Swaps for 2012

I've written about swaps before this month and I have found I've gotten a lot of comments about it and I thought I would gibe a little more details of the swaps I participate in.   I'll do the theme, and what I made and how many participants in the swap.      You can read the first post this month about swaps HERE

Those items that don't list a scale, they are 1/12 scale.  (I really don't know if I swapped in January or not - I was really zoned out with my son's wedding that was in April.)

1. February - Fun Day Orlando - Dollhouse - puppet theater and little car for a toy shop (6) and xylophones (20)
2. February - Quarter Scale - Bavarian/Alps Sap - Bavarian painted wardrobe and cuckoo clock (6)
3. March - Quarter Scale Garden swap - Trellis with vine and bag of dirt (5)
4. March -  Tropical Swap  Wreath with shells (10)
5. April - Collections - Sea shells mounted and books on shells and extra shells (7)
6. April - QS Bedroom swap - bookcase (7)
7. April - Dinner Entree Swap - Spaghetti with printed for grated cheese (7)
8. May - Framed Pictures Swap 2 framed pictures (10)
9. May - Turquoise Swap - prep board for sewing.  bolts of fabric in turquoise, patterns, buttons.   (10)
10. May - Finishing Touches - multiple newspapers and a mailbox (10)
11. May - QS - Baby Nursery - Floor lamp, a clock, 3 little outfit and a little love seat (8)
12. May - QS Firecracker swap - Floor Lamps (2 each) (16)
13. June - QS ME Swap - Scottie Clock, 2 rugs and 4 plates with chargers (9)
14. June - QS Raggedy Ann - Settee with throw pillows and a RA gift bag (9)
15. June - Sweet Shop - Cake on stand with a cake cover (10)
16. June - Fun in the Sun - Tropical plates with chargers, a stack of napkins and large bag of Fritos (8)
17. June QS Tropical Beach House - Bright table and chair.   Rug (7)
18. June - NAME 40th Birthday - Birthday gift bags (10)
19. August - Shabby Chic - Plate Rack (10)
20. August - Prep Board - cookies on baking sheet with accessories (10)
21. August - Polka Dot - skirted table in polka dots (10)
22. September - Still Life Painting Swap (12)   Watch tomorrow's blog - more on this swap
23. September - QS Christmas Swap - Decorated Christmas gift and a wrapped gift (5)
24. September - Kitchen Counter Swap - Clock Radio - (10)
25. September - NAME DAY Swap - Clock and newspaper (10)
26. October - Happy Halloween - pumpkins and ghost (10)
27. October - Hutch Accessory - Elephant statue, collector's plate on stand (10)
28. October  - QS Garage Swap - mini dollhouse on prep board (6)
29. October - Book Swap - One readable Halloween book (10) 

I didn't list yearly swaps, or birthday swaps or the gifts for Ft. Myers Fun Day.

Swaps are so much fun!!!!

Sharing swaps

One of the most fun gifts I've ever given was an Advent gift that I gave my sister-in-law, Linda, last Christmas.    She is interested in miniatures and doll houses.   Not nearly to the extent that I am, but still shows lots of interest.   2 years ago I got her 'Lisa Cottage' and she loved putting that little doll house together.   Last year, after she mentioned that she needed things to finish off the house, I gave her an Advent Bag.   One gift a day for 24 days.   

Unfortunately, I didn't photograph the items, but I did photograph the bag, which was a Hobby Lobby embellished small tote bag.

I told Linda that I would know if she broke the rule of opening more than one a day.   One day temptation got the best of her and she opened something that needed some explanation.   I knew she couldn't go 25 days without breaking the rules.    She wants to send the bag back so I can do it again this year.   We'll see.   

 The photograph is from the Ringling Museum in Sarasota Florida.   One of my all-time favorite places. They have a large circus in 3/4 inch scale.   It is worthy of several visits.   

Sandwiches

Tray of Cookies

 Art Apron

Here's what I gave her:

1. Heat Stove
2. Back Pack
3. Raggedy Ann Gift Bag
4. Basket with toys
5. 4 plates
6. 2 completed sandwich plates (sandwiches pictured above)
7. 2 art books
8. six hair rollers
9. 2 open books
10. art apron  (pictured above)
11. cheese and grapes
12. 2 kid books
13. xylophone
14. pizza
15. cleaning box, with comet and sponge
16. rocking horse
17. perfume bottle and vanity tray
18. cannoli and Italian bread
19. cake on a cake stand
20. fern stand (this is what she opened early, it was unpainted and didn't know what it was until I told her)
21. Tea Set
22. Turkey and Hen Set (wrapped like you would find them at he store in the frozen food section)
23. tray with cookies and a cookbook (pictured above  w/o cookbook.   
24. S'more kit 

I'm so sorry that I don't have pictures of all of them, but maybe if I do it again, I'll be better. 

