Half-Scale Lavender Cottage Dollhouse Roof, Stairs

 

Yes, I've been slacking off on the project. I started the top roof, which is going slooooowly. But as I mentioned before, the lower roofs are done, and I think, look really good! (* Click photos for full size. Wow, the last update was early last month with the third floor and when I showed the shingles started.) 

Not much else happening on this, for the moment, but I wanted to show the roof results. (*Click photos for full size.) I finally just put the brick foundation paper on and am working on the edge trim now - and done! It looks much better. At least one trim part done.

It'll also look less bare when I decide on what flowers to put in front. It's different as I've never done a white brick foundation (and white stairs) before, but I had a lot of that color left (now only one sheet) and it went with the color scheme.

Thanks to my friend, who had the right width wood, I finished the stair treads, too! I want to add some greenery next, and then wisteria and vines along the roof, porch edges, and posts also.

In the meantime, I can't stay away too long from doing something spooky! I started this spooky little kit  (the corner room) that I got at the dollhouse show, so that's turning out pretty good.

 Here's a hint: I had enough leaves left from the Poison Ivy plant kit (SDK Miniatures) to make some more plants. This project will need a pot! Other pix coming soon. 

So, a short update! 

* For fun, I came across this free printies page at the Mouse Mansion with some schoolroom items and Christmas cards. While you're there, be sure to check out the impressive Mouse Mansion project! 

*Thanks again for visiting! Come back soon to see what's next!* 

Annual Half-Scale Dollhouse Swap

Easter items - so cute!

Always look forward to this! Been doing it for years. At one point it was a huge swap - one year I think it had 60 - but it's tapered off. This year was only 16 participants but I still enjoy getting and making items. Here's last year's swap and links to others. (* Click photos for full size.)

This year's theme was Holidays, which is nice as I figured there'd be both Halloween and Christmas items. I made a bird feeder stand with a cup/saucer, a small skull candle, and added in a Christmas box printie. It does look better than this photo. The skulls come out really realistic, just a toothpick, puff paint, and a snip of black thread. I thought later I maybe should've added the hill with flowers to the planter but I figured people will put it where they want. It can be "planted" in a small  mound of air-dry Crayola Model Magic, paint and cover it with grass and/or moss, and add small impatiens petals. I'm going to use purple for the Lavender Cottage  garden.

The Easter items were really neat. Cute little Bunny basket (Paula W), great teensy filled basket and blue bunny (Sydney H), amazing woven baskets (Glenda D), and that incredible egg dying scene (Cyndi M). Great idea using those little beads as cups for this. I have a ton of those and put fake handles on for mugs.

Christmas too! Great flags from Jen W, a tabletop tree (and orange cake in other photo) Adrian C, all kinds of fun ornaments (even a dog bone! Oops that peppermint is actually a "plate", great idea, with a gingerbread cookie on it. I put the wrong side up!) Sharon J, tree in pot, Bea.

Being a Halloween fan, I love this! All kinds of cool signs, jars, a mini table and even a plate of Gingerbread cookies, Gail. The Halloween mat is perfect, and the cool candlestick, great way to make this, Amy H.

Then some fun additions!

A great little flower stand for the porch (Ruth G), that incredible teensy Christmas gnome! (Annilee T), perfect little pies , Mary W, and that darling dollhouse, Peggy F.

Hopefully I didn't miss anyone. All great items that I'll add to my dollhouses. Always so much fun opening the surprise box each year!

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** Update: Yes! The small roofs on the Lavender Cottage are shingled, painted, and done! PIc coming! Working on the top roof. What a job! If you didn't see them, in-between I did make some cute carrot cakes and Easter baskets. (More fun than shingling! haa!) 

** Thanks again for visiting!  Scroll down for other posts or see left column archives for my show-seen posts. *

New Miniature Kits I'll be Working On

 

 Miniature plant kits

Still on a miniature high, I think, from recently attending the annual dollhouse shows! LOL

Had a good time this year and found some cool things I'm excited about. (* Click photos for full size.)

