Antique Daisy

Waiting in the Wings; Beacon Hill Girl's Bedroom

2012-01-14T15:30:00.001-08:00

If you're like me, you often have a mini collection of items for a room long before the room is really prepared to feature them. If you are really like me, it's because you like to flit back and forth between projects! :)

I have a dedicated shelf in my craft room with simple foam board partitions to separate "rooms." It just makes me happy to see my minis on display even if the house is still under construction.

Here's a walk about the furniture and pretty things for the girl's room in the Beacon Hill School.

The daisy bedding is a twist on a technique by Brae at her wonderful Otterine blog. Thanks, Brae! Take a visit!

The rocking horse is an old metal pencil sharpener. I love the patina just the way it is and will not be painting it.

By the way, you can still see close ups of pictures even though blogger has changed it to the slide show format that makes it so tiny! Here's how:
1. Click on the picture as usual
2. Right click on the picture with your mouse and select "Open in new tab"
3. The "new tab" version is zoom-able :)

Beacon Hill Classroom Progress

2011-12-31T14:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! I know I should be posting on resolutions or reflecting back on this year, but the light was coming through so beautifully, I couldn't resist taking these pictures. :)

This is the main classroom in the Beacon Hill Girls' School. In the foreground is a small teaching area (what subject, I don't know yet!)with a standing chalkboard on the right that I'll show in more detail later. In the background, you can see a hint of the traditional American schoolhouse desks sitting on some checkboard patterned paper. That's my way of trying out different flooring ideas.

The top picture also shows my crown moulding shortcut. After wasting many pieces trying to cut the proper angle, I finally decided to cheat and make the corners square cut and put a section of wood block in the corner. A fancy finial will come later. You decide: crafty or cheating?

Again, blog friends, Happy New Year! I hope that 2012 is full of everything that is good and lovely for you and all your loved ones!!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

2011-12-24T16:20:00.000-08:00

Minis will resume of course, but I want to say that I am grateful for the greatest Christmas gift I ever received. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!!!

For unto us a child is born;
to us a Son is Given.
And He will be called Wonderful,
Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father
and Prince of Peace.

School Necessities

2011-12-16T15:24:00.000-08:00

I thought you'd like to see some of the school furniture I've been building. Someone is really struggling with her spelling... :)

Built in Cabinetry and a Mystery Gap

2011-11-26T05:58:00.000-08:00

I wrestled with whether to make the final room in the Beacon Hill first floor a kitchen or a library. Then I looked at this Home Economics class picture above from my 1920's textbook and I realized that no education for girls of the time would be complete without a teaching kitchen! I already had the Chrysnbon stove below and it certainly fit. Decision made, I moved ahead.

There is a strange gap between the windows and a support structure in the Beacon Hill that has always bothered me. If I did ceiling trim, where would I put it? Inside? Outside? I could do ceiling beams but that didn't fit the Beacon Hill's architectural story in my mind.

I put in open shelving below the windows, but the gap still drove me crazy.

Well, what kitchen can't use more storage? The solution: Cover it up as built in cabinetry! Here's a preliminary mock up using foam board. Purchased shutters from miniatures.com would function as panels for the cabinet doors.

I built a simple table and covered all of the foam panels with balsa, the shutters and pieces of trim wood. Wondering what the opening cabinet door is for?

It's a drop down ironing board, also authentic to the very modern 1920's kitchen.

Here it is covered with a cute fabric that will have to be changed out because it just doesn't match!

Now the next question is paint or stain? To be continued...

Happy Thanksgiving! Videos and More

2011-11-24T07:26:00.000-08:00

Did you know that there are about 10 million descendants of the Mayflower pilgrims...as many as 10% of Americans! I descend from 4 of them including William Brewster through his son, Love. (What a great name!!) So, any long lost cousins out there? :)

For those of you who are curious or need something to keep the kids busy, here are a couple of amazing links that include videos and interactive activities on the history of the first Thanksgiving and the Wampanoag people who helped them survive and thrive.

[Learn about the First Thanksgiving]

{Interactive Thanksgiving Investigation for kids}

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! I'm thankful for all of you!

Built In Bookcase for the Beacon Hill School

2011-11-13T06:32:00.000-08:00

You spoke and I listened! Thank you all for the input on the bookcase from my last post; you said that a big bookcase overwhelmed the space and blocked the stairs. Oh, my...this non-builder then had to build something a bit more custom to allow for display space and an entry area that worked with the architecture of the Beacon Hill rather than against it! Well, how did I do?

I'm planning on a combination of faux boix effects and paint to match the existing paneling and to cover all of the random wood types that I had to use. (I told you I'm not a builder!)
That fiddly bit of cut arches and flat topped post were meant to match the existing stairs. Lots of finish work to do!
View from the front door:
I can picture students stopping here to set down lunch pails and remove wraps before going to classes.
Thank you all for pushing me to stretch my skills! I'm so much happier with this version :)

The Room Next Door

2011-11-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

I've shifted next door from the main classroom and moved to the foyer. For those of us who know and love the Beacon Hill, it has a wonderful turned staircase that I fell in love with as a child. It takes up quite a bit of space but adds a little architectural interest to the room. I added some more wainscoting for more interest too :)I'm using PA dutch style colors which I love but I've got a decision to make and I'd love your advice! If I place this bookcase or one scaled down a bit, it creates more of a cozy room feel, allows me to display books and objects and creates a nook behind it for students to hang jackets and lunchpails.
This picture below is without the bookcase. (Ignore the weird paint job on the doors!) I'm not even sure if I should leave the stairs wood or not? If I had the woodworking skills I would rebuild the stair railings... maybe in the future!
and again, with the bookcase below. I'm leaning towards the bookcase... what do you think?

Extreme Mini Makeover!

2011-10-28T14:46:00.000-07:00

Oh, the colors of the 80's! My poor Beacon Hill was subjected to the teal and aqua color scheme that would be just right for an episode of Golden Girls but NOT for a classy lady like the Beacon Hill! In my 12 year old eyes though it was perfect :)

For those of you who like to know the backstory of how the Beacon Hill became mine, here are my former posts: Christmas and Here. It was quite a challenge finding just the right color for the exterior (chronicled here) but the interior was even more desperately in need of some serious makeover work!!

Ah, that's getting better! How did I get there? So glad that you asked!

A few layers of Gesso and a calming shade of "Hearth" by Martha Stewart tinted with a bit of white, and I was ready to begin adding some architectural details. The crown molding and baseboard is from Manchester Woodworks' Ebay store but I took a low tech and low budget way to add the wainscoting details.
The wider wood pieces are just strip wood from the craft store and the rounded edges for adding a sort of bullnose edge and to fill in the annoying gaps in the bay windows are made from...
Bamboo skewers from the grocery store! Fifty for $1... how's that for a deal? :)
And here it is painted, although still looking rather rough. I'm not sure if white is the best of if I should go with the deep shade of green on the baseboards for a more 1920's authentic look?? I'd love your input!

Shabby Miniature Bureau Tutorial

2011-10-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

I made this bureau for my Orange Blossom and it's still one of my favorite pieces I've ever made from scratch! I'm going to let you know the secret of how I made it from a very ragged block of wood. Ready for the transformation?

I adore the crackle finish and the very chipped patch was a happy accident which is, of course, the very best kind! The open drawer is fun to drape items from and adds to the illusion...

because the drawers are all faux!

Here is the original block of wood that I salvaged from an ugly mini sofa. I cut a piece of basswood a little larger than the top and then went to work with my budget savvy molding method: I cut very bumpy case molding and cut it into long thin strips of various widths. It's the perfect scale for detail trim!

I then used precut wood rectangles and applied them as false drawer fronts, outlining them with my mini-molding from above. Next trick: the open drawer is simply held out with skinny strips for the side and bottom to give the impression of depth.

Here's where it looks as if I've lost my mini mind: I painted it shades of orange and red, using the deepest shades for inside the faux drawer to add the impression of depth. It is all very blotchy and smudged which adds to the realism for the crackle finish.

I applied the crackle finish according to directions and painted the whole thing a lovely shade of white. Add feet and a little hardware it here it is in it's proper home. Who says drawers have to open? :)

Beacon Hill Identity Crisis

2011-10-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe not a crisis yet; but it could be if I stay this indecisive. Can I have a little sympathy? :)

It's fall which seems to restart my minis interest; some kind of nesting instinct, I guess! I've come back around to rehabbing my childhood Beacon Hill and was still wrestling with what to make of it. Another house? Modern family who likes antiques? PA dutch influence? No, that just clashes with the Victorian architecture. I just wasn't feeling anything until I thought of this idea:

I believe it's going to be a girls' school that takes in a boarder or two. I am a teacher and collect antique schoolbooks and recently found a "Elementary Home Economics" course book for girls of 1922 teaching everything proper about Cookery, Sewing, and Care of the Home." It is delightful!

Did you know that there are two kinds of "vitamines" and that fat is one of the 5 foodstuffs? Works for me!! If anyone has lost their recipe for Prune Whip, I've got you covered! :)

Look at this wonderful picture below:

Can't you just picture these girls working and learning in the Beacon Hill?

More Mysteries

2011-07-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

I knew I asked the right group of people about my mystery items yesterday! Thank you for your responses! Punch needle and bias tape makers sound right. The clips don't have a hole in the end however; the metal is just folded with a chisel shaped tip; no openings except the side just like a big binder clip. Would that still work?

