A miniature lantern for Kassandra

I bought a miniature lantern kit from We Love Miniatures a long time ago, and I finally had the time this weekend to make it for Kassandra.  It was challenging, but so much fun to make:

I left it in black color to mimick one that I have in real life made of cast iron.  I figured since Kassandra loves black she would like it that way.

Annie has a wonderful YouTube channel full of miniature tutorials that you should definitely check.  She also offers some freebies in her website to make those tutorials, including the lantern that I finished (she doesn't sell the kit anymore, instead you can download it for free).

Here is the video tutorial for the lantern:

Kassandra was very happy when I presented it to her.  She is going to use it in her study, for those long hours of work during the night.  She says she is always afraid that the candle wax from a loose candle will drip onto her papers and books.  That won't be happening anymore!

I will be doing very soon another one of Annie's tutorials: a boxwood for Kassandra to put by her doorstep.  Waiting on the delivery of some urns to begin the work...

Little gifts for my belly dancing mates

As I mentioned that I am relocating soon, I wanted to give farewell gifts to my troupe friends.  This is how they ended up being:

Everything you see in the pics are printables from Vectoria Designs' shop.  The burlap bags come from a dollar tree store.

I used the mermaid tags because we played mermaids in our Summer performance last year. Along with all the wonderful printies come a pair of earrings from Alarde, a bag of Moroccan tea and the hand-made Egyptian magnets that I mentioned some days ago.

I hope everyone likes everything...

A couple of printable freebies for you

I have been organizing my miniature files this week, and I found a couple of things that I used to sell in my shop, which I was asked several times if I could make accesible as download for a printable.  Since the shop is no more, here is a gift for you all.  The Apothecary boxes printable and the Apothecary labels collection printable:

Both the boxes and the labels were made using real, unmodified vintage pharmacy and apothecary labels.  Some of them have been restored a bit, but that is all.  No letters were changed and nothing extra was added.  They are all authentic as they are (were).

I hope you guys have fun playing with them.  I just love making dozens of tiny bottles and filling them up!  As always, feel free to share and pass them around (links are welcome too).  Just do not sell the files or any creations you make with them. 

Mini chocolates box for Cris' sister

I finished yesterday Cris' sister gift.  I know she collects, but I have no idea of her personal tastes.  So I made her something that always has a place in any dollhouse: a chocolates box, and a gift bag:

I know she has a store, so maybe she wants to display the bag with some goodies inside, or in the arm of one of the customers.  I hope she likes them.

It surprised me how fast I was able to do everything.  It has been a while that I have been working only with papers and cardboard, and I had forgotten how fun was to assemble a tiny multi-medium project like this one.

I got today a package of stuff that I bought to refine my technique with papers: distress ink and some stamps to work with them.  I can't wait to try them out on the mini books!  More on that very soon :)

A miniature Historia Naturalis collection

My boss' husband is an avid collector of rocks, shells and other natural specimens. He is a biologist, and teaches in a high school.  One day hubby and I were invited onto their house, and he showed us some specimens of his collection.  I told my boss that I wanted to make for him a miniature shell collection, but that thought was forgotten for a long time.

Now that we are about to relocate again (it is a long story, and for another post), I am making all the miniatures that I promised people I woud do.  And I made his yesterday evening:

The label says "Found at Virginia Beach. West Atlantic Ocean"

Actually, I bought the shells at a Michael's craft store when I was living in Virginia. In a way they come from Virginia, right?

I brought it today to work to give to my boss so she could give it to him.  She says he is going to be awed, but not as much as their little girl, who is only 6 but already loves dollhouses.  I can't wait for her to tell me about his reaction!

This afternoon I am making a chocolates box for Cris' sister (the same Cris that gifted me the fabulous miniature hat, hat stand and hat box).  Pictures of that tomorrow!

Textured rolls for crafting

I have been obssesed with Egyptian miniatures since I found out Lilliput's Treasure Egyptian collection.  

I wanted to craft an Egyptian tablet myself, just for the fun of it.  But I wanted it to have a 3D effect, instead of just doing a base with polymer clay and adding an picture on top.  Well, lo and behold, I found by chance a wonderful shop where they sell textured rolling pins with all kinds of engravings.  And to my surprise, they had an Egyptian roll too!

I could not believe my lucky stars, and I was quick in acquiring one.  I also got some Fimo in a soft beige color (the packet is called Sahara).  And today I got the time to use the roll for the first time, and the results are marvelous:

I am very excited about the possibilites.  I have not yet made the miniature tablet.  I am so happy how these two samples came out that I am turning them into magnets to gift to my classmates at the belly dancing academy.  I only need seven more, lol!  My mom says she wants one too.  I'll post pictures when they are finished.