I don't buy too many finished items as I mostly like to work on kits and finish them myself so it's great when I find something different and new (to me). Now I have to decide which one to work on first!

A favorite vendor is CastleCrafts from South Africa (and shipping from Pennsylvania). Belinda McWilliams is always fun to talk with and I always learn something new! I spotted this Protea kit on her website and was interested as I thought it would fit into the (rare 1" scale) Tudor project I eventually want to build. I didn't know it was S. Africa's national flower and it is HUGE!  It has giant blooms and can grow to a 5' tall bush. * Also got the vegetable plants that I thought would fit the kitchen of that project. I am brainstorming on it!

She also had this cool acrylic bottle kit. I had something similar in half scale I'd love to find more of. They make great shelf items. I like the vintage look.

My other favorite vendor, SDK Miniatures had a great hall tree and furniture kit. I might save these for the half-scale farmhouse when I get to that or use the patio kit on the Lavender Cottage lawn for now.

I also was tickled to get these kits from a new favorite vendor, The Covered Chipboard. Teri was doing her first show and had some great stuff to offer! Couldn't resist this small room setting which I thought would be perfect for taking half-scale photos and Halloween photos. It's only the room itself, but I have kits to set up something similar. I got the wall with a round spiderweb window. (Photo: TCC website)

Here are a few items from her great furniture pack and the finished items in the cottage she made. (Rooms from TCC website.)

And... while I have quite a few dogs, this little guy's cute face hooked me and got me to take him home.

I know, it's not all real exciting, but stuff I'll be happy working on. Will share what I do with the kits when I get some done.

* Thanks again for visiting! More updates coming soon! (Yes! The Lavender Cottage small roof is done and looks good!)

 I also got the Half-Scale Swap with some really cute stuff! Pix coming!* 

Seen at the Dollhouse Shows. Part 2

Gorgeous little cabinet (Big Man Small World Miniatures)

Had a lot of fun visiting the annual dollhouse shows and sharing some of the interesting things I saw in Chicago and Schaumburg, Ill. (** See part 1 here .  and kits I got.)

There are tons of international artisans at the Bishop International show, simply too much to show here so I take photos of things that I might like or catch my eye.

Such pretty feminine items. Love all the detail. (Individually priced, the bed is $268.Dollhouseland)

Cute vacuum! They also make some other amazing real-life appliances. (Mini Fanaberia, Poland)

So cute! Animal dolls (L.A. Miniatures,  Laura A. Lysowsky, Toronto, Canada)

This was incredibly cute. An Alice in Wonderland set (1/4th quarter-scale kits) from Raptoor Crafting (Finland)

Incredibly realistic vintage bathroom from Chris Toledo Miniatures. (Check out the slideshow at the link.)

Nice Vincent Van Gogh scene, Shannon Moore, Shannonsminis.com 

Loved this mad scientist lab scene, Scotts Miniature Lighting

Had fun sharing these and I hope you enjoyed the tour!

* Coming up: what'd I buy? Some fantastic kits I found and more... Thanks again for visiting!!  

Seen at the Dollhouse Shows! Part 1

One of my favorites. Details of an Egyptian room for sale 

I'm back! Fun, tiring day of shopping and looking with friend Gigi, and meeting up with old friends like Tracy and Peg. 

So what did I see? Many, many miniature wonders to behold!! 

Found some great items, too, mostly at the and the Spring Showcase show at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Schaumburg, Ill. I'll show my finds later.

For now, here's a sample (part 1 of 2 posts) of some of the things I saw at the Bishop International show at the Marriott O'Hare in Chicago. (*Click photos for full size. Photos: (c) C. Verstraete. candidcanine.blogspot.com)

This Egyptian scene was pretty amazing. Loved all the gold and decorations on it. I've had an Egyptian room idea in mind for a while, too, if not this elaborate. (From Debbie Heard of Estate Dollhouse Miniatures/Ebay.) And if you're in the market and can't read that sign... it's $6,500. 

For a fun bit of whimsy, look at these teensy nail clippers and other makeup items. (Itsy Bitsy Mini)

I loved the way Art of Mini (Germany) use these fascinating vintage photos as backdrops. That would be another easy project making little vignettes with vintage images like this.

