Looking for mini groceries?

The Sydney Miniature and Dollshouse Fair was on this past weekend. One of the traders I had an interesting chat with was Ann, the owner of the 'The Miniature Supermarket' - THE place to shop for groceries for your dollhouse.

Note: the AUS $2 coin measures 2 cms =  3/4 inch

This is just a sample of what's on offer at

 The Miniature Supermarket 

Ann produces her mini groceries with the Australian market in mind but her range includes global brands so international miniaturists should not be deterred from checking out her range.

Groceries range in price from a $1.50 for a box or packet item, $2.50 for cans and bottles, 3 litre milk/juice $3.50

All of the packaging is reproduced in miniature with the permission of the copyright holders.

And be sure to browse Ann's vintage mini book store

Book prices $6-8 (photo albums $12)

and the flower shop

 Flower arrangement prices $10-20

All prices quoted are in Australian dollars

Click here to go to Ann's store

For enquiries contact her by email at logan@optusnet.com.au

Happy shopping!!

I love Picnik!

A lot of the time I spent working on my friend  Rowan's blog last week (see previous post) was playing around with her images on the online photo editing website Picnik - if you haven't seen it before take a look and try it out - there are a heaps of free features or you can pay for Premium access.  There's a lot you can do with the free ones and it's REALLY user friendly. 

And it won't take the time it took me unless you too are afflicted with "perfectionitis" - here are some of the 'draft' versions of the image used on Rowan's Mexican Chowder post  (using the Polaroid framing feature)

made before I decided to go totally in the opposite direction with the density of the background colour - this is the published one ...

 If you haven't tried it yet pack up a few favourite images and take a Picnik this weekend - it's a lot of fun!!

1:12 or 1:1 - I want this!

Stine's blog (Vintage Chic) is one of my favourite places to visit for inspiration, this is from her latest post featuring Olsson & Jensen -I just love it. Olsson & Jensen have some really interesting pieces in various styles including grunge, colourful Indian inspired and retro. Click here to visit them if you're looking for something different to jumpstart your mini (or 1:1!) decor dreaming.

Photo credit: Olsson & Jensen, my source Vintage Chic

Thinking modern? Think Ikea...

Below is a link to the latest Ikea 'interactive' catalogue, you can browse online or download to your computer as a pdf file. Maybe some useful ideas/inspiration for mini furniture design and room layouts ...

http://onlinecatalog.ikea-usa.com/2011/ikea_catalog/US/

Photo credit: Ikea

Kits for 1:24, 1:48 and 1:144 from "A Sheila's Shed"

I want to tell you about a range of small scale laser cut kits, and other mini items, available online from an Australian supplier, Virginia of "A Sheila's Shed". This "Grandma's bed" is an example that's available in kit form in 1:24, 1:48 and 1:144 - it's so cute, don't you think? She also has some 1:144 structure kits, this is one example

These little kits are tiny 'flat packs' so the cost of postage anywhere in the world is small, and the prices of all the kits are very reasonable.

Virginia also has a selection of wooden wheels ranging from 10 mm to 100 mm perfect for carts, etc, as well as 2-D laser cut furniture legs in various designs. A range of architectural features are to come.

I have purchased some larger scale pieces from Virginia in the past, she's a delight to deal with so check out her website, http://www.asheilasshed.com.au/, and if you have any questions send her an email, she'll look after you very well.

Photo credit: I took some photos of Virginia's stall at the Sydney show in May but they are among the casualties of my memory card 'melt down' so all these photos are from Virginia's website.

Sandy's studio in spring, and a NY Times interview

In February I posted this Christmas time photo of this gorgeous little place in the Catskills, NY, USA that is the feature of Sandy Foster's blog My Shabby Streamside Studio - a 1:1 dollhouse if ever I saw one :)

The New York Times has just published a feature on Sandy and the studio at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/garden/24cottage.html?hpw

There are great photos of how the studio looks in the spring, as well as an inspiring interview with Sandy, a woman committed to following her heart no matter the obstacles that I admire greatly on every level. Take a few moments to check out the article and her blog, I guarantee you'll be inspired too :)

Oh yeah, and the challenge is still out there - which miniaturist is going to be the first to mini Sandy's studio?????

(Click here to read my February post about Sandy's studio)

Photo credits: Sandy's blog

When you don't know what else to do go play with boys...

Over the last couple of days I've been thinking about the best way to put a light in a display cabinet without wiring it to the main wiring for the house.

There are two main requirements: (1) a very small power source I could hide within/behind the cabinet somewhere (2) a light source that is bright but won't get hot. That led to two thoughts: (1) watch battery (2) LED lighting - voila here it is! Coin ceiling lights like those shown here in a 1:144 scale bakery and available for sale on a model makers website that primarily supplies "boy stuff". The link to the site is here.


