New Member - M'Lady

[MLady]

Hi,

My name is Christine and I'm new to the forum. I've been peaking around for the past week and didn't know I was supposed to introduced myself until a new friend mentioned that she just did. I thought, "Uh-oh...!" I, too, apologize if I "did it incorrectly!" :jump:

I had no real intention of participating on the scale that I already have, but everyone here is so incredibly nice... It's just amazing to be a part of something so special. Thank you to all who have made me feel immediately welcome. Your houses are absolutely lovely!

I've been an avid fan of miniatures since I was nine years old when I first saw my great aunt's doll house. I was allowed to sit alone in an upstairs guest bedroom in a chair opposite something I had never seen before. Stunned, I simply sat and longingly gazed at this most fascinating masterpiece while the adults visited downstairs. I never touched a piece (I was told not to =) ), but walked through the entire house with my eyes. I was intensely amazed and the experience somehow touched my soul in a way which helped mold some of my lifelong passions and hobbies. Since then, anything miniature has been instantly recognized as a wonderfully magical place to visually visit (and sometimes escape!).

When my children were small, I yearned for something to help fill the endless hours through the nights while I kept watch over my oldest child who was ill. After considering it for a few months, I finally bought my very first (and very inexpensive!) doll house kit. My first doll house has now been deconstructed and is ready for remodeling with PaperClay. It will be my first attempt, so we'll see how it turns out!

I got back into mini's in late September (after a very long break) when my son was deployed to Iraq. I needed something to fill the long hours waiting for his return home later this summer.

I have four room boxes now (two still under construction), three houses (a range of busy-ness on each one), and a large masterpiece that my hubby and I are currently building. (Yes, it's been a VERY busy five months... :whistle: I wouldn't recommend it under the circumstances!) I've never had someone participate with me in my doll house fascination (except for my enthusiastic wee children!), let alone build along, so having to share decision-making on the style of windows, colors, etc.!, is quite an experience for me (!), but also an adventure I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. Yes, my hubby is my best friend!

BTW If you happen to see a very short-statured gent (wearing a red, pointy hat) roaming around, that would be mine. He's totally harmless, although he is known to stop at nothing to make me laugh. Yup - I'm keeping him!

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this... We appreciate it so much.

Warmly,

M'Lady

[Gayle]

Welcome to the forum

[newt]

Hello, and welcome, M'Lady!

please imagine that i'm tugging at my forelock, curtseying, bobbing, and looking at the floor whilst politely smiling behind my hand.

:whistle:

[Peachie]

hi and welcome to the forum

[BlueUni47]

Hello and welcome

[wenlaine]

Hi Christine, Welcome to the forum to you and your DH both. It's great to have you here.

[TinyJudi]

Welcome MLady. It is wonderful to have you and your Gnome here with us.

[Hallowell]

:whistle: WELCOME :jump:

[havanaholly]

Welcome, Mrs Gnome (AKA Christine) to our "little family" on the web.

It's just amazing to be a part of something so special.

Dean and Tracy and the Greenleaf folks work very, very hard to make this such a nice place to visit and share our mini passions & interests.

Your houses are coming along beautifully and your little pink princess is adorable. Most of all we are so grateful to your son in Iraq and the other sons & daughters in Iraq & other hot spots.

[MLady]

Hello!

Thanks so much for all your sweet and wonderful welcomes!

NewToMinis, your curtsey is most graceful! {You must have practiced for many hours!} I must admit I have laughed so much this morning (ROFL); I don't believe I will be getting the unexpected images of webbed feet out of my mind easily! Oh my word!! LOL ...and Yes! I have my hubby's namesake (written by Poortvliet/Huygen) right here!

I'm recognizing some of you as I quickly jump to view a few of your Galleries. I'll need to take time to peak at everyone's! Oh, Welaine! You were the very first person to come by and view our Profiles. I've been all through your site before and want to say HOW much I adore your work. I was thinking as I was looking at your Orchids how much I am becoming an adrenaline junky. I have to admit that your wicker work is just... amazing... And finally (!!), I saw a closeup of your avatar! (I'm always clicking peeps avatars in an attempt to LoOk at the picture! I'll say that I have been to many Profiles because of this! haha) I absolutely love your Van Buren... I hope one day to be able to capture a sense of reality as well as you have created. It's like I can 'hear' the peace and quiet in your house. Your staircases are incredibly grand... {big sigh} I'll be visiting, again!

