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Thursday, August 22, 2019

Autumn's Pantry: Baked Goods & Candles


This week my focus has continued to be filling up the shelves of Autumn's Pantry with things you might find at a fall farmer's market. In addition to homemade jams, canned goods and honey, I like to sample the delicious seasonal baked goods. Yum! Although my shop is small and I can't include everything I'm craving, I did make a couple must haves!


I found a bag pattern online and adapted it to size for my needs. I wanted the finished size to be 1/2" wide once assembled, so keeping the aspect ratio of the original pattern makes the finished height of the bag about 53/64" (just under an inch).

If you want to use the pattern, the one inch square
guide will help you print the pattern to the size that
is right for you.
I also found some cute gingham images in fall colors that I could layer the bag pattern on top of. If you want to print the bag pattern, layered over an image you've found online (rather than printing on scrapbook paper), just set your bag pattern to be transparent.


If you change the line color of the bag pattern to match the color of the background image you are using (recolor, then adjust the brightness), it ends up blending in nicely without being an obtrusive black outline in your finished packaging.
I printed several of them out on regular printer paper. Wait about 10 minutes, then coat the back (non ink side) of your paper with original Mod Podge. This will help set the ink. Let dry and then coat the ink side with Mod Podge. Using regular office paper and coating both sides makes the bags strong enough to work with, yet not too stiff and bulky like cardstock can sometimes look.



I wanted my baked goods to peek out of the bag, so I used a decorative hole punch to create a window. It helps a lot to find the center where you want the window so that you have a guide for the punch. I just used a pilot hole punch to mark a center hole, then centered it in the punch.





For the window material, I always have good luck with pasta film. Just carefully peel it away from the cardboard and then cut into pieces that give you an 1/8" seam around the window hole.


I lay the bag face down on a scrap piece of (waxed) paper, apply a layer of glue stick glue, remove from the scrap paper, then position the window over the window hole. Press gently, clean up any excess glue, then let it dry for a few minutes.



Pre-fold all of the fold lines to create a "memory" in the bag before you begin assembling. I start with affixing the left flap to the right inside of the bag. Let dry.



Then fold up the small tabs and glue under the long front and back tabs. I like to fold the front tab last so that the seam only shows from the back.



Once the glue is grabbing, I insert my tweezers into the bag and apply pressure to even out the glue and make it so the bag will sit nicely once dry.


I used three different plaid style/color images for assorted baked goods and dry mixes.


The green plaid bags will house the pumpkin scones. These are made using air dry clay rolled to 1/8" thick, cut into a 1" square and then cut into eight triangles. Once dry, I use artist's chalk in oranges/browns to color them.
To display them in the bags, I cut a 1/2" x 9/16" tray from cardboard. I arrange and glue the scones onto the tray, then slip inside the bag. Then just crease the upper side portions in half, fold the top down, glue, then add a label.




For the iced pumpkin and iced sugar cookies, I used a silicone push mold with air dry clay. Once dry, I colored them again with chalk. For the glaze, I used Stickles and glitter - orange for the pumpkin cookies and translucent for the sugar cookies. I used the same tray method for the cookies as I did for the scones.




I wanted to offer a scone mix that customers could take home and bake. For the "dry ingredients", I used an old jar of embossing powder that's been floating around in my craft drawers since 2002! It works great - just fill the bag about half way and seal well with tacky glue.


These will make a nice addition to the canned goods on the shelves, and the cost to make them up is next to nothing!


I did have the opportunity to make some real wax miniature jar candles. While I had fun and think it's an easy method, there are things I will adapt and improve the next time I make them. I ordered OO (zero zero) square braid wick to try, but it is backordered. So rather than wait, I just used floral wire which I did not bother to paint white. For my purposes with these candles in the shop, they will pass. For a feature candle on a coffee table, I would have given more effort to make the wicks look white/new/waxy. I intend to have another try with these when my wick comes in. I think it's still worth sharing my experience, because I know you brilliant folks out there will come up with an even better method (hopefully you'll share!)!


I am using an $11 crockpot from Amazon as my melting apparatus. Natasha (my daughter) and I took a candle making class last February and that is what they used (although they had a plastic roasting bag inside the pot which contained the wax). This crockpot will be dedicated to candle making only, as I hope to make real life sized candles from the wax my bee keeping brother saves for me. My other supplies are 32 gauge wire (in lieu of wick), uncolored tealight candles in metal cups, alcohol ink, a glass eye dropper and miniature jars.


