Love ALWAYS Wins

Even though I have been pretty quiet since my last post, I have been very busy. Most of my projects are medium to pretty big. I will share the updates in a future post. So, I needed a quick project I could complete just to feel a sense of accomplishment.

I looked at my mini church. As most of you know, it was completely built when I purchased it. I drew out some ideas for a renovation and began working on it when coincidently tragedy struck.

 On June 17th the embodiment of hate walked into a church, prayed with a group in bible study, then, massacred nine of them. I live in the state where this happened. The victims were wonderful contributors to society. The victims consisted of a state senator/minister, librarian, grandmothers and other beloved people.

The gunman wanted to start a "race riot!" Instead people came together in love and peace against hate. In court, the family members forgave the shooter. How noble! The whole country has been affected with a lot of shifted  thinking . As a result, many changes have already been made. I want my grandchildren to always see this as an example of the power of love over hate and so...

I have decided to dedicate my church in memory of those nine saints. It will have a prominent place among my other projects.

REST IN PEACE

 

To be able to understand the entire story
PLEASE,CLICK ON ALL LINKS
THANKS

Even though I am still working on it, I wanted to show what I have done so far. Look for the completed project soon!

 Click on pictures for a larger/better view

 

dollhouse 1:12 Church as purchased



Downstairs is the Pastor's office. Notice the floor.
It is actually printed photo paper I purchased on EBay
(papers on the floor are for the mini wastebasket) The desk will either be painted or replaced.



 

 

The attic will be where out-of-season items will be stored

The floor/ceiling was taken out to be painted.
I painted over the downstairs "windows'

These ladies are ready for service! (this with the floor/ceiling dry fitted)
 I have a stained glass I am going to add to the sanctuary.

This curtain fabric came in handy and fit perfectly.

Sorry for the dark pics I used a light and it made even it worse!

NOTE: Several years ago nine heroic firefighters were killed while on duty in Charleston. They were memorialized as the Charleston Nine.  Many people have now re-memorialized the victims of the church massacre as The Emmanuel Nine as a gesture of  respect to the firefighters.

 

FEBRUARY CELEBRATIONS

 

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Yes, this is a potato chip, Cool huh?
(I ate it! LOL) 

 





Black History Minis!

Some of you may remember some of these pictures from two years ago on Vansdolltreasures. I  am still as enchanted with these real life minis as much as I was when I shared them with her. I didn't post them on my blog then, so I will do it this year in honor of Black History Month. There were even more this year. It was so hard to pick! These are the ones I decided on.

 

 See how many you can identify before looking at the names. If you don't know the people they are portraying...why not google them!

 

Next month, I will do the same for Women's History month. Please stop by and support Eunique Jones at Eunique's Photography for more cuteness! I am trying to decide which product I will purchase.

 

Wouldn't these be cute in mini scale dolls?

 

 Especially check out, the lead-in video of girls reciting Maya Angelou!! SO CUTE!

 

http://www.becauseofthemwecan.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

(can you name the sororities and fraternities?)

 

And last but not least...

 

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0212/6252/files/wecan.mp4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moving Forward For More Fun in 2015!

Well, 2014 ended with a lot of difficulties. But, that is ok. There is always tomorrow I say. . I am going forward in a lot of areas besides miniatures and if you hold, on tightly I will take you with me! :-D Weee! lol I want you to have even more fun here with, me, The Grandmommy, this year and ever after!

I like this song and have decided it is going to be my theme song for 2015

 

 

I think I figured out who gets what and sent the gifts for all of the winners who sent their addresses. If I have left you out please let me know. It is never too late to get a treat in the mail! I should know this first hand...

 

Look at what Brini sent me!

Right smack in the middle of the year end drama...I get this box! In it was the cool chair with matching pillows, mirror and picture frame that I won on Brini's Doll Domain blog and oh, what is that? A gift card for Macy's department store. I was NOT expecting that! Nothing like a little retail therapy I always say!

I sat down with a cup of coffee on a quiet morning and opened the box! Then, I actually sat there playing with everything! I rearranged the pillows over and over and sat different dolls in the chair. LOL I have decided to make a roombox for them instead of putting them in one of the Barbie houses. I can't say thanks enough! She is such a generous sweetie, folks!


