Teeny Tiny Mini Clocks

These little mini clocks were so simple to make.  I found the tutorial on dollar store crafts; sorry I can't find the link again.  Basically you print out a clock face (shrink it in microsoft word), glue it onto a rimmed button, and glaze with 3 dimensional stuff that makes it look like a window.

Edit: The 3 dimensional stuff is called Mod Podge Dimensional Magic.  Sorry for my bad memory and being to lazy to get up to check when I first wrote the blog, lol.  I bought it at Michaels.
You can get it online too: Dimensional Magic on amazon .

Miniature Clocks

 I did the little brown one first and the dimensional stuff overflowed and got all over.  Then I did the other three, each of which has a cupcake on the face.  In real life clock numbers 2 and 3 are nicest, but in photos the 1st one is nicest; weird!

Sadie couldn't decide which one she liked best so she bought them all.  I wonder which one she'll choose?  Poor Rufus is staring at the empty cake platter.  Soon Rufus, soon. ;-)

Dollhouse Miniature Patio Table

I made this simple patio table using circles on the top and bottom, cut out of a cereal box, glued together to make them sturdier and thicker.  The long part holding the table up is an empty spool of thread.  I glued it together, painted it, and added a matte sealer because I wanted it to look like wood.
The umbrella is a cocktail umbrella, and I am probably going to try to make the top part bigger.

Miniature patio table

Here's the cake stand in the cake display case. I also made a few more smaller cake stands, like the red one on the top of the display case.  I bought the silver platter at Micheals, and the pink tray is a metallic button. 

I think it's starting to look nice.  I can't wait to try some polymer clay cakes, donuts, cupcakes, and cookies!

Sadie is happy with our progress on our first dollhouse shop.  Rufus is still wondering where the treats are, lol.  I'm thinking I should have made a patio that goes all the way around, instead of just on two sides.  I like the look of the patio table where I have it, on the green place mat here.

 Here's a shot with my hand across the table from Sadie's hand.  She was wondering when we could start on the desserts and I was showing her how hard it is to work so tiny when I have such big hands, lol. 

Sadie and Rufus and I are sleepy; time to say goodnight! 

Dollhouse miniature covered cake stand

I am so happy with the way this mini cake stand turned out! 
I saw a tutorial on youtube showing how to make a cake stand out of a pushpin and a button, and that is what this is.  I also added a cover (the top of my hairspray, lol), and a foam bottom so it wouldn't be as easy to tip over.

Dollhouse cake stand

Miniature cake stand

Trash to Treasure mini cake stand

The tutorial made it seem SO easy to take the metal tip off of a pushpin, but man, it's difficult!  My Dad had to do it for me, lol. I showed him the finished product just now and he cracked up laughing over how small it is.  You can see the toothpicks in the background of the above pic to get an idea.

I looked through all of my buttons to find one just slightly smaller than my hairspray lid so that the lid would fit over it just right.  It was an ugly deep burgandy with black discolorations, so I painted everything white, then went over it with pink nail polish to give a sort of glass effect.  I like the way the white shows through, giving it a marbled effect.

The button had holes so I filled them with glue and let that dry before I painted it.

My camera's charge gave out before I could get a photo of the cake stand without the cover, so I'll do that tomorrow.  I also worked on a little bistro style table and am waiting for the glue to dry.

Well, that's it for today.  Minis are addicting!

Miniature Display Case for Shop

I am having waaay too much fun learning how to make miniatures, lol.  I worked on this house and display case from 9AM to midnight last night, and from 8 AM  to 8:30 PM tonight (with many breaks to watch Youtube videos on how to build minis, and lots of caffeine breaks, lol).  I'm learning a lot!

Mini display case

 The little doll (she really needs a name; how about Sadie, lol?) immediately decided the display needed to be moved.

 She was so busy she didn't see her dog, Rufus, sneak in.

 Whew; that was hard work!  Time  to sit down.  "Rufus, what are you doing in here?"

 Sadie moved things around some more while Rufus looked on.  He was very interested to hear his mummy mutter things about cupcakes and cookies.  Would there be treats, he wondered, wagging his tail.

 "We need a table and chairs and a shelf before we can stock the shop, Rufus," Sadie said.  Rufus turned away, sad there would be no treats today.

 Sadie looked around the shop, wondering where to put the chalkboard and the store sign. 

Sadie and Rufus will have to wait a while because I have to put this away for now.  I won't be able to use the dining room table to work anymore because the family comes home tonight.  I bet they'll be nice and tanned and relaxed from their week in Punta Cana.