My tealight candles just fall out of the metal cups which makes it really easy to remove the wick.


Next I placed the metal tealight cups with wax inside the crockpot. I set the crockpot to low and it took about an hour for the wax to melt completely. I am sure the High setting would be much faster, but I was doing other things so had the time to wait.

Still solid.

Melted.

To remove the cup from the crockpot, I used my tweezers and set it right onto a plastic dollar store plate. Then I added a few drops at a time of alcohol ink and mixed in with a wooden coffee stirrer. The alcohol in the ink will evaporate once it hits the hot wax, so don't let that freak you out. It's harmless unless there is an open flame. I found that the orange ink mixed right in, while the yellow and red took some stirring and still did not completely dissolve. It was fine and did not cause an issue. Once mixed, I sucked up the wax into the glass dropper, then filled up my mini jar. Be careful to go slowly so you don't overfill. Also, if you can get it all in in one squeeze I found the wax looked smoother in the finished candle.




Imagine what happens as the wax begins to cool. Yep - back into the crockpot, even the glass eye dropper (I removed the rubber bulb first). I was able to get all five of each of the different colored candles finished in one round before the wax began to cool, but if you are running an assembly line, be prepared.
Also, no brainer here, but BE CAREFUL! Even on low, everything is HOT and capable of causing burns. Use tweezers, not fingers. :O) A few minutes in the crockpot melted the eye dropper wax and I could wipe and ready it for the next color.


Not horrible for a first try, and I really think this has potential! I hope the 00 wick will look in scale and that a real life replica is possible without spending a whole lot of $$. To be continued...

One other note here. I have heard that using crayons to color wax is not a good idea because the pigment they use in crayons will clog the wick and the candle won't burn. BUT! If you are only making miniature candles and do not intend to burn them anyway, I think experimenting with crayons to color the wax would be fun. I have an old art container full of crayons around here somewhere, and since all my nieces/nephews/godchildren are grown up now anyway, if I find it, those crayons are going to become candle color guinea pigs!




I was able to begin loading and arranging the shelves. Gratuitous photos to follow...








Other than some random crates of food and some treats for the kids, the pantry part of Autumn's Pantry is wrapped up. Next up, I'll be making the home decor goods, flowers, and then the window displays. I have a family wedding to attend, and my parents are coming back to town for the month of September, so the time to finish this project for fall is fading quickly!

Hope you're inspired to take these ideas and run with them in your own fun fall projects! And please share! The more we raise our collective mini consciousness the more skilled we all become!

xo xo,
Jodi

48 comments:

  1. Oh wow! Your candles look great! Like Yankee Candles. Gorgeous autumn colors. Now I'm really getting curious about candle making. Your scones and cookies look delicious!

    This project gets more and more appetizing by the day!

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    1. Thanks Sheila! Yankee Candles - exactly! Originally I had intended to make them for the Shabby Chic Soap Shop and have had all those jars since early 2016! I am so glad I finally had the chance to use them and to try making the mini candles. It was so much fun and much easier than I had anticipated!

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  2. What a wonderful display! The items you've made are so appetizing, and you've displayed them so artfully. Thank you for the tutorials on the cookies and the candles. I like your way of making sure the hole gets punched in exactly the right place. (I have a lot of trouble with that.) And your scone mix is so cute and perfect! Have you thought of making the candles scented, or would that just be way too overwhelming in miniature?

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    1. Thanks Deb! It's hard in miniatures to come up with a system for things because we all do them so infrequently! Now all I have to do is come back to the blog to remember how I did it last time!
      It's funny you mention scented candles. In May, my dad sent me a box of at least 30 different essential oil concentrates that he found at a garage sale. The next time I experiment, I will add a few drops of the different scents and let you know what the effect was!

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  3. Hi Jodi!!! You are the Best Tutorial maker in mini blogland!!! This is so awesome! I am always impressed with the level of technology know-how that goes into making "ordinary" little mini projects! But that is what makes them look so perfectly "ordinary" and Real!!! You have clearly mastered some of these pattern making and printing methods(I still have to get my printer back up and running... it ran off on vacation a while ago and hasn't decided to work again!):( I keep saying that "someday" I will manage to TRY to make some of these perfect labels and mini packaging and boxes and paper stuff.... I have Faith that it will happen... but not before a certain mini shrub is finished! LOL Your candles are amazing! Even moreso because they really are candles!!! I made a few hand dipped real beeswax tapers in my teen years.... I still have them, they are uneven and funny looking but I Treasure them! :) Your Pantry shelves look so amazing all filled with your appealing goods.... another thing you are so good at!!! I meant to leave a comment on your last post, but life has been too busy lately.... You really know how to make the mini assembly lines work and it is awesome that you share all the little details like taping the jars to the plate before filling them!!! I would never ever think of that! LOL! I hope you have enough time to get this project done before your Family arrives... but even if you don't... there is still Halloween and Thanksgiving before Autumn is over! You have plenty of Time... so don't rush! As always, I look forward to seeing more! :):):)

