Bishop and 3 Blind Mice shows – 2014

Returned to the 3 Blind Mice show on Saturday. I found this great pocket door from J & J Dollhouse Minis.

Jason Feltrope.  Always a great selection of pottery.

Back to the Bishop Show.

true2scale.  A kit for a crate of adorable marigolds in butter box and milk carton planters.

A kit for heirloom roses china, and the blanks to complete the kit.

Stewart Dollhouse Creations.  A kit for a desk (without the chair shown).

A sparkling geode.

Ursula Dyrbye-Skovsted.  She had the most amazing birdcages and marquetry flooring.  But, what caught my eye was this wonderful heavy brass gadget for a glue syringe.  It makes the glue stream so much easier to control.

On Sunday, we returned to the Bishop Show, and I bought a few more items including some pottery from Milestone Miniatures.

And a lovely Easter bunny.

Categories: Miniature Shows and Shops
April 4, 2014 | 0 comments

Double trouble…or the rest of the story

Yesterday’s post.

Roland ponders, “Hmm…what’s this?”

Sanford asks, “What’s up there?” Roland replies, “Muffins and cookies.”

Sanford warns, “Be careful. Don’t fall.”

Roland says, “Pffft. I got this!”

Sanford whispers, “Someone’s coming…hurry up!”

I swear there were more muffins and cookies. Huh.

Categories: Animals and birds, Roomboxes and Mini Scenes
March 27, 2014 | 0 comments

New kitchen minis

I recently purchased some lovely kitchen minis from LugArt Petit on etsy. They are unique and beautifully made.

A mini soap dispenser.

A lovely tea canister.

Tiny dessert cups…so awesome.  :D

A cute oven mitt with pine trees.

Tiny muffins on a flower plate.

A canister with a removable lid that holds tiny chocolate cream filled cookies. :D

I think this calls for a full miniature set-up…time to dig through the boxes of minis. Be right back…

For the rest of the story…click here.

Categories: Animals and birds, Miniatures
March 26, 2014 | 0 comments

The Brownstone – bay window section, part 2

Continuing work on the bay window section. The glass is to be placed on top of the wood pieces and an identical set is glued in place over the glass to keep it secure, but I need to create the stained glass inserts first.

As a reminder, this beautiful Meyda Tiffany Bed of Roses stained glass panel at Wayfair is the image I’m going to use for the stained glass. Since the side bay windows are smaller, I had to alter the image in PhotoShop so the smaller panels would coordinate. In the original kit, stained glass decals were applied to the front windows only. Here’s my test print.

And, these are the finals printed on transparency film.

Since the stained pieces aren’t 100% dry, I dry fit one window frame into place. The instructions indicate the placement of the interior frames while you can keep the front grid on a flat surface since the frames need to be flush on the interior. I stained both sides of the framing pieces. This eliminates any bare wood showing from either viewing direction. I’m keeping the imperfect side facing the yet to be installed acrylic insert.

I used my test print to determine the placement of the lower horizontal for the stained glass portion.

I measured to find the center in the remaining space and fit the middle horizontal in place.

I cut one transparency and tested the fit, placing one of the kit acrylic inserts into the opening underneath it. The top surface of the transparency is shiny, but the back is not. Having the acrylic behind the transparency will disguise the dull back.

The transparency floats so I can adjust or replace.  :]

I then dry fit the exterior frame and cross pieces. The instructions indicate adding the acrylic inserts and final framing later in the build, and I like that idea for keeping the windows clean and unharmed during decorating. I like it! :D

I did the same for the side bay window opening to make sure my measurements worked for both configurations.

I put the bay back into dry fit.

All good!  :D

Next up – gluing the interior framing for all window openings, cutting new pieces as needed.

Categories: The Brownstone
March 25, 2014 | 0 comments

The Brownstone – bay window section, part 1

Here’s the bay window section. I have the timbers and filler pieces painted and glued together, but the three sections will remain separate until I complete work on the windows. These are nice large window openings, as you can see from our lovely model Ophelia.

Inside, the grid creates an uneven surface that will need to be addressed after the windows are in place.  I’m thinking 1/32″ thick veneer for a smooth wallpapering surface. There will also be trim work to finish the interior windows. All of my ideas are still floating around.

It’s a good interior space, as shown by Sherwood and Ophelia.

I’m thinking plants for the main level (maybe a settee or window seat in the bedroom above).

The original kit has non-working windows and for the ease of assembly, I am using those. I do love working windows but not enough to overhaul the entire assembly process.

The kit comes with pre-cut pieces to make the window frames. Some fit perfectly and some will require my least favorite phrase “sand to fit.” The pieces are to be glued in, but they hold well on tension alone.

The top divider for the stained glass detail and the middle divider are added after the frame. I’ll actually measure when I do the final installation.

The side bay windows are slightly thinner than the front bay windows but created the same way.

Since I added windows to the side addition and the kit also has the wrong amount of pre-cut pieces for the existing windows (the amount listed in the instructions is incorrect for the amount needed), I bought some additional lengths of wood from National Balsa when I placed my large order. I stained all the pre-cut pieces and two of the additional lengths I bought using Rust-Oleum Ebony.

Next up – preparing the stained glass inserts and gluing the pieces in place.

Categories: The Brownstone
March 24, 2014 | 0 comments