Followers

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

"Sole-mates?"


While Maria went back to look at and maybe find few things from the boutique to surprise MJ, MJ makes a find of her own...His name is Willie and the owner of the shoe store at the mall.


MJ: Excuse me do you have this is in a size eight?
Willie: Why, yes we do!

Willie: Here let me take that.
Willie: Is that an Australian accent I hear?
MJ:  Yes, it is! (giggle)
 Willie: Well g'day mate! Does this mean the shrimp is on the barbie?
MJ: giggle
Willie: I am sorry, that is all I can think of when I hear, Australia (lol)
MJ: Don't worry I get it all of the time.
Willie: So are you enjoying...

Carmen: WILLIE! Oh my goodness, it has been such a long time! I see you have met my friend MJ!
Willie: Yes, I have. Now that I know she is a friend of yours maybe she can become a friend of mine too!

Carmen: Now you know why we call you silly Willie! (lol) Come here and give me a hug. It is so wonderful to see you!

Later that day
Carmen: I am so glad we ran into Willie...he is such a sweet guy.
MJ: He does seem nice, but I am not sure I want to accept his invitation for a date. I have met so many men on this trip.
Carmen: Go, you will have fun...I promise you. 

To be continued... 


                                                        Click on pictures for a larger view

Monday, December 16, 2013

EMERGENCY POST FOR A FELLOW MINIATURIST!


I just felt I needed to do this. This lady is awesome! You have probably seen her work before. Click on link to see it.

 If you can help please do!

http://modernminihouses.blogspot.com/2013/12/final-countdown-for-mipad-dolls-house.html?showComment=1387246167146#c574463302298226408

Thanks!

Holiday Shopping Everyday Gossip

 MJ's first stop in Home Town is Carmen's house. This is the house which got me back into the hobby. My first two granddaughters were born and I wanted to refurbish it with them. I am on my second remodel and still working on it. LOL Two new windows were added on the second floor. You can see the one on this side.
 

Most of the locations you will see here and for the rest of these special posts are in progress or repair. You may see some of the progress or changes. Some, are the homes of the regulars, but may be used for something else while MJ is here.
I made the brown coat Carmen is wearing last year.
 
MJ and Carmen have a good laugh about her travels.

MJ describes her encounters with some of the handsome men she has met.
They talk and talk and talk
 Carmen and MJ get up early, after laughing and talking late into the night, to go shopping. Something they both enjoy. We will see a few familiar faces and places along with a few new ones.
Carmen took MJ shopping at Niecy's boutique

Customer to Niecy: Is this on sale too?
Niecy: Yes, this is also "buy one get one free." Will this be all?
Customer: Yes.

The shop is bustling. It seems everyone is doing their holiday shopping. MJ and Carmen leave to go to the shoe store next door.
Carmen made an excuse to come back to the boutique to price the necklace MJ liked. She just might buy it for her going away gift. Then she leaves again.




GLADYS BELL!
 Thank goodness MJ is in the shoe store next door or else she might have been the subject of a little gossip! Who knows?
 
Gladys  Bell waits until everyone has left. She is up to something I can tell!
Gladys Bell: Well, hello there little mama!
Niecy: Gladys Bell! You startled me! How are you?
Looking for something for Beth for Hanukkah?
Gladys Bell: Oh, ah YES, That sounds like a great idea!
Niecy: I have something she might like.
 Look at the look on Gladys Bells' face!
Niecy: These new bangle bracelets just came in. She might like these. I know she usually wears gold




 
Gladys Bell: So, uh, how have you been feeling these days Niecy?
 
Niecy: Well, to be truthful Gladys Bell I have been a little tired lately. This must  be the busiest holiday season I have had since I opened! I am not complaining! Just tired.
 
Gladys Bell: Oh, I see.
To be continued...


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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

MJ IS HERE!

No, not Michael Jackson's ghost, Michael Jordon or Mary J, but...Mini Jazzi from down under! Taadaa! I was told she was to arrived last Wednesday. From Wednesday until Friday when she finally arrived, I worried like a mother hen. When she got here, I was so excited I could not open her box right away (yes, I know, I am goofy lol) When I did, I just took a peek then put her on a high shelf in my home office. My daughter and grands were equally excited! Last week, when I knew MJ was on her way, my daughter and I brainstormed some places for her to visit.
 
