Fanning The Latest #Miniature Project...

 Okay, you can groan at my bad pun. Couldn't resist. haa!

But.... you all know those pretty, and very useful, Chinese-made wood fans?

Yup,  we all have some. In fact, I found a bunch a while ago at a garage sale or something (waaaay back in pre-Covid days!) and had to buy them. I didn't have a plan for what I'd do with eight of them, but hey, they were .10 cents a piece. You don't pass that up!! (Click photos for full size.)

But.... as every dollhouse hoarder knows, they'll come in handy... someday. And they did!!

As I shared previously, I've been steadily working on the Half Scale Victorian House. The floors are in on the second floor and working on putting in some trim before the ceiling goes in. I was doing the bedroom, which will have a kind of flowery romantic feel with Victorian-style furniture. 

I used a slightly contrasting fabric for the curtains that had an old-fashioned look. I love-love-love the lace I found for the inner curtains, too! Then I got an idea that had to be done even if I didn't want to do all that measuring, cutting and trimming - fretwork box frames for the windows!

Of course I ended up cutting a lot of pieces to fit right and then replace those that pieces got broke as these are pretty delicate. 

The pieces have to be reversed to meet up since they are angled. I glued the trim on top the cut fan pieces. Then.... of course! - I found they weren't wide or deep enough so I had to glue on extra channel pieces to the sides and back to make them fit. But I'm happy with the results!

The bedroom, it turns out, had to be shortened so I could add a small hall at the back which will have a door leading to the attic. I don't want to build more, but I have an idea to enclose the open part of the bedroom by making some screening with more of the fan wood. (See end of wall below.) I don't want to enclose it totally so I can actually get my hand in there to decorate!

That hall connects to the center room, which has an open space at the end enclosed by a gold fence. There'll be a hanging light in the open space. I think this was scrapbook paper, not exactly half scale, but I like how it looks. I want to put planters with red flowers by the double doors. 

It's hard to see in this photo, but I like that it has a kind of hotel lobby feel to it! I also used the wood fan pieces for the railing around the stair opening. 

Besides figuring out the room screen, I'm also planning on using the fan pieces on the front porch railing. I really don't want to deal with those tiny individual spindles and I think this provides a better look. So, on to the next parts. There's a lot of trim to finish, too, and fix any little mistakes that might've been missed.  Stay tuned for more!

Tiny is In! #Miniature toys

 I'm Baaaaak!

TINY 

IS IN.

Okay, I've been busy. The record store is finished; photos will be coming soon. I just have this paint spot on one wall that I've been trying to fix and match... You know how it is, the glaring goof that will bug you forever....

The Half Scale Victorian House is still in progress. Making good progress, I'd say. Had to make a couple other design adjustments, things we didn't notice when we started the house oh, 15+ or so, years ago. But the bedroom is being papered; had to add a hall with a fake door I'm working on to go to the attic since I didn't want to add other stairs. A couple things to do before the second floor ceiling goes in. Have to do curtains first as it's super hard to reach in this house as stuff is tiny! More photos and updates will be coming... Just had an idea that somehow I want to add a rooftop deck. haa!

Speaking of tiny...  Did ya Know? Tiny is in.

There are all kinds of tiny - mini food brands and packaging out now - the LOL brand, Mini Brands, Toy Mini Brands and the funny Wacky Packages in mini package form, to name a few. Remember the stickers from (ahem) decades ago? I may have to get one pack just for fun...

The Mini Brands foods are cute, but they're more Barbie (1/6th scale) size... But I've been  seeing and hearing about the Toy Mini Brands and I've looked - Walmart is always out; Meier was out. Every time I looked no one had them. I've only seen the Crayon box sample on display and saw a mini boxed Dora doll photo... Then someone said Target has them.

Success! I finally found quite a few at Target!  And I have to say - they are cute!!! I don't need another project, but small, quick ones are always good. So... I have a small empty display box that I'll have to set up as a toy store! I'm thrilled that I only got one double toy in the three balls I bought, no big deal since they can go on a shelf together. But looking at the chart, I'd say I got the best ones. There's a tiny shopping cart that would be a nice addition, though.

The neat thing is that while printie doll boxes are nice, these have actual figures in them! They come 5 to a ball - here's what I got. I may get another at some point, but I'm happy with the ones I got so far. (Click photos to see full size.)

