It's been a while...

For those of you who don't know, I've since moved house and had another child! I've spent a wonderful year of being an at home mum enjoying the pleasure of watching him grow up. However, it's time for me to get back out there in the real world.

Over the next few weeks I will be working on the website again and getting the shop up and running selling beads and craft supplies.

I look forward to chatting with you all again!

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15 Thanksgiving Craft Tutorials For Children

I have some American Mum friends and I thought they might like some tutorials that were aimed at children ready for Thanksgiving.

Please visit my website to view 15 Thanksgiving Craft Tutorials For Children.

Is there a subject you would like tutorials on? More miniatures coming soon...

2 New Thanksgiving Miniature Tutorials

Just a quick post to tell you that I've added another two tutorials to the Thanksgiving in miniature article from yesterday. One is a pumpkin cheesecake and the other is a cake with the American flag.

Enjoy!

Dolls House Miniature Thanksgiving Tutorials

I'm not American but I have American friends who love dolls house miniatures. I decided that as Thanksgiving is just around the corner that I would put together some tutorials to make 12th scale items for Thanksgiving. I shall do an article on general Thanksgiving related crafts on Monday.

Please click here to view some Thanksgiving miniature tutorials over on my website.

Tutorials: How To Make Your Own Advent Calendar. Over 40 Tutorials!

I figured as December is upon us that it was time to start thinking about advent calendars. Whilst hunting for a full size one to make for our family, I stumbled across some dolls house miniature ones too. Here are the links:

1. 12th Scale Printable Advent Calendar by Victoria Stitch

2. 12th Scale Printable Advent Calendar by Stello's Mini Stuff

Anyway, I then got onto full scale tutorials and have found over 40. Please enjoy my article entitled 40+ Advent Calendar Tutorials over on icklebits.co.uk

If you have one to share and would like me to feature it, please visit my facebook page and upload a link there, or comment below.

Clarification and 30 dolls house miniature tutorials

Firstly I thought I should clarify something. In the 6 years that I took a break from making miniatures, I got interested in other crafts. In that time I've found a lot of tutorials ready for the day I decided to open the site again.

I've had an email from someone who was disappointed that the wreath tutorials that I published yesterday weren't miniature. I will alternate the tutorial posts with miniature ones for all the loyal readers from 6 years ago. Don't worry, I've not gone off miniatures!

So, the article yesterday was 60+ Autumn Wreath Tutorials but todays is miniature related. So please check out 30+ Dolls House Miniature Animal Tutorials

60+ Autumn Themed Wreath Tutorials

I got a bit carried away looking at tutorials for wreaths. This post started purely because I was looking at Christmas ones and then went off on a tangent with Autumn! I'll save the Christmas ones for another day...

Please click here to view 60+ Autumn Themed Wreath Tutorials

Tutorials: 10+ Dolls House Miniature Winter Warmers

I'm in a dolls house miniature mood at the moment so apologise for yet another collection of tutorials on the subject! I am making a stew for our dinner tonight so was inspired to put together a collection of tutorials for stews and soups to make with your polymer clay.

Please click here to view the article on the website: Tutorial: 10+ Dolls House Miniature Winter Warmers.

10+ Dolls House Miniature Food Cane Tutorials

I've been updating the site with dolls house miniature tutorials for fruit and veg this week. Whilst I've been looking for them, I found some great fruit and veg cane tutorials. I have put some together for you to look at and try. Please click here to view the tutorials on my website. In the 10 years I've been making miniatures, I'm yet to make a kiwi!

I am putting together a pinterest board for tutorials. To keep up to date with them before they get added to articles on the website, please click here and follow.


Visit icklebits's profile on Pinterest.

30+ Tutorials: How To Make 12th Scale Fruit

I've put together some tutorials for you showing how to make various fruits in 12th scale. Click here to view.


If there are any fruits that aren't there that you would like to see, please comment below and I'll try and find you them.

Enjoy!

An Update. icklebits Tutorials Are Returning!

