You may expect a lot of things here; from crafting experiences to corsets and rumblings about my everyday life, all of it showered with my interest for absinthe.
I always knew that my magic shop was not finished yet; even though it wasn't possible to stock up on more items, I was far from satisfied with it. So, inspired by the lovely Wise Ways Emporium (Deb's magic shop), I looked for new furniture for mine. I was very lucky, and found a double shelf that had just the exact measurements. So, here is a sneak peak...
Before:
After:
Even though it looks almost filled, I can assure that there is still plenty of room to add goodies. The black "wicker" shelf will be up for sale in my shop in a couple of days, filled up with witchy artifacts, so stay tuned...
The finished bed! I'm very happy how it turned out, specially since it's the first one I have made. The sheets are satin, the bedspread is velveteen and the bed skirt is lace. Two sleeping pillows and one decorative pillow with a black rose complete the ensemble. I have put it up for sale in my shop. I hate to part with it, but there is no more room in my dollhouse. I hope it can find a good new home...
Some time ago, I blogged about the idea of making a hobbit hole as dollhouse. Well, somebody else had the same idea, and just recently came across a blog in LiveJournal. ObeliaMedusa had posted some fabulous pictures of her astonishing hobbit dollhouse. Take a look, because this is a delightful work!
I have came across many tutorials to make dollhouse books; one of them taught how to make them out of polymer clay, like this one here. I didn't think that polymer clay books looked real enough to display them in my dollhouse, so I learn from one of Sue Heaser's books how to make them out of paper.
But oh surprise! Browsing through Etsy I found that BlueKittyMiniatures had listed a Book of Shadows, with a lovely pentacle on the cover. Carol is famous for her delicious cakes:
Although she sometimes surprises us with cookie jars:
And knitting bags too:
And she currently has available some others magical and whimsical books as well.
I know that Carol doesn't repeat her designs many times, so I snatched it. It just looked so lovely in the picture that I didn't mind that it was a "dummy" book, a book that doesn't open because it is made out of clay. In fact, I wanted it to display it over the lovely book stand that minibuilder had made for me.
So, this morning it arrived all the way from the UK, and it is simply fantastic! I am amazed at the details in the binding and the way the pages are worked. Here is a pic of it, over Ray's book stand:
I guess it's all in the bookmaking technique, because this is one of the most realistic books I have seen! I will have to practice my own skills...
That's what you will find at minibuilder. Ray is an awesome carpentry artist that makes furniture from scratch in the most precious woods. He is available for custom work, and his designs are fantastic. Besides, you will not only find the classic dining rooms, chairs, coffee tables and shelves; Ray sometimes surprises us with out-of-the-ordinary furniture like this amazing coffin:
Oh, how I wish my vampire lady slept in a coffin! But she says she is so happy with her recently acquired bed from Wightcrafts...
I have been a fan of Ray's work for some time, and just recently custom ordered a tall book stand for my vampire lady' study. It arrived this morning, and it's fantastic:
I had been looking for one of these for some time. Ray was excellent to work with, and my order was ready very fast - and shipped fast too! I am currently waiting for an special book to arrive to display over the book stand - also artist made, more on that in the future...
I was just browsing through the new listings for dollhouses at Etsy, and I came upon this beauty from huesdesigns:
So unique and so well-thought! I love how it includes a bit of soil under the coffin! Many people have forgotten than, according to traditional vampire lore, vampires have to rest in the soil that created them to keep their powers- that means they had to have soil of the land in which they were born as vampires. Why did you think Dracula traveled with coffins full of dirt?
If my lady vampire wasn't used to luxurious beds and fabrics will very much like to have a bed like this one!
Pardon the all-caps title, it's just that I am so so excited and happy (clapping hands and doing the happy dancing)! The Tudor bed arrived and it's so SO beautiful!!
I just finished re-arranging the bedroom and wanted to share some pics.
Before:
And after:
Let me share with you the insight of some of the decorations of the bedroom...
The reading corner. My lady is a great fan of the classics, and so she is surrounded by "Carmilla", "Frankenstein" and "The rhyme of the ancient mariner". She also is fond of writing her diary while having a glass of Vampire wine. On the wall there is a map of the Middle Earth.
Breakfast is ready! An artisan-made tray with a silver goblet and a carafe filled with fresh blood.
A corset, a garter and a garter belt abandoned on the floor. Maybe the remains of a night of passion? On the trunk, a box of red roses and a box of chocolates brought by her lover. On the wall, two portraits of Edgar Allan Poe and J.R.R. Tolkien. Some people say she knew them quite well...
