The Half Scale Slightly Haunted House

Between posts for my friend's miniature Paris Project (see link and photo in left column for first day), I thought I'd share progress on my current half-scale house project. (Click the photos for the full image.)

The Before:

The Almost There: 

I've had this Chantilly house kit by Greenleaf for years. I got it from Tracy Topps (of Minis on the Edge - check out her amazing houses!) and was never sure if I wanted to tackle it. The problem? It was partially assembled.

Well, I kept thinking of what a cool haunted house it would be. At least as a "holding" place until I build the much bigger house I want to do.  So... I gave in.

Ohhhhh... Never ever do I want to wallpaper an assembled house this small again. As it doesn't have to be "perfect," I did a lot of piecing since it was hard to make paper templates and get my hand in some spots. But I survived! (Cue Gloria Gaynor!) Oh and, glutton for punishment, I did more piecing around the front window since I wanted to put brick paper in. Yeah, fun. The large strips can't be glued on until I first cut and paint the wood strips for the front porch floor.

I made paper templates and measured the floors, too. The living room floor (first floor right)  is wood I had. It's perfect for an old house as there's a tiny section missing near the door. You can't tell too much because of how I painted it, but that's okay either way. I still have to figure out a rail by the stairs and find a post I had made a while ago or make another one since I somehow  lost the pre-punched railing.

I love the paper patterns I had for wallpaper. It's scrapbook paper. The gray on the second floor and the shabby blue in the dining room are from Michael's. I probably will use those patterns in another house as they work really well. I love the checkerboard look and use that a lot, too.

The floor is interesting on the second floor. It's actually from a scrapbook paper pad. The floor has a slightly shiny coating. I pieced it on the side wall and at the staircase opening.  It was really too nice to mess up, too, as it fit the room size perfectly.

I love the green paper's print, too, in the living room, but that's all I have. Probably got it in a garage sale find. I decided to sponge paint the bedroom a two-tone in purple with gray. The floor is another cool scrapbook paper with lamination on it. Too bad that's all I have, too. It's a cool pattern.

The upper attic is simply painted gray with some brown accents. I'll add a photo in a later post once I put in some cobwebs and stuff, meaning lots of junk. ha!

The house's outside is painted a medium gray sand paint (sand mixed in for texture). I'll be dabbing on black around the house edges to age it. I'm painting window trim now along with all the decorative trim. Too-much-trim!! The second floor balcony has to repainted and I'll be adding some plastic "wrought iron" trim around it. Once I get to it, I'm going to try using corrugated cardboard painted black for the roof. Yeah, should be fun cutting the shapes.

One thing I decided for fun was to make some flower beds for the "Punny Plants" that  I got a long time ago in a half-scale group swap. (Can you guess what the plants are?) I'm going to make raised beds with foam core and brick as then if I want to move them to the bigger house's yard later I can. I'm also thinking of making a colored brick walkway with some white square plaster pieces I have. I really really don't like all the painting I have to do, but I admit, I am liking the look of this house more as I go along.

The other big project I've been putting off is figuring how to run the wires for LED lights. I'm planning on one in each room. This is the kind of house I figure shouldn't be too bright, so we'll see. I got the 3-volt battery holder with an on-off switch and a AA battery holder from True2Scale. I didn't want to bother with electric this time and wanted to see how this will work. They also have a pretty decent LED tutorial on their site.  

Hopefully later, I want to take apart some light strings and see if I can adapt some. Cheap way to do lighting. We'll see. 

I'll share some other pix later of the furnishings I made. Some will only be in this house temporarily as it's pretty small, but it's good for the moment. 

Oh, and why the title? Well, I've been admiring some amazing dilapidated miniature house photos online - but I just couldn't do it on this one. I'll add some cobwebs and some staining, but I just couldn't totally mess it up. That really is much harder to do than you think. Maybe another house...

Don't forget to come back on Friday for another Paris Project post! Ta-dah! A preview!! (and it's really cool-looking!!)

Until then, Chris 

Got at Dollhouse shows: A to Z Blog Challenge 24

1" scale tins and plant kits from CastleCrafts.

Today for the A  the A to Z Blog Challenge (See Day 1, April 1 ), I thought I'd share a few of the cool kits and things I found at the annual dollhouse shows in Chicago. Come back tomorrow for the letter H-I to see some of the Halloween & Other items I saw at the shows. 

* Click photos for full size and larger view.)

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Some of the kits I've come to love are from CastleCrafts (from South Africa and also shipping from New Jersey.) The kits are cut from a sturdy mat board, (similar to Petite Properties in the UK), but they go together well and have a great final result. 

