Fun Miniature Obsession: Mini Brands Home

 

Top: that's a French fry fryer. Cute!

While I'm working on making some mini Christmas gifts for my friend, and painting (oh so much painting!) windows on the Half Scale Lavender Cottage, thought I'd share another fun obsession - - those Mini Brands Home balls. (Here are all the items - view on Amazon. Which is a good price for two of them.)

I've gotten some of the others before like the Mini Brands Toys and the Disney versions, but these really are rather cute. These may be my favorite as they are the perfect size and the details are great! So far only got a couple doubles, the mirror and the teensy clear Tupperware, which I really don't mind! And really, $8 for five items isn't a bad price.

I think I'm going to paint that puff chair, maybe purple for the Lavender Cottage (in the works.) I saw someone online paint the mirror gold, which is a good idea, too. Hoping to get the other shaped chair yet, too.

This vacuum is so cool!!!

I think I've bought four now. I can't resist. Still hoping to get more of the appliances which are so realistic and the boxes are so cool! It's a gamble, I know, and I can see why eventually you may end up just buying the items you want outright. (Saw some for sale at the show and they sell them on Etsy, too.) But the surprise is still fun!

The latest batch: I'd like to get the chair that goes with the footstool. I may repaint or cover the set then. The drill is great!

I've been surprised that the local Walmart seems to have them in stock lately when I've gone there. (Or their new remodel has the whole display buried on one of the other aisles. Still don't know where half the stuff is in the store.) Saw them at Michael's too though they of course wanted more for them. Maybe the craze is winding down so us "latecomers" can now find them. ha!

So fun! Yes, I'm not done buying these... yet! Update: Got another one. Yes, another mirror. ha! (3 now.) Also got the water bottle and the office chair. 

Next: finished the tiny Gingerbread House - turned out really cute! Will share once my friend and I set up the table!

Come back soon for more projects. Thanks for visiting!

Flowers , miniature flowers

 

I like making miniature flowers. Usually. Sometimes they are difficult, but you have to just grit your teeth and keep plowing ahead, which is the case for making this 1/24 half-scale Clematis kit (SDK Miniatures.)

(website kit photo)

I mentioned in the last post on the new cottage kit  that I'd had this flower kit a while and couldn't get up the courage to start it. (Then why'd I buy it, you wonder?) Well, it'll be pretty and I like the flowers in real life. Reason enough.

Since I decided the house will be lavender, then I figured I'll hake to make some purple plants, this being one of them. Planning for my weekly mini meeting with friend Gigi I had this kit on my mind. Working myself up to do it, I guess. ha! 

Yes, it is labor intensive. But... I have some progress! 

Yay! - The trellis is built and ready to paint once I trim it a bit. Over half of the 14 flower stems are made (six teensy petals each glued around a 1/8" diameter circle); four leaf stems are made. (The leaves went easier once I figured it's better to glue leaves down one side of the cloth-covered wire, let them dry, then glue the opposite leaves on top.) Yes, all individual leaves. Yes, it's tedious. ha!

I'll share how the rest works out as I go along.

Next:

So far:

Next on the agenda is a tiny gingerbread house kit (AlphaStamps) I got for me and my friend as a mini Christmas gift. Pretty cute. Hers is about done and looks pretty cool. Decided on a Halloween theme  (of course!) Our Christmas campground is looking fantastic! and now a table with a Gingerbread house decorating contest will be added to the site. Pix to come! This has gotten pretty elaborate, I'll say!

That's the update for the moment. Thanks for visiting and come back soon for more mini projects!

Next: Half Scale Miniature Cottage & Show

 New cottage!

(website photo)

Yes, yes, I still have other projects but I couldn't resist and got a new 1/24 - half-scale house. This time I got the Abriana Country Cottage from Laser Dollhouse Designs, a rather "cute" 3-story cottage. I liked it as it's not super big but still enough room to decorate. It's 14" w x 10" d x 19" h. (*Click photos for full size.)

 I got several other houses from them: first was the Park Ave. Mansion that I added a diner to; then the Jasmine Gothic Victorian Cottage, which became my Witch Cottage; then the Alisha Dollhouse, which is set aside and will be a kind of country cabin. (It may sound like a lot, but I've seen how kit prices have gone up, so it's good to buy these, paying them off over time, and buying them when they're relatively cheaper. I can see the price difference in kits I bought quite a while ago; and some kits I bought years ago. Besides, I don't drink or smoke, which is costlier. ha! )

I really do like the nice details this company offers in their houses. Great doors, and nice stairway and porch railings. Though all those tiny parts to paint always looks scary at first. ha! But I like the building challenge, the planning, and especially the decorating!

This time, I had to plan out the colors to see what would work. Decided on Lavender walls, Hauser Green (a darker sage green) window frames, Antique White windows with a purple in the line around the windows. I'm thinking of adding shutters in African Violet.

I'll have to make wisteria and work on that clematis kit I've put off every time I look at all the tiny petals! (kit photo - SDK Miniatures.) 

