Christmas (So Far) at the Lavender Cottage

 Some Christmas decor at the Lavender Cottage!

Did a bit of decorating in the  Lavender Cottage. I like how the tree fits in the attic. This is the tree from last year's MiniVerse Christmas balls. (Click photos for full size.)

Update: I added more stuff to the outside. That's more like it! I thought the new light poles were cute and fit perfect. (Found them at Menards.) I'll add my other smaller santa later.

I didn't add a real lot. I may put a different mat under this tree. A fresh-baked cake and some salad are on the counter. Dinner is underway! I'll add presents later when Santa arrives. I like an overflowing tree. Will add more as the season has just begun!

In the meantime, I've been making and collecting some things for the annual exchange and advent calendar with my miniatures friend Gigi. Can't show anything yet!

Lots to figure, but so fun! When we meet the first Wednesday next month, we'll update our Christmas Campground a bit, not too much!, have desserts, open several days of the calendar to get on track, and then we take it home to open each day. So glad we started this last year! See a few of the previous year here. And yes, it's near my birthday too.  A big one. Nope not telling. haaa!

Much better! Fixed the outside; see photo above this one. Have to add the Santa and sleigh on the roof yet, too. Little by little. ha!

Next: I also have to set up my Christmas scene roombox. 

Making progress on The Witch's Bakery. A couple things to do before I show the latest. Also got the front of the other building (possibly the second floor) painted. More to come on that, too.

It's almost year's end, so time to figure out what projects I'll be working on or are underway.

After? It'll take a while on those two, but I might start the 1/24 scale Garage and there are also  book nooks to do.

There's always something to work on, which is good. It's a loooong, boring winter!

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

Miniature Bakery Under Construction

 

Construction is underway in the Witch's Bakery!

Thought I'd share a little "sneak peek" while the work is ongoing. The wallpaper is in, floor is in, and the moldings are going on. I almost changed my mind on the floor, but I really like the contrast and color scheme so far. 

I'll be back with more later!

* Thanks again for visiting! More coming soon! * 

Miniature Witch's Bakery Halloween Food

Something new!

Finally something to show! While I've been busy working on the Witch's Bakery, I haven't had anything to show--until now! I decided to add lights to the outside, then I was going to wallpaper - finally - and the glue is bad. ha! So I'll get some later. So that held me up.

But for now, the real fun stuff is what goes inside! My Wednesday mini day projects included painting some plastic cookware, then making several food items.

Remember those regular size Eyeball cake pops. I showed before? (MaeCrystalCreations/Etsy). 

Okay, I tried it out in mini. While mine isn't as gory.... yet, I love how they came out! I guess I will have to add more of the blood as shown here. (*Click photos for full size.)

I also decided to paint a white cookie stand. I'll add a colored doily before the cookies and snacks. I think it already looks better.

Also made some other food items - a bloody "roast" whatever, (don't ask the chef!) and some Crunchy Fingers. The fingers will go in a jar. I'll make several "ingredient" jars for the shelves.

 How about some fresh Cherry Eyeball Coffee Cake? Mmmm. Plus a tray of day-old fingers and a Giant's Hand cake. 

Made some pies, too. Not super creepy but they'll work. Now I realize I missed the nose! Will have to correct that.

Not a lot but a fun start! I'll have more soon and share any corrections also.

* Thanks again for visiting! Come back soon for more updates. *

Back from the show & New Miniature Projects!

 

I'm baaaack! While I'm working on the Witch's bakery, I found some good things at the dollhouse show for future projects. The ladder was a fun find I got a kick out of. Dealer selling all kinds of Japanese-made minis. I also got a slanted bakery case. You can't beat $5 each

I found some nice miniature drink glasses to make fancy cocktails for the haunted restauarant. Bear with the photo. I'll try to show the colors better later. The large drinks are actually a light yellow and white. The smaller drinks are light pink. Worked on it Wednesday, filling glasses with the UV resin and fruit slices. (I used the leftover resin I had from some of the MiniVerse projects.) Sure is so much easier using this and drying it under an inexpensive LED nail drying light. Pretty cool process!

The bakery case was brown but I painted it ivory and covered it with the same paper pattern I used on the large shelves. You can't tell in the photo but the case is slanted. The crates are from the Crates kit from CastleCrafts. Since I'm using the shelves and another regular bakery case, I might leave this open for boxes and "take-out" food packages.

This was a cute Raggedy Ann pin I found to save for that future project. Also, I always pick up silverware when I find it and glad to come across the smaller plates. I have bowls but not the dishes. Also got some of the plastic bakeware (broiler pan, tray, etc.)

