This past year has been a year of many changes.  We learned to occupy ourselves while isolating to protect ourselves and others.  Several Miniature shows were held online for the first time and I was able to browse shows that I don't think I will ever get to in real-life.  Many of us with Miniature interests found this isolation time well spent doing miniatures or other crafts we may have neglected in past years.  I, myself, spent quite a bit of time finishing my Beachfront Mansion, building some House of Miniature kits and starting a 1/12th scale Santa's cottage.  I also spent a lot of time designing dollhouse rugs and stitching some of them.  I am hoping this winter will be just as productive.  

Unfortunately, we lost a couple of our members this year, one to a move out of province and the other passed away.  We will always remember the contributions of Sue B and Mary Carolyne C with fondness and gratitude. 

We began a new online chat group for the OMEGA members and have been giving ourselves somewhere to talk about what we are currently doing - or wish to do soon.  I hope to be able to hear from all of you in the chat group over the next year as it is very nice catching up with everyone.  Maybe we can actually have a real meeting this coming year!

My hope is that we can all have a better year in this coming year and that life may start getting back to normal. For now, I will wish everyone a Happy New Year and cross my fingers for a better year.  

This year, due to Covid 19, the Gathering was held online for the first time on October 2-4.  Our member Pat M joined in the fun and festivities.  I saved this post for now, when we didn't have a lot of news after Christmas.
Here is what Pat wrote in:

I had a wonderful time this weekend. It was great to connect with many
mini makers. My workshop project is finished and I have a new pattern
for my next project - a 1925 washing machine.

I have attached photos of all my gifts and my finished Hoosier cabinet
(workshop with Sandra Quigley).

Pat

What a wonderful collection of gifts Pat received!  As always, her work on her project is amazing with a lot of attention to detail.  Great job Pat!

I was browsing around the web this morning and came across a Bunk rug tutorial.  I read it through and it is a pretty good one that explains Bunka and how to make miniature rugs with it.  Here is the tutorial:  Bunka Rug   Seeing the tutorial reminded me of one that I made last year. The photo above shows my little rug along with the pattern I used.  This rug is a copy of one that I did Life-sized in Rug hooking many years ago when I was having my first child.  I graphed the rug out for Petitpoint, then decided to try to make it in Bunka.  I used the pattern on the bottom left and traced it onto some thin, iron on fabric.  The photo on the bottom right shows the rug finished, just before I trimmed off the edges of the fabric.
Bunka rugs are easy and fun to do and a great project for the upcoming long winter days.  Hope you have some fun with it!
​Stay safe, everyone.

This week I received a wonderful package from Marg L that she sent out to everyone in our group.  In this package were some supplies for making little flowers.  It was a terrific surprise to open my mailbox and see this envelope.  I raced into the house and opened it right away!  I haven't had a chance to start my flowers but Pat M. did hers and sent in this photo.
Here is her description of the photo:

"This is a photo of the chair and foot stool that I recovered for the shabby chic house.  The flowers are from our "kit" that Marg sent out. I found the water jug pattern on Pinterest. I used moss for leaves, collected from the cottage this summer."

The chair, ottoman, water jug and flowers look great Pat!  What have you done with your flowers?  Send me some photos and I can put them up here.

Missing all of you, hope to see everyone soon...

Miniature making encompasses so many real life crafts and ideas that we can never really get bored with miniatures.  Last week, Pat M contacted me with a photo of a pillow that she saw and wanted to stitch.  She asked for some help making a pattern for the little pillow.  I got to work with my stitch program and came up with a chart for her to use.  Below is Pat's pillow stitched for miniature on 22 count canvas using the pattern I developed for her, with some modifications of her own.  Wonderful work Pat.  I like your pink flower better than the one I charted!
​So many of our regular crafts can be translated into miniature - woodworking, crochet, knitting, pottery making, weaving and tapestry, sewing, quilt making... the list is endless.  What crafts do you like to do that you have translated into miniature?

Pat M sent in these photos of a wonderful little 1/12th scale mini lace pillow and lace that she made this summer. Aren't they fabulous!?  Do you have any projects you would like to show all of us?  I would be happy to post them here and we would love to hear from you.  Hope you are all keeping well and are keeping busy during these times.  Our meetings are suspended until further notice as the church where we usually have them are not be allowing groups in just yet.