Vintage Black Friday

Well, I've been under the weather, so I'm a little behind with posting - I was shooting for one post a day, and I still have some mini finds on Ebay to share with everyone. 

But in honor of Vintage Black Friday, I'm popping up out of my hole and sharing some vintage black and white photos that I've found on the web.  Now, I collect tintypes & cabinet photos as I feel the need to preserve a little bit of history so wish these were mine.

Can you imagine having to wear something like this in the summer time? I think I would positively melt in the heat of the South.

This looks to have been taken in the winter time, or at least in the North.
     

Look at all the layers!

Don't let these drab black and white photos fool you.  Most of the clothing was very colorful, just color photography had yet to be invented. 

I like to use photos such as these for inspiration.  I really wish I had time to take a few photos of some of the pictures (tin types & cabinet photos) that I have.  I collect cute or quicky ones. 

Oh. here is something of mine.  It's a vintage thermometer - in black of course!Definitely seen better days.

Well, please check out Gypsy Brocante , 52 Flea , & the other sites (linked on Gypsy Brocante) participating in Vintage Black Friday. 

Until later!

Lots of Giveaways Out There

Well, I'm a poor little broke blogger, so I don't have anything to give but advice! 

Check out these cool Halloween/October Giveaways:

Fiona & Twig have an awesome one, Six in One Hand has a great one, Garden Antqs Vintage  does as well.  Not only are their prizes great, their sites rock!

Well, I better get back to RL and get some work done if I want to have a job!

Have fun reading these blogs.  And also enjoy all the great inspiration available.

Until later.

Cleaning the Little Studio

Well, I'm trying to post somethign every day, in an effort to get into the habit of blogging.  I love the format of bouncing ideas off of people and as you can tell from the Etc. part of my blog header, this can be about dolls or anything that side-tracks me. 

Well, this weekend, I spent cleaning up my inside studio.  I went to WalMart, Big Lots, and Dollar Tree looking for things to help me organize a very small 5' x 6' room.  Yep, 30 square feet.  To top it off, we have to be careful putting anything on the walls because the main breaker is located in the room - before we added on to the house, it was the washroom.  Just large enough for a washer and dryer placed side by side.

So, I removed the cabinet doors (four total) allowing me to "open" up the space.  Then, I hauled in a shoe organizer - one of those stackable things - that had been sitting on my front porch for months.  I have two, both free finds from a yard sale.  After I cleaned them up with Clorox Clean-Up, one went on top of the 5' dept of the table, another went under it.

Before the clean-up - See the mess.

See how dark it is?  Only one 40 Watt bulb.  To the right of this picture you can see the shoe shelf.  Junk everywhere.




Boxes stacked here and there.

Here are two of the doors from the overhead cabinets.  They made the room seem even smaller.  Not conducive to creative thinking.  I could barely get in the door!  It's hard to even turn around in on a good day.

Now here are after pictures.  Two days of working, lights installed under the cabinets (Big Lots, 3 flourescent mini lights, ganged together, installed with heavy duty mounting tape - $23.00)

As you can see, I also cleaned the worktop off - which is the old dining room table (yep, tiny house before we added on).  Notice how nice and bright it is now. 

Look!No more boxes!!!!!!

Now, I still have a VERY long way to go, as I have a three drawer unit (see above-this is the top of it) to organize, but between WalMart and Dollar Tree (note:  WalMart has the plastic drawer organizers 3 for $1 and Dollar Tree has the plastic-coated metal ones for $1 each) I think I have enough organizers to get the drawers straightened out where I can find things.  Once this is done, I have to tackle getting my different projects organized, but I've purchased plastic bins that slide under the bed just for this purpose.  Also, copy paper boxes are just about the right size for one roombox project.  Just label the outside!

Before I go, heres a quirky little find.  He'll probably be lounging on my desk at work shortly.  Just got to remember to get him off the top of the refrigerator where he currently resides.




 

And every Southerner SHOULD have this in their refrigerator....wonder how hard it would be to make in miniature: 

Now, this is NOT whiskey, but pepper sauce.  I'm not sure where the corked bottle came from as my taste runs more to Cosmopolitans & Bombay Gin & not whiskey, but it made a WONDERFUL pepper sauce holder.

Well, until later!  I've got some REALLY neat finds from Ebay for my roomboxes that I'll share soon.  Also, my hunt for miniature glass labware at an affordable price continues......I hope to have an update on that later this week.

Remember, some days your the windshield, some days your the bug!

Need Your Opinion

Okay, I need everyone's opinion here.  I have always had trouble finding items such as syringes to use for glue, scapels, and even manzanita wood for my miniatures.  Now, I've got suppliers for all of the above and I'm thinking about offering them for sale on my Etsy store.

I'm not looking to make a mint mind you, as I'm SO tired of paying exhorbant amounts for what should be inexpensive items.  I just want to make enough to cover the cost of the items with a little left over for me so I can support my hobby. 

