When Things Get Tough

I realized over the past few days that I need to refocus. I need to stop trying to keep up with other, more talented miniaturists.  I need to check my motivation. Who am I trying to please, and why?  Am I doing things because I want to do them or because I want to impress someone else? Has my hobby become a contest instead of a way to relax and enjoy my free time?

Last, but not least, am I having fun?  I have come to a decision. I am NOT going to enter the Creatin' Contest. I am not going to build something I don't like. I AM going to start having fun again!

I went on a little shopping spree today. When things get tough, go shopping, right?  :D

Here are the things I bought -

A new front door for the shop





Porch posts for the patio area






A dart board





New interior door                         

"Tin" ceiling tile




Now that I have my head together, so to speak, I can get back to work. No pressure. No one to please but myself.  Thanks for your encouraging comments. I promise not to whine again.

I'm going to make some palm trees while I wait for my Ebay order to arrive. I love making palm trees! I'm also going to try to add music to my blog again. Music always helps lift my spirits. :D

Thank you for your friendship. Hope you have a beautiful day!

Just Peeking In

Please excuse my absence for the past few days.  I wish I had something to show you.  I wish I could say that I have been working diligently on something. Maybe that I had a surprise for you?

But alas, that is not the case. I am just not motivated. Not inspired and too tired to even think of being creative.

This too shall pass. Soon, I hope.

How To Operate a Mini Table Saw

I was not sure if I should even share this video?  Check out the cuts this man has on his hands! Anyway, he has some great ideas and I got a kick out of listening to him. I learned something too. Always a good thing!



This video is part of a series by Ronald James @ Ron's Dollhouses on YouTube. Go see his amazing dollhouses!

Here is another video that addresses the issue I am having with the width of my blade cut. One of these days I will invest in a bigger, better saw.



I would REALLY love to meet Ron someday. No nonsense. Great carpenter!

Thank YOU for your helpful comments and suggestions last post. Always appreciated and taken to ❤.

First Cut

I made my first cut with my new little saw this morning. I have never used a table saw before. :D

I bought this saw at Harbor Freight for about $35. I can't invest in any expensive power tools right now. This saw looked like it would be great for small cuts and it is.

It cut this piece of scrap 1/4" plywood nicely. It was fun to hear the quiet hum of the saw and smell the sawdust.  :D

The problem is that the cut is too wide (1/4") and it would only cut a 4 inch length. The saw base is too small for larger pieces of wood and there is no fence to guide you.

The saw came with a diamond blade that is more narrow.  I thought I would try to change the blade and see if that one made a smaller cut.  I read the instructions. Really. Then I gathered up all of the wrenches I have and found two that fit the nuts on either side of the blade.

I'm not sure about you, but my hands are not as strong as they need to be. I twisted, re-positioned my wrenches and twisted again. Righty tighty, lefty loosey. That bolt is on tight!

Then there is this scary, sharp blade staring me right in the face and VERY close to my not so strong hands!

Don't worry.  I still have all of my fingers intact. No cuts on my hands or arms.
No new blade in my saw.
Not yet anyway...


I may take the saw back to Harbor Freight later today and see if someone can help me?  There is no shame in asking for help. Especially if it means saving your skin!


I'm going to work now. It is much safer there. Hope you have a great day!

Planning and Dreaming

I started planning my "new" coffee shop entrance.  On the left you see the fat front door that comes with the General Store Kit.  The other one is a 1:12 Houseworks door.  I can already see there will be bashing to do!

I'm thinking about adding an outdoor dining area to the right of the shop. So far I've measured and cut a new floor to accommodate the additional space.

I've always liked Barb's Garden Kit by Victoria Miniland.  I may try to do something like it here?  I found this video at Creating Dollhouse Miniatures.  




I may have to add another kit to my kit?!

Right now I have to wake up and get to work in the real world.  Sure is fun dreaming though...

Hope you have a great day!

A Little Change Is Good

The longer I've been working on my project, the more frustrated I've become. The loft kit, even with my modifications, just does NOT match my idea of a coffee shop. I think it wants to be something else entirely.

Yesterday I remembered the RGT General Store Kit that I had purchased a long, long time ago. It has been tucked away in the closet unopened. This morning, I taped it together and set up this little scene.

