Organizational Time Out

First of all, Happy New Year everyone! I hope you're all off to a great start! My resolution should be "no more mini purchases in 2018"! But why start out only to fail?

I thought I'd start the New Year by spending a couple days doing a little organizing in the craft drawers before I started or resumed another mini project. Ha! That was a gross underestimation! 12 Darice Floss Thread Organizers later, I am realizing it's taken nearly three weeks, working as I have time. I may still need 12 more organizers and another month to finish!

I won't bore you with details, just a photo of the chaos that is currently my craft table. I am sure you all know how quickly a hoard collection of kits, materials, accessories and supplies gets overwhelming, and how it becomes nearly impossible to find anything.

Let's just say that I have finished organizing and inventorying the kit drawers (yes, there is more than one), and a good number of the rest of the drawers have been sorted. Previously in "sorted by kind" zip seal bags, things have been put (mostly) into the divided storage containers. I think this will prevent so much of the time I spend searching and inevitably buying unintended doubles.

I won't scare you (or me) and count how many drawers I still have left to go, but I am making enough progress that I think I may be able to start actually making something again soon! And, it really has been fun to rediscover so many "back burner" dreams again!

Living vicariously through your posts - keep 'em coming!

xo xo
Jodi

And Don't It Make Ya Merry!

I am so happy to have completed the Sweet Christmas cottage in time for Christmas! Here are my favorite photos of the project. For those that don't know (mom and dad), just click the first photo. It will take you to the viewing screen where you can click through them all in a much larger size.

  

  

 

Here we see Ellie and Jim enjoying the first of many Christmases in their tiny but perfect home. Ginger is pretty excited too! She can smell the treats in her stocking!

Here they are again about to kiss under the mistletoe.

May the blessings of Christmas, or whatever has you celebrating and finding life's meaning, fill you and yours with love that lasts forever!

The kitchen's smellin' Christmas like
with cookies, cakes and 'nog is spiked
the turkey's roasting juicy crisp
makes ya hungry just gettin' a whiff
anticipation, happiness
and don't it make ya merry

The tree's all strung with pretty lights
and ornaments strung perfect right
the gifts all wrapped with festive bows
and stockings lined up in a row
the firelight all warm, aglow
and don't it make ya merry

The night is peaceful, quiet, still
like every creature has the will
to reflect upon the grace
and put perspective in it's place
worry none, there ain't no trace
and don't it make ya merry

Christmas means a lot of things
and varied are the joys it brings
remember why we do it all
and you'll be ready when He calls
gratitude will fill your heart
and don't it make ya merry

It all boils down to just one phrase
"love one another", so simple and straight
show that love, you'll get it back
the more ya give the less ya lack
and on it goes, just works like that
and don't it make ya merry

(inspired by Speakin' O' Christmas, Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1913)

Merry Christmas!
xo xo xo xo xo xo
Jodi

Blessings From Afar...

We are so lucky to have such amazingly talented people in our mini community! And so many of them are just incredibly nice people, too! One of those very special and kind persons is Drora who gives us the wonderful Drora's Minimundo miniature blog. Drora had a giveaway in November to commemorate her 7th year of blogging! Can you imagine 7 years! Congratulations again, Drora!

Well, fortune smiled upon me and I was the lucky winner! I was expecting the package to take a long time. After all, Israel is over 6000 miles from Washington state! Imagine my surprise when, after only 3 weeks, the mail lady knocked on my door!

I received so many goodies it felt like Christmas had come early! There were beautiful potted flowers, a shell mirror, an adorable metal tray, a delicate shell necklace and a lidded box decorated in tiny shells!

She also included three of her adorable pipe cleaner animals: a teddy bear, kitty cat and a puppy. Those little faces just make me smile so much I could hug them to pieces!

It means so much to me to connect with like-minded and like-hearted people, and to share what we love with each other. So thank you Drora for your wonderful gifts of creativity, talent and most especially kindness! You are truly a blessing from afar!

Hugs,
Jodi

Brick Walls & Experimental Wood Staining

In keeping with the rustic feel of the Duplex Room Box, I decided on a brick wall treatment for the second shop space. I like the quick results I get with the Magic Systems sticker and mortar kits, so that's what I used.

I want the look of painted brick, so my "grout" and bricks will be warm white. Normally, the under color will end up being your "grout" color so most people use gray or white on the walls and get the kit with the red mortar powder. I got the kit with the white mortar so it would be easier to paint over.

It's kind of fun putting the sticker stencil on. I pre-peel the brick waste cut outs from the backing paper. I've learned from experience that if you don't, they sometimes stick to the stencil while you're peeling and it causes moments of panic that just aren't necessary. Better to mindlessly remove them while Netflix is on.

I actually forgot to take photos of peeling off the sticker - bummer because it's a fun and gloppy mess to look at! Then, I forgot to take photos before I painted the bricks. :o/

I end up with some rough edges on my bricks from when I peel the sticker stencil away. I solve most of this by letting the bricks get almost dry, then just gently rubbing my thumb and finger over them. It works great! I did manage to touch a couple of spots before they had set and kind of messed up some bricks. Notice the lower back corner area on the photo below. Oops!

I thought it would be fun to experiment with some different products for the wood floor (I am using the same Houseworks wood floors I used in the first shop). I took a scrap piece and tested the following products:

1. Minwax Stain Marker, Provance
2. Ranger Alcohol Ink, Pebble
3. Ranger Oxide Re-Inker, Vintage Photo
4. Ranger Oxide Re-Inker, Walnut Stain
5. Ranger Distress Stain, Hickory Smoke
6. India Ink & Isopropol Alcohol

I have used the Minwax stain pen a few times and always really like it. The color was a little too dark and too brown for the look I wanted for this room. But it is a good product, it is not water based so it smells, but that also means it doesn't cause your wood to curl.

The alcohol ink was really interesting! I love how it colors the wood and am definitely going to do more experimenting with it. I think it might be great on wood furniture. Getting color without adding layers of paint could be so good!

The re-inkers were interesting, and while I like the rich colors, it may be better suited as a wall finish. It stayed a little greasy feeling, too.

The Distress Stain was my favorite of the bunch. What you are seeing is from just one coat. It really brings out nice highlights in the wood, and the color could complement a number of color schemes in a room.

A close second was the India Ink and alcohol mixture. The model railroad website where I read an article on it said to use 1 to 2 teaspoons per pint of alcohol. I didn't want to experiment with that much, so I added about 1/3 a teaspoon to about 1/3 of a 16 oz bottle of 99% alcohol. The first coat barely did anything but wet the wood floor. So, I added the other 2/3 teaspoon and put on one more coat. I think this could be really interesting. The ink tends to pool a bit together on the wood, which really leaves a nice aged patina. I think with a couple more coats this could be a fantastic way to get gorgeous weathered boards!

So I decided to use the Distress Stain. It dispenses itself through a sponge on the top of the bottle. Think Bingo dobber. It kind of snagged here and there on the wood floor, even though I had it sanded smooth to the touch before starting. I don't see why you couldn't apply with a paintbrush, but I didn't try. I really love the way it came out!

Then I added the baseboards, crown molding, window and door (hinged in the same manner as the first room).

I may add a bit of ageing to the bricks, but for the most part it is done! Now I get to start making stuff to go inside! I have so many kits that I really want to do, so many things that I really want to try! I think that's going to be the focus for the end of 2017 and into 2018.

And maybe still, before Christmas, I can post some photos of Ellie and Jim enjoying the season in the Sweet Christmas Cottage!

Peace and love to each of you!

xo xo,
Jodi