That's the way it is... something always prompts another project. haaa!  But I've enjoyed filling small display boxes like the Raggedy room (see photos here) and the small Halloween display I did ---  Update: (I  knew I had a photo up, see A to Z Blogging: T and U post for the Halloween box pic.).

 While a small display box can be just as much work sometimes, it is quicker than a full size roombox. I've also been looking at my cigar box sitting there waiting to be finished. I have about everything sitting in there for the planned men's shop, just have to wallpaper and work on it! 

Stay tuned for more details!

HS #Dollhouse Let there be Light!

 Still working on the new/old half scale dollhouse. (Here's the first photos.)

First floor trim, curtains and lights are in! The real challenge was getting the staircase built (the tiny spindles!) and then getting it in the front hall. Still have to attach the post by trying to get my hand through the front door. haa! The rooms don't leave much space to work in! (Click on photos for full view.)

Here's a view of the kitchen (left) and hall...

Here's the dining room and the pretty chandelier:

Closer view:

Three rooms, kitchen, hall, dining room...

Front door: (I plan to add a floral wreath on the door.)

Not real exciting, I know... but it's all these little things you have to do in the building process. My least favorite part, btw.

I also started putting together a fridge from MiniEtchers. (The handles have to be painted and added separate.) I have a fairly modern kitchen set (Houseworks half scale) so I figured this fridge will fit in. The stove is going to be an old-fashioned type, though, one of those half scale fridge magnets.

Also pictured is one of the window boxes I made. It turned out perfect but... I am not going to make 10 or more (likely more.) The plan (so far) is to see if I can make a mold since I bought a mold-making kit. I have a giant jar of plaster. I've tried this before on some frames and it didn't work out too bad.

 Otherwise it's cut out all that wood (!!!) or find someone to 3D print them, or something. If I have to build them, then I'll have to look at it like when I do the annual half-scale swap of 30 or more items, which I'll have to plan soon also. Assembly line TV project. A few at at time so as not to go crazy. (Last time I made mini Monopoly game boards.) We'll see how it goes. I'll let you know!

Next we start on the second floor which will be a bedroom, and study/den. The center hall with the framed opening looking down to the first floor will be included in the den. The first floor living room on the right side (part of the tower) is two stories. The upper part on the third floor will be part of a child's room and play area. The rest of the third floor should have an attic section, a nursery/sewing room and maybe a part-bath. 

The #Miniature White House

  This seems the perfect time to share a real treasure - the Miniature White House made by the Zweifel family.

The model is 1" to 1' scale, which is 60' long, and shows all the rooms of the White House through the Obama  presidency, I believe. The oval office was often updated to reflect the recent occupant. (See more details about it. It's housed at the Presidents Hall of Fame in Florida.)

I was lucky enough to finally see it some years ago when it was in Chicago at the Museum of Science and Industry. Here are photos of the various rooms when it was housed at the Ford Museum.

One of the treats seeing it was looking for the small version of Bo, the Obama's dog made by miniaturist Alice Zinn. Here's a profile I wrote about her and her miniature dogs. 

New Year, New - Old - HS Dollhouse Project 2

 It's a New Year, meaning a new project, right?

Well, yes, and no.

 (click photos for full size.) We pulled out the half scale house that's sat for oh.... maybe 10 years I think? And once we got past the initial arguments (I'm design/decor, he's building and finishing), then maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to keep at this and get it done. You know how it is doing renovations, etc. on a house... it's the same as real life, only smaller. haa!

This is my third larger and full size half scale house besides the country house and the yellow playhouse. (I also have three smaller HS houses: a Tudor one with bakery; a house turned garage, and two for Halloween, plus a one-room house turned garage.) Forgot, there's the small Tudor herbal house, too (see county fair post)...  (First Tudor, also see bakery pix.)

This house is handmade, adapted from part of a smaller house kit and added on to. I don't remember all we did though the tower is handmade.  It does have some flaws, but? I decided to keep at it. I have soooo much furniture and accessories, plus decorative items from years of half scale swaps stored away, that it'll be nice to have somewhere to put a lot a lot of it. 

As this was back when half scale lights were really hard to find, we bought some very expensive handmade lights for this,  along with a few I found in later years. I'll show those once the second floor ceiling/floor is in. 

