Featured Blog Friday - Late Victorian English Manor Dollhouse: 1/12 Miniature from Scratch

I know I suck and I fibbed about things being back to normal but my job is killing me, I have been falling asleep in my clothes almost every night when I get home so I am really sorry. Now onto our featured blog...

Late Victorian English Manor Dollhouse: 1/12 Miniature from Scratch 

Yep the owner of this blog Gaic is building this amazing dollhouse from scratch! He started the blog in June 2011 after starting the scratch build of this Miniature Manor in Aug. 2010. Being a miniaturist for a long time he had previously made 3 kit built houses and decided it was time to give the scratch built ago. He put allot of thought into the flow and layout of this dollhouse. It is a large dollhouse which sometimes can tend to seem a little dis-jointed and off as you go from room to room but not this one. You can picture yourself being inside this dollhouse walking from room to room and living there. He shows you the step by step of the rooms and how he is doing things. Now jumping ahead to 2013 he is starting to plan the outside facade so it is a great time to jump over and become a follower if you are not one already. Here is the link to jump on over there http://englishmanordollhouse.blogspot.com/ - as always why are you still here???

Away I went...

I am so sorry I have been away all week I got called out of town first thing Tuesday morning for work and for some reason I couldn't get into my blog to let you know till now :( but anyway everything should be more back to normal (or at least normal for me lol). Again I'm so sorry I miss you guys so much!

Featured blog - Modern Miniatures Witledge-berguss

Here is what I find amazing about Ray (the blogs owner Ray Whitledge) he is one of the kindest people. Not that I haven't met a lot of nice people since finding blog land don't get me wrong, its just that I have been fascinated by his work for years and years. I pray to have just a pinky's worth of his skill and imagination.  I guess I was thinking that someone that talented wouldn't really give me the time of day, but he responded to my email and we have exchanged a few since then an OMG so nice. Any who on to his blog - he started it in Dec. 2011 and is doing a project for himself. It is a doll house from the Lawbre company (if you haven't seen there houses check them out) its The Chessington Plaza designed by the late Dan McNeil. It has four floors, opens on the side and front. This place looks massive! For some reason however it was made with only 10 inch ceiling so it makes Rays work a little tougher. He is doing what I would say is a mixture of modern and antique. Like a home a very wealthy person with very good taste has(not that I know any lol just going by what I have seen in interior design mags) What he does in his blog is show and tell through everything he is doing and how he does it. His wood floors, wall panels, railings, kitchen and everything else is amazing. This man can do some stuff with some jewelry findings. He shows you what he uses, where he get it, so even in his blog his detail shows through. He is like the McGuiver of dollhouses! For my non English followers McGuiver was a sitcom and the man could make anything with a tooth pic, gum, an a rubber band. What is completely shocking to me is there are only a little over 300 followers. All I can figure is a lot of people don't know hes blogging or something. When I found the blog it was like Christmas morning so I cant imagine someone going there and not following. If for some reason you haven't seen his blog click on this link http://modernminiatures-whitledge-burgess.blogspot.com/ and go there I'm sure you will become one of his faithful followers. If you are a follower but haven't visited his blog in awhile go check it out again! As always I gatta say it lol You are still here why? Have a great weekend everyone!

New Stuff the unveiling

So here are all the House of Miniature kits I got off of EBay. 17 kits total from 3 auctions. I believe I ended up paying about $85 give or take - in the pic on the left the first 3 kits going down are doubles. The last pic is my cat Prissy getting in the bag that I pulled them out off lol

the stacked ones on left are doubles

the rest of the H.O.M kits

Prissy my strange cat

Now let me explain this last thing. I was on EBay looking for a doll because my mini club is doing a doll and dress. Then I saw this 1/6 scale big headed doll (Pullip Nomado) an idk what it was but I liked her and after some research found out they are very collectible an a good investment. I paid 1/3 of what she sells for and the seller was amazing and sent this extra stuff with her that she could have sold for $50 or more. The little shoes kill me lol and the last outfit I hand sewed  for her before I even won her while I was laying in bed sick. When I was doing my research I watched some YouTube videos on them and some of those people - all I can say is OMG k-a-r-a-z-e. I think I sat there for 30 min with my mouth hanging open! Anyway gatta run. Till next time :)

