true2scale

New Item for the Atlanta Show

2012-03-01T07:30:00.003-06:00

I hope to see you in Atlanta this weekend. We'll have our newest item with us – blue decals. They would be just lovely with some bright yellow narcissus. I think I just added another item to my list of "kits to create"!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Blue decal set shown with 1:24 scale glitter houses.

Workshops in Texas and Sturbridge

2012-02-25T00:30:00.000-06:00

In the upper Midwest, Spring is in the air! Or perhaps my burgeoning tulips are just being optimistic. This Spring, Mr. T2S and I will be busy preparing for several shows and teaching our first class, the Vintage-Inspired Christmas Hutch with Glitter Houses. If you will be attending the Texas Miniature Showcase in May, or the Sturbridge Miniatures Festival in June, I hope you will join us. We'll have fun working with LED lighting, paper techniques and assembling glitter houses. The lighted glitter houses and the decorations will be added to a hutch that has been beautifully painted and aged by Jo Dewane Miniatures (the QUEEN of mini aging techniques!).

Vintage Style Christmas Hutch with Glitter Houses
1” scale Aged Hutch (prepared by Jo Dewane) holds 2 sizes of glitter houses which you will assemble and light.
Learn to work with LED lights to create this charming Christmas display. The light switch and battery are housed behind the cabinet doors, allowing you to easily add and remove the hutch from your scene. You will be given tips and shown techniques for working with paper, as we assemble 2 sizes of glitter houses and decorate them. Materials and instructions to make the decorations shown will also be included in the class.
Tools required: 6” ruler, sharp tweezers, x-acto knife with new blades, small paint brushes (old and new), small wire cutters, work light, small sharp scissors, white glue, magnification if needed.

Class registration for the Texas Miniature Showcase is available on their website. If you are interested in attending the class in Sturbridge, please contact me. We will also be teaching a class at Philadelphia Miniaturia in November. I hope you can join us!

Highlights from Orlando

2012-02-22T08:57:00.003-06:00

Warm hospitality, greasy food, Carmen Miranda, and a good mattress. That, in a nutshell, was our weekend at the Orlando show. Several fellow bloggers and blog readers stopped by our table to say hello. It was fun to meet the people creating the posts and leaving comments! I had the opportunity to finally meet the blogger of Tabitha Corsica and view her stunning creations!

Mr. T2S and I went to Epcot on Friday and had a blast dodging raindrops and eating our way around the World Showcase! Perhaps I should have left out the bratwurst from the German village... but after a trip to the Italian village and a glass of Chianti, the grease in my tummy was soon dispersed and I was ready for the Chinese village. Mmmm...yummy!

A "shop window" scene from the UK village.

Our layover in Atlanta gave me some time to check out the exhibit on display–Recycle Runway. Artist, Nancy Judd, creates fashion from garbage to promote conservation. Truly amazing work!

Do you recognize the plastic bags from Target?
The Carmen Miranda style dress and head piece took 100 hours to create.

Coca-Cola couture

A Preview of New Kits for the Orlando Show

2012-02-14T11:02:00.000-06:00

We've rolled out a couple of kits to debut at the Orlando show. The first kit creates 4, vintage-inspired, French pillows. They are the results of my interest in French Country style. In creating the designs on the pillows, I took inspiration from vintage flour sacks. The pillows are reversible, with pretty blue back sides, and are already "antiqued" to perfection. Directions to complete the pillows are included. I had so much fun creating this kit, I'm sure that we will be adding more kits that have been inspired by French Country style this spring.

French pillows kit

The back sides of the pillows.

The second kit is a cute little set of 3 treat boxes. They assemble so easily and the heart-shaped window in the top frames the items you choose to put in the box. They complement the pink dessert tower and dessert boxes. They were photographed with Kim's sweet, little cupcakes with roses.

New treat boxes

I hope to meet some of you in Orlando. Please stop by our table and say hello!