Back to the Garage

Recently I completed (or so I thought) a little quarter scale garage.   I was really pleased with it.   Shortly after I had it 'done', one of the yahoo groups that I belong to hosted a quarter scale garage swap.   Well, I thought maybe I should sign up.   I did and the swaps came yesterday.   At that point I decided my garage needed something more.   My original post was HERE.   This was my garage when I thought it was done.   Most all the comments I received on it were related to how (unrealistically) clean it was and how it was really lacking more stuff.  (that's strange advice for how I do minis).  

There were 6 of us in the swap and I used nearly everything, a couple of items for a commercial garage didn't fit, but I am sure I will use them sometime, somewhere.  

Here are the changes with more stuff.

I got tires, stacked by the garage door.  

I got a rug and a roll of wallpaper on top shelf.   On cabinet, I added the dollhouse that is being constructed.  

More plants on the cabinet, paper towels, paper towls on the shelf above the washer and dryer.   Paint cans on top of the cabinets.   Trash can by door. 

Better view of trash can and the recycling bin.  

Probably need to add an oil stain or two, something more that needs to be done.    Stay tuned.   

Unfinished project - Italian Restaurant QS

I really have been trying to finish up those LINGERING unfinished projects.   Sometimes they linger and then linger a while longer.    This little guy is a scrubby holder and he was so very cute.   I put the window inside, added the both and filled it with food etc.   The scrubby holder floor is elevated with plaster of Paris so you wouldn't be looking down into the container.   It sat on a shelf for months (could be a couple of years).   It needed more.   

Here's how it looked when I took it off the shelf.

Isn't he cute!  

Added a booth, a window.   The table is set with plates, napkins, silverware, wine glasses, wine, and a pizza.   Yum!  

Well, now it needed a base and some more furniture.   

How do you get tables?   Beer tops and golf tees.   

 How do you get stools?  Golf tees and little rounds of wood.  

Can't just have people wandering into the dining area so a little fence would limit access.   Little pegs and jewelry chain.  

A little spray paint gives you great tables and stools.   Printie flooring for the base. and then spray paint the chain fence.   

Now, let's assemble this little restaurant.  

The waiter is seating two customers.   They have been shopping and are loaded down with shopping bags.   So far, only the menus are on the tables, the shoppers have to relax a bit and decide what they want to drink and eat.   

This young fellow is waiting for his date to show up.  He's already got his pizza, but she is always late. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't start eating the pizza without her.    The little dolls are all by Janet Stockwell.  

See the menu board.   Lots of good food to choose from .

This little scene is making me want Italian food.   

Another project done!!

Another Challenge - Scavenger Hunt

It's been a couple of years but the first challenge that I participated in was called a Scavenger List.   We didn't get the items in the mail, but we got a list of things we could use.   

We were given a list of 25 things that could be used and we had to use 20 of them. In addition to posting the picture of our new mini scene, we had to post the list of items used and how we used them (if not obvious). When I first started this I drew a total blank. Didn't have an idea of what I would do, but finally got a great suggestion and it just sort of built itself. A fellow miniaturist suggested I lay out all the items and then pick 20 of them. It went from nearly impossible to finished very quickly.

List of items

1- 4 paper clips - Decorative under window 2- 2 cotton balls - snow on ground and over window awning 3- 1 spool of thread, with or without thread on it - NOT USED
4- 2 feathers - NOT USED
5- 1 piece of 4 x 5 inch bubble wrap - To fill out toy sack
6- 1 plastic Easter egg - sleigh
7- 1 cover for a small box - NOT USED
8- 1 drinking straw, any size or color - gutter down spout
9- 5 inch square of green construction paper - walls on side of scene
10- 6 inches any size width of ribbon - banner above scene “Believe”11- 5 Popsicle sticks - fence 12- 5 buttons of any kind - Wheels of sleigh & nose of deer
13- 4 inch square piece of aluminum foil - ceiling
14- 1 pen cap - body of deer
15- 5 x 7 piece of blue print fabric - toy sack
16- 5 toothpicks (round, flat or fancy) spokes of wheels & tail of deer
17- 2 q-tips - ears of deer and light bulbs in sconces
18- 1 empty toilet paper roll - cut into tiles in front of door 19- 1 sponge - NOT USED
20- 1 Christmas or Hanukkah card - background of scene
21- 2 wire connectors, any size - sconces over door
22- 6 inches of yarn or thick string - tie for toy sack
23- 1 birthday candle - NOT USED
24- a paper plate - dessert or dinner size, any color - Red Paper Plate used as awning over window - frame for scene
25- 1 metal or plastic bottle cap from soda or beer - decorative accent on fence.
Box is Raisin Box

Go back and read the list and see if you can find everything.   

