(Not So) Haunted #Miniature Toy Store

 

I bought this Carlson store kit a while back from someone online and had finally gotten around to decorating and painting it some time ago thinking it would be a haunted bookshop.

Well, like always, I changed my mind. (Yeah I hear you laughing. 😏) I have plenty of other book projects and ideas like the fancy furniture I have set aside for the Someday Upscale Library roombox.

Then when I found those Mini Toys I shared on a previous post, I knew the project had to change. But how to change it without really changing it? I wasn't about to repaint the whole thing, so I changed the title and a couple of the outside pictures for one. (Click photos for full size.)  I put plexiglass on the top with a carved wood medallion on the ceiling inside. (not shown.) (More toys, update 2)

Toys in the front windows:

Actually, I'd set the project aside as I didn't think the front would hinge right. Luckily, hubby got some screws to fit, so the full front will stay on. I just had to add some top and side inside edge trim for the gaps. Since the outside already was all painted and decorated with creepy pictures, I figured it could become a Haunted Toy Store instead...

And while the majority of the toys aren't creepy, I figured why not? That little ghoul girl in there (Mezco Mini Living Dead Dolls) fits perfectly so she's shopping. Besides, even creepy kids love all kinds of toys, right?

 As an aside, I'd found a whole bunch of those dolls awhile ago at Goodwill of all places, cheap. So eventually I want to do a Halloween party table scene. Here's a pic I found online. I think I have the first one plus the red-haired punk and the last one, plus a bunch of others. I also have some full-size dolls we found at a yard sale. I love the little ones.

The back wall shelves were already installed, so I added some striped paper on the bottom for more contrast and added a wall shelf on the side, plus some creepy toy pictures. Some of the Mini Toys may be slightly larger, but I think they look fine for display. And now I'm hooked. Of course, I'll have to get more. To fill the shelves, you know. (wink, wink). Games will go in the bins on the small table. I'll make more from printies. (TIP: Google dollhouse game printies.) The other table is a sewing machine base topped with spooky scrapbook paper.

The Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots are from the larger-sized Worlds Smallest Toys. Cute, though much bigger, but I figured they can go in here, too. Remember those giant walking dolls from the '50s?  It's all trial and error with the sizes on these mini toys and they keep coming out with new stuff, too. I'm ignoring the Mini Wacky Packages though I could get hooked on those even if they are larger. (I remember the goofy cards. ha!) Funny! The new batch of toys I just got includes a tiny Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robot.

The canister on the top shelf is Lincoln Logs (non-opening.). The other is an Avatar figure, which is also in the window since I have two. I added the Kewpie doll as well. There's a very large package of Tempura paints on the second shelf (the economy size I guess. ha!) The skates and animals are erasers. I found the cute Oscar the Grouch figure at the fish department at Petco! You do find stuff everywhere. ha! I repainted the can silver and want to find some green Bunka to make him fuzzier. (Of course, I have every other color but!)

 The back wall before the additions:

So, to me, as I show here, I think you can make almost any size of miniature work, depending on the project. Here's the other batch I got. It includes a second My Little Pony in a different color. The Ouija box will go in my haunted house, of course.

This'll be about it until I add more games. It gets too expensive. Last time I bought a lot of items was when I when I was decorating my Dogcatcher's House. I had to fill it with a bunch  of dogs and at the time, you could find some in 25 cent gumball machines and they also were selling $1 packets of toy dogs that came with that lousy stick gum (like you found with baseball and collectible cards). The hunt was fun, even if it adds up money-wise since there're probably 100 dogs in that house. But who counts, right?

Thanks again for visiting! I appreciate your interest!

Funny, Not Funny

 Well, I know my visitors here will understand...

I just got the new Spring Miniatures catalog in the mail. Yeah, the whole back page. What happened to the rest of it????

*NOTE: Yes, they nicely sent me a replacement - in an envelope this time. ha! They said it had been happening quite a bit lately. Hmmm....

Mini Miniature Dollhouse Toys

 

(Note: See the updated Not so Haunted Toy Store I put these in...) 

I've seen people sharing these but wasn't sure on the size. (And I didn't want to start another collection. ha!) Well.... saw a display at the bookstore and once I saw the teensy play phone (remember those?) that decided me! Supposedly Target also carries these though I haven't checked. The ones I found were $7.99 a package. You get five toys. Supposedly there also are sets of Disney toys in the other brand that comes in the ball container. 

Isn't that the cutest thing ever??? And the Monkeys in a Barrel (barrel doesn't open) with teensy monkeys!!!

The other ones are pretty neat too to put on a toy shelf.  They also show one of those push popcorn poppers on the chart. That looks pretty cool, too, but probably hard to find.

