Cleopatra and Morticia United in Miniature!

Those of you that watched and remember the Addams Family TV show (the black and white one) might remember little miss Cleopatra. She is Morticia's beloved African Strangler. (And for those of you wondering I have no idea if an African Strangler is real). Cleopatra was raised by Morticia from the time she was a little seedling. Morticia actually had Cleopatra before she even married Gomez so they have quite a tight bond. Here you can see them in the new conservatory together (ignore the unfinished windows) smiling at each other! I think Morticias avoiding a 'hug' though...Cleo was handcrafted by the oh so talented Jayne of Tallulah~Belle Originals! Jayne contacted me asking more about Cleopatra and said she was interested in trying her out! Well in a panic of excitement I offered to do a swap with her (because no way would I be able to resist the Addams Family plant made by one of the best mini-plant-makers out there!) and she agreed. I am working on her swap as we speak but I won't say what it is yet!

Thank you so much Jayne! She is just the most perfect picture of what Cleopatra should be!! And Morticia is thrilled so that has me thrilled as well! These pics just don't show off the detail that Jayne puts into each one of her creations!! Cleo is perfect in everyway! She is already taken up as alpha plant and has all the other plants shaking in their pots! Here you can see her ruling in her new atmosphere, isn't she a show-stopper??:

Also in the Conservatory you can see a few bottle and potions made by Kate of The Whittakers Miniatures! Also on the back wire shelf you can see a little Venus fly trap chowing down on a lump of meat made by Christina Pardy.

And finally a quick portrait of the Queen of the Conservatory!! Morticia's off to make her favorite meal to welcome her to the Addams Family Mini-mansion: Yak Meat Balls! Yum!!

Off Topic: Oh my goodness... finally on Etsy....

Hello Friends,

Things have been happening over here! One of them is that I finally got everything set up and on Etsy! I hope you will visit the shop and look around :) Oh - also I will be starting a separate blog for Bentley House Productions so that I can keep this an Addams only zone!

The blog is here and there's not much on it yet. My husband turns pens (on a lathe) and he will be selling those there too.

Also.... more Addams stuff to come soon! Exciting stuff!!!

Love y'all! - Ara

Addams Christmas Goodies

Today I am writing to show off my Christmas stash!!! I was so blessed this year by family and friends! Now I have no excuse whatsoever to get this project going like crazy!

First of all I want to give a big thank you to you guys in blogland that send gifts! You are all so sweet! Morticia want to thank you as well so she insisted on being in the photo with the blogland gifts!! The Tree stand and box is from Karin F.!! Its so beautfully ornate and somewhat gothic so it will be perfect for and Addams Family tree for next year! Thank you Karin!! The beautiful photos are from Katie!! She loves photography as much as I do so she sent some of her work... in miniature!! I can't wait to figure out where to put them! Thank you Katie!!! And the wonderful bouquet of 100 dying roses is from Sans! She sent them as an anniversary gift for the anniversary of her blog! Morticia loves them of course but I am going to have to make sure she doesn't start sniping the heads off of them! They're too pretty! I will have to do another post to show how I use these!! Thank you Sans!!


Here are a few items I received from my family! My hubby ordered several things (that I had on a list made for him - haha) online! I expected to get a few things but he didn't know what to choose so he just got everything!! haha! That works for me! I just choose a few of my favorites to show! Also, my MIL and SIL took me shopping in the Dollhouse store in Dallas and let me go wild! Thats where I found this fireplace screen by Brooke Tucker! I just love the goat head!

Here are a few more items! The pots will be the perfect place to use a few of those roses Sans sent!! The white wire shelves will be aged, dirtied, and addams-a-fied to go into Morticias conservatory! Also at the bottom of the pic is a cigar set for Gomez!

Lastly here is a crystal set for the formal dining room, and also this stove for Grandmama! Hubby picked this one out himself and did an awesome job! See..... you can pick out stuff I like honey!! haha!

