Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys "the 'little' show"

So while in Colorado skiing with my family, I was able to attend the Denver "little show."  

First, I went to the NAME table because they usually have some great bargains.  I bought a year of used dollhouse magazines for $5.00 and 3 roundtable kits for $1.00.  They had all these great room boxes, but somehow I didn't think they would fit in my luggage.

Here are some of my other purchases.

Top of my list was this owl by Teresa Dudley purchased from: 

www.OmniartsofColorado.com

.

And then I went back for a friend:

 Here they are in their new home with the sorcerer, although the owl looks a bit concerned about the very intrigued cat.

I bought this little wooden side table with the green glass top from "Metal Meets Wood" Miniatures.

Here's a cool birdhouse  from Merle Ralston - although I need to find a better place for it:

And I love these 2 plants from Genuine Imitations - the little turtle blends into the wood deck a bit:

I bought some contemporary books as well from Playhouse by Beverly:

And then I bought these cute bears and Santa Claus from Jenny Fortin: 

I was very tempted by some Native American and Southwestern Miniatures by a shop called A Little Something for Everyone - but I didn't have a project in mind for it, so I thought I shouldn't buy anything.  

So that was fun! 

I also went to the Denver Miniature Museum there and really enjoyed seeing all the dollhouses (and did some shopping in the gift shop there too!)

Funny Children's Books

It is that time of year when the NY International Children's Film Festival is happening in NYC.  

Fun for 2 reasons:  (1) some good films to see with my kids and (2) I make the little film catalog pictures into oversize children's books for my dollhouse!

 Here is this year's selection (with a few from last year):

An Elevator for 48

For Christmas, I created an elevator for my children's doll house. 

(I am way behind in posts.)  

Given the lack of space in our real house, it had to take up very little space. 

I looked at the Girl Mechanic illustration on how to make a dollhouse elevator, and I even bought weights as recommended, but then it seemed as if the final stopping mechanism was a clothespin.  So I decided to go with my original idea - which was to use a sailing cleet.

(Note Christmas decorations)

The elevator box is made out of matboard and wood.   I put windows in each matboard wall: I made the white one out of coffee stirrer sticks and plastic packaging as the window. I used a tool called the Ultimate Easy Cutter (bought from Miniatures.com) to make the angled cuts.  I love that tool.  

 I used a gate from Dolls House Emporium as the opening door and then made a little latch.  

  Here are some family members riding in the elevator.

It slides along a wire string that runs along the wood (with holes drilled at either end through which it is tied) (probably hard to see in this picture), and the elevator is attached to that wire by a string loop -  the dollhouse guy is leaning against that  loop in the picture above.  It is pulled up and down by the string in the ceiling which then wraps around the sailing cleet. 

Here it is next to the dollhouse (which still needs a lot of work):

That space there was originally meant for the staircase, but then my children each wanted 2 bedrooms for their respective dollhouse children (it's getting to be a very large family), so they took over the bathroom and the parents' bedroom (poor parents - no bedroom and they seem to have at least 8 children!). So now that space will become the bathroom and the parents' bedroom. 

Unfortunately, my elevator is a bit like a leaning tower of Pisa.  My children like pulling the elevator up and down, even though it is not perfect.  However, my daughter is still concerned about having to take an elevator to get to the bathroom from the third floor, so I may have to build stairs anyway.  (I guess they can be on the other side and cantilever out into the space under the desk that the dollhouse sits next to.)

I am trying to build lots of fun little features into this dollhouse.  I really wanted a laundry chute, but then I would have to drill a large hole right by the stairway landing so we will see.

Have a great weekend!

March Makeover

Here is a little bed my daughter bought in the children's section of the NJ IGMA show (I highly recommend this show for children - my daughter had so much fun shopping in the children-only section).

New Sheep Sheets:

 A new duvet cover:

And one little toddler girl cozily resting under the covers:

Have a great weekend!

Valentine's Day Crafting!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are some mini-crafters making homemade Valentine's Day cards!

Here are some close-ups of the crafting table.  This was inspired by the Miniatures.com catalogue Making Valentines item (43332) - I saw it and I was going to buy it, but then I thought I really should try to make my own first.  And it was lots of fun - kind of like when you are indeed making Valentines with your kids. 

The banner letters are from a Paper Source catalog that I saved from last year (I hope that they are sending another catalog this year).  

I found this bunting tutorial from Mrs Greene which explained how easy it is to make bunting.  In order to make the fold-over part, I glued the letters onto pink construction paper. 

Here's a close-up of the crafting table.  I used pink and purple construction paper as the base and just glued the rest on.  My children have a heart punch, so that helped.  And I used some free printables from the Dollhouse Miniatures magazine.  I cut the gold strip off a makeup box.  The little heart stickers are also cut-outs saved from last year's Paper Source catalog. 

Finally, in anticipation of Chinese New Year, I finally completed my Ann Vanture Chinese take-out kit and here it is (although there are also plates that I have not yet finished).

So my crafters have ordered some Chinese takeout to eat after their crafting session.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year!

My daughter helped put this scene together out of my box of stuff for a Chinese restaurant.  I had to make the tablecloth quickly because I didn't have table that matched the chairs.   We found the very large red fish on a visit to Chinatown.  The panda is my childhood pencil sharpener.

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!