Doors/Windows for Witch's Shop

I still have at least the rest of this week off from work. Will be starting a new job next Monday, but there are always lots of things to do still. Should do more cleaning/organizing around the house which is my main goal for today. I also have a relative in town for surgery tomorrow, so that may take up some time as well.

But I am happy to report that I reached out to Teri at Lawbre and the door and windows I ordered last month should be shipping out soon. I'm not adding any windows to the kit, but I did want some better detailing for this build than what was included. Ultimately, I decided to invest in a few Lawbre pieces. The door and small window I ordered should be fairly close fits that will need minimal adjustment to the existing cutouts. I ended up going with their standard arched panel door that I normally see used on interiors mainly because of the width. There isn't a lot of area on that front panel to expand! Below are the pieces I selected:

I felt like the additional detail of the "hood" for the small window would add more interest to the dormer, but would likely end up getting lost if I chose the "hooded" windows for the larger window below. There is the roof overhang there that I think is a strong enough element to work with already.

The other items I ordered this week are a couple of false doors from Miniature Mansions in the U.K. Lawbre's options here only seemed to come in a double door, which would be way too big for what I needed. The false doors I found elsewhere would likely feel clunky in comparison to these upgraded choices. Then I discovered Miniature Mansions! They have a lot of great trims and components and they had just what I needed for the interior false doors:

Looking forward to these pieces arriving! In the meantime, I'm going to need to make some finish decisions and start getting to work on the interior and exterior. I am less worried about historical accuracy with this project as it is more of a small "fantasy" build. This build should have a Victorian/Edwardian feel to it though. Hope to have more to share later this week!

Seattle Miniature Show 2016

The Seattle show was this weekend so I stopped by this afternoon. Last year was the first time I'd gone in decades and I went on Saturday so it was really crowded! This time, I went on Sunday and it was much less crowded. I didn't end up buying anything though. Not that there weren't some great items, I just didn't see anything that really spoke to me.

I still fondly remember going to the show probably 20+ years ago when it was at the Seattle Center in the Flag Pavilion. The show was much larger then and I think attracted a wider range of artisans. I would love to travel to some of the other shows around the country that I know are larger like the Bishop show in Chicago. Someday!

One thing I saw and really liked in the displays this year was "The Watchful Eye" by Peggy Zorn. It is a 1/2" scale wizard's home with a thatched roof. It was so detailed and really a great piece. Of course it had the "Best in Show" ribbon!

Dry Fitting for the Witch's Shop

Well, it was a busy last couple of weeks at work, but I am officially between jobs now! Got to spend a little time in my studio today and I decided to start with a dry test fit of my Larimer Shop Kit that will eventually end up as the Witch's Shop. This actually helped quite a bit to be able to get a sense of the actual dimensions of this building. 

I had also placed an order for new windows and a door from Lawbre's website, but haven't seen the charge actually go through or heard anything. I'll have to reach out and check on the status of my order. I'm really hoping I'll be able to get them, I love the additional detail those pieces have and I think they'll add the architectural interest I'm wanting for this project. At least, moreso than the included Houseworks pieces.

It was super helpful to understand how much room there is inside the building. While I like the idea of making it as realistic as possible, since this is really just a two-story front-opening roombox, I'm not going to bother with trying to include a staircase or all potential rooms. I'm intending on including some nonworking doors to allude to rooms beyond. And rather than add more windows on the sides, I think it is actually more realistic to assume that this building could end up having other structures on each side as if it is part of a larger city block.

The kit is deeper than I had thought, which is good! For a while, I was worried that I wouldn't actually have room to create a realistic bedroom upstairs. The kit does come with an exterior chimney that they show attached to the side. But in this case, I really think that the fireplace on the first floor needs to be in the center of the room. I'd like to include a fireplace in the bedroom too and then just have a chimney coming out of the center of the roof, but then I won't have room for the washstand I purchased. Will have to think on that a little bit. I can always work on getting the shell assembled and start the inside and outside wall finishes while I plan the rest.

Also, I'm wondering about including a skylight? Might be fun to do, but not a necessity. The flat roof portion isn't really that big.

Ornate fireplace and my studio space

I found this cool resin fireplace on Ebay. It's made by Falcon Miniatures and is in three pieces. Also ordered a battery-operated grate shown with the fireplace. These will go in the downstairs of the witch's shop. I think it will help set the tone for her store. I'm still thinking about what exactly her little shop will be like. What does she sell? What does she do? Who is she?