I may do a kind of 1940s-flavored interior, a mix of old and new, I think. Still deciding how I want the inside to look. I was going to do a sage kitchen in the other house, but I think I'll do a sage/yellow/white kitchen in this one. Here's a 1940s style kitchen (Daily Mail) a woman did that's pretty close to some of the kits I have. 

Maybe I'll use this sink and cooker kit I bought last year (or use the stove kit I have that looks like the one in the link):

I found some neat vintage linoleum patterns to make flooring:  I kind of like this one with yellow and green in it. 

Probably going to do some brick walls inside. I seem to do that in all the houses as I like the brick look and the paper has great detail. I have quite a bit of the textured white brick paper left that I used in the Park Ave. Mansion, (Starboc2/Etsy), so I might experiment putting a light coat of paint on it. 

I'll sort some kits soon to see what I might use in the house. 

Show Stuff: Here are a couple new kits I got at the show which I may or may not use in this house depending on how they fit in.

 

I liked this resin table for a hallway or near the front door inside.

Here's something fun: I got a kick out of the teensy dumpster and garbage bin. Going to dirty them up. Guess I'll have to have a doll or skeleton arm sticking out of the dumpster at Halloween. (I watch too much Blue Bloods on TV.) ha!

I also found a set of 3D printed pumpkins that I can paint and put lights in. Love the scary faces!

Another different garden statue and urn.

That's it for the moment! Thanks for visiting. Come back soon for more updates!

Sneak Peek: Miniature Desserts: Hungry Anyone?

 

Despite the stores sneaking Christmas out earlier every year, I'm old school and stick to the season starting after Thanksgiving.

But... Well... I already shared the Halloween decorating for the Coffee Camper on the previous post, but thought I'd share a sneak peek of the decorating of me and friend Gigi's Christmas Campground now underway. (*Click photo for full size.)

Wow, she had a smorgasbord of delicious desserts and goodies set up for the snack table. Looks yummy! There are some amazing foods here!

More to come soon! Saturday's the Fall dollhouse show (yay!) so I'll be posting soon after to share what I found and saw.

Thanks again for visiting! Come back soon.

New Project: Miniature Camper

 

Still Halloween! (Or it was...)

Yes, I've been working on some things. I quit camping years ago after being caught in a horrible rainstorm, but camping in miniature sounds fun! (Click photos for full size.)

I got this camper kit quite a while ago and had papered the inside, then put it away. I'll admit, the project still didn't thrill me, but I decided to finish it since my friend Gigi and I were setting up a display for our Christmas mini get-togethers. She has a couple much smaller campers so we decided to set up a campground Christmas display.

After the Halloween display she did (a fun surprise!), we've been gathering things to make it Christmasy. She has a giant green felt cloth which is draped over a large coffee table that will be the base.

Lucky for me, my idea to make the outside all silver in back and on top, and half silver and half painted corrugated paper (on the back and sides) worked out since Hobby Lobby discontinued the scrapbook sheets of shiny coated silver paper. (But I did see some 2" or so wide rolls if I need smaller roofing pieces.) I had just enough to make it work. I wanted that shiny paper on the ceiling inside too but had to paint the plan paper silver instead since I didn't have enough. The top and back look pretty cool.

My idea was to make this a coffee cafe, a place to get drinks, snacks and some easy food like burgers and hot dogs. My friend will have the "sleeping" campers.

Back and inside

I decided to turn the window boxes upside down and paper the tops with some of the same silvery paper to make awnings. Thought it added something. Most of the small windows got covered with food/cafe signs.

One of the side windows, which still needs a Pick Up Orders sign above it. I also added the counter and supports. The other side is the Order Here window.

The left side from the back has the sink unit turned drinks fridge and grill. I also added a side counter and glued a microwave under it. Didn't think I'd be making another grill since the half-scale mansion diner, but never say never, right? But it's kind of fun making these. I put some of the silver paper on the side for a place to hold the food.

The former benches were turned to make tables and storage on the inside front wall for assorted supplies. Pretty happy with the coffee machine, which I measured off some pieces from a coffee shop kit my friend had. Copied the top and bottom plates and added a jump ring, sequin, and beads for  dimension. I added a few more things since this photo.

Oh, look a visitor! How fun! Mr. Grinch decided to stop by. He'll be ready for Christmas - soon!

I'm pretty pleased with how it came out after all. I'll be sharing the Christmas set-up and the campground soon.

Momentous week! Election Day Tuesday (VOTE!) and then Friday-Saturday is the Fall Dollhouse Show, which has moved to the Wyndham Garden Hotel, 1725 E. Algonquin Rd., Schaumburg, Ill. It's not a big show, but it's so nice to have an event to attend before the long winter lull until next Spring's big shows.

That's it for the moment. I'll have another post or two before the shows so be sure to come on back soon! Thanks again for visiting!

Happy Halloween! Miniature Haunted House 2

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!! Welcome to part 2 of my half-scale Halloween House tour! If you missed the beginning, scroll down or see Part 1 here.

Side view, bedroom. I covered a plain chest with different black/white prints.

