laptop issues...grrr......

hey all,

i thought i'd post a new tidbit... my laptop is having some serious issues. i really need to have it looked at and hopefully fixed. until then, i have to use the computer at the college library. that means i can't upload any new pics (that really sux). so i will just have to tell you what's been happening and you'll have to use your visualization skills until i can post pics again.

a couple of weeks ago i bought the travel trailer and primrose dollhouse from greenleaf. it took a week for them to arrive and i was thrilled when they did. i built the trailer first. it was actually very easy to put together. next time though, i'll order a side of extra patience. i thought it took forever for the glue to dry on the different parts (it actually didn't, it just seemed like it). anyway, it took about 4 days to put the trailer together and then i got to paint it. so now it's an off white with a purple stripe going around it. i have some furniture in it and a sweet older gentleman named ernie sitting in his recliner. he's acting as security guard until the lady that owns it can move in. she's a traveling herbalist and right now she's off gathering herbs and other rare ingredients that she needs for her cupboards. ernie is quite content to sit in his recliner and have a beer or two. he really is a sweet old guy.

i just finished painting, staining and building the primrose. all i have to do now is shingle the roof. not really looking forward to that because i've never done shingles before and i really don't want to mess it up. so, i'm kinda procrastinating on that issue.... i'm also debating on what i want to use it for. i'm thinking about maybe a music store, since i already have some music instruments. i just need to put in some counters and a cash register. maybe a rug or two. that would be on the first floor. maybe an office on the second floor? or maybe turn it into a small bedroom for the owner to sleep? not sure what i'll do with it. any ideas from anyone?

well, that's about all for now. i've got to get home so that i can get to work :)
have a wonderful day everyone! and if you have any suggestions, please let me know!

huggs,
jan

My First Dollhouse.....

Hey Everyone,

I know I haven't posted in a long time....real life keeps getting in the way, and i wanted to wait until i had my new dollhouse before posting. That way, I could post pics of it as it progresses. This is a little cottage..it's 1/4 scale and was pretty easy to build. It came in a kit and took me about an hour to assemble. I must say, the "direction" were not what i expected. When you open your kit, you get the boards with the punch out pieces (easy enough) and a parts sheet. That's where it ends. The package says to use the parts sheet as your instructions and refer to the picture as best as you can....REALLY?? Ok...I can do this! So...I did!! :) I was going to do a step by step picture tutorial on how I put it together, but I didn't think of that until after the fact. Oh well..I will on the next one :)

This first pic is the front of the house. The play-doh can is for size reference. I didn't really think a quarter would do.



 the second pic is the back of the house. As you can see, I still need to do the inside. That may take a while to get all the furnishings done. I'll have to buy what I can't make...

This last pic shows the house on the board that I'm using as the base. It will be properly landscaped with a driveway, and a lawn. I'm thinking about putting in a wishing well and a swingset for the kids who may live there one day. I'm trying to decide what car the owners will drive...maybe a station wagon? (ooh i cringe at the thought of driving a wagon again lol)





 Now that I actually have my lil house, I think I can post more often with updates on its progress...that's the plan anyway.....
TTFN (ta ta for now!)

another windy day...

hey everyone :)

well, it's another windy day in paradise. the wind has been blowing for the last few days and gusting up to 50mph. it really sucks. i can't work in the wind and basically have to stay inside. my mare doesn't like the wind one little bit and tells me about it when i go out to feed her. i did manage to stop at the one of the local thrift stores yesterday and found some goodies that will make really cool minis. for example: i found this box, it's 4 1/4" wide and about 6"tall and maybe 2" deep. it has an opening already cut out in the front (i think it had a bottle of cologne in it at one time). anyway, i took one look at it and immediately thought PUPPET THEATER! i made a couple of very basic "hand puppets" last nite, but i'm not too sure that i'm satisfied with the way they turned out. i'll post pics as soon as i get them made and inside the theater :)

another set of goodies are these glass candle holders that someone had spray painted black. they had hot glue all over them, but that pulled off easily enough. i turned them upside down and voila! gazing mirrors for a magical garden!

another mini that i made, was that cute little swing set. it's in a previous post along with the website of the lady that created it. i decided to put the swing in a potting saucer with sand and greenery. i put glue in the saucer and covered it with fine sand. now i have to wait for the glue to dry and hopefully it will look the way i want it to before i add the greenery. if not, then the swing will sit in a mossy garden with no sand :)  i really hope it turns out well. there's is some tiny little fairy out there somewhere that would love to sit and swing on a nice spring day.

well, the wind is still blowing and i have some errands to run, more minis to make and a dance class tonite :) busy busy!

see y'all later!  if you like my blog, please leave a comment and follow me!

have a wonderful magical mini day!!

been away too long...

hey everyone,
after what seems like forever, i'm back. real life kinda got in the way, and i got seriously side-tracked. but i'm back now. i've been making some more minis and having fun with that, i seriously want to make more, i just have to figure out how. for example, does anyone know how to make miniature plants? i've seen a few tutorials but they aren't exactly what i'm looking for.

