What a Find

As posted before, I am working on a BIG miniature dollhouse. What with the holidays coming, I have not been able to work on it. Also, I could not make some decisions about decorating the first room. It is a slow and thoughtful process-you want to do right the first time. Well, my son is coming from Ohio and my husband and I went into the guest bedroom to start cleaning off the bed so my son will have a place to sleep. What to my surprise, I found a box of Bespaq bedroom furniture. Well, I jumped right on that. I had planned to put some other furniture in a bedroom, but when I found this I changed my mind. I think the design is called bird and mountain and I LOVE it. I am so excited to be able to use it. The other furniture that I decided not to use is oriental and beatiful and I am going to make an elaborate room box That will be a sister box to the Black Room.

Merry Christmas to all,

Kate >^..^<

Molding Porcelain

Well, I am so excited. I have been making molds. I just made two of the same molds for a tea set. This weekend I am going to make another tea set mold for a tiny tiny set. Today I poured porcelain tiles-when they are dry I am going to glaze them-which will eliminate one step and I can get them finished faster.

As for the BIG house-I laid out the placement of the downstairs wall. I am going to paint an oriental scene on faux yellow-gold silk and put it on all the walls in the downstairs living room. I am going to put a gathered faux yellow-gold silk ceiling. I am going to buy a cheap ceiling light and glue long clear crystals on it to put in the middle of the ceiling material. I don't want a light fixture that hangs down and blocks the view of the room. The next thing to do is stain the floor and install it in the living room. I need to put the two hinged fronts and the hinged roof on. That will take alot of time and my next three weeks are booked-boo hoo. So I guess I will just be painting the fabric walls.

It is so hard for me to go to sleep at night because I am thinking of everything-and now I am following throught and doing those things. I feel really great about myself.

We bought two 3' x 5' windows to put in the front of our house-that is what one week is devoted too. It will take one week to put one window in because we are taking out a door. Maybe God will shine on us and we will be able to get both windows done. Let me tell you-those windows are heavy. I will have some muscles when this is over.

Well, it is off to bed. I will let everyone know when I post my new porcelain stuff to my web site (www.katescats.com) and to Ebay.

Kate

Ground Floor UP!!

Well, I am so excited. My husband and I finished the trim on the board my BIG dollhouse will set on. Now all I have to do is paint it-not sure about the color. And of course we can't start painting it till Thursday, because I have to go to the doctor tomorrow. I will post photos of the finished base after it is painted.
Kate

From the Ashes Rises the Phoenix

Doll house stairs

I had sad news this week-I was turned down for the IGMA mini college scholarship. I was surprised at how disappointed I was. But....I arose out of the ashes and am starting anew to apply for next years scholarship. I am making and designing a 1/2 scale oriental room-ideas taken from three books on oriental rooms in Japanese. I am also going to make Hagrads house in 1/2 scale too. I am going to design some dishes and make some cool mini pieces. I plan to have 10 new photos to submit that should knock the judges socks off.

I am pouring porcelain again. The mini club I belong to is going to do a SW Room for the SAM birthday party next year. I have a mold that has 8 SW pots in it. I am going to reduce them to 1/12th scale and give them away as bag favors (I have to pour 100 pots). The next pour of these pots I am going to put a SW designs on them. I also found a mold of Santa mugs, pitcher and tray. I am going to reduce that to 1/2 scale and hopefully give them to my friends in my mini club for Christmas.

In my last post, I mentioned starting on my dollhouse stairs. Oh, my, gosh-what a job. The stairs are in solid MDF and it took 5 coats of varnish stain and 5 coats of white paint. I am still working on them. It will take weeks.

It is strange-I was so tired and slept so much, then I got that reject from IGMA and I just came to life. I don't understand myself. I am walking on the treadmill everyday-yea!!!! I ate too much last week and gained 3 lbs. GOT to get that off 'cause I go to the doctor in 2 weeks.

