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EmilyCraig

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About EmilyCraig

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  • Gender
    Female

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  • Dollhouse Building Experience
    Three
  • Real Name
    Emily

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  1. I looked it up on Amazon- it’s called Citristrip:). When you used it, did it also strip away any of the glue joints? That was what happened when I tried acetone- I know exactly the furniture you’re talking about- bright orange and absolutely coated in glossy varnish! A lot of the pieces I want to refinish are like that- probably the same manufacturer. The only thing that makes them vintage is that they are more than 20 years old- but still el-cheapo! A lot of those pieces have nice lines and were well designed - it’s the manufacturing that’s so sloppy- like they were finished on a conveyor belt - if I can strip away all the varnish and ugly stain, they could be really cool! I went ahead and ordered a small size bottle of citristrip to try it out- thanks for the suggestion!
  2. Hi all:) I have quite a few pieces of vintage dollhouse furniture I’d like to refinish, but first I need to remove the old varnishes and stain. I tried swabbing some items with acetone nail polish remover, it worked somewhat- not as well on pieces that had layers of thick varnish or a heavy dark stain. I have used sandpaper , but it’s very difficult to get into the cracks and crevices of tiny turnings or carved detail. Both methods were messy and a bit time consuming, with okay results. I keep thinking there has to be a better way! Any suggestions?
  3. The first set of blanks I used were actually terra cotta plates meant to sit underneath miniature terra cotta plant pots. They were really rough and had to be sanded smooth- it was messy and time consuming! It was what I had on hand at the moment of inspiration- then I used a set of chrysnbon plain white plastic dishes - a much closer match to the real thing- thanks so much for the link! I have never heard of this shop and those blanks are much cheaper than using chrysnbon. I’ll have to try those blanks with the decal paper suggestion and the clear nail polish suggestion and see what I come up with!
  4. Update on mini versions of full sized items from my shop- apparently my little prototype plates were much liked by followers of my Facebook minis page, even though I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the results and haven’t made matching tea cups. I ended up selling all the prototypes through Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/EmilysAtticWorkshop/ I am determined to find the best method to make these minis and list them on my Etsy shop. I’ve had much better luck making miniature versions of the vintage perfume bottles I have listed. Check them out and share any input you might have. https://etsy.me/2M1CJOj
  5. I have to try this! I ordered a set of chrysnbon plain white table ware, because the thickness of the plates and cups is a much more accurate match to life size delicate china- I tried my thin printer paper modpodge method on one of the plates and it came out a little better. I tried again to post a picture of this and for some reason the upload failed (again). I think standard and even thin printer paper aren’t the medium I’m looking for, as I’ve tried it many times and haven’t gotten the result I’m looking for. I shall try decal paper and definitely your clear nail polish suggestion! Below is the link to the picture I tried to post here, from Pinterest. https://pin.it/wq237bvopup2hk.
  6. That was my initial inspiration- I photographed my tea sets and shrank them down to scale- the designs got kind of muddy , I think because the pic resolution was too high? I printed them out on the thinnest printer paper I could find and modpodged them to tiny terra cotta plates I’ve had for awhile. The result was pretty good- the patterns definitely match the full sized versions, only, the terra cotta plates were much too thick to give the impression of delicate china. I still haven’t had succes using the same method for the tea cups- they are so tiny that even thin paper sticks out too much. I have never used decal paper- I’d love to try it out- any suggestions on where to find the best kind of decal paper?
  7. I added the picture I wanted to post here to my shop photos on Etsy in the ‘About’ section. I also posted on Pinterest, which I think is linked to my shop- https://pin.it/resjbmdz3prrpa. This is the pin-
