The Shopping Sherpa: December 2017

Sunday, December 31, 2017

... and I'm done

It's the last day of December (and, in fact, 2017) and this post means I've successfully completed my Daily Dolls' House December challenge for the second year running.

Although (as usual) I feel like I've cheated somehow, even though the 'rules' are only to blog something mini related every single day for the month.

So the fact that rather a lot of the posts included pictures of miniature cushions in various stages of completion fits the criteria.

Things I managed to complete included a bunch of potted plants, some school chairs with recycled wood seating, a scene that's had bits hanging round since April 2014 (most pleased at that one!), and two other big (and three little) scenes from scratch (I'm not counting the pop-up bar which didn't get finished before I put the pieces away, but am counting the scene from this blog post, which you'll get to when I finish reminiscing...)

I also did one round-up post, which ended up being more work than just throwing a scene together and blogging it.

What I didn't manage to do was make much headway on my five stalled projects, or the tub of miniature mending I bring out to stare at every boxing day. Maybe next year?

And on that note, here's my final scene for 2017, showing how I plan to spend this evening*:

One-twelfth scale modern miniature scene of a black iron bed with white embroidered bedding next to a wooden chest of drawers with a stack of design books and a glass of sparking wine on it.

(Rather similar to a scene I made during my first Daily Dolls' House December challenge, the synchronicity of which pleases me greatly).

(*Books may differ from those on the actual reading pile: as I really can't be bothered going through the rigmarole of making miniature versions of the actual books I plan to read tonight, and would prefer to just go and read them!)

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Saturday shelfie: a quick scene was a crate idea

The day slipped away from me and it was with a slight sense of panic I realised the time late this afternoon and that I'd not prepared anything to blog about.

A more calming realisation was that it was Saturday and so I was quite justified in whipping up a Saturday shelfie scene.

I added some parameters to streamline the decision-making process:
1. Use items I'd received from blog-buddies in swaps as a start...
2. ...and at least one unused furniture item I had sitting in stash.

I surprised myself by picking out three purple pieces that Kitty & Kat Miniatures had sent me in a swap last year (I don't really like purple, and find it difficult to photograph well).

One-twelfth scale modern miniature scene containing a white shelving unit made of crates and a plastic glittery purple chair next to it. The shelving contains various decorative items in purple, white and black and the chair holds a black and white stitched cushion.

Choosing the shelf was easy: I bought this crate shelf at the 2016 Sydney show, as I realised I was never going to get around to making my own version. Originally it was designed to go into a lavender shop, so using it in a purple scene seemed quite fitting!

Also from stash was a purple chair from the Lori Moderna dining set.

To add interest I included some books (what's a shelfie without books?), a black-and-white vase and one of the pot plants I made at the beginning of the summer break.

The final touch was the hand-stitched black and white cushion Judy Foster gave me at the 2016 Sydney show.

(Time taken: 15 minutes)

Friday, December 29, 2017

Fix-it Friday

It's that time of the year, when my focus turns to the chores I try to get done over the summer break so I can start the new year feeling all fresh and sorted.

Cleaning under the stove and the fridge. Vacuuming under the bed. Doing the filing. Sorting out my photo files.

I'd scheduled five hours of mini-making time into my day today: and found myself in the weird position of deciding I'd rather work on life admin instead...

Including a major renovation of my blog (including a long-overdue change of name). I'd hoped to get that done and dusted for the turn of the year but I'm now thinking it's probably safer to aim for a launch to coincide with my twelfth blogiversary in February...

One-twelfth scale miniature toolbox with steel ruler, hammer, screwdriver, spanner and measuring tape.

(Twelve! I suspect blog years are like dog years: and my blog is a grand old lady).

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Throwback Thursday: Let's go outside

It's taken a couple of weeks, but finally, here's my round up of miniature gardens, balconies and patios. I made the executive decision to include scenes made by other people as well as my own (but am sticking to my decision to include only domestic spaces, not communal or wild spaces).

First up, from the 2007 ACT Miniature Enthusiasts' show is this scene which still makes me laugh when I see it (I believe it was by Mandy Bates: can someone let me know if I'm remembering incorrectly?)

One-twelfth scale miniature scene of a man inside a house with a beer in his hand watching a football match on TV. Outside the ranch sliders in the garden, three gnomes are lined up sitting on mushrooms, watching the match through the glass.

