havanaholly Posted November 16, 2019 Share Posted November 16, 2019 Pat, did you make all the itsy food, flowers, etc? I am in awe! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbound Posted November 16, 2019 Author Share Posted November 16, 2019 Thanks for asking Holly. The little fruits in the fruit bowl (on the buffet in dining area) are made from Sculpey clay and what I hoped would look like the grapes are just micro beads glued to some thread. The 'sunflowers' in the planter on the side of the building are actually dried flowers from some 'volunteer' plants I was yanking out as I was cleaning the yard outside. I was going to toss them into the garbage can when I realized they looked sort of like little sunflowers! They were dried out and brown by this point but a little craft paint was all it took. What are supposed to look like hollyhocks and other bulbs are just 'flower soft' (homemade from some instructions I found here years ago - using crunched-up foam from the Dollar Store) and micro beads glued to painted wire. This is the BEST place to learn quick tricks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tilliejam62 Posted November 16, 2019 Share Posted November 16, 2019 Pat - I love it, I love it, I love it!!!!!! Seems like we miniaturists have the very same mindset, (we think alike). We can turn very unlikely things into common things in miniature. That kinda makes us magicians. LOL I love it!! Pat, why not start a conversation about how everyone has made something unusual into something miniature. Its not my original idea; I got it from another forum so here is my input: watermelons for my old country store vignette made from pecans (the nut). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbound Posted November 16, 2019 Author Share Posted November 16, 2019 Oh my gosh - who'da thunk'a that!!! They're so perfect! Where do you display your houses and room boxes Tillie? I'm JUST starting on my Christmas Bake Shop and as big as the room box I have is, I wish I would have room for even more! I'm using one of those 'Street Of Shops' rooms boxes for the shop but I'm thinking I might need to cut an opening in the side and build another shop (the smaller of the three shops) right next to it for seating and MORE STUFF... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tilliejam62 Posted November 16, 2019 Share Posted November 16, 2019 The old country store is actually a 2-opening picture frame I purchased from a Tuesday Morning store. I had a wooden box the exact size of the frame built, then painted the box hunter green and attached it to the frame with little brass hinges so it opens & closes (the inside of the box is the interior of the store). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbound Posted November 16, 2019 Author Share Posted November 16, 2019 That's a grand idea. This way you can open the whole thing up to admire all the tiny details inside the store. Don't you find that part of the delight is remembering how fun it was to MAKE all of the tiny extras - the things that most people's eyes don't even catch? This morning I was trying to figure out how to make some Christmas-themed bakery boxes, first checking out eBay to maybe purchase them. Nah - they charge a LOT for just two tiny boxes. So I can't wait to experiment making my own today. And years from now looking at them will bring a smile. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tilliejam62 Posted November 16, 2019 Share Posted November 16, 2019 I have to leave right this moment but I'll be back to keep up with this thread - so excited!!!! But, I must say for your bakery boxes use printies and cardboard (there are printies sites all over the internet including Pinterest). In the store interior is some old fashion Crisco Shortening cans (near the Quaker Oats Cereal boxes ) these were full size labels off the internet that I resized, printed-out then glued to those little round plastic thingies used in packaging to keep them fresh. The Crisco labels actually looked like years and years ago. GOTTA GO BUT BE BACK SOON! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tilliejam62 Posted November 16, 2019 Share Posted November 16, 2019 Holly - We might be slowing down physically but mentally I really, truly believe that our beloved hobby will keep our minds sharp (diminish the probability of dementia). My opinion. I can't seem to tear myself away from the conversation. GONE FOR NOW!! BE BACK!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 16, 2019 Share Posted November 16, 2019 I can't bring myself not to crack open pecans for pies & cookies & other baked nummies, but for someone with greater resistance to temptation than I they do make perfect watermelons! Someone (I think it was Colin) had a thread going a while ago for ideas to make minis out of "trash" items; it went for many months before we ran dry/ lost interest. One of the reasons I love Patricia King's books is that she can make the most believable minis out of the most unbelievable JUNK! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbound Posted November 16, 2019 Author Share Posted November 16, 2019 Well when our kids shove us into old folks homes we'll be content trying to make minis out of what others see as junk. I honestly do think that seeing treasures in the trash is a joy and most people don't take the time or have the interest in it. How lucky are we?! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tilliejam62 Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 Holly & Pat: I agree with you both most people don't see the treasures in their trash like we miniaturists see in our trash. Pat: you asked where I display my houses? - I have never owned a dollhouse but I purchased one already completed at a thrift store once (A Duracraft Peaches & Cream) that was in pretty good shape, only needed a lil TLC so I did the repairs & sold it. I only do room boxes of different sizes and shadow boxes of different sizes, lamp bases with tiny room settings built inside, & other small vignettes. What I haven't sold or given away as gifts I normally display on shelves on the walls of my spare bedroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbound Posted November 17, 2019 Author Share Posted November 17, 2019 That's a very cute dollhouse Tillie. Sweet pastel colors. The style reminds me of the Nevada Cat House I did for the Humane Society's 'Silent Auction' a few years ago. I'd come across a sturdy dollhouse kit at a local thrift store and even though I didn't really want another big dollhouse, with a price of something like $50 for it I couldn't pass it up. It was a fun build and I got to make tons of special furniture pieces with cat themes for it. SO MUCH FUN. The trouble with dollhouses is you run out of ROOM! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 I remember that house! I hope it raised a ton of $$$ for the Humane Society. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tilliejam62 Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 The cat theme house - SWEET! So is it a house where the people love cats or is it inhabited by just cats with good taste? LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbound Posted November 17, 2019 Author Share Posted November 17, 2019 People who love cats would live in it. Funny thing is I never even thought to include people with the house - just the cats. LOTS of cats. Still one of my favorite builds too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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