So I feel pretty spoiled this year!! I also got a book on sculpting!! I can't wait to try out a few things on my next member of the Addams Family! oh - I also got some special things for my Clue project! But I put that on my Clue blog if you want to see!

Thank you again to all! Hugs, Ara

Off topic: Rosannas Christmas Swap

I'm pretty late on posting this so I sincerely apologize to Marja!!! She sent me such a wonderful swap and I have been showing it off every chance I get! The detailing in the clothing is just wonderful. In case you cannot see from the photo.... its a men's outfit that has been tossed onto a chair! I just love the whimiscal feel to it all.... I wish you could see up close the detail she put into this! I believe she made a second set of clothing for a gent you can find here! But I am giving these fine clothes to Gomez!! For one of those crazy night of dancing he and Morticia indulge in on special occasions (such as Christmas)! It will look great sitting in the corner of their room! Thank you so much Marja!!


Here I will also show what I sent to Angela! Angela is a writer so I could picture her curling up by the fire with a great Christmas story and some Christmas cookies resting on a nearby ottoman! She also encouraged me to try my hand at some clay food... so she has the honor of having my first tray of clay food ever... hahah. I am pretending they are ginger snaps or something... who knows! Angela liked all three items so thats what counts!


And lastly, if you want to see the rest of what everyone sent to each other go here. So many talented ladies took part in this swap! Thanks for hosting Rosanna!!

Bed Swap!!!

Back in December the forum that I am a part of, All Things Mini, has a thing called a MAKE which is basically just a giant circle swap. But its a chance for all the members to go all out for another member of the forum. The theme for this MAKE was 'bed'. So we all made beds!! I received a bed from Marie. It was specifically made for Grandmama. It has a working guillotine and stocks! It all moves and functions! And its fairly heavy because of all the nails! I just love it! And since Grandmama was busy (aka unmade) here is Morticia posing with the bed. She tried it out too and said it was great for a midday nap! (thats why she's got crazy hair going on).I made a bed for Cate who is soon going to be making a Victorian House! So the words 'victorian' and 'bed' went into my mind and guess what came out..... Wuthering Heights! There is bed described in Chapter 3 which is the scene for a ghostly visit from Catherine and eventually the death bed of a main character. A few details include the name 'Catherine' scribed into one of the window sills and a secret drawer to hold the matching wood stairs. Cate's now thinking about dedicating a few rooms in her Victorian house to Victorian novels she likes! Too cool!


I had fun ladies! Can't wait for the next MAKE!!

And yet another reason.....

First of all I wanted to show y'all the official family potrait (from Vanity Fair, find short article here) of the Addams Family from the new musical..... let me know what y'all think. I am pretty sure Wednesday is supposed to be older in the musical so I think thats why she doesn't have braids........ hmmmm...... I know one of my readers, Louise, has already seen it and love it! I hope I get to someday as well!

Anyway, also I just wanted to finally announce another reason I have been so absent .... yesterday I quit my job!! :) And its a really good thing. But I have been filling out applications like crazy and its been taking up quite a bit of my time! Anyway - today will be my day to go back and read through you guys blogs! I have missed so much!

Christmas Follow-Up

Addams Cartoon, Property of the Tee and Charles Addams Foundation

Merry Christmas to all..... and oh.... dang I am a little late!!! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!! This is the craziest time of year for my family and I seeing as I have Christmas, my birthday and our anniversary all within 4 days of each other! Needless to say I have not been able to be at the computer for long! (Plus Christmas was at my house this year for the first time!! busy busy busy!!)

My Christmas went well, I got A LOT of things for the Addams Family!!! Which has inspired me to put some more work into the actual mansion! Things are starting to come together and I can't wait to show you some finished areas!

So there will be many posts to come on things I promised a while ago to show you and some new things! Including swaps I have received, swaps I have made, Christmas/birthday gifts, and updates on the mansion.

I apologize for not being able to comment on all of your blogs. I will be back in a few days (we have another family event coming up!) to relax and read through about a months worth of y'alls blogs and write a few posts myself!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Years Eve! See you in 2010!

Hugs, Ara and the Addams Family