Happy Halloween

Real life has been getting in the way of my mini-ing again.  Since my last post I've been to North Carolina with a quick stop over in New York and Toronto. Yes I know that these are all in different locations, but you would have to understand how traveling from an island in the middle of the Atlantic can be challenging at times.  Sometimes you have to go further east to get further south?!?

I've also been finishing up one more online course.  I'm actually supposed to be writing my final today, but their web site has gone down....so to kill some time while I wait, what better thing to do than blog to all of you.  (Okay, now I'm rhyming, totally unintentional!)

While in North Carolina attending a furniture show, I saw these interesting looking items filling a glass jar in a supplier's showroom.  Don't they look like miniature pumpkins?  All the supplier representatives I work with are very familiar with my hobby, so when I notice these things they are always prepared.  They told me to grab a handful to take.  Don't they look perfect for a miniature Halloween or fall project.

Not sure what they really are, they are extremely light weight and feel like seed pods.  But my miniature mind saw pumpkins!  The scale is perfect.

I was walking through a Home Office section at another supplier's showroom and noticed that the stationary in the filing trays on one of the desk appeared to have a pattern on the underside.  When I turned the page over I saw this beautiful cream and black print.  Isn't it a perfect miniature wallpaper.  Excellent, I got another offer to take a few pages, so now I have four pages of this lovely print.

Don't know where I'll use it, so for now it's just added to the stash.

I was able to squeeze in a quick stop at Hobby Lobby where I picked up more strip wood.  They had a sale on their miniature line so I got a few miniature lights perfect for pot lights and a box of mold making compound.  That will be great when I get back to the bakery all the many duplicates of baked goods I will need.

Until the next time.....

Happy Halloween

Wanda

One Front Window Framed!

I had hoped to start the panelling in the Bookbox this weekend, but I realized I needed the front window framed in first so I could blend it in with the panelling.  So I concentrated on that and also got the crown molding completed on the front and side wall.  The back wall crown molding has to be cut around the bookcases, and that's going to be a little more challenging with all those mites!  My favorite!  Not!

But here's the results of the window framing.  I've built quite a deep sill because I want to add a seat cushion and toss cushions and turn it into a window seat.  I still have to add a molding under the sill, but this will be a part of the panelling.  I still have to touch up a few places with the stain where you can still see some raw edges.  But overall I'm pleased with the finished window.

Until the next time....

Wanda

Another punch!

I was excited to see the large selection of paper punches that Grandpa's Dollhouse had on display at Camp Mini Ha Ha.  Unfortunately it was the second day before I noticed them, so a couple were sold out that I would love to have gotten.  But I still got quite a few.

I love making flowers and even though these are mostly leaves, I like the fact that there is a variety of sizes, so this adds a little realism to the flowers.  Let's face it, not every leaf or petal is the exact same size.  Some of these punches I already have in a different size now.

I'm not a big fan of the button punches, I find them hard on your fingers, especially if you're punching a lot of petals or leaves, but the price was fantastic, so it was worth the later pain!

I looked for a link on Grandpa's Dollhouse website for the punches, and I didn't find it, but I am sure you can contact Liz and she'll gladly get them for you.  But with my little bit of research online though I discovered that Punch Bunch does make a levered tool that you can drop the punches in that makes using them a whole lot easier.  It's a bit pricey, but I'm sure it's well worth the cost for someone who uses the punches a lot!

It looks like it accepts all the sizes, except the smallest round punch.  It appears to need a flat edge to place the punches up against.  Maybe someone who has one of them can give us a little feedback on them!  Still think it's a wonderful idea however!  Wonder if it can accept other brands of button punches?

I'm of to organize my punch drawer in my workroom.  Think I may need a larger drawer!

Until the next time....

Wanda

Time for goodbyes for another year

As I packed for home, Camp Mini Ha Ha is over for another year,  for me it was the best year ever.  Not just for the unique project we worked on, but for the fun and laughter and especially the new friendships made at Camp.

As I packed my remaining items I snapped a few last minute pictures of the project.  Yesterday while the gatorboard walls were taped and drying and the the books were attached and clamped, I couldn't work on the panel walls and decided to start filling the bookcases with all my books and accessories.  Here's some of the shots of the filled cases both inside and outside the book box.   (Excuse the metal ceiling used as a back drop in the first two shots.  It's still not attached and there was too much light coming in from a full size window behind the shelving.

A peep inside the Roombox after I removed the clamps this morning.

Bookcases propped in place.  (Sorry window scene is not propped behind the window here).

You can see the inside cover of the book on the opening side.  It has a blue cover and I have to put some thought into how I want to finish this inside cover.

I packed lots of packing tissue inside the Roombox, leaving the bookcases all in place.  All the accessories are glued on.  I've arrived home now and all the accessories and bookcases remained in place.  I did pack the Roombox in my carry on since it was so small.  Didn't trust in going in checked luggage!  It didn't set off any warnings going through the X-ray machine at the airport, even though it was a set of hollowed out books with wires leading out of the back!  I can only imagine what airport security think sometimes of our traveling minis!

