Miniature Victorian House in a Bottle

http://cgi.ebay.com/Miniature-Victorian-House-In-A-Bottle_W0QQitemZ280326147574QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDecorative_Collectibles?hash=item280326147574&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50


Dana Perkins made this.
Quote from E-Bay Listing :
After making several ships in bottles, I decided to try something different. This is the real deal, and not a "retouched photo trick." It's a Victorian miniature house in a bottle that I designed and built from scratch. All parts, including the windows, were cut and shaped by hand. This was not a kit! The house was actually assembled inside the bottle using a combination of surgical tools and custom made tools I made myself. The bottle is a one gallon glass jug, and all the pieces went in through the small opening at the top of the bottle. The house is made from wood (basswood and birch). The roof shingles are made from index card stock. Shrubs around the house are made from lichen moss, and the ground is made from plasticene clay. There are more than 1,000 individually shaped pieces, including inner framing that helped hold the pieces in place during assembly inside the bottle. The house is well-made, straight and square. Any apparent waviness of the house in the photo is caused by glass distortion of the bottle.

This item is quite rugged, because everything is securely glued in place. In fact, during construction, I frequently worked with the bottle rolling around on its side and upside down. Sometimes I had to shake it upside down to get out a rogue piece that had dropped out of one of my tools. Still, if you are within a day or two drive of southern Maine, you should probably come and get it, or I can meet you half way, simply because the bottle is glass and might break during shipment.

Housecoat

Doreen's Kimono
http://doreensminiatures.blogspot.com/2009/03/making-housecoat.html



















Deb Roberts Kimono Tut
http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/news/articles/?a=27&z=1


Make some slippers
http://mishellyszoo.homestead.com/MiniSlippers.html

http://dwaallicht-dromen.blogspot.com/2009/04/workshop-pantoffels.html

Bottle Brush Trees for Every Season

http://mamanjackjack.blogspot.com/2006/12/need-forest.html

http://scottpublications.com/mcmag/kc/kc_nov06.pdf

http://miniatures.about.com/od/christmasminiatures/ss/xmastreegr.htm

Nancy in Renton wrote:
This is the tree I did this year for my DIL. I had to glue
things on it. I glued both ornaments with hooks and without. I used
the plastic that it came in to lay the tree on it's side to glue on
flat back "jewels" (like fingernail jewels) for fake lights, they
catch the light and worked well (enough). It also allowed for easy
gluing of no hole beads.

Last year I made the bottlebrush tree with the fake paint snow on the
tips of the branches. I put on a string of lights that are powered by
a battery box and hid it inside a box I made out of a silver paper
covered cardboard earring box. I hid that in a pile of miniature
gifts. There are several pictures of it, including with house lights
dimmed, in my picturetrail album Christmas Tree Box:
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=8588095&uid=1536277

tuts on making a mini tree out of tinsel pipe cleaners by Martha Stewart
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extfmt=default&rsc=related>

Mother Gooses

Pam Junk's QS Mother Goose:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/QuarterConnection/photos/album/1240741373/pic/479391616/view?picmode=medium&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc

Wanna from El Paso did a wonderful project:
http://www.wannainelpaso.com/dolls/mother_goose.shtml

And here is Mother Goose's Cottage!
http://www.wannainelpaso.com/latest_projects/index.shtml

Calamity Kim's Celebration Giveaway

Found this posted on Doreen Playter's blog:
(scroll down on the left-hand side to Doreens Miniatures - and check there regularly! She has wonderful ideas and her kitties.....
**************************************

Isn't this Annalee doll soo adorable?

Kim has had her mini apron published in the new Apronology Magazine, and is celebrating with lots of prizes!
Post a link on your Blog if you have one (or Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, or any of your message boards) about Kim"s giveaway and then leave a comment on her blog to tell her where your link is.
The draw is April 1!

Here is a link!
http://calamitykim.typepad.com/calamity_kim/2009/03/calamity-kims-apron-celebration-giveaway.html

Web-zine in many Languages

Free issues of Miniatures Magazine on Line.
Interesting and high-level workshops with teachers from around the world. Tutorials you can download.
You must join to see.
http://www.workshopminiature.net/en/mio-profilo/index.php

Miniature Wunderland in Hamburg Germany

Ann K. in Thorold, Ont. wrote:

This wonderful place is located in an updated warehouse and covers thousands of square feet -- it is not only a display of miniature trains (which is awesome) but includes many cities and world famous travel sites. The 'America' section includes Las Vegas with its thousands of lights, Cape Canaveral, Mount Rushmore and Yosemite Park and the year I was there (2003) they were working on creating the Grand Canyon. We got to see this in progress in one of the workrooms-- over the top of the miniature scene being created there was huge scaffolding where the people actually lay working on the scene below by leaning down and building it an inch at a time.
The city of Hamburg is re-created in great detail - the harbour (real water) including ships, bridges, tunnels, the main Sports Arena - with a soccer game in progress and the stadium filled with spectators (you can hear the cheering).
Everything is computer controlled and there is a full sound system for the area you are viewing, also a light control system which creates night and day as you proceed through the project. As you move along you find 150 push button action sequences to activate certain scenes.
The web site is fascinating and is well worth a visit to learn more - http://www.miniatur -wunderland. com/

About those trains -- the miniature Hamburg Mainstation handles 1500 trains arriving and departing constantly.