A couple of months later I shared how I'd made an old project of mine: city and beach balcony scenes created in two matching IKEA box frames (sadly now long discontinued...)

Two one-twelfth scale modern miniature balcony scenes in box frames. On the left is a city balcony, with sprayed concrete walls and floor and a corrugated iron balcony wall. On the balcony is a folding wooden chair with a laptop on it. On the floor is a cordless phone, a mug and a stovetop espresso jug. On the beach balcony is a white director's chair with a woven hat on the back, a magazine on the seat, and a pair of jandals and a glass on the floor. The balcony overlooks the sea and some cabbage trees.

A one-twelfth scale modern miniature beach balcony scene in a box frame On balcony is a white director's chair with a woven hat on the back, a magazine on the seat, and a pair of jandals and a glass on the floor. The balcony overlooks the sea and some cabbage trees.

A one-twelfth scale modern miniature city balcony scene in a box frame with sprayed concrete walls and floor and a corrugated iron balcony wall. On the balcony is a folding wooden chair with a laptop on it. On the floor is a cordless phone, a mug and a stovetop espresso jug.

Back at the ACT Miniature Enthusiasts' show the following year, I was taken by this greenhouse created by Ann Dowdall (wife of James of Victorian Dollhouses):

One-twelfth scale miniature green house with a man in a hand-knitted jumper working inside and a dog watching from the doorway.

In 2009 I went to Melbourne, and to ACMI's Setting the scene exhibition. Where I took some sneaky against-the-rules photos (and a video) of the model of Villa Arpel from the film Mon Oncle. (I still feel bad about that... but not bad enough to take them down. :-/)

Model of a modernist villa from the film 'Mon Oncle' with a garden containing a pond with a fish fountain in the middle.

Speaking of films, the next year while visiting Wellington I was invited to visit the film set (in miniature, of course) for the New Zealand movie Second-hand wedding:

One-twelfth scale miniature scene of garage-sale items outside a garage.

One-twelfth scale miniature scene of a yellow Mini van in a garden. It's back doors are open with two cardboard cartons on the ground next to it.

In 2012 I was lucky enough to hunt down and buy a Brio 1960s bungalow, one of my 'holy grails'. And had a party to mark the occasion.

Patio at night, with a table covered in bottles and glasses, surrounded by mis-matched chairs.

Another 'holy grail' was marked off the list in 2013 (no party this time, just lots of ice cream...)

Vintage dolls' house patio with stonework pillars and paving, and planter box full of plants. On the paving is a set of white outdoor table and chairs.

Here's a mid-century modern patio scene I started making in 2014, based on some wonderful pieces sent to me by Mod Pod miniatures in a very generous swap parcel at the beginning of that year.

Aerial view of a one-twelfth scale modern miniature paved patio area with a mid-century modern sofa and a Jens Rison webbed chair and various accessories.

Alas I never finished the scene, as after finishing a miniature version of a La Gardo Tackett garden sculpture

One-twelfth scale mid-century modern garden sculpture made of a stack of white-painted angular beads.

I got flumoxed by working out how to bash standard french doors into mid-century modern ones. (In fact, I found one of the doors on my boxing-day clean up...) We'll add that to the list of things not finished and move on, shall we?

Five month later I celebrated my 9th blogiversary with a party at Margell Public School. And what a party it was!

One-twelfth scale miniature school house exterior with a bunting strung across the verandha spelling out 'blogiversary'. Chairs and a table are set up outside the school, while on the veranda is a guitar, a ukulele, a bottle fo wine and a wine glass.

One-twelfth scale miniature veranda scene with a school chair holding a recorder next to a guitar and on a bench next to that a bottle of wine, a stack of sheet music and a ukulele.

Early-morning shot of a one-twelfth scale model school veranda, with a broken railing, a table with an empty plate, and a school chair with an empty wine glass on its seat.

Early-morning shot of a one-twelfth scale model school veranda, with a school chair with an empty wine glass on its seat and a bench with a toppled glass on it and an empty wine bottle under it.

And later the same year there was a different veranda, this time on the HBS Creatin' Content 2015 build (which ended up on top of the fridge for a couple of years until I resurrected it recently...

Dry fit of a dolls' house shed kit, with stained weatherboarding taped to the sides and pergola posts and struts taped in place.