As I do not have the overhead that most places do (since I'm not a business per se, just a hobbyist with an Etsy store) my costs aren't as high.  I reuse shipping containers and items as long as they are clean and get my packing supplies from work (why have all that styrofoam popcorn go into the landfill when I can use it!), 

What is everyone's general opinion?  Do you think there is a market out there for this?  Do YOU have trouble finding items such as these?  Should I just announce this on my blog instead?  YOU tell ME.

Please leave a comment,  I would like input from not only miniaturists, but artists and crafters in general.  These are items that can be used in almost any artistic arena.

Thank you and have a WONDERFUL Saturday. 

** October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month - click daily at the Breast Cancer site to give women in need free mammograms.  It costs you NOTHING.  Breast Cancer hit close to my home - My mother is a breast cancer survivor.  I clicked, will you?

Vintage Black Friday

Okay, so it's my first blog post as a participant in Vintage Black Friday.  Let's see what vintage black goodies I have - oh, these are RL size, sorry....

First, a real pretty black dress with a highly decorated bodice.

Next, a very fancy black hat with gold trim

And my favorite.

Of course, I love these, especially the two hats, for their ability to be miniaturized.  Can't you see your doll in one of these hats?   The dress would be great too, maybe made longer, say ankle length - the picture doesn't do it justice, it's a lot prettier in person!

Have a Happy Black Vintage Friday!

FINALLY & Latest Project

Well, I finally like the look of my blog, at least for the time being.  Quite, serene, not at ALL like me.  I'm pretty spastic most of the time and have two speeds - stop & go. 

Here is my latest project.  Not much as been accomplished other than I have redone the walls since this picture was taken.  It's to be a sunroom/conservatory/quiet nook.  As you see, right now, it could be anything.

The pretty rose paper is actually scrapbooking paper.  I found the part of the design I liked and then trimmed around it.  The detail in the front (black and gold) are from a placement I got at the Dollar Tree.  The floor is a piece of scrapbook paper that looked marblized but I'm not sure it's staying there.  It looks kinda fake right now, so I'm working out what I want to do with it.  I purchased some mosaic tile at Michaels and may use them.

As you can see here, the wall is currently painted.  I didn't like the way it looked, so I have printed off a pretty rose colored paper that I made in Microsoft Word.  I have sprayed it with Matte Acrylic Sealer, but need to do so again.  The problem with Ink Jets is the ink has a tendancy to run horribly when wet.   Ask me how I know!

The back piece of wood was slightly warped, so this little roombox isn't square.  Therefore, I can't put the top on it that was meant for it, so I'm fiddling around with how to add a top without showing how badly this thing is out of square.  I can also tell in the above picture there is a place that need a good gluing and clamping.  It doesn't look that bad in RL, but in pictures, man is it noticeable.

And yes, I realize that I need to give the illusion of a door.  Working that out too.  There will be plexiglass in the three openings; it will be placed there after I put molding around the windows.  This is the first roombox I have attempted in 5 or 6 years, so please don't laugh.  Well, okay, laugh!  I DID. 

I have found a wonderful piece of pottery that would be perfect to put a tree in.  Now, just to find instructions on how to make a tree!  I know the basics of paper flower making, but havent' made put one little funky tree way back.  So, if anyone knows how I could make a WONDERFUL tree, please let me know.

My goal (everyone needs one) right now is to get this finished and up in my Etsy store.  Also, I need to get back to work on my sculpting.  Would you believe I actually have ideas for those horrors that came out of my clay?

Back to work as I hear the boss coming.  Later Ya'll

Under Construction

Please forgive me while I try and get my blog to look halfway decent.  Considering I can't write in HTML, this is taking a while.  In fact, it's enough to drive a sane person nuts & no one has ever called me sane!

Anyway, I found this neat piece of clip art on the same site I found the new background of my blog. Now if I could just get the little "Free Background" link to move where it needs to be, I'll be okay!

I thought this would really be a neat Halloween theme.  Some of these old etchings were positively creepy. 

Well, I'm going to go back to reliving my youth.  Beetlejuice is on the satellite right now and I had forgotten exactly how much I loved it.  Michael Keaton was excellent as Beetlejuice.

Patricia Rose Workshop

I enjoyed a great weekend in Tampa.  Patricia Rose (http://www.patriciarosestudio.com/) held a sculpting workshop for ten people at the Doubletree Suites located right on Tampa Bay.  Ten really lucky people got a chance to learn from one of the immiment doll artists around (to my way of thinking). 

It was a very informative and very intense.  Of course, always being the "odd one out" I was the ONLY person that had never worked with clay - we don't count my Play-do days as a youngster.

Here are some of her dolls

Beautiful, right?

Gorgeous, right?

Now, here are mine:

ACK-Needs help

What alien life forms are these!

As you can see, I need major practice!  But, everyone was nice, I now have new friends, and it was a really wonderful experience.  And for once, I didn't need medicinal help in order to board a plane! 

