MINI CRAZY?

JULY 31

This month ends on a happy note. While DD was working out of town, she found the Shrink  Film for me. YAY!! Now I can replace my table tops and paladian windows.

My saw table has been repaired too.

I didn't do a lot of minis this week. The heat and humidity zapped my motivation.

I tried working on a knitted mini gown, but after the 6th time of ripping out and starting over, I gave up, and started a simpler project.

I did some sorting and weeding. I do this whenever weather, health, and mini mind are too out of wack for creativity. I made a lunch bag or two of trash. Stuff that WILL go to the dump. Progress !

I have a few more large bins of supplies and "stuff" that are still in the loft. I need to make room for them SOME WHERE.

I also "contemplated" the Church and Gazebo.

I laid out the front and rear walls, figured out the finishing process, and planned out the door, and more windows.

I also laid out the assembly line for finishing the roses. I only? have 50 more to do.

We've renamed the Church "WE ARE THE WORLD." Miniature Church of Acceptance.

An "earth person" came to sit with me this week. I was so excited to show her my mini houses. She didn't get it. I was disappointed. 

I've been in this area AKA (bedroom communities) for 1/2 my life. In 29 years here, I've only met one person who did any type of arts, crafts or needlework. Isn't that strange?

The neigbors think I'm "off."  When I go for my walks, I get the looks and q's "how ARE you" as if I'm about to explode or croak. I always wondered why they talk to me this way, until one day I met a realtor looking around the neighborhood. She said "You're the one who does the little houses. I heard all about you."

Ah well. Crazy, don't fit in, topic of gossip, but I'm still having fun.

CABINETS INSTALLED

JULY 27

HOORAH !!! I finally finished the cabinets, appliances, and counters for the Thornhill. This kitchen had as many problems as a Real One, being over seen by a bad general contractor.

I'm glad this job is almost finished. It took months, and I've been totally obsessed with the finishing details for over a week.

Now I'll take a break from construction for a few days.

I have even more problems. The beautiful sunshine that I loved so much when my minis were in the loft, turned all my windows and plexi tables an ugly shade of yellow. I've seached high and low for shrink film or Shrinky Dink. I thought it would be easier to cut the ovals and rounds from the shrink film, than from the window plexi glass.

I can't find it anywhere, and I'm having trouble finding the window plexi glass too.

Deb made this beautiful luggage and handbag for our July Swap.

DH suggested that I put it in the front hall of the Thornhill. That's where it will go. ;-)

SUCCESS?

JULY 23
Mini making has been hit and miss for the past few weeks, so has time on the internet.I HAVE gotten a few things done.
I mailed my swap and think it was well received. I hope so. I was very proud of it. I "rarely" say that about my own minis. :-)

I finished the new pillows I made for the sofa. They sat in the UFO box for too many years. So another check on my goal of finishing things this year.

I'm still working on counters and cabinets for the Thornhill. Paint and wait, cut and wait, paint and wait, glue and wait. (and start all over again)I managed to strip and cut the wood I need, then the saw table wheel broke off again.

ROUND AND ROUND

JULY 13
The past week has brought ups downs and all arounds.
My battery operated dremel bit the dust. :-(  It was only used a couple of times. Of course I've had it for years, so can't return it. A nice idea (battery operated) so much easier to use. It has less power than the electric, but the power was fine for mini wood. The hold switch for the collet changes is made out of cheap plastic. Just not strong enough. #$$#@.
I carpeted another room in the T.H.
I tried the skulpy 3 for the counter tops. One square was not enough. I can't find any more. Besides, I'd have to buy 3 more multi packs to have enough. Too pricey.I printed out a formica look pattern onto "cold press" art paper. I'm going to treat it, glue it onto basswood, then cover it with a textured sheet protector. That will be my counter tops.
I wasn't at all happy with the diswasher kit. After lots of sanding and several coats of testors paint, it still looked woody. I took a paint color chart, peeled off a paint sample, and glued that to the dishwasher front. It looks MUCH better.I'm re-painting all of the cabinet knobs a chrome color. I didn't like the brass in that kitchen. The more work I do, the more work I think to do.
I "finished" and "re-finished" my swap item. It's ready for shipping. The re-worked pattern is safely put away, in the book, NOT in one of my safe places. LOL!!!
DD gifted me with another screen house for my camp ground.

BUSY BUSY BUSY

JULY 6

It was a very busy mini weekend.

DH finished the shell of the garage, and then "prodded" me to finish designing the house layout.

He also made a table top for the camp ground, and cut down a couple of tables under other houses. It's getting crowded in the TV room, and every inch of space saved helps.

I went "hunting" for items that evidently are no longer carried in MA stores. I couldn't find shrink film or texturizing medium. I'm going to try poly-clay for my counter tops. I grabbed the last package of granite skulpy.

I also grabbed a few sheets of textured paper, to experiment with.

I remade the parts for the swap, assemled it, and did the first coat of paint. YAY!!! I did all the cutting by hand, since I lost my square and couldn't re-align the saw. When I misplaced my dremel, I found the square. :-)

Today we had an unusual day of sun and dry weather, so I went out to the shed, opened all the windows, and did some more staining on the T H dining room furniture.

Tomorrow I hope to get back to installing carpeting (if I don't have too much RS cleaning to do).

So much fun; so little time.

AND FOUND

JULY 4
I had no luck with the tiles. The patterns and textures are too big for miniatures. I'm thinking of experimenting with concrete. Then I'll try fimo, then wood. I'll probably end up using wood. I wish I was a better painter.
I started on my latest punch rug. Yes I found the threaders. They were where they belong. DUH! I can never find things when I put them where they belong.
I did the first glue joint on the pattern I'm trying to re-work. SUCCESS :-) sort of. I have to do it over, because of the saw jiggle. One leg is shorter than the rest.
DH has started building the garage shell for the Ranch House. We're thinking of using that 15/32" ply wood for the roofs. The 3/8" has gotten so expensive, and takes so long to get from the supplier.
I had a "mini" score on my trip to the Antique Shops. I found a pair of ladies, elbow length, dark brown, kid leather gloves. They're only about a size 5, but I can still get more than a dozen bags, or pairs of shoes out of them. DH negotiated the price and got them for $8. I walked away from them because of the $10 price tag. I wouldn't have spent more then $6.

LOST?

JULY 3, 2009I finished the table skirts. Now I can get back to building. :-)Today I'm off to Lowes and Depot to look at tile. I'm hoping to find an old fashioned vinyl tile that I can use as a counter in the Thornhill. I'm not having much luck with that. So far, I've only been able to find them sold in cases.
I spent a lot of time this week trying to re-do that pattern for the item I'm making for a swap. It's been very frustrating. I found a similar RS item on line.I'm on the right track with the changes I thought needed to be made.  Now if only my saw would co-operate. It's out of line, AND the wheel on the saw table is broken.
I designed another pattern for a Punch rug, and did a little work on a Bunka rug. I can't start the Punch rug yet, because my threaders have gone missing. They're in that "safe" place.