Thanks for following along over the past week and sending all your comments.  For Janine who asked did we choose the books, no we did not.  One of the organizers received the collection of books because they were to be discarded, and rather than having them discarded they decided to recycle them into this project.  We didn't choose the books from the collection even, this was decided in advance and the books were cut in advance,  Once cut to fit the precut gatorboard, no one could switch out individual books because they varied in size and may not have fit the gatorboard box had they done this.  Some book sets were all different, like mine, and some people did have some duplicate books.

I've more to share in the coming weeks as I complete this project and share with you the other great things I got at Camp!

Until the next time...

Wanda

Camp Mini Ha Ha - Day Five

I've completed the final day of Camp Mini Ha Ha but as I stated in my last posting, I will not complete the project in the time allotted unfortunately.  The final day was wrought with a few delays and missteps.  I accidentally glued the front gator board wall on upside down and had to cut out the the bottom piece and patch in at the top.  I'll have to do some fancy interior trim work on the window and panelling in order to hide the mistake.  This is the section I had to cut out.

While the patch job was drying, I moved on to the ceiling.  I had decided before I left for Camp to do a faux tin ceiling.  I started with a Houseworks faux ceiling panel and painted a first coat of Gesso.  Once dry I painted the entire ceiling with a metallic gold acrylic paint.  

Then I sponged on a coat of metallic copper acrylic paint.

Then I sponged on a coat of metallic silver acrylic paint.

Then a coat of bronze metallic acrylic paint.

Final coat was a product called Extreme Glitter, which was a silver paint that had gold glitter in it.  This gave the ceiling a little more sparkle to reflect the lighting that will be in the room.  Two very subtle and doesn't show clearly in the pictures, but I think it will help the lighting on the room.

Here are the paints I used.

And the Extreme Glitter.

I've left the entire panel to dry for the evening but it won't be installed until I get home.  I worked on the electrical and started filling the bookcases.  More pictures on this hopefully tomorrow.

In the morning I have to pack up to return home.  I'll have a little bit of catching up to do on my studies, so I'll try to post tomorrow, but it may be later in the week before I can get more updates for you to see.

We had another tidbit exchange and giftie exchange again today, and I received a beautiful aquarium on a table, plus many more accessory items.  More pictures to follow on later in the week.

Several vendors and artisans had tables set up selling their products during the week as well.  I've added a few more items to my collection and I'll review that during the coming week.

I'm totally exhausted, but proud of what I've accomplished.  It's been a wonderful week with a great group of friends, both old and new.

Until the next time....

From Camp Mini Ha Ha....

Wanda

 

Camp Mini Ha Ha - Day Four

I've had a productive day working on the interior of the roombox, but it's very clear that I will not be finishing this project in the allotted time.  Î had hope to do so because of the amount of unfinished projects I have at home now.  I wanted to go home with a completed roombox, but it will not happen unfortunately.

I did get a lot of work done on the wall of shelving and desk.  I still have to build the drawers and cubbies for the top of the desk, but this can be done at home.  Here is the shelving unfinished and before I added the top shelves.

You can see the library ladder we built in the next shot.  Just have to add the brass rail to the top of the bookcases.

Alł the walls we'll be paneled and I've decided the panels will be a faux burled wood.  So I've applied the stain to the gatorboard in a sponged effect to mimic burlling.  I still have to add the wood strips to build the moldings around the panels.  The bookcases have their first coat of stain in the shot below.  I can see in the desk knee hole where I need to add more "burlling" effect.  

We also added a fake wall for the window and a background scene with back lighting.  The lighting is not on in this shot.

Second shot without flash.

I played around with different panelling effects, testing out the area above the bookcase.  This will be the look of the panelling, but I did have to make adjustments to the panels on the area above the bookcases later.  More on this tomorrow.

Close up of my first experimenting with the panelling.

We had another exchange of tidbits at lunchtime and a gift exchange this evening, but I've yet to photgraph those items.

I've been working with a wonderful group of people this week.  The ideas and help people share here is wonderful.  Even better are the smiles and laughter.  Î laughed so hard at times today that I had no eye makeup left on and my belly ached from the laughter.  It's all good.

If anyone ever gets an opportunity to go to Camp Mini Ha Ha in the future, don't pass on the chance, you will not forget it!  They even offer a scholarship program to help those wishing to attend.

Until the next time....

From Camp Mini Ha Ha......

Wanda

Camp Mini Ha Ha - Day Three

Well there's progress after the third day of the workshop.  You can see the beginnings of my wall of shelving and built in desk coming alive.  I designed the wall unit at home and cut everything and fortunately for the most part it all came together good.  I have to cut the top shelves tomorrow and start the wall panelling.  Staining also began but I forgot to take the pictures.

Here's a shot without the wing chair.  The only ready made product here is the desk chair, which I am slowly refinishing.

I also cut the middle boards from the front window to make more of the roombox visible.  I also used the same window in the bakery and I wanted to make it look different.

We also posed for our group shot at the end of the day.

I didn't get a chance to photograph my tidbits, but I had to share this fantastic shop vac I received in our gift exchange.  What a phenomenal job she has done on it,  don't know where I will use it, maybe in the garden shed.

Until the next time.....

From Camp Mini Ha Ha.....

Wanda