MiniJoyMonth 19: Taking Shape: Halloween Tea Shop

 

Halloween Shop front - The pots are some kind of faux pods. The planter is a mint container lid.

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Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size. * For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: Taking Shape

Building a dollhouse or kit takes time. It takes some thinking and planning for a project to take shape.

I know for me, I can't move forward, or don't really get inspired, until the idea for how a project should look is formed in my mind. Once I can "see" it, then I feel like it'll work. Know what I mean? That's why sometimes it takes a while to get started on a project. Then once you know if something will work, it can move forward, not that some things don't change along the way!

Finally I got the Halloween Tea Shop looking how I want it! Love the result!

Here's the orignal idea (web pic; nice, the style originally caught my eye though it's too bland for me! I like bright colors! ha!)

It started as a Tea Shoppe kit from Teri Hanson Miniatures, (see original post) but I just had to decorate it for Halloween! It will be a shop with assorted items that are now sitting in drawers or boxes.

Here are the flowers in the "pod" containers and oh, look - a visitor! Must be all that Wisc. cheese that makes them so big. haa! ( I couldn't resist! A small bag at Menard's.) 

* Added: the top wallpaper is textured paper I bought by the roll and painted; the bottom is textured HS textured brick paper by Starboc1 in Greece. New site: MiniaturesWallpapers.com. 

Inside:

1st Floor: I used the idea I had for the Half-Scale Garage, to make a ceiling "flourescent" light

I'm also going to use this wall cabinet kit from Teri Hanson Miniatures on this floor. It covers the back wall. It had nice scribed lines, but I wanted it to have a Halloween look so I used scrapbook paper inside. I really liked both these prints.

Floor 2 - Will have tables and lots of pumpkins. The clear pumpkins made perfect light covers!

I'll show more later as I have some cool additions for this - and remember that small attic I was working on? It works perfectly with this project! Stay tuned!

* Thanks again for visiting. Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

MiniJoyMonth 18: Material World; Records

 

Record store in a Street of Shoppes building

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size. * For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: Material World

All I can think of for this one is Madonna's "Material Girl."

Material... wood, fabric, paints, stuff. It takes lots of STUFF to craft and make minis.

I admit, I let this post go as I really couldn't think of what to post, then I decided Material=Paper. I use a lot of paper for printies, like making all the miniature records in this record store. There are also record players on the left side. (Hard to get photo because of colored lights I have above it.)

Record table

Inside, left 

This was made before they came out with the actual record players that play, but that are larger than these. The keychain record players I used do make "scritching" sounds.

Material - boxes, bins, shelves of STUFF. Be sure you have room if you're making minis! haaa! 😅 Bookshelves are your friend! (Yes, I have quite a few!)

One thing I've tried to do: storing the kits, fabrics, etc. for a project together in a plastic scrapbook container or box. Keeping everything together really helps!

The big question: How do you store your minis and materials?

* Thanks again for visiting. Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

MiniJoyMonth 17: My Happy Miniature Place

 

A favorite: adding a spooky theme to my half-scale Fairfield House bedroom

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size.

* For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: My Happy Place

Other side of the Fairfield House bedroom. I love the bed fabric. It all started with the Dragon wallpaper.

I'll have to say my "happy place," is decorating the dollhouses and rooms. Yes, I enjoy building kits and building houses, though not all the aspects, but my favorite is the planning and the decorating. I love tying a theme and colors all together!

Another of the bedrooms in the half-scale Fairfield house. I wanted to add a slight circus theme to the girl's bedroom, a la Addams family! I love the old circus sideshow posters and vintage furnishings. The bed is a painted Tootsietoy piece. See more photos here. 

* Thanks again for visiting. Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

MiniJoyMonth 16: In Season

 

Witch Cottage yard. I love all the colors!

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size.

* For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: In Season

It's Fall - and Halloween! Time for lots of orange and pumpkins, favorites!!

More pumpkins from last year's MiniVerse kit. These are in my Witch's Bakery.

* Thanks again for visting. Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

MiniJoyMonth 15: Cozy Corner

 

Chair kits and table in the Fairfield house attic.

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size.

* For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: Cozy Corner

A favorite cozy place is my Fairfield house attic. I enjoyed making a sitting area as well as a storage space. A hard, but fun house to figure out how to plan and what to add. (See links for the house on this page; scroll down.)

Cozy reading corner in the Fairfield House attic. I love the vintage yellow phone!

Actually, I just love yellow, my favorite color!

Fun stuff!

* Thanks again for visiting. Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

MiniJoyMonth 14: Current Obsession

 

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size.

* For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: Current Obsession

Given the time of year, my obsession, no surprise, is... HALLOWEEN! 💀

I love doing miniature Halloween projects and decorating my houses. I always seem to go back to it, too!

My version of Miss Haversham, half-scale

A fun house to do was decorating the half-scale Greenleaf Van Buren dollhouse, which had to have its spooky elements! (See other photos at link.)

