Ode To Scrapbook Paper Pad Designers

Someone mentioned in the comments before about the brave use of color and pattern in my projects. I can't take credit for that with the trailer project because all I really did was to pick a scrapbook paper pad. It's the Flower Garden paper pad by Carta Bella. I ordered both the 12" x 12" paper pad and the 6" x 6" paper pad so I'd have various scales of patterns to use. 

I've done that many times over the years with various projects and the hardest part is always finding fabrics to coordinate with the wallpapers. But because I replaced my horrible entry level Canon printer with an Epson Eco Tank last October, I was able to scan in the papers and print them onto inkjet printable cotton fabric sheets. I used these to make all the material I needed for the project. The only hard part was figuring out what fabric pattern to use where! Oh, and my opinion... The printer is fabulous after nearly a year of use and, like the name suggests, I have hardly even touched the maiden ink! Eco yes!

I made simple no sew blinds for the bedroom and bathroom windows (I'd already made them for the kitchen when I made the pop out).

I made a fabric privacy curtain for the bedroom. It is all Tacky glue and jump rings. Simple but effective. 

The bedroom also got a coordinating rug. Even trailer dwellers don't like to put their warm toes on a cold floor in the morning!

And the bed looks so inviting and comfortable with its coordinating sheets and comforter.

To finish off the furnishings in the bedroom I enlisted my trusty Cricut Maker and Design Space to create the frame for a 70's inspired cane chair. I stained the frame with the same oak gel stain as all the other "wood" in the project, then sandwiched Penelope Canvas between the seat and chair back frames. It gives the chair a nice looking mini cane effect. We had similar chairs for our oak and glass hexagonal dining table growing up. Who knew they'd ever come back into style??? Now Roxanne will have someplace to throw her clothes at the end of a long day.

The kitchen got a few essentials that I had leftover from all my 3D printing experimentation. Shelf, canisters, coffee mugs, coffee maker, toaster, napkin holder, hand soap pump, spice rack, dutch oven, spoon and saucer. Another victory for hoarders everywhere! And it is so much fun to paint things to go perfectly with my color palette. 

Just a shameless reminder that all of these  stl files and more can be found in my Etsy shop. 😊

The kitchen needed a rug, of course, and the Flower Garden paper pad came with some great artwork to use! 

And the banquet needed comfy covered seat cushions...

And coordinating throw cushions...

Looks like a great spot for good meals with great friends! Or is it great meals with good friends?

I hope Roxanne and her friends don't sit all the way back just yet... I have some bracing to add once I decide if there will be a removable fourth trailer wall or not.

I heard someone ask how the progress goes on the bathroom? It's nearly done! Just a few essential accessories to make and install. And to everyone's delight the 70's diagonal siding style door (also courtesy of the Cricut) has been installed. No more embarrassing moments!

From inside the bathroom.

From the trailer's future front door.

Looking from the "main cabin".

In spite of it taking me three times as long as usual, Roxanne is delighted with the progress! She also asked me to share her excitement about a new set of clothing that is being made for her by Ola at Rainbow Daisies! She wants to model for you as soon as they arrive.

I am just grateful to be finding any mini (or me) time at all. My next opportunity will be all about making some of the details that will give Roxanne a lovely life in 1/12th scale. There's also the small matter of a roof but that's still several steps away.

One last thing before I go. I am always just amazed and inspired at the folks I have met and become friends with on this mini journey. You have all enriched my life in ways I will never be able to express or show sufficient gratitude for. You fill my heart and set my creativity on fire!

One such talented and wonderful friend is Aina in British Columbia, Canada. She has made and sent me the most incredible gifts for Roz, Goldie and Alice. I am gobstopped at her tiny, perfect crochet, and even more touched by the amazing friendship (and patience) that she has shown to me. Roz, the girls and I just love these darling jointed bears! We are so happy to have them be a part of the treehouse project!!!

Thank you, Aina! Your gift came just when I needed to remember that the world and most of the people in it are still good! 

xo xo,

Jodi

Big Announcement - New Etsy Shop!

The fall of 2015 had me frustrated. I was working on my Alki Point dollhouse, my first "modern" type build, and I just couldn't find good contemporary/modern looking mini furniture or décor. Not ones that I could afford, anyway. At the same time, I heard about a free 3D modeling program called TinkerCad. I took a tutorial, started designing minis, had my designs printed through Shapeways and never looked back. Since then I have expanded my skills and my equipment. I now own two 3D printers and can't imagine my mini projects without them.

Last fall I endeavored to create an entire kitchen with 3D printed minis for my Willowcrest build. The feedback I received from my friends and followers encouraged me to make them available to other makers and 3D enthusiasts. After much prodding from a certain reader who shall remain unnamed, I finally opened an Etsy shop with all the 3D stl files that I have ready to share.

If you are also intrigued by 3D printing and need to expand your products, come by the shop and have a look around. Prices start at $2.99 and if you order $50 worth, you'll get a 15% discount using the code THANKSFRIENDS.

For now, I have 39 stl files in the shop. I hope soon to offer all of the svg furniture and kitchen cabinet files I've created in Design Space, as well. This will take a bit longer, as I will need to cut the files again, taking in process photos to create instructions before I can offer them in the shop. I'll keep you posted.