The My Little Pony in the box is just over an 1" wide. The Lincoln Logs are also just over 1" high. (Non-opening) I also got the Matchbox round tire car container (doesn't open) and a couple other toys. These are fun!!

 So I guess it looks like I'm gonna take that front opening shop I have that isn't very deep and rework it. I was going to make a haunted bookstore, but I've got other bookshelves and kits to do that. I just have to change the prints and colors, and see how to get a clasp/lock on it.

FYI: Online Dollhouse Miniatures Auction

 

Deanna Spanjar, former dollhouse shop owner in Wisconsin, is auctioning her collection and inventory via Karen's Dollhouse Shop. You can register here. The auction is open Feb.27 with over 500 lots.

Best in #Miniature Show first episodes now online

Judges: Interior Designer Michael Lambie and Miniaturist Emma Waddell on Best of Miniature. 

 The first 2 episodes of the Best in Miniature Show airing in Canada is on YouTube now. AND NOW OFFLINE. Only the trailer is on YouTube now.

** Liked this one and still hope to see it! 

There is a different show: 

* (Great Big Tiny Design Challenge in UK - 5 episodes so far up as of 4/26: here, 

** UPDATE 2/20: Someone on FB said they're watching on Discovery Plus, (** seems to not be on STILL in US. Going to ask company when/where it'll air here.) but it's only up to episode 4. New episodes air weekly on Fridays. The creator's site has 10 episodes listed. (So I'll probably sign up later once it's near the end and enough are up. It also has a 7 day free trial and is $4.99 per month.) 

** *** WAAAAAH! Apparently whoever was loading the videos online didn't have the company's permission. So they've all been taken down! Well, I hope this company schedules the shows online very soon!!! I only got to see the first three!!

Hope they schedule in the US soon! 

** And wow! I watched the first one and this is really great! The designs are fantastic! Can't wait to watch part 2 and to see the whole show!!

 

The Queen's Jubilee #Miniature Tea Room Update

 In honor of Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, I decided to do a little updating on my Tudor Tea Shoppe. (There are a few past photos and an overall back interior photo here.)

I made this project over 20+ years ago, adapting it around an already partially built Houseworks porch. I'll have to take pix of the sides, all brick and stucco. I made the front and the door, too. The back is open with shelves and the sides are part-walls. If I did anything different now, I would've used the lightweight Spackle as it doesn't crack as much. (Click photos for full size.)

Haven't pulled it out in a long time as the case is very heavy and I had it buried on the shelf. So moved a few roomboxes around and put it in the other cabinet for now, unless I decide to move it again.

I didn't change much, just added some things and moved others around.  I added some flowers above and a planter on the front wall. Still may change the fake planter on the left. And gotta have a Corgi, too!  * I'm still thinking of adding the perfect element - a decorated hat!

Here's the front sign, made with wood pieces, and hooked together chains with Tiny Turnings on the sides.

Added a Queen and Prince Philip portrait photo on the wall and a Queen Victoria at top (round frame not shown.)

Put the large coronation picture on the interior back side of the door  here... Also added the royal plate. (I have an anniversary mini china plate/button and a thimble coming yet from England. Found them at Etsy.) Then if I have to move and uncover this again, I'll light it for better photos. (And I noticed I forgot to put a chair back in. ha!)

I moved everything over to add the magazine shelf kit from Dragonfly Intl. I moved the magazines around and added the paper dedicated to Prince Philip an put a couple of the mini albums in there. The large white framed photo is of Will and Kate's wedding.

Added a couple things and moved items on the shelf. The blue anniversary book on the bottom is a Dateman photo book from the UK. I made the Diamond Anniversary album.

Here are a couple albums I made. The Britain album includes the photos I took when I went there some time back. Yeah, that's me in the phone booth. I think they took all those out now? Which is a real shame as they are cool! The other is another mini album I made of William and Kate. This type of album uses scrapbook paper for the cover and pages. I should update these and make a couple more albums with their kids, and Meghan and Harry's family. Maybe even a Prince Philip memoriam album. Well... eventually as I'll likely have to add others at some point. I did have an idea before to have a shelf with different albums on it. Yes, more ideas. ha!

That's it for the moment. I'll update the photos once I get the other items and add them in.

Thanks for stopping by!

#Halloween in January #HalfScale VB House Updates Interior

 

Maybe that's why Halloween never ends, since it's taking forever to get done here?... haa!

I was going to post before but then I got caught up trying to get some improvements done first... 

So, moving right along on the HS Van Buren...* See previous post or look in archives in left column or use the search box. (Click photos for full size.)

