National Dollhouse Month: Duck, duck, goose!

So dead.

 Besides Halloween, October is also National Dollhouse & Miniatures Month! 

What are you working on?? Try something new... a hobby is a great way to use your creativity, challenge yourself, and relieve stress. We sure need that these days!

Whatever you do, have fun with it!

Recently shared that I'd gotten clay out again. Hadn't done that in a loooong time!

These were the the pancakes I made:

As I mentioned before, I just got the book, Making Mini Food: 30 Polymer Clay Projects - that  I've eyed for a while. I tried the pancakes, and oh! I forgot to share my sick-looking goose. haa! I have to add more "yellowish" coloring to it, I think.

Well, at least it looks like a goose. This was pretty hard to do. 

I also made a couple chickens or turkeys, they look about the same except for size. They have to be colored and "roasted" yet, but at least they look like they should! 

There's more I want to try next.... And I'm working on Halloween items (of course!) Hope to share more soon!

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* Thanks again for visiting! Come back soon for more minis! * 

Halloween Miniatures!

 

Oh, look! A visitor. (Look fast before they disappear!)

I'm still decorating and making things for the inside of the Halloween Tea Shop, deciding what should go inside and where, etc. I have to say, I really like how this came out. (*Click photos for full size. See other photos at the link.)

In the meantime, I keep adding things here and there. Someone left a Trick or Treat bag outside. Oh! And there's a ghost visiting! I didn't mention before, the bench is an old Lemax item from, I think, 2013. I save things until I find a project they fit. Luckily, I could find it in my stash. haaa!

I also made some furnishings that I thought would look good.

I had the resin table from a small Christmas set and thought it would look better painted black. I added a skeleton lampshade for the theme.

The small couch on the right is part of a plastic sectional that I covered with fabric. I love the prints! I made the slipper chair on the left.

I'm still deciding what to put in the large wall shelf. Books, of course. And lots of pumpkins. And skulls, too. So far....

I'm also working on the Haunted Library kit from Michael's. Furnishings made. Have to fill the shelves, then the frame is next. 

*** And... I am thinking, somewhat, on that Spooky Restaurant, which I thought of adding on top of the Witch's Bakery. Will have to see what to do next in case I want to separate the two sections. 

* Here's the idea of what I had in mind. This was when I was testing when the bakery itself was started. It should make more sense as I build it and construct the windows. The door and outside stairs will be on the other side not shown.

* Oh... Hubby did find a two-part adapter. After much soldering, re-soldering, (and arguing!), that is attached. So I'll have to finish the sides of the restaurant and get the building together. The front has egg carton and is set aside, but I have to build in windows, then add a door, and outside stairs. The idea is to have separate electric in each building but run both together on one transformer using LED lights. Will share any progress on that later. Have to do the Halloween projects while I'm in the mood!

* That's the projects so far. Thanks for visiting & come back for more soon! * 

Halloween Book Nooks

 Amazon Prime Days are Oct. 6-7, so I'm sharing some cool and new Halloween Book Nooks I've discovered! Some spooky, some scary, some book-oriented, and more!

You can never get enough! bwaaaaah! I try not to show any over (or not much over) $35 as I think they are getting too costly. Sadly, there aren't that many deals in the under $20 range for larger kits. Prices may change since time of posting. Photos from website; click for full size.

Note: Amazon affiliate links may provide some compensation to blog owner. And to be fair, many sites have sales now! Bookshop.org is also offering free shipping on books!

* Book Nook bookshop (looks like Santa in there!) I like the dark color on this. Slightly smaller, under 6" h, $19.99)

* Count Dracula frame (Amazon, 7.2" h, $37.99)

* Gothic Castle (Amazon, 8.27" h, $36.43  **COUPON Good to OCT. 19 - $30.60)

* Halloween Spooky House, cute house within a nook (Amazon, Nextips, $35.99)

* JCSY Pavilion of Time - cute Halloween house. (Amazon, $20.99) 

* Lost Cathedral this is kind of cool, different! I like the abandoned look. (Amazon, Vorathis, 9" h, $33.99)

* Magic Shop, doesn't look like much to add inside, but I like the building look. (Amazon, Everlalora, $26.99)

* Owl Library (Amazon, 9" h, $29.99)

* Sewer Shadow,  weird name, but IT style in a TV box, different! (Amazon/Joohour, $37.99)  or the Jigsaw, Saw style, bathroom..... * Kind of cute in that they are only 4" h.

* Spire of the Wyrm, Dragon (Oh the names! ha!) (Amazon/IIE, 9" h, $25.19)

* Have fun! Happy Building!! * 

Banned Books Week Begins: Read!

 

 It shouldn't even have to be said  - Books are for Everyone!

It's the start of Banned Books Week - Oct 4-10, with a growing list of someone saying you shouldn't read this or that. Read more at the American Library Association's site. 

The ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (nice title!) reports that last year, 4,235 titles were challenged - the second highest amount documented. Interesting is that 92% of challenges come from special interests, "pressure groups", and goverment officials - not parents. 

As a lifelong reader, and a writer, I have been, and always will be, a big book fan! I always had my nose in a book and loved going to the library for more! Still do!

The moral of the story: Read what you want. What interests you. Don't like it? Then don't read it, but you don't get to decide for others what they want to read - or write! MYOB!

It's October! Halloween Month!

 

Yay, it's October! It's only exciting since it's almost HALLOWEEN! 

I'm planning to work on more spooky seasonal stuff this month, along with whatever else strikes my fancy, so follow along!

Just a short post today as I take some photos. I'll show you the latest weird clay food next and a couple new things I made for the Halloween Tea Shop. ha!