Here she is shown with her cat. I think they look pretty good together! They still need names though. 

And here's a view of my workspace. It's fairly small, about 8'x10' at most. There's a church about a mile from where I live that has this 1960s building which was formerly used as a school of some sort. They ended up renting out some of spaces to artists for a nominal fee to help cover utilities and I was lucky enough to get a space after being on the waiting list for a year or so. It has these shelves in it, I think this room was probably used for book storage? Originally the walls were kind of a turquoise blue that was really lovely, but also clearly from years and years ago. I ended up painting everything white to make the room feel larger and give me a blank slate. 

Now I'm slowly moving things in. I figure it is a great space to work on all of my various art projects, which of course includes any mini builds I actually get around to completing. I'm transitioning out of my current job and will have almost two whole weeks off at the beginning of March before I start my new job. I'm planning on spending some of that time here in my studio!

A little tiny cat!

I've been so inspired by Brae's work on her blog and really love the posts where she includes a mini animal (usually a cat) to liven things up. I've been keeping an eye open for a little cat of my own and ran across a wonderful Maine Coon made by IGMA artisan E. E. Winters. It was definitely expensive, but ultimately I think this little kitty was worth it. Is it a he or a she? What is his/her name? I'm thinking it belongs to the as yet unnamed witch for her little shop/home.

Witch's Shop

Alright, it has been almost a year since I posted last! Too long, I know. Work has been keeping me busier than I have wanted, but I'm starting to have more space again for projects. Also, I'm looking at transitioning to a different company in the near future, so that might also give me a little more time.



And of course, I still have all of my other projects that are uncompleted, yet I've already moved on to another one. I think I need something even smaller (no pun intended) to build than the houses I have planned. Last fall I was really thinking it would also be fun to make something more fantasy-based, something that is really just about pure fun and whimsy. I found this small Larimer Shop kit that seemed perfect for a small witch's shop with a bedroom upstairs.

Of course the planning is always the most fun, but I've been noodling this around in my head for months now and am still working out what it should look like. But I've also started collecting parts for this build!



I have an Edwardian witch that I commissioned from Soraya Merino! She'll be the inhabitant. And I've got a few pieces of furniture and some mini wallpapers that I'm wanting to use as well.



I've got a few more parts on order for this. Windows and a door from Lawbre. A cool fireplace by Falcon. Hopefully, I can actually start on the building for this project in the next few weeks and maybe even have something together by summer? I'm not setting any specific deadlines. But it would be great to have this at least mostly finished by Halloween!

Foundation and Miele Appliances

Well, I'm at least gluing the foundation together this morning! Hopefully I can also get an idea of the foamcore/wood pieces I will need and maybe I'll even stop to pick up some supplies on my way to work later. I do enjoy my lazy Monday mornings. Normally I close on Mondays, so I don't have to be at work until 12:30 p.m.

While glue was drying I unpacked and photographed the Miele appliances that arrived!

The oven does take a AAA battery and lights up and makes noises. The range top also lights up and makes noises. The noises are pretty loud and scratchy sounding, but I love the look of the oven light on with the door open, just like a real one.

Included with the appliances were some plastic foods. These may need a little work to make them more realistic.

Unfinished Bespaq Pieces

Craftsman Storage Cabinet

Arrow-Back Armchair

Craftsman Dresser and Mirror

I ran across a selection of unfinished Bespaq items on Mountain Miniatures' website recently. Some of them were a little plainer and seemed like pieces that could work well in my current planned projects, so I bit the bullet and placed an order.

Of course, when I received them, they are definitely unfinished and will need more work than I had anticipated. Not that they are terrible, but there is going to be more sanding than I expected to get them ready to stain or paint. The dresser drawers especially looked a little rougher in general than I was expecting. However, they are the perfect sizes for the intended spaces, so I'm happy overall. And I still like that I get to determine the finish.

I have to really decide on my color schemes for the rooms before I know what I'm doing with them. The seat will need to be recovered on the chair, which is convenient as it came off recently. I was initially going to stain all three pieces, but I may go with painted finishes instead. If not on all three, at least on one or two.