In January last year I did my annual complain about the summer heat,

One-twelfth scale modern miniature paved patio with a Jen Rison webbed chair, a side table and patio umbrella. On the side table is a potted plant, a fan, a pair of sun glasses and a glass of water. On the chair is a magazine.

using pieces from earlier builds mixed in with Lundby pieces that worked well in 1/12 scale.

It was a quiet year blog-wise as I dedicated my brainspace to settling into a new job, but Spring saw me trying to kick-start my mini obsession with this scene (inspired by a swap parcel from Kitty & Kat Miniatures):

One-twelfth scale modern miniature wooden park bench in front of a white brick wall. On the bench is an IKEA catalogue, a bowl of chips and a white, green and orange cushion. On the pavers next to it is a pot of daffodills, and perched on the back of the bench is a cockatoo eyeing up the chips.

and this scene, pulled together with a breezeblock wall I'd bought from Tiny Bungalow (whose website, alas, seems to have disappeared since..)

One-tweltfh scale modern miniature garden chair and plant in front of a miniature breeze block wall.

That very same wall featured in the post where I finally finished the Alvar Aalto trolley 900 which had been taunting me for a very long time.

One-twelfth scale modern miniature Alvar Aalto Trolley 900 set up for drinks.

Finally there's this whimsical pop-up bar: I'm not sure if it's finished or not...

Three 1/12 scale modern miniature stools in the shape of apple cores around a table made with a slice of tree with bark still on it, on a round mat of fake grass. In the background is a bar with a red watering can on it.

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Running out of steam

With four days of this year's Daily Dolls' House December challenge to go, I fear I'm losing my oomph. Or perhaps it's just that other tasks that I'd planned to get done before I return to work (next week! My how time flies...) are muscling their way onto the daily list of tasks and thus making the time for creating minis shorter.

You may be pleased to hear that I glued seven things together yesterday from my mini mending box, and made a list of what I need to do with the rest. So perhaps this time next year I'll be able to share a picture of an almost empty workbench, containing just a bowl of cherries and a tube of glue...

There have been a couple of mini-related happenings of note, though: last night, while reading a second-hand book on Rosalie Gascoigne, I discovered a previous reader had a left a little* present between two pages. (*Literally: the perfect size for miniature use...)

Art book open on a white bedspread with a flyer containing pictures of four works of art inserted between the two pages on display.

And this afternoon I met with my friend at the local café for coffee, chatting and mini cushion-making.

Table at a cafe with a cup of coffee and a glass of iced cofffee on it. Across the table a woman is winding embroidery thread off a cardboard bobbin. On the table next to the iced coffee is a pile of inside-out miniature cushions and a pair of tweezers.

One good thing about not making minis today is that the studio has remained tidy from this morning's clean-up...

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

It's that time of the year again...

Yes folks, it's the one day a year where I clear off my workbench, pull out my box of things that I need to mend...

Selection of broken one-twelfth scale miniature chairs (and a hall stand) laid out on a cutting mat with a tube of glue and a bowl of cherries.

...take a photo, eat some cherries (and possibly even mend something, as last year's photo contains some items that are back in stash), then remember that the reason I didn't mend them last year (or any other year back to at least 2013) is that I don't know what colours I want them to be, and making that decision seems like something I don't need to do right now.

And, after a couple of days, I'll shove them back in the box for another year. Or until I decide that I need something for a scene.

*sigh*

Monday, December 25, 2017

Christmas post

One-twelfth scale modern miniature Christmas scene on top of a sideboard with a beaded vase, tuny bead Christmas tree and glass angel next to a glass of sparking wine and a packet of chocolates. On the white paneled wall above is a picture in teals, blues and black.

May your day be just what you need it to be...

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Sunday fun day: The icicle works

One-twelfth scale modern miniature luxury bathroom with a pasific theme. Under the window is a tub filled with bubbles, and next to the windows, wall-mounted candles. The sink is on a colonial sideboard and there is a bronze ornamental mirror above. There are plenty of white fluffy towels rolled up, and a glass of sparkling wine sits on the side of the bath under the window,

Dear Brain: I love hanging out with you when you've got the time and space to think things through and work things out that I didn't even know you were thinking about.

A case in point: at some stage early this morning, you poked me gently as I rolled over in bed (a much nicer approach than previous efforts: thank you) and whispered 'So what were you thinking of using as a tap for that Lori bath you've got in stash? Because I have an idea...'

