Can there be too many antique shops? I don't think so.

Last year, my friends Carol and Ann took me to a Home Goods store in Sarasota. I love those stores and they are a long ways away from Key West. I found this container and knew it would make a good antique shop. I have been gathering and finding all my stash that could or would fit into an antique shop. For about a year I ahve been stashing them inside the container and realized about 2 weeks ago it looks like a trash pail. My son and his wife and my only granddauther were coming for Christmas and I decided to haul everything out and do my antique shop. Well the floor was the hardest part of this project. The sides weren't even and it took forever to get the floor right. It only fits one way - I found that out when I had to dig it out of the container a couple of times. It's done and I am really happy with it.

November QS OMB - It's all about ME - No not me, but Mary Englegreit!

I was very close to using my 'one free pass' card for November.   It has been a very busy month and I just didn't see how I would get a project done.   Well, never give up I say.   I thought what project did I have that was started and could be finished.   I had built this building (it's a Ann Bramlet house) some many months ago and I got this great inspiration that it would make a great Mary Englebreit gift shop.

You will be one of the first to know that my long-term goal is do a set of shops on Main Street USA.   Of course, it will need a Mary Englebreit shop.

There it is when I decided I could do the project this month.   Built but not even close to being done.  

 I wanted this shop to have lots of stuff and I do believe I satisfied that requirement.    Don't you love the sign "Your husband called and said buy whatever you want!".   Very nice of him. 

At the end of the store is a curtain set and above it, a sign that says we make custom curtains and drapes.  

 Scene from the top.   Books scattered on the bed - all ME books. 

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 Clocks on the door frame. 

 A view through the window. 

 Another view of the shop.  

I think I will go shopping now! 

NAME Day Pub - QS

I am finally rested up after National Dollhouse Miniature Month.   The October OMB was my NAME Day Pub.   The project  was the corner table with booth.   I absolutely loved this project.   I just barely completed it in October - but I did make the deadline.   

The name is different from the one that came with the kit because 'I change things' and my husband loves foxes.  

The Front of the Pub.

 Another view of the front with a little landscaping.   Still needs a bit more, but so far - so good. 

A little different angle. 

 The inside of the pub.   The kit came with lighting.   I didn't like it.   I also cut the roof into a "U" shape so you can see inside the pub.

 A little better lighting for the interior.   Ran out of little people and still need a bartender.   I think I have found one and it will be added soon. 

Some signs on the wall.   Really tough to see them without sticking your nose in the room.

 

The above - words to live by.

 

 

National Dollhouse Miniature Month - Day 31 - Happy Halloween

I love Halloween.   Slightly less than Christmas, but not much.  

A Halloween scene from Jill Castoral and Pat Holstrom's class.

 

A bag that got sidetracked from Hurricane Wilma in 2005, but finally finished and still doing well.

 

 

Table with lots of little things I love. 

My littlest scene - quarter scale Halloween.

I hope you have enjoyed the month.   I know I certainly have.   Let me know what you liked and what you didn't like.  

 

Happy Halloween and may you get all your favorite treats.  



 

National Dollhouse Miniature Month - Day 30 - Tease is Finished - Street Fair

At the start of this month, I teased about a project I was working on and a couple of times through the month and thought you might find it interesting.   I just finished it.   I really thought about a week ago that I had bitten off much more than I could chew.   Never one to let a challenge go, I worked a lot harder this week than I thought I could.  

 

I have always wanted a coffee table devoted to miniatures.   A lot of projects ran through my head and finally I decided that I wanted to do a street fair.  Here it is.  

 

 

Sometime ago, I found some little mangers that looked like booths at a street fair.   They needed a lot of work.   I also found a cute little box that looked like a food booth.   I had the wagon with antiques and thought that would make a good addition.   After staging and staging how I wanted it; I proceeded.   Needed several booths and wanted to use things I liked: art, needle work, cakes etc. 

 

I rearranged things a lot.   I wanted things visible from all angles.   I am a little detail oriented and kept rearranging things and finally thought I had THE arrangement.   I changed the picnic table today because it worked better.   Now I am happy with the arrangement.  

 

As you know, I like to recycle things and the aquarium worked great.   I just needed a base with wheels and a piece of glass cut.  That was taken care of during the last month.

 

 The above clown is one of Sharon Johnson's dolls.  I featured some of her creations recently.   This was a special order.     Cute little girl, with money in her hand, waiting for a balloon. 

 One little girl already has her balloon.   A gentleman with his dog and a good book is just chilling.   He is wondering if he has room to take home a painting. 

 Above is one of the twins.  He's getting the food all doctored up for him and his twin.   The other twin is sitting at the table reserving a spot and enjoying the balloons.   Maybe he will have enough money to buy himself and his brother one. 

 I have way more people in this scene than most that I do.   A street fair needs lots of people.  

 

 

I am so very happy with this project.  



National Dollhouse Miniature Month - Day29 - RIP Janet Stockwell

I debated posting about Janet's Dolls, but she was clearly one of my favorite doll makers in quarter scale.   Janet and I were in a couple different online miniature groups and and when she started making them, I thought - what the hell, I'll buy one or two.   I've do believe I ended up with 20 some odd of  them.   I loved them and still do.   I also want to point out that sometimes you don't want to put off buying those things you like.   Janet passed away in 2013 and I treasure her creations all the more.   Here's to you Janet, you and your talent are missed.

I used Janet's dolls in my French New Orleans' shop.  You can see the original post Here

I did a diner with her dolls.  My husband saw it and said where is the waitress.   You can see that post Here   My husband was right, it looked better with a bar customer and a waitress. 

I also used her dolls in my Italian Restaurant.   She was always very helpful.   I wanted a siting doll for the inside table.   She fixed him us immediately.   Looks like a great time at the restaurant.  

You can see the total blog Here

I also used her dolls in a QS Halloween Scene.   I needed kids in costumes and she was very helpful.

You can see the original post Here

Sorry about the blurry picture of the inside.   Those are the adults who will be passing out the candy to those little costumed kids on the front walk.

Well, I accounted for 15 of her dolls.    I'm not out.   Here are some of the remainders. 

You can see some of the others Here  I will let you click and see them in the blog.    I miss her and her work; but I cherish her dolls all the more.