50 Miniature Valentine Tutorials

2012-02-10T17:51:00.000-06:00

Pin It
It's the weekend for romance and L-O-V-E. Between sips of wine, bites of chocolate and moments of amour, perhaps you can fit in a few of these titillating tutorials?

If you would like to add a link to the list, please leave a comment. Your suggestions are always welcome!

Candies and caning Christine Green via CDHM
Bear, sculpted Nathalie Gireaud via CDHM
French desserts and macaroons Peiwen Petitgrand/Oiseau deNim via CDHM
Valentine cookie casket Linda Cummings via CDHM
Roses, cold porcelain Cynthia Howe
Roses for cakes Cindy Teh/Snowfern via CDHM
Roses, silk ribbon Cynthia Howe
Rose bushes Polly Morris via A Small World's Big Buzz
Roses, long stem True2Scale
Column Mimicracra53
Red hat Fabimini
Waffle, heart-shaped Mamiblue
Bag showcase Erie
Small chest of drawers Jimena
Carnations 1inchminisbykris
Shabby chic bed 1inchminisbykris
Corset Anna Hardman via creativedoll.blogspot.com
Bra and panties Loes Snoodijk
Jungle pattern undies mishellyzoo
Stockings Regalia via Picturetrail
Wallpapers about.com
Valentine candy boxes 1 about.com
Valentine candy boxes 2 about.com
Valentine printables Dolls House Nederland
Chocolate candy 1 Madison
Chocolate candy 2 about.com
Heart topiary about.com
Memory board about.com
Valentine table for kids Miniature Collector magazine
Valentine swirl truffles Garden of Imagination via YouTube
Valentine's cupcakes Hummingbird Miniatures via YouTube
Valentine chocolate truffles Garden of Imagination via YouTube
Valentine hearts in polymer clay Garden of Imagination via YouTube
Valentine cookies Garden of Imagination via YouTube
Chocolate covered cherry Garden of Imagination via YouTube
Heart-shaped cake Gentleman Bunny via YouTube
Heart sugar cookies Gentleman Bunny via YouTube
Layered cake with heart-shape icing ConfectioneryShop via YouTube
Triple layer strawberry cake TheSweetSpotShop via YouTube
Strawberry cane ToniEllison via YouTube
Valentine bunny Gentleman Bunny via YouTube
Chocolate cake ValentinaCharms via YouTube
Valentine cards printable Jean Day
Perfume bottles Lisa's Little Things
Wine bottle 1 MiniMaker via Squiddo.com
Wine bottle 2 Pierre Piveteau
Bottle molds about.com
Bottles from molded resin jicolin.free.fr
Oysters SugarCharmShop via YouTube
Breakfast tray Juli

A Valentine's Day Treat

2012-02-04T13:06:00.000-06:00

Mary Broaddus is up to her old tricks — creating more beautiful, detailed miniatures! She sent me these pics to show how she used the Little House on Main glitter house kit and the Valentine's Decorations kit. As usual, Mary made everything else on her table, including the foods and candies. I adore the vintage style bobble head candy container! Please visit Mary's Etsy shop to see more of her delightful creations.

Mary kit-bashed the Little House on Main glitter house kit.

The basket is part of the Valentine's Decorations Kit.

The Stove Reveal

2012-01-07T20:30:00.002-06:00

The stove "before" photo.

The stove revamp took a bit longer than I had planned. But I am satisfied with the results. I added feet (pieces that I had salvaged from the laser pointer our kitty played with until she grew too large), painted on a few coats of white and added a couple of "rust" spots. I didn't think that the wire hinges and door pulls were appropriate for the look I wanted, so I pulled them out of the wood. Instead of filling the holes flush and sanding them down nicely to make a good patch, I painted the low spots that I had filled with a bit of black paint. Then I touched up the edges of the black with some brown iron oxide color paint. It worked nicely to simulate a chipped enamel appearance. And... I didn't have to try to make a flawless patch!

