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

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

I'M BAAAACKKK!

Whew! That was close! I thought life was going to take me out of the mini world or at least blogging about it for a minute there! I think I must have been a little burned out. Things began to seem somewhat boring and my creative juices had all but dried up. My camera couldn't take the neglect and I couldn't find it for a week. However, I also knew that things had to be more organized before my juice flow increased.

 I really missed posting to all of you.  I couldn't stay away completely though, which is why you may have seen me lurking visiting other blogs. I didn't know whether to say good-bye or I'll be back soon. I am glad to be back! :-)

I did work on a few projects off and on during this time. Haven't finished anything. Just kind of trying things out. I thought the least I could do was to share them with you. So here they are:


Oh, yeah...How do you like my blog's new outfit. Cool colors huh?

  

My first thought was to make this a public chess room, where others could watch and be served refreshments. The logistics didn't seem to work. Would the people watch from a counter? Should others be able to eat at the tables while watching or if no one is playing at the time or would the tables become too messy for the players? Then came the issues of the walls. I kept changing my mind.
a close-up of the table tops.

 

 

 

 

This is the beginning of the set-up of the "neighborhood" Still a lot of organizing to do.

 

  You can see here I started to put the stucco finish on the large house. It became too much of a job and very messy. I stopped working on it for a time when I would be more focused. It will look much better once completed. Right now it looks like it has a bad rash.

 

 

 

 I went to the woodworkers guild and cut some plywood to use as bases for future landscaping. They have to be repositioned
 

                                                                                                                                                                                    

  

 

 This is on a far wall. Have not been able to

  find just the right fabric  for the windows yet.

  

One of my many ongoing projects. Here are the two sisters Faith and Hope sitting on top with cute crown combs I bought from a Halloween clearance sale. Hope is waving at you!
 The mall has a ways to go but I am making progress on three of the rooms. As I find or make  more items they will be added.

 

I have added to the shoe store and made it appear to have an exit to the rest of the mall. I have a few more things to add.

 

  

 

 This is the beginning of the wedding shop in the "mall". It looks much better in real life and I still have a lot more to do of course. The room in rear left is a picture from the internet cut out and glued to give a little depth.
 

 

Here is the beginning of the men's shop in the "mall". Looks like it needs another coat of paint. The black shelving is actually a desk caddy turned upside down. :-)

 

  

 

 I decided to add a few more details to the little girls room in the large house. There is now a bookcase, more ponies, a certificate on the wall, positive wall words and other items.

A TV is going where you see the glue on the right wall. It fell and I have to think of  another way to make it stay or make/get a new one.  Imagine a couple of nice posters on the wall. One of my granddaughters and I decided she also needs a corkboard to hang her great work.

 

 You can see what a great little student she is from the certificate her teacher gave her!
 She has a tiny piggy bank on her bookcase for her allowance

 

  

These scenes were packed in jumbled boxes on these same shelves. I decided to take them out and display them. The shelving looks much neater now. In time they will be updated with "grass" and other outdoor items.

 

In the far left rear is the campsite canteen. I added shelving and have lots of foods and necessities ready to go in it. 

 

 

The entrance lights up at the CIRCUS!

This is what it looked like before. 

 
This what it looks like now. .  

 The lower two levels will also be scenes

 Thanks for still being here :-)!

 

 

Click on pictures 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