 I'll try to work on a round bistro style table tomorrow.  I already cut the pieces out of cardboard.  After I get an idea of what I'm doing with cardboard, I'm going to try thin balsa wood.  There are so many things I want to try!  This is so much fun.

Miniature Bakery Shop in progress

I am having so much fun with this little foamboard dollhouse shop.  I added some real wallpaper as roofing.  I didn't cut it into strips to look like shingles because I think the pattern already looks roof like enough, sort of thatched. 

Back of mini shop.

 I love the little chalkboard sticker.  I used watercolor paint to write on it and it looks chalky; woohoo.  I want to make either a little bench or patio table for the back patio.  I also want to make some potted plants, and a sign for the wall.

Little min shop entrance

 I used stir sticks for the wood features, and card stock for the door frame.  I'm not sure if I should add more stir sticks to the front and back of the roof or not. The patio stones are shelf liner, not paper, but a sort of vinyl-like fabric that comes in a roll. 

Mini shop interior.

 I printed out some floor tile and am happy with it.  I used a matte sealer on it but should probably have used gloss.  I love the way the little doll is looking through the window, lol.

Side of mini shop

Mini window

 I love the mini window.  I wish I could get my finger prints off it, lol.

Little doll hard at work, lol.

The little doll is telling me we need to build a counter, shelves, a display, and a table and chair set.  Yikes, lol.  My week of freedom ends tonight so I won't be able to keep my stuff out on the table.  I'll only be able to work in fits and starts after today. 

Foamcore Dollhouse

I've been enjoying a week of freedom because I have the house to myself.  Of course, this means I get to "make a mess", aka craft, lol.  I have a cute dollhouse kit but have not tried to build it yet because I'm intimidated by it.  I decided to design my own very simple one room foam core dollhouse to practice on.  I'm so glad I did!

Foam core dollhouse WIP

 First I watched several zillion (or so it seems) videos on youtube, showing how to make and decorate cardboard dollhouses.  MyFroggyStuff on Youtube is awesome, and even though she makes mostly Barbie sized things, I learned a LOT.  Namely, she makes everything look easy when it's not, lol.

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 For example, in her videos she can cut straight.  Even with rulers, I cannot.  I did my best but my window and door openings are wonky.  I did manage to use some clear hard packaging plastic on this window.  I still have to make window sills. Thanks, Froggy, for teaching me how to do windows!

Entrance

 I love my little entrance.  My door, wonky though it is, swings open and closed on toothpick hinges, and the doorknob also turns and is held in place by a piece of toothpick and some glue.  I had to whittle the toothpick to make it fit into the bead hole.  Never thought I'd do that, lol. Again, thanks to Froggy for teaching me the technique. 

Interior

 I used scrapbook paper for the interior and exterior walls and I wish to heaven I'd have found suitable patio flooring scrap book paper, or roofing scrap book paper.  I found some real wallpaper pieces in the basement that I ma use for shingles but am unsure as of yet.  I kind of like the offwhite roof colour and the wallpaper is more of a tan colour.

Back Patio

I regret not cutting out another doorway on the back, but I wanted one full wall to play with on the interior.  The dolls and table are for scale.

My mini shop logo

I wanted this dollhouse to be a shop, either a bakery/cafe mix so I can experiment with making polymer clay cupcakes, donuts, cakes, cookies, etc.  I couldn't find a nice mini sign so I made one with a free logo maker online.  It's very simple but looks cute when printed on white paper and then glued onto pink foam sheets.

I bought some construction paper but it doesn't have brown or black; I couldn't believe it.  I really wanted black to make a chalkboard.  I found some chalkboard stickers instead but my white pencil crayon wouldn't show up so i had to use water color paint instead. I tried using puff paint but ruined a sticker.  The water colour paint looked like chalk so that was OK.

I still need to finish this and am running out of time.  I'm hoping to get the shingles, flooring, and window and door frames finished today,  and tomorrow I"m going to try to cut out some simple shelves, a display case, and a round table and some chairs. 

I highly suspect that I will be frustrated with making teeny tiny baked goods and will wish I had tried a Barbie sized dollhouse instead.  I would have, but I just don't have the space.  I did buy a faux Barbie at the dollar store and am tickled pink to have a Barbie again.  I bought some several years ago when I made Barbie items in plastic canvas, but I gave them all away.  I really loved that Barbie pool and picnic set.  I hope some little girl is enjoying it.