I have watched "The Devil Wears Prada" 10 times and have become obsessed with fashion. So I have bought some new clothes. I even bought some 3 in heel ancle boots. I never go anywhere to were my new stuff-guess that will have to change.

Well, don't forget to vote.

Kate >^..^<

I'm Alive

Well, it has been two months since I have posted. I had surgery to take out a cancerous uterus. I am so blessed, the cancer had just begun and had not metastasized. No treatment needed and the wonderful surgeon got it all. I still am tired, but I do a little more every day. What makes me very happy is I am back working on my BIG doll house. I bought my house from Real Good Toys-so when I was stumped as to what to do next, I called Gary at RGT and asked for advise. He was so kind and patient and pointed me in the right direction. So, I am starting on the stairs. I have so many ideas-it is going to take a while to get everything done. I am so happy to be back.
Kate

Lean Times

Well, my life is in a stall. We have been cleaning for, now, three weeks. I have not worked on minis at all. A great loss for me. Hopefully, after this week I can get back in the work room. There is a bright side-my husband has agreed to go to Spring and Katy to mini shops this week. I am going to start looking up-I have so many blessings. I just hate to clean. I pray the people in CA get relief from the fires-I can't imagine.
Everyone have a great week,
Kate >^..^<

New Adventure

The above pictures are the basic layout of the living room (which is nexted to the stairs on the left), oriental bedroom, music room, and library. I had to get furniture set up for the electrical wiring, which I am doing this week end.

When the wiring (tape) is finished, I am going to put the "Big" house on the base board-which of course needs the trim put on it. After it is put on the board, I can build and attach the two story addition-a kitchen and a bathroom. Then on the right side is going to be a conservatory-that is going to be a bitch to build.

I have a room (in the house I live in) I was going to turn into an elegant dining room. Two of my 4 children are not speaking to me, another lives far away, and only one daughter comes to visit. So, a big, elegant dining room seemed to be a waste-time and money. What we needed was a work room. We thought of building one in the back yard-but that is very expensive. So-ta da-we decided to change the dining room into a work room. We have been cleaning and cleaning-we have already filled up a big garbage can. I am really motivated. I found some really great stuff for my "Big" dollhouse. I found two Department 56 North Pole things to use at Christmas-one is Santa flying in his sled (the scale is not perfect, but it will do) and a hot air balloon. Then I found the most wonderful thing-a large fountain that lights up. I did not check to see if it was batteries or wiring, but I am so excited. On the grounds of the "Big" house I am going to put a chicken house and a garden-if they fit. I was planning on a small fountain and now I have a big one, so space is at a premium. The work room is really coming together. We are having the 4th on Saturday because my daughter has to work. So tomorrow it is back in the work room. We will be putting our current dining table in the work room and buy (yea!!!) a new bigger dining table.

Well, that is my life to now. Happy 4th to everyone-make sure you vote this year.

Kate

Purging-Good for the Soul

I am going through all my miniatures and have put the one's I don't want on Ebay. It is very liberating to stop hording and start purging. I have tons of kits-they are going next. I must have 50 kits.

I am working on the "Big" 1/12th scale house. Sometimes it is over whelming. Just when I get one room set up, there is a problem and I have to start all over. From what I've read, that is part of it. I canceled a Bespaq room of furniture-I have sooooo much furniture. I found a room of furniture I already have and can use in the "Big" house, I do not need another bedroom of furniture. I do, however, need a child/baby room of furniture. I have a great idea for the room and can't wait till I get furniture. The pictures are of the "Big" house and the layout of two rooms. The blue room is the music room and the white room is the dining room.

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY

Well, I am a happy camper. I am at a point where everything is coming together. I am trying to get my CEU's for my SW licence-I went to this site and the first on line class was a breeze and I passed. So, I will continue on the rest of this week and try to accumulate 30 hours to make my license active.