Here is the lovely sewing chest that started it all.How about the prices on these Boye hooks below? I wish my hobbies were that cheap now! 1930's-40's maybe?

The two below are unmarked on the other side of the throat, completely smooth.

These are my next mystery hooks. The first is marked "minerva".

#2 doesn't have a throat at all, #3 and 4 are stamped (not raised) with 10 and 13 but nothing on the other side and the last has no markings at all and that interesting hole.
The heads are so tiny!

Antique Find and a Mystery for all you Crochet Friends

2011-07-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

I just made the most wonderful antique find that had my name written all over it... literally! My husband and I were looking through an antique shop and I saw one of those sewing boxes on a stand. Being nosy, I opened it up and it was as if I had opened a time capsule! The entire box (which miraculously still had one tray left) was full of antique and vintage crochet hooks, knitting needles, threads, and embroidery floss. I fell in love of course and took it home. (Did I mention it was only $39 on sale??)

Then I saw the labels on the cotton threads... it was meant to be found by me!
I even found two 3 foot sections of homemade lace, a wonderfully worn embroidery hoop, and more vintage Coates & Clark thread. What a precious gift from the woman whose hands created beauty with some thread and simple tools...
I've spent hours researching all my finds and found a wonderful site all about crochet hooks by the Hook Lady. There are bone knitting needles, lots of Boye and Susan Bates hooks, 2 "Non-Inflammable" plastic hooks from the 60's and a few unmarked and unsized hooks that I'd love to know more about. There are even 2 black Boye hooks that may be a rare kind made briefly during WWII? Any experts out there? :) Here is the mystery, friends; can you help me identify these?

The middle object below has a hollow tip and looks like it may be used for punch needle?
The other pieces are _____? They are marked GMA USA
One more hook that I missed taking a picture of... I have a hook marked VICTORIA which has an oval hole right through the throat where you rest your thumb. It looks as though it might give you a blister after a while! What is that about??

Thank you for any clues you may have to help me! I love a good mystery but solving them is even better! :)

A Little Pocketbook and Crochet Basket

2011-05-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

Another crochet project... this time a little pocketbook for my neice. The yarn is a crinkly, stretchy yarn that is so fun to touch. It was one of those balls of yarn that was so precious that I just couldn't walk by. Look at those colors and the texture! It was perfect for this project for a special little girl. And lest you think I'm quitting minis, I used the same tube/crochet in the round to make the mini basket below using thread.

Does a Baby Blanket Count as Mini?

2011-05-21T16:51:00.000-07:00

I thought I should show you the mini-distraction that's been taking me away from my dollhouses: crochet! My mom is a gifted artist in crochet and knitting and I'm doing my best to learn it too. It'll be a long while before my work is close to where I'd like it to be but here it is anyway :) This is a baby blanket gift for a dear friend. If only you could touch it through the computer screen!! It is a Chenille yarn by Bernat called Baby Blanket that is as thick as pipe cleaners and about the softest thing you've ever touched. My friend is decorating in blue but found out she's having a girl. That of course was the perfect excuse to make it feminine with crochet flowers of the same yarn in pink. The leaf and yellow center are made from a fuzzy yarn called "Moon and Stars" by Red Heart.

I had some pom-pom style yarn that I've been dying to use so when crocheting certain sections I used 2 strands at the same time; the pom-pom and chenille or a multicolor and the chenille. Here's a close up:
The pocket in the corner is the perfect spot to tuck a favorite stuffed animal. Good night and sweet dreams for the little one!

What do You Do When you're Done with a House?

2011-05-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

Well, what I seem to do is 1. put is away, 2. admire it for a while, then 3. take it apart for the joy of creating something new with it! For me it seems, it's the process, not the end product that is therapeutic so I just can't leave well enough alone for long. I've been enjoying making lots of little things lately that really don't fit in any one house so what should I do with the shabby chic, country style and child accessories? I'll put them in a flea market style shop with booth areas of various styles, a wonderful hodge-podge of things that I like that don't have to match each other one little bit. The Orange Blossom is no more! As you can see, the owners are still moving in and getting their things out of storage...

Antiquing Covers a Multitude of (Paint) Sins!

2011-04-23T11:58:00.001-07:00

It's been too long since I last posted! I'll apologize with an antiquing tip! :) Remember the Colonial Blue Cabinet? It needed some antique redware plates to match!

These plates used to be the blue splatterware metal plates that are sold so cheaply at places like miniatures.com. I gessoed them to prime it and then used toothpicks to paint a PA dutch style design. Every paint mark was either a dot or a dragged dot to make leaf or teardrop shapes. Obviously painting is not my gift! Time to cover it up by antiquing it!I use Folk Art Antiquing Polish which does a wonderful job on wood too!

They don't look so pretty close up but with a little more buffing, wiping and placement in a cabinet, I've got antiques!

A little more character for my cabinet!

Colonial Blue Corner Cabinet

2011-03-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

Still scratch building! This corner cabinet is was made from popscicle sticks and a door from a Michael's hutch. I love those things but they seem to be getting harder to find. I used Folk Art's Cayman Blue paint with a lot of weathering techniques, sanding and a layer of Soy Fruitwood stain over the top. The top and inner shelves (that you can't see) are Yellow Ochre. I may just have to give away one of my blotchy paint secrets soon if you're interested. :)
This trunk below is one more item made from the bottom of the o-so-versatile Michael's hutch with a little faux techniques on the lid and crackled and dirty French blue to finish it. The teddy on top was actually labeled as a "cat toy" at our local discount store and was dressed in Santa gear. What?? I think any normal cat would inhale and choke on it's little 1 inch height. So strange but I'm glad I found 2 for $2!

On a Roll with Scratch Building

2011-03-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

Hello all! After a very busy few weeks, I finally decided to sit down and relax with minis! It was one of those days where one item after another comes together. I made this hall bench below that will have hooks for coats and maybe a pair of boots below. It's just popsicle sticks and a couple "slices" of chunky molding for the shaped brackets below. The real finish will come later...This little three legged table just flew together although still unfinished too. It is a round piece of wood, veneer that I cut with scrapbooking scissors and the ends of three bamboo chopsticks.

This little girl's trunk is far from finished but I'm having fun with the girly details. I may make a tutorial on the easiest way to make a decorative paper box like in the bottom right of this trunk, if anyone's interested.
The shelf laying on its side was fun too! I used easy to cut balsa for the curvy top and the bottom is made of part of a Michael's hutch. Now back to my corner hutch building...

Spring Roses

2011-02-17T13:26:00.001-08:00

...or spring fever! I finally figured out why I've been fixated on flowers lately... it's spring, of course! I found some lovely paper roses at Michael's Craft store and decided I wanted to give them a blush of pink on the edges. I continued my experiment with wet chalks and found something better than water to use. Keep reading to find out...The flowers in the background are the original solid color; those in front have been colored.
Still wondering what works better than water? Rubbing alcohol! It evaporates quickly and doesn't soak the flowers. I just dip the brush in the alcohol and brush it across the chalks, using one or many colors.
One final picture of some of my yellow flowers on the front porch of the Beacon Hill. Happy Spring!

Sunny Flowers Tutorial- How to Make Mini Paper Flowers

2011-01-29T13:47:00.000-08:00

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day! Actually, I'm in Florida so we rarely have those days, but for those of you who do, you can bring a little sunshine to your miniature scenes with some little pretty yellow flowers. The picture below is the finished product that I made today:Jolee's by You is a brand of 3 dimensional stickers for scrapbooking that have lots of mini uses. They even have the right scale fabric dresses, football uniforms, the works! The picture below is how my yellow flowers came packaged; flat and 1 color, but just right in size!
Flat just will not do! It's time to get out the round tipped stylus and add some dimension to bring these pretty flowers to life! Here's how it's done:

First, you will need a stylus (or something rounded like it) that you can press into the paper without tearing it.
Then you will need to have a soft surface that has a little "give" to it so that when you press the paper, it will cup into the surface. I used a scrap of craft foam but an old mouse pad is great for this!
Flip the flower upside down and press into the back of each petal. Play around with this step to get just the right amount of bend in each petal. Flip it over and your petals are beginning to take shape!

Before............................ After

Next you will want to add color. (You can do this earlier, if you like.) I really played around with this step. I found that paint was too wet and changed the texture of the paper. Chalk pastels were too dry and didn't add much. But wet chalk pastels? They were just right! I dipped my tiny paintbrush in water, rubbed it on a chalk and got a sort of a water color texture that wasn't too wet. See how messy the bottom flower looks? That's from the paint... not good.
The petals were still just a bit flat still, so out came my trusty stylus again. This time I pressed it right in the middle and made a tight circle motion, swirling around several times right in the center. As I did this, the layers of petals started to separate and lift and became (I thought) more real.
Time to make the centers of the flowers. Flashy gold foil centers weren't going to cut it for me. :) I wanted the centers to be dimensional and a little fuzzy so I looked around my work area and found green felt. I didn't mind a little green showing but I pounced some red and yellow paint on it to change the color to my liking. I then took out my hole punch from scrapbooking and punched out holes in the green-now-reddish felt to make my centers. A little dab of tacky glue completed that step.
Last, it was time to add stems and leaves. I know some talented people in blog land that are wonderful at using floral tape and wire; I am NOT one of those people! In my local craft store I found a fake floral arrangement that had leaves like the ones below. I simply cut it apart into sections, snipping just below each pair of leaves. That gave me 2 leaves and a length of stem above it! Wow, that was easy! I trimmed the leaf length a little, put a dab of glue at the top of the stem and put the flower on top.
Voila! Easy flowers and a little sunshine for my mini house. Have a wonderful day!