I rolled back and replied 'Dunno... Shapeways? I'm listening...'

You continued: 'Do you think Lindt are selling those umbrella-shaped chocolates this Christmas?'

'What umbrella-shaped chocolates, and do you seriously think Christmas Eve morning is a good time to suggest going to the supermarket?!' I shot back.

'Erm, sorry. Just a thought. I think the handle would make a great floor-standing tap and today would be a good time to check, before Christmassy things are completely sold out...' my brain countered.

'Bugger.' I muttered. 'You're right on all counts'.

And so it was I ventured into Woolies on Christmas Eve, just before lunchtime (pretending I was really going for tahini, toothpaste, toilet paper and cherries) and blow me down, if there wasn't a box just next to the entrance with a few Lindt 'icicles' in it. I grabbed one.

One-twelfth scale modern miniature bath with pink towel over the side, sitting on a cutting mat with a full-sized Lindt chocolate 'icicle' in front of it.

Not that I'd planned to do anything with the bath today, but since I decided at the beginning of the challenge that Sundays could be 'fun days' (as I'm not usually on my computer on Sundays, so it seemed a good compromise for December), bath time it was.

I opened the chocolate to eat it (oh, the sacrifices we make...) and was delighted to discover one of my questions (about how to attach the tap to something to make it stable on the floor) had been answered for me (Brain, you're an amazing thing sometimes...)

Aerial view of a cutting mat with a saw and a plastic length with a cirular protuberance near the bottom.

All I had to do was cut it down.

Or so I thought. Although it worked it just seemed... miserly. Almost apologetic. It needed something to stand on to give it some height.

One-twelfth scale modern miniature bath with pink towel over the side and blue tap over the back, sitting on a cutting mat with a miniature mitre box in front of it.

Luckily I've been spending some time each day during my break sorting out my stash drawers. It took me almost no time to think of these:

One-twelfth scale modern miniature bath with pink towel over the side and a floor-standing tap behind it, sitting on a small round tin lid. In the foreground is a small white tray containing a number of bindis in tiny tins.

(Bindis in tins that I bought many many (many) years ago as I was planning to use the tins for... something? Maybe something like this??)

But sacrifices had to be made in the interest of getting this thing finished.

One-twelfth scale modern miniature bath with pink towel over the side, with a floor-standing 'tap' on top of a small round silver tin, with clamps holding it in place. In the background is a tube of glue.

It was when I went to paint it I realised I had an issue. What colour?

I was originally going to go with gunmetal (since it was out on the work bench already from Thursday's build). But then I thought bronze. No! Black. And finally settled on safe old silver. (The knob is another stash-drawer find, from a set of travel checkers I picked up at an op shop a few years ago with no idea why I needed it. Now I know...)

While I waited for the paint to dry (which takes no time at all at this time of the year), I realised that perhaps I should throw up a scene to contain the bath.

And since my brain had done such a good job of things so far today, I let it take the lead.

We're using that 49 cent placemat I picked up at Dimmey's two years ago for window privacy? Fabulous! (Glad you remembered I had that...)

Cutting knife, metal ruler and black marker pen laid out on a plastic placemat with a translucent design (and a 49 cent sticker), with a one-twelfth scale plastic window frame on top.

And adding those dimensional stickers I bought at Pete's Emporium at the beginning of the year, after painting the candles white and adding wicks? Why didn't I think of that??

One-twelfth scale metal wall candle holder with white candles.

While we're on the subject of Pete's Emporium, you want to use that pasifika 'flooring' I picked up this last trip? With the kiwi-themed scrapbooking paper I got from Scrapbook Central?

I like where this is heading..

One-twelfth scale modern miniature bathroom with a floor-standing tub full of bubble bath, under a window, On the ledge is a tray with a fern pattern, a bottle of bath salts and one of bubble bath, plus a glass of sparkling wine.

(I added the bubbles and the bubbles. It's Christmas Eve after all...)

What I neglected to add (and my brain didn't remind me about) was taps for the basin...

But I did have one good idea, which was to head back to the supermarket and buy the rest of their stock of 'icicles' so I can have a bronze tap. And a black one. And a spare one, just in case.

I'm relying on my very clever brain to remember where I put them after I've finished eating the chocolate...

