Where The Pets Go

I've been thinking about how to make track lighting.

I will need some flexible tubing that I can thread my LED wires through.  Something that I can punch holes into to attach my fixtures.  Maybe even something that might look like light fixtures?

Maybe it's time to go to

to see what might work for minis?

Maybe I should go back to bed for an hour or so?  It is WAY too early to go shopping!

Have you found any minis at the pet store?

Hope you have good day!

Loft Ceiling

It's time for me to make a decision about the ceiling of the coffee shop loft.  Both of these images were found at Boston Lofts, a very inspiring web site!

 I could stain the beams.  

Or I could paint them white.

    

I mixed up some glaze this morning using 3 parts glaze to one part of my custom paint color.  Don't tell anyone that sometimes I use my real tablespoons to mix paint! 

I tried this glaze to see if I liked it. 

Yep.  Decision made. That was easy!  Wish all decisions were so simple. 

But then again, maybe they are not so easy?  :D

Hope you have a great day! 

A Woven Bench

My little bench is finished.   :D

It is made with 42 toothpicks, foam core, wooden legs and Casey's quilling paper.  I received the pillows as a gift from Angeles a long time ago.  I've used them in many places because they are just so cute!  

I enjoyed making this.  I may try another one using only natural colors like the inspiration photo in my last post.

Speaking of posts, this is my 960th post!  Whew!  That's a lot of posts!   :D

Thanks for following along and WELCOME to all of my new followers!  It's so nice to have you here!

Forty Two Toothpicks

Casey sent me a big bag of colorful quilling paper recently.  I am planning use some of it to make light fixtures for the coffee shop.  This morning I found inspiration for another idea.

I have all of the colors I need to match this fabric.  Thanks Casey!  :D

I glued forty two toothpicks into a foam core base.  Then I started weaving. This is what I've done so far.

Not sure where I will use this little sofa?  It might become a porch swing for Grandma?  You remember Grandma, don't you?  :D

THIS is my inspiration.  Beautiful.  I love the modern, natural look.  The table is great too!

 Hope you have a wonderful day!  Be inspired!

I AM a Plumber!

My bathroom sink stopped draining.  I tried Drano.  I tried Liquid Plumber.  I tried a coat hanger. I called my landlady.  She called a plumber.  He came out yesterday.  He took a look and told her that he "didn't have the right tools/parts" and would "come back on Monday."

What kind of plumber doesn't carry the right tools and part with him?!!  NOT a good plumber!

Here is my email to my landlady this morning -

No PUN intended, but now I can say that I, "DO DO PLUMBING!" 

I went to Home Depot yesterday.  I spent $16 on a new p trap and a pair of channel lock pliers.  This morning I removed the old and installed the new.  The bathroom drain is FIXED!  Done.  I will keep checking, but so far it's not leaking. 

The little gizmo that goes up and down to shut the drain is all rusty and not working. I may try to replace that too.  I'm not sure if you can buy those separately or if they only come with new faucets.  I'll check.

You can cancel the plumber!

Blessings,
Kathi

Don't be afraid to try something new!  Even if it is something messy or something "only men" can do!  :D

 

 

Pool Table Rails

I think I've finally figured out how to make the rails for my pool table.

Here are the parts I am using:
1/4 inch crown molding
A skinny stick painted white
1/8 inch by 1/2 inch strip wood
1/4 inch square dowel
Fabric









I wrapped the flat side of the crown with my fabric.  Then I glued the painted skinny stick to it to make a "feather board."   This was glued to the square dowel and then attached to the side of the wood strip.

Here is a photo of the end of the rail.  It will need to be mitered and the fabric folded down into what will become the pocket of the table.

I looked at a LOT of websites to come up with this.  The ones about recovering a real pool table were the most helpful.

Once I get the rails completed I can then attach them to the table top.  Something like this...

So far, I haven't used any glue on the fabric.  I will pull it tight on the rail and use glue on the underside if needed.  I tried spray adhesive on a small sample board for the pool table surface.  If I am very careful positioning my fabric I think that will work?

I need to make six of these rails.  That should keep me busy for a while!  The reason I am designing my own rails is that the tutorial is not to scale.  Real pool table rails are at about 6 inches wide.  One little piece of molding just didn't look right...

