12:53

A New Build....A New Year!

Well, hello again.....

It's been a while, hasn't it? I have been mini-ing, but my blogging has been a bit slow.

Here's the update:

Over Christmas, my grandmother passed away. I decided to take all of her sewing notions, threads, and assorted items to add to my pitiful sewing collection. I now have more thread in weird and random colours then I will ever know what to do with!
I spent a good long while working on mini items to swap with Anna-Maria. I'm currently stressed out because they haven't arrived yet!! I didn't do tracking because it would have pushed a tiny package to close to $125 (WTF Canada Post!!!!), so given that I've never had issues I mailed it. If there are mail faeries, I hope they have my package and will get it to her!
I finished the Charity Build. Given the crap-tacular winter we have had here, I haven't been able to photograph it to show it in its glory. It appears to be warming up a bit, so I will venture outside for some natural light.

The Build

I purchased the Greenleaf Spring Fling 2012 contest build as a Christmas gift for myself in 2016. It was January 2018 when I decided to build it, so in terms of general miniaturist hording and delaying projects, I think I'm still making good time....hehehe.

This will be another modern home. The greenhouse side kit with the windows will be turned on its side, placed on a lower wall and made a sunken living room/bedroom. The other add-on on the side of the house will become a bathroom. I was going to use the fruit stand add-on kit, but its too small and low, so I will just build it out of scrap wood.

To access the living room, I will cut out most of the right side wall. I'm also adding in 2 high windows to give light, but also leave me some lower wall space for furniture placement.

The front of the house will have symmetrical and asymmetrical features. I love the high windows and below them at ground level will be planter boxes. To highlight the roof line, you will note (below), a double line running beside the door, along the right roof line and down the right side. This will be a beam that will bump out of the front. Maybe it will feature a splash of colour, different bricks....not sure yet!

Up to this point, I've done my cutting, primed all the wood, sanded and pressed everything flat. I'd like to say that's the worst part, but I'm sure something else will take that title soon enough.

I also ordered LED lights from ModelTrainSoftware.com. I used their LEDs in my last build and they work brilliantly. I also purchased the chip-battery and switch kits to make it easier to hide the batteries.

I have been toying with designs in my head. Nothing has stuck yet, so I will wait for inspiration. Unlike many of you that build with a design in mind, I just seem to build and roll the dice. I think I'm actually just to lazy to plan and like to tinker which results in my "we can always fix it later" attitude (or my having a tantrum and leaving the build for a month until I make peace with it).

And in stitching news

I decided to stitch some Hello Kitty inspired pillows. Stitched on 32 count silk in a continental stitch using DMC cotton thread. After searching the internet, I resigned myself to having to make my own chart. I also decided since I would make Hello Kitty, she would need her friend Badtz Maru (the grumpy penguin). Badtz's progress is a bit slow because stitching the black is hard on the eyes!

Drum roll please.....I bought my sewing machine yesterday! By chance I found that Janome had a massive sale for all their dealers, so I managed to get a machine that I wouldn't have normally afforded in the price range I was aiming for. My laziness and procrastination paid off!

I have also discovered my disdain for sewing was due to my old machine being a piece of trash. I had this beauty up and running in 15 minutes and it sews like a dream!