One reason why it takes so long to get stuff done is like yesterday (well today as I type this) - You have to do things in steps so you don't mess up. Like: I had a new front wall/ceiling piece cut since, ahem, I lost the original one. Then had to paper it but couldn't forget to cut a long slit in the paper so I can glue the lamp cord under the paper. Glue to house; waiting, waiting for glue to set. Then paint the other newly cut rectangle ceiling piece since the original is badly warped. Paper one side, paint outside, and add fake trap doors and trim. 

Okay... still here? 👀 Next: The Attic

All kinds of movie references came to mind:

The chair has to be aged, but all I could think was putting a creepy mummified Mrs. Bates-like figure there peeking out... 

And then... what movie do you think of here?

(The side walls in the attic are "news" print scrapbook paper; I have to glue in vertical wood beams once the front wall and ceiling are glued.)

The railings also were added around the attic staircase opening. The brick, which I love!, is printed on bumpy, textured paper from Starboc2 on Etsy. She's in Greece, but fast shipping and good prices. An idea here as I ran out of the thin wood flooring sheets: I found some wood veneer-look heavy scrapbook paper. I drew the lines with colored pencil and I think it works!

Dining room, left room on first floor: On my recent hunt for things I put in that "safe place," luckily, I found the rectangular Gothic table (from SDK Miniatures) I'd glued lace on. This is going to be a Miss Havisham scene, so had to see what I could put out and then age it with gray paint and cobwebs. I have to get some silverware yet Love how this turned out so far!

The roses are handmade from paper. The cake is from Crayola Model Magic, painted gray and added lace glued on. The lace is then painted over.  I took the candles from a wall sconce and glued them into small bead findings. The tea pot (back left) is a charm. Everything is painted over to look aged. The tiny bead caps have pieces of sliced fruit canes and melon balls. I have to figure some yucky old meat or I might just leave the plates as they are. 

The first floor center staircase serves as a divider wall for the parlor room on the right side. And the reason I left a hole in the back of it: (Which I keep thinking also needs a light, so thinking I should snake a flashing battery candle bulb (for those tiny nightlights) up through the floor.) Another why didn't I think of that before? moment. Let my mistakes be your reminders. 💀

It's Curtains! 

The curtains are done. I'd changed my mind (what else is new?) and put these sparkly web curtains here instead. Was just testing the furniture. The settee is from MiniEtchers. I made the coffin bookcase. 

The web curtains (supposedly glow-in-the-dark, cut from a roll of ribbon trim, we'll see) were moved to the right side room, which now will be the parlor. 

Bedroom, second floor:

The bedroom curtains are in and all the trim has been done since this photo. I still wish the room was another color, but that was all I had at the moment. I had a circus sideshow theme in mind, so I'll have to do that in the other house. Have to frame that art yet, though, and might hang it here to liven up the room.

The hall, second floor: I realized once the bedroom wall and door were in at left that this was too dark, so I had to add another light. Bad planning as I should've added a light by the stairs too, which would've been much cooler coming out of that skeleton bead. Well, keeping that in mind for the next house. Lighting is just so hard to envision sometimes!

The best part: Decorating the Walls!

Pictures and art are as addicting as making mini books. Good TV watching projects and you can really never have too many! Spooky people, creepy monsters, and more! Here are some of the pictures and frames I did (so far!) I know there are a few more I want to add. I also have some of those lenticular (moving/changing) images. Luckily I found those before since I haven't seen any for a couple years now.

The Outside:

The planning, anyway. Another hard part of the project is having to plan out how the paper will fit, but I love how this will look! I wanted it to seem old; the window trim is all black. I'll add some vines, etc. too. This is only laid here and not glued yet. I'm making paper templates as I have to piece the sheets.

I traced over the window edges with pencil and then cut the holes to fit. The center is trickier as there are two doors.

One more thing: 

An interesting find: I found these neat fake flower pods (cheap) at Target a while back. Thought they would be great flower pots.

That's it for the moment. Thanks for stopping by! Until next time!

A New #Miniatures TV Show Coming

 I saw that a new minis TV show, Best in Miniature, will be airing on Feb. 11. But.... it's from Canadian broadcasting and will be streaming on...? I saw mention of Discovery+ ? Well, not sure so will have to see if it's on Hulu or something... Here's the trailer I found... looks pretty good!

** Still waiting to hear where/if it'll air in the US. Stay tuned.

** UPDATE: Someone found this - more info and photos from the studio making the show.

Working on #Halloween Half Scale VB #Dollhouse

The Parlor

 A few updates to show at least some progress is being made on the Van Buren (VB) Haunted Dollhouse! I was finishing up my annual  half scale group swap items in-between . (Yay, all done and mailed so I could get back to this!)