Just to show color schemes: kitchen, hall, dining room. 

Below: tower curtains. The tower will have a statue, small bench and lots of plants.

It doesn't look like much yet but some new lights were added (not shown), curtains finished, trim moldings put in,  and it was painted outside - again. Third time. I had a greener yellow paint by Martha Stewart, which got lumpy, so I had to get another paint, which was slightly lighter. But it'll look ok once I add the sage green shutters and some windowboxes, (which I dread making sooo many - there are about 18 windows. But boxes will be on the front only.) plus some decorative trims and moldings. Have to figure what colors to add yet. 

We also put a new floor in the hall for the third time. (Three times seems to be the charm on this house.) I had a wood floor and didn't like it so it was pulled up. The tile laid down bumpy so we had to redo the tile sheet pasted to a piece of cardboard. That was glued down around the edges only, just in case. It does look better with a tile floor. I don't look forward to doing the staircase railing and spindles. So tiny!

I know, not much to see yet, but hopefully there will be soon. I'll show the handmade fireplace, too, once we light it up.  Stay tuned for more!

Happy New Year 2021!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Wishing everyone a healthy, happy and much better 2021!

Thank you to all who visit and read the blog, I so appreciate it! Will be back soon for more posts, minis, and whatever else!

For now, what's underway?

As I always have several projects started at once, I am working on one of those China kits, Sam's Study. (See stock photo above.) I do like the colors on this, but I'm redoing it in dark shades to make it into an Edgar Allan Poe library. Oh, and yes, I have a second one in case I want to do one in the bright colors!

The record store is about done except for replacing one piece of art on the wall and touch up paint on another. More photos coming soon!

The skeleton funeral parlor is also underway and the gold paint worked out marvelous! Photos coming soon. See last update post. 

See you in the New Year!

#Merry Christmas #Mini Story by Robert W Walker part 2

Today we feature the second part and conclusion to an original Christmas tale by Robert W. Walker, author of 70+ novels including the fabulous gaslight thriller, CITY OF THE ABSENT, featuring his detective, Ransom.  Check his website for his latest thrillers and novellas. 

While Robert is known for his spooky and often creepy-gory horror books, he has a soft side, too! Never fear, this two-part story is rated PG. 

(** Start here for Part 1 of the story.) 

Part 2: Continued, "The Thief of Christmas Present"
By Robert W. Walker

(Photos: Christmas Santa House by C. Verstraete, see more pix here - click miniatures; Festive gold and white holiday scenes featuring the miniatures of Lissu, used w/ permission. See more pix and visit her blog) 

To recap: the family are watching the film to see who is stealing the Cluewellens' Christmas from Julia's dollhouse. (See part 1 in the previous post.)

Shortly after, Stevie entered the room, asking, "What kinda movie is this?"

"The movie that's gonna prove you stole the Cluewellens' Christmas!"


"I didn't touch that stuff! I didn't do it, mom!"

Joannie came down from her room and asked, "Are you still blaming that on Stevie? He wouldn't do that!"

"We got you on tape this time, Joannie...or Stevie...whichever one of you guys did it, so there!" Julia set her jaw, determined to watch every hour of the unmoving movie frame by frame. "Mom and me...we gotcha good now. Liar."

Joannie came at her sister. "Who're you calling a liar? Me?"

"If the shoe fits!"

"Enough, both of you! Stop it. Either sit down and watch the tape or leave the room, but please, no more accusations, Julia, and no more shouting, Joannie-and you, Stevie, stop crying."

"I didn't do it," he complained through tears. "I always get blamed for everything!"


"All I know is somebody stole the Cluewellens' Christmas tree now!" Julia shot back.

"Hey, what's that?" asked Joannie, pointing at the screen. "I saw movement-a shadow-back of the miniature."

Julia, Stevie, and Mother Waldron stared at the slight squeaking noise, too, and in a moment, they all watched a pair of whiskers and a brown button nose rise over the back of the miniature at the chimney.

"It's Newton, my ferret!" shouted Stevie. "He's escaped again."

Newton lived up to his name, always finding ways to escape his cage, and often, Stevie allowed him 'free run time' but Newton always returned to his cage. Newton had even found a way out of the house one night.