Nomado made in Feb 2004

The free stuff

One of the two pairs of free shoes

outfit I made her

How to: Cork floor and other things

Sorry I have been M.I.A. for a little bit I have been really sick (still don't feel so hot) but here is a quick update on everything - 3 H.O.M. kits have arrived and 14 should be here today (still haven't gotten hold of the canopy bed *pouting face*. I will show you what I got when I have them all here. On the new house some pieces did get cut this weekend (wanted to do more but was just to sick) Will show pics when it starts to look like something lol. I also ordered something else not going to tell you yet, show and tell when it arrives, and ya I be broke now lol. Hoping to order the doors and windows for the new house in the next couple weeks have to see how funds are. Oh and if anyone has a blog they want featured or know of a good blog just send me a mssg about it otherwise I will just keep picking. Also if you have a tutorial you would like featured hit me up about that also. I really want this blog to be about and for everyone thanks! I will stop blabbing now and onto-

Cork Floor :

 You will need:
matte board or cardboard
2 sheets of cork( I am using were bought at the craft store in the scrapbook paper section)
sandpaper
ruler
pencil
sealant to finish floor (your choice)

I picked a light and a dark cork sheet, but you can do all one color.  It has a backing that you peal off and then its sticky (just like a sticker). They were only a couple bucks a piece.The room I am making the floor for is 7 x 14 and once I got it made I still had some of the cork left over.
1.So measure your room and cut out your matte board to size.

2. Figure out how large you want your squares to be, I made mine 3/4 of an inch. Then draw out your squares on the removable paper backing.

3. Next your going to figure out how you want to lay them in the room and draw the pattern on the matte board. 4. Now the fun part - start laying your floor. Just peal off the backing as you go no glue needed!

5. Once you have all your pieces laid you can sand and finish how ever you want. I just put polyurethane on mine. I would suggest that after its dry you put your floor under some heavy books for a couple days but that's up to you! The good thing about this cork is you can really butt the pieces up next to each other since they are not real hard.

Featured blog Friday - Merriman Park

outside facade of Merriman Park

Doing a feature on this blog stumped me a little only because having to pick just a few pictures to show you was very hard! Everything in Merriman Park so far is beautiful. The floors,walls, furniture, artwork, wallpaper... I really could go on and on but as we all know we can only add so much into our posts before it wont let you anymore. Anyway, the blogs owner John started his blog and his dollhouse in December 2009 as a project for the very cold Minnesota winters. He swears he lives in the middle of no where Siberia (he hasn't seen where I live - there be nothing around here boys and girls) John is multi-talented, you will find out as you read his blog and has had a few outlets along the way for his creativity. Keep in mind I have read this blog from start to finish several times (Hello my name is Tina and I'm a blog stalker jk) I love his work and he shows you the processes he uses to get things done. You even get to read about the things that give him a little trouble (electricity) so you know he is human like the rest of us (so we don't have to hate him lol). Also his personality really comes through in his blog, he is really funny. I wish we lived in the same Siberia we would so be friends. I also wish I had a Santa like his, John is very lucky man as far as the gifts his partner gets him, the stuff is awesome.  He has been away from his blog for about a month or so do to personal things but he is getting ready to jump back into it (lucky for us). Every time I think about his blog I think Pretty Pleater and I laugh, you will so see why once you start reading. He has so made me want one though (another thing on my list) just wait till you check out his curtains (big sigh) Yes I'm jealous, in love and in awe of his work. That's saying allot because those are not normally traits of mine. I'm going to wrap this up here by giving you this link http://john-merrimanpark.blogspot.com/ You really will enjoy this blog :) and as always your still here why?

Make sure you read the post that goes with this pic!

Artwork and canvas

Artwork by Carl Wood

Let me just start by saying that we are having our roof replaced today (it was suppose to happen yesterday when I was at work but it rained) and omg all the banging my head is going to explode! Somehow our power got knocked out this morning and just now came on (thank god my phone and kindle were charged) so I haven't done much today other then yell at the dogs to stop barking an no that didn't work (very disturbed face) Now my computer is acting like its on crack and keeps freezing IDK if its because it was on when the power blew (i hope it stops) however it did give me time to work on some mini canvas that I have been telling my dad I was going to give him so he can make me some mini painting. See I want a little something in my dollhouses from the people I love and with my father being a painter its a bonus for me. With that being said I was going to put some kind of art room in my big house even though the idea never really meshed into what I want to do with the rest of the house. Now that I am doing the other house however it will be perfect for the little attic. If you like the couple of paintings I'm showing you here you can see some more of his work by clicking this link - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1071920653115.10098.1679123082&type=3. An yes he sells his work if you are interested and does commissions. Anyway I finally got around to making some and there almost done. If you want to know how they are made let me know otherwise I wont bore you with it. I want to make a few more for myself because our styles are a little different from each others and it will give me some variety but at least I can give him these to get started on. That's about it for today boys and girls, I hope you all have a good one!

the canvas I made

Artwork by Carl Wood