Today's Trials in Miniatures

What a day!  Okay, I work a full-time job and have been trying to get a report completed all week.  I'm leaving for Tampa on Friday morning for a two-day workshop with Patricia Rose (Yippee, Happy Dance) and won't be back home until Monday.  Then back to work Tuesday.

Anyway....I'm supposed to be working.  BUT I really, really, really need some miniature glass laboratory/potion/alchemist containers at wholesale prices!  I'm trying to make some items and no way can I pay retail prices and still be able to sell these things reasonably (once they are good enough). 

So, I'm emailing anybody and everybody that might possibly, remotely, be able to do it.  Well so far, I have TWO people (both glass blowers) interested. 

One is a master glass blower and in charge of a university glass blowing facility that also does work on the side (these days, who doesn't?) and the other man is the boss of a laboratory glass blowing facility right up the road from where I live.  I didn't even know that place existed!  They don't have a sign on the road and don't advertise.

So, next week, I have to meet with both of them, preferably with samples, so they can see what I want.  Thought I might have someone over the internet interstested, but once I sent him picture of what I wanted, I heard not another word!

Also, there have been some really superb people on Etsy and The Camp that have been helping me out along the way.  Carol at SP Miniatures and Nikki Rowe at Nikki Rowe Miniatures couldn't help, but they were oh so nice! 

Well, it's bedtime.  Tomorrow is work, doctor, then packing for the trip.  Going to see exactly how much one person can cram into a rolling carryone duffel bag!

Smiles!

Inspirational

I saw this on MiniMadWoman & Friends Blog (http://minimadwoman-friends.blogspot.com/) and just had to put it here.  Very inspirational and oh so true!

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not shouting, "I've been saved!"

I'm whispering, "I get lost! That's why I chose this way."

When I say, "I am a Christian," I don't speak with human pride,

I'm confessing that I stumble — needing God to be my guide.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not trying to be strong,

I'm professing that I'm weak and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not bragging of success,

I'm admitting that I've failed and cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I don't think I know it all,

I submit to my confusion asking humbly to be taught.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible but God believes I'm worth it.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I still feel the sting of pain,

I have my share of heartache which is why I seek His name.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I do not wish to judge,

I have no authority — I only know I'm loved.

 

~ Carol Wimmer ~

Blogging

Wow, talk about hard to blog!  I cannot figure out how to get a different template up and going.  I mean, all I know how to do is choose one of Google's pre-done templates.

Maybe I'm technologically challenged.  At least that's what my teenager thinks.  Maybe I just am better at miniatures than at blogging.  Well, designing to blog, since I sure can talk.  At least I figured out how to add a "FOLLOWERS" button and I see that I do have a follower!  Thank you very much DOLLMUM!

Okay, so what did I get done today? I got one wall of my roombox (hopefully pictures coming soon as soon as I get a new charger for my camera's battery) redone, the second wall started on, and the third wall is ready to be prepped.  I'm also getting a few other things in the works and will hopefully have time to work on them around hunting season (it's deer season here) and trips up to where their camp is (my parents' house and land LOL). 

So, what's a person to do when she can't work on her minis at home?  She makes sure she has a mini where she's going to work on!  I have a dollhouse shell in horrible shape that I hope to rehab and turn each floor into a "roombox" of sorts.  Maybe shops or a different theme on each floor.  Who knows?  I'm kinda letting it sit in my mind and simmer.  Considering what's up there simmering, I think there's more of a "stew" up there now!

Well, back to the roombox.  I've also got the football game on and am trying to divide my time between it and my roombox.  I've been out of the house most of the day, so that's why I don't have anything else done!

Have a great weekend!  Oh, and maybe I'll just go by that magazine Creative Blogging that I've been eyeing at Borders.

Smiles!

WOW It's been a while!

Well, I haven't posted anything in over a year. It's been a wild year. No new dolls due to health issues, but I have started on a new roombox.

The Conservatory is a roombox that my mini group has been working on and which I hope to have ready soon, then I will begin on two more. I'm creating a Pumpkin roombox (made from a craft pumpkin) and a Birdhouse roombox (to be filled with birdhouses). After that, I still need to finish The Storefront, a shallow roombox that I started at the Mobile Fun Day last month in Gulf Shores, AL. Those girls in that club sure do know how to put on a Fun Day!

But first, I head out to Tampa, FL to attend a Patricia Rose two-day sculpting class. Can I tell you I'm doing the Happy Dance! Two days, 10 people, and Patricia Rose. WOW. Thanks all to my mom who was wonderful enough to foot the bill for the trip & who is going with me as my traveling companion. Such a great mom to have (who also footed the Mobile Fun Day bill & travelled there with me).

Well, if you happen to visit this blog, please pop on over to Darkling Woods Studio and check out her contest, but do it quick! Only one more day before she draws the lucky winner. Then check out Christine V at the Candid Canine blog. She's been running some wonderful contests and is an excellent writer and miniaturist.

When your done with those, then check out Sassy Marsha at Sassy Mini Dolls. Such a wonderful gal.

Well, gotta run as RL calls.
Til next time.