Oh, look! The bed has a cupboard underneath. Perfect to keep out of sight that pitcher and basin. And a bed warmer, for those long Winter nights...
Can you honestly say you wouldn't spend a night on this bed? Mmmm, I wonder why I feel such an urge to go see "The Tudors" TV series right now... Don't forget to check Wightcrafts new designs!
No, I'm not laying on my bed while working! I am working on dressing my old dollhouse bed while my new Tudor bed arrives. I was inspired by debsminis' beautiful beds, and wanted to try and make my own.
It didn't occur to me to take a picture before beginning the process, but here is a catalog picture of how my bed was dressed when I purchased it - my bed is a different model, though; doesn't have a canopy:
Quite simple and unoriginal, right?
When I began to change the house setting for my vampire tenant, I did not want to spend much time working with fabric, so I simply laid a burgundy velvet bedspread over it and made a couple of throw pillows:
You can see the ivory bedding underneath.
Well, the make-over began yesterday. I chose a burgundy and black theme, to be in sync with the rest of the house. What can I say? My vampire loves those colors! The fabrics of choice were lace, satin and velvet. Luscious and decadent. I'll post pics when it's finished...
Even though many of us spend much of our free time in the living room - with friends, family, enjoying meals, football games, reading, listening to music, watching movies, doing crafts - I have always considered the bedroom the "sanctuary" of any home.
Think about it. It's the place when you go when you like to be alone with your thoughts. Or to write in your diary. Or to rest when you are sick. Or to cuddle with your other half. Only your most beloved people are allowed in this room. It's my favorite room to decorate, and the one that is the most true reflection of what I am. And this applies to my real-life house and my miniature house!
I was browsing through Etsy yesterday and I simply fell in love with Wightcrafts beds and furniture. I was fairly familiar with the Tudor housing style, but Leslie's designs are so well made and so affordable! I bought one of his Tudor beds immediately, and I can't wait for it to arrive. My dollhouse bedroom is going to have a make-over, and I am dying to begin with it!
Here is a sample of Leslie's work:
I understand that this kind of beds are not for everybody, though. So if you are looking for a Victorian style, or a more modern kind of bed, you can not miss out debsminis creations! Her beds are deliciously made, and her way of arranging the fabrics is simply outstanding. It's like somebody just tossed them aside! My all time favorite of hers is the Victorian sleigh bed:
From modern animal print sofas to luscious bed and bunks, she is certainly worth a visit! You can also check out her work on her web page. Everything is to die for!
Sometimes browsing through a regular miniature catalog can inspire you. Are you familiar with the camera obscura? Before the regular picture camera was invented, people could take a "shadow" or silhouette of their profile to display in frames, as we do with regular pictures. See an example HERE. You can even find frames with silhouettes pictures in miniature that are commercially produced.
But I have a problem with such portraits. Who are the people in them? As the same with antique photographs, why would I want a stranger in the sanctuary of my dollhouse? So, I search for a person that I would like to hang on my dollhouse. My vampire friend is very fond of Thomas Jefferson and his life accomplishments. Did you know that Jefferson owned a camera obscura, and that there is a wall full of frames with silhouttes pictures of his family hanging in one room of Monticello? Well, I found a beautiful silhouette (it even has his signature!), and framed it:
This is how it looks like hanged in my dollhouse's parlor:
As mentioned some entries below, I purchased some round tin boxes to turn them into patisserie boxes. It was such joy to make these, with the help of the Kemper cutters! It took me more than I expected, but I wanted them to be simply perfect. I am so happy how they turned out:
Shortbread cookies box and chocolates box. They both have colored tissue paper on the bottom, and the sweets are glued in place. I was very lucky to find a picture of the typical Danish butter cookies tin to decorate one of the lids!
This is how they look inside the pastry cabinet, in my dollhouse shop:
I made another chocolate box for the living room, to accompany the Absinthe tray. What is Absinthe without a bit of dark chocolate indulgence?
Probably the next cabinet that I'll do for my shop will have at least one chocolate box - this time made from scratch - as well as sweets, or Halloween goodies. We'll see...
When browsing around for ideas to include in my dollhouse pastry shelf, I came upon Dollhouse Delights' shop, and I found this lovely cake:
Dollhouse Delights offers to make a miniature replica of your special occasion cake. Isn't it a wonderful idea? The one in the picture is simply beautiful; my lovely vampire would definitely like one just like it!