These were intriguing mannikin forms. (Ignore my hand in the mirror.) 😄

 

I didn't catch the vendor name but that's a whole lot of bears, oh my! And this was only half of the display.

Another pretty and detailed vignette from Debbie Heard (Estate Miniatures). All the cases are filled.... $450

Yes, the show has a lot of expensive, artisan pieces but there are some kits and moderate priced accessories, too. These are cute kits from Dragonfly Intl. - and they're all fashioned from paper! The results look great. I have one of these sets to try yet.

Erik Goddard  makes some interesting architectural models and scenes, a lot in half-scale (1/24th). He also has a mystery novel out, The Kidnapping of Sarah Easton. (So many miniaturists also write it seems.)

I thought this was an adorable roombox at the NAME (National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts) table.

Wait... there's more!  I took enough photos, so come back for part 2 tomorrow.

* Thanks again for visiting! More to come!! * 

Off to the Dollhouse Shows!

All week, I've been seeing a lot of preview posts which has been fun!

Getting my list and everything together, so off to the annual Dollhouse Shows in Chicago and Schaumburg, Ill. See you when I get back!! Hopefully I'll have a post up tomorrow or Monday to show displays and some of what I found.

What I'm Reading: New Dollhouse Mystery

  Between writing my list and checking it twice for tomorrow's * annual dollhouse shows excursion, I started reading an interesting book you all will love - The Library of Lost Dollhouses. You can't beat history, a mystery - and dollhouses!

Tomorrow is also Independent Bookstore Day! So check out Bookshop.org for your copy!

It's really good so far!

In The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper, Tildy Barrows is head curator of a small, but enchanting historical library in a wonderful Beaux Arts building in San Francisco.

She learns that not only is the library going bankrupt but, despite her years there, she discovers a secret hidden room in the attic... two exquisite dollhouses and... I can't tell you! There's an interesting surprise early on!

She soon finds clues in the miniatures (great descriptions!) and sets out to learn their secrets while trying to save her beloved library, and uncover her own personal family connection. * Find it here on Goodreads and Amazon.

Loving it so far! Really intriguing!

* Here's the dollhouse show information if anyone is in the Chicago area tomorrow: The Bishop International show at the Marriott O'Hare in Chicago and the Spring Showcase show at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Schaumburg, Ill. See my last post for a "little" preview!

*Note: affiliate book links may earn some commission for the blog writer.

* See? You never know what you'll find here on the blog! Thanks again for visiting. More dollhouse and show updates coming soon! * 

Annual Dollhouse Show Countdown!

 

Coming up this week! Three days - 3 days!!! My friend Gigi and I will be going Saturday on our annual pilgrimage to the Bishop International show at the Marriott O'Hare in Chicago and the Spring Showcase show at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Schaumburg, Ill.

What do I need? A zillion dollars, maybe? ha! Well, nothing but... I have a list!

Of course you always find things you didn't realize you needed or just like... Some things I might look for and just a few of the many great vendors I'll come across. I'll share a few here:

* There is a project waiting in the wings...I bought a kit - a rare 1" scale project - that I want to turn into a Tudor house as I've had these fancy dolls and food stored forever for this. I'll show that and what I've saved once it's started... at some point. But I may add some modern touches as I don't want to be limited by strict Tudor-style. It will be designed to look Tudor but I want to be able to change the furnishings later if possible.

I do want to turn part of it into a fancy library, unless I put that in a smaller roombox. I have some beautiful furnishings saved for that, too. Those two and a possible small Lizzie Borden scene are the only 1" scale projects I have in mind. I have a small box and furnishings for that set aside.

At the Spring Showcase show: There are lots of new vendors this time, so I have no idea what I'll find.

* I like the 3D printed items from Blackthorn Miniatures. I am still eyeing the half-scale Zombie Tiki glasses (set of 3) for my haunted houses. I do have her half-scale Addams Family "Thing" hand to add to a scene yet.