"What's he doing?" asked Julia. "OMG-he's going down the chimney."

"Like Santa," said Stevie.


"No...more like The Grinch," replied Joannie. "There's your Christmas thief, Julia!"

"But...I mean how...why?" she asked. "Why's he terrifying the Cluewellens and destroying their Christmas?"

"You really think Newton is thinking along those lines, Julia?" Joannie couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Shhh...watch him. Look, look," said Mom. "The little thief! He's dragging the entire tree out the front door."

With the tree clear of the door, it snapped closed, and Newton scurried away with the five-inch high tree, ornaments trailing. He truly did look like a miniature version of The Grinch except that he was brown and not green.

"Stevie's pet's the thief...the whole time," Julia muttered in disbelief.

"What's he doing with all the stolen goods?" asked mom. "Shall we find out?"

"I think you're gonna need a ferret whisperer or a pet shrink to figure that out, Mom," replied Joannie, still laughing.


"Nothing funny about that little rat destroying the Cluewellens' Christmas!" countered Julia.

"Why don't we all just go on a scavenger hunt?" began Mom. "To see where Newton is stashing all the decorations and presents."

"And stockings!" added Julia.

The four of them started for Stevie's room where Newton lived in a cage. Everyone in the family had gotten so used to Newton's escapes and escapades about the house that no one took great notice of him of late.

"What's going on?" asked Jack Waldron, their father, who'd caught them gathered at the foot of the stairs as he came through the door, home from the office.

Everyone spoke at once until Anna calmed them and pointed to the still action shot on the TV. "We caught Newton red-handed. "He's Julia's Christmas thief."

"Must be the shiny stuff attracts Newton, eh?" asked Jack.


"But he's never done this before!" Anna replied. "Any rate, we're heading up to Steve's room to see where he's stashing the goods."

"Say, did anyone read that book that came with the ferret when you bought Newton at the pet store?" asked Joannie, who was browsing the book for any clues.

"Who's got time to read?" asked Julia.

They all went for Stevie's room, and looked into Newton's cage, a made-over fish tank. There, amid the usual sawdust and toy shelters and fake greenery, was a stash of Christmas miniatures, from the tree, to the presents and the stockings. All of it lay in a neat, orderly circular design. The look on Newton's face said, "I confess."

Joannie handed the paperback book on ferrets and ferret behavior to her mother. "Take a look at the last section on page sixteen."

She glanced at the page. "Oh, dear...then this means..."

"What is it?" asked Julia. "Nothing in that book could possibly excuse this rodent's behavior, and as for you, Stevie-this is all your-"

"No, Julia!" countered her father, who'd now read page sixteen. "No way is this Stevie's fault!"

"You owe Stevie and me an apology," Joannie said to Julia, having closed in on her, nose-to-nose. "And all our friends, too!"

"You do owe everyone an apology, Julia," her mother agreed. "In the meantime, Newton is going to need a new name."

"Whataya mean?" asked Julia.

"New name?" asked Stevie.


"Newton is a girl, and she's stealing shiny objects to make a nest, because she's going to have baby ferrets."

"OMG!" replied Julia. "That's it! That explains the mystery."

"But if Newton's not a boy...what're we going to call Newton?" asked Stevie.

"Newtonia?" suggested Joannie, a snicker escaping.

"Why don't we make it Madame Curie," suggested mom. "I think she outsmarted us all. In any event, case closed."

Stevie lifted the flimsy lid and started to reach in to retrieve the Cluewellens' Christmas stuff-his sister's stuff, but Julia stayed his hand. "No, Stevie. She-Madame Curie-she needs it now more than the Cluewellens."

"Aren't you ahhh worried about the Cluewellens?" asked Anna of her daughter.

"They'll understand when I explain it to them," Julia replied and shrugged, "and besides, there's always next year."

Anna hugged Julia and Jack put a hand on his daughter's shoulder, and with the entire family looking on at Newton-now Madame Curie-every one smiled, and if ferrets can smile, Madame Curie smiled back, a knowing glint in her eye.

"I have an idea for the Cluwellens' Christmas," said Stevie.

"What's that? asked Julia.

"Why not give them a front row seat for Christmas?"

"Meaning?"

"Put their house under our tree!"


