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Thursday, May 16, 2019

Halftime!

Getting the balcony railing installed for the New Orleans felt like a major accomplishment!  I kept at it, installing the last interior wall then starting in on all the trim work. Here’s where you find out just how out of square your build is and how good you really are with your measurements. I'll have some pics for you next week. I have a fair amount of filling and touch up painting to do, and that just got real boring, real fast. I got out the roof piece to begin making decisions on the ceiling molding and suddenly felt lost for direction. Oh how I long for step by step instructions where I don’t have to make many decisions and can kind of just mindlessly enjoy something crafty!

Ask and ye shall receive!


For Mother’s Day this year, my grown up daughter flew to California to visit her paternal grandma. She asked me before booking the ticket if it would hurt my feelings if she was not with me on Mother's Day. How sweet is that? Of course I told her GO! Have fun! We don't need it to be Mother's Day to spend fun time together, and we do it quite regularly anyway! But she went even further to sweeten the deal and will be spending most of this weekend here. Last time she showed me how to make her eggs Benedict recipe with homemade biscuits, but this time we'll be working on new mini projects together!



I have always been curious about the all in one 3D puzzle kits that you see everywhere, and have always wanted to see if I would really enjoy working in half scale. So using the generous Mother's Day Amazon gift card from the same thoughtful daughter, I bought two of them. Mine is the Chocolatier store kit by Spilay. Natasha has less room in her apartment, and because she has very little mini experience I picked the smaller Cake Diary kit by Cutebee for her.


In preparation for this weekend, I thought it was a great idea to crack my kit open to get familiar with the instructions. While there are very few words in English, the photos are pretty self explanatory. Once you get the key to how the instructions are laid out, it's pretty straight forward. The Spilay kit has the parts segregated into bags marked with a letter. Once you find the bag with that letter, you see a photo diagram of the parts you need for that piece of the kit. The instructions then provide step by step photos of how to assemble. The window film, signs and patterns are referenced in the same way as the parts for easy identification. Many of them have already been painted, and my kit included sandpaper, scissors, tweezers, ruler, razor knife, screwdriver and parts to make a dust cover.




I'll report on the other kit brand instructions after we've had a chance to work on it, though they look really similar.


I have only worked on the main large furniture pieces so far, a couple hours over the past couple evenings and am making steady progress. It is such a nice change to just be able to follow directions, and yet I have found some great opportunities to personalize and embellish the pieces as I go. I have added scrapbook paper, lace, different door knobs and even raised the tiny signs by adding wood back pieces outlined in gold leafing pen. We'll pretend that "always" is not misspelled on this one. :O) This person's English is still definitely better than my Chinese!




Aren't they adorable?!? I am truly enjoying this kit and expect to do more in the future. I hope Natasha finds it just as fun and that it turns into a regular activity for us to enjoy together.

As is generally the case, the universe synchronizes the timing on things. Imagine my surprise and delight this morning when I learned via email marketing that Hobby Builders Supply/miniatures.com is now offering these kits on their site!


The most delightful thing about this little halftime experiment is that I am discovering that I LOVE 1/24th scale! I can see myself doing many more projects in this scale, and because it's so much tinier, I'll have room for twice as many projects! Watch out Shannon! Soon I'll be coming for some of those amazing Red Cottage Miniatures structure and furniture kits I've coveted for so many years!!!

Have a wonderful, fun and creative weekend everyone!

xo xo,
Jodi

44 comments:

  1. I saw those Red Cottage minis on Groupon and I keep stopping myself from adding to my backlog of projects!

    I love how your kits are coming together and oh yes! I know what you mean about 'can't I just follow the directions and relax'.

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    1. She really does design the most charming things! I am excited at the thought of getting some kits soon! Just have to wait until after the "birthday season" for my turn! :O)
      It has been so nice to just follow directions!

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  2. ¡Pasadlo muy bien con el montaje de los Kits!Tiene que ser estupendo poder compartir la afición con tu hija.

