A to Z Blog Challenge - P is for Potting Shed

* Today is Letter P of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge *

I have a few small things to do yet. I built a small potting shed on the other side of the Half Scale Country House. Happy how this turned out. 

The shed's on the left side. 

I also made another flower bed, this one with petunias in the middle. 

Hmm, someone didn't plant that bucket yet...

I love the potting shed! (The potting bench is a kit from SDK Miniatures.

 I made the hutch from picture frame mat board.) The seed box is a small bookshelf I got from one of the Half Scale Yahoo group swaps

Those are Polly Pocket boots. Perfect size!  

Even have copies of my local newspaper on the bottom shelf of the bench (and for the planting!)

   *  See more minis, profiles, photos and how to projects (a few half scale too!)  -    In Miniature Style II - print, ebook, PDF

A to Z blog challenge - Not Only Miniatures

* A Double Post for N and O for the daily A to Z Blog Challenge *

One of the other important  parts of my life - my dog. (No longer miniature but that's okay!) ;) 

A to Z Blog Challenge - M for Mini Mixer!

 * Today is Letter M of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge *

I had to include this - the cutest mini mixer and crock pot. I got these in this year's half scale group swap. (In my Half Scale Country House. See D)

   *  See more minis, profiles, photos and how to projects  - 
  In Miniature Style II - print, ebook, PDF

A to Z Blog Challenge - K is for Dollhouse Kitchen

* Today is Letter K of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge *

K is for....

Kitchen -- From the Half Scale Country House

I also added a cherry print border  (not shown) around the ceiling. It matches the yellow and green in the room. I was trying for an old-fashioned look to the kitchen.

The stove and sink are kits from Petite Properties in the UK. The stove is handmade and my design. I used pieces of coated colored wire from paperclips for the handles The shelves inside are pieces of plastic fence. 

The cool appliances on the side table are from a recent swap in the Half Scale Yahoo group. the teapots and jugs are by my friend, Kitty.

   *  See more minis, profiles, photos and how to projects  - 
  In Miniature Style II - print, ebook, PDF

A to Z Blog Challenge - J for Just Mini!

* Today is Letter J of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge *

Oops! I forgot today's so adding Just Something in Mini! 

A great mini tie gift from my friend Gigi. She also made the table scene for my Christmas gift. Worth a re-show! 

   *  See more minis, profiles, photos and how to projects  - 
  In Miniature Style II - print, ebook, PDF

A to Z Blog Challenge - I is for Illustrations

* Today is Letter I of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge *

I is for... 

Illustrations 

Well... a few of these letters made me put my thinking cap on. ha!

The part "I" like most about building dollhouses is the decorating and setting up house! 

A house isn't a home, of course, without art and pictures to cover the walls.

Here's some of the art I used inside the Half Scale Country House  (I used most though I had to cut down the size of the hydrangea. I still love the bouquet but couldn't fit it in. I'll use it in another house.) Yes those are real postcards shrunk down. 

And the screen is an adaptation of the pattern in my book,   In Miniature Style II, - this time a spring style using vintage seed packet illustrations. I used lace between the panels as dividers. This is in the larger, standard 1 inch scale (1" = 1 ft.)

   *  See more minis, profiles, photos and how to projects  - 
  In Miniature Style II - print, ebook, PDF

A to Z Blog Challenge - H is for Half scale Dollhouse

* Today is Letter H of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge *

H is for... 

Half Scale Miniature House 

I enjoy making dollhouses in half scale (1/2" = 1 ft.) since they take up much less room but are not that small to work on (usually). 

The Half Scale Country House, for instance, is only 14 3/4" high, 20" long and 10 1/4" deep at the base. The house itself is just under 7 3/4 " deep.

This is the first full dollhouse I've done in a while, so it's been fun planning and decorating it. I collected many of the accessories from the annual swap in the Half Scale Yahoo group.

Here's a few photos of the third floor attic which includes a craft area and a bedroom/game area for the grandkids when they visit.

Of course the kids left the bear laying on the bed.  I've since taken the dress down and put up a picture and added a toy plane on the table by the beds. The two center matching chairs are erasers from Michael's that I covered with fabric. 

   *  See more minis, profiles, photos and how to projects  - 
  In Miniature Style II - print, ebook, PDF

A to Z Blog Challenge - G is for Mini Groceries

* Today is the Letter G of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge *

G is for... 

Miniature... Groceries. 

Was wracking my brain trying to think of what I had in dollhouse pictures that started with G! Then I remembered I had a pic before assembly of the inside wall of the shed for my Half Scale Country House. (See the D post to see pix of the house exterior.) 

The attached shed is part bathroom, laundry and storage, perfect for a small, old house! The inside was coated with lightweight stucco and aged with tan paint.

   *  See more minis, profiles, photos and how to projects  - 
  In Miniature Style II - print, ebook, PDF

A to Z Blog Challenge - F for Miniature Food

* Today is day 6  - Letter F - of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge * 

What else? but...

F is for... 

