A couple of dolls and what's next...

When I made my son his little girl doll, I played around with a couple of other dolls. My first attempt at a baby...

a friend for Emerson...

And the beginnings of an older gentleman...

All of these were made by using a Sculpey push mold to start.  With a little more practice I should be able to attempt some from scratch!

I'm itching to move on to my next dollhouse project. 

When I started the daydream cottage I bought a Greenleaf Laurel/Primrose kit to make a contemporary family home.  Since then I acquired the Strawberry Patch which I envision turning into a townhouse inhabited by a glamorous actress or artist!  Then yesterday (don't tell my husband) I acquired 3 new kits. Greenleaf's Harrison and two old kits from S/W Crafts called the Victorian Stucco Cottage and The Lakeside Manor.  They were a great deal on Craigslist ($75 for all three!)

So now my plans have changed.  I think the Lakeside Manor will be a contemporary family home. I'll do a simple build on the Laurel and donate it to the family auction at my kid's school.  The Victorian will become a "Practical Magic" type witches house and the Harrison will become the home of Miss Marple type who has traveled the world.

But where to start and where will I put all these houses!!  The possibilities are endless.

I'm off for a week in the mountains.  I'll have plenty of time to think about it!

Welcome...

I wanted to thank my lovely followers. Having followers is a new experience for me so I'm still getting used to it.  I have 48 as I write this.  I've tried to visit all of your blogs.  There is so much wonderful inspiration out there!  I'll try and do a giveaway when I have a few more followers. Hmmm, dare I say 100?

THANKS again everyone and WELCOME!  I'm loving this miniature community!

(P.S.  What is it about cats and dollhouses?  This is Lola who squeezed her fluffy body through the front door of The Strawberry Patch.)

Emerson has a new pair of shoes...

I received a lovely little parcel in the mail while I was away.  They are little snake skin shoes from Susanne at Miniature Dreams.  I'm always surprised by how tiny miniatures are in relation to pictures of them. These shoes are really, really tiny!

Susanne used the tutorial on Casey's blog and I was the first to guess what she used for the heels (timing is everything!)  She also sent some extra materials so that I could try my own. Can't wait to get started!  Thanks so much Susanne!

A little girl doll...

My son wanted a little girl doll for the Ponderosa. Still a little heavyhanded with the paint. But I like how she turned out.  She is sitting with a basket I made using this tutorial at Bricolages & Compagnie.


I'm taking the kids to see their grandma for a few days.  I am trying to think of what mini-making items I can bring along.  I might try my hand at some needepoint using these books.  I should be able to bring everything I need if I keep it simple!

Getting Settled...

Emerson is getting slowly settled into the Daydream Cottage.  She is having trouble finding a sofa that she likes.  She was having one custom made but the maker gave up halfway through.  She is temporarily using this one scavenged from the Strawberry Patch...

For now she is sustaining her self on take-out chinese  food and tea...

Her cat whiskers is settling in nicely too.  He's found a new bird friend in a cage.  He hasn't noticed the fat bird on the windowsill yet...

The bathroom has the necessities...

A few more big pieces and lots of details need to be added but she is settling in nicely. 

Emerson particularily loves her Iceland Poppy that arrived safely from Greece!  Thank you to Michelle of Little Rabbit Miniatures for this wonderful Give-Away prize!

I think I have a problem...

I've only been doing the mini thing for a few months and today I acquired my fourth dollhouse! An almost built Strawberry Patch off of Craiglist...

Though it was started about 20 years ago, it still has all the extras to finish it. It was also  filled with lots of misc. furniture.  Not sure what I'm going to turn it into yet.  I'll have to wait and see if it "speaks" to me.

I need to finish the Daydream Cottage (Greenleaf's Arthur) first. I also have a Laurel/Primrose (still in boxes) that I ordered shortly after starting the Daydream Cottage to turn into a family style home. 

Then there is my Craiglist RGT Ponderosa (which is really my kids so it surely doesn't count).

Hmmm. Where are all these houses going to live?

Miniature inspiration

One of my inspirations for starting up miniatures was this wonderful book, The Princess and the Pea by Lauren Child...

 We've always been big fans of Lauren Child's vibrant and graphic style in our family.  As toddlers, my sons loved the Charlie and Lola books and TV series. As they grew older, Hubert Horatio and Whose afraid of the Big Bad Book became favorites.  We even named two cats Charlie and Lola! But when this book came out I bought it more for me than them.

Child created the rooms in the book out of cereal boxes and picture board, drew the characters cut them out then place them into the scene along with miniatures she found, commissioned and made herself. Then Polly Borland worked with her (in Child's kitchen) to photograph the boxes...

The results are mesmerizing...

Even Emerson is a fan of the work...

A chair and goodies

I find that I've been trying out all of the wonderful tutorials that I come across in blogland.  Hopefully the experience of creating these wonderful miniatures will help me to come up with some original ideas!

A few weeks ago, I tried out the Louis XVI chair from Lea Frisoni's beautiful blog.  I was very happy with the results except I've somehow lost the fabric for the arm rests in my pseudo craft room:

This will go in the Daydream cottage living room. 

I was excited to receive today in the mail an order from Carolyn's Kitchen esty store.  I was so intrigued by the recent giveaway on her blog that I had to order these two little dishes and the metal picture for the daydream cottage...

They are so sweet and came so fast from New Zealand to California!  Thanks, Carolyn, for the great service!