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Making a list and checking it twice

I realised this morning, while in bed and contemplating my day, that part of the problem I have with my HBS Creatin' Contest 2015 build is that there are so many unknowns: things that I'd always just assumed would make themselves clear as I went along.

And which (alas) didn't, so I ended up wandering round in circles not knowing what to do next or which decision I needed to make first. Which led to me just putting the whole thing in the 'too hard' basket (literally, as it turned out) for rather too long.

So this morning I tried another approach. And returned to my long neglected Pinterest board that I'd set up for the build, adding some more pins of things I liked that might help inform my decisions.

Collection of pictures of browna nd white holiday homes on Pinterest.

(Luckily I gave myself a time limit, which meant I was able to extract myself from that particular rabbit hole before the whole day disappeared down it with me).

Notebook and pen on a table in front of a half-built one-twelfth scale miniature bach.

I printed off my favourite options, pulled out a notebook, pen, scissors and tape and sat myself down in front of the carcass. Made a page for each decision I had to make. Then listed (and sometimes drew or pasted in) the options,

Notebook with scissors, pen and double sided tape next to a collection of cut-out pictures of holiday homes.

and remembered how much I hate logic puzzles. (You know the ones: the farmer, the fox, the goose and the beans and a rowboat that only fits two of them at a time. Or the five houses one...) Because this, it turns out, is very much a logic puzzle.

('If the rafter are brown, how high off the ground is the structure?')

I decided I needed to stop for lunch before I tied my brain into complete knots and had the urge to return the build to the top of the fridge for another indeterminate length of time.

Bowlful and forkful of couscous and haloumi salad in front of a notebook containing pictures and many notes and scribbles.

A few things became clearer over lunch (e.g. The rafters could be one colour inside and a different colour outside. If I have no copper tape, and the dolls' house shop possibly isn't open until after Christmas, I probably need to just use wire. If I use wire then the structure should be elevated so I can hide wiring underneath... Actually, even if I did use copper tape, isn't there a wire that goes from that to the transformer anyway?)

And I realised I needed to return to the drawing board. Literally: if I had a drawing of the options I was stuck on then it might help clarify things.

Sketch of a two-room holiday home with sliding doors and patios on each side and windows across the front.

And so starts the new plan of attack...

Lightbox with a sketch of a holiday house and a sheet of tracing paper on top.

Friday, December 22, 2017

Let's get down to it boppers

I knew from the moment I decided to do another Daily Dolls House December challenge this year that one of the things I'd like to achieve is finishing at least one (if not all: a girl can dream) of my stalled mini builds.

And since it's Friday, and I've been on leave for almost a week, it seemed like time to take a deep breath and bite the bullet.

The HBS Creatin Contest 2015 build seemed a sensible first choice, if only because I've had a basket of bits of it sitting on the kitchen floor for almost two years (which I've got so used to I don't even see any more),

Stack of various bits of wood and cork and cardboard and a sketch pad piled on a lino floor.

and a half-finished carcass sitting on top of the fridge for just as long (and also 'invisible'...)

Half-built one-twelfth scale room box containing a white wire bed, a transformer and a pile of papers.

So, bright and early this morning I committed to starting on it.

After I'd finished the chapter of the book I was reading.

Had a shower and washed my hair.

Did some washing and hung it out.

Oh, and met a friend for a coffee and catch up (and a late breakfast for me).

Cafe table holding two cups of coffee and a serving of fruit toast with ricotta, berries, banana and coconut. On the other side of the table is a person talking with a dog and its owner.

Followed by another coffee and a bit of crafting for good measure.

Flat lay of a glass of iced coffee, swiss-army-knife scissors, thread and a needle and several stuffed one-twelfth scale miniature cushions next to a cat-shaped pencil case.

Finally, around mid-afternoon, I felt I could procrastinate no more and returned home where I dumped everything on the dining table

Wire basket piled with pieces of wood, cork and cardboard sitting on a dining table next to a half-built one-twefth scale miniature shed containing a white wire bed, a transformer and a pile of papers.

before sorting the bits into piles (including one called 'This doesn't even belong in this build so why's it been in the basket for almost two years?'), and started a list of what I think needs to be done first.

A half-built one-twefth scale miniature shed sitting on a dining table surrounded by bits of wood and cork, neatly stacked by type.

Wish me luck!