There's a fun "pop!" to this scene, in anticipation of the new year and the many corks that will be popping all over the world.
I love yellow, and this cute new Pop! mini figure from Kid Robot really helped to inspire the rest of the furnishings. Certainly reminds me of Jeff Koons' Balloon Dog.
My ever-resourceful daughter found the Pac-Man game, which is actually a candy dispenser! It works great in this scale. And it holds some serious nostalgia for me...Pac-Man was definitely my game of choice as a tween, and I spent many hours after school playing it in one of the food joints near my house. I got pretty good, too!
Many good wishes for the new year, and I look forward to another year of blogging and celebrating modern minis with you!
Credits: Wallpaper is Heroes and Villains wrapping paper from the Paper Source; credenza is by Cyd of My Mini Mod Pod; speakers and stereo are eBay finds; rug and magazines on desk are handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; Pac-Man video game is a candy dispenser from Kid Robot; chair is Reac; desk top is by Dragondee and base consists of two AMAC boxes; lamp is AG Minis; plant is vintage TOMY; artwork is Lundby; balloon figure is Pop! by Kid Robot. Accessories are Re-ment, Kid Robot, random eBay finds, and AG Minis.
Can't quite remember the last time I took a relaxing soak in the tub to just slow down and indulge. The Cubebot challenge was such great fun, but it really took a lot out of me. I enjoyed it all, but kept myself quite busy and focused on making it a success. Mini Modern posted about her win, and Fran let me know that she already received her goodies! Congrats again, gals, and thanks again to AREAWARE and to all the entrants.
A quick recap of this scene: the modern tub is a soap dish from Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Target, don't remember, with a faucet from a large scale kitchen set. I always hunt the clearance section for random bath accessories and other adaptable pieces. My rule of thumb: always take a look, and then a second look. If you see something you think you might just use, pick it up!
The side of the stairwell is covered in strips of yellow flowered washi tape. I love the stuff, and always pick up rolls when I see them. They adhere well and even come off quite easily. The flooring is wonderful paper from Lee's Art Shop. Heavenly!
The cork backing is actually a flooring sample from Lowes. They are not free, but are quite affordable at .99/each. The towel is cut from a piece of adhesive-backed felt from Jo Ann Fabrics; it can be shaped and draped quite effectively.
I hope to post some more updates on a few other mini projects soon...I've been getting crafty! Perhaps I will get to completing some work over winter break.
By the way, speaking of projects, if you have been looking for an Artply Highland and are up for some light renovating, Lori has one for sale for pickup in Jacksonville, FL. It's in great condition and just needs some updating. You can see an album of photos on the Call of the Small Facebook page. Lori is asking $150/OBO. Please email me if interested at call-small(at)call-small(dot)com.
Credits: Tub is a soap dish; plant is Manor House Miniatures in a Playmobil planter; side table is brinca dada; chair is by Pepper of MitchyMoo Miniatures. Accessories are AG Minis, Re-ment, Petite Princess, beads, and random eBay finds.
This is intended as a super-quick post, mostly because I am sleep-deprived and should go to bed!
This bold wallpaper of stacked houses from the Paper Source is so great...I love the saturated color, especially the inky black background. It set the stage for the rest of the scene. Cyd of Mini Mod Pod created the awesome pillow, perhaps a sentiment shared by many out there???
P.S. Stay tuned for the winners of the Call of the Small/Cubebot Challenge. The announcement is coming very soon! Until then, check out all of the submissions on Flickr.
Credits: The bed is made of a soap dish, coasters and a lucite drawer pull; white coverlet is handmade by The Shopping Sherpa, topped off by a Chilewich placemat; the lamp is vintage Bodo Hennig; side chair is Creative Playthings; stool is brinca dada; mirror is a craft store item; wallpapers are from the Paper Source. Accessories are AG Minis, Manor House Miniatures, and toy store and eBay finds.
Yes, I know, we are often looking "into" or "down" at our miniatures, but I could not resist *finally* using my "Look Up" letterpress print by the very skilled Ampersand Duck.The print was made available as an edition through the Call of the Small exhibit, curated and masterminded by The Shopping Sherpa back in 2010. Perhaps this little shout-out to my buddy will bring her back from blog-silence-land??? Where are you and your minis, Anna-Maria??? Miss you!
