(Not So) Haunted #Miniature Toy Store

 

I bought this Carlson store kit a while back from someone online and had finally gotten around to decorating and painting it some time ago thinking it would be a haunted bookshop.

Well, like always, I changed my mind. (Yeah I hear you laughing. 😏) I have plenty of other book projects and ideas like the fancy furniture I have set aside for the Someday Upscale Library roombox.

Then when I found those Mini Toys I shared on a previous post, I knew the project had to change. But how to change it without really changing it? I wasn't about to repaint the whole thing, so I changed the title and a couple of the outside pictures for one. (Click photos for full size.)  I put plexiglass on the top with a carved wood medallion on the ceiling inside. (not shown.) (More toys, update 2)

Toys in the front windows:

Actually, I'd set the project aside as I didn't think the front would hinge right. Luckily, hubby got some screws to fit, so the full front will stay on. I just had to add some top and side inside edge trim for the gaps. Since the outside already was all painted and decorated with creepy pictures, I figured it could become a Haunted Toy Store instead...

And while the majority of the toys aren't creepy, I figured why not? That little ghoul girl in there (Mezco Mini Living Dead Dolls) fits perfectly so she's shopping. Besides, even creepy kids love all kinds of toys, right?

 As an aside, I'd found a whole bunch of those dolls awhile ago at Goodwill of all places, cheap. So eventually I want to do a Halloween party table scene. Here's a pic I found online. I think I have the first one plus the red-haired punk and the last one, plus a bunch of others. I also have some full-size dolls we found at a yard sale. I love the little ones.

The back wall shelves were already installed, so I added some striped paper on the bottom for more contrast and added a wall shelf on the side, plus some creepy toy pictures. Some of the Mini Toys may be slightly larger, but I think they look fine for display. And now I'm hooked. Of course, I'll have to get more. To fill the shelves, you know. (wink, wink). Games will go in the bins on the small table. I'll make more from printies. (TIP: Google dollhouse game printies.) The other table is a sewing machine base topped with spooky scrapbook paper.

The Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots are from the larger-sized Worlds Smallest Toys. Cute, though much bigger, but I figured they can go in here, too. Remember those giant walking dolls from the '50s?  It's all trial and error with the sizes on these mini toys and they keep coming out with new stuff, too. I'm ignoring the Mini Wacky Packages though I could get hooked on those even if they are larger. (I remember the goofy cards. ha!) Funny! The new batch of toys I just got includes a tiny Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robot.

The canister on the top shelf is Lincoln Logs (non-opening.). The other is an Avatar figure, which is also in the window since I have two. I added the Kewpie doll as well. There's a very large package of Tempura paints on the second shelf (the economy size I guess. ha!) The skates and animals are erasers. I found the cute Oscar the Grouch figure at the fish department at Petco! You do find stuff everywhere. ha! I repainted the can silver and want to find some green Bunka to make him fuzzier. (Of course, I have every other color but!)

 The back wall before the additions:

So, to me, as I show here, I think you can make almost any size of miniature work, depending on the project. Here's the other batch I got. It includes a second My Little Pony in a different color. The Ouija box will go in my haunted house, of course.

This'll be about it until I add more games. It gets too expensive. Last time I bought a lot of items was when I when I was decorating my Dogcatcher's House. I had to fill it with a bunch  of dogs and at the time, you could find some in 25 cent gumball machines and they also were selling $1 packets of toy dogs that came with that lousy stick gum (like you found with baseball and collectible cards). The hunt was fun, even if it adds up money-wise since there're probably 100 dogs in that house. But who counts, right?

Thanks again for visiting! I appreciate your interest!