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    1. Gracias isabel ¡Estoy realmente emocionado por ello! Ella es menos creativa y está más orientada a los rompecabezas, así que creo que serán perfectos para ella.

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  3. What a delightful change of pace, and project for mother/daughter time. I received two similar kits and have yet to build them. They seem to be cleverly made.

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    1. It is such a nice change, Sherrill! And I have been really impressed with them so far! Some brilliant engineer has made them fun and simple, and some designer has made them adorable. A perfect combination!

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  4. This is the cutest little project! The space saving scale has to be the best bonus! And even better that your daughter is apart of it. :) Aww! I hope you both have so much fun with the kits. Sometimes it's nice to have a project that already has a direction. Can't wait to see it finished!

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    1. I had it in my mind that 1/24 would be twice as difficult to work with and much harder to see and appreciate. I am finding that is not at all the case! The finish size for the bigger kit is absolutely perfect for displaying on a bookshelf, and I have lots of those! I just hope Natasha has as much fun with them as me. She loves puzzles and grew up loving craft kits during summer vacations, so hopefully, these will nail her yearning for a relaxing project!

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  5. As usual your post offers new Adventures in miniatures which are so much fun to read!
    I think that it is MARVELLOUS that you and your daughter are so caring for each other and that she is getting her feet wet with miniatures too! :D
    The half scale kits you've chosen are both SO CUTE and I can see that yours is going to be a Knock Out now that it's well underway. :D

    elizabeth

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    1. Thank you Elizabeth! I am so delighted that I finally gave these little kits a try! And this scale is definitely something I can see myself doing again in the future! They are a nice change of pace from working on complicated tasks which you have to completely engineer yourself, lol!
      Natasha is just a delight to be around, so I am so happy that spending time with her mom is something she still makes time for!

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  6. Yay! A potential convert to half scale
    😄😊! I know I am prejudiced, but it's really a wonderful scale to work in. 😉 They sound like really fun projects. Thank you for posting the information and your progress. I have long been fascinated by these, and would love to try one some time.

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    1. Oh yes Deb I have finally seen the light, lol! I can totally see the appeal and might just be a permanent convert at some point when I run out of 1/12 kits! The all in one aspect and a clear and set direction in these kits is such a nice break from the constant ten step ahead thinking that my builds the past few years have been! I think you'd really enjoy doing one, too!

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  7. Lo más maravilloso de todo,es que tu hija y tú os involucréis en un proyecto común! Y construir esos kits juntas.será un montón de diversión!
    Besos.

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    1. Esa es la parte más maravillosa, Pilar! ¡Es una alegría estar cerca y tiene una vida tan COMPLETA que me siento privilegiada de que ella quiera pasar tiempo con mi aburrida! Espero que le gusten los kits!

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  8. que bueno, os divertiréis seguro ...

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    1. Espero que sí Carmen! ¡Me encantaría que se convierta en algo normal para nosotros dos! ¡Dedos cruzados!

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  9. What a great idea to do something that you love so much with your daughter. Mine seems unable to see the enjoyment value in miniatures and only talks about how much space they take in my flat or that I could make money selling them LOL, bless her! Your progress seems a lot and I wish you and your daugter super fun and amazing time sharing.

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    1. It is wonderful Alex and I hope she likes it and does not feel cornered, lol! I know what you mean about them not getting it. To my face, my family is very mildly supportive of my miniature exploration. Behind my back, I think they think I am a lunatic, lol! How do you make someone understand a passion when you can hardly explain it yourself? I think because of her personality, Natasha will have fun with this project and time we spend doing it this weekend. Whether or not she'll want to do another only time will tell. We've all but abandoned our fairy garden quarter scale project, but both of us were kind of stuck as to what to do next. Hopefully, with clear direction, these kits will be the answer!

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  10. I want to be your sister! (I'm too old to be your daughter)
    I am going to follow your lead and see if my daughter is interested in doing this. She has a summer break from school, and this might be something fun for us to do indoors.