Now while I mostly get and make half-scale (1/24th) kits now, I still occasionally have a few 1" scale projects I like to do. I liked the plants and tins in the top photo, and while I don't need another house project, this 1" scale storefront is a neat display project and not too big. So I couldn't resist. It'll be a nice smaller way to store some things between projects. I think I'll do a brick with gold and black like an older French or English shop.

For half-scale, I found quite a few fun kits. I really liked this cooker and the sink, which can fit in a cabin kit I'll eventually work on. I liked the European look and it's different than the usual furniture kits.

I was also tickled to find this weird "wonky" clock in half-scale. It's just too cute to pass up! The parlor chairs are also nice as I got the matching  French chaise lounge.

My other favorite vendor, SDK Miniatures, always has a great selection of furniture and plant kits. I love her Gothic items! I also got the second cafe table/chairs for the mansion diner and these unique poison plants for the witch's cottage. The philodendron will go in the mansion. I also found the second cafe' table/chairs for the diner and another set of plain wood chairs. That's after I fix a light problem. Darn. Knew these wall lights with pin-bulbs would be a problem. I'll have to re-solder one and attach a new light.

Cindy McDaniels (Cindy's Minis, IN) had some great half-scale pieces. I like furnishings I can remake, like these resin pieces, including a vintage Tootsietoy ice box that I'll paint. I found the painted metal stove at another table. There's a also a resin fridge (cabinet?) that came with the bed lot. The bed will be covered with fabric.

Also found some cute Chrsynbon plates painted for Halloween.

The assorted bookcases and counter were from J&J Miniatures from FL. He had quite a few half-scale pieces and since they were priced similar to kits, it saves me from doing the work. I just have to paint and decorate them. I liked the TV display stand (left), too, as it's similar to the stand/bookcase I decorated with a travel theme in my yellow Victorian house. (Other furnishings: Victorian bed, twin dressers, bookcases at link above.) I also got a bargain lot of wood doors from him.

Also got some nice tile flooring from Melvin's Miniatures. (I used the black/white stars tile floor in the witch's house and a couple vintage-look patterns in the mansion, too.)

There is more. Plenty of tiny decorative items and other furnishings like a couple bathroom sets, one plastic, one painted black, maybe for a Haunted house or I'll have to repaint it. Since I used all my bathroom pieces in the last couple houses, it's nice to find some inexpensively priced items. I found some tiny metal/pewter pots to paint for the diner kitchen, also, I really did get a good selection of kits at both shows.

Here's one of the bath sets, the fridge (or a cabinet that doesn't open?) and a fun little robot figure from another table. He kept staring so I couldn't resist. ha!

So fun stuff to work on and keep me busy for a while! I'll share things I finish later.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for H-I. - Stuff seen at the shows.

Next: Friday, 4/12 for J-K  - Just a new Kit I'm working on.

Back from the #Dollhouse Show! What'd I get?

(Dragons and centaur statues from WCD Miniatures) (Click photos for full size.)

I'm baaaack! Went to the annual fall dollhouse show in Elk Grove Village, IL, what was the Wee C show, previously run by a NAME club and now run by T&D Miniatures....

Small,  but not a bad show,  at least for me as I had some good finds! The sad thing is it was the end of an era - the club has pretty much disbanded as most of the members are older and many had died, so no more display room or discount table. They had the best (and only) show display so sorely missed that. (Type Wee C Dollhouse Show in search to see previous show pix).

Well, the discount table proceeds used to be donated to charity and I always found some great deals and cool stuff.  The new show apparently had some things out but most of it was gone by Saturday.

The centaur and dragons (above) were a cool find from WCD Miniatures. He always has a great selection of Egyptian  and other unusual statues. I have a Pan statue that's in the front yard of my other Haunted House. The centaur was the only one I saw and I envisioned it in the center of a garden room or a hall and the dragons out in front. They all are about 3" tall. I also bought that aged rug from the entry table.

The cool thing is I won a door prize! I picked a great frame display made by Ron Chase (D-Tales Miniatures.) I'm going to paint it black, turn that bird into what looks like a crow or raven, and put spooky family pictures in it! Second time I won a door prize at this show. I won a 1/2" scale house kit a few years back that I made up for Halloween. See photos here.

