It has been a longer pause than I thought for a posting. Finally, the miniature magic has returned after a break doing another interest – hand stitching. Life can get complicated, as the present situation shows.  HOW YOU HANDLE IT is the only part you have control of — SO deep breathes and a time to find some inner calm.  Creating something by hand is always a good place to be — YOU are in charge completely and it takes your mind away from the news, etc..  It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. How often have you said if only I had the time……… So a little mini dabbling may do you some good. I had ..read more

I have been dabbling on a side project and finally finished it, so pardon the leap to another place with this posting.  I promise to return to the Orchid Hill tour but was bursting to share my fun.  I am also posting this on a second blog – Food in Miniature. I decided earlier this year to start the second blog dedicated just to foods due to my mini food collection.  I had noticed that several miniature food blogs that I have followed in the past have fallen to the wayside and I miss them.  So I decided I would take up the torch and continue the enthusiasm for miniature food art.  You maybe a ..read more

This could be a title for a mystery story but actually it is the reveal of construction methods of the first floor of the Orchid Hill House. Perhaps they will aide you in a dollhouse/roombox project! If you studied the parlor and entry way pictures of the last posting you might be wondering how to do that — so here you go! As I had mentioned the stairs had railing on both sides – this really took away the realism I was trying for in making a miniature version of a staircase. I also stated my carpentry skills are slim so this is an modification I could do with what I had. Lastly, I am happy to ..read more

Sometimes things can take a really, really long time — a snail’s pace.  My Orchid Hill House project is an example.  I have worked on and off on it for many years.  Each year it is on the list to finish it but  some aspect would seem overwhelming and progress stalled out for a time. I do believe the snail may actually be crossing the finishing line! This project was my first project to electrify a multi-room dollhouse.  Roomboxes have been my comfort zone for electrifying, so this has been a learning process.  I have gained confidence now that all the lights are on and working! The finished st ..read more

Last year I worked on an Easter themed roombox but it did not get totally DONE until about a month past Easter. Needless to say it didn’t seem timely to share it then in the blog so late BUT I can now (and would appear ahead of time if I hadn’t filled you in)! I love spring with the changing of the dab browns of winter into green.   Nature’s wake up call!  So Easter themed sweets with bunnies and pastels was always on the list. This is a photo of a setup a few years ago with a couple of the baskets that now reside in the roombox.  The doll is by Loretta Kasza and the dog by Leslie Frick. A vig ..read more