Well, its been an absolute nightmare of a year! My website got hacked earlier this year, the back up on my external hard drive was damaged and then the back up by the host was corrupted too! I lost years of tutorials, photos, products, text, articles etc. Absolute nightmare.
I walked away from it for quite a while but this last month decided it was time to face the facts and get rebuilding. I've changed a bit since you last saw a blog post. I now cater for all crafts with regards to the tutorials. This is due to me trying out new crafts in the 6 years I've been doing the Mummy thing.

The shop that will be launched in 2015 will stock Dolls House Miniatures, the miniatures that I made, beads, craft supplies and my own die cuts. Unfortunately due to all the mess of earlier this year, I'm having to rephotograph, measure, describe and list everything. This is why I say it will be next year.

I'm all over social networks now too. Below are some links:

Join icklebits on Facebook (icklebits)

Join icklebits on Twitter (icklebits)

Join icklebits on Pinterest (icklebitscrafts)




I shall be adding more tutorials daily to the website. Pinterest will be where I share random tutorials that I find BEFORE they appear in blog posts on the website. Anyway, it will be great to hear from you all again and I look forward to reading your comments.

Donna

The return is on the horizon!

Well helloooooo!

My little angel started school full time this week and finally I can sit in my (newly furnished and decorated) office. I never had an office at the old house (unless you count an under stairs cubbeyhole). However, I now have a room! A whole room! I've also finally found time to fire up the laptop for the first time in 4 months.

I have a to-do list as long as my arm and my right leg but I'm determined to be up and running (and selling!) by the New Year. It feels so good to finally be able to throw myself back into icklebits without any interruption of "Muuuummmmm!!!!". (No offence to my little one of course)

So, my plans? Well, they're far too big and time consuming to be honest!

Firstly icklebits has evolved. You knew it as purely dolls house miniatures with a twist, paper plates and dolls house tutorials.

Well, over the last 2 years I've been slowly adding tutorials for ALL crafts. My shop will be selling off the miniatures that I've made over the years. I will also be selling beads,jewellery making items, other craft items and the ever popular miniature paper plates. Do people still want them I wonder. You've all patiently waited 5 years so have no doubt found new suppliers. ;-)

Anyway, as you can imagine, that is an awful lot to do and as I sit here at my new desk, in my new office, I ask myself.....where do I start??

Temporary Site

Whilst I'm building the new site at icklebits.co.uk you will find the tutorials at icklebits.com. I've built a temporary site there whilst the new one is being built.

Yes, there is a lot missing but you will still find over 1000 tutorials and video tutorials.

To keep up to date with the progress of the new site please sign up to the newsletter. You will find that on the top right of the screen at icklebits.com

Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Any questions please email me at admin@icklebits.co.uk

Big changes at icklebits. YOUR input required please

As you know,, I've been busy building a new site. Well its nearing the time where I need to move it in to replace this one. This would mean shutting down icklebits for the period of time that I make the move.

I have tried every which way possible to fix the error with the present site and I can't do it. This is why I'm rushing forward with the new site.

However, I need to work out how much of an impact closing it for 3-6 months will have on my members.

Some of you have galleries. Do you get visitors? Would you miss it majorly?

If desperate I can move your galleries to icklebits.com. This would obviously take me a few weeks but it can be done. Please note this would eat into the new site building time. This is why I really need to know how much your gallery means to you.

What about the tutorials? I haven't added new ones for months but how often do you use the existing database?

This won't affect the blogs. My blog for updates would move to here

The new site will have thousands of tutorials for ALL crafts. It will launch with those in the next 3-6 months. Then after that I will build up the business database, calendar of events, articles etc.

To follow next year would hopefully be an auction site, classifieds and even a website where you could meet fellow crafters.

So, another question...what would you like to see on the new site?

I do hope you can find the time to give me your input. I've always valued what my members think of the site and I'd hate to disappoint. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. I aim to please! :-)

I look forward to hearing from you as usual.

Donna
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Two New Tutorials!!!

Two new tutorials!!!!!!!!

Bet I made you jump suddenly appearing out of nowhere after all this time?

Thanks to our new member Jazzi, we have two new tutorials to share with you. Jazzi has even included downloadable patterns and instructions which I'm sure you will love.

Click here to view the tutorials.

A little update on me. Charlotte starts preschool this week so I can put all my energy into building the new site and getting the shop open again.