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    1. We can definitely be "mini sisters"! If Russ ever gets his wish and we move to Henderson so he can be near his beloved Raiders we can even get together for actual mini play time!
      It seems like there's a kit to fit every personality so I bet your daughter would have no trouble picking one she's excited about doing! They are super fun to do together and so worth the price!

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  11. How wonderful to be able to have fun working with your daughter! I know from experience what pleasure it is. These kits are lovely and even have dust covers.
    Enjoy your work!
    Hugs, Drora

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    1. It was a wonderful time working on the kits together, Drora! She was more excited and enthusiastic than I'd hoped she would be, especially when her creative mind started imagining all the little things she could customize for her shop!

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  12. Thank you so much for this post. My two granddaughters are in Canada and I am in the UK and want to 'share' dollhousing with them even if I can't work alongside. I am now off to see if Amazon Canada have any simple versions of these that I could send them. How lovely to have a daughter prepared to mini alongside you. Enjoy.

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    1. Oh Marilyn I hope you found just the perfect kits for them! They are so ingenious with how they fit things together, and they include so many delightful little details that I can't imagine the girls would not just love them!

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  13. Seguro que lo pasareis genial , las dos son preciosas.Buen fin de semana:-)

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    1. Gracias Rosa Maria! Nos lo pasamos de maravilla y Natasha disfrutó de este proyecto incluso más de lo que esperaba.

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  14. Hi, Jodi - This is such a delightful mother/daughter project, and the Chocolatier and Cake Shops look beautiful! But you made me laugh when you wrote that you "long for step by step instructions," and can "mindlessly enjoy something crafty," and you find it a nice change to "just be able to follow directions!" I'm so much the opposite! Just looking at the photos of those instructions made me break into a cold sweat, and I felt definitely dizzy. That sort of thing is so far beyond any endeavor on my part that the effort involved literally makes my mind hurt! You can't know how much I admire you and your daughter (and other brave souls) who can read, understand, and follow those incredibly complex instructions and end up with perfectly constructed and perfectly wonderful tiny shops. I do, however, have a granddaughter who is crafty and clever, and she loves tiny things. I'm thinking one of these darling kits might be something that she and I can work on together during her summer vacation from school. (She can tell me what to do, and I'll fumble around and try to do it right!) Thank you for introducing me to these kits. I think.
    Marjorie

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    1. Ha ha! I know what you are saying Marjorie and can relate to being a little intimidated by the overwhelming amount of instruction at first glance. But I promise you it's like magic once you have the decoder in your brain! They are actually fun like a puzzle to figure out and any mistakes can be rectified. I think it's something you and your granddaughter would enjoy making together very much!

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  15. Hi Jodi! What a Sweetie your daughter is! You will have a blast playing together with the tiny kits! I am so aware of what you mean by wanting to just follow the instructions! It is why I could make my lilac blossoms endlessly... I know "what to do" and even how long it takes and it is really quite soothing to work on! LOL! But other projects do call after a while! An intermission project is just the thing! :) Of course, if you are like me.... it will become the new obsession... and years will pass before you look up and say to yourself "where was I...?" But the wonderful part of this hobby is that it doen't matter how long it takes... what matters is the fun along the way.... the excitement... the inspiration.... when that is missing is is time for a new Project! LOL! I really look forward to seeing more of these little projects!!! :):)

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    1. She is so thoughtful, Betsy!! We had a wonderful time putting her kit together. She was so excited to learn that she could replace the wallpapers and flooring with stuff from my stash that soon the customization was everywhere! We had to fit a family brunch into the weekend, so we'll probably need another weekend together to get it completed, which we are both looking forward to very much! She said it was the perfect kind of mini project for her because the instructions told her what order to do things, what went where and she could customize from there. It was so much fun to see her enjoying herself and delighting in her mini achievements!