Everyone agreed it was a wonderful solution, and that Julia had a lot of apologies to make, and that she'd tell and retell Newton's story between now and Christmas quite often indeed.

The End.

(c)2008, 2020 RW Walker published by http://candidcanine.blogspot.com

** I hope you enjoyed this Christmas tale like I do in presenting it. 

Merry Christmas and the best in the New Year to everyone! 

As Tiny Tim said, "God Bless us, every one!"

A #Mini Merry #Christmas Tale by Robert W. Walker part 1

 It's become something of an annual tradition that I've been sharing this little Christmas story my friend and fellow author Robert W. Walker penned for me. It first ran here in 2008. Enjoy!

Today I have the pleasure of presenting an original Christmas tale by Robert W. Walker, author of 70+ novels including the fabulous gaslight thriller, CITY OF THE ABSENT, featuring his detective, Ransom. Check his website for his latest thrillers and novellas.  

While Robert is known for his spooky and often creepy-gory horror books, he has a soft side, too! Never fear, this story, which will run in two parts, is rated PG. 

(Come back tomorrow for part 2)

The Thief of Christmas Present
By Robert W. Walker

(Photos: Christmas Santa House by C. Verstraete, more photos see website, Santa's House page.)




Julia rushed into her mother's room, her eleven-year-old arms flapping as she said, "Joannie stole my Christmas presents! I just know it was her!"

"Your big sister wouldn't do that, Julia."

"Then its one of her girlfriends."

"I've talked to Joannie, and she's given the third degree to every friend who has been visiting the house since Thanksgiving."

Julia's eyes filled with tears. "Musta been that boyfriend of hers then!"

"He seems like a nice, respectful boy, and whatever would possess him to steal your miniature Christmas presents from beneath your miniature tree?"

Anna Waldron hugged her daughter to her. "We'll find the stolen goods. They're likely somewhere on a shelf. Thoughtlessly moved by one of your little friends."

"No, no mom! I don't let anyone reach into my dollhouse and take out anything, not the figurines, not the furniture, and certainly not the presents under the tree."

Anna wondered how this could keep happening to her daughter. Julia had put heart and soul into her miniature house this year. In fact, she'd begun creating the tree, the ornaments, lights, stockings hanging over the fireplace, and the presents beneath the tree since last Christmas.

She'd got it in her head that her dollhouse ought to have all the ornaments and decorations of any home, that Mr. and Mrs. Cluewellen and their three children who lived in the miniature house ought to have a wonderful Christmas too.



Julia had worked so hard to make it happen, and now, day-by-day, all her work was coming unraveled. The day before she noticed an ornament missing from the tiny tree. The day before that one of the stockings she'd labored so hard to make was gone from the mantel. Poof. Now two of the tiny presents from beneath the tree-gone. Stolen.

"At this rate," moaned Julia, "by the time Christmas gets here, the Cluewellens won't have anything left."

Anna patted Julia's hand. "And The Christmas Crook of the Present will have won!"

"We can't let that happen, mom!"

"We must act, set a trap."

"A trap?"

"Yeah, we'll wire up a trap that will snap on those sticky fingers."

"Then you think it's Stevie?"

"I hope not, but your little brother is at that age. I sure hope he hasn't lied about this."

"Well...it's not a ghost. I asked the Cluewellens if they'd had any problems with anything like a poltergeist, and they said no."

"You believe them?" Mother Waldron laughed, but Julia stared at her, eyes saying, 'not funny'.

"They don't lie, cheat, or steal, mom."

"Neither does your brother or your sister for that matter, young lady."

"Well I'm not lying about it! Someone's stealing the Cluewellens' Christmas right under our noses."



"You set the trap," suggested Anna. "I'm going to set up a concealed camera, so we can get to the bottom of this before..."

Julia looked up at her mother, wondering why she'd stopped talking. "Before all of the presents and decorations are gone?"

"Before you make your sister and your brother angrier with you than they already are."

"Angry with me? I'm the victim here. Me and the Cluewellens."

"Honey, you have accused both of them of stealing and lying about it. Then you accused their friends."

Julia nodded, and for a moment Anna thought her child understood and agreed, but then Julia said, "It could've been one of Stevie's dumb friends."

"Well now, we're going to find out, aren't we?"

"You think it'll work, mom?"

"At the rate things are disappearing, my hunch is that whoever's behind the theft will be back."