Now this could be a cozy little coffee shop. This could be finished in a few weeks rather than months. This is small enough to display either at work or in my kitchen. THIS is what I'm going to do next.

Don't worry about the loft. I have not abandoned it. It has just been relocated to my dining room table temporarily.  It will still have a pool table and modern furniture. It will still have clerestory windows. It will NOT be a coffee shop.

It will become my dream house on the beach!  Something like one of these...

A new look at a what was becoming a problem has rekindled my excitement. Sometimes a new perspective is refreshing.

Sometimes a little change is good.  :D

Beads Etc.

I went to Michael's yesterday to get some little really round beads for my billiard balls. Here is what I bought.  I just can't go into that place and only buy one thing!  If you poke the photo you can see all of my goodies better. 

I had a coupon plus some things were on sale. Love the textured felt. It will make a great rug.

I did get my little beads. They are the perfect size for billiard balls.  :D

I had to cut my triangle down to fit the smaller beads. Now it is very close to 1:12 scale (below). I needed two brown and two orange beads, plus one black 8 ball.  I painted those. 

Then I realized that the ends of my sewing pins (the six at the front) are almost the same size as the beads I bought! I could have saved myself a lot of trouble if I had noticed that first!  LOL

I'm not sure I will take the time to add the stripes and numbers? Maybe the 8 ball will get one? Writing numbers on 1/8" circles may cause blindness.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

4,658 Photos!

A gift for Beatriz in Mexico.
Summer 2010
Lost in the mail. : (

I just realized that I have 4,658 photos stored on my computer! Many of them need to be deleted. I really need to get them organized. 






I thought it would be fun to post some of the miniatures I've made for swaps and give-a-ways. You have seen them before. You may even have one of these?  :D

Chair I sent Beatriz to replace her lost gift.

  

     

I really enjoy making things for others and having give-a-ways. I love receiving gifts too. Maybe later I will do a post about all of those wonderful things?!

Hope you have a beautiful day!  Thank you for following my blog and for your kind comments. I love having you here!

Trouble With Triangles

I finished building a little rack for my cue sticks today.  I wanted something more modern than the ones you usually see. It was easy enough to make. I used round woodsies. The cue sticks can be removed when it's time for a game of pool.  I like that.

Then I decided to make a wooden triangle to hold the billiard balls.  Not an easy task for someone who did not pay attention in math class!

Anyway, I did it.  It took me a while. A LONG while. I have trouble with triangles!

The new measuring tool I got from MicroMark helped. So did my new Easy Cutter. I have no idea how to clamp this. SO I'm waiting for the glue to dry and hoping it won't fall apart when I pick it up to sand and stain it!

I've tried wood filler, spackle and now I'm trying glue to fill the holes in the billiard balls. I added one drop of glue. I think it will take two...

I will need to repaint them, then add stripes and numbers to each one. I thought maybe I would try punching some 1/8" paper circles and glue them over the holes where the numbers will go?

Teeny tiny numbers!?? Do I really want to do that?!  I'm not sure. My eyes are crossed already!

Hope you are having a good weekend. I'm off to see what everyone has been doing. Then I may go to Michaels and see if they have some 4mm round (really round) beads.  :D

Remember the little chair I made for the coffee shop?  The one made with fun foam and wire?  I couldn't find it this morning.

I wandered around looking in trays and boxes of things I have made and collected for the shop. All I could think was, "where is my chair?" I finally found it.

I also found a great tile design for the downstairs floor that matches my chair perfectly!  Here's a peek. :D

I have 12" x 17" floor to make. Lots of little tiles to cut and paste. The design is by Stu Neyland. I am using it with his permission from Villa Lagoon Tile. Thank you!!!

My pool table is waiting for my new Easy Cutter from MicroMark. No sense trying to cut all of those angles with my bandage scissors. Right now, it's in a bag...

The upstairs ceiling is a real challenge. Wiring twelve little LED lights has me a bit intimidated. I hope to find the courage to dive into this project this weekend?

One of these days, ONE of these things will be finished!  Promise.

I see so many of you posting completed projects. Beautiful things. Perfectly made. Me?  I post ideas. Works in progress. Occasionally you may see something DONE.

If you stick around long enough!  :D

Thanks for following my blog!  Welcome new followers and faithful friends too! ❤