The other order I placed recently was for the small Miele fridge, oven, and microwave from ELF Miniatures. I assume they will show up sometime next week. I've pretty much hit my budget for the month as far as purchases go, but I'm planning on another order from HBS in April to get supplies for the kitchen and bathroom.

I was really inspired by Brae's kitchen from her Baxter Pointe Villa, so I'm going the Houseworks kitchen cabinet route. (Also following suit with the Miele appliances.) We'll see if my kitchen ends up looking half as good as hers!

After the show last weekend, I did stop in at my local miniature shop, Alki Beach Miniatures, yesterday and picked up a few magazines. There are some construction/finishing supplies I still need to get before I start really assembling the shell with glue instead of tape, but I have to figure out exactly what I need first and then I'll probably go next week.

Acquisto Silver - Shell Dish

Well, I did go to the Seattle Miniature Show this morning! Much smaller (no pun intended) than the last show I went to about twenty years ago, but it was also in a different location. Lots of energy and excitement in the air. Bryn was nice enough to accompany me. I had forgotten to get some cash beforehand, so I didn't buy some of the pottery I was eyeing. But I did buy a piece I have loved for years and years. A tiny little Pete Acquisto shell dish in sterling silver. That was the only thing I brought home with me today, but I love it.

I'm hopeful that the Seattle show will continue to grow again and attract more dealers. There were a good amount of dealers there, but I didn't see as much furniture as I would have liked. If I was doing something period (Victorian, Regency, Edwardian, etc) I'm sure I would have found something, but there was very little that could be contemporary, and even less that was of the quality I'm looking for. And I'm trying not to buy too many accessories at this point, so I just figured I'd invest in one really nice piece today.

I still might head down to my local miniature store this afternoon. I have a hankering for some new magazines. Of course, the sun is out and it is a lovely spring day in Seattle, which means that I'll have to fight for parking to get to the store. It is right on Alki Beach and the crowds do flock there when it is nice out. Still, I think it is worth a trip to get some sun, a nice walk perhaps, and the latest copy of Miniature Collector.

"Denise's City Cottage" for HBS 22nd Annual Creatin' Contest

Here's what the kit photo looks like above...

And the two kits in boxes plus a door I also ordered...

And here's a view of the sliding door and windows that came with the first kit I opened.

Starting to assemble for test fitting.

Exterior view for dry test fitting. All the pieces were there! 

And an interior view as well. 

Just wanted to share some images of the kit at the beginning of the project. As I'm planning on kit-bashing the two kits together, there are some modifications I'll be needing to plan to make before things get fastened together. This was also good to do, because the instructions are all just text. I needed to figure out what pieces were what, and where they went! The roof actually doesn't have as much of a curve to it as it looks like. Also, it is nice to see the inside of the space with the rafters to get a better sense of the space. This thing is going to be bigger than I imagined. Now I'm starting to see why the smaller scales have been gaining popularity since they require less storage space.

Hopefully, I'll get a little more work done today on the walls I'm needing to modify. Probably not much will happen tomorrow because we're planning on going to the Seattle Miniature Show (yay!) and then maybe the zoo, if the weather is nice.

Another tiny find, a giraffe!

Another tiny thing I realized I already own is a teeny tiny crocheted giraffe! Bryn got me this as a gift a couple of years ago because I love giraffes and also small things. I absolutely loved it, but I'm realizing now that I will soon have a reason to take him out of the box and give him a proper place to live.

For scale, I placed the box next to a dime for the photo. It is hard to tell, but the giraffe also has a little leaf in his mouth and he came with a couple extra leaves too. I don't know exactly who made this, but I know he bought it on Etsy and I suspect that LamLinh's shop is where he found it. If not there, she also makes similar pieces.

You know, I have to say that I love the internet. I know some folks feel like it is "cheating" to track things down online, but the fact that I own a tiny crocheted giraffe from Asia, and an articulated 1/12 scale doll from Lithuania, and have some kits I'm working on from the USA... well... that's just cool to me. There aren't a lot of shops or shows up here in Seattle that I know of, and I can't really travel to do all the miniature-related things I'd like to do. So, the internet does help me get great ideas from various blogs and websites. And I can also find things to buy that I wouldn't find locally.

