2023 A to Z Blog Challenge: U-V-W Your Invitation to Dine: Fairfield Dollhouse Dining Room

 

 Love this view. It would make a cool postcard!

It's time for the annual A to Z Blog Challenge!  

The concept is simple - blogging for 26 days (except Sunday) from A to Z.

* See A to Z Instagram - Facebook - A to Z Blog Master List of Participants

Today is the Letters U-V-W: YoUr  InVitation to the Weekly Dinner

I almost forgot that I had to share the Fairfield Dollhouse's Dining Room so I had to fit it in here somehow, hence the odd title. ha! I have to say that this is probably one of my favorite rooms. Well, several are favorites. (Click photos for full size; see other links in left column archives or My Dollhouses tab under top photo.)

Since it's next to the living room/parlor on the first floor, I emphasized the room connections by using the same striped scrapbook paper I also used in the parlor. Photo below: the two rooms at the beginning.

Then....

And now.....

The full view. The tall clock is from last year's half -scale group swap. The table on the right is a vintage wash stand from SDK Miniatures. If you're wondering about the ceiling, I cut out a portion of a full-size patterned wallpaper (it has large squares and a medallion in the center) for this room and the living room. Somehow I'll have to find more! 

(Oops, I added something since the photo above!) I thought the record player/console  and records fit perfect here. The crates, which are 1/2" square, are from All About Miniatures on Etsy. Just thought they were sooo cute! I made the tiny record albums. 

I got the dining room chandelier in a past swap and knew I had to use it in this room. It's a plastic wheel with handmade candle lights with some wax dripped over them. I painted the wheel black, then glued on the strand of fake leaves. 

Love the fireplace!

I found the art in a Met Museum of Art book (Goodwill find) and thought it had an eerie look to it. To emphasize that, I wanted to make it glow in the dark but despite three kinds of glow paint (two glow paints and one gel), I couldn't get it to work. Is there a secret to this I don't know? Please let me know! The stuff itself really glows but I can't get enough on the painting to stay to get it to work. (** NOTE: I found some aluminate powder on ebay that I'm going to try. It really glows in the package. haa! Will let you know!) The fireplace has some fake ivory pieces on the bottom of the fireplace from All Dolled Up TDS that I found at last year's show.

The double Gothic bookcase, table, and chairs are from SDK Miniatures. My favorite set. I'll have to get another table since I took the spooky tablecloth off this one to decorate it. ha! I can change it to all spooky at Halloween, including the single bookcase with spider webbing. I also have the Gothic chair set aside. (But that single bookcase may just go in the witch's cottage I'll do eventually.)

Books, books, books!

 

I added more gold on the points since this photo. The box on the bottom shelf is a tea box printie from Zena's Miniatures on Etsy.

Separately at some point, I plan on doing a spooky Gothic library with more of these furnishings in a book box. Great space-saver! Of course I'll need lots of books. These are cool vintage and classic covers with nice graphics in several sizes from JupiterMoon3 on Etsy. I've also gotten some fun Halloween book covers from WoWbooknook on Etsy. They have some other great printies and book sets, too.  

I made valances and decided to use a sparkly ribbon for the curtains.

Decided to use this vintage wash stand kit below for a buffet table. (SDK Miniatures)

Hungry? Food on the Gothic dining table. I made all the bread, sandwiches, and pizza from Crayola Magic air dry clay. I coat it with a light coat of matte Mod Podge to seal it.

Believe it or not, that is the last of the Fairfield dollhouse rooms I had to show. 😢 I loved doing this room and once I got past the initial challenges - and all that trimming! - Overall, I loved doing this house! But don't think this is it! Halloween will be coming and I get to show off my fun Halloween stuff and the lit things on the porch!

* I am thinking of checking all my posts and linking them with any tips as quite a few people are building Fairfields now. 

Other links will be on the top My Dollhouses tab under the top photo.

* Next A to Z Blog: 4/28 The End - X-Y-Z : Recap: My Favorite photos & posts

* Thanks for visiting all this month. I really appreciate your interest! 

Stay tuned for more posts, show news, and.... what project will I do next???

2023 A to Z Blog Challenge: S-T Some Miniature Toys

 

It's time for the annual A to Z Blog Challenge!  

The concept is simple - blogging for 26 days (except Sunday) from A to Z.

* See A to Z Instagram - Facebook - A to Z Blog Master List of Participants

Photo: Mini Brands Toys and  a Muppet figure from the pet store in my Haunted Toy Shop

 Today for the Letters S-T: Some Miniature Toys

* For fun, I showed a Tudor house Half Scale bakery for T in 2016. 