My version of a vintage stove.
A little lantern with a red LED light is tucked inside.

I debated over replacing the hardware with something more functional looking. However in the end, I decided that this was going to be a display piece – like on the decorating shows where a young decorator pulls an old stove out of a barn and gives it a new life as a showpiece – in other words, I decided that I could take some liberties. So, I repeated the pattern I had made for the kits on the doors of the stove and added a bit of silver paint to the "trim". A wash of brown iron oxide color paint and water went over the stove top, paper, and silver trim pieces.

I'm so looking forward to cleaning up the mess I made with this project and getting back to an organized house. And now for the big reveal... the kitchen table!

The new Valentine's Day kits may be found on my website and in my Etsy shop.

Plans for This Little Stove

2012-01-05T12:53:00.001-06:00

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, and I've created a bunch of new items to add to my merchandise. That has left me searching for a fun way to display them. Originally I thought that I would find a pie safe with heart designs in the punched tin door panels. However my local miniatures store didn't carry anything of the sort. Instead, I found this stove.

It's a bit clunky. I admit that I didn't fall in love with it upon first sight. In fact, it took me a long time to settle on it because I don't know if I can transform it into the charming, vintage stove that I have in my mind. First off, I think that it needs some feet, a paint job that is chipping away, and of course a bit of rust!

I think that I have a challenge ahead of me! Fingers crossed, I hope to show you the results in a couple of days.

And...here is a sneak peak of some of my new items that will go on the stove display.

Favorite Posts of 2011 - Link Party

2011-12-27T16:51:00.000-06:00

I've often visited decorating and crafting blogs that offer link parties. A link party is a blog post that visitors may contribute a photo from their blog and a link to their post. It's a fun way to get inspired, meet new friends and show your stuff!

Since there are so many talented people with blogs about miniatures, I thought it would be fun to create a link party so that participants may share their favorite blog post of the year from their blog.

I'll start with my favorite post of the 2011:

Miniature Roses Tutorial (found here). I had fun creating these roses to go into my florist box kits.

Merry Christmas - True2Scale

2011-12-22T00:26:00.000-06:00

Please enjoy this festive display created by Pilar. She used the glitter church, windmill and barn kits. Thank you for sharing, Pilar!

50 Miniature Christmas Tutorials

2011-12-06T21:27:00.001-06:00

I should be doing numerous things to prepare for the holidays — shopping, cleaning, decorating— but instead I am thinking about what fun it would be to try some holiday-themed tutorials! Here are a few links that I have collected:

Bow making Andrea Thieck
Polymer clay candles My Small Obsession
Baked ham SugarCharmShop
Turkey with garnish Julie Old Crow via The Mini Food Blog
Oranges Angie Scarr
Candy and caning Chrissy via CDHM
AIM 2011 advent calendar (24 projects)
AIM 2010 advent calendar (24 projects)
AIM 2009 advent calendar (24 projects)
Christmas tree Victoria Miniland
Beaded Santa Victoria Minland
Tiny snowman Victoria Miniland
Fire for your fireplace Merry Jingle
Gingerbread Stephanie Kilglast via CDHM
Egg nog Mary Eccher
Christmas pudding Mary Eccher
Christmas punch Mary Eccher
Hedgehog cake Todd Toys and Miniatures.com
Wreath and candles Todd Toys and Miniatures.com
Christmas cake Todd Toys and Miniatures.com
Poinsettia Abby Benner via CDHM
Leg of lamb Linda Cummings via CDHM
Straw ornaments Miniatures & masions de poupées
Mistletoe Miniatures & masions de poupées
Christmas boxes True2Scale
Christmas cactus about.com
Needlepoint stocking about.com
Swedish Christmas Joann Swanson
Cookies Pine Studio
Gingerbread house Pine Studio
Ornaments Smallwood Village
Toys in 1/144 scale Frances Armstrong
Shopping bag and gift box On The Scene
Christmas tree skirt pattern Laurel Wheeler
Ornament box Christine Woolsey
Sled Mini Works
Toy soldiers box Natalie Gayle Miniatures
Seashell angel Butterfly Dreams
Printable wrapping paper 1 and 2 Jean Day
Printable nativity scene Jean Day
Printable micro Christmas room Jean Day
Wrapping paper TreeFeathers
Victorian Christmas cards TreeFeathers
Sheet Music TreeFeathers
Ornament boxes TreeFeathers
Gift boxes 1 and 2 TreeFeathers
Gift bags Treefeathers
Tinsel tree Puchicollective
Teapot from polymer clay Christel Jensen via YouTube
Cheesecake Christel Jensen

