Conservatory

Spring has sprung or it might as well be but I am claiming its full on summer for that matter! I kid you not it’s almost 90 outside today and it’s supposed to get even hotter.  YIKES!!! 

So what does this fare skinned girl do when it’s that hot and sunny out? Why I stay indoors and make minis of course.  Al I mentioned in my previous post I cracked open the conservatory kit and did a dry fit. Now some people may take out each piece and match or label them up 

with the pictures on the sheets but I through caution to the wind and said I don’t need on stinking sheet. I have built a few kits before.  Mind you this is not a hard kit to build you have the floor, 3 walls and the roof.  Well the roof is a whole other issue in itself. You see the kit has a roof underside then you add the clear acrylic panels then there is the decorative over lay (wood strips). Except the strips of wood are too short and don’t reach to the top. Luckily I had some spare balsa laying around and it was the same thickness and just the right width to make up for the shortness.   

So far I put my first coat of paint/stain on all the pieces and then like glue now the wait to dry begins. I bet if I stuck them outside for a few minutes they would get nice and dry real fast. Lol  While drying I got out my notebook and thought this would make the perfect greenhouse to put up alongside my witch’s house.  So what things would a witch grow in a green house?  I was thinking cabbage, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and pumpkins we certainly cannot forget those. I made a layout where I will basically split the are up in half, one side will be plants on the ground level and on the other side I will run a shelf for potted plants like herbs and such maybe even add hanging plants throughout. 

See the snails and slugs I made last weekend now have a home. What else do you think is a must have for a witch’s greenhouse garden?   I’m even thinking of making a flowering vine plant on the outside of one corner. Soo many possibilities… Have a great week everyone!.

Snails, chair and sheep

Its been quite busy here at my place. I have been making minis and cracked open the conservatory box. I have an idea for it and even a chandelier I got at a mini show over the weekend. I'm just a little excited about this build and have many ideas... I got other things at the mini show like battery LED lights, metal record player kit and fabric trim.  I'll try to get a good photo of the chandelier and post it.
Over this past weekend I made some slugs and snails, currently the poor snails have no eyes but I still think they are cute and fear not mini folks they will have eyes this weekend. The slugs however will not have any and well they are just slimy slugs. lol
Oh do you remember the white and green writing desk I made for my mom? I thought she needed a chair too and with that flower fabric I showed you I made her one for Valentine's day. Lastly I would like to introduce you to new members of my mini world the sheep. Aren't they cute? I got them from LugArt petit, I could just have a whole herd of them in every color.
The week is almost over everyone I hope its going well for all and try not to work too hard.

Yep I went there and in pink to boot!

Ever wanted to be able to reposition a piece of fabric? How about an apron? I wanted an apron in the witches kitchen but with the idea that if I wanted to move it around and hang it off a hook or drape it off a chair I could. Of course not sure if I wanted a long apron that hangs off your neck or one you just tie around the waist I made both! First thing I did was grab some scrap fabric from basket and to mix things up I picked pink too.  lol I know your probably thinking what is Jennybee doing right? I went with pretty standard shapes being this was my first try but did add some folds in waist aprons and a little pocket.
I think I will make some more this weekend in some other colors. What do you all think? Any colors I should stay clear of or is there a certain color you would like to see one in? Do you prefer the type that hangs around your neck or tie around your waist? Don't forget to poke the image to enlarge it for more details. 

Have a great weekend everyone and thanks for reading.

Don't wash your car with the windows open...

Yepp that's what I said. I thought I would take a moment and share a real life story before getting to minis.  I had to take my car to the dealership this weekend for a safety recall and a oil change. Sure  you might think that's normal enough and they even offered to give my little car a complimentary car wash. Woohoo a free cleaning, pretty cool I thought. Until I got my car back and the passenger side of the interior was dripping wet. I did mention interior right..everything from the sun visor, door, seat and floor board. And that's how the conversation of "May I speak with your manager" started. ha

Alright now back to my mini projects. I did get the top floor (3rd floor) frame work up and glued in place this weekend so now I can put the plexiglass on to keep dust out. This also brings me another step closer to having to start on the roof. I know the roof will not take too long to glue in place its just getting started that takes me some time. Its really weird. I love building but the roof always gets me in a slump. lol

I also got the chair kits finished, if you poke the photo you can get a better look. I think I am going to put one in the kitchen and attempt to drape/toss/throw/wad up a apron on it. I have been seeing how some mini folks glue tinfoil on the back of fabric to get it to lay in the positions they want and well i do have tinfoil and fabric. I'm thinking this weekend I'll give it a shot and win or lose I'll let ya know how it goes.  Also I just noticed I have some new followers, let me say a BIG hello to you folks and how happy I am that you decided to follow along on my adventures. I hope you like what you see and if you have any questions, like how I did something just shoot me a email or post a comment.