  8. Thanks for your honest input! I don’t think you sound mean at all, lol! This is exactly the kind of honest feedback I asked for- and it is much appreciated! I totally agree with you about the mini shop sharing space with vintage collectibles- it bugs me too! They are two different shops, really. In the future I do plan to separate them- they are sharing space only temporarily. It’s funny you mentioned being disappointed that the vintage items are full size- I felt the same way when I first looked at my shop opened- so I decided to try to make miniature versions of all of them! Too ambitious for me all at once, since I am only doing this part time- so I started with my favorite vintage shop piece- the Staffordshire ‘Indian Tree’ tea set. Im not very good at painting tiny china , especially to the level of detail I’m aiming for- so I’m experimenting with a couple other methods. I’m trying to post a picture here for you of the full size plate and the miniature ‘protoype’ I’m working on, but I’m having some difficulty- ill keep trying! I’d love to hear what you think- thanks again for your reply!
  9. Hi everyone! I haven’t been around in a bit because I’ve been building my Etsy shop. But- I’ve reached a point where realize I could really use the input and combined miniatures wisdom of this community- First, I have to say I love Etsy and especially miniatures shopping on Etsy- and it’s really kind of mind boggling when you realize just how many miniatures makers and artisans there are all over the world! I know at least some of you must have experience as merchants on Etsy, either of miniatures supplies and/or handmade artisan miniature items,etc. and I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences with any parts of the process! One thing I have come across is the huge amount of mass manufactured dollhouse miniatures available for very cheap. It’s hard to compete with those kinds of prices! When setting out to make items for an Etsy shop, how do you decide what to make , and if it will sell? How can you find a niche without overspecializing? These are just some of the things that I have thought as I’ve gone through the early processes of setting up my shop. Here’s the link if you want to check it out https://etsy.me/2M1CJOj - all positive and constructive feedback is welcomed!! Emily C.
  10. I love Cinderella Moments!! I emailed Carolyn, who is the artist, and asked some questions about her kit bashing, and she got right back with me, super nice and friendly! Her work is amazing- but I especially like all the photos she posts of her work in progress! I’ve downloaded a couple of pdf tutorials from her Etsy shop- such a great resource!
  11. Thanks- great idea! It has occurred to me that I could look for useful things among model train supplies, but I haven’t actually looked into it yet- I will definitely do that now!
  12. I have found some great pics on Pinterest, but researching deeper into the style was a great idea- it helps to know how and why a particular architectural style developed to better alter the cottage- I think I’ll add some cosmetic details to complete the cape cod look- the kind of siding I’ll use , probably some window shutters as well and maybe stone for the foundation- I got the frame from this great Etsy shop- the shop offers all kinds of great architectural elements cast in resin, I think. It’s called RoyalMiniatures- I copied the link below (I hope) ! you should definitely check it out! https://etsy.me/2J6nnY9
  13. I have a commission to build the Sugarplum! My client provided the kit and would like me to give it more of a ‘cape cod’ look. I’ve cut out an additional dormer window in the attic space and I’ve decided to turn the front window into a window seat. I also cut an opening for a narrow stairway. I know the sugarplum is a popular kit- I’m hoping for some tips and advice on the best methods to alter the design. This is the first time I’ve altered a kit and I’m kind of making it up as I go!
  14. How long have you been working with polymer clay? I’ve found that there are a few skills I struggle trying to master as far as miniature making, and polymer clay is one of them! I’ve tried my hand at making mini food and small vessels- but they didn’t quite turn out how I wanted! I suppose it will take more practice! Most of my miniature ideas come from my interest in ancient history and trying with little luck to find miniature items from those periods to buy- so I end up making them myself! I made my little scrolls from printer paper that I aged with coffee. I rolled them around little pieces of dowel and glued little wooden or painted beads to the ends. I used twine to tie them closed. I like the idea of trying to write on them- but you’d need a super fine pen or brush! I’m putting together a few tutorials to post on Pinterest. The next project I’d like to try would be a 1:12 scale Viking longhouse- I’m already kicking around ideas on what I’d like to make! I’d love to see pics of your pottery and other clay work!
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