Blinking Blog

2011-01-29T07:04:00.000-08:00

If this blog is changing designs right before your eyes, there is nothing wrong with your vision! I had to change my background because of changes at Shabby Blogs, but I am having huge issues! Please forgive the random changes and unfortunate colors while I try to figure this out.

Log Cabin Christmas

2010-12-28T16:57:00.000-08:00

My mom has always wanted to live in a log cabin and so I decided to give her one for Christmas... a mini roombox version, of course! I tried to fill it with personal touches that would make the perfect place to retire, full of family pictures, her hobbies and love of the guitar, music, crocheting and knitting and mementos of places she has visited. She also loves blue so I tried to add touches of it wherever possible. Here are pics of when this roombox was almost complete. I'll follow up with a post or two of some of the particular tricks and tips relating to making this box. If you see something you want to know more about, leave a comment and I'll share whatever I can. Don't forget to click on the pics for details. :)

Many Mini Projects with Michael's Hutches!

2010-12-14T03:16:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a top-secret mini project (it is nearly Christmas after all!) but I've missed posting for you all! In the US, we have a craft store named Michaels that sells these little wooden hutches that are just a little smaller than 1:12 scale but can be bashed into SO many things! I used to just paint or stain them but then I found out that if you just warm them a little (seconds) in the microwave, that you can just pull them to pieces and create something new. That same principle works really well with almost any mini furniture that is glued together! Here are some pics of things I've made using those wonderful, $1 hutches. Happy bashing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T06:51:00.000-08:00

There is so much to be thankful for...

Shabby Chair & Screened Armoire

2010-10-31T15:32:00.001-07:00

I'm still in a shabby state of mind! I crackled the (formerly) red mahogany chair below with an undercoat of black paint and paired it with a soft cream and sage checked fabric. At first I wasn't sure if that color combination would be too strong but I like it. The rusty wreath was inspired by Susanna of http://miniaturedreams.blogspot.com/. She makes the loveliest things! Thanks for sharing, Susanna!

This is the first time I've used screening in an armoire to imitate a chicken wire effect. They are pieces from a screen repair kit! It pays to keep your eyes open at the hardware store!
There are some very subtle baby pink details along the bottom and on the molding around the doors. Paperclips make great hangers. Click on the pics to see a little closer if you'd like :)

Shabby Chic Shelving Tutorial

2010-10-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

I've heard other miniature artists talk about how they use graph paper to make their designs and they won me over once I tried it for myself. Since I can't ever seem to cut on a straight line, using paper that takes care of that for me sounded perfect! The fence that I turned into shabby shelving in my Orange Blossom was created using the technique below.

First, I got out my paper, double sided tape and some wonderful shaped cocktail sticks that I once found in a dollar store. I then drew the curve for the top of the fence section on my paper. since the graph paper is marked in quarter inch increments, I could guarantee I was making it the exact size I wanted. I also used those marks to evenly space the fence posts. Two strips of double sided tape across that paper made sure everything stayed just how I placed it!
I wasn't worried about the bottom of each post not lining up; I simply drew a line using the graph paper as a guideline. I waited to cut the posts until after gluing the cross pieces but that was a mistake! So awkward to cut. Next time I will cut first and glue second. Below you can see that I created different size sections because originally they were to be fence sections for a particular area. I like them so much better for shabby chic shelving!
With a little paint and weathering, the were just right! Not bad for cocktail sticks, double stick tape, and a sheet of graph paper. :)

A Tale of Two Chairs

2010-10-14T17:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes two aren't better than one! I got these two little chairs for a dollar in a bargain bin at a craft store. Cute but dull and the flowers weren't quite my style. While looking at them side by side, I thought that they would make a cute little child bench for the children's nursery in my Beacon Hill. First I worked to the saw to try to cut off the legs that would be touching but that was just too much work! So...
7 seconds in the microwave did the trick! The heat made it easy to pull the chairs apart. If you do this, PLEASE stay close and only do it a couple seconds at a time. Minis aren't worth a fire or burnt fingers! I finished with my saw again, used glue and bits of molding and dowels and finished my shabby little bench.
Here it is, rather rough and unfinished but I love it :) I'll scrape off the extra bits of glue and paint the whole thing again, but this shabby look is perfect for now. I even love that it is a little "bottom heavy." I think it adds to the childish feel, just perfect for the kids' room.

Finally Found it: Beacon Hill Update

2010-10-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

I finally found the right shade of paint for my Beacon Hill! This is my childhood house, the memories of which reawakened my interest in miniatures about two years ago. The background story is here with a little more follow up here and here (<--- click on the words to link to those posts). It starts as a good Little-Girl-on-Christmas-Morning story, then descends into a tale of Dollhouse Neglect. Now I hope we are getting a little closer to Happily Ever After! What do you think?I love this shade of paint by Martha Stewart called Mushroom. It is just the right shade of gray with undertones of olive or even blue depending on the light. I've also weathered the shingles a bit with shades of gray and alcohol-ink washes to grey them a bit closer to realism as well. The epiphany came when I realized that tester-size pots of paint were available for less than $3 a piece in every possible shade that the paint store could come up with. Since I am SO dependent on color for inspiration, I just couldn't move on to anything else with this house until the exterior color was right. I also found some nifty ways to add more architectural interest to the outside of the house and break up some of the vertical lines. More details to come in future posts!

Previously, I wrote in this blog about my color woes, trying so hard to find the just the right shade of paint for the exterior : http://antiquedaisy.blogspot.com/2010/02/house-of-many-colors.html And no wonder! Look through the pics below to see all the patches of color that I was trying out! I was limiting myself to acrylic craft paints. Thank goodness for Martha Stewart.

My Trick for Making Realistic Wood Floors

2010-10-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

I adore wood floors, even the mini kind! Whether stained, painted, parquet, or rustic, I think they make a dollhouse seem lifelike and warm. Below is the tiny kitchen floor in a house I no longer have. In the staining process, I did a sort of reverse stencil on the floor. I masked off the design around the edges and then stained. I then removed the stencil and sealed it. When I sealed it with Modge Podge it blended just the right amount of stain onto the masked area to tint it slightly. Happy accident!

Next is a very ugly room in that same early house. I only show it here so that you can see that the flooring is cut with 45 degree angles in the corners for a different parquet-like effect. Two tones of stains were also used (although it's difficult to see).

Next is a mahogany stained floor in my Orchid with narrow planks to fit the scale of this tiny house. It was the first wood flooring I tried and I loved how it turned out.

Here in my Orange Blossom, you see not only wood floors, but also plank walls. All of my houses have used the exact same trick that I'm about to explain...
Each was created using veneer tape like you see below! For someone who was mostly working with scissors, it was approachable and easy! I found it in our local big brand home improvement store. It is originally for finishing the edges of plywood but mini-people always find new ways to use things, don't we? :)

Below are a couple of the walls of my Orange Blossom. I wanted light wood walls; obviously this unfinished wall would not give me that effect.
So, I got out my handy wood veneer tape (the birch kind) and started... ironing! Yes, this wonderful stuff already has glue on the back and irons right on. It's probably the last time I used my iron for any good purpose LOL! All you need is a pair of scissors to cut it to length. If you want it to be more narrow than the 3/4 inch width it comes in, just cut it with an craft knife. If you need to fix the placement after putting it down, just warm it again, move it and iron in the correct location. In the picture below you can see it in process.
Because it is real wood, it takes stain beautifully and has wonderful variations in the grain. The kind below is birch, but there are other woods usually available too like the heavily grained kind in the Orange Blossom's floor. Below is the same finished walls with just a natural stain to keep it light. Scroll back up through the pics in this posting or in my galleries and you can see all the variations.
By the way, are you wondering how to fit an iron in the tiny rooms of a house that is already built? The easy answer is... don't. Cut mat board or card stock to the exact shape of your floor and iron to that. That's what I had to do in my Westville kitchen and living room to get in all the nooks and crannies. Happy ironing!!

The Galleries Are Open!

2010-09-26T14:29:00.000-07:00

My Galleries are Open! At the top of the sidebar to the right -----> there is a list of three galleries of houses that I have completed. Then again is any dollhouse ever really complete? A couple of the pages had a 1-2 pics previously but now they are full of pictures that you can click on and enlarge and spot all the little details and mini-flaws! Enjoy!

You can visit the Orchid Ladies' Shoppe:

or the Westville which is a 1930's farmhouse:

or the Orange Blossom, which is a citrus packing house from old Florida:

See all the pictures for each in the galleries. Happy clicking!

Vintage Graphic Art Meets Furniture

2010-09-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

I have this thing for vintage signs and labels; the whole graphic design-meets-antiques is so appealing to me! Years ago in Country Living Magazine I saw an ad for a dresser that was decoupaged with an old vintage poster across the drawer fronts. Since my husband wouldn't quite understand me doing that to our real life furniture, I get to try it in mini! That's what this hobby is for, right? Totally whimsical and just fun to do! The fruit butter cabinet above has the ends of fancy toothpicks for handles.Moo-ving right along (ha, ha)...Bess Milk label is just quirky and fun enough to liven up my neutral kitchen in the Beacon Hill. Each panel opens downward to be a vegetable bin, holding potatoes and onions and the like. I might have to age it a bit to mellow it.
The dry sink probably won't be in this room, but it's fun to see the country and vintage theme coming together. Just keeping it country :)

A Little Bit Country...