Additional holiday tutorials shared by readers:

Advent wreath Christine, Hollyhock Cottage
Dolls House Emporium Advent Calendar (24 projects)
Centerpiece Natalia, Scarlet Sails Miniatures
House in a teacup Natalia, Scarlet Sails Miniatures

If you would like to share a link to a holiday tutorial, please leave a comment below.

Customer Photos

2011-11-19T02:00:00.000-06:00

I really enjoying seeing photos from customers that show how they finished the glitter house kits. Thank you for sharing your lovely work, Mary and Marie-Louise! More photos from customers may be seen in the Customer Gallery.

Feeling inspired to grab the glitter and customize your own glitter house? Enter the True2Scale Glitter House Contest! Share your creation and you could win a prize.

Mary's kitbashed Little Village Painted Lady House.

Mary Broaddus customized the Little Village Pioneer House.

Marie-Louise Markhorst's mantel scene with the Snow Village Cottage.

Fun Finds from the Madrid Show

2011-11-17T14:12:00.001-06:00

We had a successful and enjoyable trip to the Madrid show. Our very limited Spanish vocabulary was a bit problematic, but the shoppers were patient and very kind to us! Mr. True2Scale and I met some fellow bloggers and blog readers and truly felt welcomed in Spain!

The show provided another opportunity to see the work of many artists that were previously unknown to me.

LxL Cruces offered beautiful jewelry and other finely detailed items. I purchased a souvenir from Spain — a miniature bottle of the famous Tio Pepe (Uncle Pepe)! If you are not familiar with Spain’s famous sherry, LxL offers a short explanation.

Casas de Beltrán Escrivá de Romaní (Houses of Beltrán) creates fantastic, custom-made models of Spanish homes found throughout regions of Spain. The architectural details were stunning! Beltrán will ship to international destinations and have some great photos on their website. Unfortunately, I couldn't add one to my collection, but it was a temptation!

Casa Madrid Austrias I by Beltran Escriva de Romani.

Cristina Alberti, from Tot Petit, creates dolls, plants, paper theaters and toys, books and other lovely items.

Clémence Gibert Miniature Furniture occupied the table next to us. She creates fantasy, inlaid-wood furniture that is is inspired by the Art Nouveau style. Woods she uses include walnut, pear, maple and zebrawood.

There was one table that I could have stared at for hours! In fact, I returned several times to admire the work of Artesanos Felipe Royo. Their tile, furniture, painted objects and sewn pieces are all handmade, and of beautiful quality. After several rounds of deliberations, I finally chose a chandelier for the bedroom of the Tuscan house. The light fixture is just taped in place now, but I will wire it with an LED. The chandelier is handpainted with a motif of butterflies and vines. I think it will add a feminine touch to the room.

Handpainted chandelier from Artesanos Felipe Royo

Madrid Show

2011-11-09T14:19:00.000-06:00

If you will be attending the Madrid show this weekend, please stop by our table and say hello!

Who Lives Here?

2011-11-06T19:46:00.000-06:00

A sorcerer? witch? hermit? Perhaps a creature from the forest? As I viewed the custom, fantasy dwellings created by Bas Middel of Poppen(T)huis, my imagination started to take flight!

