Answering The Call

Hello my friends! I don't know if you've missed me, but I sure missed all of you! It feels like I have been gone on a long, epic journey! And yet, it's only been two weeks! When we last spoke, I was enlisting help for volunteers to play with my new 3D printed minis. I am so grateful to say that I was overwhelmed by the support and by the offers of help I received! Originally, I had thought to send packages to five or six folks. But between the blog, the email blog subscription list, Facebook and Instagram, I had over forty volunteers! I know I say this all the time, but mini people are The Best People!!! I spoke with Russ about his comfort level with regard to the expense of shipping packages, and was again blown away by his encouragement. "Whatever you need" was what he told me. 💗 So I got to pick 14 names, and after the long holiday weekend, got busy contacting everyone for their preference of items. Then, I started printing.

Each of the volunteers got to pick if they were more interested in the Baking, items, the Cookware items, or the General Kitchen items. I wanted to make sure these good Samaritans would end up with things they actually needed or wanted! Then, in addition to those items, I sent items from the other categories. A typical box included the items above.

I had to organize a spreadsheet with all the volunteer's information, preferences etc., I also had to create a questionnaire for them to fill out once they'd received their minis. I had to write instructions for the things that need assembling after painting. I had to actually 3D print the items, each category taking an average of 8 hours. And once the items came off the printer, the sanding began. It was an odyssey of 16 hour days for over a week! Woodson and Rusty are terribly board since walks and play time were among the sacrifices, and poor Russ had to eat tuna salad all weekend! But by Jove, I got 'er done!

And in between batches, while waiting for the next batch to finish printing, I kept at designing new kitchen minis. I received so many excellent ideas from all of you, I just had to try making them! I started with a honey pot and dipper.

It turned out so adorably that I had to try painting it. Or THEM. To the pots, I painted a base coat of Empire Gold. To the honey dippers, I applied a coat of Raw Sienna. 

With paint before washes were applied.

Next, I applied a brown wash to all the pieces, then finished the pots with a glaze coat and the dippers with a matte coat.

And then I decided that every volunteer just had to have one! 

In addition to the finished flour sifters...

I also had small windows of time that I used to create even more of your wonderful suggestions! On the left is a garlic keeper, next to it a salt pig, (the honey pot you've already seen) and a pear shaped cookie jar. I can't wait to paint these up!

I have also been working on a colander, as many of you suggested, but getting the holes just right is an ongoing challenge. It'll get there - I just need to keep working until I uncover the secret..

Once all the batches of samples were printed and sanded, I could package them up and get them into shipping boxes. This, too, required research into the best ways to get minis safely through the mail. I still have so much to learn!

But thanks to all of you in this incredibly supportive community, I am on the way to learning how to get my ideas into your hands! The first batch, to the amazing volunteers, is on their way!

Next on the agenda is to scrub the house, get some food into the cabinets and then go visit Tasha on her farm. She and Brent are the proud parents of chickens and goats, and I get to meet them next weekend!

Thanks again for all your support and encouragement! There is nothing like minis and mini friends to fill the soul! 💗

xo xo,

Jodi