2010-09-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

... but not at all rock-n-roll! I found this House of Miniatures drysink kit already assembled for $2 at a odds and ends store and decided that since dry sink= country, I would go all out with a aged painted finish like you see in Pennsylvania dutch furniture. It had to be painted because...
... whoever assembled the kit previously intended to stain it and mixed stain with the glue to make sure there would be no glue spots showing when they stained it after assembly. Ingenious! Not the color stain I wanted though, so I got to play with paint. Can you see the dark brown spots at the joints?
Below you can see the silvery grey aging that I added by painting on a mixture of black India ink and rubbing alcohol. It works miracles! After that dried, I painted, sanded, applied stain over the paint and sanded some more.
From blotchy natural wood to weathered and worn, just the way I like it. Now if only I could figure out how to make hardware...

Jumping back to Shabby

2010-09-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

This is o-so-belated! The wonderful Casey Mini nominated me for a blog award called "Strange Men in Pinstriped Suits." Can you believe that she thinks that I have a tendency to jump from one project to another? Who Me?? I have no idea what... well, wait... Here is my latest mini project, jumping back to shabby chic accessories rather than finishing the bricking of my Beacon Hill, staining of furniture kits, completing the little girl's traveling trunk or the country style items that I've been working on. Casey, you are so wise!!

This is a shabby jewelry box designed to sit on a dresser top. It is supposed to look as if someone framed a tin ceiling tile that is weathered and has a bit of rust peeking through the crusty paint. The drawer front is two polymer clay tiles that I made using a scrapbooking stamp. The "rust" is from a kit but I'm not sure that I wouldn't have done even better if I had just used a rusty colored little paint. Here's a tip for you that you may not have tried... see the little "arm" brackets on each side of the tile? They are slices of crown molding! Thank goodness for my Easy Cutter. Poke the pictures for a closer look.

This is o-so-belated so I apologize! The wonderful Casey Mini nominated me for a blog award called "Strange Men in Pinstriped Suits." Can you believe that she thinks that I have a tendency to jump from one project to another? Who Me?? I have no idea what... well, wait... Here is my latest mini project, jumping back to shabby chic accessories rather than finishing the bricking of my Beacon Hill, staining of furniture kits, a little girl's traveling trunk or the country style items that I've been working on. Casey, you are so wise!!

Mini and Major Accomplishments

2010-08-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

Hi all! There has been a slight lull in my posts because this last weekend I graduated with my masters degree in education :) Whoo hoo!! I somehow managed to do it while being a teacher, wife, and mother and now look forward to a few less nights burning the midnight oil reading heavy textbooks. I learned so much, but it will be nice to just stay up because I want to and not because a paper is due. Freedom!

Thanks for all the responses to my previous post about whether my little cabinet should be hung or be a sideboard; great thoughts! I love that these blogs become a mini-community! I've really appreciated your honest input and support and sharing your own gifts too. Minis and this blog community has become such a stress reliever and creative outlet. Thanks for bringing a "little" balance to my life. (Forgive the pun!)

In the minis world, I've been working on adding architectural details to my Beacon Hill (which I will write about soon), but for a smaller project, I'm also working on a little girl's travel trunk. While the bunny I attempted is far too embarrassing to post right now, this is the first doll that I've made. I'm still learning!

Weathered and Worn Paint

2010-08-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

I love the look of weathered and chipped paint. I originally designed this piece to be hung on the wall but then I flipped it over for a moment and then discovered that I kind of liked it as a stand-alone sideboard. What do you think? Remember you can click the pictures for a closer look.

The Secret to Making Antique Paper

2010-08-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

I LOVE antique books and collect antique school books. Nothing can match the mellow, rich colors of vintage papers and books, but I sure can try to recreate it in miniature. Below is a House of Miniatures desk kit that I just stained and finished (although the hardware is still giving me fits). But while I had the wood stain out, I decided to do a little experimenting...

I had printed out several book covers from one of those printables sites but they just didn't look realistic enough for me so I grabbed a few of them and started painting them all with the same wood stain I was using on the desk! I even used the same Ceramcoat Satin Varnish. Here they are:

Much better! When making books for bookshelves, I usually fold and glue the paper covers around a piece of white foam (like kids use for crafts). Fast and easy! This time I decided I wanted pages, real paper pages. I folded the newly stained covers as usual and put a nice smear of tacky glue in the binding part and started tucking pages in. I thought it looks much more realistic for a setting like on this desk:

Of course, white paper in an antique book? That just wouldn't do! I also think that good old copy paper can look a tad thick. I made a ton of antiqued paper for the books and also stuffed the drawers! Can you see the subtle shading of tans in the papers below and how "to scale" the thickness of the paper is? They look even better and more antiqued in real life. The Secret of Making Antique Paper is below....

Parchment Paper!

Yup, the cheap stuff you buy in the grocery store for baking.

(**You CANNOT use wax paper for this!!**)

1. I used my paper cutter to cut long strips.

2. I then cut those strips into paper size widths.

3. The antiquing magic happens when you take all those pieces, put them in a pie tin

and bake them until you have the right color!

Parchment paper turns the most wonderful shades of antique tans when cooked. I have baked whole sheets at a time thinking it would be a shortcut before, but it mostly browns on the edges. Cutting them first is the key.

Just be ready to explain to your family why there aren't any cookies being served afterwards :)

Happy Baking!!

Quarter Scale Whimsy House

2010-07-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

I just received a 1/4 scale version of the newly named "Baslow Ranch" house in the mail from Greenleaf as a thank you for entering their contest. It's the first time I've worked in this scale and I wasn't quite sure what I would do with it at first. The thought of recreating my Orange Blossom in that scale crossed my mind but working that tiny?? I was exhausted just thinking about it! So I just decided to do a collage effect using papers that simply make me happy! The words printed on one of the papers are all places and things from my childhood and there are a few daisies sprinkled throughout so this is personal and pretty for me even if it's a tad unorthodox! :) I think I'll still add the porch and maybe some cut-outs of furniture inspired by wonderful vintage lithographed houses like the Bliss houses. This little-bitty house will go on my desk at work just to make me smile.

Checkered Floor Tutorial

2010-07-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

I love Swedish design, with painted wood floors and the light and airy whites, greys, and blues! It lends itself so well to the shabby chic style that is so popular now too. I decided I wanted to do a painted wood floor effect in my Orange Blossom that was inspired by that look, using a blue-grey color and a whitewash effect. Here is how I did it:

1. Instead of applying individual wood strips, I decided to score plank lines into the plywood for a wood floor effect. Since I wanted a rougher look, I carved pretty heavily in some places. If you look carefully at the picture below, you can see the lines I carved in. It you want a solidly painted two color floor, this is the time to apply the lighter color paint over the whole floor, then let it dry completely. It wanted a white washed look so I started with the plain wood.

2. Time to get out the painter's tape! I find it best to start with the center strip. Take a piece of painter's tape and apply it from one corner to the opposite corner. Just line up the edge of the tape with the point of the corner and you will have a perfectly straight and centered tape line.

3. Label another strip of the same tape to use as a spacer (see the picture below). Line it up exactly with the first piece and then put your second strip down, also touching the spacer. Keep moving the spacer and applying tape across the entire floor. Turn the wood and repeat the whole procedure going in the opposite direction. You now have a perfectly spaced tic-tac-toe board. Almost there!4. Now it's time to cut out the overlapping areas so that you will have a perfect checkerboard pattern! Everywhere the two strips of tape overlap will be cut out. Gently use a craft blade and just follow the edges of the tape... the nice straight lines are right there for you to "trace."
5. Now peel off those overlapping pieces of tape.6. It's a perfect checkerboard now! Make sure all of the remaining tape is still sealed down tight before you move to the next step: painting. I used French Blue (although it looks white in the picture below). Since I wanted the wood to still show though, I brushed it on lightly with a foam brush and wiped off any places where it looked too thick. Let it dry.
7. Time to peel tape again and you are done! I added a whitewash effect over the whole finished floor for the effect that I was going for. For a really aged effect, you can sand in front of doorways and in high traffic areas. Voila, complete!

A Giveaway to Enter

2010-07-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

Elena, of Mondodifavola is having a giveaway! So many generous people are a part of our hobby! Her work is simply lovely as you can see in the picture above. Click on the name of her blog in the first sentence if you'd like to look around, see her etsy work or even enter for the giveaway yourself! Beautiful pieces of mini art.

Flooring tutorial from me coming soon...

I See Sea Shells...

2010-07-11T10:25:00.001-07:00

...from the seashore! These beauties are from the Gulf of Mexico. There is a coquina, and coral and cockle shells. At the very bottom is a shell called a lady slipper but it got a little crack in in while I was bringing it home. It was very fragile you see because...
They are minis, of course! :)
Don't forget to click on the pictures to see these close up.