Fun Deliveries This Week

I received my two "Denise's City Cottage" kits from HBS this week. Also, a door that I plan to use with this project. I'll be combining the two kits into one structure (assuming everything goes as planned). Excited to get started on this and I think I'll be setting the barely started bungalow kit aside while I get this going. 

Also received in the mail this week was a little sofa! I had it delivered to my work, which is a furniture retailer. I got to tell my coworkers that I had a sofa delivered to the showroom that day, and it was in my locker.

I've been looking for pieces or kits that are a little more modern, and ran across this on Ebay. I'm trying not to buy much at the moment beyond materials to finish the room box/house kits I have, but this one seemed to have a nice aesthetic. Also, I'd had a few glasses of wine, so it was much easier to hit the "purchase" button. I love it, although the fabric is out of scale. When it comes time to furnish, we'll see how it works, and if it doesn't I just may attempt a recover.

One other thing of note is that the Seattle Miniature Show for 2015 is only a week away! I'll probably break my rules to buy a few things while I'm there. Thank goodness I get paid next Friday, conveniently beforehand. I had wanted to take a class potentially, but there weren't any workshops that really spoke to me. There is one on lighting that looked interesting, but it was on Monday and I have to work that day.

Doll by Giedrė Petkutė

I almost forgot about another purchase I made last fall! When I bought my kit, I also wanted to get an inhabitant for the house. For whatever reason, I think it helps me to design a space around a "customer," of sorts. The bungalow was going to be a contemporary version of an older home, and I wanted the occupant to be a male artist. (Probably some idealized version of myself, I know.)

On Etsy I ran across Lithuanian artist Giedrė Petkutė's shop (SereneDolls) and really loved her work. She does these incredible 1/12 scale dolls that are full jointed. I had her custom finish me a gentleman with long brown hair and I also bought an outfit and two pairs of her amazing tiny shoes. When he showed up, I was blown away!

I haven't given him a name yet, and just ran across him again this past weekend after a few months of him hiding in his box. I still can't get over the shoes. At some point in the far future I will probably try my hand at making some clothes for him, but that will be later, when at least one of my projects is nearer to completion.

What also made me laugh is that I don't even have a chair to have him sit in. I used to have at least some dollhouse furniture, but I sold it all off years ago. As much as I want to buy a bunch of pieces now, I do need to slow down and focus on getting materials for the house and room box, and get those constructed first. However, I do like that I have a picture of something other than an unassembled kit to share on my blog. Mixing it up a little bit!

Finding a place to work...

Just as I suspected, I'm definitely not going to get anything done on the dollhouse today, but in cleaning up the apartment, I did move the bungalow kit components into the office. My desk and bookshelves are along the wall here (pictured) and then I put up a small folding table that has the house kit on it. I wish I had more work surface available! Things were spread out on the dining table, but I had to clear that off for a dinner party tonight. I'm wondering if I should set the bungalow aside for a time and just focus on the new kit that is coming in the mail? It will be smaller than the house, and might be a better "first" project to start with.

I do wish I could take over this whole room, but my husband has his computer desk on the opposite wall and he definitely uses this room too. At least it is bright and cheerful with a bunch of my artwork on the wall. (Can you tell I like triangles? I'm an enrolled member of the Karuk Tribe, and I use a lot of geometric patterns derived from traditional basketry designs in my artwork.) There is always so much stuff. I really need to get more organized, but I suppose creative people are seldom tidy. At least, that's what I tell myself.

HBS 22nd Annual Creatin' Contest

Been a little under the weather this past week, so I didn't do any more work on the Craftsman Bungalow. I had still been thinking about the HBS contest though, and I had a sudden flash of inspiration for what I could do with this kit. Since the entry due date isn't until December, I went ahead and placed an order today for my "Denise's City Cottage Kit" (see picture above). I don't know how well I'll be able to juggle two projects, but I really loved the idea I came up with so I'm going to go for it. The contest will give me a little more structure and deadline than the bungalow kit, which should help to keep me on track. Also, it is smaller, although I have many plans to customize it. But no more kits until at least one of these projects is finished, I swear.

Never did hear back from Lawbre about custom windows/doors and I didn't call them either. I figure I should challenge myself and try to work with the pieces that came with the kit. They'll need to be modified for sure. I did see that Jocelyn is coming along on her bungalow kit via her blog. It looks lovely! I really think her color scheme is great and I like seeing what other people are doing with the same kit. Would love to work on my house tomorrow, but I think we're having some folks over for dinner so I think my full scale apartment will be what actually gets worked on. Need to clean things up so that we can have company and mess it all up again!