   * I always get the Gothic furnishings in half-scale from my favorite vendor, SDK Miniatures. For a change of pace, I'll get the Gothic chairs and might get my favorite Gothic table in 1" scale for the Tudor house. I'm also looking for flowers (to paint purple of course!)  for the Lavender Cottage.

* Preston Poling, the "Bearded Miniaturist," will have a table this year. He displayed his fantastic Frasier TV show project in 2022  (see my photos here), so not sure what he's showing this time. 

* Teri Hanson of The Covered Chipboard has some really cool spooky items and will be exhibiting for the first time. (Good luck Teri. Have a great show!) I really like this spooky stall kit she's done and she has a nice assortment of furniture and other kits. My list has gotten longer! 😆

Bishop Show: 

* So many tables to see! First off, I have to get some kits from CastleCrafts. I am thinking of getting the 1" scale trugs/trays for the Tudor project plus some other things like lanterns, bottles, birdcages, etc. and of course, half-scale kits. (table R15)

 I do have a larger half-scale farmhouse to do yet, and while I have beds, this Vintage bed is rather pretty and different than what I've done.

* Melvin's Minis also has nice kits and materials. I really like the weathered wood flooring sheet which I used in the Lavender Cottage so hope to get more. (And only $1 each.) (Table Suite XIV)

* Tonya's Miniatures (table R28) has some cute accessories I want to see. Look at these little cassettes and 8-tracks! She even had some tiny Jelly shoes. (Remember those? They were cute but made your feet stink! ha!)

 

* Oh these are so cute! Just saw these on FB from Italian miniaturist Valeria Bonomi with Graffialuna. Wonderful hand-made shoes tho a bit beyond my usual budget. (Table 057)

I'm also looking for odds and ends, mostly half-scale (1:24): silverware, metal baking items, doorknobs, faucets (always seem to need some!) I'd like to find some kind of armchair kit that's different than what I have to put in the cottage attic. Plus, I keep an eye out for things for my friend for our annual Christmas gift exchange and Advent calendar.

So, this is just a tiny, tiny sample. Hope to find some bargains and different items. You never know. We'll see what I come across at both shows! I'll share my finds later.

* Update:  Yay! The small roof pieces on the Lavender Cottage are done and painted. I'd thought I was finished and then realized I have to do a last row with half-shingles to finish it off. I questioned what color to pick, but using the same purple as the shutters looks really good. I think this is the first time I painted shingles. I always try to do a different roof on each house. Guess I'll have to do a post on that if anyone wonders how to do their house. I'll show pix once I glue and trim it. Started shingling the top roof now.

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

Happy Easter (in Miniature!)

Happy Easter to everyone!

The fun of miniatures is no egg coloring (not at those prices. ha!)  and while the chocolate is fake, it's still fun! (*Click photos for full size.)

Got the cutest mini Easter basket from my miniatures pal Gigi. Why those colors you ask? Well... you know I like Halloween so she made the basket in Halloween colors. Yes, that 😉 bunny is black -  super-dark chocolate!  

Tried something different during our latest mini session. She was working on a mini carrot cake kit from Robin Betterley which offered some unique ideas for finishing, so I decided to try my own version.

Ta-Dah! Half-scale and 1" scale carrot cakes! 

I decided to finish them off, so added more "carrots" round the edges, which does look better. And added the silverware! Pretty cool!

I made the cakes by cutting the forms out of 1/8" foam board. Paper towel is glued over the surface for texture, then painted white. After that I dabbed on some Snow Magic, a thicker fake snow, paint-type material. When dry, it's topped with Gloss Mod Podge. The inside of the cake is painted ginger brown. The "carrot" pieces on top are dried orange paint cut into tiny triangles to resemble carrots. What's cool is I could make a half-scale size knife from cardboard using the knife stencil. Something fun and different for a change!

And since Easter is on my mind, I made a couple other smaller Easter baskets using a vintage basket pattern I found online some time back and reduced in size. Fun and easy to make! 

And Yes... still shingling the Lavender Cottage. Ugh. Did I say how much I hate this part? ha!

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