Half-Scale Park Ave. Mansion Kits & Fridges

The Mansion Roof lit up. (Click to view photos full size; see last post - exterior, and archives in left column for more.)

 Yes, I've been working on a few kits in-between celebrating a new story release which I'm really excited about in:  ((I Just) Died in Your Arms: Crime Fiction Inspired by One-Hit Wonders - some cool music-inspired fiction in here. My story is based on the song "Wildfire," see post).

(I know, not a real inspired photo, but trim really does finish off a project.) The fireplace is in, too, so finishing that side up.

Still working on the Mansion - I got the back trim done on the outside, which does make it look better, more "finished," and I also decided to add some white LED lights to the bushes on the roof. (See top photo.) After all, if you were sitting out there at night, it would look pretty cool. Still deciding on what furnishings to add, though I kind of like the small planters for decoration. Here's the "night view": ha!

Now it comes to planning the inside. Working on what to fit in but I got inspired to make a few kitchen kits. I'm leaning toward two kitchens - one with the first floor diner and a small "efficiency" kitchen in the chef's third floor room; I have to decide what to use and what will fit. And if you wonder, the older lady on the second floor doesn't cook. She goes downstairs or the chef brings her meals. Why cook when you have a chef - and a diner - on the premises! I may give her a microwave, though, and maybe a tiny fridge to heat up snacks or leftovers. Not sure yet.

Some kitchen cabinet pieces from MiniEtchers.com. Deciding which to use where. I could use the center cabinet for the lady's microwave and "pretend" it's refrigerated. I might do that. (Yeah, I should've turned the doors around on the left cabinet so the "knobs" would be on top. ha! I'll fix that.)

The counter I'm figuring out for the diner is an L-shape in two pieces, cut on an angle to fit two walls. Then I'll add a customer eating counter, too, with chairs. The "efficiency" kitchen upstairs may be one small straight counter, using parts of this kit from Ron Chase, D-Tales Miniatures (he makes all those fancy filigree-carved clocks.)  

Here's one cabinet and a new fridge I got:

For comparison, the cabinet is 1 1/2" square. I found this cute plastic fridge on eBay. Very detailed and only $5. That it was my favorite color yellow, and that it has shelves and a pull-out bin, got my attention. It's a little smaller but it could still work, I think. I can always add a small base under it, too. I saw one of those tinier and thinner real-life fridges like this at Menard's and they are much smaller than a regular fridge.

 

As many learn, 1/24 or half-scale furnishings come in many sizes. Most will work, depending on your setting and what you use with them.

The yellow fridge is just under 2" high and is 1 7/8" wide. 

Below: 

The plastic vintage fridge (non-opening) is 2 1/4" high and about 1  3/16" wide. I might use the older fridge in the diner, not sure yet. 

The third wood fridge kit, unfinished, is from a Greenleaf punch-out kit. 

The wood fridge kit is a bit bigger at 3 1/4" h and 1 1/4" w. (The top door is only taped on.) They all vary but could work, so we'll see what I decide on. I kind of wanted to see what I could make to fill one - but holy cow! It would be very tiny items for the yellow one. ha! But I am leaning toward the old fridge and the yellow one since the Mansion isn't super big. The wood fridge could fit in the log cabin I'll do eventually or even the Raggedy Ann house. We'll see.

So that's the update for the moment. I did finish my swaps for the Half-Scale group and mailed the box. Yay! I went for a useful, "older" item this time. I'll share the contents when it's mailed back in March. And despite several inches of snow outside right now, spring really is around the corner. Thinking of April and the dollhouse shows! Can't wait!  (** Update: Haa! I'm optimistic since we got like 8" of snow and it's now -8 below zero right now on Sunday!)

Thanks again for visiting! I'll share what I get finished -  soon, I hope!