Bas's structures are handcrafted from wood and clay. Even the hinges on the doors and shutters are created from wood so that your attention isn't taken away from the natural forms.

The interior of the top floor. I love all of the built-in niches!

The interior of the bottom floor and stairway.

Bas Middel and his fantasy creations at the Arnhem fair.

The Arnhem Fair - My Introduction to European Artists

2011-11-02T12:04:00.000-05:00

We returned from Amsterdam last night. I am jet-lagged (I started writing this at 4 a.m.), but full of excitement and inspiration. I couldn't wait to sit down and write up an account of our experiences at the Arnhem fair.

The Arnhem Poppenhuisstad was the first time I was able to see the work of European artists other than that of the artisans who make the trip to the Chicago International. Mr. True2Scale manned our table alone often, so I could see the tables of some of the approximately 200 dealers. I am certain that I didn't see all of them; but the work of the ones I saw, and their kindness made an impression on me that I won't forget.

Mr. True2Scale is pretending to be a miniature display.

Our table was near the back of the hall, on the end of a row. Our neighbors were so kind and helpful. Next to us was J en M (email). He creates small wooden objects; mostly toys, puzzles and children's lights, with incredible detail. Carla Zandvliet (email) makes beautiful flowers and Christmas decorations from silk. They are very fine and have a translucent quality.

Fennicole Miniatures

Behind us was Fennicole Miniatures. Such nice people! Their popular table contained many things that I haven't seen before in the U.S., including unusual shaped flowerpots, wall pockets, tiles and items for landscaping a French scene. Fortunately, some of the items also work well in a Tuscan house and found their way to my suitcase!

And then there was E. Elsner von Gronow, from Germany. I purchased some embossed metal borders (made mostly by hand in Germany) and tiny filigree ornaments.

Piamini, from France (email), offered unique metal and wood items including folding chairs, tables and benches for the garden. I purchased a green bench for the Tuscan house. Such kind people!

Garden bench by Piamini; some of the pots from Fennicole Miniatures.

Volker Arnold, whose work I have always admired at Chicago International, had a large display and many items that I hadn't seen before. I purchased a couple of his tiny Santa's sleighs. He was kind enough to take a photo with me (I was too shy to ask for his autograph as well – ha ha).

Pitcher and egg cups;
Elisabeth Causeret.

Elisabeth Causeret (email) from France had a beautiful selection of 1:12 and 1:24 scale porcelain to choose from. It took a long time to decide on which items I couldn't live without. Finally, I bought two egg cups and a pitcher.

Antique toy kitchen kit
from Sylvia's Lutjeboudel.

Sylvia's Lutjeboudel offers Brocante style furniture kits in wire and wood. Her kits are so charming and unique! I purchased a baby carriage and an antique toy kitchen that includes directions and supplies to make a toy stove, cabinet and cookware. Sylvia is such a kind person and introduced me to many new Dutch customers. I owe her a big dank je wel!

Lara and her daughter stopped by to say hello. Margriet also came by. I had pleasant conversations with the talented Michelle Lebouteiller of Petits Bonheurs and Pia Ravn from Denmark, who both make lovely items. Another interesting artist whom I met is Sherpa. He creates gothic-inspired miniatures. He showed me a coffin that he made into a ladies' purse - truly creative and fantastic!

Close to our table was Poppen(T)huis. Bas Middel creates custom fantasy houses from wood and clay. I took several photos of his displays that I will share in another blog post.

Mr. Bea/Tony Broadwood from Petite Properties found a new customer. I decided to plunge into 1:48 scale and purchased a kit and books for making a shop and furniture. Maybe I'll pick up some new skills for quarter scale and offer 1:48 glitter house kits in the future...mmmm...maybe.