So, not too much new in this room yet, but I almost forgot I had this cute little fireplace I got at Michael's. The fun is the light dims and brightens. I liked this photo as it has a kind of deserted feel. (Click photos for full size. See archive in left column for previous posts. See other VB post from Nov.)

Otherwise, I'm at the hateful trimming stage, and it seems like while I've gotten some things done, it really does take a while.  Just hate the cutting, measuring, cutting again. ha! Not for the patient! 

The Dining Room?

Interesting thing about updates is it shows progress and the changed-my-mind-again  (and again!) moments. ha! Here's the dining room and hall at the left, first floor. I was going to put a wood floor in as a divider, but it seemed better to have one big room. I put a small piece of brick wall at the end there by the door and then the wood strip on the ceiling. I might put the other wood divider at the other end, but I kind of like the open concept. 

I may change my mind again as this big room may make a better parlor-sitting room, with the dining room instead going in the right side (parlor) room (shown above.) What do you think? I have some neat glow-in-the-dark light green cobweb trim that I'll put on the windows in the left side room. I did see it glow (but have to check again to be sure!) Stay tuned!

Second floor bedroom

The floor isn't glued in yet, but I did add in the partial ceiling trim. The bottom trim will be brown like the door trim.

Second floor hall-library

I got the French doors in, trimmed the stair opening and finished the stair trim. I decided I didn't like the open spindles so I did the same thing I did on my other haunted house - used cut wooden fan pieces to fill in the stair sides. I just like how these look so much better. 

I added a square dowel post in front and put a small skull bead on top. I keep looking at the bad wood spindles on the bottom floor stairs, so deciding whether to cover those with the fan pieces, too. We'll see. The stair opening also uses the wooden fan pieces set into railing moldings. Since the hall was darker than I thought once I added the left wall in, I'm going to put another bulb in the ceiling with a skull. Hey, why not?

Just finished trimming under the stair opening, too, and I have to check if I need to touch the whole thing up more with black paint.

I know, not too exciting, right? I have to finish trimming  -- then I can get some furniture out to see how it looks!  The fun part! But... I have to finish papering the attic first and (horrors!) I can't find a ceiling piece so may have to cut my own. Then the outside has to be brick-papered and all the window/door trim painted and added. Ugh. At least I really can see the progress on this. 

Something I forgot to show last time...

I thought these were kind of cool. Some kind of foam bulbs that look like pumpkin pots. They even had the tops already painted black! Found them at Target in the clearance-bargain section. Good planters, I figured.

That's it for the moment. Thanks for stopping by again! More updates soon!

 

Happy New Year!

 

The champagne's chilled! (Basket by Emily from HS group swap.)

Here's hoping 2022 is much better!

Hope you have lots of mini fun in the coming year. Thanks for visiting the blog this year and looking fun to more projects in 2022!

#Halloween #Dollhouse Update

Getting there! I'm at the not-so-fun part of the building - putting in trim and floors. The floors are easy; the trim, ugh, all that cutting and measuring. But.... seeing progress! (See archive in left column for previous posts! Click photos for full size.)

Ok not so exciting, but the front door's in and turned out good. I know, the pic isn't great, but I don't want to take it again. I'll get a better one after the wall is papered and the trim's on. Yes, I'm using duct tape this time to hinge it since it's strong and won't tear. 

Here's the door from the inside in the front hall. I got the stairs and wall in too. (Finally, after also having to glue the handrail several times!) I had to add a light in the hall as it seemed too dark, so I used a bead and a glass flower petal that I touched up with black paint. There will be two small part walls on each side of the left dining room for dividers. The wood floors aren't in yet. I have to darken them more. I have to find more of the thin wood-sheet flooring. Almost out! Test-fitting. But I like how this looks kind of old.

Right side of the wall in the living room. I used painted card for the bottom of the walls. The wall trim is strips cut from a bamboo mat. Have to decide on some raggedy curtains yet. Probably going to use dirtied-up cheesecloth.

Curtains in the upper left bedroom. Made the lace rather raggedy. I love the look of painting the textured ceiling a coppery-gold! I'll be adding more "dirt" on the walls plus trim. And hang cobwebs in most of the rooms, too. I hate all the trim I have to cut. I want to get to the good part -hanging pictures and decor, ha!

I have a lot of outside trim to paint yet as well. One good thing is I don't have to be neat. It's all black trim that'll be sanded to look worn. Next, I have to paper the outside. I'm using the textured brick paper on the whole house. 

That's it for now! Hopefully some better stuff (and better photos!) coming. Stay tuned!