Not all Pineapples are Golden

I have designated this year to finishing all of the projects I have started. Yet, I can't help starting new projects as I get new ideas all of the time. I have another restaurant idea. The first one was the chess-taurant. Now I have an idea for a more formal one. It will have a dining room with a dance floor, a jazz room and a rooftop dining area. The name is "The Golden Pineapple" with that theme throughout. Come hang out with me as I complete ths fun project .

What you see here from top to bottom are the dance floor, the wallpaper, and the ceiling all for the main dining room Click on picture for a larger view

A Day At The Fair I (The Chalet)

Last year, I had a pipe dream to enter my miniatures in the state fair. I ran out of time and felt really disappointed. When I went to see the exhibits, there were only a few and not very impressive.

This year I was determined to enter something. Soooo I entered three things. LOL Even if they weren't as completed as I wanted, I was going to enter something! The Chess-taurant, Church, and Chalet were chosen.

None of them won. But, I was still excited. My grandchildren got to see their grandmommy's work in the state fair! Now, I know what the judges look for. Most of us miniaturists look for details. The judges looked for construction. Next year I will ramp up both.  I wish I had gotten pictures of the winners They were all awesome! I left my camera in the car and didn't even get pictures of my grands at the fair or next to my exhibit! Darn!

Unfortunately, they all were damaged in transport either going or coming. Securing things is something else I learned. They are in the process of being repaired and touched up then will only be shown one at a time when they are decent enough to show. None of them are totally complete. I have a whole lot of ideas I want to add. You, my sweet followers, are always able to see past my incomplete work and  beyond as this is a never ending hobby. :-) I will return from time to time to show any significant progress on any of them.

Please share any ideas you may have that might enhance these projects!

Next year,

 1st Prize!

 

This is the bathroom attached to the Master bedroom. The window was printed off the internet. The TV is Barbie sized Almost everything was purchased and redone somehow. You can tell but the dominant color is copper

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The hanging over the bed is a leather part of a sandal I was about to throw out. lol
I made the pillows and spread. The bed posts are Halloween trees from the Dollar Tree

Remember that fireplace and the contest? I need to add pillows to the sofa and a few other things to look "lived" in

The first floor recreation room. Something fell off the wall and I can't remember what! That thing in the left corner is a saddle. I wanted it to hang outside. Must fix that! This TV is also supposed to be Barbie scale.

One fish on the wall is missing in action.

Second bedroom it needs more wall decorations and something on the right. I might add sheer curtains

The wall is a from a framed picture glued to mat board.

The wall needs a few more details

There is that empty right wall problem again!

A close up of the fish and ice in the kitchen sink after a fun day at the lake

More recreation room

The whole Chalet

 


Thanks for checking me out!



Click on pictures for a larger view

First the FUN then the FUNK

 THE FUN!
I just won a mini prize from Carmen @  http://pekevasion.blogspot.com/2014/11/lo-prometido.html
Look at these adorable books!

They are even more adorable up close!

                                   Thanks Carmen!

The Chess-taurant has been demolished!

I follow several really professional level miniaturists. When I see them take things apart for improvements or upgrades, I am inspired to do the same.  That is where the unintentional demolition happened.
 At first my printer would not print properly so I could complete the window outdoor scene. Also, It bothered me that with the picture on the inside what should I do on the outside to show there was a window there. So, I took that to mean maybe I should go with my heart and actually cut out a window. I held my breath, went to the Woodworkers Guild work room and cut out the window. The supervisor there helped me practice cutting straight lines with the scroll saw. Well, that is where it got nasty. lol I ended up making a few gouges when I finally tried it on the wall .
Trying to be true to my determination to be like my professional friends I knew I had to cut out a whole new wall. I could have just made a big picture window by cutting out the two sections, but for some reason I didn't think it would be as cozy as having three panes.




The wall on the left if the second one. You can see the gouges on the first one on the right. I have to do a little more sanding and open another jar of paint so all the walls would be the same color.

I re-cut the window wall...still not to my total satisfaction, but something I could live with. When I dry fit it in place a little sunlight shone through and I knew I had done the right thing. :-) So, now it will just take a few more hours of work and the Chess-taurant will be truly complete. So look forward to seeing the new look soon!

OK, WHAT IS THIS?  