My dolls also have all kinds of plans for her!
 
MJ came bearing goodies for and from all of her aunties. I will share pictures of my loot. She arrived sporting an outfit made by Mary from her last visit. So far, she has visited 11 Aunties in various countries and states within the United States and still has several more to go.

 
Stay posted to see where her adventures in
South Carolina
 take her!

She told me she loved the wreath on the front door and wanted her picture taken there!
 
 
Click on picture for a larger view
 

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

UNITED STATES MINI STAMP OF APROVAL!





Here is just a quick post to show how miniature making can stretch beyond being just a hobby. These are the latest United States Postage stamps!




"Baker Teresa Layman created each of the houses featured on the stamps over a period of two weeks. They were constructed out of gingerbread, royal icing, and various candies, including sugary fruit slices for shingles, peppermint sticks for support beams, and round, candy-coated chocolate for doorknobs and holly berries. To keep the houses from sagging in high humidity, Layman watched the weather forecast to know when to bake and decorate.

The four Gingerbread Houses stamps will be released on November 6, 2013. Look for them online and in a Post Office near you." (USPS website)"

From what I have read in a NAME  Yahoo group, Teresa is a miniaturist and appears to be a member of  the National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts (NAME)

"Renowned gingerbread house architect Teresa Layman built the actual gingerbread houses under the direction of stamp art director Derry Noyes. Stamp artist Sally Anderson-Bruce photographed the houses." 

READ MORE HERE:

http://www.wusa9.com/news/photo-gallery.aspx?storyid=281729

and here:


KUDOS TO HER!


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Friday, November 15, 2013

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

Friday, September 13, 2013

MJ is a Cheesehead!

 

MJ is now in Wisconsin with Teresa of creativeliveandme. She is enjoying the sights of buffaloes, Lambeau Field, even winter in the summer. I have visited at least half of all the states in the United States. Wisconsin is still on my list. So, everything MJ shares with us will be new to me.

I mentioned to Teresa that I was particularly excited to see the pictures of the buffaloes. Well, look at her last post! :-D 

Note: I don't know what happened with MJ's trip to Africa. When I find out I will share with you.


Click on picture for a larger view

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Obsession African Style

 I found something recently that can take on my mini obsession. That is, my new obsession with African movies. Normally, I am not a fan of foreign movies because I can't keep up with subtitles. One night for a break from minis I went to Hulu.com. CRASH! That was the sound of me falling for a Ghanaian movie series called Adam's Apples. OMG. Everything you want in a continuing story. And guess what...it is in English! I found not only that series, but a bunch of others by the same writer and others at Reel African.com. I have absolutely no affiliation with any of this except my constant viewership and occasional comment.

What got to me the most, after the the story lines, was the fashion line! Even the men were dressing in style! I was gasping at each scene of gorgeous outfits. They were so fine I was inspired to make my own mini versions. I didn't even have time to make a pattern or measure anything other than holding the fabric up to the dolls...(singing out the letters-ADD lol). Oh yeah,  there are a few darts sewn in here and there. I used to sew my entire wardrobe-BC-before children. I could have really added a lot of finishing touches or details, but my girls are less than 6 inches ...half the size of Barbie. The girls and guys have let me know it is ok to take shortcuts and not get caught up in a lot of tailor techniques. Thank Goodness! LOL Besides, I think they came out great!

Now, if only I could copy those natural hair styles the Character "KuKua" wears... Believe me, I will make some attempts at it!

First up, lady's fashion with more to come later. The guys will be shown in another post.

Nora did a little modeling before she became a nurse, so I like to use her. (please overlook, glue glops or other faux pas'. My editing program was on the blink. Thanks :-))

   
A mix of Africa and Asia
Love the exaggerated peplum look
Nora is party ready


!  



Rear view, talking to her friend Tinker
Short and sporty
She wanted to show she could glam it up too!




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