I can't thank my readers enough for making this journey feel as though we are all on it together! Your support means the world to me, truly!

xo xo,

Jodi

Details, Details, Details...

Adding the trunkhouse to the Fairytale Treehouse project is like literally adding a whole additional household to the project! Roz needed lots of stuff. What I vaguely thought I had in my supply stash or that I could "borrow" from waiting projects (like the Storybook Cottage or Pound Cake) was vastly different from what I found there. You see, I stopped impulse buying in 2018 as a policy and only shop now for the things I REALLY want or REALLY need or DEFINITELY can't make. This discipline supports my goal for a worry free retirement.😜 And it forces me to excercise my creativity muscles. But it's not so good for the mini stash.  Luckily for me I had made an extra set of 3D printed kitchen stuff last fall. Those pieces provided almost everything Roz needed. What was also fortunate was that she was thrilled with the style and variety, and was totally excited that each piece could be custom painted in colors to suit her preferences. Hooray!

Some of last fall's unfinished 3D printed kitchen collection.

It wasn't long before I had things painted and she had an organization plan. Then we got busy loading the shelves. It turns out Roz and I make a pretty good team! What follows is a bit of a preview of our progress so far.

The three wall shelves below will live between the sink and the stove. They are perfect for food storage and daily essentials like dry good canisters, stacking mixing bowls and honey.

This floor shelf also lives between the stove and sink (under the wall shelves) and is perfect for storing everything Roz needs for baking up her delicious desserts. There is also a handy utensil crock and a pear shaped cookie jar which will always be filled with Rozario's favorite charcoal chip cookies. That's not a type-o! I did say charcoal chip. Like most dragons, he loves his cookies burnt! Here's another fun fact: According to Roz, only the most magically gifted cooks in this forest have stand mixers! Electricity magic is MIT Masters level magic, apparently. 😜 

Between the stove and the breakfast nook will be the wall shelf that holds pots, pans and casserole dishes. In spite of being a height challenged bear living in a tall person's world, Roz's special anatomy gives her an advantage. She simply flutters her wings, hovers in the air and grabs what she needs. Unfortunately, this often frightens new company. So, to keep everyone calm, she keeps a stool handy. When visitors come by she pretends to need it to reach high places like everybody else. 😜

Magically inclined or not, there's nothing more irritating when you're cooking than losing or dripping something in a hard to access crack. Having straight backed furniture in a round room would certainly increase those odds and could drive anybeary nuts!  So, for the back of the sink, I added a contoured Sonotube scrap so that it would seat right against the wall. Then I added a matching top so Roz would have a handy place to grow all her herbs and spices. Hopefully, eliminating the crack will prevent any "magic" words escaping from Roz's kitchen!

And while we're talking about the sink, I've been making and gathering a few essential items Roz needed there, too. An assortment of cleaning supplies will be handy underneath the sink. Something Roz always likes to have on hand are steel wool scrubbing pads. If your mini folks happen to need S.O.S. pads, too, I made a box printie and tutorial to share.

Above the sink and next to the window will be a small shelf for holding paper towels, a plant and a coffee grinder. Though there won't be much wall space left, Roz still wanted to hang a couple framed art pieces. She's become a big fan of the beautiful watercolors done by talented local gnomes.

Opposite the sink, across the viewer's opening, will be two more wall shelves. They will be installed one over the other. The lower shelf will store some of Roz's favorite cookbooks as well as her current collection of aprons on the pegs below. The upper shelf will store a vase of flowers, a coffee pot and a large beverage pitcher. These only come down for entertaining company. Her handy step stool will be stored right underneath for quick access. 😜

In a corner of the breakfast nook will live the open hutch. Here, Roz has places for all her dinnerware. She keeps her favorite Pothos plant next to her favorite photo (which was taken with Birgit's gorgeous purple and white pansies). Roz takes cuttings from the Pothos all the time, roots them in water and then gives them to all of her friends. You can see by how short the branches are now that she's made a lot of friends since moving here! Not to worry - both the Pothos and her friendships will grow wonderfully strong with time and attention.

This single shelf will live between the arched windows in the breakfast nook. It is home to her new sparkly purple tea set which she will use only for special occasions. Below it will be the photo of her, Rosey, Fluby and Rozario. Just look at how amazing these lovable characters are! Their creator must be a person who is wildly imaginative, brilliantly gifted and incredibly generous!

Roz also asked if I could provide her with a hanging system for drying her herbs and flowers. I was happy to accommodate that request! She makes all sorts of things with them from her own special tea blends to spice blends and medicine. She's a very knowledgeable Fairy Beary Godmother and we are all so lucky to have her with us!

Once dried and crushed, Roz will store her herbs in the tins of her new spice rack. She wants to keep it close to her cooking pot because she tastes and adjusts a lot when she's cooking. She loves to have a salt pig filled with her favorite sea salt and a garlic pot with roasted garlic handy, as well.

Believe it or not there is still so much more on our list to add! Rugs, kitchen towels, cleaning supplies, gadgets and more food! And when all that is done Roz will need to bake special treats for the kitchen's christening party! Details, details, details! And that is why, my friends, the big kitchen reveal will have to wait until next time. Hope to see you then!

xo xo,

Jodi