Beginnings of a Bungalow

There isn't a lot to share right now beyond the fact that I've begun assembling the foundation for the bungalow. I've still been reading a lot on various miniaturists' blogs, mostly Architecture of Tiny Distinction (AOTD) and Otterine's Miniatures. They are SO inspirational! I have the feeling that there will be many similarities between my bungalow and the one that is on AOTD, because she had so many great ideas in finishing her dollhouse. I'm trying to also make it my own though, so while I am planning on following some of her examples (nixing the staircase, false ceiling for the dormer window, wood panelling on the main floor), there will definitely be differences too.

Never did hear back from Lawbre, which leads me to believe that I should try calling them this week. I suppose I can try assembling my own doors and windows if I must. Doors I'm not as worried about, but the windows feel like they will be a chore to make.

I have been having so much fun getting ideas online from builds that other folks have done, and looking at all the fun accessories, furniture, and kits that are available out there, that I keep having to remind myself to slow down. There's no sense in ordering furniture kits before the house is built! But I'm trying to keep track of things I see that I want to try. I'd love to attempt making rugs or do landscaping like the stuff I see on Otterine's. But again, those projects will come later.

Today I did follow a link from AOTD to McQueenie Miniatures and found this Edwardian Bed Kit that I think would be perfect for the house. Then I realized why... it is the same bed I've seen in posts on AOTD for her American Victorian dollhouse, and also inside her Craftsman Bungalow. It couldn't hurt to order just one kit early, eh?

Also saw this week that Hobby Builders Supply is selling kits for their 22nd Annual Creatin' Contest. Would love to buy this kit and work on that as well, but I'm holding off for the moment. While it would be a smaller (and fun!) project, I should probably just focus on one thing at a time.

Step One: Open the Box

It has been forever since I posted last! Sadly, no miniature-related updates during the busy season at work. I'm starting to feel human again though, and have been planning what I want to do for my Bungalow kit. Last night I even opened the box and started sorting through all of the pieces (as shown above). It was a little overwhelming, but I'm going to take my time with construction as there is no reason to rush. I'm realizing that the tough thing will be figuring out where to build the kit, as I don't really have a good, large workspace available.

I've reached out to Lawbre to see about having some custom windows and doors made as I don't really like the parts that came with the kit. I probably could attempt to make them myself, but I know they would do a better job than me at this point. Plus, it isn't a huge house, so there aren't too many of them to make. There are three windows on the front of the house, and then I want to add two small windows on the second floor (one on each side). I'll need a front door, and then two interior doors for the upstairs. Downstairs, I'm going to rework the wall so that it is more of an open divider between the rooms. 

There are still some supplies I need to get before I even start putting things together, but I'd like to at least start on assembling the foundation in the next week or two. I've been debating between doing a brick or a stucco foundation. Brick seems like the right thing to do, but it will be a much more intensive project. But hey, if I'm not making windows, I can do the brick, right? I've been obsessing over Architecture of Tiny Distinction's blog posts about the Classic Bungalow she built a year or two ago. Her other posts are also full of great info and, if I do brick, I'll probably follow the recommendation for the method she used from Otterine's Miniatures. 

Of course, I can't help but think ahead to the excitement of decorating. I'm planning on doing wood panelling downstairs with some wallpaper friezes most likely. And upstairs I've been looking at wallpapers and have found ones I really like for the two smaller rooms at opposite ends of the house. 

Birds and Berries on Cream Background by Jackson's Miniatures 

William Morris Fruit and Leaves in Orange/Green by Itsy Bitsy Mini

The larger center room will have a wallpaper frieze, but I don't know if I'll do panelling with it, or a combination of panelling and another wallpaper pattern. And I'm still trying to think of the tone of wood I want. Darker? Lighter? A combination? Since it is meant to be a contemporary home, I'm not sticking too closely to the Craftsman or Arts & Crafts aesthetic. Obviously the wallpapers are a little more Victorian, but they seemed to capture the feeling I want for those rooms. 

I'm excited (and nervous) to get started!