I have been working daily on the "BIG" house. I hit a bump in the road when I made two windows into one door. I am waiting for all the wood putty and glue to dry. Today, I will spackle the area to make it smooth. I have to carefully drill a hole to put a coach light up. Then, I will start again putting it together. We have to go to Lowe's and get a bigger board for the house to sit on-since I added the two story addition and the conservatory. I can't wait to start on the conservatory-I am going to fill it with flowers. I am going to have flowers all through the house. In real life I can't be around real flowers, but I can in the miniature world.

My birthday was last week and yesterday was Mother's Day. My sweet, sweet daughter brought me a basket of goodies (a big bar of chocolate topped the list). It had the coolest humming bird feeder. I was so motivated I made nector. We will put it out tomorrow. Those humming birds are demanding little fellows-you have to keep the feeders full or they will attack you.

Well I hope everyone has a blessed day.
Kate >^..^<

And So The Mini House Begins!!!!!

Well, I had a wonderful Saturday at the Dallas Mini Show.
Today I cut doors in the left wall of my Big house. So now I am going to start building the house. I am so excited. I have so much stuff to put in the house, I am overwhelmed. You are suppose to paint the outside first-I am going to do it last. The electrical is going to need some heavy thinking. My brain is swirling with all the things that need to be done. I think there is going to be alot of stop and start. The inside stair halls need to be done before being put together-I don't have half the stuff for that. I need flooring, got step rug runners, lights, etc. This is why I am getting started on the house. If I wait any longer my brain will short circut. I will post pictures as I go.
Thanks,
Kate >^..^<

The Big House hits a wall-miniature house

Well, I have been puttering right along putting together my Big house. I had to stop because I ordered the wrong doors. I also decided to add the Houseworks conservatory-which requires that I switch walls in the conservatory so the doors face to the front-another stop. There is a 3/8th inch differience which will have to be compensated for in the front wall. I may want to put double doors from the right side of the house into the conservatory (the two story addition is on the left side of the house). So.......screach........STOP. I have to wait for the doors and the conservatory to be shipped by HBS. They are having a 20% off all purchases starting tomorrow, so I will order then. Their email is www.miniatures.com. My husband-sweet man-is giving me the conservatory for my birthday and mother's day. I am soooo happy. Well, in two weeks I should have alot to report-even pictures. Kate >^..^<

Miniatures-Finished the Black Box

Well, I finished-almost-the black box. I made quarter round bamboo-looks great. I am so taken with this room-so prestine. Tomorrow I start on my "BIG" house. It should take about 2-3 years to complete and the rooms are going to be elaborate and detailed. I will post as I go. I am reupholstering furniture to put in the house. The material was very expensive and I have made a few mistakes-there is a learning curve. I can fix the mistakes and learn from the experience.

Now for the Black box and the bamboo.

Kate >^..^<

What happened at the SAM workshop

Well, I got to tell you all this was the best mini time I have had in a long time. I finally finished the 100 cats I was making to donate. The workshop was in Tomball-the drivers there are not very nice. We were making a half scale Christmas room. I was not fond of the fabric provided and found the greatest material today. The scale was a little big, so I shrunk it down and printed it on white material. I am going to spend all day working on it. If anyone is looking for a great hobby-dollhouse miniatures are it. There are several scales to choose from and there is no skill of any kind needed. I know in my last post I had a black box featured-well, it is on hold yet again. I have to make some faux bamboo quarter round-something else to do today. Well, I hope everyone has a great day.
Kate >^..^<

Almost Finished

Well, I have almost finished my 100 mini cats to be given away at the SAM birthday party. I have 11 to finish. The ones I am giving are not finished, but look just like this. Next week I can get back to my other minis and my life size house. I am about to finish my "Black Box" that features a Bespaq oriental game set. The lighting is fantastic. I want to get started making minis to sell on my web site: Katescats.com. Hopefully I can add some photos to this site.


Happy mini-ing
Kate

Black Box:

Side wall is flat on table. Inside circle are two gow bulbs. I am putting a cut out ear ring over it and let the light shine throw the cut outs. There will be the same lite fixture on the other side wall.