Welcome to Wal Mart

Ok, let me express how much I DON'T like going to Wal Mart...as a matter of fact I LOATHE it!  As I'm guessing is true with most Wal Mart stores, the one closest to me is dirty, unorganized and the employees as well as the shoppers are rude.  There is however one Wal Mart that I have been to that is clean, organized and the shoppers and employees are both pleasant.  It's in Houghton, Michigan which was a small copper mining town back in the day.  I digress...

There are two redeeming qualities of Wal Mart...The first is really isn't redeeming at all, but it's pretty funny!  That is People of Wal Mart.com , you get to see things like this:

And this...

Seriously?  Is this acceptable to be out in public?

If you haven't seen the web site, I suggest that you check it out.  You will laugh your ass off!

The second and most likely the only real redeeming quality of Wal Mart is that they have a great selection of small printed fabric and great prices on some craft items to use for miniatures.

I have to be in a really good mood to go to Wal Mart because if I'm not, I will surely get pissed off and leave.  (I've done it before).  Yesterday...I went to Wal Mart!

Here is what I got:

Package of dowel rods $.97, 100 tiny zip lock bags $.97, gargantuan sized hot glue sticks $4.47, fat quarters $.97 each and 1/2 yard each 11 different fabrics-none cost more than $2.74.

I bought more than I entended, but the peace of mind that I won't have to go to Wal Mart for a long time?...... Priceless.

Readers Choice Awards!

By now you probably know that the About.com Reader's Choice Nominees for the best miniatures blog for 2013 have been posted.

The nominees are:

• Casey's Minis
• DIY Dollhouse Miniatures
• Jazzi Minis
• Mini Modern
• Otterine

I do LLLLLOOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEEE everyone of these blogs!  Seriously, how can you not?  Each one has a different feeling to it.  Please go to this link to About.com and vote for your favorite.  Please remember you can vote every day (once every 24 hours) until March 19th. 

Dave's Attic

Recently I can across this web site for Dave's Attic Miniatures.  He makes some beautiful 1 inch scale art deco miniatures as well as some smaller scales. 

Here is a sample of some of his 1:12 art deco miniatures:

(Neen you might be interested in these)

 The details are great aren't they?

 Check out the curves on this bedroom set.

This wonderful bookcase looks a little more modern.

And here are some 1/4 scale houses:

 I really love this one.  They come in laser cut kit form.

This one is more art deco, but I think it could go more modern too.

If only I had the patience to work with things this tiny.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

A few days ago, Studio Seven of Mini Aesthetics issued a little February challenge to make a scene having to do with something that you celebrate in the month of February. So, this is what I came up with.

I was also lucky enough to receive a little parcel from The Shopping Sherpa recently.  She sent some wonderful cut outs from one of her favorite stores called Typo.

The lights, sofa, pillows (notice the love birds?) and wine label are by me, the table is by Bob, the wine glasses are from Ebay, the rug is Kaleidoscope House and the LOVE art is a gift from The Shopping Sherpa.

Have a wonderful day!!

Tables

In the not too far distant past, I blogged about how my husband got a new toy router and started making some very cool midcentury modern mini coffee tables. Well, now we have ventured onto making sets that include two end tables and a coffee table.

As you can see, we're making them in many colors and patterns. 

 

 This shows the shapes really well. On this set, the coffee table has hairpin legs and the end tables have straight legs.

 

 Pattern matched set of coffee tables to make a square.  I'm digging the groovy boomerang pattern.

Most of the sets have hairpin legs on both the coffee table and end tables.  I think the hubs does good work.

 

The sofa is Minimodernistas, the table lamp is Petite Princess, coffee mug is Re-ment, the modern decorating magazine is by Lene at Dragondee (they are 1/6 scale, but I think they work well with 1/12 too), the pillows and tables are by the hubs and I and the chairs are Reac.

 

Creatin Contest 2nd & 3rd Place

Here is the second place winner for the HBS Creatin Contest.

And third place.

Congrats to Brandaen and Michelle.  Way to go!!

The Beautiful Behemoth

Back in November, Brae (Otterine) posted on her blog that there was a Citadel dollhouse kit originally from Lolly's in the Chicago area for sale on Ebay.  Of course, I had to check it out.  It was an unused complete kit still in the box.  I thought about it....for about 3 minutes and clicked on that crazy "buy it now" button.  Seriously, I had a huge smile on my face and giggled.

Several years ago before kids, I was in sales and would regularly go to Chicago for my job.  Of course, whenever I was in the area I would hunt down dollhouse shops.  Lolly's was one of my favorites.  Every time I went in there, I saw the Citadel house gleaming with all of it's glory.  It had a hefty price tag (around $900 as I recall) and at the time, I don't think they were selling the house in kit form.  Needless to say, I looked at it longingly. 

Here are some pics of the Citadel I found from Lolly's. 

After I had gotten back into miniatures, I saw the Call-Small's adventures on procuring her Citadel house.  She drove a long way to Chicago to pick hers up.  So, when I saw this one on Ebay for a buy it now price and free shipping, I HAD to jump on it.  It was a now or never situation.

I, like many of us have a tendancy to buy great miniatures and do nothing with them for awhile.  I got the house in November and just started on it last week. I've been a little busy, what can I say?

Anyway, along with the kit the seller sent me this awesome deck and hut tub kit which was a really nice surprise.

I took pics of the other two boxes when they arrived, but I can't find them.

I have had a couple of blog friends ask me about it which gave me a kick in the pants to start building it.

 Yes, that is an air compressor you see in the background.  I used it to nail this sucker together as I glued it.  I like power tools!

It's so big that I had to put it on the floor to build it.

Here is where I am at now.  I have the primary structure finished.

There is a yard stick leaning against it to show that it is nearly 3 feet tall and almost as wide.

I realized after it was put together, (glued and nailed) that I put the second floor in backwards and that one of the dividing walls was crooked.  Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do because the wood glue was already dry and the nails wouldn't allow me to knock anything free with a hammer.  This sucker is solid! I can disguise the floor part though.

Note to self, do not try to build a dollhouse all at once. It's all good though, I can live with it and nobody will notice...unless you are reading this.

  I'm considering a slight modification...

 Here it is with the curved tower, which is what came with the kit.

.

I'm toying with the idea of using two doors in the center and making the rest of the "tower" glass.

Any thoughts?

This has always been my all-time favorite dollhouse.  I have seen some amazing ones, but this one makes me drool.  I can't tell you how happy ecstatic I am that I am the proud owner.  I can't wait to do some more work on it!

Thank You, Brae!!!

If you hadn't posted it on your fantastic blog, I would have missed out!