Hamburger Stand - Can't you smell the fries?

Our prolific Doreen Playter completed this project
a while age. See her blog for details!
http://doreensprojects.blogspot.com/2009/01/hamburger-concession-stand.html


Yummy!
Dolores
http://community. webshots. com/user/ DeesMinis

Magic In Miniature

Halloween
http://creatingdollhouseminiatures.blogspot.com/2009/03/magick-in-miniature.html

Mini-gravel

Jo in Ga wrote:
If you use the Brita water filter pitchers, don't throw away the filter..set it aside to dry thuroughly, hen puncture the menbrane at the bottom and empty the tiny gravel into a cup..makes great mini gravel..For a planter, I used the top of a flip top cigrette box and coated it with glue, then packed this tiny gravel all over..came out great..

Window Screen Mullions

Chris from Canada wrote:
Broken window screens, both metal and nylon, are a free source of mullioned windows for Tudor period windows in smaller scales, or even for use in a 1:12 china cabinet door. I made up seven 6" square window sheets from less than half of the mesh from a torn window screen last fall, and have used pieces of it in several HS and QS projects recently. Simply spray paint the mesh black or dark grey, blowing any paint out from the holes before the paint sets. (I hang it up somewhere with a clothespin so the air circulates to speed up the drying process.) Check for missed areas and respray if needed. When the paint is dry, lay the mesh flat on a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap and brush it with a thick coat of any water-based craft sealer. Allow to dry completely, then apply a lighter second coat. When the second coat is hard, gently peel the wax paper or wrap off and leave it another 10 minutes to ensure both sides are dry. If just a few holes are not filled with "glass", touch them up using a toothpick, but if there are a lot, give it another coat or two of sealer. Some sealers are thicker than others and require fewer coats to fill the mesh holes. Also, don't worry if the glass has flaws because the original windows were handmade glass, which was never perfectly clear or even anyway. The resulting window panes can be mounted horizontally for a simple square paned look, or cut and mounted on the diagonal for a diamond effect, which was commonly done in the better Tudor Period homes. Store flat between layers of waxed paper and card stock in an envelope or office folder.

Mixing Bowl

Barb Kenyeres wrote:
The new Tropicana orange juice carton has the best orange,
round plastic cap. It will sit on a flat surface and makes a perfect mixing
bowl. Colour even works for Fiestaware.

Boots and feet

Annemarie Kwikkel' s Boot tutorial
http://www.byannemariedolls.com/boot.html

Foot molds


Boot molds

Roombox

There are more photos in her album here.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/roomboxes/photos/album/2035828829/pic/list

Bagpipes and Tartans

Megan Sampson dressed her Ryan doll in hat,kilt,and leopard sporan.
She also made some bagpipes.
This is her post.
http://dollshousedolls.blogspot.com/2009/03/theres-been-makeover.html

http://dollshousedolls.blogspot.com







Linda McD's Highland Lassie

I scream, you scream! Ice cream Stools

Posted by: "Dee" dbttrfly@frontiernet.net dbttrfly
http://community.webshots.com/user/DeesMinis
Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:36 pm (PDT)
makingminiatures@yahoogroups.com

I posted a picture of what I used to make the stools. I found the base part
at Ace Hardware. They have these boxes with all kinds of nuts and bolts and
other things. I also got the 1/4 " thin walled hollow aluminum rod there and
the washer. The wood circles I got at Michael's. You just paint the wood
circles the color you want then attach the washer to the underside. I did
have to bore out the whole in the washer because I couldn't find one with a
1/4" hole. I cut the rod to the height I wanted and then glued it into the
base and then into the washer. I don't see why you couldn't use 1/4" dowel
painted silver. I'm not very good at explaining but I hope this gives you an
idea of how to make them.