Book - "The Miniaturist"

Well, we survived our wedding this past week, and while on holiday for a few nights up in the San Juan Islands, I ran across "The Miniaturist" in a little bookstore in Friday Harbor. I just finished it this morning. Honestly, I was mainly attracted to the book by the title, but I did get engrossed in it. The dollhouse cabinet does have an interesting role in the story, and the reader never does really learn a lot about who the miniaturist is directly. If you enjoy novels, I think it is worth a read, although the story is less concerned with miniatures than on the characters. For me, that wasn't an issue. If you do want a book about miniatures though, you may end up disappointed.

As for my own dollhouse, well the kit is still in the box. But miniatures are still on my mind!

Haven't opened the box... yet...

Still haven't opened my Craftsman Bungalow kit box as work and life are very busy at the moment. But looking forward to the day that happens. Also, I'm realizing that I need to really clean off my desk so I'll be able to have a space to work! I've still been looking for inspiration in how I want the house to look. The image above is from a house that Pat and Noel Thomas did in 1984 and it is AWESOME.

I'm enjoying thinking of who I am designing the house for, which is (of course) an occupant who has similar tastes to my own. One of the few things I have purchased recently, aside from the kit and miniature magazines, was a doll from a Lithuanian artist on Etsy that will be the occupant. This surprised me a little as I really think I'm more interested in the architecture and interior design of this project than on collecting dolls, but I liked her work and it just felt like the right thing to do. In a sense, I'll have my "client" with me as I complete the project. He'll likely arrive in the mail in the next week or two.

Down the road, I think I'd like to try making a good deal of the furniture for my house rather than filling it with purchases. That may be a bit ambitious, and I've identified some pieces I might want to buy rather than making everything myself, so we'll see how it ends up. I've been looking at the IGMA website and am dreaming of attending their Guild School someday. I could technically register for the 2015 school, but I don't know that I can afford the tuition, travel, and time off to go to Maine next year.

I wish there was more of a presence in the Pacific Northwest here for miniature hobbyists. We have two stores left in the greater Seattle area, and both of them are pretty small. Alki Beach Miniatures is a cool place, but about 350 square feet, so not a ton of stock. And Darleen's Dollhouse Shoppe is also a cute little space, but it is operated out of Darleen's basement and also doesn't have as wide of a selection as I'd like. (Although Darleen herself has been in the business for many years and is a lovely lady to chat with.) There are so many other shops I remember in our area that have gone out of business over the years: Mr. Peepers (University Village), First Ventures (Kent), My Shop (Renton), Sue's Fascination Shop (Edmonds), Dolly's Dollhouse (Phinney Ridge), one in Burien that I don't recall the name of. Probably more than that too!

In any case, I'm hopeful that I'll get the kit opened and started on things before the end of 2014. I think it could be as soon as the end of this month, but I figured I would try to give myself some room rather than set hard deadlines on what should be a fun project.

My Kit Has Arrived!

My Craftsman Bungalow kit from Real Good Toys showed up at work this week! I was super excited, but also am realizing that I need to get a space cleared and set up to work on this before I even think of opening the box up. I don't think I'll really get a good chance to start on construction until perhaps the end of October since my fiancé and I are getting married (!) in less than two weeks. But I think it will be good to really plan out this project as I go.

While I am excited (and a bit daunted) by the house project, I also have been thinking about how I want to furnish the house when it is completed. I don't want to start buying a lot of things ahead of time, but I've definitely been scoping out what is available online and forming ideas. I do want to do some fun Arts & Crafts things on the interior finishing with wood panelling and wallpaper friezes. This has been inspired greatly by the amazing work on the same kit at the blog "Architecture of Tiny Distinction" (AOTD) by a miniaturist in Australia. But I don't want this to be a period home. I'm looking at finishing it as if it is a home that has been purchased and is occupied by a contemporary inhabitant.

Since it is a smaller house, I'm planning on following what AOTD did and not install a staircase that will take up valuable space. The two floors on the bottom of the house will consist of a living room in the larger space, and probably a dining room in the second space. Kitchens can be so complicated! I'll avoid installing one in my first dollhouse. Since I'm leaving out the kitchen, I am also going to forgo a bathroom on the upper floor and just focus on rooms that I will get more pleasure from designing and constructing. The middle space will be a study/studio, with the two smaller spaces as small bedrooms.