Pop Up Shops

I found this container in Michael's in the flower section.  I am not sure what it is supposed to be used for, but I turned it on its side and now it is Pop Up Shops!

A hat store and a toy store (for the moment)!

It's good for showcasing little miniature collections. 

I seem to have collected quite a lot of hats, and I watched a Pinterest tutorial on making bags out of binder clips, which inspired the 2 bags in the corner. 

I purchased the doll on Ebay.  So happy to win her!

Of course, I still have plans for a bigger toy store, but along with the gifts from Hannah, it was fun to take out some of the little toys/books I have collected  and put them on display.    The little bunny in the watering can is from Jill Rothwell - I bought in the online miniature show.  The car boxes and the beautiful box of yoyos are from the Etsy shop of Juesminiatures in the UK (I think).  (Really, I have to start keeping an organized list of these things).  A lot of the other little toys are from a lot that I bought of NAME tote bag favors - at every NAME houseparty/convention, you get a bag of tote bag favors made by NAME clubs or members in the theme of the houseparty/convention.  I love the little forts and the crayon fire truck.

Here was a little scene I set up (around Christmas-time) before the toy store (and in-between was the Tom's Painting & HandyMan Services Office).  I made the little red-wrapped present and the book, and the walnut bookshelf is a NAME roundtable kit.  

 Have a great week!

A belated thank you to Hannah for the lovely Christmas gifts - now added to the Malibu nursery!

I received some lovely Christmas gifts from Hannah, although my pictures do not do them justice.

 

A riding horse, a sheep pull toy, a little angel and 2 books.  I especially love the expressions on the horse and the sheep!

Maybe, here you can see the horse's expression better.

And as you can see, I am still playing around with the Malibu baby bedroom.  I would like to add another bed for a toddler, but then it will probably look crowded. 

Meanwhile, we have a lot of snow here in NYC:

So hopefully tomorrow will be a good day for sledding and hot chocolate!

Happy New Year!

So, this year, I am just going to try to improve some of all my works in progress. And hopefully finish my Malibu dollhouse!!  And organize my craft room . . . 

But I've got help!

Tom's Painting and Handyman Services:  No Job Too Small!

(For those Americans with 3 year olds, I envisions him as the "Handy Manny" of my dollhouse town.)

Right now, he is on the unfinished deck on the Malibu dollhouse.  I am on Step 72 of the Malibu doll house instructions.  I can't remember on what step I was last January, but I think I got at least a whole floor done this past year.   At Step 95, it will be complete; but I also have the additional sunroom to build on top.  (I have not even opened that box yet).   It seems like there are still a lot of steps left (and that includes the staircases)!   I don't know how people do the work they do for the Miniatures.com contest.

Here is Tom!

So hopefully he will get that balcony finished - maybe when I am working or sleeping.   

He is also being hired by the family who lives in 48.  The kids have taken over all 4 upper rooms, so they need a parent bedroom and a bathroom and they can't really expand too much because their land is limited (i.e., no more space in my apartment).  They also apparently need an elevator because the rooms will be where the stairs were supposed to be.

While the kids are having cookie time with a babysitter:

 . . . after making a Gingerbread house - thanks to Kat from Kitty and Kat Miniatures for explaining how to make the icing bags - so cool and easy!  And the gingerbread house is made out of a brown work folder using the pattern from Ann Vanture's complimentary newsletter from www.paperminis.com
.

(someone needs to clean up the mess by the refrigerator and maybe Tom can figure out how to put  the door back on - because I have not yet). 

And playing while Grandpa watches:

the parents are meeting with Tom and one of the local architects

in a very small office.

As for Tom, he was a doll in my stash.  He was wearing this:

 I made Tom's outfit from an old white button-up shirt.   The bottom hem formed the cuff of his pants as well as the collar.

 His painter's hat is made out of cardboard cut to shape with the white cloth glued on with tacky glue.


So hopefully there will be some progress to report soon.

Happy New Year!