I had bought a 1/2" scale kitchen cupboard kit and a radio from Ron at the last show and really admired his clocks, so I was surprised he was at this show, too! So I got a carved clock! (Oh, it probably won't be the last one. ha!) I also have a beautiful carved filigree shelving unit from him in my 1/2" scale dollhouse that I got in last year's Half Scale group swap. (I can't find that post showing it outside the bedroom, but I think it shows in the house video. See miniatures website page. - Found the post and photo here.

The clock is just under 2" tall.

So... what else did I find?

Well... got some cool frames and a cat rug... Witches love black cats, you know. Plus more metal minis to paint like some tiny phones and a bust statue from J and K Minis. I thought it would be fun to make a time-stood-still dingy kitchen with a wall phone on the wall. ha! And well, you'll see what I do with that dagger and saw! heh-heh.... 

Found a few 1/2" scale kits.... I haven't seen these resin couches in eons. Have an idea to make them look old and dirty with stuffing coming out. (See the examples below.) I had a similar set that I used in another project. (Here's the other couch I painted and added trim to for Christmas.) The old-fashioned stove will be perfect for the kitchen, too! I had used this same kit in my Country Victorian Dollhouse kitchen but I shortened the back. The chair is one of two in a set (one is undone.) The small package is a chest kit (with the teeniest brads that I doubt I'll be able to get in the hinges!)

And... ta-dah! Another dollhouse kit! But.... I've admired (and dreaded doing) the 1/2" scale Fairfield. But I always liked the style of this house. Well, this was a price I could NOT pass up! (I would've kicked myself if I didn't buy it!)  So... this will be the main haunted house, I think. (Yes, the other one is still underway and I am wallpapering it now.)

As I mentioned about shabby/old couches... saw these at a table. No vendor was there, but I think it was named Behind the Attic Door (or something similar.) I thought they were well done.

Oh, and I also found this beautiful silk tie at a Goodwill that will be perfect for some curtains or upholstery... The color is a pretty goldish-yellow with a nice print. 

So, I didn't buy a real lot (but it still adds up. ha!) But I was happy with what I found, esp. as I love kits and you don't always find half scale. 

 ** Thanks for stopping by again. Stay tuned for more project updates! ** 

#Fairfield #Dollhouse Furniture & Porch

(Chantilly haunted house on left.) Click photos for full  size.

The Porch:

Not done yet, but one of the things I'd been putting off was figuring out the porch railings on the half-scale Fairfield dollhouse. Always worried I'll cut them wrong or something, I guess. I had some flat railing pieces I didn't use from the recently finished half-scale Van Buren haunted house (which I still have to furnish on the inside), but wasn't too keen on them. I thought of using plastic railing, but I didn't want to buy more and the ones I had were too big.

I'd bought these "wrought iron" chipboard fence pieces before from Alpha Stamps. I'd cut the top row off and used it on the balcony of my other Greenleaf Chantilly Haunted House. (See part of the railing in the top house photo at left.) 

I cut the railing pieces to 1" height (they're 2" high) and used half glued into the wood railing channel pieces. I hate to show things unfinished but I was so happy with how these will look. I wanted a more delicate-looking railing so these work out great. You know how it is when you have something in mind and that's the only thing you want? ha! 

The whole railing piece will be painted black, which will go nice with the black trim. I also have to finish painting the porch posts; decided to add the porch floor color on them, too. The railing on the top porch will be slightly different and may use the pieces that are a bit shorter, but they'll look about the same as the other wood rails are a bit thicker. I want to  use what I have and it all will look similar enough. That floor will be a different color anyway. Leaning toward the worn wood look so far, but I may change my mind, of course!

Playing Around: 

 Got the Tootsietoy furniture pieces I bought so was doing some positioning. I think these will work well in the rooms once they are re-painted. The other pieces should fit in the front hall and maybe upstairs and in the dining room, too  (See previous house update here.) 

I like using this table instead of a nightstand in the main bedroom, I think. We'll see how it all fits in.

Also wanted to share this cute fabric I just found at WalMart. I'll have to use it somewhere. Loved the dog print! I just might use part of the dog print in the girl's room. 

That's it for the moment! I'll share more once the porch pieces are painted and installed. Then I'll be also adding the second floor ceiling/third floor and working on those rooms next.  Onward!

Thanks again for visiting!

Fairfield & Other Dollhouse Attics

The unfinished Fairfield attic before.

 Today's topic: Attics!

Feeling a little lost as I finally added what I intended for now to the Fairfield and covered it up. But I will be showing you the rooms you didn't see yet, so stay tuned for upcoming posts.

(Click photos for full size; see other posts in archives in left column or tab on top. * See last post: Fairfield Plants, Additions & Hall and the annual Half Scale Swap. Bonus: Check Emily's blog tutorial to make a beaded curtain.)