Hopefully, my coffee shop will get some attention this coming weekend?  I've been think about colors again and have decided that the entire project needs to be light and cheerful and sunshiny.  :D   No black floors or ceilings.  No dark furniture.  More projects to do, more things to make!

Hope YOU have a bright, sunshiny day!

I Am NOT A Hoarder!

I'm not sure what got into me this morning?  Maybe it was the interview I had with our new patient yesterday?  She told me she was a "professional organizer."  I told her I needed her help! 

We chatted and laughed about our houses and how we try to keep things organized.  She admitted to having her own dining room table covered with projects.  I liked her a lot!  :D

Today is garbage day here.  Inspired, I grabbed some trash bags and started stuffing stuff inside them.  I filled them with cardboard, styrofoam, plastic containers, pieces of foam core, broken clips and wrinkled paper...

ALL of this went OUT to the street!  Soon to be GONE, and hopefully soon forgotten!


I feel like I can breathe again!  I can walk from my work table to the closet without climbing over things!  Don't ask me why I hadn't done this before?  I have a lot of excuses.



Don't ask me why I took photos of my trash either.  LOL  My neighbors must be wondering that too!

Another reason I got sidetracked today is that I am stumped with my pool table bumpers.  I have tried.  I have cut wood.  I have wasted wood.  I have searched websites, reviewed the tutorial, clamped different things together and am still trying to figure out how to do this!

Then I found this fantastic dollhouse on Etsy built by Theresa Geer. I LOVE it!  It is a hoarder's dollhouse! 

Photo from Twisted Lady Gems.

Theresa also makes beautiful jewelry. Go see how cute the rest of this dollhouse is! Then go get a big bag and start stuffing it!  :D



I know this is crazy...  but I am painting some 5mm round beads to make little balls for the pool table.
My inspiration photo is on the right.

I could just buy some colorful beads, like these, from Fire Mountain Gems.  I really don't need to BUY MORE BEADS!

What I DO need to figure out is how to fill the holes.  Then I will need to paint on stripes and add numbers.   Now that I'm taking a closer look, six of mine should be white first.  Time to start over. Try clay?  Get a life?!!

I'm trying different glues for the pool table fabric.  They all look about the same on the right side but I think the fabric glue might work best?  I haven't tried spray on adhesive yet.  I'm also painting little cue sticks this morning.  Need to go put my contacts in!


Just a side note.  The notebook graph paper I bought has holes in it that are exactly 3/8 inch in diameter.  I found that helpful.  You might too?

Hope you have fun today.    :D

A New Game To Play

My "best offer" bid was accepted on Ebay.  Estimated delivery Thursday, July 12th!

I found this photo online.  Can't wait to see this in MY game room! Here is what it does!

How cute is that?!   :D

I remember my boys playing Pac-Man for hours at Chuck E. Cheese in Orlando.  Then we got one at home!  At the time I thought it very annoying. They won't believe "Mom" bought one of these!

I will be working on the pool table again today. I had to cut a new top to make it "regulation size."  Now I'm cutting the legs for the base.  Lots of little pieces of wood! 

I love working with wood.  I just wish my Easy Cutter would cut!   It is out of line and no fun to play with anymore.  Guess I'll need to get a new one...

My landlady will be coming over this week with THE PLUMBER.  I really need to get this place cleaned up.  She might not like it if she were to come here today!  There is saw dust everywhere!

Time for me to clean and then I can play again...  Hope you have a great day!

Pool Table?

Now I'm thinking about making a game room above the coffee shop.  There is just not room for a sports bar or stage. Every game room needs a pool table, right?



This morning I started looking for information on how to make a miniature pool table.  I LOVE this real pool table designed by Michael Wells,  found at toxel.com.

De at De-Lightful Minis made a pool table for her saloon.  She used a tutorial she found at One Lucky Bug.  I think De's table turned out great!  :D

I want mine to be more modern, like my inspiration table.  I cut the top from 1/8" basswood.  Now I'm trying to figure out how to build the rails and do the ball pockets. 

Looking at REAL life projects is always helpful to me.  This site gives complete instructions on how to build your own real pool table.  Yikes!  Does anyone actually do that?!!

I could just buy a little pool table.  Like this one on Ebay at Carolyn's Miniatures.  Sadly, it is not within my budget!