 I am inspired by the beginning of the year craft room organization of a few of my blogger friends. michellesmadworld @ http://wwwmichellesmadworld.blogspot.com/2015/01/2015-year-that-wasto-finish-what-ive.html     http://stalbertmini.blogspot.com/2015/01/off-to-good-start.html  and Brae at Otterine's Miniatures. As such, I have begun organizing and most importantly for me...labeling. In doing so, you know I found a lot of good craft-y stuff.

Some were very well organized, but since they were not labeled I didn't know where they were and what I even had in there! I am looking at these soap and candle making supplies really hard! I pulled them from one of those unlabeled, yet organized rolling drawers and spread it all out. Today is the day. I am going to attempt to make some really cool soaps 1:1 scale.  Once I get comfortable with that I want to make some 1:12 scale.

Hope I don't chicken out!

Hugs!
The Grandmommy

 

Click on picture for a larger view

michellesmadworld

A backwards contest! HEHEHEHE!

The contest will be over on Monday December 15th. I will give you the rules then. Right now...just take a guess at what you think it is. :-D  HeHeHe!

See previous post.

Click on picture for a larger view

ALMOST THERE!

 

First, thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who left those awesome comments! You have no idea how much that encourages me! Welcome to my new followers! Hugs to my, old, er, loyal followers/supporters! LOL I have been crazy busy these days! But, I just wanted to squeeze in a few pictures of some of the mini-ing I have been able to do. I constantly walk past the Chess-taurant, add/change something then keep moving until I can do a little more later!

 Since the last post, I have added the pictures on the wall, changed the bathroom signs (still king and queen), added wallpaper and chair rail to the back wall, added the cooler with the pot pies I made years ago, changed back to the original smaller counter-then added a new top to it, on the left wall you will see a little "free wifi" sign, changed window frame from gold to brown and on the back wall you will see a keep calm and play chess sign and a few other odds and ends. There are just a few more things left to do. Look for more teeny details when I am finished. I still have a bit of teeny and "big" items to add believe it or not! So far I am pretty happy with the way it is turning out. :-)

When I am finished I will go over all of the little tricks I learned along the way and go more into detail.

Be Back Soon!



I know the picture on the wall is crooked. My arm got tired trying to get them even! I will try again later :-/  Of course the cash register will not remain Barbie pink!

 



I like these two signs better.
They seem to go with the tone of the Chess-taurant better





I wanted to add the rest of the outdoor scene in the window, but my printer is making everything look red-ish for some reason...sigh
 



If you look at the picture above you will see this sign next to the "window" (yes, I know I need to trim that wood. I will explain later) The window frame gets another coat or so of paint





This customer went to the restroom...I wonder if it was the King or Queen? hmmm lol (pssst, do you know you left your e-reader on the table?)



I made these pot pies a couple of years ago just to try them out. Those are plastic Barbie cake slices. Sorry you can't see the credit cards we accept...we will take whichever one you have! :-)

That is a US penny sitting atop the chess set that someone is going to be playing with.

The counter stools are missing and getting some touch ups right now. The back wall is going to be filled up and other items added all over

This should be the next to last post on this project. The next post will show the finished product!

                              Remember, click on pictures for a larger view!

CHESS-TAURANT UPDATE!

Hi everybody!

WOW! I can't believe I have not posted since July! I totally missed August! Well, I am here now and want to show you a few updates of the Chess-taurant. I plan to do a few things more tomorrow so I will be closer to finished or finished. There will be more details because we know how important details are for a mini scene. There are also wall etc. touch-ups

Sorry, everything looks a bit jumbled. This was just to share something with you in case I don't get to post again within the next few days. Things will be neater once finished.

Don't forget to tap on the pictures to make them bigger!

Front view. The scene from the window on the left is  from photo I took of the outside of the Chicago Art Institute. I still have one more panel to put in and work on the window frame 

Things are still a little out of place. The window frame is actually the mat from a picture frame painted gold. I don't think I will keep it that color. The right wall will have framed pictures.