Thanks again,
Jennybee

Chairs anyone

I found this fabric at Joanns Thursday and I really like it. I know, I know its a little on the sweet and cute side but hey its 2013 right? I can make cute if I wanna. So this weekend me and the cute fabric have a date. Besides I can always darken it with a little tea if its too light.  So beware evil glue I'm comin for ya! haha Have a great weekend everyone.

Making Christmas, making Christmas

Well no not really I already put all the decorations away and the house is back to normal. Er well as normal as the mini addict can be.  I just had that song stuck in my head for the last 6 hours. I wanted to show you a couple of things I just finished. I decided I didn’t like the half round table in the entry/hall of my witch’s house so since I have a (cough) few kits setting around I made a buffet table and another writing table. These kits go together fairly well as long as you follow the directions and use the right glue.  Now some of you may or may not know glue and I are not always the best of friends. Case in point with the buffet table, I could not find the bottle of wood glue. I think it ran away but that’s my theory. So I tried tacky glue and was going well until after I painted the first coat of paint and then starting sanding. One of the legs fell off and then another.  Then after I’m sure the wood glue had decided I had been tortured enough the bottle suddenly showed up and I could glue the legs back on.  The writing desk I swear went better and the wood glue stayed on the craft table long enough for me to finish it. I used black and brown paint then sanded between each layer. I’m curious though… What do you think, do you prefer these two that look more like natural stained wood or the other one I made in the last post that was white and green?  I like both but I think it depends on the setting/room they would go in. Ok I’m off to go lock down the glue bottles. 

Best wishes to all...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each and everyone!!

However you may celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful time with your loved ones.
I wanted to take a minute to say how much I have enjoyed this past year meeting new people and reading you blogs. I get a lot of enjoyment reading them and have learned a lot too.

Best wishes,

Twas the Night before....

I think I'm safe to post this since I know the new owner of this writing desk is still wrapping presents. The desk is from a kit which I put together and painted in a layers of green and white. Then sanded off some of those said layers...Its funny how we spend so much time painting our minis and then sanding the paint back off. lol
I also made a little frame which I painted in like colors. The waste basket was also made by me, it was my first try and will stay with me to go into my witches house. Its not bad for a first time I think, but the next one or 20 will turn out much better I bet. Then maybe I will give one of those away. I think I will need one of those lighted magnifiers though,  lord have mercy even with my glasses the white wire and white thread was gettting hard to see.

Christmas Workshop

Back before the only local mini store went out of business I picked up a previoulsy decorated room box for a steal. Now realizing how much I had to do to it I understand why it was a great price. Ha When I got it the floor was covered in pink velvet and multiple layers of wallpaper. The walls had the wallpaper not wallpaper over the pink velvet flooring. That would have just been plain crazy! So of course to make it into my Christmas workshop I had to sand, peel and scrap out all of that to make it what it is today. The flooring is coffee stir sticks which I glued and stained. The walls are covered in scrapbook paper with wood trim. I also added the two windows which I had in a drawer not being used. If you click on the photo you can see the table I stained and painted and the little elf girl all in red. She is one of many my mom and I made. We made quite a few of them, they are porclean which we had fired at a local shop then painted and strung together. Over the past couple of years we have been dressing them and giving them as gifts and she made me this one. I think she fits in the room great. Also might I brag . . The snowglobe was also made by her from glass rods melted with a torch. The fridge is a Hallmark ornament that when opened the inside has a light. Ok now I'm really off to do get some decorating done. Have a great weekend everyone and Happy December 1st!

Etsy purchase and my precious new addition to the mini household!

 The pictures don't do them any justice but please take a gander. As Christmas fast approaches I needed to start getting the mini house in holiday spirits. What a better way then to decorate the foyer with this lovely candle and poinsetta  made by Jane from MiniFanaticus. Did I mention made...Well let me brag on she was also made: the bags with tissue paper, red and white Christmas box which had the silver bell inside, my very first christmas card in mini this year, not shown - - a book that you can open and flip through the printed pages and the little dragon laying all comfy on the chair.  Now my table is starting to look a little festive and with the shopping bags it looks like the residents of the house just got back from a little shopping. YEAH!!!  Thanks soo much Jane.