For now, thought I'd share something I seem to be hooked on. No matter the house, lately every one has to have an attic. ha! It's fun to have an area to store things and have another room you can use for any purpose. So here's a look back at some different attics I've finished:

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In the first half-scale house I did, the Country Dollhouse, I used the attic as one large room with extra beds (made from those inexpensive wood punch-out furniture kits) and a craft area. The room was painted "wood" paneling made from strips. (*See all photos of house on website.)

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In my fairly recent large Victorian house, I decided to add an actual small attic space for storage. I like how the brick paper looks with the wood. (See video of house on my website. Scroll past blog section at top.)

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The haunted Van Buren house also has a full attic space on the third floor. I really like how the brick looks here. (I always use the textured brick paper from Starboc2 on Etsy, who's from Greece.)    * See other photos on top page tab: My Dollhouses.)

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For fun, here's how the Fairfield attic space started. At this point I wasn't sure how it would turn out!

Now it has both an attic sitting room and a tiny bathroom next to a storage-attic space, the best of both worlds! I normally don't add bathrooms but this house had enough room to add two, one on the second floor and I squeezed one in the attic space.

Sitting room and bathroom:

Attic space:

After putting some things in, I decided to add an extra bed in there, too. Why not have somewhere a guest or one of the boy's friends could sleep? The bed was a simple make using end pieces also from the cheapie punch-out wood furniture kit plus a piece of matboard and foam for the mattress. I love the tie-die-type fabric. I was lucky to find a whole bag of different colors and prints at Goodwill a while back.

I added the Western art above the bed, which is from the recent half-scale swap. Also put other art and a teensy barometer (also a previous swap item) on the wall. Though the vintage metal camera isn't half scale, once I found it in the stash I wanted to use it. Thought it too cute not to add in next to the vintage radio. I have one of those folding cameras in real life, and they're fairly large.

That's it for the moment! Thanks again for visiting. 

* Next: A to Z Letter B -link live day of post. Come back soon for more photos!

Chicago Miniatures Shows 2017!

Had a great weekend going to all three miniatures shows in Schaumburg and Chicago!

As always, there was tons to see. I didn't take as many photos this time, but wanted to share a few things I did get pictures of. I'll also have some of the photos and information in the upcoming issue 63 of the AIM - Artisans in Miniature Magazine. (Click pix for large images.)

I always find some great deals at the Three Blind Mice show (http://3blindmiceshow.com/chicago_spring/) and this year was even better - I won a half scale (1/24th) dollhouse kit from the door prize raffle! Believe me, I was pretty shocked!

 I always find a bunch of accessories here. The fun stuff I found was a mini silver garbage can (hard to come across those now and I have fun filling them!), some small half-scale end tables, flower boxes, tiny tables, plant hanger, cigar box, mini computer, shoes, etc. I got a kick out of this Pan statue, (at left) as it was definitely different (kind of creepy!) and will fit perfectly in the half-scale, haunted house garden once I do that project! I got an interesting sofa kit, too, that I may use in my upcoming record store project. (Yes, another new idea. ha!)

Now, not to inject politics, but these cut-out server figures cracked me up! Oh, the jokes I could make, but I'll control myself. ha! (From William Cambron Miniatures, Missouri.)

This was a pretty cool spooky house by April and Ron Gill of The Wildwood Dollhouse from Michigan, which will be going to The Museum of Miniature Houses in Carmel, Indiana. (http://museumofminiatures.org.) The interior features a full array of potions for that wizard or witch, along with a unique table on skeleton legs. (I hope it doesn’t walk away!)

The newer dollhouse show, The Miniature Show, (http://theminiatureshow.com/) was even better in its second year with more vendors. Much of the items are high-end, but I found some great kits in three scales from first-timer Jane Harrop of the UK. I love finding new half-scale kits. She had some interesting vintage-style kits like the table and vegetable cart. And the filligree screen is also great. I really liked her assortment.

This incredible Steampunk scene in a giant top hat by Bette Jo Chudy was part of the displays for the show's artisan competition. 

The Chicago International (Bishop show) (http://www.bishopshow.com/blank-chv5.) always has a ton of stuff to see, as well.

This was a cool idea using those plastic skellies. Will have to try something similar -chandelier from Magic-N-Miniatures of Ohio. (ignore the guy in the makeshift bathroom in the back.) ha!

First-time exhibitor from the UK - These dolls from Bags of Character from the UK really do have a lot of character. Love the expressions!

So, just a little taste of the shows!