this one is no exception. It's another beauty! I also really like the tied bundle of books. =)

Rosamargarita said...

Sans! tu diario debe estar feliz por esa pequeña cesta! es un encanto.
Un abrazo

Daydreamer said...

Lovely, Lovely LOVELY! What a Beautiful basket.... a lovely variation on a theme... And for this little girl who I KNOW is a Dreamer too.... :)
I particularly love the photo that shows the cabinet and the Alcove above it.... so Beautiful! Really, as usual, I LOVE all the photos!
Forgive me, my words are brief... I'm off to bed now.... too tired.... going to sleep and dream of baskets and tiny books and sweet words in a diary..... and Beauty in the Simplest things! Thank you, Sans!

Dark Squirrel Victoria said...

Beautiful basket Sans! I love the stained flowers on the handle and the pictures so full of color.

Hugs,
Victoria

Alison Shibata said...

Wow! Happy to see that you're weaving again...addicting, no? I'm anxious to weave anything but am working on stocking the shop :)
>3 Alisan

Plushpussycat said...

Hi Sans! I love that last photo of the whole scene so much! It is perfection itself! The pookalam-like painting on the wall is amazing!

Drora's minimundo said...

To me this basket looks perfect, handles, flowers, story and photos. Visiting your blog is a real pleasure.
Hugs

Katrina said...

All your scenes (all colors, all details...) are so adorable. I love your style. Minihugs Kati

Kim said...

ah- I love it! I also fail to spot the imperfections- but if I did it would make me love it more because imperfections are lovely too.

Unknown said...

I couldn't in my wildest dreams weave a tiny basket so beautifully, so even without the lovely tea stained flowers it looks beautiful to me. And what a perfect cupboard-I want to rummage through it. Since I'm late to your wonderful world, do you have close-ups of the interior? It looks like magic to me.

I once tried to knit with pins, nothing fancy, just a scarf, but it turned out too much for me and my fingers. So everything you weave is a wonder.

Norma Soulet (AZArtist) said...

Hi Sans,

I love that basket! You did a great job!
Hugs

Ana Anselmo said...

I wish I could do a basket like yours!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be a happy "girl" LOL
hugs

Norma Bennett said...

It's absolutely adorable!! I agree with Ana, I wish I could do a basket like it :)

Kathy said...

I love the basket!!! Will you help me how to make the!!! I love them very much!!!

Flor said...

Sans Ü ¡Es preciosa la canasta!!!Y como está decorada ¡Muy linda!
Un beso
Flor

Unknown said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog and your lovely comment. Your blog is very beautiful. I'll come back soon.
Hugs from Craftland

Sans! said...

Kathy O-O, the tutorial for the frame basket is here at : http://sansdollhousediaries.blogspot.com/2011/02/day-231-frame-baskets-for-gathering.html.

I believe it is quite easy to follow but let me know if you need further help. :)

Sans! said...

Ello, Susanne :) Thank you, Susanne :)

Sans! said...

Rosanna, I am not sure if she wants to marry :). Haha

Sans! said...

Margriet, I always say "good thing there's a mistake, now we can make it unique by making something to hide that mistake!"

Sans! said...

Thank you, sweet Ewa!

Sans! said...

Muchas gracias, Carmen!

Unknown said...

pfft, it gives it character! i am loving this one! been on a basket/flowermaking kick lately too, methinks you have influenced me much :P

dalesdreams said...

Beautiful basket and the aged flowers are the perfect touch. :)

Piikko said...

Sans, your basket is perfect!!! I also would like to have one. Maybe I'll try your tutorial when the winter and dark days comes. If I ever manage to make one ready it'll make me very happy in those long sunless days. Sans, also this time your photos are beautiful♥
Hugs, piikko

Sans! said...

Maria, it warms my heart that you like my basket.Thank you!

And may I share a tip on showing off the things you make? A good white light for photography ;).

Sans! said...

Eliana, I think your little grocery bag is wonderful too. You did a darn good job with that and the things in it.

Sans! said...

Birgit, Sheherazade indeed! I only wish :).