these are some tiny crystal balls that i got carried away with making. i love them, they're so tiny and will fit in with any little witch's cottage...don't you think? i also have some uber-tiny tarot cards that i printed and cut out. (i must be mad!) if anyone would like a tiny crystal ball, just let me know and i can send you one :)

i wish i could take credit for the little swingset, but it's just a variation that a lady named nicole created. if you want to see the original complete with step by step instructions, then here is her link: http://www.shabbybeachnest.com/miniature-fairy-swing-set/ check it out, it's really good!

these little barrels, i bought at ace hardware here in town. i used a silver marker to color the bands and then stained them with a cherry stain to make them look more authentic

i bought this adorable little fireplace at the swapmeet for a whole 25cents. i realized it doesn't have the base after i got it home. that's ok...i can make my own hearth...right?

the little broom i made from chamomile stems. it's easy to make and smells REALLY good! and the little crates with fruit, i got at a new craft store that opened up in showlow. they're so cute, i couldn't resist.

these are the tarot cards and ouija board that i printed off. i "laminated" the ouija board with packing tape. the penny shows just how tiny they really are :) the little books i made from a tutorial that i found online. i'm sure any little witch would love to have them for a book of shadows or a journal. they open and the pages are blank so she could write whatever happened to strike her fancy ;)

that's pretty much all i've gotten done so far! i'm still trying to get back into the swing of things :) see y'all tomorrow!

new idea

hi all!
sorry i wasn't online yesterday. had a bunch of things to do. we got a pretty good rain storm. thunder, hail high winds....the whole nine yards. I'm so glad it's over with! today is supposed to be beautiful :) 
i went to one of our local thrift shops yesterday and found this adorable little hutch. double doors, two shelves and my first thought was "this will make an adorable little doll house!" i got it home cleaned it up and went to take a couple of pics of it, and boots decided that He had to be in the picture as well. what is it with these cats and demanding their pics taken? lol

i. wondering if i should put a wall on each shelf to divide it into a total of 4 rooms. it's definitely a half-scale. i've got some furniture, but not enough. darn...looks like i'll have to go to the swapmeet saturday and see what they have :) i really wish they had a hobby lobby up here! closest ones are phoenix and flagstaff.  oh well... such is life i guess :) i can't wait to get this done. i'm hoping it's done before my granddaughter comes up with her mom for their family reunion in june or july. it should be done by then....right?

more minis :)

hi everyone!
i've uploaded some more pics of some minis that i've either made, or bought and i thought i would share. i got these cabinets at michaels on my last trip to the valley. i'm not sure if i want to paint them bright whimsical colors, antique them or just stain them. (i have a cherry stain, but it sure looks like walnut to me.) maybe i should just do one of each? i'm not sure at this point.

i made these next two goodies from kits. they were really easy (i'd never made anything from a kit before) and i stained them with the cherry stain. i'm tellin ya....it looks like walnut to me.



i wanted to take a pic of this adorable little brass (?) baby crib that i got at a thrift store. Kit decided that he needed to be in the pic as well so as to give a scale reference. never knew that cat was such a ham!

ok, that was interesting... kit's pic went above the paragraph. i didn't know i could just click and drag the photo to where i wanted it :) hmmm.....interesting!

i guess that's enough mischief for right now. i'll see what else happens later on today :)

huggs!!







welcome to my nest!

hi everyone, i'm jan (but i like raven better). welcome to my nest, such as it is right now. i love working with miniatures and have always wanted to get involved in them. i had a couple of dollhouses that my mom made for me when i was little. just recently, i stumbled onto them again and remembered how much fun with them. i haven't bought a dollhouse just yet, but i have been making and collecting miniature items to go into them.  i have bought some wooden birdhouses and i've started converting them into fairy houses. yes, i wholeheartedly believe in the little people and i try to be very kind and thoughtful towards them (especially when they take my keys or other items that i need) i'll upload some pics of a couple of the fairy houses in a little bit. right now i want to tackle this blog :)

ok...now for the fun stuff!.... these first two pics are some goodies that i got for about $3 at our local swapmeet.  i just couldn't resist. the little soldiers are an inch tall and shorter. there's also a bottle of brandy in case the lady of the house gets thirsty (hee hee)

 this third pic is of some cannisters that i made. i saw them on another lady's website with a tutorial on how to make them. i just couldn't resist and had so much fun making them. would you believe they're made from cardboard tampon applicators? (unused of course). i forgot to put the brad in the 3rd cannister, but that's ok for a first attempt! **Quick boo-boo fix**: I need to mention that i got this tutorial from casey. i couldn't remember where i had gotten it and she was kind enough to bring it to my attention. she has a fabulous blog. if  you haven't seen it, go check it out...it's amazing! http://caseymini.blogspot.com.

 this last pic is one of my favorites. it's a tiny crystal ball, a scroll and candles on a tray. the candles actually glow in the dark (finally found a use for that glow-in-the-dark polymer clay!) i tried to photograph the candles glowing, but i don't know how to turn off the flash on my digital camera :(
i thought i had another pic of some cabinets that i'm going to do, but i guess i'll have to upload them with the rest of my pics :)

 anyway, that's what i have so far!

let me know what you think! huggs, and bye for now!

Raven