August 28, 2019

The Latest: #Miniature Record Store

You remember I was working on a miniature record store in the corner shop of the Houseworks' Street of Shops? (See previous post.)

Well, progress! Kind of....



I fitted it together as I got the outside painted and the windows in - finally. (That was after breaking a couple and scratching one. A HINT: Got a large poster frame with acrylic at Hobby Lobby. Cuts easy. With coupon was $7.) . 

I love the results, especially the pink - fuchsia -  door, but LOTS of painting. That top blank space above the door is going to have a fun accent and I have some more decorative paper to put below the windows.

And then... I couldn't get it to fit right.... ARGGH!!! I painted one of the walls wrong. Turned it on the wrong sidem so I have to repaint it. At least it's only one wall!!! But getting there...

Feel free to share your best goofs. Make me feel better. 😆










August 21, 2019

New #Halloween Minis! #Halloween in #Miniature 2019 is Coming!

I love Halloween and miniatures, so combining the two is always fun. I look forward to finding new items, setting up my mini displays, and sharing the amazing work of others.

Wow, I've been lax! I didn't realize I haven't done a Halloween series post since 2015, so I'm overdue to have a Halloween in Miniatures week! (See the top tab here on the blog for previous links.) 

I've been on a great Halloween group on FB, the Haunted Orchid Dollhouse Club, so I've been inspired by a lot of the work I've seen there. Many of the creators agreed to let me share their work, so my big thanks to them! So... 


Look for it Halloween Week!

 Animation: https://www.fg-a.com/halloween.shtml

In the meantime.... to get in the Halloween mood,  I thought I'd  share a few of the fun minis I just found at Michael's. The new items were so cute, I got a big kick out of them! Glad I got others from the Lemax line in previous years as they never repeat them - and they really didn't have much this year! No furnishings, barely any figures! They still have the tombstones and coffins, though.

The Tiny Treasures line are really cute and this year they had some great ones!
Aren't these neat?!! Love the candle!



The pumpkins are stackable and flat from the Tim Holtz line.


I also got the skeleton clown figure from the Tiny Treasures minis. The grim reaper statue holding the skulls behind him at left (which light up!!) is also new and is from Lemax. (Lucky I got it half off as they were gone already!)  The costumed dogs are from Lemax from the summer beach line. (Costumed dogs contest.)





I wanted to share this despite the poor photo - this is with the Halloween picks and greenery decorations - pretty cool copper colored skeleton beads. I also got one with silver beads. They're different sizes. I thought they'd make good vases or for other mini decorating.



I also got some more lenticular (changing image) pictures from Recollections. (Looks like they shrunk the amount of pictures this year and only ones I saw.)





August 07, 2019

July-Aug #Miniature #Dollhouse Projects Progress

A little late, but an update on what I've gotten done this past month. Sometimes you feel like you're not getting anywhere so it's nice to see photos of what you actually have gotten done! (Click photos for full size.)

I know I already posted about the Half Scale Haunted House. I decided to add some plants on the balcony and some decorations in the front yard. Ghosts can water them, you know! ha! (Ignore that white shelf on the lawn. Poltergeists left it there!)





I also got some plants made - Made this half scale planter box kit, which were named Black Eyed Susans but I decided on painting them an orange color - from SDK Miniatures.  I'm making other flowers, so I'll show those next time. 


For fun, I changed the stained glass room. I had these things in a glass case but I think this looks better.




Also I finally put the front on the Raggedy Ann room box.





And... here is the latest progress from the Record Store exterior. I like how the colors came out. It look forever to decide on the combination! I also painted some bookcases and a wall trellis for display items. This is going to be VERY colorful! 

TIP: If you didn't know... use a feather to make your marbling lines in a contrasting color of acrylic paint. I've been finding a lot of crow feathers outside lately...  

For a change of pace, I decided to make the pillars dark purple with gray lines this time instead of black as I did on my other building. Think I'll use the purple on the other two buildings, too, which will be Halloween-related. (I can't resist!)


August 02, 2019

#Paris #Miniature Project 22 - It's Curtains & More!


Hello Everyone! Progress and Happy August! (Already??!)

 As the gold curtains are finished (see previous update #20), the second floor is now together! 

It's getting exciting as the ‘zillion’ little things I've been working on are now coming together. At the time it doesn't seem like anything is going on!

I also finished the third floor curtains and soon the third floor will be glued after another unplanned modification. (Click photos for full size.) (Fantastic! Love the curtains!!--Chris)



First, let me talk about the curtains. I found this delicate lacy material which is soft and thin, and they have now become curtains. I individually sewed on the gold rings that came with the expandable rod (highlandminis on Etsy). The curtains have a hem. I used transparent thread, which is like a fishing line, but much thinner. The side windows are lacy as well, but not as fancy as the curtains over the doors. I wanted something that I can open and close, so the reason for sewing the rings on. After all this is a bedroom, and privacy is necessary!  

Each curtain has a tieback with blue tassels (also from highlandminis). So, I can unhook the gold rings from the hook on each side and they close. I am so tickled with the results. It allows me to “play” with the scene as the doors will lead out to a balcony. The photo shows the table and chairs with the doors open (without the curtains).



Now on to the modification for the third floor. The kit is a little wider and narrower (in depth) than the floors below. Originally, I was going to add a small balcony to the width of the third floor, but now my DH will be cutting out a new “floor” that is the width and desired length. The balcony will still run the length of the third floor but it will be 4 inches wide hanging about 1 ½ to 2 inches over the second floor. This way there will be more room to have fun with the balcony. 


As I mentioned in Monday's post #21, I finished two of the geranium kits that I ordered from TheMiniatureGarden (UK) on Etsy. This is one of the mini balconies (below) that will be in front of the second floor windows. I just have to make two more flower kits for the second balcony.



Well, that's all for today! Probably next week, I'll be able to talk about another modification on how to get from the second floor to the third floor.

Until next time... Happy Creating!--Gigi



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The planning continues for the Paris Miniature Project which is my friend Gigi's  Serendipity Shed renovation for the HBS 2019 Creatin’ Contest. 
(Click photo in left column to go to Day 1 or here - Day 1  - See last entry Day 21.)
 * Don't forget you can put your email in the subscribe to updates box under the Paris photo in left column also to let you know when a new post goes up.