Miniature Food. 

One of the most fun parts of miniatures, I think, is how real some of the food can look.  A few pieces from my collection. I made the food. Directions are in my book,  In Miniature Style II for the burgers, hot dogs and potato salad. Believe me, there are others who make food waaay better than mine!

For fun, check out some of the amazing, realistic food made by PetitPlat, Kiva Atkinson  and Angie Scarr, to name a few. (Angie has a bunch of how to videos at the link.)

Talk about real looking!

   * More minis, profiles, photos and how to projects  - 
  In Miniature Style II - print, ebook, PDF

A to Z Blog Challenge - E for Dollhouse Exterior

* Today is day 5  - Letter E - of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge * 

E is for... 

More Exterior Photos of the Half Scale Country House (from letter D).

I did some redecorating already. Just like real life!

Someone left an Easter basket at the front door! I have to match the two flower pots yet.

Left side flowers. Removable flower box.

Center, chair. Avon resin set.

Right side, birdhouses and flowerpots.

   * More minis, profiles, photos and how to projects  - 
  In Miniature Style II - print, ebook and PDF

A to Z Blog Challenge - D is for Dollhouse

* Today is day 4  - Letter D - of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge * 

Back to the Half Scale Country House I've been working on.


D is for... 

Dollhouse!   

I've been working on my dollhouse, what I call the Half Scale Country House, for a while now. It's nearly done! Here's a few of the latest photos I've shared of the outside. I'll share more interior photos on upcoming days.

The house was colonial style but I didn't want all those windows, so I closed the sides and took out the center window. The front is paper clay. The sides are individual wood strips. I hand-painted the clay and wood with acrylic paint.

(I've also removed the flower bed and am making a better one seasonal flowers that sets in the space.)  The "vases" by the front door are actually ceramic electric caps from inside a 1960s stove we finally got rid of.  The color might look off in some photos but the blue shutters and trim are actually turquoise.

I used painted scalloped plastic brick sheet for the flat roof (not shown). It also is used on the shed and will be on a partial-roof potting shed (not finished yet). Yes, the shed roof opens. There's a bathroom and storage. I have to make a wringer washer yet.

   * More minis, profiles, photos and how to projects  - 
  In Miniature Style II 

A to Z Blog Challenge - C for Mini Cake

* Today is day 3  - Letter C - of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge * 

Back to the Half Scale Country House I've been working on.


C is for... 

Cake of course!  

The cake is made by a member of the Half Scale Yahoo Group from one of our annual swaps. The bowl and cookies are from this year's swap also. (To give you an idea of size: the table is 2" wide; the cake is just over 1/2" wide across.) 

   * More minis, profiles, photos and how to projects - (some food ideas, too!)  -  In Miniature Style II 

A to Z Blog Challenge - B for Mini Barbecue

* Today is day 2  - Letter B - of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge * 

I had to share one of my favorite projects again. 

B is for... 

Barbecue. 

Nothing better than a cookout with fresh fruit salad and fried chicken! I made the food of polymer clay and copied the picture from a  vintage cookbook cover. Was fun to do!

I made a half-scale version too. (Have to find the pic.)

* To Letter C





   * More minis, profiles, photos and how to projects - (some food ideas, too!)  -  In Miniature Style II

A to Z Blog Challenge - Day 1 Apples

 * Today is the first day - Letter A - of the daily A to Z Blog Challenge * 

(See calendar at end of post for the days and letters.)

I'm going to share some of my minis, hopefully new things you haven't seen. I've been working on my Half Scale Country House. (See previous photos.)  It's nearly done though I'm still adding new things. (I will share the latest pix for Day 4, letter D).

I haven't done a full house in a while, so it's fun to get as much detail in as you can. 

A is for... 

Apples! An apple a day doesn't keep the miniaturist away. ha!

These are in half scale (1/2" = 1 foot) and made by a member of the Half Scale Yahoo Group. I got them in one of the annual swaps.  (Of course they could be green tomatoes too, I suppose.)

   * More minis, profiles, photos and how to projects -
 In Miniature Style II - print, ebook, PDF


 ** Go to:  Letter B

A to Z Blog Challenge Coming

I've decided to join this blog also in the daily A to Z Blog Challenge beginning April 1 and going all next month.

Over 1,000 blogs join in sharing something new and linked to the alphabet each day. Of course I'm sharing minis and miniatures-related topics so be sure to stop by!

I'm also sharing some new short fiction and other things at my GirlZombieAuthors blog so check it out!

Got the New Miniatures Mystery!

Oh fun! I got my (signed!) copy today of Margaret Grace's (Camille Minichino's) latest miniatures mystery, Manhattan in Miniature: A Miniature Mystery! Not only is this a fun book in her dollhouse series, but I blurbed it and got a quote on the back. How cool is that! Thanks, Camille!

(I'm not biased but I think this is one of the prettiest of her covers, too!) (The Kindle and ebook aren't out yet - official release is April 6. Stay tuned for an upcoming interview!)