Fall Already???

Hi Guys! Is it really fall already? It feels like I put my head down to get packages out to my volunteers, and when I looked up, October was well under way! Let me assure you that even though I haven't posted in a few weeks, I've been BUSY! I'll try to catch you up on all the happenings...

In my last post I shared how the packages of  vintage 3D printed kitchen minis were on their way to the volunteer testers. Since then, I have gotten several reviews and photos back and am so excited with the feedback! Here are just a few comments...

"How I wish you could've been here when I opened your package a few minutes ago! I literally gasped and squealed at the array of beautiful items that were enclosed, and marveled at the tiny honey pot and sweet sifter. Thank you for your unexpected "thank you" gifts! They're SO precious!!! I love EVERYTHING that you've sent, and am blown away by the quality of each piece. I would venture to say that they're the best 3D printed items that I've seen so far. Also love that you've left them attached to their little bars/stringers to make painting easier."
Terri K.

"I received the little precious things. I am in love with everything. The colander is just too too good! I am going to finish up a purse I'm working on and then will be devoted to minis. Thanks for this opportunity. One thing I can say now: I purchase quite a few 3-D items to finish. The quality of these is much better. Of course, I will be swearing a lot with the toaster!!!"
Pat S.

"The package arrived today and I will get started on this after my NAME Gazette meeting today at noon. Thank you so much for the presents you sent. They are fantastic and hard to believe they are plastic/resin. After just going through what I got, I would definitely like to have you as a supplier when I finally get my miniature food business kicked off. You have items my other supplier doesn’t (just like she has things you don’t, well, mainly because I had a few custom requests that she filled)."
Marilyn H.

"I was so thrilled when my package of your minis arrived in the mail today! I can't thank you enough! When you see them in the images on your blog, they're fantastic, but when you see them in person, they're just marvelous and so captivating!!!!! I love that tiny honeypot you included, it's just wonderful and oh so cute! And that little sifter! They're amazing! I can't wait to review them, and thank you for making my day!"
Julia T.

I'll share photos I received from the volunteer testers in a future post - it's amazing the range of products that were used and the finishes they've come up with! So inspiring!!! There were some really good suggestions on improvements, too, so after a couple adjustments, I started printing again - this time, for photo shoots. I needed three sets of everything: one for the Willowcrest kitchen to be painted in it's color scheme, one with a more crowd pleasing palette to use for product display photos, and one set right off the printer, lightly sanded but left unpainted so folks will know exactly what they will receive. Honestly, at this point I am still not certain if I will open a shop. There is so much to learn and I need to be sure I can handle the business part. Online retail has gotten very complicated if your gross sales are over $600 per year with the new tax laws. For now, I'm going to "act" like a shop is happening, do all I need to do and learn all I need to know, and then decide.

I've used a two-tone porcelain enamel look on lots of the pieces.

In the garage for spray varnish.

The printed pieces have been painted and sealed, and I am preparing myself for a major photo shoot. To accomplish this, I needed a photo studio. Some of my longtime readers might remember when I made up a Houseworks Duplex Roombox for this purpose way back in 2017. It's finished with a lot of texture but completely neutral in color so that the items being photographed will not have any competition for their attention. I have used it a couple times - once as the backdrop in the post So Thankful, after receiving many gorgeous mini paintings from Samantha Burns and once as the backdrop when I experimented with and then sold a bunch of vanities. That post was called In Sink. Then the structure got shelved and mostly forgotten until now...

I decided that my original idea for it was a good one, and if I planned things just right, I could create several props to use for all kinds of photo shoots in the future. For these vintage kitchen minis, I needed a pretty neutral kitchen to display them in. So, in between all the other things on my plate, I got busy making one. I used Design Space, the Maker and chipboard to custom fit the space in the left side of the shop.

I went with a modern farmhouse style this time because it fit with the vibe of the roombox shop and would provide a pretty neutral backdrop for the 3D printed items. All the pieces will be removable so that I can use the space for other room items besides a kitchen, and have even created many shop type display pieces to use in the future.

I've got to cut the sink opening, add a backsplash to the countertops and then finish them. I think I am leaning toward faux white marble. For the walls, I'm going with modular wooden open shelving - great for displaying all the kitchenware. The banquet will need cushions for the booty and loose pillows for the back. My To-Do list would probably freak out even the most type "A" OCD person, but my strategy is to do all I can, enjoy it as much as possible, and stop caring what the calendar says. It works to keep me from freaking out an acceptable amount of the time. 😁

In family news... We got to stay for a long weekend at Tasha and Brent's farm. They had just gotten eight baby chicks who stayed in the house in their hatcher pen. That allowed lots of fascinating watching time and plenty of holding them so they get used to people. They were so funny and beautiful! Truly just like little children! 

I also got to love on Vincent and Carl, the goats. They really like me - probably because I taught them what pumpkins are and fed it to them! 

And I got to feed freeze dried worms to the three older hens and the gender confused rooster, Angelica.

It was such an amazing thing to see my little girl and her perfect partner beginning to live their dream!

Thanks for coming by, everyone! I hope in spite of what the calendar says, you're crossing things off your To-Do lists faster than you are adding them!

Back next week with progress...

xo xo,

Jodi