Toothpicks, the wonder tool

2010-07-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Who knew that there were so many kinds of toothpicks available?? Besides using them for applying paint and glue, the decorative cocktail varieties make great handles and details for mini items. I just found perfectly squared off ones that are exactly the size of chair spindles. (By the way, I've found the best way to cut them is to roll them back and forth under the blade of a craft knife... nice rounded cut.)

See the little box below? Those twisty corners are the ends of fancy toothpicks (already carved). They did a great job serving as the joint for each of the side panels and covered any of my messy cutting. See the carved handle? Toothpick. The small points holding up the handle? Toothpick! What else could you do with them?

Happy 4th of July, America!

2010-07-04T05:26:00.001-07:00

Happy Independence Day, America!

Praying that all men and women might be one day be free

in the truest sense of the word...

Ultimate Illusion!

2010-07-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love the shimmer of streetlights on wet streets?

Or the dry, crunchy sound of snow beneath your tires as you pull into your driveway at the end of a long day?

Don't you love it even more when that street, house and car is really a miniature?

This is the amazing work of artist and model builder Michael Paul Smith who has a gift for realism and using photography to bring his models to life! I honestly thought I was looking at real vintage photographs. What an amazing talent! He loves to share little tips about his technique too; how generous is that?! Click on his name above to link to his Flickr account or to this link for a write up on the "Beautiful Life" site with more beautiful pictures. Maybe you can fool a friend or two :)

Loads of Talent! Winners announced

2010-06-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

The Greenleaf winners have officially been announced their work is just outstanding! I was a little easier to handle the disappointment of losing when the winners were so obviously incredible picks. The winner is Baslow Ranch, an old west style building that you just have to see. Brae, the artist who made it also has a wonderful blog that I follow, detailing her mini work and showing her love of photography too. There's a really wonderful story about the name of her winning project. Ready for an "eye candy" feast? Click on the links below:

Brae's Blog

Gallery of Winners and all the great entries

It's All Over but the Shootin'

2010-06-16T14:22:00.002-07:00

I have no idea where that expression comes from ;) but the decision on the winner of the Greenleaf Spring Fling been made. The winner is.....

still a mystery :)

They will send the winner an email tonight and share with the rest of us early next week with a gallery of all the incredible projects people sent in. Really, some were just so clever, or well done or detailed that I don't know how they were able to choose. I'll post a link as soon as the gallery is released. In the meantime, I choose to be proud of my work whether I won or not. I really love it and am especially proud that just about everything in it was scratch built by me.

Here was the original kit:

My Interpretation:

Their original interior:

How to Make Faux Brick

2010-06-11T14:41:00.001-07:00

Waiting on the results of this Greenleaf contest is driving me batty so I thought I'd write up a tutorial for making realistic brick. My Orange Blossom is built on "brick" posts. Rather than create individual bricks and mortar them together, I created solid posts that looked like brick. This technique could work really well for making a brick chimney too! I wanted it to look weathered and like bits of mortar were falling out: First, I started with blocks of balsa. I usually prefer basswood for realistic minis, but balsa has won me over for many things because it is so soft and lightweight. This makes it easy to cut curves and do applications like this. I grabbed my handy metal ruler and a fine hand saw and scored lines that were the height of bricks. You could use a regular craft knife too. I matched up the rest of my blocks and continued making the horizontal lines across each of them, on all sides.

Next, I wanted to deepen the grooves I had just scored so I took an emory board and sanded each line.

Here's a close up on how it looked after sanding with the emory board. My nails got a good sanding too :)

The next step was to cut in the vertical spaces between each individual brick. I had to experiment a bit at this point because I wanted it rustic. I tried a craft knife but I eventually found a bamboo stick that was just the right height to "punch" in those notches between the bricks. I was working with the grain so they often came out a little irregular. Good thing that was what I was going for!

I then base painted each block with shades of grey and a little white to become the color for the mortar. I was careful to get in all the cracks. At this stage I found that the paint softened the wood a bit. I took my handy bamboo stick from earlier and punched some of the holes deeper while the wood was still soft. After the grey paint dried, I brushed on red and terra cotta paint over all of the raised areas. This let the mottled grey paint show through as the mortar in all the scored areas.

Here's a picture of the brick posts in its various stages:

I hope you found this tutorial helpful!

Feel Like Voting for Me?

2010-06-07T15:07:00.000-07:00

You've probably all seen my Orange Blossom entry for the Greenleaf contest in previous entries. Miniatures.com is also doing a "piggyback" contest of the same kit and having their Facebook members choose the winner! IF you would like to vote for me, please click on each of my three pictures of the Orange Blossom and then click on "like" under the picture (link below). I am entry 10 on the second page of pictures, but the link is below. You do have to be a member of their Facebook page to vote but anyone can go and just look for fun :) It is a really nice site to belong to for those of us interested in minis. There are some really great pictures and it's fun to join the discussions!

The link to the page is HERE.

Thanks for considering me!

A Proper Thank You!

2010-06-07T03:28:00.000-07:00

With all the focus on my Greenleaf house, I've neglected to say a proper thank you to Margaret of My Petit Partere.This lovely fruit was a giveaway from Margaret and I was the lucky winner!
It is polymer clay skillfully done! Pears, bananas, strawberries, melon, oranges, even a wheel of cheese! My favorite are the apples which have just the perfect blush of green to make them look like my favorite variety, Macintosh apples. She even sent them all on a little dainty embroidered table linen. Too sweet! Look carefully in my pictures of my Orange Blossom and you'll see a basket of these tasty treats on the dresser. Click on the pictures to see all the details: If you love what you see, Margaret is now selling on Etsy! Yeah! Check out her work there and maybe pick up a some fruit or one of her gorgeous candleabras for yourself. Here's her blog again so you can like to her Etsy site: Margaret of My Petit Partere

Outside Details

2010-06-03T18:29:00.000-07:00

I took so many pictures of my house so I'm afraid you'll be seeing a lot of it in these next entries! The gorgeous sunshine made it impossible to see the screen on my digital camera so each time it was a shot in the dark...er.. I mean light :)

This one is with the doors closed showing the classic crossbuck X design. I considered changing it thinking it might be too barnlike. After a little research on historical designs, I decided instead to repeat that detail in my scratch built railings, making it a featured accent. I repeated the X in some of the furniture inside too. The colors were so critical for this project. I made my own little swatches of possible colors on scraps of wood and then just played mix and match til it looked right to me. I wanted to bring in a little orange to accent the oranges and I LOVE this shade of red. It just makes me happy! The pewter grey was a great neutral between the two colors and matches the color of weathered wood in the ramp without having to make everything worn. Originally I thought the white was too crisp, but with a little "bug juice" mixture to take it down a bit, and the white sand of our beach, I think it worked out.

I did not make the wonderful adirondack chair but it reminded me of home in the Adirondack region of New York. It's a transplant to these Florida shores, just like me! Most Floridians are from other places originally and that was certainly true of the early pioneers who would have run their business out of a building like this. Those chairs are a reminder of home.

Feeling Fabulous and Free!

2010-05-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

I did it! I just sent in my final photos for the Greenleaf contest and am going to bed (which I haven't done for 24 hours by the way) with a big smile on my face! I'll be posting more details but I thought I'd show you the three (yes, only three!!) pics I chose for my submission. You have to go to the Greenleaf member's gallery <--(click) to see the fabulous entries for yourself. Look for Brae aka Otterine. Too authentic!

Don't forget you can click on the pics to enlarge them. If you see any flaws, just don't tell me or the judges for that matter LOL. Right now I'm just basking in being done and happy with my work :)

Almost there!!

2010-05-29T04:24:00.000-07:00

This is a picture I took of a tree frog from my yard here in Florida. Maybe he can remind me to keep "hopping" on my contest entry for the Spring Fling contest for Greenleaf miniatures :) Don't forget you can click to see detail!

It's time for the final push! As others on the Greenleaf blog are posting early pics of their contest entries, I'm sweating out the final pieces. This is my first full build and I have to say this laser cut kit was easy and just like putting together a puzzle. Laser cut is the way to go! It was interesting to me how everything is a chain reaction... you can't glue this until this part is painted, etc. For someone as indecisive as me, I had to keep propping things in place just to make it look like something was done. :)

If you would like to see some of the great entries in the contest, click on this link to some member's albums. Just look for albums marked "Spring Fling 2010." Really incredible work!

Now I'm back to work. As the Greenleaf people say... "Fling on!"

Inspiration in Dry Times

2010-05-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

It have really missed being able to write about my mini projects! With all the hush-hush of preparing for the Greenleaf contest, I've had to take pics and restrain myself but I promise it won't be too much longer! The contest deadline is Memorial Day (at the end of May) and then I'll have a flooring tutorial, lots of pics and other tuts that I can't mention yet (sigh). In the meantime, how about a little inspiration pics for you? These are all real life pics I've found online or in magazines and tucked away for those dry times when I need a little idea boost...

My son would LOVE this bed! Love the colors and plan on recreating this for my Beacon Hill: Just beautiful, clean lines. I love corners that would make good book nooks :) This is also going be part of my Beacon Hill:

I don't even love pink but this pic could win me over! I adore this set up and am really inspired by the Swedish design styles. I love settings like this that just make you feel peaceful.

Hope that holds you all over for a little longer! LOL Remember to click on the pics for more detail.