Tudor house bakery

Toys? Isn't that what all of this is, you say? ha! Well, maybe to some, but miniatures can be as simple and plain, or as well thought out and elegant as you want. There are antique collectibles, high-end collectibles, handmade stuff and mass-produced items. It's all in what goes into it.

The fun today is that even the manufacturers are getting into miniatures, with those Mini Brands collections expanding into all kinds of areas -  Toys, Mini Disney figures, fashion, and now foods. I got some of the Disney figures that I put in my seminally Haunted Toy Store. I admit I'm a doll  person, so any mini dolls are always a temptation, like those Mini Bratz figures which I've only spotted once. I have several of the Polly Pocket dolls and clothes (love the teensy shoes, which I don't come across as much anymore though I recently found some at Goodwill.) One day I'll figure something to use the dolls in; maybe a doll store. Too obvious, right? haa!

There are also the World's Smallest Brands toys which are really cute also. And... who knows what else will come along? I try not to get hooked on all these as it really can add up to a small fortune! Well, all of it is anyway. haa!

Here's some of the Mini Brands toys. I love that little phone! Here's more on the toy shop these are in, plus my Tudor Tea Shoppe.

My favorite, if we get back to dolls, has been Raggedy Ann. I did a couple rooms around that theme and have a half-scale house set aside that will be a Raggedy Ann and Andy house. That'll be fun to figure out a whole house. 

Yes, this is winding down now.... I'll have to start a project as I'll have nothing to blog about. ha! Oh,  just kidding! There's always stuff to show! Wait'll you see the next post!

* Next: 4/25  A to Z Blogging: U-V-W -Love this room! The Fairfield Dining Room

2023 A to Z Blog Challenge: Quiet! Another Miniature Roombox, Cigar box

 

It's time for the annual A to Z Blog Challenge!  

The concept is simple - blogging for 26 days (except Sunday) from A to Z.

* See A to Z Instagram - Facebook - A to Z Blog Master List of Participants

 Today for the Letter Q-R: Quiet(ly) Working on Another Roombox

I hinted in the M post that between these posts I've been quietly working on a new but old project, a box, of sorts that has been sitting around empty for a while.

If you couldn't guess what it is...  Ignore the title as I've found if I don't add a keyword in the top, I'll never find it again.

Ta-dah! It's a Cigar Humidor! I picked it some years back at the flea market as I knew it could be a cool roombox. It must've been in a store or something, but I liked that it had the lettering on the glass and a shelf inside. (** Added - size: 16" w, 11" h, 6.75" d.) Cool, huh? (*Click photos for full size. See other posts in left column archives.)

So... my idea was to turn it into a small men's store with some clothing, ties, accessories, and of course, a couple boxes of cigars. It's interesting how you can have an idea in mind and then finally it clicks. I'm really happy with how this turned out as it's small but packed like a shop would be.

The box sat for years unfinished, though here and there I assembled some tie, hat, and clothing boxes I bought over the years. (Lisa Engler/Lisa's Little Things, Dragonfly Intl. printie box set, hat box printies - Zenas's Miniatures/Etsy and Looking Glass Miniatures). After papering the inside with scrapbook paper, I decided to add another shelf on the wall using a piece of wood left over from the Fairfield kit as it looked similar to the already attached shelf. Since the original shelf had openings between the slats, I put a string of LED lights there.

The floor is pretty cool - it's actually a wood placemat I found at Goodwill. I really like the finish and color, and wish I could find more of this type. I've bought several other wood mats  as they do come in handy. I had to trim around the non-working lock as since it was original to the box, I didn't want to take it out. Instead I found it was easy to remove the screw and latch.. I glued the lock cylinder in the front. Luckily, the counter fits right over this spot.

Here's the inside of the counter:

The box really didn't need a lot of accessories, but has room for just enough: a hall hat stand, front counter, back shelf, chair, mirror and a small table. Hats and shoes are from Heidi Ott Miniatures. Not sure where I got the pairs of fishing boots. The vest on the mannikin was a kit from now retired Lisa Engler (Lisa's Little Things.) Still fun to put together. I love all the boxes as there is something satisfying about groups of similar miniatures.

The gray suit on the wall and yellow shirt are Thelma Lewis DeMet originals. I made the tacky green suit, the vest, and all the shirts in the counter.

* Next: A to Z Blog: 4/22 S-T: Some Miniature Toys

* Thanks for visiting! Stay tuned for more posts and photos!