But have I ever told you that my mum is a great storyteller? I started reading story books only when I was about 10. Till then, my supply of fairy tales and folklore all came from mum. If I am really a good storyteller, it must be her gift to me cos I sure didn't get her big eyes or her dimples or her tiny tiny hips. :)

And thank you,my friend, for those heartwarming words. I don't care that I may not deserve them cos they make me Hippy Hippy Happy! :)Don't mind me, I talk silly when I am happy :)

Sans! said...

Lataina, 1000 kisses to you for noticing the tied books :). It took my clumsy fingers quite a few tries to get them right :). I like my books readable but it also meant that they don't close properly. Stringing them up is a good solution, me thinks. :)

Sans! said...

Rosam, si no está ya tan bueno en el tejido de estas cestas, yo he hecho una:). Pero la suya ya están mucho mejor que la mía!

Sans! said...

I hope you are awake now, Bets! It must be 3pm over where you are because it is 3am here! O boy, tomorrow is breakfast day with family which means waking up early.

Were your dreams sweet like your words? If they are every bit like the words you leave me, you'll never want to wake up!

So thank you dear friend.

Now is my turn to turn in for the night :).

Sans! said...

Vic, just have to thank you before I run off to bed. :)

By the way, I miss your stories. When are they coming back?

Ascension said...

Que seria de nosotras sin nuestras mamas........?
Siempre estan, aunque sea para pegar con "chicle" las flores de las cestas........jejejeje(me ha encantado el detalle)
Son una verdadera maravilla, son tan coquetonas!!!!
Me encanta visitarte me sirve para "desestresarme", leo, disfruto de unas preciosas fotos y de una musica genial.
besitos asc (de acuerdo puedes llamarme asi) jejeje

Sans! said...

Ali-san! I spent last night rusting and weaving a bit. The last basket was taking me forever , still not happy with it. Sighhh...I miss stitching too but time, o time, wherefore art thou? By the way, I just found out that Shakespeare meant "why" when he used "wherefore" and not "where". haha..so I guess I should say
"time o time, wherefore are thou, time? So short?" lol

Sans! said...

Jen, I found this S$1 wrapping paper of the pookalam-like motif at a fairly posh departmental store. Wrapping papers make great wallpaper for dollhouse. So easy to apply and distress.

Sans! said...

Drora, having you here is a greater pleasure :). Happy Thursday!

Sans! said...

Thank you so very much Kati! :)

Sans! said...

Kim, you couldn't have said it better. Imperfections are lovely.

Perfection is boring so henceforth, I want to be known as The Imperfectionist. So say the one who can never get it right. haha :)

Sans! said...

Now Amy, I can't in my wildest dream, imagine how you can't micro-weave. I am convinced , in fact I know, weaving a mini-basket will be a breeze for you! I can't even knit or crochet with normal size needles. I think that's why I didn't appreciate knitwear for the longest time. Plus the weather in Singapore is mostly scorching.

And knitting with pins??? My goodness. You sound like Cindy who tatted using her hair. :)

Sans! said...

Thank you Norma S :)

Sans! said...

Ana, I will chop off my fingers *gulp* if you cannot weave something like my basket. You will probably do it better. Now, you better don't make me chop off my fingers!

Sans! said...

OMG, Norma, of course you can! You guys are like way better than me with your hands.

Pleaaaaaaaaaaase, get rid of those pies in your pantry, they make you way too humble.

Sans! said...

Yo Flor:). Lindo es bueno:). ¡Gracias!

besos

Sans! said...

I shall wait with bated breath till your return, Craftland

Sans! said...

Cindy, saw your baskets with the fruits. Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuving them
<3<3<3

Sans! said...

Dale, don't say that, not perfect lah! teehee :).

Sans! said...

Dearest, sweetest Piiko, do try the baskets. I make them more often because this, and stitching are some of the few mini-ing I can do in bed. I once tried to do some rusting in bed and you can imagine how messy that got. A few tiny globs of glue and loose paper is way better than dirty brown stains on your sheets. My only good lamp is next to my bed you see. So if I feel like working at night, that's where I go. I can't weave for long though. Hurts after about 30 minutes.

Sans! said...

Asc, a veces elijo las canciones y pienso "hmmm, se Asc o Ewa gusta esta música?". Los dos siempre me escriben gracias por la música. :) Me encanta que mi elección de la música es muy apreciada. :)

besosssssss y abrazosssssss

Miniature Patisserie Chef said...

The basket is beautiful!! Awesome!

Pei Li

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