Challenges are fun.   Tomorrow I will post on a container challenge.     

Challenges

There are all sorts of challenges in miniatures.   Theme challenges,   container challenges, time challenges etc.   I've participated in lots of them.   Prizes are sometimes available and sometimes just the honor of being selected by fellow miniaturists.   Most of the time I like to participate in challenges because it gives me a focus and a time limit.   Two things I need to get my best work done.

Several months ago I participated in a Trash 2 Treasure challenge on Quarter Connection.   This is a quarter scale group.   I looked at the things they were sending and basically it looked like so much S*** that I had to work with.   Oh well, I like challenges.   They day I got my envelope of parts, I was sure it was going to be a mess.   I looked at the items for a couple of days and decided I would do an Art Studio with assemblage art on display.  For those of you who don't know much about assemblage art - it art where you use found items.    You had to find a box and use that and I decided to use a Lipton Tea box.  I unglued it and turned it inside out and painted the inside and reassembled.   

Here is the list of things that were used.   

YOUR COMPLETED PROJECT:   Lipton’s Art Gallery on night of Assemblage Art Show. 

INDICATE HOW ALL OR PART OF EACH ITEM WAS USED

PACKAGE 1:

FOAM SQUARE FROM JUNCTION SPLICE:  Display Base for 4 pieces of art (eggs & spiral)  

MATT BOARD SQUARE: Shelf for Clock

PLASTIC CAP:  Part used for Bowl

GRANDTLINE SCRAP:   used in construction table between the two forks.  

GOLD BEAD:   Head on art piece (star gazer)

PAPERCLIP:  Spiral Art piece (displayed in Foam Square)                         

CLOCK PRINTIE:  Mounted on Shelf

PACKAGE 2:

PLASTIC TILE SHEET:  Round Table Top              

DENTIL CUT WAXED PAPER:   Wrapped around a dowel for flag art piece

ARTIFICIAL GREENERY:  In Tall hollow tube

PLASTIC COVERED WIRE:  Coil displayed in foam square

HOLLOW TUBE:   Vase for Greenery

PACKAGE 3:

BUBBLE WRAP:  Stuffing for 2 pillows

RUBBER BANDS:   Chopped up and put in plastic cap for snack

STICKUM PAPER:  Guest book 

DROPPER:  Cut into two pieces – one forms body and other a telescope for Star Gazer art piece.    Part cut into punch bowl and displayed on table. 

SEQUINS:   Part of Mirrored art piece. 

PACKAGE 4:

SILVER FOIL:  Used to cut flags 

PLASTIC MESH:  Part of Mirrored art piece

PICKS:  Table

BRADS:   On Sandwich Board

TACKS:  Punch cup next to punch bowl on table.  

DOWELS:    Used in 3 art pieces 

PACKAGE 5:

THIN WOOD VENEER SHEET:   Used as large blackboard at end of building 

PLASTIC CUP:  Base of Table  

FOLDER TAGS:  Name on gallery  

BITS OF WOOD:  Arranged into free standing art piece. 

PLASTIC EGG:  (2 turned into Art Pieces

ACRYLIC MIRROR:   Part of Mirrored art piece

ITEMS NOT INCLUDED IN TRASH PACKAGE (OPTIONAL ITEMS FROM RULES PAGE)

5” x 7” PIECE OF CARDBOARD FROM SHIPPING BOX:  Used for table and benches and to stabilize box.  

5” x 5” PIECE OF FABRIC:   Pillow cover

ONE SHEET OF COMPUTER PAPER:

PAINT AND GLUE ARE  ALLOWED BUT NOT LISTED.

Container was a small tea box.  

Here are pictures of the finished project:

The next time you see a challenge offered - go for it.   It challenges the brain and makes normal everyday projects SO MUCH EASIER.

Let's visit the diner - AGAIN

Last October I posted about a diner I had done.   You can see that post HERE   In that post, I mentioned that my husband said they were going broke because they had no customers.   Here is how the project was posted.
This is how the project appeared.   One couple at the booth.   

Here is how it looks now.

I added a door to the kitchen.   I also added a customer at the counter and a waitress.  The customer brought his paper to read, but would rather visit with waitress.  

Added an empty plate at the other booth.    

Looks like a much more prosperous diner.   Lots of activity.   Lots of people.   

I think it makes me hungry for a hamburger.

The food kit and the diner kit are by Janet Smith from http://desert-minis.com/. The little dolls are by Janet Stockwell. 

Sometimes when you think you are finished with a mini scene, you are not quite there.   Now I feel the scene is done.