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  16. I'm smiling all over here… what a fun project this is going to be (and already is, your first steps look so lovely… I would even say: Lovely as AWAYS! *LOL*) And it's wonderful that this is going to be a mother-daughter-project, I'm wishing you loads of fun together and keep my fingers crossed that your daughter will catch fire. The kits you've chosen are both lovely and I will follow your progress with much interest. Maybe you remember that I've received a similar kit as a Christmas gift… so far I've just had a look at the instructions but I suppose it will be fun… that very far away future day when I'll have time and space to start with it. What made me grin is your remark that the best thing about this scale is being able to have two projects for the space of one in 1:12. I already foresee the next step - a heartfelt hello to scale 1:48! In this case I can fully recommend visiting Petite Properties... btw they also have a small range of projects in 1:24... *teehee* I'm wishing you a great time with your darling daugther!

    Hugs
    Birgit

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    1. Thank you Birgit! You are so wonderfully kind! :O)
      I really did see Natasha catch fire! She was excited with the idea that she could customize the kit and replace the flooring and wall papers with real wood and coordinating scrapbook papers! Whenever we'd take a break to eat or visit with Russ, she's get anxious to get back to it! I showed her how to multi-task when waiting for glue to dry, and soon she had three or four parts of the instructions going at once! It was great fun and I can't wait to share more about it on my next post!
      I think you are going to really enjoy your kit when you find time for it! And I would love to try other scales as long as my eyes can see well enough and my fingers are nimble enough! It might be fun to head over to Petite Properties and start a wishlist, lol! :O)

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  17. I love your kits they are beautiful. I have done one of these kits and they are great fun. Enjoy this time with your daughter.
    Hugs Maria

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    1. Thank you Maria! Natasha has been journaling every day since January 1st, so she loved that I'd picked one called "Cake Diary" for her! We did not get to the part where we get to make and decorate the cakes yet, but she is sooooo excited about it! The stuff included with the kits is really neat and ingeniously made. I have huge admiration for the designers of these wonderful kits!

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  18. I was wondering about these kits. The pieces are little and so adorable! Cannot wait to see it finished.
    Mini huggs,
    Conny

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    1. I think you'd like them, Conny! I have been quite impressed with the detail, engineering and ingenuity that have been put into them by their creators! I hope to have more to share soon!

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  19. I've never done a kit but have seen a couple that look fun. Can't wait to see your's finished!

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    1. Me too Brandy! I'm having a lot of fun with it and it's a nice break from the complicated New Orleans!

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  20. wow that look spectacular great yes hihi that manual not to read ... O everything self made really super nice you keep looking and discovering new things ... Mother's day I'm not a fan ... have it abolished find it more fun that they come when they feel like it and not because it is commercially imposed ... so they are welcome every day if they would like ... and with one family at the time I also have more time to talk to them and enjoy them. .. otherwise I just walk back and forth with snacks and drinks and miss all the conversations that I like so much ...

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    1. I could not agree with you more, Marijke! My family does not need a date on a calendar telling us when to get together. We used to be much more traditional, but it was always the same two of us hosting, cooking and doing all the work - might as well been caterers because as you said we totally missed the visiting part! Now we do potluck or meet at a restaurant so that everyone can really catch up. Sadly, the focus of life has become about working and commuting here in the US so it is the family time that has suffers.

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  21. I'm trying so hard to resist these DIY Kits. It's a rabbit hole I don't think I will ever escape from but darn it, they are too cute. I think it's a natural progression for us mini fans. Start at 1/12th...run out of room. Drop to 1/16th, 1/48th, 1/144th. It's like miniature inception :D

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    1. Exactly! And I surely don't need any more rabbit holes to chose from, which is why I thought it was best to stick to 1/12! I think I may have to open up the way I am evolving, though, and just be open to whatever mini size or theme comes my way! Who knows what's next or what I might discover!

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  22. I have some kits too. It's fun to build them.

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    1. I love your little travel trailer and it is definitely one of the projects that lead me to trying these kits! I am super excited to see how the greenhouse progresses and ho you'll include your fabulous personal touch!

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