Dee's Ice Cream Parlour She has done two - she must REALLY like ice cream!
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/563576860tMpbFN
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/570621940zEPBJT
http://www.picturetrail.com/deesdollhouses

Easter Basket

Easter Basket Factory
The eggs are made as are the baskets and the bunnies are ready to show off their Easter Basket Factory. Behind the table is a big basket of assorted colors of "Easter basket Grass." Our white bunny is fixing a basket and is now placing a book in the current basket being made. Beside the white bunny, there are several baskets that are finished. Actually, only one is completely finished. It has a bow on the front. Under the table are two empty baskets plus a basket of books and a basket of chocolate Easter bunnies.

http://www.martiesminis.com/content/view/22/33/

Make Fluffy Easter Chicks
Both these sites have more Easter projects as well!
http://miniatures.about.com/od/dollhouseminiatures/ss/easterchick.htm?nl=1

http://miniatures.about.com/od/easterminiatures/ss/fluffybunny.htm?nl=1

Mel in California has a post on Easter baskets.
http://melsminiatures.blogspot.com/2009/03/easter-is-almost-here.html

Lazy Larry the Leprechan

Leprechaun school’s head Professor was lecturing all of the young leprechauns about the importance of finding and protecting their own personal Pot –Of- Gold. Little Lazy Larry Leprechaun listened half heartily and frequently nodded off in class. After class Little Larry started his quest full of optimism and determination, his head was full of images of great wealth.
He searched for days with little or no sleep. He was very weary and began to feel he would never fulfill his quest. Then as he approached the top of a magnificent hill, there it was in front of him a brilliant COT-of Gold filled with soft inviting marshmallows.
He cautiously climbed in and immediately fell fast asleep with a smile of peace and tranquility on his face.
Needless to say Little Lazy Larry did not get an A in the professor’s class, but he did not fail. He enjoyed a good nights sleep and was able to temporarily partake of the comfort and security he dreamed of at the onset of his quest.
Nancy Cronin
nancysdoll@comcast.net
http://www.picturetrail.com/nancyc1938

Mirror or Aluminum Trim

Chris in Canada wrote:
The new-style pop-off seals from cans of ground coffee contain a 3/4"
square thick mylar 'mirror' on the top surface over the air vents,
and the rest of it is great material to use for aluminium trim for
counters, breadboxes etc.... in a 30's-50's kitchen (for counter trim
tool lines into it with a dead ballpoint pen or stylus), as well as
pewter plates and pizza or pie pans. The metal is easy to cut or
punch and using a ball stylus you can coax it into shallow shapes
that are quite sturdy. As long as you wash the lid in warm soapy
water first to get rid of any oils from the coffee, you can use water
based paint to make porcelain plates and it can be glued with
SuperGlue. This makes it easy to create the curlicues for an ornate
silver candelabra or picture frame using thin strips shaped around
something like a toothpick (or a pin if you are a mini-masochist). 

Lampshade from a clay pot

The lamp shade is a clay plant pot, trimmed with fringe. Beads, a button and a wire complete the lamp.
See the T2T on Rug fringe.
http://littleroomers.blogspot.com/2008/12/create-fringe-trims.html

Mini Books to go with those Glasses!

Make books by cutting cardboard or balsa wood to size. Paint the edges white or gold and cover with thin suede, cloth, or paper. Then carefully glue the picture to the front. You can also buy inexpensive books ready-made (about $2 a dozen) and glue pictures to the front. If you are filling a bookshelf, you can paint gold lines across the spines.

Ann Vanture 's tutorial:
http://www.paperminis.com/tutorial-library/kit-tutorials/book_ver4.htm

Martha TUT for full-size bookbinding.
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/how-to-bind-a-book?xsc=eml_tvm_2009_03_13

A famous South African Miniaturist, Barbara Brear makes awesome books.
http://bbminiatures.homestead.com/

Spring, Flowers and Fairies

See Carolyn Brown's Fairy grotto
http://www.mapleleafminiatures.ca/gallery/My-Miniature-Projects/fairytree/



Also Eva Perendreu Mata's blog http://mini-escenas.blogspot.com/search/label/Escenas-Room%20Box


Also see Melissa Chaple's fairy dollhouse.
http://enchantedwoodlandfaer.intuitwebsites.com/index.html


Add an Armature to a push mold:









Make a fairy wing:
http://creativedoll.blogspot.com/2008/05/fantasy-film-fairy-wings.html

Eye Glasses

1. Take 3 round toothpicks, shorten one, and fasten together with masking tape.






















2.Take a piece of wire, and wrap it around the toothpicks as shown. Fold the earpieces back along the sides of the toothpicks.




















3. Put a dot of glue in the lenses, allow to dry. Eh, voila!

Outdoors

Food/Cookout/Picnic:


:
Tanya’s backyard BBQ
-The BBQ is made with a small plastic Champagne glass found at the Dollar Store
- Fence is made from skinny sticks
- Cups are from tops of craft glue.
- Love the illusion of perspective using a picture of the kitchen beyond the French doors into the house.
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/7251673/280628132



Doreen shares how she made her roomboxes:
http://doreensprojects.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html

http://doreensminiatures.blogspot.com/2009/06/barbeque-for-shadowbox.html

Chris Pecherzewski from Mini-tiques did this BBQ scene.
http://snipurl.com/j0lta




Mel’s Miniatures: http://snipurl.com/cplri
Those sandwiches sure look good!