Browsing the work of great miniature artists that featured little chocolates and cookies with the most whimsical forms I could not help but wonder "How in the world can they make something so tiny?" The answer is simple: cutters! Trivial, right? Well, wrong. Most of the cutters I found at craft stores or Amazon were designed to make jewelry or beads. Not knowing any brands, it was quite difficult for me to find cutters for miniature work.
Until the day I searched for "miniature cutter" on Etsy and came upon the brand Kemper. I was quick on purchasing a set of five, and I couldn't wait for them to arrive and begin experimenting. This is my first set of "shortbread cookies" made from polymer clay - they are a gift for my mom:
In the following days I am going to make more of them, as well as chocolates, to decorate the miniature tin boxes that I mentioned some days ago. Can't wait to see them finished!
Sometimes it's truly a pleasure when you add a final touch to an object. I purchased this gorgeous and out-of-the-ordinary Gothic chandelier, and although it's been hanging on its place for some time, I just added the candles. I hand-made them from polymer clay - believe it or not, the holes in which they sit are too small for commercial candles.
My house does not have electric light - I just prefer it that way -, and all the commercial chandeliers that I found were too "normal looking" for my theme. This one comes from janetplanet1 on eBay. She does not have them usually in stock, so keep on checking if you want one!
Wow, it's almost Fall and it's been some time since my last entry!
On my behalf I would say that it's been quite a hectic August; we went on vacation to Baltimore and Philadelphia, were I have begun a new collecting habit - penny coins. Sure you have seen those machines that you put a penny into and it squeezes it and engraves a design. No? Then, take a look at the Penny Collector web page.
I have been browsing a lot, looking for inspiration for new designs; also making little treasures for my mom's dollhouse; and of course, hunting for new objects for my own dollhouse.
I have purchased some little treasures since last time I shared pics, so here they are:
A whimsical working hourglass for the magic shop; a bit expensive, but worth the price, I think
I have been refining my chocolate boxes making technique; I bought a punch to make the top and the bottom more attractive than a simply square. And recently I have acquired some molds to make the bonbons and cookies. I am waiting for some tin round boxes to arrive to begin crafting like crazy!
Of course, I have watched the most recent movie of Harry Potter. Playing around in my head with new ideas for miniatures based on the popular books, I came up with this cabinet to sell on my shop:
Although the potion and the spirits bottles I have made before, I wanted to try something new, and made this cabinet thinking not on a laboratory, but more on a kitchen. The crate that holds the pumpkins I made it from scratch - it's my first one, and I am quite proud, as well as with the unicorn horns. The apples and the mushrooms were not difficult (not the first time) but I put the mushrooms over a page of an old issue of "The Daily Prophet" that is printed on a replica of parchment paper.
The pumpkins are Putka pods, that are seeds that are shaped like mini pumpkins.
When I redesigned my dollhouse to fit the vampire theme, I took out a lot of objects that didn't have a place on it. Many of them are now in my mom's dollhouse. But I have been able to recycle some others.
One of them used to be a quite ugly wood jewelry box, its inside covered in baby blue velvet, with a pearl necklace on display. Although it is not very clear in this picture, this is how it was before:
Here is a catalog picture of the box:
My mom helped me to remove everything from the inside, and I re-made it into a Tarot card box. I covered the inside with red velvet paper, and decorated the lid with a golden sun charm. Now it rests in my dollhouse's shop window:
While my mom was making all the clothes, I was busy with a new project for my dollhouse. She brought me a pretty cabinet that she didn't need anymore, and I wanted to recycle it for my vampire's study. It was a cabinet from a collection called "Rustic Mediterranean House". This is how it was before - I took out the glass covers from the doors before taking the pic:
As you can see, it is quite lovely, but not suitable for my dollhouse theme. So I turned it into this:
I liked the pattern of the lines, so I kept them, but I painted the cabinet black and the lines in a beautiful burgundy/wine red - mom helped to choose it. The drawer does open, and I covered its inside with a paper that looks like suede, in the same burgundy as the lines. This is how it looks like in the study, with all the accessories already in place (I am waiting for a brass mortar and pestle to add to the lower shelf):
My mother was more anxious than me to see it finished. She wanted to see it in its place before leaving for Spain. She got her wished fulfilled!
