Happy Holidays 2021!!

 Happy Holidays 2021!

I hope everyone has been well! I've been busy writing books so I haven't been playing with minis as much, but I'm looking forward to getting back to minis and catching up on everyone's blogs. 

My next book, Is This for Real?, has a writer who is a miniaturist and posts scenes with a couple called Piper and Rob. 

Unfortunately, I'm not actually that good at posing my dolls, as this is Rob and he is supposed to be looking at Piper. I couldn't get his head quite right. 

But anyway, Happy Holidays!!

And Happy 2022! I hope it's a healthy and more social one!

When The Magic Portal Celebrates Partner Pursuit

 When The Magic Portal celebrates my debut novel Partner Pursuit, it goes ALL IN.

 Lol. It helps when you know the owner :)

Here's a book reading:

One of my closest friends Ketsia Elie of Itty Bitty Adventures made mini versions of my book for me.

I am so touched. And now all the animals get to listen to it :)

Here's the author opening up the box of those first copies of her novel. 

And yes, The Magic Portal is featuring Partner Pursuit in its windows. 

My second book Is This For Real? will feature a miniaturist, but Partner Pursuit features a lawyer. Here's the blurb: 

 

When a workaholic lawyer meets a fun-loving music marketing executive for opposites attract, friends-to-lovers adventures, which partnership will she choose?

Workaholic lawyer Audrey Willems is not going to take any chances with her bid to become a partner at her New York law firm--especially with only six months until the decision. 

Until she bumps into Jake--her new neighbor. Jake is a fun-loving music marketing executive who might just be The One.

He's funny, caring, supportive--and able to kill water bugs in the bathroom.

But Jake will never date a woman married to her job. His father was a workaholic lawyer who never had time for family.

And she's just got the case of a lifetime--the one she needs to make partner. Working 24/7 at the office may not even be enough hours to pull off a victory.

If only she had not met him now.

Audrey is determined to prove that she can juggle work and romance--even if managing court cases, candlelit dinners, and bike rides around Manhattan is a lot harder than it looks. She keeps canceling dates for yet another case crisis.

But when making partner is like a game of musical chairs and the last seat is a business-class alone, which partnership will she choose?

 #

I hope you are all doing well! Things seem pretty chaotic here with the launch, but it was fun to play with my minis again. And to feature my book in my little book store.

The desk of a writer

The desk of a writer.

I am sorry I've been away from mini land. I've really missed you guys and playing with my minis. I've been writing a women's fiction with romance novel. So, writing (and remote schooling) have taken up all my time. 

Actually my desk is a lot messier than that. I have craft reference books and binders and all sorts of things on my desk. Eventually, I will do a more realistic desk of a writer. :) 

We finally had a Big Apple Miniaturists meeting again in person (distanced and masked), and I was so happy to see everybody. And I also got so happy looking at my minis again as I was searching for various supplies to bring to the meeting. 

Once this book is released, I hope to play with my minis again. And my next book in the series has a miniaturist in it!

Anyway, we made books at the Big Apple Miniaturists meeting, so it was perfect.  

I hope everyone is doing well! 

January and the #minikitchallengemonth

 

So Robina of #myminiatureabodes on Instagram created a mini kit challenge to complete a kit from your stash each week. I have three boxes full of kits. And so I was in.

(Picture of my flower shop. The purple flowers in the stone work were purchased from Artistic Florals.) 

The first week theme was Outdoors. I chose a tulip kit from Artistic Florals and made the bright pink tulips above in front of the flower shop. (I really need to make a sign for that shop.) The white flower pot is from HBS Miniatures. 

Week Two was Vintage. pick a vintage kit or the oldest kit in your stash. Since I was afraid to go down in the basement and face my two boxes of kits down there, I decided to go with vintage-themed and made this Art of Mini hatbox.

Week Two was a piece of furniture. I loved this kit by Doreen as soon as I saw it, but I was definitely daunted by the prospect of making it. And rightly so. It took me the whole week, because the bottles each had about three coats of paint, then painted the tops white, and then I sealed them. And I discovered that many of my paints are drying out. 

But it was worth it. I am so happy I made it. Here are pictures of my progress. I think Doreen still has more kits, so if interested, let me know and I can put you in contact. 

I think I bought the kit via NAME, when the theme for a project was craft room.

Painting the little bottles

Almost there. figuring out the colors:

And we're done!

This final week was grab bag: to pick a kit from your stash with your eyes closed. I only took out my kits that are stored in the box in our apartment, but I picked out this kit from Nancy Enge. I also loved this kit as soon as I saw it. So, I'm looking forward to making it. 

Hope everyone is doing well. Wishing you all a great rest of the week!

Happy 2021!

I wish everyone a happy new year! 

 

N.A.M.E. Holiday Swap 2020

 I love participating in the N.A.M.E. holiday swap because I love receiving minis as gifts. It's so much fun to open the swap package. 

The theme was the holidays from Thanksgiving to New Year. Ten of us signed up so we had to make nine gifts. 

I made two items: a platter of holiday cookies:

Here's a close-up:

And gingerbread dough for cookies in progress:

Here's a picture of my making the first cookie tray in progress:

Figuring out how to arrange the cookies

The molds are from The Mouse Market on Etsy. I really like her molds. 

And here are my swap gifts back: 

I can't wait to use them in a scene. They're all so impressive. At first, I wondered, "why is there a scissor attached to this wreath?" and then I realized it was a candy wreath and my mini person is supposed to cut off the candy. 

Anyway, we make gingerbread cookies every year, so here are our real-life ones (already quickly disappearing):

Happy Holidays!

Christmas in the World of Penelope's Dollhouses

 Here are some more pictures of Christmas in the world of Penelope's Dollhouses. :)

Yesterday I had time to play (in the calm before the storm of Christmas Eve dinner) and so I made some scenes.

The golden retriever is by Ines Angelon (Tigrorso on eBay).

A more detailed shot of the children making a Gingerbread house. 

The plate of sugar cookies in Christmas tree shapes is by PuppenStuebchen. I bought it at the Chicago show. The gingerbread reindeer are by Caroline's minis and the assorted gingerbread cookies are by TinyArtMiniatures on Etsy. I made the gingerbread house and the icing bag. 

Some pies for Christmas dinner (bought on Etsy):

The strawberry tart is by TinyAppetities on Etsy. It makes me wish I had a real one to eat. The miniature fruit tart with kiwi is by Hobbymini on Etsy.

And the bakery is baking sugar cookies:

This cookie dough set was made by Sue Ayers from her shop Sue'sLittleThings on Ebay.

And a little girl is making her Xmas present. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!