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

 

MiniJoyMonth 13: A Little Light

 

Half-Scale Tiki Room

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size. * For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: A Little Light

I admit being a little stumped on this one, at first. 

Lights, camera, action?

Light it up?  A lit room?

Then I saw this pic again and said, that's it! Fun lights!

What else to do at these fun ights?

This was a fun project, making a Tiki Room in a former photo storage box. I love these as they are the perfect size for half-scale. I'll have to hunt for more! (See more photos at above links.)

It seemed the perfect way to light it was using a string of Flamingo lights around the walls.

I made everything in the room. This one was really fun to decorate and figure out.

* Thanks again for visiting. Come back tomorrow for more minis. * 

* Thanks again for visiting. Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

MiniJoyMonth 12: Show & Tell

 

Men's Shoppe in a Cigar Humidor

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size. * For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: Show & Tell

Interior: Men's Shoppe

I have lots of completed projects, so it's hard to pick what to show!

But today, I'll share a favorite, my Men's Shoppe in a cigar box humidor. (See more photos at link.)

This was meant to be a (real-life) wall unit in a cigar store. I loved the writing on the glass, so I decided, after having it set aside quite awhile, to make it into a men's store. One of the few male-themed projects I have. 

The fun of this was adding all the details - making shirts to fill the counter, hanging clothing, boxes, shoes, hats, vintage art, and more. 

* Thanks again for visiting! Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

MiniJoyMonth 11: Pet Parade

A couple favorite dogs in a wall-hung cabinet.

 Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size. * For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: Pet Parade!

Yay, I'm today's host for Day 11 on Instagram @ cwrite12.  * I"m posting early the night before for everyone to see. If you followed here I'll expand, as I have been doing, on my main photo. * And keep reading for some freebies below! 

This was the perfect prompt for me as I've had pets all my life. We used to have turtle races on the kitchen table with those tiny turtles you used to get at the pet store. Had a parakeet, and of course, had dogs. As a little kid, I used to sneak out of the yard and walk my baby buggy around the block alone, but our faithful dog, Mitzi, always was at my side and made sure I was okay.

Real mini seahorses with newborns. Yes, the male carries and births the young.

In later years, I had saltwater fish and the smaller (mini) seahorses. What fun watching the babies born, but they are hard to raise as you had to constantly hatch live brine shrimp for them. (Yes, I still have some of the dried seahorses. Couldn't bear to just throw them away if they died and those also cost a lot to buy!)

I continued to have dogs all my life and lost my German Shepherd Gracie last year. (That's her baby photo on the top logo.) She was the oldest dog we ever had, but she had a lot of problems at the ripe old age of 14 1/2. Still miss her greatly!

I try to put dogs in most of my projects. What's a house, even a mini one, without a dog or pet?

  

I love this new statue I got this year. Isn't it cute?  I get a kick out of these and love finding new ones each year. I'll share more of those later. 

And while I am a dog person, I have put cats in a few projects, but not too many! haa!

 😚 What pets do you have, real and mini? If you can, feel free to share them here in the comments and/or on Insta!

Note: I put the printies and tip temporarily in a pdf: Click here. 

Some Freebies For You:

* Several pages of dog, cat food box printables like the above @Jennifers Printables  (right click to save the printies.)

* Vintage dog art to frame: (public domain, portion, 1911 ad)

How to: 

** TIP: Make an easy dog bone. Take a 2" long strip of masking tape (or any size you like.) Roll it into a tiny tube, then twist the ends and roll each end into a ball. Play around with sizes and twisting to get it to look how you want. I did these quick but make the ends wrapped sideways tighter. Yes it looks like a miniature rawhide bone! 

* Thanks again for visiting! Come back tomorrow for more minis! * 

MiniJoyMonth 10: By Hand

 

The Witch's Bakery

Another day as MiniJoyMonth on Instagram unfolds. So fun to have a whole group of miniaturists sharing their work!  (Be sure to join in or follow along with host @vintagedollhouseshop and look for the tag #minijoymonth2026. * See my Instagram page and friend me at cwrite12. )  

*Click photos for full size.

* For this blog, I'll share all my posts on the Day 1 post here.

Today's Prompt: By Hand

Witch's Bakery - interior

A fun project was making my Witch's Bakery in one of the Houseworks Street of Shops kits. I decided this time to do the whole exterior in egg carton stone. I love the results, but that was tedious! I have one more kit building left that I want to put a spooky restaurant in and maybe try to put it on top of this one as a second floor. 

Yes, I buy things I like but I also like to make a lot of things myself and construct kits, all by hand. I especially like building house kits. Well... I don't always like the consturction, but I do like watching the plan unfold. For me, the fun is the planning, the decorating, and the creating. Interior design in miniature can be so fun!

* Thanks again for visiting. Come back tomorrow for more minis! *