Merry Mini Christmas!!

Do you see little Bat?

Miniature cottage windows

I finally finished making the little windows to go in my new cottage. :-)

Still trying to figure out my new camera though. :-/
Can't seem to get it to focus on everything in the frame and not just the center point.
Anyway, they turned out pretty cool!

Now I just have to put them in. I made the handles from paper, but glued them at the wrong height so I had to flip the windows upside down and now the handles are at the correct height, but on the left side instead of the right. Haha Oh well, perhaps the resident is left handed!

Next up will be shutters!

Make a miniature Christmas stocking

I decided to add some stockings to my little fireplace for Christmas. Note that these stockings are before Santa pays a visit! If I only had a mini glass of milk and some cookies.

Trace the stocking pattern onto the backside of the fabric. Be sure to flip the pattern piece when you trace the second one.

With a very sharp craft knife, cut the corners as shown on pattern (dotted lines on pattern).

Use a toothpick to spread Tacky Glue along the edge of the stocking and fold over the extra fabric. I use the other end of the toothpick to fold and press each piece. Press again as you go to be sure the fold stays down.

Cut some felt to fit inside the stocking.

Using your toothpick run glue all around the edges, but not the top opening of the stocking. Press the pieces together and keep pinching until they are adhered.

Once dry, use sharp scissors to trim away anything that is not even around the edges.

Use your choice of trimming around the top. Glue the trimming on.

Wrap embroidery thread around a 1/2" wide piece of mat board 3 times and cut.

Thread a needle and insert it at the top and pull through until you have enough thread to tie two knots. Trim thread off the needle so you have at least one piece of thread about 4” long.

Push the craft knife under the thread at the base of the wrapped thread and slice it off the board.

Pinch the top and push the threaded needle through the pinched area and then wrap in around about seven times. Then push the needle through wrap and push it through again. Snip the thread off close to the tassel.

Lay the tassel on your cutting board and run the tip of the needle through the embroidery thread to open up the strands. Press in between fingers to shape.

Put a dab of glue on your finger and twist it up the tassel string on the top. Let dry.

Put a blob of glue inside the back of the stocking. Position the tassels where you want them and pinch them against stocking. Snip the threads on the top of the tassels and push them inside the stocking into the glue with a toothpick. Pinch and hold until set.

If needed put a bit of glue behind the tassels to keep them against the stocking.

 There are so many styles you can make! Have fun!

antiqued mirror in miniature

I was given this little mirror as a gift and I knew right away I wanted it to be an attic treasure. After researching online about how to age a mirror I found some really cool techniques for a life size mirror using a piece of glass, but had to come up with my own solution for a mini mirror.

It's a pretty basic technique, but I thought maybe someone out there would like to know...

First, I used a course brush to stipple on some grey paint and dabbed it immediately with a crumpled up napkin. Then stippled spots of black and dabbed it again.

 

I cut a piece of shiny acetate and put it in the mirror hole and then put the mirror in behind it.
Even though old mirrors are chipped and discolored the fronts are still shiny. Because the paint dulled the shine, the acetate helped to give it a shiny effect.

I painted the mirror cream and rubbed some brown charcoal on it with a course brush before I assembled it. Such a fun addition to the attic!

Miniature grandfather clock shelf

I finally found some time to make this piece I have been thinking about!

I managed to take some photos during the process. I hope this tutorial inspires you to make one of your own.

Cut out the patterns on mat board. I used a very sharp craft blade.

NOTE: When cutting out the clock face backing and cupboard door frame, use cereal box cardboard.

Gently sand the edges if necessary for the two side pieces. I used a foam-centered nail file.

Using yellow wood glue, run glue along the edges of the back piece and brace it between the two side pieces with a toothpick. I used two small square boxes with some weight to them to help brace everything while it dried.

Put glue on the back and side edges of the 5 shelf pieces and slide them into the appropriate slots.

Put glue on the top edges of the shelf and glue on the top piece. The back of the top should be flush to the back of the shelf. Brace the top against another box.

Glue the base front on and then both side bases. Gently stand it up to be sure its even when the glue just starts to set. When you are happy turn it over and coat some wood glue on the inside corners.

Score the corners on the cupboard door frame with the back of your blade and glue the thin cardboard molding onto the cupboard door.

Glue in cupboard insets.

Glue in clock face insets. The door will rest on these, one above and below.

Glue the clock face onto the thin-board clock face backing.

Glue the cap on top and once set, glue the two tops onto that.

Once glue is dry, paint entire piece and the clock face door frame (do not assemble this piece yet). Sand and apply paint until you are happy.

Drill holes for knobs on cupboard and clock face door.

Glue the clock face door on. Put glue on front edge of top shelf and the top edge of clock face door. Set in, careful the door does not fall into the clock at the top. Add acetate to back of door if you want glass there.

Put a dab of Tacky Glue on the curve of the cap, let it dry just a bit and then place bead on the glue. Glue seed bead on top of bead. Let dry and then paint.

Please keep in mind there may be piece you have to test fit first and trim a bit. It will depend on how you place your pieces together. Things may be off just a hair.