Yesterday, after finishing the cloak, my mom entered a sewing frenzy and decided she wanted to make a dress for her dollhouse. Something simple, but recognizable if layered over a bed or ironing board. She made a lovely black velvet dress with spaghetti straps. When she finished, she decided the burgundy taffeta fabric looked much more interesting, and she made this dress:
Isn't it lovely? Well, she made a matching capelet too:
After that, she decided that she did not want the black dress anymore, so I took it for me. And she was so nice as to make another one for me, this time in burgundy:
They both hang now in my closet. I went online after that to order some nice wood hangers... I'm waiting on them :)
It's been a while since my last post. My mom came to visit, and we've been very busy! Apart from all the stuff you do when you have a relative visiting, we have been crafting for our dollhouses. It's much more fun when we do it together!
Some posts ago, my friend and team colleague Hexotica suggested that I put a velvet cloak hanging from a hook. I am not very good at sewing, so I asked my mom to make the cloak for me. And here it is:
She says it looks like a ghost. Now that I see it on picture, it looks to me like the cloak of the Grim Reaper :D
The lady you can see in the frame is my grandma, when she was young.
Every dollhouse needs a box of chocolates! Yes, even one owned by a vampire. Vampires have visitors, you know?
When I found the blog of miniaturist Debbie, I knew I wanted to try her design of chocolate boxes. It didn't take me long, and here are the results:
The one with the black rose is for me; my vampire has a glass counter with sweets in her shop. Who said witches don't like to pamper themselves? So, the box with the black rose will go there.
The other one is for my mother. She simply loves miniature food! As soon as I show her Debbie's design she wanted one for herself. Wish granted!
LOL, I couldn't help it! I needed to stuff the counter of my dollhouse shop with money! I know they won't be visible on display, but that doesn't matter.
Since the dollhouse is supposed to be in Knocturn Alley, the central drawer holds the common European currency, the Euro. In the left drawer there are US bills, and the right one holds checks. What a kerfuffle for the accountant that balances the books!
My dollhouse has been a little abandoned in the last days, for lack of new projects to begin with. Today I was just browsing through my bookmarked miniature pages and found a picture of somebody else's witch dollhouse. Out of curiosity I checked it out, and the crafter recommended Jim's Dollhouse Pages, so I clicked and was in awe.
What a wonderful collection of notes and printables to use in your own projects! I downloaded some - my personal favorite were the Money currencies and the Office supplies. I can have some of those in my dollhouse shop! And seeing some of his designs helped me to come up with new ideas to sell in my shop. Isn't it wonderful when somebody inspires you so?
He even has a mailing list, so you can be notified when new designs are added. Fantastic page, so happy that I found it!
Although I try to buy from artisans whenever possible, I am quite fond of e-bay for finding miniatures, specially those of commercial nature. I never expect to find something of true quality of simply pretty there.
But today was an exception. I was looking for single stem roses for a project, and found this:
I fell in love! Although the new nature of my dollhouse doesn't go with this design, I find it truly beautiful. The artist is called Erika, and you can find these designs here. Her shop is well worth a visit; she is truly talented with floral arrangements.
My mom is one of those people that is not crafty at all. She can sew a bit just to mend or adjust her clothes, but that's it. With her miniature hobby, she buys anything she likes, or relies on me to make it for her.
Today she called me to talk about some miniatures she wanted to buy, and suddenly told me, "I've got something to show you!" And she sent me this pic of this bathrobe:
I told her that I liked it, and asked when did she buy it. And then she said "I didn't buy it, I made it!". She saw a picture of a bathrobe on an online-shop and thought what we do-it-ourselves people tend to think frequently: "I can do that". She used an old towel, and it took her about an hour, with pattern and all. She was so happy with her accomplishment, and she asked if I really believed it was bought. I really did think so.
Parents tend to be proud of their offspring. Today is my moment to be proud of my mom!
It's funny how sometimes everyday objects can find their way inside a dollhouse as decorative items.
When I found these book lockets from MousyBrown, I knew I had to have them. I actually used one of them to make a locket; I put a picture of Edgar Allan Poe on one side and a piece of parchment with the phrase "Shall be lifted... Nevermore" on the other. I was considering making a duplicate to sell it, when my mother suggested me to put it inside my dollhouse as picture frame.
Wow! What a neat idea! Actually, if you have watched "Sweeney Todd" by Tim Burton, there are a couple of scenes where Benjamin Barker is looking at a picture frame with this book-shape that has pictures of his wife and baby on it.
So, that's what I did. I removed the bail loop, and I chose a couple of pictures from the movie "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans". Lucian on one side and Sonja on the other. Hey, why are you surprised? I told you the occupant of my dollhouse was a vampire, didn't I?