Now I'm off to decorate a tree or two before Verda goes on strike.

Todays letter is F

For frames and flowers - not fudge. If I made any mini fudge I have to make the real stuff and then it would be complete caos in the Jennybee household from all that sweet goodness. And well its really close to turkey day and I'll prob have to make a few things for that.
I needed some frames for my house and thought I would try to make them out of paper clay. Did you know miss Martha Stewart makes molds? Yepp she does and a little while ago while wandering through the local craft store I came across them and one of them had picture frames in there. So with coupon in hand they became MINE!
I was not sure if the clay would stick to it or not but after the first try I was relived and no sticking although the frame did come out all wonky because I pulled it out of the mold before it dried. Second try was much better, but then I had to waaaiiitt till the clay had dried. I must admit waiting for things to dry is a evil word with me.  lol This is why I end up having a very mess craft table because I get in the mini mode and then I have to wait, so hey I grab another project and then have to wait for it to dry. So then another project. . .  Its a never ending cycle but I did get frames worked on and the kit for marigolds out and in varying degrees of completition in the works. Egads that was more glue drying. lol  Also if you click on the photo you can also see my little acorn caps too! I found a bunch of these and thought they would make nice hanging baskets. I made two with the wire at different lengths, what do you think? I know one will go into one of my shops, probably the potions shop and the other might go into the kitchen. I'm thinking of taking some moss and yes glue down in the bottom of the acorn cap and then making some mushrooms to place on top.

Also my blog buddy Jane from MiniFanaticus just opened her Etsy shop if you have not been to Jane's blog before please take a look. She makes some very cute things and comes up with some great ideas.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Finished the couch, dressed 2 dolls and hung the pot rack

Busy busy thats me!! Since I last posted I made a dress for the doll in the kitchen. I still need to give her some sort of boots but for now she is at least happy to not be in her undies! The other doll next to the couch is a dress I got off etsy from Stuck in the Mudd which I think looks great as well. I also finished the couch I had been working on. Its another Chippendale kit and I was not really feeling that default blue fabric that came with it so I thought the black with little swirl dots would fit in fine. I also got the pot rack up in the kitchen. You cant see it but I used a round filigree disk. I bent the edges so when I glued it to the ceiling it would not lay flat. This way when I hung the pot rack I could turn the s hook that the chain hangs on to it would not touch the back wall. This also allows me to be able to easily swap out the rack if I need a bigger one in the future. I went a little etsy crazy not long ago and got some signs from Katie's Clay Corner I do love her Halloween signs and some other items which after I take some new photos I will post. You can see the Hocus Pocus one in the kitchen, the other one I got is a witches broom and says if the broom fits fly it!! The kids stole it and put in the upstairs bedroom where they have all the Hogwart house banners. Thats it for now, I'm off to finish carving pumpkins.  Have a great HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone!

Chair and Hanging Pot Rack

Jane made me to it...

Well no not really but she did inspire me to do something totally new and something I have never done before.
Tada..... I give you hanging pot rack.  I got out my sketch book and a ruler for proper sizing and then began to draw out my design. After that I got out my wire and began bending, curling, and cutting until I got a shape I liked. Then with the help from my husband we soldered the pieces together. Once it was all done I then covered it in paint and added the chain. I think for a first try it turned out pretty good and for a witch and wizard kitchen it will fit in nicely.  I also have some old Chippendale kits I bought a while back and pulled out a chair and couch. Take a poke at the picture if you want a closer look. I found the fabric at Joanns and thought the print was not too big for minis. Since its going to go into my witch/wizard house I wanted it to be a little wonky so I left one leg off and used books to hold it up. I still have some staining to do on it to make the fabric look older and used and I think it needs a throw or maybe those doilies on the arms to give it a older feel. The couch I'll have to post next time as its still in parts ans has no  legs.  I would also like to welcome PrettyMade's Fancy, Eliana, Victoria, Anne and Angeles for following my blog. I really appreciate it.  I do follow all your blogs and enjoy all your mini finds and creations. This week I am going to try to finish the couch and put my poor mini kitchen back together again. I decided to move things around in there and pulled everything out. Now I have pots and pans all over the place. No really I'm not kidding, I even have soup cans in the upstairs bathroom. Please don't tell Verda, so far I have kept her out of there but I'm sure its only a matter of time befire she catches on and yells!  Have a great everyone. 