A to Z Blog Challenge: Other New Project, cottage

 

Love all the details!

I mixed up the title a bit since this post for the 2023 A to Z Blog Challenge for the Letters N-O-P (which otherwise could say No Other Projects - a huge lie! I do have a few other project ideas stashed away. haaa!)

So I hinted before that I broke down and got another kit after I bought the Park Ave. Mansion (which I've been mentioning a lot though I'm still mulling over ideas for it.) But the more I think on it means I'm getting in the mood to do it. Have to get enough ideas to get inspired, know what I mean? Though I'll probably still wait until after the dollhouse shows at the end of the month to see what I buy and what I get inspired to do.

 

This one was kind of too cute to ignore: the half-scale 1/24 Jasmine Victorian Gothic Cottage from Laser Dollhouse Designs. Smaller, just two floors, but enough. Sometimes it's nice to do a slightly smaller project though you still put as much time, decorations, and accessories into a house or room no matter the size and I like my rooms rather full. (For my reference: PDF instructions; Cottage instructions.)

I am thinking of making it into a small witch's cottage... Not sure what the exterior colors would be??

I don't want to do purple again... Maybe for a change of pace I should use the sage/wedgewood green I like, which is similar to the lighter green on top of this chart.... With? Hmm, the sage, mid-yellow like mustard or more of a yellowish-green like here and orange could be interesting... I kind of like that. I'll have to get my paints out and see how that looks.

I have a cute-ugly little witch in my stash that I got a loooong time ago from Bonnie Glazier who needs some clothes and a home! But I'll have to think how to make it kind of different. 

For fun, she can have a headless visitor.... ha!

So, who is she? Unlike her evil sister the witch in the gingerbread house who lures kids, she can be the witch cat lady with dozens of cats (and dogs) she rescues? That could be fun.... Could be a good place to put all these mini dogs I have, then I'll need to find more cats.  A small Halloween pet shop? 

As I'm thinking of kits I have set aside, the Gothic spice shelves bookcase from SDK Miniatures, filled with potions, books and pet stuff, and the Gothic chair could work here? (And several Gothic living room pieces.) I just love this set!

Looks like the theme is forming.... ha!  (I got these cute witch book printies from WoWbooknook on Etsy, 1/12 and in 1/24 on same sheet! They have nice books (I have the horror set) with good quality images. There's another cat set of book printies, too (but you have to shrink to 1/24. Or print at 75, 60 or 50% depending on the size you prefer.) On sale, cheap as of this writing!

I saved some vintage 1907 patterns an FB friend shared that has cats on it, which I wanted to shrink down and make into a border pattern for around the walls. Here's the cat section, which I really liked and thought is kind of Halloween-flavored. (Larger images linked here.) 

Another interesting thing I found - this black star flooring from Melvin's Miniatures, which had a $1 sale (9x12 glossy sheet/cardstock), which is rather different. Thought it would be cool for this project. (Got this and several others. Good quality print, but basically just printed on low-gloss light card so I'd have to glue it to a matboard base to make it sturdier, I think. Was hoping for a higher gloss but it worked ok. I like how it looks - and it doesn't smear!)

It'll be a while before I get to this one though if I start the other house first. Unless I switch off on houses. We'll see...

* Next: A to Z Blog 4/20-21: Q-R - Quiet! Another Roombox Idea

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

2023 A to Z Blog Challenge, Miniature Kits

 A new kit!

 It's time for the annual A to Z Blog Challenge!  

The concept is simple - blogging for 26 days (except Sunday) from A to Z.

* See A to Z Instagram - Facebook - A to Z Blog Master List of Participants

 Today for the Letter M: Miniature Kits

I love putting kits together. While some can be difficult and time consuming, like houses, the kits for furnishings - furniture and accessories - are fun. Smaller, take less time - sometimes, and can be customized. Plus, they're often a fraction of the price of a finished product. (I won't even show you the stash of other kits waiting to be made. ha!)

So, here's a couple kits I just got: Top photo and below: 1/24th, half-scale Victorian bedroom pieces

A few of the pieces: Nice details. Oh so dainty! I'm afraid to touch the legs! ha!

These will go in the half-scale Park Ave. Mansion kit which I got in January and will be starting at some point. I'll probably start it sometime after the shows at the end of the month, though it's starting to get nice out now and we'll be working on outside painting and getting the gardens ready. So looking forward to watching the sunflowers and Mexican sunflowers growing! But doing that house will require a lot of painting, so I can do that sitting on the deck once it's nice out, too. 

