Mini A Day: MiniJoyMonth: Bright Idea

 

Today's Theme: Bright Idea

Above: Lit up Lavender Cottage

What's different about this house, you ask? Well, this was the first time we decided to use all and only LED lights and it worked out really well. (See post about the lights and transformer.)

We used those as the lights last longer, stay cooler, and are easy to use.

We still used electric tape wire on the house and I soldered the light wires directly to the electric tape. The nice thing is these lights have very thin wires. We bought loose bulbs in bulk that I used with light covers or beads (like the ceiling lights on the 2nd and third floors) and also bought pairs of coach-style and tulip-shaped lights on eBay. We also found a reasonably priced (at that time) multi-volt transformer that can be used as 3Volt (LED) up to 12 volt. We had to take off the adaptor and wire on a plug instead, but it works great. Easy solution!

Lights below, house in progress yet. Never thought I'd finish at that stage!

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* Trying to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. 

Friend me there @ cwrite12.

Mini A Day: MiniJoyMonth: Mixed Scale

The Christmas Campground 

Today's Theme: Mixed Scale Madness

Not sure about the madness part.. ha!  I've mostly been working in half scale (lack of room) but  I'm not adverse to using different scale items in something if I like them and if they fit. If they look right, they go in. ha!

As half-scale can sometimes be very tiny, like the plants and pots can be so small, I often use pots and leaves that are more 1" scale as they're easier to work with and they look fine to me. 

I think the best example of mixed scales I can give right now is the Christmas Campground me and my friend Gigi set up. Not too soon as Christmas stuff is already out in the stores! 

Take a tour  - see more pix at the links: that picnic table is 1" scale; that tiny pink camper is a smaller than half-scale; my diner/camper at the left back is half scale. Here's more pix of my camper in progress. Chairs on the lot are various sizes. It all works!

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* Trying to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. 

Friend me there @ cwrite12.

Mini A Day: MiniJoyMonth: Dollhouse Magic!

 Today's theme for #MiniJoyMonth: Where the Magic Happens

My magic workplace is either on the kitchen table or at a small table in the living room while watching TV. But anywhere is good, really, when you take time to do what you love. Miniatures really are magic, you see. They allow you to express your creativity, lift your mood, and let you relax. Any hobby should be like that. 

Of course, those are boooooring photos. ZZZZ. So what to show?

I think the magic is inside the dollhouses and roomboxes! 

(Above and top) New view of the third floor in the Lavender Cottage. It's private and comfy so no one minds the extra things like the ping pong table (SDK Miniatures kit; the bed is an Avon resin piece; white chair, CastleCrafts kit) or the packing boxes still there that were supposed to be put away! A good place to relax and watch some TV quietly and alone.

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* Trying to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. 

Friend me there @ cwrite12.

Mini A Day: MiniJoyMonth: A Little Treat

 

Above: witch hats and candy bucket in my mini Halloween Shoppe (See more pix here.)

Today's theme for #MiniJoyMonth: A Little Treat

Perfect for the month leading up to Halloween!

What kind of treat do you like? 

In miniature you can have it all - no calories! haa! 

How about a "finger" sandwich? haa!

* See more Halloween food I made here.

* Here are some candy wrapper printies to fill your own Halloween basket.

* I previously shared several varieties of Halloween favorite foods here from the talented Kiva Atkinson.

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* Trying to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. 

Friend me there @ cwrite12.

Mini A Day: MiniJoyMonth Storytime

 Today's theme for #MiniJoyMonth: Story Time

Above: Girl's horror-circus themed bedroom: My Fairfield house has inhabitants who like a touch of Halloween and I thought it would be fun to use old circus "freak show" posters. Scroll down here for links to other rooms in the Fairfield. (Click photos for full size.)

Most of the projects have stories behind them, whether it's about the planning or deciding on an actual or invisible owner which helps in the decorating, etc. All these are half-scale (1/24th scale) houses.

(Below) Like in the Lavender Cottage: given the style, I decided it was a vacation home, which explains the double beds in the bedroom, etc. New photo! I'm still adding art and decorative items, but getting there...

The Witch's Cottage with its spooky visitors... well, the title says it all. ha!

Making up a small story helps cement what you want to do with the house and how it's decorated. Funny that being a writer, I haven't actually written short stories to go with the houses. Maybe that's something I should do sometime.

