Picture box

Today I finally managed to make the picture box..... not an actual box, but I wanted a setting where I could photograph the mini things I make (not just on my desk).

At first this room was twice the size, but I decided that it doesn't have to be as long.

Egg carton "stones" and walls covered with Gesso.

And the finished thing.... it's still drying but I was impatient and had to take a photo.

I'll have to think of something to do with the walls. Any ideas? I'm thinking a painting, would love a tapestry, but my sewing skills are very much nonexistent. Maybe a shield? Hmmm....

And this is a lucky find.... cheap plastic dinosaur bones. I know they're not 1/12 scale, but I'm probably going to use them separately.... Anyone see dragon bones here? :) As dragons aren't real nobody can say exactly what size they were.... and besides, perhaps the dragon isn't fully grown yet!

Isn't it strange that I can find "dragon" bones, but not an ordinary skeleton? It shows that we don't really celebrate Halloween here...

I'm also very excited to do my first ever mini swap. Michi from Bell and Crow Miniatures has kindly offered to send me some skeleton garlands (since I can't find them anywhere in stores here)! Seeing as I'm trying to make a witchy house I'm sure bones are an essential part of this setting.

Well, going off to my boyfriend's parents for the weekend so probably not going to get much minis done. At least I'll try to make some books, since that's something I can do anywhere and doesn't require a lot of material. We'll see....

Until next time!

*Poof*

Mandrakes and other goodies

Well, got the mandrakes finished and potted today. I still don't have a corner setting to take pictures in though! Will have to work on that, but somehow I don't really like doing the egg carton stones as it's really time consuming.
Also, still looking for ways to make my newest project, a rat goblet from Harry Potter, but the problem is I can't get any made goblets to use and I can't seem to be able to make a goblet myself. I'll have to try it again tomorrow.....

Oh well, here are the mandrakes at least.

Here are the three mandrakes. One of them wants to get out of his pot but the other two are good and will stay put :) I think they're a bit big, but since they're fantasy mandrakes I can make them as I like, lol!

I also made some more books, these are a bit smaller that the ones I already have, they're 1,5cm x 2,2cm. They're the dragon scale series, this time in a dark red, although I think in these photos they look almost purple. I hope to get some real leather tomorrow and see how that will turn out for book covers. 

And some "glass" bottles.... Two clear beads glued together and a little led bulb on top. At least it'll add some variety to my potion bottles.

This is about it for today. I did make the other broom, but I'm still deciding how to decorate it.

Until next time!

*Poof*

Pots and brooms

Today I decided to finish the flower pots I started a few months ago. Don't know why I never finished them before now....

The last coat of varnish is still drying, they won't be glossy when dry.

And another item for today was a broom for Faye. 

Just a plain broom for now. I'm toying with the idea of making it a bit more interesting, though I don't really know how yet. I have another handle ready so I'll have one more to decorate :)

The handle is a found twig that was sanded a bit and the lower part is cut from an actual broom. 

Well, I also got a great idea for another prop, but still need to work on how to make it. I did also manage to make three mandrakes that will go into the pots, but the pictures I took of them were horrible, so I'll wait for the flower pots to dry and then photograph the mandrakes in their proper place inside the pots with soil.

I wish every day was a day when I had a lot of time to make minis....

Until next time!

*Poof*

Meet Faye the witch!

Ok, first of all, please don't laugh. Well, now that that is out of the way, I am happy to introduce Faye, the witch!

I made her from scratch, with no molds. I think she turned out pretty well, except for her face, which is actually laughable. I know I should have spent more time on in, but as it is I made and remade the face again and again. I guess I just don't have the talent for making faces..... So again, I beg you not to laugh. I wouldn't show her at all, except that I quite like how her dress turned out. And with her hat on she's not all that bad (her face doesn't show as much, hehe).

Close up of the dress, with a vintage jewelry piece.

Without the hat she doesn't look quite human :P

The hat improves things.... a lot!

I know, I know, the eyes are totally wrong and don't even get me started on everything else. Perhaps my next try will be better, although I have no idea if and when there will be a next try.

So here you have it, a witch for the house. 

Other things I've been busy with include more crates, over 15 of them I think, and making things to go inside the crates. Also got another package of mini bottles, with glitter this time as they are much cheaper. I'm also experimenting with things to mix to make potions, since I'd have to order resin online and it would take some time to reach me. Maybe I'll find some other way to make potions..... 

Well, until next time!

*Poof*

Crates anyone?

Again, not much times for mini-making. Although I did manage to make these perfect little crates, now all I need is a few more dragon eggs :)

These crates are loosely based on Joanne's Minis Crate Tutorial, but I made a few adjustments.

Dragon egg nestled in the crate on some moss.

Also perfect for empty potion bottles....

And experimenting with jars.... Willow Moss anyone? 

I also made this trunk during the weekend. I only followed instructions from Debbie Dixon so I take no credit for the design, only for the assembly.

Potion bottles fit in perfectly! Perhaps a travelling apothecary?

And just for fun, a mini "dog" (fuzzy creature), which won't be in the house, but is still interesting with the hat :)

And this is it for the last few days. I did start making a display corner, but somehow between work and kitchen makeover I didn't get around to finishing more than a part of the stone floor. Plus I think I may have made it too big, so I'll probably have to trim it a bit. Something only for photos doesn't have to be so big, right? :)

Until next time!

*Poof*

Bookworm? Or potion addict? Nah, just a miniaturist!

Even between choosing paint for my real life kitchen and going to every imaginable store with building supplies I managed to squeeze a bit of time for my minis.

Thankfully I had quite a few books already glued together, so all I had to do was the fun part.... covers!

And I got a few more wallpaper samples, so I played around with them and colored a few. I'm very satisfied with how they turned out. I like them the way they are now, just dragon skin, but perhaps I will do some more decorating in the future.

For now here are the ones I finished, now I'm waiting for the purple paint to dry so I can make more :)

Quite a nice pile.... still more to come. And the purple one is made of some leather I found buried in one of my craft boxes.

This one is my favorite. It's black, with black pages, but the "scales" are gold. It's not a very good picture though, mush better in person. Perhaps the upper photo shows it a bit better.... it's the top book on the pile.

And to break off from the books, I made some potion labels. It was a lot of fun coming up with names, and even my boyfriend helped. In the end he was almost more excited than I was, hahaha!

This is just the first of many labels, I still have to stain the others with coffee.

Hmm... I think it's about time I make a setting to photograph my creations in.... Haven't really thought much about it before, but now I think it's about time to make something simple, instead of taking pictures on my computer :/

Hope to have the time to do that soon. 

Oh, I almost forgot.... If anyone would like to contribute a potion ingredient name, just leave a comment below. I'll have to make more potion bottles anyway, although I haven't decided yet if I want to have the "bead bottles" labeled as potions, or if I'll make those with ingredients too. Oh well, lots to decide....

*Poof*