 

Back view: Greenleaf half-scale Van Buren Dollhouse turned into a Halloween House

* Like to Read? See my Halloween Reading List on the other blog. * 

* Click photos for full size; links to all posts are in the left column archives; other projects are linked on the top left dollhouse tab.* 

**** Continuing the tour, we'll go upstairs

Second Floor: Parlor/living room on right side: 

I added the rug and coffee table since this photo:

Hard to take pix with the glaring light, but I added the funky clock here and a poison plant. A Skellie visitor is taking a break. And a ghostly visitor....

This was fun to decorate using a spooky cat print scrapbook paper I had left. The large armchair on the wall turned out better than I expected. (Also part of the Gothic set, SDK Miniatures.) The side table (TCM Miniatures) is topped with a poison sumac plant kit (also SDK). The furnishings are those cheapie wood punch-out kits I redid. The coffee table was a swap gift that I repainted and added some art inside.

Second floor:

Bedroom - Added more pillows to the cool tree bed from Michelle's Miniatures.

Third floor attic:

I made several furnishings for a small bedroom and sitting room on the left side. There's also a trunk kit (SDK Miniatures.)  I really like the music area on the right side. I found this small plastic organ and Victorian furnishings in my stash and decided it fit perfect here. 

One thing I forgot: Have to make room for the Fortune Teller box I made earlier. (Michelle's Miniatures) It could go downstairs against the wall if I decide to move that couch later.

Hope you enjoyed the tour as much as I did in making the house and furnishings.

Next: There's another non-Halloween project that I just finished, too. An older kit that also sat around - a camper. My friend and I are setting up a small campground for our Christmas mini get-togethers. Something fun to do. Will share more on that so come back soon!

Thanks again for visiting! 

Happy Halloween! Miniature Haunted House

 

Pictured: Outside back of half-scale Van Buren dollhouse. (Click photos for full size.)

I've done several haunted houses or Halloween-themed houses since it's a favorite way to decorate in miniature.

I've been working on the half-scale Greenleaf Van Buren dollhouse a while, having let it sit and then going back to it some months ago to finish it. So I finally kicked myself to (mostly) finish decorating so I could post it here.

I'm sure I'll add or change more things over time, but I'm done for now. I'd like to add some more decorations on the front walls and some kind of wreaths on the doors, but I can't decide what would look good.

Since this will be kind of long, I decided to split the house tour in two, so be sure to check for the second post  later today as well.

Let's start outside on the Patio:

Well, it looks like Mr. Pumpkinhead isn't such a bad guy after all. He decided to clean up the patio and rake some leaves. How nice of him! (Rake: SDK Miniatures; Table and chair, TMC Miniatures; Bench: Jane Harrop Miniatures, UK).

The window boxes looked plain, so I added some tiny skulls. (I like that decorative pumpkin string on the balcony* but I think I'll add some orange paper in back to show through and then it'll be more visible.) I really liked doing the whole house in brick. I used the textured brick paper from Starboc2/Etsy. *The balcony was part of a fence section from AlphaStamps since I didn't like the bulky piece that came with the house. I also cut out the top row of the fence for the top of the roof. (See top photo.)

C'mon inside!

Front hall: (right side of the dining room)

I like these using little statues like this one of Pan (by the front door.) I have another one like this but in stone color. I also have an archer that I got from WCD Miniatures. Fun decorating additions. I usually pick up one or two new ones at the Fall Miniature Show, Schaumburg, Ill. (Nov. 8-9) Recovering the Victorian couch really made a difference, I think. Really liked this fabric!

Kitchen on right:

I can't help getting a bit gorey here. Decided to use an old Tootsietoy icebox - and I didn't even have to touch-up the chips. ha! I love Tootsie toy pieces (1920s-'30s) and try to use them when I find them cheap. Here's some history on them.) I also hesitated, but gave in and dirtied up a plastic sink/stove section I had as it fit here. Since this photo below, I added two painted seed beads for knobs and a piece of cut solder for the faucet. I think a picture is needed above the icebox.

Oh.... I wouldn't bother Grandma if I were you. As you can see, it's best to not complain about the menu or her cooking! That must be what happened to the family portrait, too. Quite a temper!

The table has some yummy bone soup for lunch. There are pies in preparation on the side table. (Side: Narrow Vesper table, All About Miniatures/Etsy ). The bookcase has some potions, whatever other ingredients, and some cookbooks. I liked using a different style this time instead of just walnut stain. This time I painted it gold and used red metallic designs for inserts. (Gothic set, SDK Miniatures.)

Here's a view of the closet and staircase next to the kitchen. Watch out for the monster under the stairs! 

To the dining room, left:

Some items on the table:

The doll was one of those cheapie figures that I painted gray and re-dressed for a Miss Havisham-style room. The bench seat and table are my favorite Gothic half scale furnishings (SDK Miniatures.) My friend Gigi gave me that little heater and I thought it fit perfect here. I still have to add some silverware to the table.

Next Post: Come back later for part 2 of the tour upstairs! (If you sign up for email headline updates in the left column, you'll know when it posts!)

Thanks again for visiting!

(pixabay.com, cc license)