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    1. Aw, thanks Betsy! I am so happy that the tips are helpful! I hope you and your printer will find each other again so you get the chance to try out some of these methods!
      The candle making class was fascinating and I enjoyed it so much that if I ever tire of making minis I have a backup hobby! Hand dipped sounds like a real skill that takes practice but the best part of making anything is feeling proud of ourselves just for trying!
      I am so happy that you like the shelves and my methods for keeping myself organized and klutz proof! I need all the help I can set up for myself!
      The next six weeks will be busy ones here, too, but as long as the shop is done in time for the neighbor kids to see it when they come Trick-or-Treating I'll be happy! They get so excited and it's thrilling!

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  4. Take your ideas and run with them? You bet! Your tutorials always make the projects look so easy. The bags of treats are adorable and the candles are a great addition. Would it work to use sewing or quilting thread for the wicks? Maybe stiffen them with glue first?

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    1. Thanks Sherrill! You have the same Popular Mechanics mind in your DNA as I do - I can tell! I hope you get the chance to improve on the methods here and I know you will share with us! I think you might just be on to something with the threads for wicks. The only hurtle is to make them stiff enough to stand up to the heat, and the glue might just work perfectly!

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  5. Las estanterías te han quedado perfectas,con ese montón de delicias que las completan,se ven todas tan apetecibles y deliciosas!!!
    Fantásticos tus tutoriales!!!
    Besos.

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    1. Gracias pilar! ¡Estoy feliz de que te gusten los estantes y los tutoriales! ¡Espero que tengas la oportunidad de probarlos y agregar tus hallazgos a nuestro conocimiento colectivo!

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  6. Hi, unfortunatelly my English is very poor, so I have no words to tell, how much I love your work! I only can say it is wonderful. Thanks for the tutorial. ❤

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    1. Hi Melli! I admire your English skills and to even try to learn another language is incredible! Your English is certainly light years ahead of my Hungarian, lol! I appreciate your words of encouragement in any language, so Thank You!

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  7. This looks really great, surprised how beautiful this is, you are really an artist with miniatures.
    I also want to make a store, I do not understand English very well and translate does not work very well either. I don't quite understand how to make the cookie bags with which program, paint or something? I think this is so beautiful, I can really enjoy it.

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    1. Thank you, Gonda! Coming from you those words mean so much to me! You are a widely talented artisan that I admire very much!
      You can use any Microsoft Office software that includes a Picture Tools toolbar. Common ones would be Word, Power Point, Publisher. You can also use other free programs that use the same functions, they are just called different things and have different icons. If you can tell me what software you have, I can help you choose the best one to use. I can send screen shots to find what you need to make the bags and labels. I am happy to help and you can email me any time - jodihippler@gmail.com.

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  8. Waou !very beautiful and thank you for explanations and printables !

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  9. Once again am totally in awe of you and your creative genius. It is so good to have the tutorials. Truly inspiring, thank you

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    1. Thank you Sylvie! I am so happy that any of this will be helpful or encourage you to try something new! It the exploration that make minis so exciting!

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  10. Jodi you are Awesome!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all the tutorials and how tos, the templates and patterns. You are so talented and generous. Your shelves are turning out great with all these amazing goodies. I have to come back and read everything again carefully but I better comment now as I am so busy I don't want to forget to show you my appreciation. Your shop is turning out great, I love it!

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    1. Thanks Alex! I am so happy that the patterns and tips might be useful for you! I am glad you like the shelves, too! Hope whatever is making you so busy is also enjoyable! Life seems to speed by faster and faster every day!

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  11. Once again, I am in awe of your amazing talent. I love the food and candles with all the packaging! Thank you.

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    1. Thanks Pat, but this is a perfect example of the pot calling the kettle black! :O) I hope you will get your blog going again and show us more of the creative genius that you so naturally posses!