I cannot recall ever covering the plexi back wall here in the Villa Sibi, and it was fun indeed. I wanted to mix some grey, black, and creme patterns, so I utilized scrapbook paper from Jo-Ann Fabrics and went at it. The "rug" is cut up along the pattern lines. I just wanted something other than a large square. Didn't really think too hard about how it would turn out. I love the snowy white owl paper -- it's new from the Paper Source, and has lovely flocked texture.
The red ladder was a spontaneous addition, but I think it works. It is from my TOMY Sylvanian house, and it was lying nearby. Sometimes things just work that way!
There are some new Paul MacAlister 1:12 scale pieces in here, recently won on eBay: a dining table, lamp table, and small coffee table. They are as lovely as my other 1:12 pieces, really well-made of fine materials.
The little box is glued on and hand painted!
Perhaps it was the dusting of snow we got here today, but this scene just feels wintry to me. Could be those puffy chairs, too. They are ornaments, after all (from Anthropologie)! Hope this winter is a gentle one...I'd take a little more pretty snow, but not too much!
A final reminder about the Call of the Small/Cubebot Challenge: its ends on this Saturday, December 1, so get your entries in for your chance to win $200 from AREAWARE! There are some really wonderful, creative entries so far in the Flickr photostream, like Pepper's at left. Good luck, all, and thanks for participating!!
Credits:Dining table, lamp table, and coffee table by Paul MacAlister; couch is minimodernistas; hanging lamp is Re-ment; table lamp is vintage German; storage unit is by Dragondee Miniatures; Eames chairs are Reac; ladder is TOMY Sylvanian; puffy chairs are ornaments from Anthropologie; wall hanging is a rug by Fran Made Minis; artwork and couch pillows by Cyd of Mod Pod Miniatures; Look Up letterpress print by Ampersand Duck; outdoor planter is a handmade paper creation by my buddy A.'s talented Mom. Accessories are Re-ment, AG Minis, eBay and dollhouse store finds, Dragondee, Mod Pod Miniatures, and The Shopping Sherpa.
I love when I make some headway on a "rehab" house. I've been considering what to do with the remainder of the main living area in the Betsy McCall house. I added a bold patterned paper and covered the fireplace way back in February, leaving me to decide how to paper the other walls and organize the space.
Here is my solution -- a light brick patterned paper from my DCWV "Downtown Loft" stack, with a place mat for flooring and adhesive cork for the stairs. The wall presented a neat backdrop for the amazing brutalist sculpture Pepper of MitchyMoo Miniatures made as part of our swap. LOVE it!
A few more submissions have arrived for the Call of the Small/Cubebot Challenge -- go check them out on the Flickr stream! And please consider tossing your own hat into the ring for a chance to win $200 from AREAWARE! Contest details here. It ends on December 1, so get cracking!
Credits: Couch is a custom piece bought at a Denver doll house store; Eames chairs are Reac; table is a crafting block with a bowl base; plant is AG Minis; sideboard is vintage German; globe light is minimodernistas. Accessories are Jo Ann Fabrics, dollhouse store and eBay finds, AG Minis, and handmade by The Shopping Sherpa.
As soon as I saw this fireplace in a dollhouse store in Denver this summer, I knew I had to have it. It surprised me that I wanted it, actually, since it is more traditional--I have been dreaming about a retro/modern brick one for my Doll Domiciles Contemporary house, which is under construction--but I just liked it. And the price was good too: $19.99!
I have not used it until now, but it has been on my mind. I then realized why: it strongly reminded me of the stone fireplace in our summer house when I was growing up. That one was a darker grey stone, but the profile was similar, and it even had a wooden mantle. This room is arranged in a completely different way than our cabin, which had dark wooden panels and country plaids, but it managed to make so many good memories come flooding back.
Let me know if you've done some creative fireplace work lately -- would love to see your ideas, especially as inspiration for the Doll Domiciles home. Here's a picture of the house in progress as a refresher!
A bit tricky, eh? I hope to go visit the house again soon to check its progress!
