Looks like I will need to make a new floor for this corner of the coffee shop. I finally got out the graph paper. Should have done that first!

As you can see, there is not much room here. It's a challenge to figure out where to put everything. Sounds like my workroom! 

I want one of these in the shop somewhere. I may try to make one? Gotta have a fridge! 

I like this too. I'll need a place to display my custom blend "Sunshine Coffee."  :D

The more ideas I find, the smaller this kit becomes! NOW I'm thinking about eliminating the apartment, moving the stage upstairs and reworking my entire plan! If I do that, I will have LOTS more room downstairs.

It's okay if I change my mind (again) right?

Glass Staircase

Now THIS is gorgeous!


Photo found at www.bodew.com/. If you like modern design go visit this site!

I'm just wishing, and hoping and planning and dreaming...

Hope you have a lovely Valentine's Day!

Inspired Renovation

This morning, I took my Mini Town Loft Kit out of the box and propped it up on the dining room table. Then I looked around the house to see if I already had things I can use to remodel it. This issue of Dwell Magazine is packed full of inspiration!

I found quite a few things I may use. The windows and doors were purchased for my future modern house. They fit here.

I found some fabric and scrapbook paper that may work? The staircase is from the old house I found on Craigslist.

The loft is not as big as I thought it would be. I'm going to have to think more about how I'm going to do the rooms.

For now, it's back to the beach house kitchen. I'm glad I have 10 months to think about how to design this kit!

Hope you have a great day filled with ideas and inspiration!

Decisions, decisions...

I took everything out of the kitchen this morning to see if there might be a spot for a small table?



I made this little table a long time ago. I was going to use it in the living room area but there is just no room there. I may build an L-shaped bar for this area instead of using the table?

For the right side wall, I bashed a couple of Michael's hutches and used blue painter's tape to hang them on the wall to see how they might look.



The cabinet next to the stove is the original sink cabinet that I had purchased for the kitchen. The microwave is hiding the hole where the sink was.

Before I get bogged down in more details and accessories I need to decide on the floor plan!

I've been going about this helter skelter. I need to make a decision and then get back to work.

Will you help me decide? I think I like this plan. Do you?

Just Thinking About It . . .

I'm thinking about entering the Miniatures.com 2012 Creatin' Contest? I love the MiniTown Loft Kit.



I'm not sure that what I have in mind would work for this kit, but it won't be a modern house!

I would finally repair and use some of the old furniture I got with one of my Craigslist houses.



I will need to make things and buy some things too. Like this car I'm watching on Ebay.



Sorry for the crummy photo. That's what you get on Ebay sometimes.

So I would build a "not so modern house" with OLD furniture and a limousine. I have some crazy ideas sometimes! LOL

Not sure if I will even enter the contest? I have until December to decide. Are you planning to join in?

Just what I need, another project right? I'm going to have to move to a bigger house or put my bed up on blocks to hide all of the other projects I have!

I actually finished Grandma's hair today. Thanks again Casey! I'm just waiting for the glue to dry and I'll show you how it looks tomorrow.

Hope you are having a good weekend!

What If?

What if I wanted to add some "neon" lights to the outside of my restaurant? Wouldn't that be cool?

I found this light strip at Save-On-Crafts. One of my favorite places to go for ideas. This light strip might work? It is battery operated, comes in different colors and is 1/8" inch in diameter.

They also have this 3/8" white wood strip. Siding, wainscoting, furniture?

This little bag of plastic beads would make great stuffing for pillows?

I have one hour before I have to go get ready for work. Time to stop surfing and clear off my wall shelf so I can move it to over my desk. Will I EVER be finished with this room?!

Hope you have a good day!

Idea In Progress

I spent some time this morning designing my new sofa. I'm using the basics of Mary's tutorial and just changing it up a bit.


I used a corrugated cardboard box to make the frame. The base is three layers of cardboard and the back and arms are two layers.

The hardest part was determining the size of the pieces. The base is 5" x 2 1/4". The back is 5" x 2 1/4". The arms are 2 1/2" x 2" tall. It's nice to have a little helper as you go along. :D


I plan to cover the frame with my linen cross stitch fabric. I don't have very much of that so I'll have to be careful! For now, I just folded my paisley fabric over three layers of mattress padding for the cushion. I'll add wooden beads for the feet.

I think the arms are a little bit too rounded so I'll probably change them? If you check out my previous post you'll see the look I am going for. I'll be making a chair too if this idea works?