I also got a couple ideas during MiniJoyMonth2026 on Instagram that I might look into. Always good to try something new!

* Thanks again for visiting again and again! More posts/projects to come! * 

MiniJoyMonth 30: Anything Goes!

 

Half-scale pancakes

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size. * For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: Anything Goes!

I meet with my friend today for our miniatures session. We are on a clay kick, so will make some more miniature food. Fun as it's been years since I worked with clay. I just got the book, Making Mini Food: 30 Polymer Clay Projects - that  I've eyed for a while, so I'd like to try making a turkey for the eventual Tudor project, among other things. I'll have to make two sizes. We tried the pancakes last time so that was different to do. 

I'll share more as I get things made.

* Thanks again for visiting! Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

This is the end of the MiniJoyMonth posts! Thanks for following me on Instagram and following here. 

I'll have more miniature updates and projects, coming soon! Keep coming back! You can also sign up for the headline emails in the left column. Lets you know when something new is up!

 I still have to finish filling the inside of the Halloween Tea Shop and get back to putting the rest of the furnishings inside the Half-Scale Garage. I know, I know, I stop on things for a while and then get back to them. I do want to finish it though and maybe decorate it for Halloween and/or Christmas. 

And then??? Well, I do have some other Halloween projects to do... maybe the Halloween Haunted Library kit I got at Michael's. Yes, I couldn't resist! There is never a lack of projects. haa! 

Yes, it's time for full HALLOWEEN MODE!!! bWAAAAHHHHHHAAA!

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MiniJoyMonth 29: My Perfect World

 

Ladies shop in a jewelry box cabinet

Tiny lipstick stand

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size. * For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: My Perfect World.

It's miniature. It's all perfect!!

* Thanks again for visiting! Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

MiniJoyMonth 28: Must See - Skeleton Funeral

 

RIP Mrs. Skellie

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work! (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. *See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size. * For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: Must See!

This was probably one of the most unique projects I've done. Definitely out of the ordinary! It started with hubby finding a "joke" miniature casket at Goodwill a while back. It has recorded "stop smoking" sayings.

Well.... I saw the real purpose! I look at this and it still makes me laugh!

I love dressing those plastic skeletons, so I had to make a Skeleton Funeral Parlor! I had a storefront kit that I started a long time ago and decided to take it apart. This was a more fun idea to work on!

I say the parlor is housed in an old General Store, hence the front sign. I also made a false door inside to make it look like it's going out to the hallway. I had doors I'd saved from an old Greenleaf kit so they worked perfect for this.

I liked the old art and the vintage wallpaper, which gave it that "restful" feeling.

I stil was going to add some more "mourners" but haven't yet. I know I have a couple ladies sitting in a drawer. Time for them to rise! haaa! I had more chairs or a couch to add, too. 

I put some faded "ghost" ads on the sides of the building.

I know some people have made regular funeral parlors, morgues, hospital rooms; you name it, it can be done in miniature. But I had to do this. haa!

* Thanks again for visiting! Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

Minijoymonth 27: Small Wonders

 

Abaondoned room in a photo box; half-scale

Almost forgot to post this one! 

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size. * For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: Small Wonders

* Thanks again for visiting! Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

MiniJoyMonth 26: Before & After: Mini Attic

 

The Crime Hunter's Attic, yes that pick needs some blood on it!

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size. * For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

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Today's Prompt: Before & After

I worked on this half-scale miniature attic room kit  (above) back in June. It's kind of an odd little kit, a small box, so I'd been rather stumped on what to do with the kit until I saw miniaturist J. Star's attic room. As things go, I papered it and let it sit. I wasn't really sure what to put in it or where it should go.

Well, once I finished the outside of the Halloween Shop, the answer came - the attic room fits right on top of the flat roof! Even better, the battery box to the planter light stringer is perfectly hidden by a pumpkin and sits next to the attic. I put corrugated paper on the roof, which looks nice, but it's so empty, it needed something, right? It's like the attic was made for it!

Then I signed up for this cool Halloween email tutorial I spotted, The Werewolf Post, from Miriam Stone Wilson, @miniaturewerewolf on Instagram. If you sign up for her newsletter (there's a link on Instagram) you start with a supernatural mystery, plus a miniature file box and folders to download and print. You'll get the password to the site in the NL. Every installment is supposed to come at the next full moon. The next one is supposed to come today, so hurry & sign up!

The first "case," the Werewolf, gave me the idea to not only use the supernatural cases, but add real crimes to the file box. So the attic is now a crime hunter's room! See more photos below for a better view of what's in there!

The attic on top of the tea shop turned Halloween shop building

The Files:

Here's the orignal file box, folder, papers, and envelope I made from the downloads - BUT I shrunk the items down from the larger 1" scale so they'd be closer to half-scale size. I did it a bit larger than the typical 1/24th scale size so it wouldn't be too tiny but it works. 

My crime files: I made original files with records - photos, newspaper accounts, papers, etc. - from infamous historical crimes and killers - Lizzie Borden, Al Capone, H.H. Holmes and Jack the Ripper. I may add others later.

Here are the interiors: 

I also made crime bulletin boards with materials for each wall. There is one on each side of the room.

I also made the worn chair and ottoman, and decided to add the table with more materials. The owner's pistol is handy on the bottom shelf and there's a hatchet on the chair. The crime hunter has to do something between crimes, so they collect vintage games, which fit right on the shelves.

That set has seen better days!

There's a map, vintage art, and another board of images on the wall above the desk.

This was fun to do and I'm sure they'll be more additions, more files, and some blood spatters added yet. I'll share any updates later.

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* Thanks again for visiting! Come back tomorrow for more minis! *