TinyJudi, your stone work and wood trim on your fireplace in your Glencroft is just amazing. Wow... It's really breath-taking! I can't wait to go back again and again (I'm sure, any time now, Webshots is going to be asking me for some $$ for the time I spend on their server looking at peeps' pix!). And thanks for the tut on the flower. I have so much Fimo taunting me to try again. My first attempt... wasn't pretty!

Greg, I have seen your kitty EvErYwHeRe but never had a moment to peak in on your sTuFf... I love "It's Coming"... And the staircase with the bad kitties? I think I've died and gone to Adrenaline Heaven! ...so very cute, and gorgeous mini work! I'll be back!

HavanaHolly? I remember seeing you when I first signed up. A few days, I later I was reading this most interesting post on using paint w/spackle (I hope this is correct!), and they referred the inquirer to YOU, the Queen of Spackle!! I didn't know who they were speaking of until LaTeR! haha I love it, and am going to attempt it! TY!!!

I can't wait to get to know each of you more, and learn about your creations. What a FuN place to learn, and ~absorb~ (and OOH! and AWE!) and be encouraged! Havana, thank you for your note about Doug! I'll say, if he doesn't return home soon, I'm going to end up with three cats, four dogs, a cockatiel, and seventy-one minis!! I'm exhausted already! :wine:

Warm embrace to you all! TTFN

Christine

PS HH?!?!?! YOU're comparing YOUR masterpiece with HiS tAbLe?!?! ROFL! I'm hesitant about encouraging him! LOL His table is... is... lacking. LOL I've suggested sturdier table legs :whistle: and he just won't have it!! hahahaha :jump:

[Minis On The Edge]

Hi There Christine! Welcome to the Neighborhood!! I was so excited a 2 weeks ago when yousent me pictures on how you decorated the Orchid you got from me (Heathers Cottage) I am so inspired and am in awe at how you decorated that house so beautifully!! Were did you get the bed? I also LOVE that bathroom set, where did you find one to fit that small area so wonderfully?

I love it, I really really do!

[Shakyshaky]

Hi and welcome!

[Ms. Mini]

Welcome Christine! its great to have you and your hubby here with us :whistle: this is a wonderful community/family here and we are glad to have you! I cant wait to see how your paper clay turns out! i just used paper clay for the first time on my emerson row and im very pleased with the results.

again, great to have you here!

[jeninky]

Welcome to the forum you will love it here!!!!!

[wenlaine]

Hi Christine. I knew when I had visited your website that your Orchid was familiar but I was confused when you mentioned you had never done paper clay before and then realized that can only be our Tracy's work. She is amazing and works wonders with paperclay. I'm very excited now to see how you've decorated it.

You're very sweet and I thank you for the kind words!

[CJEP]

Hi and :welcome: ! We are glad you have joined!

Carrie

[kokkie]

:welcome: Hi Christine,

welcome and thanks for those lovely foto's you put in your gallery, I am jealous...............

[Missymew]

Hi and welcome. Looking forward to chatting with you.

-Susanne

[The Gnome]

I can't wait to get to know each of you more, and learn about your creations. What a FuN place to learn, and ~absorb~ (and OOH! and AWE!) and be encouraged! Havana, thank you for your note about Doug! I'll say, if he doesn't return home soon, I'm going to end up with three cats, four dogs, a cockatiel, and seventy-one minis!! I'm exhausted already! :yay:

Newsflash, M'Lady... Yer a wee past 71 already!!!

PS HH?!?!?! YOU're comparing YOUR masterpiece with HiS tAbLe?!?! ROFL! I'm hesitant about encouraging him! LOL His table is... is... lacking. LOL I've suggested sturdier table legs :welcome: and he just won't have it!! hahahaha

<<POUT!!!>> My tables cool.. just wait until I figure out how to make a stool! Yup... you are in trouble!! She won't have a place to sit there will be ...so..many... oh, wait... :popcorn:

[queenannediva]

Welcome Christine glad you are here!

