Creatin' Contest 2014 Entry - Thistlewood Cottage

I wanted to share with you all my Creatin' Contest 2014 build held by miniatures.com.

Introducing Thistlewood Cottage. As you may know I like to try different things and this year without a doubt I went all out on this one. The inside and outside is all done in air dry clay including the stones and fireplace. If you want to see the photos larger just poke the photo.

Lots of things I made like the shelves, vegetable basket (including the veggies), flowers, furniture, blanket, and some things were recycled and redone or from kits.There are even a few things from friends like the kitty, mouse eating cheese and the shrunken head! Ooh how I love these.

I hope you like my build and if you have any questions please ask. I am happy to share.

Thanks for looking and good luck to all those who entered this year.

If you want to see my dear friend Jane's entry The Elven Bowery pop on over to her blog here.

Jennybee

Adding frames to the walls and a weather vane

Hello everyone!
Just a quick post from me so you know I have been working on miniatures I wanted to show you some new frames and pictures I am adding to some truly bare mini walls and a weather vane I picked up at a mini show.

First things first the frames are those resign ones you can buy in a multi-pack. They were originally white with a grey wash over them to give a more faded look. They looked good but I think if I put those in one of my mini scene my witches would throw a fit! lol
So I painted them black and with a very elaborate  technique  - aka I took the lid off some shiny (yes I actually am using something shiny) bronze paint and with my finger I rubbed it over the raised pattern on the frames.  Then I found some cool Hogwart-ish images and some witch silhouettes and glued them to the back side. Annnd Done! Now I think these will do just fine on that bare wall and I only need maybe 10 more frames. HA

Ok Ok back to the mini weather vane!!! I picked this up at a local mini show and it actually turns/spins. Of course I am not completely sure what I am going to do with it yet but I know I just really had to have it and will use it in the near future. 8-) I'm not sure who the creator of the vane is but I can tell you the prices on her table were marked in pounds. Maybe it will find its way on the new room box I acquired...  Have you ever of a Fantasy Craft? I have a older room box they offered as a kit called Craftsman Style room box. I'm kinda excited about it and have never seen one like it before. It has a front porch with steps, a big wide window and door then a back wall and roof. The two side walls are acrylic so you can see from both sides. Below is a picture I found on the web of what the kit looks like but you know me it will not end up like this. I'm thinking rustic old kitchen or something. Who knows but I'm sure when I get it and see it I will know.

That's it for now, I hope you all have a great week. My next step will be making potion jars and tackling flower kits.

Whose this Witch?

Greetings everyone,

I wanted to show you a new witchie addition to my minis... Isn't she wonderful? I love her face who ever created her did a wonderful job. I have no clue who made her and she is not signed. Currently she is hanging out on my craft table. Because of her size I will need to create her own scene as she is 7inches tall from the top of her head to the bottom of her boots.  Although her lower half is wire to her knees, maybe I can put her in a high back chair and she will not look too out of place. Ohh then she could be at a table mixing potions or reading a book. I can see it now she could be reading in her favorite chair with piles of books, drippy candles and all. Maybe in one of those glass domes... Ok yet another project to add to my "To do list". Have a great week everyone and thanks for looking.

Love That Clay!!!

I may need to go to or start an Addicted to Air-dry Clay group. LOL  

Hi, my name is Jennybee and I’m addicted to air-dry clay. I just can’t stop using this stuff and fear I may need a forklift to move one of my projects I am working on before it ends! You can see all the bumps and lumps on the unpainted version but ohh I do love the painted version. This is actually 2-ish (yes I am making words up) layers of clay. The first layer I thought was a little flat so I added more here and there and with my clay tools (fingers, end of paint brush, knife or whatever else I had on the craft table) till I got a more stone effect. Then the painting by adding it in layers of various colors. Also before I forget if you do go out and find this clay make sure you get the white and not the Terra Cotta (unless you really really want that version) the packaging is exactly the same except in the top right corner of the package it will say white or terra cotta. Its not the same in any way shape or form. For me when I tried to roll it out it was very soft and almost thinner and stuck to my roller than the white version. Also it dries much lighter to a almost pink color if you will. I still gave it a shot and used it but ended up covering it with another layer of the white. Yes I did say I may need a forklift in the end...LOL  

I also got the Creatin Contest kit from miniatures.com It just seems like a fun challenge and not to big... besides I have the entire year to get it built and decorated so that's doable right?!? 

 








Now let me think of my mini list to complete this year...maybe!

• Conservatory - need to decorate

• The Witches House - never ending decorating

• Creatin Contest 

• Christmas Project

Hmm I think this will be a very busy year.

New Year New things to learn and play with

Hello everyone!

This year I decided to start the year off right and throw caution to the wind and play with air dry clay. If you want to see a bigger picture please click on the image.  I have used paper clay before but for small things like tree stumps for the Bait Shop in the Swamp. But after Jane from MiniFanaticus told me and showed us on her blog a new brand of air dry clay I had not used before I was intrigued. I really like this stuff!! It does dry much faster, so for me I worked in small areas and just added more as I went. Do you like my wonky bricks, they were fun to make? The photo colors don’t match but I did this on purpose so you could see all the bumpy, nicks, crannies and texture.  Shrinkage was also very minimal. Also if you live near a Michaels craft store using the ½ off coupons are awesome!

If you don’t mind me asking…

How many of you out there use air dry clay for your projects?

If you do use air dry /paper clay what is your favorite thing to use it for?

Do you have a brand that your prefer and if so why?

Do you make your own?

Thanks in advance for your answers I know there are many different types out there and I was curious.

Have a great day everyone.

Recycling Old Stuff

Do you ever have those pieces of furniture you have acquired and just have been sitting in a box or drawer and not sure what to do with? I’m guilty of this!! I try to off and on go through the said drawer to remind myself what is in there and it just so happened one of my misfit toys err adult collectible found a new home . Many of you may have seen them before and they come in different styles. Mine looked kinda like the one in black & white except for that big red X, I never had a ceramic bowl.  But what I did find in the other bin drawer labeled kitchen stuff was a small tin bowl and it fits! Also yes I confess I have a labeler and try to keep mildly organized. Anyways I made some modifications to the sink, removed the shiny (cause you know how much I love shiny furniture – sigh I sanded forever on the bedroom set - lol) added wonky panels to the bottom to hide cleaning supplies and upgraded it to running water.  More minis to come, I have quite a few things in the works, I just need to remember to take the before and then the after pictures. Sometimes I get too excited and forget to take the before pics. 

So my question for you now that I have shown you my remodel is do refurbish/re-purpose any of your minis? If you have I would love to see what you have done! 

Have a great week everyone.