Wee “c” Miniature Show – 2015

I headed to the Wee “c” Miniatures Show tonight, and it is still running tomorrow as well.  It’s a small show but worth it to see some of my favorite vendors who carry some of the items I buy regularly.  I also scouted out a few new things.

I bought a gorgeous Mackintosh chair from William Cambron Designs and always kicked myself for not buying two.  Problem remedied.  :D

Square wood frames from Greenhouse Miniatures (no website).  I’ve bought frames from her before — like the oval one in the Heritage bedroom.

More bushes from A Little More in Miniatures for Milo Valley Farm.

A Pocket Full of Wishes — a pump bottle and a delicate and tiny tea cup.

It’s signed.

Unknown vendor — right by the front door.  They had some fun and economical items, including this fancy shopping bag.

And, I’m set for Christmas and Halloween.

A second unknown vendor — these came from a big bin of miscellaneous minis.  It often pays to dig!  This bathroom hardware set is metal.  The foam in the box disintegrated when I opened it, so they are old new stock.

A lovely glass vase.

Two dog treat boxes to assemble and a chew bone.

A third unknown vendor — these were sold as a set and are likely meant as jewelry charms, but they work well.  Fancy dancy.

Categories: Miniature Shows and Shops
November 13, 2015 | 0 comments

Modern wood stove

I finished up the stove and have it installed. It’s held in place with tension alone. I have it wired through the ceiling with a lot of extra wire looped inside the stove in case I need to remove it to replace the red bulb inside. The base is separate from the main stove; the flange top and fire insert are also removable.

My inspiration was the Invicta Pow Wow wood stove. The surround is made from scrapbook paper cut with a hexagon paper punch. Yep, applied those tiles one at a time. The damper handle is from a defunct Chrysnbon kit that’s being used for parts.

Categories: Otter Cove
November 6, 2015 | 0 comments

Happy Halloween 2015

I missed Halloween with the renovation and move last year, so I wasn’t about to let it go this year! :D I’ve set up grandma’s fine parlor for some fun. The dollhouse room has poor lighting at night, so I tried some fancy flash covering work and other tricks of PhotoShop.

I like this photo because the lighting makes it look like a sound stage for a play before the lights go down at curtain time!

That dashing fellow in the photograph seems to take on a different personality if you look really close.

There are many curiosities going on around the room on this fine Halloween day.

I don’t think I want to know what this spell is for, though. :O With that bottle of arsenic, it can’t be good.

But, it’s no wonder you get up to no good when you’re on a bender of cookies, Absinthe and magic mushrooms. I would imagine the story about to be typed is going to be a weird one.

These mushrooms are just for show.

It’s awfully cool outside, so the fan can be put away for the season.

Is it time for candy yet?  :D

Boo!

Seriously, there’s nothing spookier than a curious old sepia-tone photograph.

Can’t you just hear a tinny music box playing out of tune?!! =shudder= Happy Halloween, everyone!!! :D

——
Notes and credits
The gentleman’s photo is a Martha Stewart hologram sticker and it changes to a scary face at certain angles. It glared with certain light, so Elizabeth Wharton Drexel returned for some of the photos.

Pumpkin with candle by Marikes Magical Minis, fossil trilobite from Wendy’s Miniatures, and working clock from Halls Miniature Clocks. Mortar and pestle from Jane Graber, blank bottles from Mini-Tiques, Wright Guide Miniatures and CW Lubin. Dandelion by Lamis Minis, typewriter by Shaker Works West, open book by L. Delaney, magnifying glass by Bill, poison and Absinthe from Four Little Walls. Friedrich the rabbit by Michal Gvir, Isabeau the cat by Maya Schippl, the brace back Windsor chair by Weston Miniature, and mushroom specimen case by Tony. Antique table fan by The Kummerows.

I made … well, the Haunted Heritage :D … and the country table, griffin box, skull cookies, mushroom, burrowing owl, bird statue, playing cards, Oly Studio Ichibad Side Table and rustic stool.

Categories: Roomboxes and Mini Scenes
October 31, 2015 | 0 comments

Trying out fabrics in miniature scenes

Sometimes you have only a small amount of fabric to use or you are unsure if the fabric will work with the décor you want. In order to save time and materials, I make color copies of the fabric to test out in scenes before I cut the real deal.

Paper is excellent for curtain tests. You can quickly try out different fabrics to pick the right one for the space. Or, if you have a fabric that would never hold its shape or is too thick for miniature draperies, you could use the paper copy itself instead of fabric. You would just need to have more care when curling and pleating the paper into shape.

You can test pillows for scale and color.

Upholstery is trickier, but you can get a rough idea here as well. :]

Categories: Miniatures
October 29, 2015 | 0 comments

Fishies!

Sometime ago, April sent me a link to a lovely modern home that featured some enormous artwork. While the Greek horse was fine and all, it was the fish painting (we thought it was a painting) that drew us in.

I put it in my inspiration file for later. Then April’s birthday rolled around, and I remembered the fishies!!! I wanted to find the original so I could see the entire work, and after some quick Google searches I found it at New Ravenna Mosaics. It’s actually a mosaic and not a painting. It’s called Ellen’s Fish by Ellen McCaleb.

Painting I can do. Mosaics in miniature? Not for me. I cut some canvases measuring 3 3/8″ by 4 7/8″, which are fairly large for 1:12 scale, but this is modern art we’re talking. I painted a base of blue-greens and grey then added paper fish swimming in a school. The works are more inspired by the original than a precise replica.

This is the one that will stay in my collection and likely be housed in The Brownstone since it has high ceilings and large rooms good for modern art. (I sent one to April for her birthday.)

This one is listed on eBay. It’s #3 in the series. Where will the series end? I suppose when I get tired of making these.

Categories: Art and paintings
October 28, 2015 | 0 comments