Valerie

[Shy Spirit]

M'Lady, thou art a most welcome newcomer to this community. Thy gnome may find a pleasant spot for his workshop under yonder GreenLeaf. 'Tis a popular meeting ground for all our brethren. May we share many tales in the days to come! Fare thee well, M'Lady.

[nuttiwebgal]

Welcome to the community!

Im so glad that another couple has joined forces to make wonderful mini creations!

I will have to say that the job you did on decorating your Orchis was MAAVOOLOUS Dalink!

I look forward to seeing more of your ideas and projects come alive!

nice meeting both of you...

nutti :welcome:

[SuuS]

Hi M'Lady

Welcome to the forum, your house is lovely :welcome:

Suus

[mamie]

Hi and welcome :welcome:

[MLady]

Hello everyone! All of you have been so sweet and just wonderful! Thank you for taking the time to write and making us feel so welcome!

Tracy, thank you for including those hyperlinks on the bottom of your personal emails. If opening new doors to people is your desire, I can attest it works! I'm thankful I decided to venture over here once more to check it out. And I'm glad we became members! We've met so many incredibly gracious and humble people. The vast amount of expertise and experience here is overwhelming. I'm unsure if we couldn't find at least one person who knows something about something we'd want to try out. I appreciate everyone's willingness to share, too. It feels like an instantaneous extended family!

As far as the bathroom furniture... Well, it was simply a trial and error discovery. I have two extra sets that didn't work out (either from the wrong fit or because the look wasn't right). Notice, too, their are essential pieces missing. It's a tiny powder room!

I found the bed from a lady in either the U.S. or England. I loved it the moment I saw it and knew it was meant for the cottage. I also wanted to know how it was put together and with what kinds of fabrics.

Tink/Ms. Mini? I'm really looking forward to seeing your clay!! After reading your entry, my hubby was ecstatic! 'I can't wait to see yours! You need to just start!' ...ooOOh the pressure! =) Actually, if you're pleased with yours and it's your first attempt?, I'm actually looking forward to it, a little bit!! I failed so miserably on the polymer clay, I'm a little hesitant to begin another clay project!

Psst, Jen? I know what you mean!! I'm already feeling that!

Wendy, thank you for your sweet note. I'm sorry I confused you! Let me make this soo clear, I will be SUCH a beginner at PaperClay, I'm four steps behind the class! I tinkered with polymer class once for about 30 minutes, and the results were reeeeally bad! I've been wanting to ask... have you ever provided a tutorial on your wicker, or do you know if there are tuts or books out there? I am simply impressed why your artistry!

Hello Carrie! I've seen you and your calico around a lot. It's nice to finally meet you!

haha Hello Kokke! We've seen you around before! You've made us laugh at some of your comments. It's great to meat you! I've not been to your Gallery (and Carrie's as well as a few others!). THIS I will be doing! Your little avatar is awesome!

Hi MissyMew and QueenAnneDiva! LoVe your pets!! MM, you're one of our very first people we bumped into. I mentioned your AV to my hubby and thought your cat was sWeEt! WHAT is she holding?? =)

Jackie.... =) (curtsying very low and holding for a long moment). Thank you for your lovely welcome. I've seen your nursery, sun room and nurse and what lovely and detailed work. Your plants are wonderful (LOVE the calla lillies) and your nursery is sooo sweet. I can't wait to pick up the book you mentioned. Thank you for sharing it...

Hi Suus! Every time I've seen your kitty, my breath has been taken as if my heart has skipped a beat. If she (he?) is who you've chosen as your AV, I can hardly wait until your Gallery is up to see it. ~Welcome to you~, too!

And Nutti??? We've seen your posts everywhere. =) You have great insight and are always so helpful. Thank you for sharing so much, and especially, thank you for your kind words.

Thank you to each of you for your sweet notes of encouragement! Just a note, our daughter :welcome: flew in last night for her 21st birthday on Sunday (!!!). I don't know how much we'll be available in the next couple days, but want you all to know, we're just thrilled to be here... ~THANKS, again.~! Have a mini fantastic Friday!

Warmly,

Christine