Monday, February 29, 2016

And Then There Was Olly




I just couldn`t resist an evening making mini fun....so I made a few scenes one evening and I have slowly posted them.  I figure, when you get all your boxes out, you might as well go for it!

My new pet guinea pig, Olly, has decided to join me in this scene.  He has been in a box for about 6 months and I just did not have the right place for him....and then I found this retro-tastic chair and thought, this needs a guinea pig on it.  I also say this to my couch.....this couch needs my butt on it.  All the seating ends up happy!















Where To Buy - Where To Find



Saturday, February 27, 2016

Bonsai!


Bonsai! A quick wire and floral tape project while watching tv. A little coarse greenery for foliage. The branches are set to look layered, but capturing that was a bit tough.

Grabbed the wallpaper in the clearance area at The Little Dollhouse Company a while back. It reminds me of the Golden Girls show. I loved that show growing up. Sophia was my favourite and the witty barbs she would throw at Rose's stories about the motherland.

And what is Blogger doing with the new Google Photos and ending Picasa.  I'm fine with this, but Google Photos and an iPad aren't friends (much like Blogger). Why, oh why, do you make my life more difficult Google?  More wine please.





Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Totally Doing Things That I Did Not Plan....As Usual



When I started the furniture kit making of my kit making bonanza, it was hard to stop myself from wanting to use them immediately.  But then you need to do things like accessories....bedding...art...random things that have no purpose for the room but why not.....and then you put them in the room box that you haven`t finished.  Sigh.

I`ve made the executive decision to lay straight veneer plank floors of varying length.  I am intrigued by Monique`s discussion of a jig when I take the herringbone plunge.  And yes, I will do it!  But it will be for my next house build. For now, I just need to finish the room box before spring....or Miss Kitty goes to preschool.

A special thanks to the amazing Elizabeth who supplied me with some amazing treats that facilitated the jewelry making.  PS Miss Kitty just discovered the little Hello Kitty that you sent and is IN LOVE!

Miss Kitty is becoming a litle girl, and less of a baby-toddler.  She tells me how she wants to `make minis like mom.`  Makes me so happy! We mini-made today (a snow and slush day here) and she was helpful with her hammer and pliers.  It warms my heart watching her stand at the room box and look at all the little bits and ask questions about them.








Where To Find - Where to Buy




Friday, February 19, 2016

Spring In My Step



Well, I have stalled on my new room box. Debating the flooring options I have set out. It could be regular Popsicle sticks, veneer strips, varying width veneer strips or a wide herringbone. So many options and this was supposed to be a quick project, but my heart says herringbone and that won't be quick. And it will be painful. If I stock up on wine and stain it should be ok.

I've made some progress on Miss Kitty's dollhouse. I think this weekend I will tackle the base.  I need the base to secure the front steps to and add a little area for a garden, but nothing so huge that it becomes any more cumbersome to move around.  The shutters have also been installed along with the door knobs and balconies.  





Where To Buy



Sunday, February 14, 2016

Friday, February 12, 2016

When The Cold Gets To You....





.....make some flowers!




And note the frontage to my room box! It might be too frigid to get out and photograph the room box as planned this weekend...but my mini scenes reveal it inch by inch!



Where To Buy







Monday, February 08, 2016

Kits And Bits And More!



Finally! I have got everything together to show you some of the kits I tackled in January. I also just finished a bunch of floral kits, but that's another post.

I like making kits.  It's nice to be able to start and finish something in a relatively short period of time.  Unlike some of my projects.....

And now is confession time.  I got a new room box at The Little Dollhouse Company this weekend.  Thankfully, its simple and all it needs is paint and a floor.  I will start my big house soon, but I got bored of shooting mini scenes in my "house" room box.  And in other news, I have returned to Miss Kitty's dollhouse.  I have been finishing the exterior painting and have resumed spending my free evenings working on the house.  It will be finished!!!!

And here are my projects!


By Me!


I decided to try my hand at making my own bottles with beads and findings I had.  The "tray" is actually a large brass button.




All Through The House by Amy Robinson


I love All Through The House kits! Love, love, love.  I have a boots kit I haven't tackled yet, but that will be soon.  And I grabbed a sheep skin slippers kit yesterday.  They are just so much fun and realistic!  Most I find on ebay, but with the Canadian dollar in the toilet, I haven't been looking much.  The Little Dollhouse Company stocks some kits and lots of completed items though, but not the interesting ones I want.


Fishing Creel

Cribbage 

Mini Etchers


I really enjoy kits from MiniEtchers.  Despite the excellent price, some just don't fit together as expected.  I try and I try and there is no possible way it will fit like the very fuzzy picture indicates.  But, that said, they are fun and easy to work with.  So if something below looks off, it is.  But there was no alternative.  

Shabby Lantern & Greenhouse Lantern

Planter With Handle (brown) & 1:24 Basket


Cabin Birdhouse (minus post)

Cabin Birdhouse (minus post)

Suet Feeder

Barn With Animals



The Little Dollhouse Company


The Little Dollhouse Company always has a nice selection of kits on hand.  I decided to try the sewing basket and the "ceramic" tile tray kits from Daisy House Furniture.  I was incredibly happy with the results.  The kits are amazing and very well designed and easy to assemble.

I also decided to try my hand at basket weaving.  Why not??  I've always been impressed with mini weaving and figured for $10 I can't go wrong....and if its horrible then I pretend like it didn't happen. The wicker basket kit is by IGMA artisan Barbara Richmond The basket didn't photograph well at all after I sealed it.  It looks much better in real life and is featured in an upcoming post in all its (slightly wonky and imperfect weaving) glory.  


Daisy House Sewing Basket

Daisy House Sewing Basket
   
Barbara Richmond Basket Kit

Daisy House Tray


 Shapeways


 When Shapeways had free shipping and the Canadian dollar wasn't totally in the toilet several months ago, I grabbed a few 3D printed items from Shapeways.  All the items are by Anshuman Bhatia and are in 1:24 scale.  I wanted neat desk lamps for 1:12 scale scenes, so I went one scale smaller!  The boxes are bread and soda crates, but look like awesome desk containers in 1:12.





Grandpa's Dollhouse


Grandpa's Dollhouse always has really neat items and even better prices.  The dartboard broke my heart though.  After meticulous painting I went to matte finish spray the checkers board and the dartboard.  The checkers board was fine.  But, the spray can seemed to vomit spray at the moment it touched the dartboard and though it looked ok at the time, it dried hazy.  All my hard work....ruined? I still like it.  I tried to sand it and it looked worse, so I left it as is.  Sigh.


Dart Board & Checkers Board

Ebay


Mysmallworld11 on Ebay is a Canadian! And they makes awesome printies!!  How awesome!  And the price is even better.  Recently, they added some new printies in a higher resolution and I am in love.  I can't stop looking at my aluminum foil or my garbage bags box (yes, that's real garbage bag poking out).