I hope lots of you out there are busily working on your scenes for the Call of the Small/Cubebot Challenge! There were 10 lucky international readers who were the first to respond on my post, and free Micro Cubebots are on their way to Canada, UK, The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Finland, Spain, and Italy! Can't wait to see what they do! Remember, the winner gets a $200 gift certificate to the amazing design store AREAWARE! Submissions are due on December 1 to minibotchallenge(at)gmail(dot)com. If you don't already have a Cubebot, AREAWARE is now offering a 20% discount on their site; use the promotional code MINIBOT upon checkout and have fun shopping!
Credits: Fireplace is from Norm's Dollhouse store in Denver; couch is minimodernistas; side table is from miniatures.com; rug is handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; cat tower is Re-ment; light fixture is vintage German; flooring and wallpaper are all from the Paper Source. Accessories are beads, Playmobil, Michaels, and vintage eBay finds.
I am so excited and pleased to launch the Call of the Small/Cubebot Challenge! I intimated in this post that I had a special giveaway coming, and I've been busily working out the details with the great folks at AREAWARE, who are responsible for the David Weeks-designed Cubebot, a phenomenal wooden puzzle "person" with endless options for endearing poses and shapes.
Cubebot has attracted a following worldwide, creating demand for Cubebots of all sizes, including the latest: Micro Cubebot, which was just released in a rainbow of colors on October 1.
I've tried out Micro, and it is so well suited for 1:12 dollhouse environments, closed or open (or somewhere in between)! So...I thought why not put out a fun challenge to dollhouse hobbyists working in all scales (that's right, my 1:16 and 1:6 friends, that means you too!) to use Cubebot in a creative, innovative, and unexpected way!
Are you up for it????
1) Have a Cubebot already? Great! Don't have one? Not to worry! AREAWARE is offering a site-wide 20% discount to help you along in buying your very own Cubebot! Use the promotional code MINIBOT at the time of your purchase on www.areaware.com to receive 20% off. The discount applies to your entire order, not just the Cubebot you choose to purchase, so have fun shopping!
A special note for my followers outside of the United States: I WANT you to participate, but the international shipping costs from AREAWARE are quite high. So...thanks to AREAWARE, I am able to offer a FREE Micro Cubebot to the first 10 international followers who leave a comment on this post. In addition to being located outside the U.S., I ask that you don't already have a Cubebot -- I really want to give those Cubebot-less folks a chance to participate! Good luck! UPDATE - 10/8/12: All ten Micro Cubebots are claimed!
3) Take photographs of your Cubebot setup and submit a maximum of FIVE (really, only five) of 1MB or less each to minibotchallenge(at)gmail(dot)com. Please include the subject line: "Cubebot Challenge." You may only submit once. Submissions MUST be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on December 1 in order to qualify for the challenge.
4) I will post all submissions as I receive them to a public group on Flickr: Call of the Small/ Cubebot Challenge. You will be able to view the submissions even if you are not on Flickr, but you need an account if you want to comment on any photos or pose any questions to the group. Go here to join Flickr.
5) All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges after the contest closes on December 1. The panel will include yours truly and a group of very enthusiastic folks at AREAWARE. One grand winner will be chosen, as well as one runner up. The grand winner will receive a ***$200 gift certificate to AREAWARE*** and the runner up will receive a Cubebot (AREAWARE will select a bot especially for you)! The winners will be announced within a week of the close of the challenge on December 1 right here on the Call of the Small blog.
Have I gotten you very excited about participating in this fun challenge??? You have a whole two months to use your Cubebot in new and unusual ways, and I hope it's a chance for you to get reacquainted with your bot, or make Cubebot's acquaintance.
I tried my hand at it, and it is challenging, but fun...!
Go and get started, and look for updates and posts on the Call of the Small Facebook page, my Twitter feed (hashtag minibot), and on AREAWARE's social media networks, including Cubebot's Facebook page and Twitter feed!
I cannot wait to see what you all come up with!!! GOOD LUCK!
Well, here's a lounge scene in my Kaleidoscope House, which I have not used in quite some time. I do so love this house. It's great fun to decorate, and I like the effect of the color panels on scenes, especially when I use the fluorescent lighting in my basement room.
My recent cleanup meant that I could have easy access to the house, including a clear perimeter, which is necessary when turning it around to get to your desired room. Before digging into my scene, though, I tried out the new replacement roof that I bought some time ago on eBay for $20. My original roof does not sit completely flush, as is the case with many of the houses. This one worked quite well, I am pleased to say!
