Sunday, December 28, 2008

15th Annual Creatin' Contest


This is my entry for the contest. It is my 'Loveshack'. I wanted to do something completely different, as the video for the song mentions. It is not an exact replica of the shack in the video by the B52's. I was going for something I had not seen before in a dollhouse.




The winning entry is not scheduled to be announced until March 2009. It will be a long anxious wait for me. I have seen some other entries and they are just fantastic. While I would love to win a prize, I mainly entered for the opportunity to build something unique. Also, all enterants received a gift for entering. It is rumored to be the next contest build..a Gazebo. So now I need to put my thinking cap on and come up with something.

Sidewalk Details



This is a good shot of the sidewalk. I used crafting sand mixed with the paint to create this look. It is the same combination I used for the 'stucco' look on my Glencroft Tudor House.



The entry tiles turned out wonderfully. Just how I pictured them. It feels so good when it all comes together. Just a little touch up on the interior floor and I can move on to the trim and the door.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Finally, Progress


I have made progress on the exterior of the Wine Shoppe. The holidays have really taken up so much time, but I wouldn't change that for anything. So, here is what I have accomplished.

I finished the tile at the entry way and also the sidewalk. It turned out better than I thought it would. I love the tiles. They were so easy to work with. I wish I had more. They were a clearance bargain at my local craft store.

The patio required some special crafting to get the railings done. Twisting wire can be tiresome on aging fingers, but it was worth it. I love the way they turned out. The table is made the same way, however I used a piece of texture plastic for the tabletop. I need to get a better shot of the table. It is difficult to see in this shot.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Tiny Treasures

My treasures for the Wine Shoppe came in today. They are not permanently in place at this point. I still have ideas floating around.



Notice the little corkscrew on the Tasting Table. I just adore this tiny treasure.


Looking for that special wine for that special someone? Give us a call and we will check our stock of rare wines. I am certain we can find the right bottle for you.


In the area? Stop in for a bottle of our house wine. We keep it in stock.

Stop back by for more updates in the near future.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008


Today on my Greenleaf Dollhouse forum, a member was asking about tiling a wall. I posted a quick tutorial for how I made my tiled countertops. I thought my blog would be a good place to post it again. So, here goes.

Take your surface, whatever it may be as this would work just as well for a wall as a countertop, and apply spackle to the entire surface in a thin coat. I use spackle that is pink while it is wet but dries white. It really helps to be able to see where you have applied it. After allowing it to dry, apply another coat. Depending on the thickness of your layers, you could put on two or three layers. Bear in mind that you will be gently carving the lines of your tiles. If you want it to appear as if the tiles are thicker, use more layers of spackle. I sanded in between layers to achieve a smoother finish. Please remember to use breathing protection, as sanding will create a lot of fine white dust. After allowing everything to dry thoroughly you can apply your paint in whatever color you'd like. As a reminder, using this technique will create white 'grout' lines as you will be carving through the paint and making tile lines in the spackle. Allow your paint to dry and then apply a second coat. Once the paint is completely dry, you can begin carving your tiles. I use a straight metal ruler and a pointed tool, such as an awl. Do this step gently and slowly to make sure your lines are defined. In the photo of mine tiles, there are a few chips in the paint. I believe this happened because I did not allow the paint to dry completely. The counter will still work for me because it is going into an older house setting. Once you have finished your tile lines and are satisfied with the results, you can apply varnish to make it shiny and seal it. If for some reason you don't like how it looks, the color or the tile lines, you can re-apply some spackle and fix any issues. That is one of the great things about working in miniature. It is usually pretty simple to fix any problems you may have. Now...go and make yourself a beautifully tiled bathroom wall or countertop!

Monday, December 8, 2008

Today is the first time blogging on this site. Let's see what we can come up with. I am hoping to share my passion for dollhouses and miniatures with others of the world. It is a fun and relaxing hobby for me and I spend as much time as I can find working in miniature. I have built four houses and three roomboxes. Currently, I am an entrant in the 2008 creating contest sponsored by Miniatures.com. The entry deadline is 12/15/08 so until then I can't post any pictures of my entry. I can tell you is was a lot of fun to create and while I would love to win, the best prize is having the house here to look at and admire.

I am currently working on a scratch house. I am using foamcore to build the structure. So far I have two rooms done however since it is a work in progress, I am still making changes to those rooms. There will be the main room, where wine, cheese and bread will be offered for sale. In the side room, casks are filled with a variety of wine for customers to fill their bottles. To the right of the main shoppe will be a patio where the shoppers may take a break and sit in the garden with their wine. The floor in the main room is a vibrant mixture of colors on a stone floor. The cask room also has a stone floor, but the colors are darker and more subdued. I am hoping for a second level. I would need to make the stairs outside off of the patio. I have the picture in my head so I just need to bring it to life with my hands. The thought of building stairs from scratch scares me. I just need to jump in and make them.