Hope you have a happy day!

A Name for My Dollhouse

I woke up this morning with two new ideas! A name for my dollhouse and an idea for the conservatory.

My dear Aunt Adelaide continues to be my inspiration. Here is a photo of her at her 100th birthday party!


She still watches the golf channel, gets around with her walker and is as sharp as a tack. She finished the Harry Potter series of books right before this birthday!

So... in honor of her 102nd birthday (!) next month, I'm naming my dollhouse after her. Her last name is Beachy. I think "The Adelaide Beachy" is the perfect name for my house!

I had a "why didn't I think of that sooner" idea about the conservatory too. If the conservatory wall goes up against the house it doesn't need the glass there at all. All I need is the frame work.

I'm going to try to remove the glass all in one piece and then add the door. Should be a lot easier than cutting a hole in the glass? I'll let you know how that goes...

Hope you have a beautiful day with lots of new ideas!
Blessings, Kathi

Ideas and Projects

Not much getting accomplished here this week. I'm still making plants and should have something to show you in a few days? Here is one inspiration plant that I'm working on.


I like to find a photo of something I like and put it up on my desktop. Then I try to copy it in miniature. I had a huge staghorn fern like this in Florida. It was about five feet in diameter! It was so heavy that it couldn't be moved from the tree where it was hanging! My little one will be about 1 1/2 inches tall.

I like this post today at Completely Coastal. This shadow box gives me lots of ideas for my dollhouse! I want to make a tiny shadow box like Mercedes did. So cute!

My next project will be to build the conservatory. This is the one I purchased.

I want to see how it looks against the house before I cut the hole for the french doors.

Hope you have a happy day!
Blessings, Kathi

"Knock Off Wood" - New Found Blog

I just found this blog, Knock Off Wood. I am so excited to share it with you!

Amy builds "knock off" designer furniture for her real home. Any of her ideas could be reduced to dollhouse scale. She offers photos, measurements, cutting lists and step by step instructions!

Her friend Kristi built a little kitchen for her daughter Gracie. Check it out!

This is Pottery Barn's Hyde Console Table. I love Pottery Barn, but who can afford their furniture? Not me. Amy also makes furniture like Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware and the Land of Nod!

Pottery Barn Image

Check out Amy's post on how to build this beautiful table. I also think it would look great in Debbie's kitchen below her new birthday shelf?

I'm thinking smaller here - furniture for my dollhouse. Thanks Amy for all of your great ideas and tutorials. I love copying real things in miniature!

Blessings, Kathi

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe

I'm thinking about adding a window to my upstairs dollhouse bedroom. It will look down on the conservatory room downstairs. Here are three I'm considering. Which one do you like?



I would like a view like this!
Or maybe stained glass like this?

So while I'm cutting holes in my house, what would you suggest?



Blessings,
Kathi

Next Year's Project!

T'was the day before Christmas and I have a wonderful idea for next year's project! I'm going to take the Real Good Toy's General Store I bought and make it into a Veterinary office!
I love animals! I already have six (!) in my dollhouse! They will all need to go to the vet at some point so this will be my next project! Grandpa can be the semi-retired veterinarian!

I'm collecting ideas...














I think this
project
will be lots of fun!
I can't wait
to get started!

All things bright and beautiful
All creatures great and small
All things wise and wonderful
The Lord God made them all!

Mid Florida Golden Retriever Rescue

Don't forget to do something special for your best friends this Christmas!

Blessings,
Kathi
I have a new follower this morning! How perfect! Welcome Woolytales Miniatures!

Mini Book Covers? I'll let you know!

I may have figured out how to make mini book covers? I Googled and found some images I liked, copied and saved them. Then I opened a new Microsoft Word document and pasted the images there.


In the Word document you can right click on the photo and go to "format photo." Another window will open, and I clicked on "size." There you can resize the image to 1" by 1.5" or whatever you wish. Save the images and then you have small images that you can print.

Ideas and kits found at PaperMinis.com.

I'll let you know if this works? My printer is having issues that need to be addressed...

Hope you have a marvelous mini day!

Blessings,
Kathi

Inspiration

These images are from Susan Sargent.

If you love color and beautiful design, you really need to visit her website!

These items are real life size but wouldn't they be great in miniature!?

I'm always looking for inspiration for my dollhouse.

Where do you find yours?

Blessings, Kathi