They put the trap into play.

They wisely left the miniature house untouched and unmoved, the same enticement as ever.

An entire day and most of the evening went by with young Julia wanting to check the Cluewellens' living room and tree every hour, while her mother insisted they wait and see. When Anna decided the camera's battery would be in need of help, mother and daughter went into her room to determine if anything had been taken. They found the front door closed. Julia gasped when she looked in through the windows. The entire tiny Christmas tree had been taken! All about the front door and steps, glitter appeared like colored snow. Whoever was behind the theft, cleaning up after him-or herself-wasn't a concern.

"It's got to be Stevie or one of his goofy friends," Julia said, tears forming. "Maybe Stevie's too chicken to tell on Tad."

"Let's reserve judgment and see what the camera says."

They made popcorn and popped the film into the USB port of the TV and sat down to watch the unfolding events. Unfortunately, during the first hour, nothing unfolded.

"This is a real snore and a bore," Julia complained, tiring of the popcorn as well.

After a while, Julia began making up a storyline to go with the miniature people inside the house on the screen, and it was so vivid that her mom could almost imagine that the little Cluewellen family was as real as Julia believed them to be. She began to see Mrs. Cluewellen move that feather duster in her hand. But clearing her head and eyes, Mother Waldron thought better of saying she'd begun to see the miniature people roaming around inside their miniature house. Maybe the miniature was haunted at that....

(c)2008, 2020 RW Walker published by http://candidcanine.blogspot.com

* The story continues tomorrow at part 2.)

#Christmas Gifts and Working on....

 

Goodies in the Christmas room... This year's scene. See other photos.

Just a "little" update... 

I may get quiet on here, but it doesn't mean I've been idle!! As Christmas is the time of giving, it's always fun to be surprised by a wonderful handmade gift. (click photos for full size.)

I just got this wonderful gift in the mail, an "exclusive" chair design by fellow author and miniaturist Camille Minichino. (You may know her as the author of the fun Miniatures Mysteries... see link in the side column of this blog!)

Camille often makes chairs and mini book scenes for auctions, so I'm tickled to death to receive one of her creations. I just LOVE this! And she even put my covers of my books on there. (Though the Lizzie book cover has been changed since...) But... isn't it great??

*************

Speaking of death... (how do you like that segue?) 😊 I got some work done on a rather, er, unusual project...  I shared some photos earlier of this interesting find, a small coffin, hubby found at the local Goodwill.

Since the initial photos I've dressed another skeleton lady for the coffin and added some crosses. I'm working on a rather "dead" bouquet for the top yet. 

I just repapered the room. The roombox had been sitting around for a while... I think it was initially it was going to be some kind of store that I lost interest in. So resurrecting it (ha!), it'll be a funeral parlor...

I'd never have done this kind of project but for finding that cool mini coffin.  The bottom of the walls show the old green wallpaper. It has wood wainscoting on the sides that I've re-stained darker and have to put back yet. I'm also adding that piece of wood floor in front, plus I'm making a covered stand for the coffin. Oh, and yes, there'll be plenty of "guests" that need to get dressed for the event!

There will be pillars in each corner and up front with more flowers and lights. I knew I was saving those plastic cake pillars and pedestals I picked up at a yard sale a looooong time ago for something! Warning: This is why you become a packrat! haaa!

Of course, you always need something else! As the Victorian standing lights I'm putting next to the coffin are a little short, I cut off the bottoms of two of the shorter pedestals to use as stands. They'll have that wood disc on top and the whole thing is going to be painted bright metallic gold to match the light poles. Or at least I hope. Never used that paint so have to buy some and I'm curious how it turns out. So far, it's nice to see when an idea starts coming together how you want!

Also in progress and nearly done: the record store. I'm putting things in now and have to glue the top decorative trim on yet, but here's a peek of part of the outside. I'll do a full post later. Yes, it's busy and very '60s "kitschy." I'm especially happy with the outside sidewalk - that is actually a heavier textured fabric that I knew would make a good walk when I saw it! And it also glues very well. It's actually costume fabric, but it really works well. Stay tuned for more updates!

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 

Thank you for following my blog. I really appreciate it!. And... yes, I do hope to get back to updating my miniature project books. I fell behind, but it's something to look forward to in 2021!