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  12. La espera para ver tus adelantos ha merecido la pena. Son dos tutoriales fantásticos; he aprendido mucho con tus explicaciones.
    Gracias.
    Un saludo

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    1. Gracias marian! ¡Espero que tengas la oportunidad de probarlos y compartir las mejoras con nosotros en tu página de tutoriales! ¡Tienes algunos increíbles!

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  13. The bag tutorial is so great! They look so realistic and professionally done. The candle jars turned out wonderfully! I've only ever simulated wax with polymer clay. This is a great idea. :D

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    1. Thanks Brae! I think you'll enjoy working with the wax for jar candles. Making molds for free standing candles will be a whole new challenge!

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  14. Oh Jodi! What a fantastic, incredible display! I love the bags and the candles and every step of making them is so clear. Thank you for your generosity in sharing your tips and the templates.
    A warm hug,
    Drora

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    1. Thank you, Drora! It's great to have feedback letting me know what I am explaining is clear! I hope it helps encourage those who want to try making them to go for it!

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  15. Wonderful and inspiring tutorials! The display is awesome, too!

    Can you please let me know what program you used when making the boxes?

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    1. Hi Barbg! Thanks so much for being here and for your comment!
      I have been using Microsoft Publisher since 2002. There are software programs out there now with much more power, but I find I can do almost all I need to with mine. If you have word or PowerPoint, you'll have the same toolbars as I use. All you need is to be able to insert images, resize them, draw shapes, set transparency, change line and fill colors and sometimes recolor patterns. I will do another tutorial very soon that gives screen shots of the Office programs that will work, as most people have one of the Office programs on their PC.

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  16. I must commend you on your natural ability regarding THE ART OF DISPLAY! You have Nailed it Jodi and your shelves and display rack, looks as Professional as any I've seen in Real Life- Simply Stunning!!!!
    Your Clever candle making techniques and your Filled goodie-bags of baked goods IS Totally INSPIRATIONAL! I Always learn something brand new from your blog posts and feel like they enrich my miniature life In Every Single Photo and Paragraph- YOU ROCK!

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    1. Thanks so much Elizabeth! It means the world to me to be able to help fellow miniaturists achieve their creative goals in some small way! We all bring a new skill to the table, and I have learned so much and been so inspired by our community that together we can all become our best!

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  17. Ma che meraviglia!!! Sembra davvero che tu stia catturando l'autunno per conservarlo intatto qui dentro! I sacchetti per i biscotti sono davvero graziosi, e adoro l'idea del mix di ingredienti secchi, ma credo che tu mi abbia davvero conquistata con le candele! I tuoi tutorial sono sempre semplici e facili da comprendere, e l'effetto finale è perfetto! Invidio un po' la possibilità di riempire gli scaffali con tutti questi oggetti meravigliosi, ma io sono ancora alla struttura della casa, e mi devo concentrare su quella. Mi dedicherò ai dettagli in futuro!

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    1. Grazie mille Elenè! Sono così felice che stai provando la sensazione di caduta dal negozio!
      Il lavoro di fondazione su qualsiasi progetto è così importante, perché fornisce la stratificazione e la profondità per la presentazione finale. So che non hai avuto molto tempo come vorresti sul tuo grande progetto, ma continua a lavorare su tutti i dettagli ogni volta che puoi e presto scoprirai di aver fatto grandi progressi! È sempre un momento così emozionante per arrivare alla parte dell'arredamento, e non vedo l'ora di vederti raggiungere quel punto sulla tua bella casa!

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  18. Astonishing amount of work - months of fiddling around for most people done in a blink of an eye. Absolute perfection - literally - nothing could be improved on. You have a real talent for display as well as the actual making of goods. Such a brilliant 'eye' for things. Stunning

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    1. Thank you Marilyn! The time eater was really getting the jars done. The candles and bags went pretty quickly and were maybe a weekend's worth of work. Once I had all the things ready to load onto the shelves, the trick was trying not to become overwhelmed by what should go where. I laid out all the goods in one section on my mat, the decor and accessories on the other, then divided them up into piles for each section of the shelving. Then I could look at just one shelf at a time, play with the arrangement and work on gluing corn stalks into crates etc. In other words, I function best when I make myself organized to the smallest detail. Then the elephant is easy to chew one bite at a time! :O)

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  19. Ah, it's always so much fun to drop by and enjoy your newest post! And once more you've spoiled us with two very well explained and shown tutorials. You're very good at explaining, btw! ;O)

    Your bags turned out so lovely, I really like the possibility to peep inside. It's amazing how much care you're spending on things that can barely be seen in the end like the two different sprinkles on the cookies - but this dedication to details is of course characteristic for an outstanding miniaturist (or as Betsy would say: "But I know that it's there" *LOL*)

    Your candles turned out awesome - even with the black wicks. It's interesting to learn that it's possible to get real wick this thin for miniature candles. I'm looking forward to see your next tries.

