Wednesday, November 30, 2016

And A Little Bit Of Everything Mini!




I have been shuffling between life and minis.  Not too many major accomplishments of recent, but I've been puttering!!



I entered the above photo in the Janet Granger stitching contest.  You needed a minimum of 4 of her kits in a picture....which I more then have in my stash!  I didn't win, but I quite enjoy this picture.


I decided to continue to tackle the backlog of kits in my basement.  After the Brampton show, and seeing the number of "extra" things people were selling, I didn't want to become a hoarder and need to sell in 10 years.  So I started the pile!!


I assembled the Realife Miniatures music room kit.  See those happy people on the box? They must be on some serious recreational drugs.  I swore, had a hissy fit and almost threw some of the items across the room.  Could they have made the parts fit anymore poorly together? Nope.  The "sand to fit" concept resulted in me cutting off (with my Dremel), part of the sofas rolled arms.  There was easily 5cm extra of solid wood (not balsa).  No sanding would fix that.




Then, they suggested that the sheet music rest on the piano (the black part), should fit into the rectangle below it so it could lay flat.  Huh? Huh???  

And then I discovered this box actually contained almost enough parts for a second piano and a third set of one off piano parts.  That made things even more confusing!  But thankfully the kit was painted in DecoArt black paint, which I had, so fixing the parts was relatively easy once I muddled through building what was missing.




Then I moved on to some very fun and very affordable laser cut wood kits made by Liz West of Taffy & Me.  She just relaunched her website, so check it out!  The wall mirror kit I made could also become a divider with additional kits, or instead of a mirror you could add photos.  The end tables and the coffee tables are very sturdy.  I might get the matching sofa table when I order again.








Then I was at Dollarama last week and found miniature furniture!! I would say its more 1:16 in scale.  The two long dressers became mine, and the others became Miss Kitty's.  She was in heaven.



I sanded my two dressers down.  I used a burnt umber with staining medium to stain the exterior, then painted the (faux) drawers black.  It better hides the fact they don't open.  I used 1/4 round styrene painted copper for handles. 




Back to kits I went!  I dug out some kitchen printies from Paper Minis.  It was slightly more involved then usual, hence why they were put in the "gonna get to it one day" box.  But I'm in love!

The Shopping Sherpa had her hand in these too.  She had sent me the I love minis mug and the blue cutting board.  Yes, its a plastic cutting board!!!! I love it.  The toaster and expresso maker are Mini Fanaberia that I bought from Small Scale Showcase.






And I will post the ongoing saga of my mid century Ikea dollhouse hack turned roombox.  I've put it aside with all the Christmas stuff that needed attending too.  I'm almost done with windows.  Note to self, while styrene is cheap and awesome to hold in window "glass", it takes a lot of paint to get a solid coat of dark brown.  Not doing that again!! I'm excited to tackle the roombox kitchen next.  Much more enjoyable.


22 comments :

  1. You're looking very productive :-)
    And thanks to you, I may just have visited Taffy & Me and bought some more kits for my stash. Not that I need any more kits... *shrug*

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    1. Appearances can be deceiving. What you can't see is my real house needs serious dusting!

      I'm excited to see what you do with those kits!

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  2. Sigh. I'm a mini hoarder.

    Love the upholstery on the couch :)

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    1. Thank you Keli!

      Hoarding is so much fun though. Every time I open my "to do" projects bin it's like Christmas....I never know what's in there!

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  3. Marvelous minis all around! I hear you on the swearing and trouble with old Realife kits. =grumble, grumble= It all turned out wonderfully, though! :D

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    1. Thanks Brae. I never will moan about a HOM kit again!

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  4. Love your creations! Don just looked at the Loft and said it needs a grand piano in the corner (where I was going to put a mini-kitchen). He might be right! Then he offered this suggestion: have all sorts of empty take-out boxes to show that the loft owner doesn't cook! That guy comes up with some interesting ideas! All that is to say that I love your piano and I know how frustrating it was for you to make it. It turned out beautifully!

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    1. Don is amazing! Hehehehe. Well, if Don wants a winter project, he too can look like the happy people on that box and get this kit and build that piano! Just tell him, it truly will make him smile, just like the box says ;)

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  5. I'm such a hoarder. But I can't bring myself to get rid of things.

    I love your couch! And that fourposter bed! Oh so lovely. Want! Actually I'd like it in real life too.

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    1. Thank you Sheila! My horde is ever growing.....you know it's big when you install wall mount baskets just for House of Miniatures kits. Eeeeek! Lol.

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  6. Hi Kat!
    Once again you have Amazed me with your clever solutions and your incredible resourcefulness! I LOVE your grand piano! I have this music room kit too but so many of the parts are missing that I wouldn't even try to assemble it now, but as you say there appears to be a surplus of kit bits so I can't bring myself to trash it yet. :((
    Meanwhile the sofa modifications which you've made and the construction of the canopy bed are FABULOUS!!! Great choice of upholstery fabric and throw cushions- WOW! I also Love the coffee and side table kits and how you've finished them not to mention the transformations of the dollar store furniture from rags into richness.
    What an eye for good design you have, Kat- I do believe you missed your calling as a professional interior designer as all of the various elements from big to small are Beautifully arranged! :D

    elizabeth

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    1. Thank you Elizabeth! I have so many extra parts (there must have been 3 kits worth of odds and ends in that box) that you are more then welcome to spares if you need them!

      My secret fabric source is none other then the $1 pillow cases from Giant Tiger. So much amazing cotton. That's what I used for the sofa pillows.

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  7. Well, they might've been a struggle, but your furniture came out beautifully, especially the sofa. Perhaps someone had removed some of the piano parts from the kit?

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    1. Thanks Shannon! I'm glad I now have a piano, but never want to make another!

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  8. I take it the 'easy to assemble' line on the kit box is sarcasm from the manufacturers? :0P
    Great scenes. I love the style of the bedroom :0)

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    1. If I had to work with my family, we all would have divorced each other.

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  9. I know I already commented on Instagram, but I just had to say it again - splendid job, Kat! So much fun to let my eyes wander around the scene!

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  10. Son todas unas minis preciosas !!!!

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  11. So impressed with how many kits you've done. I have boxes of kits and I keep telling myself I can't buy anymore, but. . . That box with the family and the slogan "fun for the whole family" is so funny in the context of your trials with the kit. Love all the scenes!!

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    1. I go through these cycles when I stock pile and then I hit a tipping point where it drives me nuts and I have to tackle them. Soooooooo.....let the stock pile begin again!

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