Some neat kits. I got a few others that I can't show yet since they're surprise Christmas gifts. I just got a couple other interesting half-scale kits (a player piano and a four-poster bed) that I bought from someone else that I've never seen before, too.

Didn't buy too much (rare when I come home with $ left, ha!) but it's always fun to have a few new kits to work on.

(Note: Amazon affiliate links may offer some compensation to the blog owner.)

* Thanks again for visiting. Come back soon for project updates! * 

Miniature Witch's Bakery Structure Update

 

Slowly getting some things done on the Witch's Bakery. Based added; the tricky parts now, figuring lights, etc.  

Hate this part. Hate the building part, that's why I'm so slow at this stage. But I did decide to add some stained glass in the two big windows. They turned out nice.

 Also after much indecision, I figured out what to use for the stained glass in the side panels. It didn't look right with nothing there. Sadly, this is the last of the gold sticker sheet I have. It was a floral design for scrapbooking, which makes great stained glass. Will have to hunt more out. The good thing is the stained glass blocks the light in the bay window from shining outside.

Warning: these are all the boring parts. all structural stuff. I write some of this to not only give others ideas, but also to help me plan this out as I tend to overlook things. ha! (*Click photos for full size.)

This is different as it's only the second building I've done all LED lights, with a small transformer. I solder the lights in. I also soldered in a cheap strand of lights from the dollar store to go around the side shelving unit. I used the same paper on the shelves and the inner window shelves. (Hard to photograph but it's a pretty light lavender lacey print.) I'll glue in the floor paper and wallpaper next. 

The ceiling will be a plastic textured sheet painted a light copper. I have to figure how to extend the electric tape to the second floor, then glue on the light, fixture and ceiling sheet before adding floor itself in. It shold allow me to figure how to add that extra floor/building on the top.

I guess this is a rather "upscale" bakery. Then, if I ever decide to switch the storefront out to something else at some point, I can, though I usually don't do that. When a project is done, it's usually done. But it's pretty neutral at just black and white inside. It may come to that as I run out of room. ha! You never know! I can "play" then and set up something else inside instead of just having a display piece. Have plenty of those around! We'll see.

 I'll take more photos once the inside is papered and the ceiling in, then it'll all show up much better. I'm thinking I'll add channels in the back to allow me to slide the back wall in and out for access. It should work even with a second floor.

I also found some eerie signs and other strange printies I bought a while back. Some fun stuff I can use for now. Some can fit in a creepy restaurant, too.

Deciding on the sidewalk... cutting, cutting, cutting egg carton "blocks." So fun.* (sarcasm) I have a lot of take-out drink trays saved. I'm going to do around the base too so will see how it looks. So far, I think it'll work The side wall I might do part paint/stucco and stone, but I have to look again at how the second floor will work so I might only have to paint it and make a fake stuccoed or "stone" outer wall with the stairs. I'm dreading doing more painting - the windows, door, etc. 

The funny part of this project, if it works out as I envision it, will be having a rooftop bar - the Vampire bar. (No other stairs needed!) haa! 

* That's it for now! Thanks again for visiting. Come back soon for more updates! *

It's Showtime!

 

Finally! The Fall Showcase of Miniatures dollhouse show is this weekend, tonight and tomorrow!

A change of plans! Bad weather coming so going to the show tonight. Yay! Not crazy about it being dark so early but it'll be nice for once to see everything before it's picked over! 

In the meantime: some lights are installed in the Witch's Bakery. I'm putting in windows. It took foreeeeever to make a simple decision on the stained glass for the side panel windows. haaa! It'll look good. So stay tuned. Updates on that and the show after I get back!

The show's something to look forward to in the near-winter blah period and the only local show before Spring. So, time to stock up on more kits for my stash! haa! A smaller show, but hopefully I find some good stuff. Here's the FB page for T&D Miniatures.

Autumn Showcase of Miniatures

Wyndham Garden Hotel, 1725 Algonquin Rd., Schaumburg, Ill.

Nov. 7, Friday, 4-8 p.m. -  Nov. 8, Saturday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

----------------------------------------

* The T&D Minis Spring show (same hotel in Schaumburg) is usually around the same time (Friday and Saturday, and offers a free shuttle bus between the two shows) as the Tom Bishop International Show.

The upcoming Bishop show is Saturday, April 11, 2026 and Sunday, April 12 at the Chicago Marriott O'Hare, 8535 Higgins Rd. 

*********************