    And now to the big picture - bravo for the way you've arranged all your goods in this fabulous shelf! I've read in your comments how you're arranging things (You are really so da*n organized!!! *LOL*) and this pays off. The shelves look fantastic and I really admire the decorations… an apple here, a pumpkin there… and especially this spilled apple basket. And now - as usual - I'm looking forward to more… whenever you have the time.

    Hugs
    Birgit

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    1. Thanks Birgit! It makes me so happy to hear that you enjoy your visits and that my explanations are understood! I wish I could communicate as well with Russ, lol!

      It is always a struggle to decide just how much realism and detail to put into each part of these builds. What is just going to be a waste of time? But have you ever been charmed by a little scene only to discover a glaring flaw that ruined the whole illusion? I only notice this in my own work and so I have been trying to train myself to make each tiny aspect a stand alone best. It doesn't always work!

      I think the 00 wick is meant for birthday candles, so it still may not be in scale enough. If not, I may just have to learn on my own how to make real wick in the correct scale! Like I have all the time in the world, right? At least I enjoy figuring out how to make things work and failures just roll off my back (usually)!

      2016-2017 were years where I dreamed up several "someday" builds and then pursued acquiring the kits, materials and themed minis to go with them. This lead to a major hoarding and guilt talk with myself in the summer of 2018. You don't know how relieved I am just to be actually using the hoard in projects and not letting these wonders languish in drawers. It is easy to decorate when you have such great choices! :O)

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  20. Hi!!! Thanks for the link to your fabulous blog! This is a great tutorial for some very lovely candles! They so pretty!!! I would love to have some of those short glass containers with the lid that you used. Where did you get them, please?

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    1. Hi T.V. and thanks for stopping by and you lovely comments!
      I purchased the jars from WOW Miniatures via eBay. Here is a link to them:

      https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Canister-Remove-Lid-Dollhouse-Miniatures-Food-Cookie-Jar-Kitchenware-12455/232949056319?hash=item363cd8833f:g:iZcAAOSwefldYIuF

      Hope you get a chance to try making the candles!

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  21. Todas las bolsas de comida han quedado fantásticas. Has creado un bonito diseño. Gracias por el tutorial. Lo de las velas desde luego requiere paciencia pero son totalmente realistas.

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    1. Gracias isabel ¡Me alegra que te gusten las adiciones de esta semana a la tienda! ¡Espero que tengas la oportunidad de jugar y agregar tu propio toque inteligente en los tutoriales!

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  22. The shelf looks great Jodi. Just the right amount of neat and tidy with loosely placed things for interest. Nice and colourful and rosy. And thanks for the bag template, it will be useful.

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    1. Thanks Shannon! I'm glad you think the shelves are balanced! And I am happy that you can use the bag!

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  23. Hi, Jodi - I had huge expectations for Autumn's Pantry, just because I know how imaginative and skilled you are, but you've met and way exceeded all those expectations! I'm amazed at the wonderful variety of goodies that you've made. Thank you for sharing your very clear and detailed tutorials; you inspire me to try my hand at making things that I would never even have thought of! How fortunate that you've "hoarded" so many supplies that you've put to such timely use for the market. Not only have you succeeded in creating all those perfect pantry goodies - you've arranged them all so creatively - everything shows to its best advantage. This is exactly the kind of shop that I'd love to find somewhere; I'd just browse and browse to my heart's content so that I wouldn't miss the smallest item or the tiniest detail. This is already a masterpiece in miniature - and I know there are more wonders to come! I can't wait!
    Marjorie

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    1. Thank you Marjorie! It means so much to me that this project is inspiring your creativity! We all have such great stuff inside of us, and just the urge to try something new can lead us to the most fulfilling places! It has been so much fun to go from being overwhelmed with what to do to having everything for the shelf arrangements suddenly make sense! I am really enjoying making this little shop in miniature, because this is my favorite kind of shop in real life, too! A bounty of all the wonderful things life has to offer!

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  24. Your candles are amazing. Thanks for the tutorials.

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