Now on to the scene...I decided to travel upstairs to one of the bedrooms, and got started with the wallpaper. I chose a piece of scrapbook paper from my DCWV "Serenity" stack (JoAnn has them on sale for $9.99). I chose a bold lined paper, and meant to have the lines running vertically, but I cut it the wrong way while distracted doing something else (duh). Yup, I used it anyway!
The flooring is a cherry wood paper from the Paper Source. I love these specialty papers; they really add warmth and realism to a scene, and helped to offset the colors of the desk (makeshift combination of a brinca dada kitchen island and a vintage Brio office shelving).
Now for the lounging...I got the Reac cowhide chair from Toy Tokyo for $17, which is a great store in Manhattan chock full of "designer" toys, mini figures, and action figures. And, they have a small selection of Re-ment and usually some Reac chairs, all blind boxes. I got lucky on this one, and also got a black ball chair! By the way, it looks like Reac has come out with a new "Assorted" line, which includes a selection of existing chairs.
The lighting in this scene is the result of a little repurposing. I was in Lowes last week an saw these pull chains by Harbor Breeze in the lighting department. POW!
It was almost *too* easy to come across these, given they are sized so nicely for mini use, and are about $4 each. I looked forward to using them here, but quickly came to realize that I had no way to suspend them into the scene. I scrambled around and rigged them sloppily!
Yup, that's a piece of balsa wood and a binder clip!
Speaking of hanging around, look what I found guarding the last of our garden tomatoes!
I'd not mess with her!
Miss spider is actually a nice segue to the end of this post: I wanted to remind you all that I have a great giveaway going on RIGHT NOW with Safari Ltd, which makes incredibly realistic replicas. While they are known for their animal replicas, I am offering two of their TOOBs that may appeal to you miniaturists out there: trains and buildings! To enter the giveaway, go to this post on my blog and leave a comment. The giveaway closes on September 15, so head on over there! GOOD LUCK!
Credits: Lounge chair is Reac; office chair, planter, and Asian shelf are Re-ment; desk is a brinca dada kitchen island and vintage Brio office shelving; lighting are pull chains by Harbor Breeze; ball clock is handmade by Pubdoll; wall art is a charm from Michaels; wallpaper is DCVW; flooring is the Paper Source. Accessories are Re-ment, AG Minis, doll house store finds, Gigi N Studio, handmade by the Shopping Sherpa, Playmobil, and made by my son (the origami crane on the top shelf)!
Re-ment: The green painter's palette is from Black Cat Italian Restaurant, #4, and is a bit large for 1:12, but works. See my Mini-Sizer wiki for more on Re-ment!
There's probably nothing I love more than a straightforward and easy DIY, especially when inspired by a charming vintage children's book.
One of my youngest son's favorite books is How to Make Flibbers, etc: A Book of Things to Make and Do, by Robert Lopshire (Random House, 1964).
The book is filled with easy crafts with simple materials -- mostly paper, scissors, and glue. It charmed me from the first read, and my son and I even shared some of the simple to-dos with his preschool class. But, the mini potential did not occur to me until recently, and I was able to give the "Limp Lamps" activity a go!
Choose a paper. I used origami paper with a pattern, like these sheets.
I used other papers as well and tried out the activity in different sizes -- works!
I even used one of my flameless tea lights from Pottery Barn as a base -- neat!
Let me know if you do your own "Limp Lamps!"
Two other crafts from the book that have mini potential are these: "Party Mats" and "Stickit Picture"; I might try them next!
By the way, one of the reasons I was able to see this craft through was because I cleaned up my entire mini space. Remember my "struggle with clutter" post? Well, I just got in the right frame of mind and did it! We took some vacation time at home and I had a four-hour block of time to myself and just powered through. The only thing left to do is un-box and sort about 40 sets of Re-ment, purchased over the past two years! Yes, TWO years!
Here's some pics of my newly organized dollhouse room...hope it stays this way for a while.
