My Toronto Trip

I've just returned from two trips back to back, first to visit my mom, and then off to Toronto for a business trip.  Even when it's business I have to find a little "me" time for my minis.  I took a few hours on Friday morning to drive to the Little Dollhouse Company on Mt Pleasant Rd in Toronto and again I found lots of new minis to add to my overgrowing collection.

If you notice in my wish list on the side of my blog, one of my future projects I would like to make is an interior designer's shop.  I found this wonderful drafting board with a work in progress.

I also found some wonderful mini drafting tools to add to this future room.  They are so detailed, I wish my camera could have been able to zoom in closer for more detail.  They are made in Italy by "le mini di Pierluigi"  check out their web site, it's fantastic work.  I've emailed the artisan with hopes of seeing more of their minis while visiting Italy in September.  I like to see things before I purchase them, I know that's not always possible in today's world, but if I can see more, I will be so happy.

For years I have been collecting items for a wine cellar project I have in mine.  I have an old wine crate that I plan to build it in and I have so many bottles of wine, I have lost count.  I also found this great crate for Dom Perignon.   I popped a few of the wine bottles I have already collected in the picture, but they were from another purchase made last year.  I don't have a mini bottle of Dom Perignon, so I will have to add it to my list of wants.....ha!

I also found these great mini books by Chaucer.  Let's face it, we can fit books in any project, but I was thinking I will put them in my castle room project.

I purchased this potato bin kit from The Daisy House for my dollhouse kitchen.  I've purchased several Daily House kits and I always like them.

I tried to keep my other current projects in mine and not start planning new ones, (I am so bad sometimes), so I did purchase some items for my garden shed.  I got this lawnmower for the garden shed.  It's just an inexpensive piece, but I think I can "antique" it like I did with the bike, and give it a little more of that well used character.  The white tires definitely have to go!!

I also got this vine, it looks like Coleus to me, and even though I've never seen Coleus grow on a vine, I thought I could cut it up and make it into a plant for the garden shed project.  It's beautifully made from clay and wire.  Such wonderful detail.

 There's a few Cala Lillies on the vine as well, I will keep them for a floral arrangement in another project. 

I also purchased two Hollyhock kits, one in pink and one in red.  Still require lots of flowers for the Garden Shed.  I've been away so much in the past ten days that I've fallen behind again.

My last purchase may be used in either my Garden Shed project or the Bakery, not sure just yet.  But I've always wanted a Al Chandronnait Basket, so now I have one.  Don't you love it.

I purchased one last item, another crate with a Guiness label, and my husband claimed it immediately, since he is the Guiness lover (I had purchased it from him anyway, so no harm done!)  It's amazing, he's even starting to collect a few minis himself as I drag him to all the mini stores on our travels.  It's a contagious hobby isn't it!

Until the next time......

Wanda