Secrets and Shabby Habits

2010-04-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you've noticed, but I haven't been posting any of my own work recently. The reason is that I just finished my last class for my masters (YES!!!!) but I've also been working on a top secret house for the Greenleaf Dollhouse Spring Fling. I promise that I've been taking loads of pictures and have a couple of tutorials all ready to go but it's been so hard not to share with you all!

In the meantime, have you ever thought of making the outside of your dollhouse shabby? I happen to love the look of antiques and making new things look old so why not with one of my houses? My Beacon Hill has been giving me fits when it comes to the paint color so I'm willing to try new things! Here's an example of a technique I used on a mini cabinet that I love:

Take a look at these antique houses I found on the web (warm colors):

My Beacon Hill right now...

A beautiful antique church from Country Living magazine....I love the weathered look of antique dollhouses and the shabby look is in style after all. I am seriously considering it! Picture patches of paint showing through, layers and years of colors, worn edges, muted colors, etc. a lot like the cabinet at the top of the post. What do you think?

Just Because It's Beautiful...

2010-04-24T06:20:00.001-07:00

My first roses are blooming! I have no idea what variety this rose is, but it has the sweetest scent of any I've ever known. It smells like a child's sweet tart candy! (If any of you know the kind. please tell me.) Don't forget to click the pictures for a close up. I love the way it fades to yellow and cream at the base. God is an artist...

Mini Circus!

2010-04-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida. They have a giant exhibition of what a production it was when the Ringling Circus came to town. You can view it from above and by walking around all sides. The lighting would even change to show it in the daytime and at night. Please click on the pictures and see the some of the wonderful details. These pictures don't do it justice!

First Etsy Sale!

2010-04-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Just this week I sent out my first sold item from my Etsy store to a lady in North Carolina! Very exciting for me! Since she was my very first sale, I decided to send out a couple extra items as a thank you. She ordered the shabby shelf but the framed quilt squares, mini ladder and framed picture are the surprises! I can't do that every time of course, but this was a special occasion. Now I'm hoping for positive feedback. I'll just keep my fingers crossed and check my email often!

Tiny Treasure

2010-04-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

A family friend was at a garage sale and spotted this precious little room. Imagine my surprise when I got home and found this treasure in my mailbox! The outside is covered with bark and the windows give a perfect view of this dainty meets rustic, retreat. Scroll down to the last picture to find what really makes it special....

Isn't that amazing! What a lovely little inspiration piece! Thanks again, friends!

A Contest & an Excuse to Buy One More House!

2010-04-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Greenleaf Dollhouses has come up with a wonderful new kit for their annual Spring Fling contest! Isn't it great? I love how multi-purpose this kit is. Click here if you'd like to go to their site and see more views or even order one. It's laser cut and fits together beautifully so far. Last year I chickened out and did not enter the contest, but this year I challenged myself and took the plunge. I'm a nervous wreck! So silly of me, I guess, but there's time constraints (as I'm teaching full time, tutoring, finishing my masters and being a wife and mom!). Then there's people judging my work too. All very nerve racking but I'm choosing to have fun with it. Unfortunately, I have to keep the project a secret for now, but as soon as the contest is over, I'll go back and blog it all. Good luck to any of you who are entering the contest too.

For those of you who are looking for an excuse to buy one more dollhouse or kit, here's one my husband came up with. My husband practically insisted that I order this kit even though I have 3 already that I'm still working on (one is just finishing details). His reasoning: The reason I don't completely finish my houses (which drives him nuts) is because I love the process more than the end product. Therefore if I have a new kit, I'm more likely to completely finish one of my old ones because I have a current project to work on. How's that for logic? Let me know if that excuse works for you!

Sweet Butterfly

2010-03-10T16:20:00.001-08:00

I finally figured out punch needle! Every other time I've tried punch needle (kind of like latch hook in mini), I just keep pulling the thread out as I go along and end of up with a chewed up scrap of fabric with holes punched all through. Pitiful. I must have used the right fabric this time though because the stitches actually held! I was just playing around with a scrap corner of a larger pre-printed cross stitch. It's rather sloppy and lopsided, because I was just stabbing away, waiting for it to become my usual mess. The fringy edges are from the backing fabric that I frayed a bit. It's a beginning, anyway!

If you'd like to see some real art and punch needle inspiration, you should really check out Katie Arthur. I love her Early American, colonial style work. Just click here to travel over and say hi :)

Kreativ Blogger Award

2010-03-06T02:53:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to Mags and Rachel for kindly sending on this blog award! I used to look at those on other blogs and wonder, how do earn one of those? Now I know! :) I've been incredibly busy so my apologies for not posting sooner.

The rules

1. Thank the person that has given it to you.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you.
4. Name 7 things about yourself that nobody knows.
5. Nominiate 7 Kreative Bloggers.
6. Post link to the 7 blogs that you nominate.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs nominated.

Click on the names below to see each of the 7 blogs that you can visit;

all very talented bloggers generously sharing their gifts:

Eva

Les Carnets de L'Atelier

Little Daisy (This is a bonus- not a blog but pics too cute not to share!)

7 Things about Me:

1. I am an office supply nerd! Can't stay away from new pens and clips.

2. My parents were hippies; hence the name Daisy.

3. I love my work but it's very intense; minis are my emotional release.

4. I am not a celebrity worshipper.

5. I love watching recorded shows in the wee hours of the morning.

6. I am a chronic procrastinator.

7. I am an antique fanatic furniture but only own one item! How did that happen?

Joining the Etsy Bandwagon!

2010-02-27T14:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I've finally taken the plunge and joined Etsy! I've wrestled and wondered if there would be anyone interested in buying my work and realized there was only one way to find out... :)You can visit my shop at antiquedaisy.etsy.com if you are interested. While I currently have 3 items available, I will be adding more in the next day or so and creating more based on demand. Mostly though, thanks for all your support as you read this blog and share your gifts online in your own blogs. Thanks for coming along the journey with me!

A Little Sunshine in my Life!

2010-02-24T16:27:00.000-08:00

Look at the little bit of sunshine I found on my blog today! Thank you to Kathi and Susan for sending this blog award my way! It really is a joy to get to "know" some of you online. Thank you all for sharing your gifts, talents, and thoughts and taking the time to follow my blog. In this busy day and age, that really is a compliment!

The Rules: Pass it on and let each person you award know that you have awarded them.

Now to the hard part; the rules are that I have to send this along to 6 blogs...only six! I'm trying to narrow it down to those of you that may not have received one of these yet so...

Please visit these wonderful blogs. Just click on their name, and you'll be linked right to them:

Shannon has wonderful French flair and made an incredible French Shop. She doesn't blog often, but it's worth the wait.

Visit Heidi and see wonderful antique and vintage photos and advertisements that will add beautiful details to your mini world.

See Karin is you love to do-it-yourself. Her specialty is links to all kinds of tutorials.

Brae is putting toether an ingenious, modern house with lots of crisp and beautiful details. and is generous to share how. Take a look!

Artisans in Miniature is a great blog and has a FREE, yes FREE, online mini magazine every month! Look in the sidebar on the right of their blog for the link.

Tiny Delights shares wondeful detailed pictures of her miniatures that look good enough to frame. Beautiful work!

Blessings! Daisy

So tiny, so much time!

2010-02-21T16:51:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed how it's the tiniest things that take the most time? I made some polymer clay tiles and then handpainted them. I loved it and had so much fun that I didn't know how much time had gone by and frankly, I'm afraid to figure it out! :) They are about a 1/2 inch by 1/4 and as you can see, I had to stick them on a strip of tape just to hold them still for the painting. They also still need a little shiny glaze of some kind (more time!). Someone in the family (who shall remain nameless! :) ) didn't quite think the time was worth the itty-bitty results. I respectfully disagree. So, have you ever had a project that was so tiny in the final product that you wondered if it was worth the time and energy?

I Heart My New Work Area!

2010-02-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

My wonderful, thoughtful valentine bought me a new table for my work area and I love it! My old work surface was a 2 foot by 2 foot former kitchen nook table that had seen much better days. I was always having to move one project to start another and shove items aside to pull out my laptop, etc. You get the picture! :) Now look at the pictures below! Yeah, space! It's bright and cheerful and an inspiring and girly place to work. I guess this means I'll have to keep it clean now. :) Thank you, valentine!

House of Many Colors

2010-02-04T17:37:00.000-08:00

Ever have a style that you admire but that you just can't seem to recreate? I love the shabby chic style and thought that I found just the right colors of light blue, ivory and "bamboo." Unfortunately, the blue looked like bright cornflower blue. Just mix in a little gray and... no dice. Still an unfortunate color! I only wish it looked as good as this picture does. So, what if I use that bamboo tan for the body and the blue could maybe be a trim color? Nope. Wedgewood green? Italian sage? "Go bold," my husband said. Try dark colors. He thought red... I thought it looked like a barn. I want subtle and sophisticated. Right now, I have patchy and uninspired! :) Help!

I've found an inspiration photo that I like, but would it work? (<--Click on the word "photo" to see it). I really want the outside of this house done! Any ideas?

A Second Painting Secret!

2010-01-24T13:01:00.000-08:00

A new follower sent a comment asking about my Orchid's bedroom trunk and wished that she could see it closer. Well, Sans, and other miniature friends, here you go! You can click on this to enlarge it. Careful, this lets you see the errors too! :) This ability to enlarge photos applies in almost all of my posts, except for very early ones when I didn't understand the formatting.