I had an exhilarating and exhausting trip to the New York International Gift Fair last weekend at the Javits Center in Manhattan. I spent the better part of Sunday trekking down aisle after aisle, but of course ran out of time and did not see everything. As I've reported in the past, the show is filled with nearly 3,000 major retailers, smaller stores and manufacturers, and independent business owners who aim to share their latest and greatest lifestyle, home, and gift products with buyers and the press. There is so, so, so much to see and absorb, so I try to limit my activity to exhibitors who have miniatures or whose products are transferable to a modern miniature environment.
This time around, I made an appointment with Alessi to see their latest miniature offerings.
Alessi holds a very special place in my heart; my husband and I share a great affinity for their products and even included many of their home products on our wedding registry back in 1998. Alessi products are incredibly inventive, well-made, fun, and are true objects of design. Seemingly "humble" products like a teapot, honey jar, or toothpick holder have such sophisticated lines and materials and always possess some element of humor. Alessi already has a line of miniature versions of some of their most popular products (launched in 2008), like the tea kettle, corkscrew, and fruit holder, which each measure about 3" high. While not fit for a 1:12 environment, they are adorable and very high-quality, and retail for approximately $25-50 per piece.
This year, based on the success of the mini replicas, Alessi has gone even smaller and has just come out with refrigerator magnets of their popular pieces, which I saw at the show. They measure about 1-1/2 to 2" high and are amazing!
Some gorgeous silicone food molds, designed by Mario Trimarchi for Alessi, also caught my eye -- the shapes are architectural and could definitely be transferable to a modern miniature environment (table? stools?).
Moving on to the Bambu booth, it was great to see additional pieces from their line. I've used their products many times in the past, most recently in this mod nursery post -- look at the crib! It's a salt cellar!
There were some lovely bamboo coasters and pebbles -- lots of potential here!
One of my next stops was the Design Ideas booth, which was filled with many interesting modern wooden trees of all sizes. There were also adorable critters, "Woodland Creatures," meant to be paired with the trees, or arranged on your mantle, or...in your dollhouse, perhaps??!
In addition to these mini finds, a dollhouse took center stage at the show when it was voted one of the "Best New Products": the Plan Toys "Play House," a three-story structure made of rubber wood, which is a wood-like material made entirely of recycled Plan Toy product components. I actually saw the house at the Toy Fair back in February, and was impressed by the materials and construction.
The massive 2-1/2 foot Cubebot standing in the back is new for fall, as is the Micro Cubebot, which measures about 4-1/4" high! If you are not yet familiar with Cubebots, you should be...designed by David Weeks, the Bot has a cult following. It's no wonder they are sprouting up in different sizes; perhaps they might even go smaller one day???
for a great challenge and giveaway. More information coming in September!
If you've read this far, thanks for sticking with me through my NYIGF tour, 2012! Hope you enjoyed it!
Let's Go Wild: A Safari Giveaway!
When I was first getting (back) into miniatures as an adult, my childhood memories of playing with minis came flooding back. I suddenly saw the potential in everyday items, ordinary household objects, and especially children's toys. Trips to the toy store were not only welcomed by my three kids, but encouraged by me!
Check out the full post, too!
I am so thrilled to offer a wonderful giveaway of TWO Safari Ltd. products to one of my readers!
Safari's TOOBS sets are among my favorites of their products. Like other Safari products, they are well-made and lively replicas--the Around the World and Trains sets present so many great opportunities for mini scenes, in 1:12 and larger scales. Have a look at these realistic painted rubber pieces!
GIVEAWAY DETAILS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED -- Winner revealed here!
I will be giving away one Around the World set and one Trains set to one lucky reader!
To enter, simply comment on this post anytime between today and Saturday, September 15, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. You may only comment once. Please share how you might use the sets for your mini endeavors, or even just to play. You don't have to own a dollhouse to win them!!
You must be a follower of my blog to enter. You can live anywhere in the world -- Safari Ltd. will get it to you.
To choose the winner, I will pick one number based on the total number of comments using the Random Integer Generator on or about September 16, 2012. So you have a whole month to log in your comment! Feel free to spread the word, too!
I am so glad I am able to thank my loyal readers a cool giveaway! Thanks for following and GOOD LUCK!
And be sure to check out the latest with Safari Ltd. on their website, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. The company is celebrating 30 years in the business -- congrats and thanks, Safari!