NOTE: Click the headline to comment. I'd love to hear where everyone is being referred from to give me an idea. (I saw the comment box the other day but now I can't find it... weird...)

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* Trying to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram.  Friend me there @ cwrite12.

Mini A Day: MiniJoyMontth: Flat Not Round

Today's them:  Flat Lay Fun

Above: mini salad I made

* I decided to add this photo below late afternoon since it's more in keeping with the theme. Assorted items that are mostly going into an Old West book nook and in the Lavender Cottage.

Wasn't sure what I'd share for this, but one of my favorite things to lay flat and take photos of is miniature food. Love making it and seeing the end result.  

Easter and carrot cakes

Another favorite project: the half-scale Tiki Bar - decorating; finished bar with food

Tiki  Bar drinks

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* Trying to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. 

Friend me there @ cwrite12.

Mini A Day: MiniJoyMonth: Home

I added the dog with his toy in the Lavender Cottage. Love the expression on his face! 

Today's theme for #MiniJoyMonth: Feels Like Home

I'd say the best part of building dollhouses is the decorating and deciding on the decor. I'm not crazy about the construction part, a necessary evil, but I love choosing colors, style, patterns, etc. The fun is you can have and use things you wouldn't or couldn't in real life!

A few of my favorites I've done:

The half-scale Fairfield dollhouse dining room. See more pix here.

I loved doing this house. Well, I liked doing the decorating, the building was a challenge! The fun was putting in Halloween touches without it being full spooky. I love this view below.

Here's the main bedroom: loved the colors! Other photos here.

The latest: the Lavender Cottage. Still adding art, etc. but I love this kitchen and a more modern feel than I usually do. I like the homey feel of the rooms. Here's the latest pix though I have to do more photos, especially on the top floor. Earlier In progress pix. 

I've done many more projects and houses, of course. See the archives list in the left column.

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* Trying to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. Friend me there @ cwrite12.

Mini A Day: Pattern, Texture

 

Today's theme for #MiniJoyMonth: Pattern or Texture

Wasn't sure what I'd share for this, but I love mixing different patterns for wallpaper and fabrics like the black/white sitting room in my half-scale Fairfield. This was fun to figure out. See more photos here. Of course, the house has little touches of Halloween, too. I can't resist!

I had this textured scrapbook paper that I wanted to use for the floor and used contrasting print scrapbook papers for the walls Plus the red, gold, and black patterns for the furniture. Scroll down here for links to other rooms in the Fairfield.

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* Trying to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. 

Friend me there @ cwrite12.

Mini A Day: Favorite Color

 

Lunch in the Lavender Cottage.

Posting for #minijoymonth - Today's Theme: Signature Color. 

I do use purple a lot, so I'll share pix from my Lavender Cottage again. More pix: moving day. Lots of purple/lavender, inside and out! My favorite color is also yellow, so I'll say it's two colors.

  ** I'm slightly behind, but thought I'd try to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. 

Friend me there @ cwrite12.

Mini A Day: MiniJoyMonth - Halloween Journey

On the way to Halloween....

Was trying to figure out what today's post would be for the theme: On A Journey for the MiniJoyMonth posts on Instagram. (See info below.)

Then I had an idea to show an early miniature. I've been on the miniatures journey for a long time, even longer than what's on the blog, but this is one of the earlier miniatures of mine I shared online from 2009.

This little doll started as one of those cheap dollar store dolls (see beginning pic Links change: find Gina Bellous's witch hat tutorial & pattern here.) 

I loved making her. One thing I learned doing this: take the time and do the proper steps like pressing seams, etc. and you get good results. I have one of those mini irons that's really handy for this stuff. I still have a couple of these dolls set aside as I've been wanting to re-dress another one at some point. 

For a more recent photo: here's a much smaller half-scale doll I redid as a Miss Haversham-inspired figure in my Greenleaf Van Buren turned haunted house. (See the house in progress -  The finished house.)

I know dolls in dollhouses are a love-hate thing. I like dolls, always have since my early Barbies and Thumbelina. I still remember a lot of those dolls, had to re-find a few later in life, and have since added others later like my collection of Cher dolls. 

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

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* I'm posting here on the blog as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. 

Friend me there @ cwrite12.

Mini A Day: MiniJoyMonth

 

Today's Theme for #MiniJoyMonth: Close Up

I was on a shoe and bag-making streak a while back. Still love making these. I really should finish the shoe-bag shop I had in mind. The room box is decorated and has shelves. Just have to fill it. Maybe that'll be my next UFO project! Yes, I have done many projects and have many to do yet!