Right under the posters on the wall will go a cooler. I made the barstools.
The bowl is one half of a party favor rattle. I will go more into detail on the other things in the next post.

Sorry you can't see this very well. These are chips I made from clay

I made the platter of sandwich rolls and the sparkling cider bottles were once bowling pins.

The right wall needed something so I decided to make it comfortable with a fireplace like Panera Bread or Atlanta Bread company restaurants.

This is the women's restroom. It says "Queen" on it and the men's says "Kings."
Sorry you have to turn your head to see it. lol I just couldn't seem to get it right side up!  I will have to take a better one

 HOPE YOU LIKE IT!

 

( I have more projects I have been working on to share with you soon!)

 

Click on picture for a larger view

Organization...Catch it! It is Contagious! & Artist Highlight!

Hi everyone!

 Two posts in one day!?

I can't explain it. It just happened! Ok, there are always things I could be doing other than working on minis. Given a choice, I usually chose minis! The last few months, I have not put much time into them or even the blog choosing to do other things. Well, I had fun, but minis were always in the back of my mind.

ARTIST HIGHLIGHT!

And then it happened! I saw Hey it's Muff's last post. It was on organizing her fashion dolls et al.  When you go to her blog you can be sure you will come away having learned something new, fun and useful! I wish I were as skilled as she is. Her blog is such a positive place and her pleasant, friendly and playful personality really shines through as she shares her knowledge with everyone!  Isn't that why we all log into mini world? Stop by her blog and educate yourself while having a few giggles.

Anyway, something inside of me became motivated and I started cleaning, sorting and organizing my doll studio like a mad woman! The more I did, the more...I did! That was the answer! Clutter and disorganization dampened my creativity. Before then every time I would go in there I would do a little then just stand there not knowing what to work on next and I wasn't satisfied with what I did work on.

Now, I have created the Barbie section in the outer room liked I always wanted. I had to dismantle my beloved park. I tried setting it up in another location temporarily. It has to be moved to a better spot that will give it justice.

In my madness I got an idea for a high rise office building overlooking a park in the 1:12 room. I like it because it adds a modern-urban look. I may tweak it and remove most of the park area out front.

Today is the third day and I still have the organization bug! Sometimes we just need a little positive energy from our friends.

Thanks Muff! :-)


The shelving on the right will be changed to Barbie dioramas to keep the theme in this section. Right now there are 1:12 scenes. Landscaping will spruce up the neighborhood.  Something will have to be done with that boring wall. The car parked out front is actually a radio!

 

 

I bought this Barbie house the day before the organizing blitz. Would you believe it was only $5! I  just placed here, but with a little clean up and remodeling plus nice window curtains in the background the whole area will be gorgeous! I already had the shelving section at the bottom. It will become two more rooms!




Sitting out on the  side balcony watching the sun go down

I didn't realize how much Barbie stuff I had.
There is a boxful waiting to become dioramas.
 

The 1:12 Room

       
Two views of  the table with the office high rise and part of the park in the front. They are two shelves one placed on top of the sideways one on the bottom. I like them because they add a touch of urbanism to the 1:12 room. I like the atrium area.
 I have two more shelving sections left. Wondering where they may pop up. hmmm

These guys are just hanging out in the lobby for now  :-)

These are a few additions to current projects. Before now, I just couldn't really get into them like I wanted.

 

The partially finished bathroom in the big house. Some things like the tub tile wouldn't cooperate. I have a few more great features waiting to be installed

 

 The Chess-taurant.

 
That is a window frame on the left wall. It is not attached. I could not find just the right window scene to go in there. Then my printer would not function right sometimes. I had to back off for a while. There are a lot of accessories waiting to be added to the room. Note the chalkboard menu specials sign on the front left

I tried out the logo on to-go bags and a menu

 

The candy store in the Mall

Here are the new glass shelves in the mall candy store. I still need to make lots more candy to fill them! Click on the picture to see the details!

 

A bit more work and I will be finished. The candy dispenser on the left wall is micro beads glued into acrylic battery packaging. The shelving in the top picture on the right wall used to be scrabble tile holders now painted red.

More pictures to come soon!
 

 Click on pictures for a larger view