Fall Felt

Last night I was looking at my felt squares and then I had a thought…FALL

So I grabbed some supplies listed below and went to town. I think if you kept it simple this would be a great project for the smaller family members too. Heck this could even be a great project for them to make as gifts for family members like grandmas and such.  I come from a very crafty family so we are always making gifts.

Ok, ok back to what I did…

Materials:

• Felt - in various colors
• Buttons – different shapes and sizes
• Glue – I just used Arlene’s craft glue
• Scissors
• Leaf and flower shapes that you can trace over the felt or cut out shapes you printed from the web if you like.
• If you scrap book and have one of those sizzix machines then this will be very easy especially if you have one of those die cut shapes.

For the base piece of felt I started out with a square and then rounded off the edges, then cut out lots of different leaves and flowers in a variety of colors. Next I laid them out in an eye pleasing manner.  For me that was on the edges since the ceramic pumpkins that were going to set on them would take up most of the center part. Did I mention pumpkins?!?  After I found a look I liked I started to glue them down on top of each other and as a finishing touch I added a button in the center of each flower.

Ok I hope I was not too long winded and not too non mini.  Next post will be mini. 

 Also a big welcome to Vicky and Illyria for becoming followers of my blog.  I am truly glad to have found the mini blog world it gives me such inspiration from all over the world and the ability to meet people that if not for blogs I would never have gotten to know. Have a great weekend everyone!

Show & Tell

Happy Monday everyone!!

Also a big hello to Wyrna for joining my blog and my mini adventures. So today being very close to October I thought I would do a little show & Tell.  First to show my wonderful pumpkin cauldron made by Ella Rose Miniatures.
I just love, LOVE this... Between the pumpkin shell and the octopus legs it could not be more perfect! Of course now the fight begins as to where it will reside - the potion shop or the big house. Who knows who will win this but Verda is threatening not to clean if it does not go into the house. LOL

Have you ever seen those acrylic boxes that you can put a baseball in as a souvenir?  My lovely mom had a few when the local craft store put them on sale and sure enough I got cool gift. Poke the picture to enlarge it and you can see the little table and chairs she made from scrap wood.  Of course to complete the scene she added pumpkins and Jack Skellington!!
Now if the weather would just get cooler we would be all set!! Have a great week everyone.

Books and clay

Hello everyone Happy almost weekend!
This week I have been bust playing with clay and some old leather I found in the shed.
I don't know if you have the same problem but I always seem to have a smig or pinch of leftover clay and it always ends up in the misc bag. Well when that bag gets full enough I make books like the 3 in the photo. Its rather fun I just take the different colors and in very technical terms just smush them all together until I get these varied swirls. lol then with pale clay i make the rectangle for the inside as pages then wrap the colorful layer on the outside and then cut and shape. Then with a blade or knife I make indentations to make the inside clay look like pages. After I cook the clay to at the recommended temp and time I can then use watered down paint to make the pages more visible.  I also found some scrap leather which I cut and wrapped around pieces of balsa to help fill my bookcase. If you poke the photos you can also see my version of the mouse that was half turned into a cup by one of the still in Hogwarts. Thats it for now I need to go see if I can change that poor mouse back before someone tries to drink from it. Have a great evening.

Potion Shop Witch

And here she is, isn't she wonderful?

Potion Shop

So this weekend I was worked on my second shop of the Street Shops.  I know a long while back I posted pictures of the other shop but this one is the potion shop. If you would like to see a larger version of the photo please give it a poke with the mouse.  The interior walls of this kit were fun to make and a little messy. After sealing the walls with primer I smeared tacky glue and added tissue paper. I think I got more depth/texture in the walls this way and when I painted them I did it in many layers of watered down colors. In the bottom photo I made a rack from scrap wood and wire to hang all the drying plant material that I conveniently found in the back yard. A lot of the non-glass jars are made by me from paper clay including the pumpkins. The scrolls and books are also pieces of scrapbook paper or card stock that I cut, stained, shaped and painted. The small bookcase and cabinet with doors are Michael hutches; the one with doors was broken at the bottom so I cut that part off and aged to look older.  The old lady/witch was a birthday gift made by my mom a few years back. I’ll take close-up of her and the front of the shop when it’s nicer outside to get better light. There you will be able to see the straw broom and the mouse someone partially turned into a cup. The poor dear, that witch really needs to put that mouse back.