Sometimes when I keep walking past something it will call out to me. Just like this one did LOL!
Can you guess what new project I have added to all of my other projects? The next four pictures are clues. What do you think it will be when completed?

One day, maybe last year, I bought a large container of popsicle sticks. I decided to try using them for this project.

Part of the fun was reading the jokes on the backs of some of them!



I used some parchment paper to keep it from sticking  to the surface while I glued them together. Yep that is the price...thrift shop of course!
 

Thinking I should make this a contest...look for details later. :-)

 THE FUNK
Simply...to the fellow miniaturist who is saying those salacious (really bad for my foreign friends) things about The Grandmommy and discouraging people from my blog that is really mean and I would never do that to you. Like I tell my grands...Be kind !

I ask my fellow bloggers what would YOU say or do to someone who was doing that concerning you and your blog...

For my MANY miniature friends...thanks for being just that! HUGS!

Click on picture for a larger view

Two Artist Highlights and New Mini-eyecandy!

Ok, I am here again.
The Chess-taurant is pretty much completed except for a few structural things. I will not show it until I get those figured out and solved. I also wanted to electrify it, but missed the class with the world famous Carl Sahlberg in Nashville because I had guests from out of town. I spoke with Mr. Sahlberg and it may be next year before he holds another class. I will be there no matter what! More of his work here.

I want to share some really cool stuff with all of you. From some really cool artists! I believe the method from the first artist can be used with miniatures. It is such a cool method. I wish I knew what was in that bowl though.

I was never really into Halloween. For those who are, the second artist's work is perfect for this season!

I don't know either of these artists. I just thought you would get some enjoyment from them.

http://www.littlethings.com/thats-not-real/?utm_content=buffer4bed3&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_source=littlethings&utm_campaign=littlethings

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1662890/lori-nixs-stunning-tiny-dioramas-depict-an-abandoned-world-slideshow#8 hover over the pictures for commentary.

Here are a few of my purchases from the past few months. Also, there are new items in my Etsy store. There will be more added very soon. Click on the Etsy sign on the right!

P.S. I don't know what that blur is from in some of the pictures...a ghost maybe? Woooo!!
PPS yes. that is a filled funeral urn to the right of the church! More Woooo!

This is the front of a wooden church. I have lots of stuff to go in there already!
 It actually came just like this.

Side view. It needs a nicer roof.

Check out the paint job in there! The interior is already close to finished! Yay!

 

I had no idea these pieces I recently purchased would look so great here. I originally bought them for a dining room in a house. They will be part of either a church dining hall or where the ministerial staff will sit or maybe even the ministers office. I just hope they will look the right scale when I get everything in there.



Got this from a yard sale. It came with two large cardboard boxes filled with parts and accessories including electrical items, food and even a 1:12 gazebo kit! This box was like this so I don't know if all of the pieces are there.  It looks like they are.  Anyway, since it was partially completed I grabbed it! That ten is not the price. Wish it were. lol



The front. It can go in a lot of different directions! At the next yard sale after I bought this...guess who I ran into! My dolly friend. Glad I found this and got to it first! By the way she has created some awesome mini businesses in her huge mini "town!"

These colors are a bit boring...they will be changed. There it goes again...woooo!

I passed by this several times without noticing it. It was sitting atop an empty clothing rack in a thrift store and looked like part of it.  I had the feeling there was something in the store  waiting for me to buy it. So I kept looking.  It was when I decided to leave that I noticed it and asked the price. The cashier gave me one. The manager said it really was not to be sold. Several people had previously inquired about it, but since she gave me a price they would sell it to me. Can you believe it! It was waiting for me! Just imagine it with jewels around the top and lots of cool carousel rides. The two bases are wood and the middle part is hollow meaning it can probably somehow be electrified. The can is to show the size.

 

 

This shelf just jumped out at me while I was in line at a thrift shop. I want to make just one formal scene to appear to have an upstairs and downstairs as if at a concert hall, mansion parlor- something which I could hang on a wall. The gold stays.



I was so excited to get this because the doors open and close...but when I got it home my little construction company owner man didn't fit :-(. I have shorter guys and gals so I am sure someone will.:-)

 Hope you enjoyed it. I promise not to take such a long break between posts next time. :-)

Click on pictures 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