Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Tick Tock....And A Dose Of Sunshine!




That clock!! Since everyone seemed to like it (it is very cute), I racked my brain to try and recall more details of its lineage.  It was new old stock from the online miniature show garage sale....but then it hit me...that white packaging.  I knew I recalled that specific packaging from a blog.  Then, I went through Brae (Otterine) and Keli's (iseecerulean) miniature show haul posts and pegged it from their Bishop show purchases.  Turns out its from Wright Guide Miniatures.  So, if you fancy it, ask WGM if they still stock it.  See, I'm Nancy Drew!

And if you're curious, its based on the Kit-Cat Clock.



Then I had a happy mail day from Keli.....





.......and from Anna-Maria!! These arrivals brightened my day!






I gave up waiting for nice light and the ability to take my minis outside to photograph them.  I finished my MCM room box and did the photo shoot in my living room.  Gah! Spring will just not come soon enough. Now back to editing those photos!





Monday, March 13, 2017

The Mid Century Room Box - Kitchen Reveal!



Since I have been terrible at updating you about the progress of my mid century room box...surpirse! The kitchen is now done!  I'm sure you're thinking, what room box? What kitchen (minus the few short mentions I made and some lighting pictures).  

I made the final push to build the breakfast bar.  BUT, then as I was accessorizing the room I felt I needed a rug.  Just a place to stand and keep your feet warm.  Going with that thought, I decided I wanted a print of some sort.....then as I was coming in my front door after a particularly windy few days, there was lots of birch bark on the ground.  How very Canadian! No beavers, just me and some birch bark....and me holding my Tim Hortons coffee.  It was a moment.  Anyway, I decided that I would stitch a modern interpretation of birch.  I say "modern" because outside of a 60+ count fabric, it wouldn't look very realistic.  It is stitched on a 25 count canvas with black and white DMC floss in a tent stitch.  That slowed down the decoration of the kitchen by a few days!










I am pretty darn pleased with how it all turned out!  

The breakfast bar wall was inspired by the wood walls of the era.  But, I didn't want wood, or rather, the look of additional grains and stains with the already wood heavy living room.  I instead used poster board cut in various thicknesses and glued on an angle.  

Beside the stove there is channeling on the wall.  Again, it reminded me of the wood paneling of the era, but it was now monochromatic.  In fact, the whole room is monochromatic.  The walls, cabinets, ceiling are all "White Bucks" by CIL in an eggshell finish.  It's the wall colour above my wainscoting in my real life basement.

The kitchen cabinetry are all removable should I need to access wires.  This was my first time playing with electricity in a build.  The living room is wired up too, but its show and tell day is next.  Wouldn't you know that as I was styling it, I decided the front door needed a rug too!  So what do you think I've been up to?? 

Up next....the living room!








Where To Find:





Saturday, March 04, 2017

In Winter We Flower!





When life gives you winter, I make flowers to maintain my state of denial.  It's very cold here.  No snow...just grey and cold.  Every few days we get a warm spell and its gets you excited.  Then nature pulls the rug out and its gone.  

In the spirit of gloom I present....flowers!

It started with a few kits I picked up at The Little Dollhouse Company by Fay-vorite Crafts & Miniatures Co.  Fay, by all accounts, seems to be the only person in Canada making mini flower kits.  Seriously.  This giant country and she makes the kits.  Side note: if you know someone who makes great floral kits in Canada, let me know!!!  I usually buy some at the MET show from Fay, but these 4 kits were on sale and cheaper at TLDC.  



 Cyclamen



 Anthurium



 Hydrangea 



Hyacinths


I added bulbs to the hyacinths because...I thought they looked cute!  The hydrangia kit was seriously short on leaves. Fortunately, I had a similar punch and made more.  Nothing is worse then a sparse and sad looking hydrangea!

Four kits in and I was on a roll! Plus, I had all the supplies out to make flowers, so why not continue, right??  And I have a stock pile of mini magazines packed with tutorials that I always say I will try and never do!

The Dolls' House Magazine had a good run on floral tutorials.  I made gaillardia (blanket flowers), strelitzia reginae (bird of paradise) and the herbs in pots (sage, parsley and mint).  All of these presented their unique challenges, mostly due to my lack of flower and leaf punches.  Again, Canada lacks a solid punch resource that sells online.  I improvised and cut up other punches to make my herb leaves, while I hand cut my gaillardia leaves.  No more %^$&#*% leaves!!! Picture me dropping every fifth leaf on my busy pattern rug and hunting them down with my cell phone flashlight.  Eeek.  

The bird of paradise was the most technically challenging and slow to do.  Not hard, but each piece and step took time to paint and glue.  



The Dolls' House Magazine Issue 206 July 2015



 The Dolls' House Magazine Issue 207 August 2015



The Dolls' House Magazine Issue 208 September 2015



But in the gloom of winter I got some fun mail!!  Anita at Fabulously Flawed Miniatures brightened my day with some amazing mini knits.  So I had to put them in a mini scene and play around!





And then I stitched one last pillow a week and a bit ago in an eyelet pattern.  This black and gold beauty is my most favourite pillow so far!






And so, I return to my mid century room box.  I just glued in my breakfast bar after much delay.  It stares at my on my bar top that faces my couch.  It served as my floral photo staging area, so it is being useful even as I neglect it!