Found my mini mojo

Hi everyone. After being really slack this year, I found my mojo. It was largely to do with a lack of functional space in which to mini, so I helped my husband put good shelves and work desks in my sewing room and it's now much more useable.

So I opened up my Dollshouse Emporium Mountfield kit and stuck her together. It is not far off being done for the most part, just waiting on a few bits like tiles and lights. I am using a lot of the furniture and accessories from the very first dollhouse I built (and pulled apart!). I will need a heap more accessories yet, but will work on that. I aim to have her finished by Christmas so that I can put together my chateau (which is already partially cut out).

Entry modified to include a laundry under the stairs:

Lounge room not far off - just needs a door and furniture/accessories:

Dining room. Dresser won't be staying and will probably make a square or rectangle table:

Kitchen, which needs more tiles to finish the walls (I extended into the dining room to give a bit more space):

Master bedroom (flooring to be darkened):

Second bedroom (still a bit green, needs lightening):

Music room:

I haven't done anything on the laundry, upstairs hall or bathroom, so will show those when I have done something! 

Hope your weekend is going well!

Other non-mini projects

I have had an extremely busy year so far. From January to April, we had many bushfires here in Victoria, so I spent most of my time working 14 hour days. But I find it very enjoyable work, so although it was tiring, it was fun.

We have been doing some work around the house such as painting and making shelves in my sewing room. This is good because now I have space to actually sew in my sewing room, and also some extra space to store my mini projects so I can work on multiples at a time.

I have also been trying to get my clothing business going, so I am working on a business plan, sewing clothes, making some accessories, time management and schedules, etc. Below are some pictures of my brooches I've been making from velvet flowers and other millinery items, and also a picture of me!

Cherry brooch with mushrooms:

A mauve and purple velvet rose brooch:

And lastly, me modelling one of the skirts I make: 

My Etsy store can be found here:

Dear One Etsy store

Hope your week has been pleasant!

Some progress on my half scale projects

I have been busy trying to get my Etsy store going and making clothes for the upcoming local maker's market, so haven't been making a lot of progress on anything this year. But I have got some pics of progress on my half scale projects.

The Buttercup is coming along. Below are pics of the bedroom and the kitchen half of the downstairs. Will need to go accessory shopping, but for now, at least I have the bedroom furniture (although I think something is needed in the front gable window area). I have also started on the landscaped base but it's not ready for any photos!

The floorboards are painted styrene sheets. I am really happy with them for a rustic cottage floor.

Below is the Chantilly bedroom which also needs some accessories. I will have to figure out how I'll fill the gaps where the roof pieces join. Perhaps I will just fill them and then paint over them. I hope I can remember what colours I painted it! I also think the rug needs toning down!

 I made the bedhead. It is pretty basic, but fits the room.

 The Chantilly salon with a chest I made from cardboard and wood. I will need to find handles that are small enough to fit it, which may be a problem. I hope to be able to handpaint some sort of floral design onto it.

And now the Rosedale. I used the Brodnax parquet flooring for the salon, bedroom and hall (as seen through the doorway) but fell just a little short. Dang. Not sure if this bed will stay yet.

The salon, with the cutest little sofa. I have painted the walls, but will add panelling and then repaint it. Probably the same pink, but maybe ivory. I have a fireplace awaiting a top coat to go on the left wall once I've made the hearth. Little table looks a little stark though....

Hope you are all well, and for those of you in the southern hemisphere, enjoying a little spring sunshine.

Thanks for Blogger help!

Thanks Gill and Karin for the advice. After some fiddling, my husband managed to get rid of the box. Maybe I will just leave the design as is for a little while!

On a mini note, I think I've reached the conclusion that it's easier to just toss all my half scale ideas into the bin and just go with quarter scale. I am just so over trying to find half scale furniture and accessories, and there is so much available in quarter scale. I just like how you can still get a good level of detail into half scale without it being too fiddly but it's so much smaller than one inch scale. I think I will need to get really creative and less lazy and design some furniture kits and get someone to manufacture them for me.

Anyway, have a great week everyone.

Need Blogger advice please!!

As you can see, I've finally updated by blog a little but not sure I'll keep it like this. Contemplating prettying it up a bit. But in the meantime, I am hoping someone with more Blogger expertise can tell me how to get rid of the 'this picture or video has been removed' picture. I've tried deleting the background and all, but obviously that didn't work. And I googled for an answer but came up with nothing. Thanks guys!

Kensington Dollshouse Festival

Well, I am a little late in posting this. But being back at work really takes up time! The festival was great. I didn't get any photos, but here is what I bought!

Some tiny perfume bottles from Gerd Felka. My husband and I wondered if the stoppers came out but I was too afraid to try. As it turns out, the do come out!

A needle case with opening lid, a thimble and a baby rattle, all turned from timber. It is mind-boggling that someone can do this.

Some ceramic vases in 1" and 1/2" scales from Poteries Miniatures (Elisabeth Causeret).

A very cute little teddy from Ankinaki A. So so cute and so hard to decide from her gorgeous selection.

A little dollhouse and duck pulling a cart from Veronique Lux. I have wanted Veronique's stuff (all of it!!) for so long, so it was great to finally get some pieces.

There was lots of great stuff. I could've come home with tonnes of stuff, but didn't have that much money. Plus, I did have one big splurge, for my French chateau I will build one day, but will save that for another day. I am awaiting some more pieces that goes with it, so will show you when they arrive!

Chateau Challain la Potherie

We didn't get to spend much time at the Chateau the first time we visited, so decided we had to spend two nights there this time. It was well worth the money! It was lovely to waltz about the place for an entire day with nothing else to do!

This was our lux bedroom! That is the biggest, comfiest bed on the planet!

And a beautiful bathroom to go with the bedroom:

It was wedding season at the Chateau. There had been a wedding the weekend prior to us arriving and the place had been adorned with flowers. Everywhere. This bride had one healthy budget.

Quite a lot had been done to the gardens since we were there last. Here is the front yard with one of the outbuildings (not sure what it was originally but had a pool constructed inside which turned out to be too cold, so this was then covered over).

This was a gorgeous wisteria covered cottage just outside of town:

And a very cute garden shed we found in someone's yard in the town:

Next stop, Kensington Dollshouse Festival!