I did bid on a Hallmark collectable ornament that I think will be perfect for a game room.  If I win, I will post it.  It's another splurge, but like the Coke machine, not something I could make myself.

Mary Charles @ Mary's Dolls and Dollhouse store here in Birmingham once told me, " if you see something you like and don't think you can make it yoursef, then buy it."  I haven't visited Mary Charles recently.  I wonder if she has some flooring I might like?

If I am ever going to finish this project I am going to have to stop coming up with new ideas!

Hope you have a great day!

Keep Calm And Carry On!

I want to thank you for your sweet comments and encouragement yesterday!  I am overwhelmed by your love and support.  I must admit I did cry when I read what you said about my project.  They were tears of gratitude, not sadness.  Big HUGS to all of you!

Now it's time to get back to work!!!!

I clamped the shop together this morning.  I measured the crown molding (again) that will support the second floor and started work on the upstairs ceiling.  It will have wooden beams that are 16" on center.  :D 

The longer pieces you see will go over the extension for the stairs.  It is all upside down right now...  This is the second floor.

I still haven't decided what to do here? 

I'm feeling much better today and excited to start work again. Thanks again for your kind support!

Mini friends are the BEST of friends!  :D

I Could Just Cry...

I found a new (to me) blog this morning, Jocelyn's Mountfield Dollhouse.  If you haven't visited Jocelyn, you need to go! She has DONE what I have been dreaming of doing. 

She is creating a bakery/cafe shop with a lounge upstairs.  Her work is beautiful and so creative! She has scratch built most of her shop and accessories.  Here is a photo from Jocelyn's blog.  I hope she doesn't mind me sharing her work.

Jocelyn started her project long before I did.  I just found her blog today. Her shop is almost finished and I am just getting started.  I really don't know what to do...

Maybe MY project will come to a complete halt now that I have seen what Jocelyn has done?  Maybe I need to rethink my plans AGAIN and do something completely different?  Maybe I should just go back to Florida and hide my head in the sand!?

I could just cry...

Fun On The Fourth Of July!

Happy Fourth of July everyone!  The Birmingham News caught these sweet children doing exactly what I want to do today!  In just a little while we are going to Homewood AL for their annual street party.  I sure hope they have some watermelon!

Yesterday I went to Harbor Freight and bought some new toys.  Not sure about this little saw? Not sure it is safe?  Not sure it will do what I need it to do?  I can  return it if I decide to save for the one I really want...

They had the "Helping Hands" I've been looking at.  This one has a stand for a soldering iron.  It will be great when I get ready to solder my lights.  I also got these 18" clamps and some 4" ones for smaller projects.  The prices are amazing at this place.  It was like walking into a toy store!

On the way out, I noticed I was not the only woman in the store.  There was ONE other lady who seemed just as excited as I was.
I wondered if she made dollhouses too?  :D

I started working on the second floor ceiling of the coffee shop this morning.  Mostly measuring and drawing...  These are those poster lights I found.  They will probably end up at my friend's house.  She has kids that make posters!   Had to try them out though...  You never know what might, or might not, work!

It's nice to be back working on minis again.  Enough of this cleaning up and organizing!  I felt like I was going around in circles anyway.  Moving things there, moving them back, piling things here, moving them there....   Enough is enough!

Hope you have a nice evening!

Reading On A Rainy Day

I just finished reading The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein. Yes, I was warned, as you are, to have a box of Kleenex handy. It is a great book for anyone who has a dog or who has love one dearly. It is a great book for anyone really. It is all about life and love.

Today is a good day for reading here in Birmingham. We finally got some much needed rain. It was rather stormy this morning and the power was out for a couple of hours. Having a cute little clip-on book light really helped. I may even use it in the shop somewhere?  I also found a battery operated neon bicycle safety light kit on a clearance shelf at Walgreens and some poster lights at WalMart.

Interesting possibilities...

Now it's time to read my Cir-Kit Tape Wire Instruction Book. I won't be using tape wire for the coffee shop but I need to know the basics of wiring a dollhouse.  I want to thank Pepper @ MitchyMooMiniatures for her recent post and great photos!  Another good tutorial is at CDHM by Amanda Taylor.


I will be using LED lights and a smaller transformer from Evans Designs. They have the best customer service and video tutorials for beginners, like me.

I'm going back to bed with the books! Vacations are great, aren't they? :D