The first painting secret I shared was to use dots. So would you like to know the second painting secret that I use? Scroll down... The secret is stamps. Simple enough, right? Most "secrets" are. This intricate design is made by a scrapbooking stamp and then carefully painted using toothpicks and pins. I've grown in my ability to do that tiny kind of painting since doing this trunk but this would be any easy enough technique that you could apply in your own mini work. For a different effect you could use differing colors of ink and skip the painting. First, apply the inks directly to the stamp. Since this takes a minute or two, if the ink starts to dry, don't worry. When you are ready to stamp blow your breath on it (a huff like you're going to polish glasses) to dampen and reactivate the ink. There are so many wonderful sites that can give you stamping advice that's better than mine if you'd like to know more. My best advise is to have fun with it. Get out those stamps and start mini-ing! :)

Dot to Dot

2010-01-22T18:31:00.000-08:00

Can I be completely honest? I'm afraid to fail. About 3 weeks ago, I registered an Etsy account full of ideas that I could share what I do and earn a little money for our family in the process. Now, three weeks later, there is still nothing listed. I'm doubting myself! Making my minis was such a joy when I thought it was just for me, now suddenly I'm thinking that someone might not be as charmed by the results in real life. I just can't seem to get over that hurdle.

Well, on that cheerful note :), here is a little shelf unit that I've painted. Remember that I once said I'd share a couple of painting secrets? Dots! That's one secret! Something about a design made of tiny dots looks so complicated and charming but anyone can do it! So grab a toothpick and some paint and start dipping and dashing a design! You might be amazed what you can come up with.

On A Roll!

2010-01-09T10:31:00.001-08:00

Ever have one of those days where you're having fun and where creativity just seems to flow from your fingertips? I had one of those wonderful days recently and just churned out a series of accessories and shelves for my Beacon Hill dollhouse.

In case you're keeping count, I have 3 houses; the Orchid which is a Victorian era shop and living quarters with a little shabby-chic girly flavor, a Westville which is a 1930's era farmhouse and my someday-to-be-glorious Beacon Hill. The BH was my dollhouse as a girl and after years in storage, it is home. I've talked about it in a previous post or two with pictures of the broken bits and dust bunnies that it collected. I've cleaned it up and applied gesso to almost every surface and now..... I have no idea what color to paint it.

As I usually do when it's time to make a decision like that, I avoid the issue altogether and make accessories! :) But oh, what fun it was! The house will be our current era, filled with folk art and antiques.

Here's a rundown on the items pictured:

More Michael's hutches put to work as a girly dresser and a bookcase. I added molding to the bookcase. The dresser has eyelet hooks as the hardware, at least for now.
The black painted bookcase and shelves are Michael's hutches too. I distressed and papered them for a country primitive look.
A plastic rooster I stole from my son's room and turned into "copper" with teal, white, and copper acrylic paint.
A yellow cabinet with a fruit crate label decoupaged on the front. The coppery handles are pieces of fancy toothpicks as are the pegs on the little shelves.
The girl picture is scrapbook paper (Graphic 45 brand) and the frame is a cardboard frame for scrapbooking the a glued string designs onto and then painted.
More bead charms make the little (tipped) chair and telephone for the girl's room. They'll be painted someday.

Probably more info than you needed :)

Westville Boy's Room

2009-12-30T16:01:00.000-08:00

The little boy's room in the Westville is more of a nook. This is a slightly older picture to show you more of the furniture... a tad girly but he's stuck with it! The items (trophy, car, football) on the shelf are all charms that I found at a bead store. He's outgrowing the toddler's toy train so that will be put away... See the next picture in this post for a more updated look...The picture below was taken more recently with more lived-in details. The Lincoln log house is just made of toothpicks. It took way too much time to make! Every notice that minis take more time than real life items? The sideboard is part of a Michael's hutch that I painted Pennsylvania dutch style. The rug is a fabric bookmark. The "painting" of toy soldiers is an asparagus label from Graphic 45 scrapbooking paper! I love that brand!

Country Kitchen

2009-12-26T10:14:00.000-08:00

I love country kitchens! As soon as I saw the Westville dollhouse by Greenleaf, I knew it would have to be one of those homes where you enter directly into a warm kitchen that is the heart of the home and where most of the working and living takes place. You can see the Michael's hutch from my previous posting and a tiny sliver of the living room that had the closet removed. Can you spot more pieces from those hutches? (The upper and lower cabinets near the sink). I put a lid on the bucket near the door which is for keeping kitchen scraps before they are taken out for composting. Can't have it smelling up the kitchen! The flour sacking dish cloth is ready for work on all those dirty dishes, if someone would finally install a faucet! It also looks like someone needs to pick up that fallen ice sign from the window or there won't be a delivery today, and for goodness sakes, the ice box door has been left open...

I think the black painter platter near the sink is one of the favorite minis that I've made or personalized! I'm not a great painter by any stretch, but I've come up with a couple ways to "cheat" that I'll share with you soon...

2009-12-24T05:24:00.000-08:00

May all the blessings of the season be yours this holiday!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Multi Purpose Michael's Hutches

2009-12-23T03:42:00.000-08:00

Michael's craft stores sell these wonderful $1 hutches that can be bashed into just about anything, like the framework to my built-in bookcase in the last post. Sometimes though, just a little tweaking makes it just what you need!

I took this darling one and carved in some arches and rough flowers on the bottom cabinet doors. I then cut out a portion of the top of the right hand cabinet door and slipped an longer piece of wood through the notch to make a cutting board. I glued in a little support underneath it inside with a little scrap of wood. Can't have the cutting board falling down while you're trying to use it!
I then covered the whole thing with an antiquing polish that gives it that rustic walnut look. You can still see that color on the main counter. Crackle finish was applied to the whole outside except for that counter and Ceramacoat's Barn Red paint was painted over that. The picture below is that closest to the actual color.

The "tile" backsplash is from a sheet of plastic textured shelf paper! You never know where you'll find mini supplies! A little wire and two crimp beads glued on finished off the hardware and there you go... a $1 hutch that fits my country kitchen! Details on a homemade sink and icebox coming soon!

Adding Details to the Book Nook

2009-12-20T23:19:00.000-08:00

Now that I removed the closet, there's a cozy place to curl up with a book or compose a little music. Pardon the feather duster on the shelf... there's construction dust to clean! (see previous postings for details). Here it is as part of the living room. It still feels a tad empty... I'm really not sure what to do with all the middle space. I love how it "feels" though!

Closet? Who Needs a Closet?

2009-12-20T02:54:00.000-08:00

In my last posting, I talked about how I make molding panels to add details along the stair wall of my Westville dollhouse. When it came time to attach it, I started thinking... a dangerous thing! That closet under the stairs was a big waste of space! I could put cleaning supplies and storage on display under there but I already had a whole attic for that. Hmm.. what if I take off the doorway... Better already! The elf will have to move out!

I then used any and every tool that I could think of to hack away at the wood. I have a dremel but I really need lessons in how to use it. For me, sometimes hand tools like a utility knife just feel more satisfying as I hack away. The painted area of wall was the only visible wall space before.

I test fit part of a Michael's hutch to work as a "built in" bookcase and with a lot of sanding, finally made it fit. I then found a scrap of foam board to replace the side wall I had just cut out. Remember, I was just hacking away with the knife. If I had planned ahead I could have left that section of wall intact. Hindsight is 20/20!

Foam board also smoothed out the underside of the steps so there is a smooth sloping wall. I used textured scrapbook paper to line the back of the bookcase. I love how it imitates bead board! I had to patch in the wood floor before the final fitting, but again because this was a spontaneous "bash" I accidentally used the wrong stain. Sigh.

I trimmed it out with scraps of molding and a shelf on top of the bookcase. I used the same bead board look scrapbook paper on the side wall of the stairs to mask the foam board patch. Finally, you can see a couple of the wood panels I made in the last posting. I will be making a couple of final adjustments, like that mismatched angle, but finally, a little more floor space! I'm picturing a rocker and blanket to make a little reading nook. Time to rearrange furniture!

Molding Minus Math

2009-12-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

I've often admired the molding and paneling details in so many dollhouses and wondered how anyone could make it look so beautiful and straight! Perfect angles too. I would still love to know from any of you who have ideas for me... please share your expertise. Since I didn't know how, I made it up!

First, I put newsprint against the wall I wanted to attach the molding to. In this case it was the wall under a staircase. Can you see the railing openings? I took a rubbing of it, just like back in elementary school when we'd make leaf rubbings!
I then drew lines with a ruler (this helped with the straight part!) wherever I wanted the moding to be attached. I needed really narrow molding which I didn't have and so decided to make my own of that too. In the picture below, you can see "ceiling and door trim" from miniatures.com. It was too wide of course so I cut strips of it. Voila...narrow molding! It's even the right size for picture framing.

The next step for me was to smear a little glue stick over the pencil lines so the molding wouldn't slip around. I laid a strip down, marked where it touched the pencil line and cut. I continued the same way on all my drawn pencil lines with a little sanding here and there and a touch of glue in the corners. I still have no idea what degree each angle is but I didn't have to using this method, thank goodness!