They also have a range of other LED lighting for mini uses, as well as other potentially useful products, so it's a website well worth taking a look at.

And another great thing is that these guys WILL SHIP INTERNATIONALLY, AND they give a 2 year guarantee AND they'll replace the light if you break it during installation! All round good guys - I think I'm in love! ;)

(Photo credit - www.modeltrainsoftware.com)

Products for printing on fabric, and transfering images to wood etc

I'm definitely "in the zone" for printing at the moment! If you are too please read on........

Jody (Peach Blossom Hill), who's a quilt artist as well as a mini-er, told me last night that she has successfully used fabric printing products from Printed Treasures. They have an interesting range, for information click here.

Then this morning I received an email from "Cloth Paper Scissors" magazine - the feature project contained a link to fabric paper products in their online store, to go direct to that page click here.

But they don't just have cotton sheets for printing on - they've also got organza!


Woo hoo - this may be the answer to my prayers, I want to make some 'filmy' curtains and was puzzling last night about what I could print it on.

But wait - there's MORE


Could you ask for more than a product that will transfer onto wood, polymer, canvas and glass??? Click here to go direct to the webpage.


Also a note about Cloth Paper Scissors - I love this magazine and their website is fabulous. It's free to subscribe to the website and you get access to all kinds of project information, etc. To go to the subscribe page click here.

Inspiration galore!

This pic is from one of the Room Seven websites where you'll find the most gorgeous pics of kiddy clothing, bedding and bags to get you/keep you inspired. I found this website thanks to Frederica at 'Frederica's Little World' who has recently posted photos of the cutest kid's stuff, including some little jackets that she's made which she says are inspired by Oilily, a Dutch brand I'd never heard of but I couldn't resist checking it out. Their website is fun but I think the best eye-candy is at Room Seven. The founder of Room Seven is the daughter of the couple who created Oilily.

Now I'm off to do a bit more work on some minis - you think I spend all of my time cruising around cyberspace I know but I've got a couple of projects underway that just aren't 'camera ready' yet ...

(Room7usa.com is acknowledged as the copyright holder of the above pic.)

Transferring ink-jet printed words and images to wood

I've been trying to work out how to do this for ages. This morning I found a tutorial on it via the Modge Podge Rocks blog. To go to the tutorial click here.

A note of caution - if you try it remember to print the words as a 'mirror image' (ie back-to-front) so that they are correct when they are transferred. Have fun!

An additional note: if you can't get Modge Podge which says on the label it is a 'waterbased sealer, glue and finish for all surfaces' and which I've used for decoupage and to seal and strengthen papers I think you could try anything similar. But maybe try it on a scrap first and see what you think.

Here is a link to another technique you might like to try. It uses waxed paper made for transfering images onto t-shirts.

(Acknowledgement - image sourced from www.countryliving.com)

Generous 1:1 blogger Lauri's image

This stencil was created by Lauri at 'Chippys', I found it on the blog "Time-worn Interiors" and I immediately thought it would be a fabulous resource for miniaturists - I'm thinking cushions and chairbacks if printed on fabric (the background has a nice texture), or maybe bags, tin signs, etc if printed on paper and cardstock. The possibilities are limitless really.

Lauri has generously given me permission to post her image here. While that permission didn't come with 'strings attached' as for usage of it I think we should respect that it is her creation and use it only on miniature projects, and perhaps limit it to personal - I suggest it's only fair that if you want to use it on minis that you sell that you should seek permission yourself directly from her. Her email address is available through her blog.

To go to Lauri and Therea's blogs just click on their blog names above :) They are well worth a visit, lots of inspirational ideas :)

Incredible mini metal creations!

How fabulous are these little creations??!! They are the work of metalsmith, artist and new blogger Catherine at Kilmouski & Me, click here to go to her blog - you will be amazed and delighted!

My friend Melissa's exquisite work...

I've just found out that while I've been on holiday my friend Melissa Hoover (porcelain doll artist, doll luggage maker, miniature artist, etc) has recently set up a website and blog, her work is exquisite and she deserves lots of visitors to check out both! Please take a look...

www.zhibit.org/houseofmissymouse
www.missemouse.blogspot.com

(I tried to make these URL's 'hot links' but it didn't work so I guess you'll have to cut and paste to your browser - but it's worth the trouble, believe me!)

Tracy's Toys (and Some Other Stuff): Victorian Doll Trunk Full of Toys

This blog is a must for anyone interested in vintage toys! Click on the link below to go directly there -

Tracy's Toys (and Some Other Stuff): Victorian Doll Trunk Full of Toys