I just came across the furniture kits from Hart's Desire Miniatures via miniatures.com. Nice collection as there are several pieces in both kits, which is unusual to find the whole room together. I usually end up getting several separate pieces. I liked the detail in these. Have to decide yet whether to paint or stain.... still figuring ideas on how I want the mansion to look, which decides the furnishings, colors, layout, decor, fabrics, etc. There is a lot of planning when you do a house. I am getting some ideas and hope to use some plans from the Brooke Tucker Golden Christmas book. I'd wanted to get this book for years and was thrilled to find it super cheap!

In the meantime, I pulled out an old-old project I've had for some time and has been sitting for quite a while; one of the few 1-inch-scale projects I still plan to do. Can't do many for lack of space. I had made some small decorative accessory kits for it, but I decided to work on the interior of this room before I start a house, which is a long, long-term project. It  won't take a lot to finish this room so I should have most of it or the majority of it done soon. I'll show it under R for Miniature Roomboxes so stay tuned! 

Curious? Here's a portion of the project for a weird hint: Can you figure out what it is? What in the world does all that mean??? Oh, so mean! haa!

* Next: AtoZ: 4/17 - Letters N-O-P: Other New Project

* Thanks for visiting. Come back for more reveals and photos.

2023 A to Z Blog Challenge: L for Fairfield Dollhouse Living Room-Parlor

 

 It's time for the annual A to Z Blog Challenge!  

The concept is simple - blogging for 26 days (except Sunday) from A to Z.

* See A to Z Instagram - Facebook - A to Z Blog Master List of Participants

 Today for the Letter L: The Fairfield Dollhouse Living Room/Parlor

Those who've following my posts for the past year have seen the progress of my Fairfield dollhouse. So this is the perfect time to finally show my decorated living room/parlor. I still have to share the dining room yet, too, so that'll be another post.

Tah-dah! (Click photos for full size; see other posts in left column archives or My Dollhouses tab under top banner. See full exterior video at  Letter F.)

This is a bit hard to photograph so I'll show some of it in sections. I love these two connected rooms as the black/white print continues in the adjacent dining room with the striped paper.

I changed the room around a bit since the top photo so you'll see a couple different views here.

Here's the room before it was filled:

Initially, I put the Eastlake bench (kit from MiniEtchers) on the back wall, but decided to change things around. And if you're wondering, well, the front legs were little carved pieces and rather delicate, and of course I broke them, so I made new, sturdier legs. 

I changed things around to put the clock on this wall and I had to add this fun card TV kit! (a Petite Properties UK kit.). I coated it with a brown paint mixed with Mod Podge. I added a piece of cross-stich fabric at the bottom for the "grill" and printed out the picture. I covered it with a dimensional Glaze coating but I had a small ripple which I'll have to even it out though it doesn't show unless you look close.  I decided the beige slipper chair fit in the corner for a little contrast. (Made from a pattern from Terri, moderator of the FB Half Scale Minis group, who graciously shares her pattern.) The little white bowl on top is from the recent Kitschy half-scale swap.

I instead moved the bench to the left alcove. For fun, I used the larger skeleton floor cloth (coated with Mod Podge) I printed out for another project as it seemed to just fit! While I didn't feel like making anything new at this point, you know how it is when you get something in mind and nothing else will do? So I decided only a chaise would look best here and made that in three print fabrics using the d. Anne Ruff pattern. The small fabric side table (still needs a lamp or something) was from a past swap.

That little table in front of the bench was a fun idea. The base is one of those Halloween gargoyles painted silver.

 The fireplace front carvings are beads I cut down slightly. I'd found the beads ages ago at a former Ren Faire bead booth and saved them for someday with this in mind. (And luckily I could still find them! ha!) Here are some of the pieces I used to build the fireplace (ignore the electric tape):

Here's the front of the fireplace. I decided to use a vintage-flavored Paris street scene I added glitter to instead of a scary picture. The metal under the mantel was part of a broken metal chair. I cut part of a metal filigree medallion and glued it to a piece of strip wood for the opening.

The square chair on the side is...can you guess? It's actually an older plastic furniture piece I covered in fabric. * As someone asked - I use simple Tacky glue for this. I like using these as they are easily covered and make nice vintage-looking pieces. The bottom edging is pleated by making a strip with one edge folded over the next and glued.  I added gold Bunka thread around the top of the pleating and made a pillow edged in red/black sparkly Bunka.

I'll address that tiny crate sticking out in the upcoming dining room post...

* Next: A to Z :  Letter M -  Miniature Kits

* Thanks for visiting. Come back soon for more posts!