The fact that each piece was glued to the paper was very handy to when it came time to paint. I painted each piece and found that the paint filled in and covered up some of my poor cutting! I let it all dry and glued each square/triangle in place. I'll post the final pic in my next posting. Keep checking in! ;)

Beacon Hill part 2

2009-11-28T18:54:00.001-08:00

(See my previous post for the back story). These pics are of my childhood dollhouse, just as I left it years ago. She's home now and there is so much work to do! This is the kitchen. It's hard to see but I tinted the walls with a yellow wash. At the time, I thought a yellow and blue kitchen was so cheerful. You can tell it was the 80's! Teal blue and seafoam green?! And why did I paint the bays 2 different colors? :)

You can see that I tried to paint a panelling effect on the side of the stairs. The wax spots on the stairs were for holding the red corduroy carpet runner into place.

Pink and white below in the little girl's room:

This is the brightest yellow ever. Again, I must have loved the blue and yellow color combination. The painted triangles on the window were a great touch though!!

My Beacon Hill is Home!

2009-11-28T18:15:00.000-08:00

It was Christmas, 1987 and I was hoping for a dollhouse. When I tiptoed out into the living room early Christmas morning I realize that the enormous cloth covered mound near the tree was probably it! I lifted just one corner and saw what seemed to be plastic. Putting that together with the size, I thought Grandma was giving me a big plastic Barbie house. This wasn't what I had anticipated, but I knew my reaction would mean a lot to her. Quickly getting back in bed, I planned a whole dramatic scene; hand to forehead, a gasp of surprise and several planned exclamations to express my gratitude and amazement.
When I was officially allowed out and the cloth was removed, my pretend amazement routine was officially forgotten. I had a wooden Beacon Hill Dollhouse complete with Christmas wreath on the door. I was genuinely stunned and the exclamations were real. It became more that just a toy but a whole other world for me. I spent hours arranging and playing and fantasizing that I was living in the victorian era.
Fast forward 22 years and picture that well loved dollhouse sitting dusty in storage several states away from my home. Then just 2 days ago, my wonderful husband helped make a miracle happen...my Beacon Hill is home! I can't express how ecstatic I am! There is so much happy work to do as you can see in these pictures:
See all the dust? Yikes! The greasy marks on the walls are from the wax I used to put up wallpaper in this dining area. The picture below is of the bathroom just the way I left it. The "valance" is a cupcake wrapper! I painted a frosted effect on the lower pane with glue. At least that effect is a keeper!

Here's an overall view of the house below. I evidentally wasn't afraid of color!

Come in and put your feet up!

2009-11-23T15:58:00.000-08:00

Hi all! This is an amazing virtual tour of a dollhouse that is so realistic you may want to check what's in the oven. In fact, that's exactly what you should do because there is something in the oven and in the shed and in every nook and cranny of this beautifully crafted house! Once you enter, move your cursor over the page to find all the embedded links that will take you through doorways, upstairs, and closer to wonder details. Get some hot cocoa and enjoy!

http://www.lindas-miniaturhaus.com/Sites/spielhaus/SPH-start.htm

Westville Bedroom

2009-11-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

Since I posted the quilt tutorial yesterday, I thought I should share what my Westville bedroom looks like now. It still needs pillows and a couple more accessories but it's on it's way! The sun might have been a little too bright on that furniture! I just picked up the guitar and case at a local show and the dresser was at a flea market.

See the lovely crocheted blanket? I get no credit because I bought it also. :)

2009-11-16T16:35:00.000-08:00

I know I've mostly been posting about my Orchid but here's an early picture of the bedroom of my Westville. I used a couple different shades of cream and yellow to weather the walls and five them a bit of a glow. The rug is a circle cut out of scrapbook paper. A little fringed fabric glued under the eduI love Graphics 45 for beautiful vintage designs! They have Shabby Chic to World War II era and each paper is double sided so you have 2 coordinated patterns.

I've been so inspired by the beautiful mini-quilts made by others (see below) that I tried my own, including a real life shortcut. Here's a couple inspiration and tutorial links:
Quilt tutorial (This one is so clever!)
Liberty Biberty Quilt tutorial (Mercedes does a wonderful job of letting us in on all the details with pictures).

Beautiful, huh? My shortcut (because I am lousy at sewing!): Instead of cutting out itty-bitty squares, I cut 1 inch wide strips and sew them together, side by side. This makes a large square of "striped" fabric. I then turned that block sideways and cut across the strips, again 1 inch wide. This makes a long strip of tiny squares already sewn together. Match those up and sew those square strips together and I have the quilt you see above. Happy sewing!

Details

2009-11-08T04:40:00.000-08:00

Sometimes photos like these give you just the details that your need to complete or recreate a scene or time period. Click to enlarge any pics (I hope I've gotten it right this time!) Enjoy! Architectural pics will come soon!

Antique Simplicity and Texture

2009-11-01T11:53:00.000-08:00

My favorite antiques are those that are worn and textured, having been held and used for generations in caring for loved ones. I would love to one day have an entire kitchen full of these wonderfully simple tools. These are pictures that I took near Savannah, Georgia, at the Tybee Island lighthouse. Click on the pictures to enlarge them:

This is my favorite!

Crepe Paper Rose

2009-10-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

Something about fall makes me want to work on minis! This is a close up on a couple of homemade items in my Orchid. Just click on the picture to see them larger.

I made the rose out of crepe paper (yes, the party kind of crepe paper!), getting the idea from Martha Stewart. The thin paper ruffles and ripples easily as you stretch or roll it using a toothpick to roll the edges of the petal. I never would have thought of it but Martha did!

Here are Martha's instructions: crepe paper rose

The (crooked!) candle is a bit of thread dipped in melted candle wax. A little black marker tinted the "burnt" wick.
The flower vase is an endcap used in making jewelry. Easy but intricate!
The base of the candle is made of polymer clay. The pattern came from pressing an eyelet setter into the clay. I then painted it gold.
I made the painting too by dipping the end of a toothpick into different shades of paint, never wiping it off, making loose "u" shaped strokes. I havent' been able to get another to work out as well unfortunately!
The lace runner is two short strips of lace glue lightly to each other to make a wider strip. I love how thin it is... I found it in a fabric store and think it was designed for lingerie maybe?

The Orchid Dressing Area

2009-10-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

A dressing room for the lady of the house!

One interesting quirk about the Orchid is that it has an awkward knee space under each of those upstairs windows. I decided to create a "built in" false dresser in that space. Since I have no clue how to make a real drawer :) I just made a shallow 3 sided box (with a bottom) and glued it on the front of a square of balsa. Just have a couple pieces of fabric hanging out and no one will know it's false! See my diagram:

This vanity is the bottom portion of a Michael's hutch. (I love those things!) I then cut the arched back and a shelf from basswood. The two posts holding up the shelf on the corners are just cut off portions of turned posts for chairs like you can buy from miniatures.com. I then went a little crazy with a crackle finish. The jars and brush are just beads and a charm.

Lastly, the mirror is a chipboard frame from scrapbooking. I dipped string in glue and glued it on in swirled designs. I added a couple clusters of seed beads for more detail. White paint covered it all. Done!

The Orchid Bedroom

2009-10-15T05:46:00.001-07:00

As with everything mini, this room is still work in progress. The pics don't hide the flaws very well! I'm one of those people who loves to know all the details on how people make the things they do so I'm going to share some details of my own:

The hanging wall shelf is a section of a Michael's hutch. I cut the trim from a different one to use as the scalloped detail on the bottom. The lace edging is just cut from a larger piece of lace. See the rug? It's scrapbook paper! I frayed the edge of a strip of fabric and glued in under the edge for the fringe. The complicated design on the trunk was a stamp from my scrapbooking supplies. After I stamped the design onto the wood, I used the end of a toothpick to touch in details of paint and when dry, stained over it. There are also 3 bead charms in the pictures: the silver box next to the chair, the mini teapot on the shelf and the scissors on the table.
The wood triangle over the bed is balsa wood and so is very soft. I bought it before I found out that basswood is the right wood to use for mini wood projects. Happily though, because it is so soft, I was able to use a $6 engraver from Walgreens which is usually used to write your name on electronics to "carve" into the soft piece of balsa. It burns right through the wood, creating those holes and engravings. Too fun!

The Kitchen

2009-10-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

Here is the Orchid's kitchen. Don't mind the crooked curtains! Can you spot the Michael's hutches? There are three.

The Shoppe

2009-10-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

Remember the Orchid I rehabbed? Here's a peek on the inside as it looks now. Inside The Sewing Room, home and business of a woman at the turn of the century.

A Beginning...

2009-10-12T06:33:00.000-07:00

I love the little things in life that make it so precious... my family, nature, and dabbling in anthing creative! Since I was born a little late to experience the Little House on the Prairie era, what better way to explore my love of antiques and handcrafting than through miniatures? Minis aren't just houses for dolls, but a way to explore and learn about architecture and history, craft with wood and paint and paper and fabric; a world that we create in which everything is in order... What a marvelous stress reliever! Thanks for exploring it with me.

Here's the back story... When I was a little girl, my grandmother gave me a Greenleaf Beacon Hill dollhouse for Christmas. It was marvelous (check out their wonderful site!) and I spent hours sitting as close as I could to it so that I could imagine myself in those wonderful scenes. I grew up and forgot about miniatures until last Christmas. I started feeling sentimental and my wonderful husband took me to an antique store.

There sitting up on a shelf was a very neglected, gaudily painted Orchid by Greenleaf. I rescued the little house and since then I've been hooked! During the painting process and ....after!
She's still a work in progress... more pics soon...