If you haven't signed up to the newsletter yet please do by visiting and registering at www.icklebits.co.uk It's free!

See you all soon and thanks once again to Jazzi. :-)

Donna
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Where have I gone?

I'm sorry that I forgot to put a post in here updating you. At the moment, I'm busy building the new site and rebuilding a shop to sell beads, jewellery making items and digging out my remaining dolls house miniatures stock.

This is to be launched next year. To keep updated please register for the newsletter at www.icklebits.co.uk

Don't forget there are still over 1000 tutorials at www.icklebits.co.uk to keep you going.

Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

No internet access

Due to moving house I have been told it will take aound 14 working days to connect me. I shall reply to any emails on my return.

I apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Please also click here to read about future developments at icklebits.

Tutorial Challenge Results #4 - Jewellery

Sorry about my absence. For those of you who don't know the latest news about icklebits going static for a while, please read the following article: **IMPORTANT** - Going Slightly Static For A While *update*

Tutorial Challenge #4 has just gone live. Check out the Jewellery tutorials by clicking here

Usual blurb at the end of each post:

Do you have a challenge to set me for a theme of tutorials? 300 whopping icklepoints to any that I use.

e.g Cakes, Garden accessories, vegetables, scenes, dolls, techniques etc. Email tutorials@icklebits.co.uk please

Do you have a tutorial, project, tip etc that you wish to share? Please email me at tutorials@icklebits.co.uk

View over 900 tutorials at http://www.icklebits.co.uk

All change at icklebits...

As you may have seen this weeks newsletter is considerably shorter than ever before! The reason for this? I took a break last week from icklebits.

At present we're going through a house sale and I'm also expanding icklebits. This means I'm building a new site which will be dedicated to all crafts, not just miniatures.
Also due to lack of alone time I can no longer make miniatures as you know. I had hoped to make paper plates again but in the months since saying it, I've found it impossible to start. However, due to us moving I need to start earning money!

To do this, I've started importing beads and jewellery making supplies. It is a quicker and easier way to make money than making time consuming miniatures. When I move I shall have a proper office (yay at last!) and when Charlotte turns 3 later this year she will be off to nursery for a few hours a day. I will also be selling any remainder of my miniatures stock (including odd bags of plates!).

This means of course that tutorial hunting for icklebits miniatures website will have to take a back seat for a while. Especially when we physically move house next month! To be honest, I'm making myself ill trying to juggle being a mum, housewife, running icklebits, designing new site, pricing and photographing beads and also moving house...

The tutorial-hunting internet time needs to be reserved for building the shop I'm afraid. I shall still update photos for your galleries, open new blogs and galleries, answer questions, newsletters etc. The only thing that will change is no more new tutorial updates. I won't be writing many new articles myself (any you submit will be published), updating events or finding lots of new tutorials (you have nearly a 1000 to keep you going!)

However, I made a promise to one of our members that I would find some tutorials on making dolls house miniature jewellery so I shall do that over the next week.

Once the new shop is up and running then I will be back to tutorial hunting....I'm just not sure when that will be.

I've set up a gallery of products so far. There are nearly 250. These will be for sale in an online shop as soon as the new site is built.
To view the gallery click here.
To be notified the second the shop and new site goes live, please click here and then "Subscriptions". Then choose "Beads" (please make sure you are logged in first)

This has been a big decision that I've agonised over and I'm really, really sorry to let you all down. I truly hope you understand.

Please stay in touch at facebook and by email: donna@icklebits.co.uk 

How To Wallpaper Your House...and also some advice please.

Today on icklebits you should see on the site an article by one of the icklebits members (Terry) about how to wallpaper your dolls house. Terry also asks your advice...Can you please help her?

Usual blurb at the end of each post:

Do you have a challenge to set me for a theme of tutorials? 300 whopping icklepoints to any that I use.

e.g Cakes, Garden accessories, vegetables, scenes, dolls, techniques etc. Email tutorials@icklebits.co.uk please

Do you have a tutorial, project, tip etc that you wish to share? Please email me at tutorials@icklebits.co.uk

View over 900 tutorials at http://www.icklebits.co.uk