Mary Eccher’s Pannikins site has TUTs on making BBQ foods
http://pannikins.homestead.com/backyard_barbecue.html








http://www.intotheglue.com/photopost/data/531/BBQ_from_25_machine_bubble.jpg






Red Gingham for tablecloth









Make a picnic basket:
http://miniatures.about.com/od/miniatureprojects/ig/Beginners-Miniature-Projects/Make-a-Mini-Picnic-Basket.htm
*******************
Furniture:
- Picnic Table
- Porch Set
Chris in QS http://snipurl.com/cpj4v


- Umbrella - use a cocktail umbrella
- Chairs, Lounges – wicker, wood, plastic
http://www.the-art-of-dollhouse-miniatures.com/miniature-lawn-chair.html
Wheelbarrow Planter:
http://www.the-art-of-dollhouse-miniatures.com/miniature-wheelbarrow.html

Garden/Patio/Greenhouse:
- Gardening gloves
- Rubber Boots
- Gardening Hat
- Rake, hoe, shovel
Try this painting rust tut:
http://www.acanthusminiatures.com/page13.html
- Garden hose
- Printies – links for fertilizer packets, soil
- Plants, landscaping, flowers
- Chris in Canada: http://snipurl.com/cpj4v


- Plant in a seashell, lantern


Jo in Ga: http://snipurl.com/cpk41
Her album includes making boulders, planters

Doreen Playter made some masking tape plants
http://doreensprojects.blogspot.com/2009/02/plant-project.html

Check this site out –Granny Maude’s wonderful garden and potting shed
http://tinyurl.com/d7wekc

Here is a trellis tutorial
http://tinyurl.com/bm823k
Clematis Vine
http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/dollhouse_news/JUL2009/miniature-clematis-vine.html

Also, don’t forget to search Google images!
Maybe this will give you a few ideas for landscaping:.
http://newenglandminiatures.blogspot.com/2009/03/miniature-landscaping-part-i.html
Plant pots
Plant trays
Watering can - $store find painted silver

Lawnmower
Chris from Canada sent these directions for a modern and a push mower.
Modern:
The deck is a hollow box 1.5"x1.5"x1/ 3" constructed of thin wood (basswood?) with the edges and corners rounded off by sanding, and painted with orange enamel. The motor casing is a toothpaste cap painted shiny black and glued to the centre of the deck. You can even glue on a mini Mastercraft logo. There are 4 semi-circular cutouts 1/4" in diameter for the wheel wells, 2 on each side. On the underside, which was flat black, glue a piece of balsa to which are glued plastic wheels on axles cut from the bottom of a toy car, so the axles just cleared the top edge of the cutouts. It looked like the entire bottom plate of the car was removed, then the centre part cut out leaving enough of the plate to glue the wheels in place. The handle is a jumbo paperclip bent into shape, painted black and mounted to the deck by means of L-shaped bends right near the ends glued into a pilot hole. Run a black cord from the motor housing to the handle where there was a fake switch, and then on for about 1/2" to end in a seed bead acting as a plug.
Push mower, non-turning wheels:
If a 'lookie-lookie' mower is OK, here's how. Make the cutter assembly from two 1/2" wooden discs for the ends, 4" pieces of round toothpicks as the center axle and the three guards, plus 4 strips of heavy foil shaped into cutting blades. (Google for 'push reel mower' images to see how blades are shaped.) Glue that all together, then glue a small flattish bead to the middle of each end, followed by wheels from a toy car. (Just the wheel itself is used as it will be stationary.) Fashion a roller from a medium paper clip with some short black tube beads threaded on and glue the trimmed ends into small pilot holes made on the edges of the end discs. Two medium paper clips would do for the handle assembly, which looks like the letter 'T' with the clips superglued together for most of the length, splitting apart to form an upside down "Y" before the ends are glued to the cutter assembly. Make sure the roller is touching the work surface before you attach the handle assembly, and that the handle is positioned at a realistic angle for use.

Wheelbarrow
http://www.the-art-of-dollhouse-miniatures.com/miniature-wheelbarrow.html

Flooring, pathways, paving:
Egg carton brick path
http://www.thechinadoll.com/bricktutorial.htm
Stone Base Vignette by Tracy Topps:
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562705300PgZzPq

WIMMS March Mini Mart

These are some pictures from the March Mini Mart held by the Willowdale Minimakers in Toronto.

The WIMMS show is (Willowdale Mini Makers) is an event that showcases Artisan items only. No purchased or manufactured items. It's held every March and is usually at the Japanese Centre. Scroll down, the best is last!


This wicker set is from Second Childhood Miniatures.
http://secondchildhoodminiatures.com/