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Trying to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. 

Friend me there @ cwrite12.

I'll try to share my posts here as well, though I may miss some days here and there. 

Mini A Day: MiniJoyMonth

How about some Witch's hats?

Today's theme: Retail Therapy

My favorite mini shop: My miniature Halloween store. Lots for the mini people to celebrate Halloween! Click link for more photos.

 I'm slightly behind, but thought I'd try to keep up and post here as well for MiniJoyMonth, a minis event for September via @ vintagedollhouseshop on Instagram. 

Friend me there @ cwrite12.

I'll try to share my posts here as well, though I may miss some days here and there. 

Miniature Halloween Skeletons

 

For some reason, I get a kick out of miniature Halloween skeletons! All sizes, clothed, and whatever else. (* See last post, Halloween miniatures. Click photos for full size.)

Another favorite scene I made with the coffin above was a Skellie Funeral Parlor.  I found the coffin (a gag stop-smoking item) at Goodwill some time ago.

* See more skeletons and a Halloween story, "Superstition" by Carola Dunn, here.

I'm not the only one who thinks skellies look even better dressed up. Here's a couple waiting on the fortuneteller and see more skellies here made by miniaturist Patricia Paul.

My half-scale Witch's Cottage also has a mini skellie visitor - and a skellie dog, of course! And the skellie sees something outside!

A while back, I also made another old skeleton lady fortuneteller in her house.

Wait, there's more! Told you I like using these skeletons in rooms and houses. 

Mrs. Skellie also likes acting as hostess during my Halloween in Miniature events. (See links at top tab.)

That's it for now! 

*Thanks for visiting. Come back soon for more spooky and other posts!* 

More Halloween Miniatures!

 

It's September! It's getting cooler at night, the gardens are sputtering out, Pumpkin Spice is here... it looks like Fall is coming! Which means Halloween-time! (Despite stores already pushing Christmas! Hey, Santa, stand back. Wait your turn!) (*Click photos for full size. Follow links for more photos!)

So, changed the theme here to Halloween and I'll start sharing some of my older Halloween creations again. Why not? It's not too early!

Above: One of my favorite projects, an abandoned room in an old photo storage box. See post. I loved doing this and am thinking of turning a smaller Greenleaf house kit into a full abandoned house. Believe it or not, it is harder being messy than being neat. Of course in an abandoned project, you can't really go too far!

Recent small Halloween projects: A Halloween hut and a Spooky Corner.

* More to come. I have plenty of Halloween projects to share and re-share! Plus, coming up:  let's see how many mini skeletons I've included! You can also click the Halloween in Miniature tab at the top for links to plenty of other Halloween posts! * 

* Thanks again for visiting! Come back for more spooky and other posts! *

Lavender Cottage: Halloween is Coming!

The moving boxes are inside now, being unpacked, and the Lavender Cottage residents are already thinking of Halloween. (Me, too!) (See last post - a peek inside. * Click photos for full size.)

Hard to believe August is already gone and wow, it got cool outside last night. But that means pumpkins and Halloween is coming!

So, getting ready, some pumpkins are slowly appearing outside the dollhouse. Why not? (Yes, I'll have to tape those post wires underneath somehow. Things you don't think of right away!)

But, look! Even the dogs are getting ready! This dog "begged" to have their flower costume  on. haa! (I saw this set at Menard's and couldn't resist. The owner will appear soon in her Halloween costume!)

The cooler weather (yes, even in miniature!) means the flowers will last a bit longer until it gets too cold. The flowers look pretty good still! (Clematis trellis kit from SDK Miniatures.)

Just a few photos. I'll be decorating more soon and showing the full inside, so stay tuned!

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

Cool Miniature Inspiration

I've seen photos of his work before and always thought they were interesting and incredibly detailed.

Apparently, Anthony Schmidt was 10 when he started taking photos of model cars, and his photographic skills have only advanced since then. I had to share this as anything miniatures-related is always fun to see.

It's neat to see a young man, now 17, making money at something he loves, along with elevating model-making to an art form. He's self-published several books and has a new publishing project involving his model cars and Route 66 on Kickstarter, which is going strong, with just days to go. Check it out here. Fun is that he also likes restoring real antique cars.