Peiwen Petitgrand/Oiseau deNim

While we were setting up our table on Friday, I met Peiwen of Oiseau deNim. If I hadn't recognized her face from pictures, I would know it was her by the Ladurée bag she was carrying! Peiwen's table was nearby and it was full of fantastic items. Her fish and artichokes are ...oh my! She has been doing a lot of vegetables lately and they are incredibly realistic. And Peiwen is every bit as charming and charismatic in person as I had imagined! If you have the opportunity to meet her, you will find that her energy is contagious! It was fun to share our first fair experience together.

The Ladurée bag that Peiwen gave me contained a box of macaroons and delicious Marco Polo tea. Some time back, I mentioned on my blog that I'd never had the opportunity to try Ladurée. Well, thanks to Peiwen, Mr. T2S and I were in patisserie heaven! As we bit into the macaroons, they melted (yes, melted!) on our tongues. The crisp, slightly sweet outer wafers gave way to the lightest creme filling. The texture and taste sent waves of euphoria through every synapse!

Artichoke, dish and Ladurée items; Oiseau deNim

We are both back to work today after only a few hours of sleep. Before we attend the Madrid show, we will have a few days to make some new plans for True2Scale. Perhaps some of the plans will include a visit to France :-) Also, I hope to sneak in some time to work on some of the kits I purchased!

Getting Ready for Arnhem

2011-10-23T10:05:00.002-05:00

I've been absent from the blogs lately because I've been spending a great deal of time preparing for the Arnhem fair. I'm excited to show several new things, including a windmill kit in 2 color choices (the fans turn) and a 1:24 scale Snow Village kit (includes all 5 buildings). For the mini patisserie chefs, there will be new cupcake wrappers with fancy edges.

If you will be in Arnhem Oct 28-30, please stop by table PC12 and say hello!

New Windmill Kits and several buildings from the 1:24 scale Snow Village set.

The fans of the Windmill kits turn and they include an LED light.

New 1:24 scale Snow Village Set. Includes 5 buildings. LEDs are available.

New cupcake wrappers with fancy edges.

A Spooky Treat

2011-10-17T10:33:00.002-05:00

I really LOVE receiving photos from customers showing what they've created with the True2Scale kits. I add them to the Customer Gallery.

Yesterday, I received an email from Mary Broaddus that made my jaw drop! She truly took the Halloween Glitter House Kit to the next level! The photos speak for themselves.

Mary created everything on the table from scratch; with the exception of the cat container, which she altered.

The Glitter House Kit which Mary used.

Mary tries to make everything on her tables; sometimes even making the tables. She has recently started selling on Etsy. Thanks for sharing your fantastic work, Mary!

Vintage Plates and Platter Printables

2011-09-01T14:32:00.000-05:00

The September issue of AIM Magazine is available! To go with the dining theme, I designed this vintage luncheon set in 1:12, 1:24 and 1:48 scales. The instructions for using decal paper are included on the download. Please enjoy and don't forget to drop on over to AIM Magazine for more projects and inspiration!

Download the high resolution artwork and instructions.

The Finished Tuscan Villa

2011-08-16T01:09:00.001-05:00

Many thanks to SMRD Studio for creating my dream home in miniature! Now for the fun part... furnishing it!

Marigold Flower in a Milk Carton

2011-08-08T01:14:00.017-05:00

As a child, I loved to go to the annual parade in the small town where we lived. The floats would be creative; the music festive; and if you weren't a participant in the spectacle, you always knew most of the people who were. When I got a little older and bagan marching in the high school band, the heat trapped in our navy blue polyester uniforms and vinyl hats kept me from enjoying the parade experience. To aggravate the situation further, oftentimes the band had to march directly behind the Clydesdale horses!

One of the best memories I have from the parades is the merry clowns. Never mind that the kids always knew who the clowns were; it was still fun to hold out your hands to them in hopes of receiving a marigold flower planted in a butter or milk carton. The sunshine-like cartons usually found their way to the windowsill above Mom's kitchen sink.

I've had so much fun recreating the childhood memory in miniature for others to enjoy as a kit.

Marigold flower in a milk carton kit.

LED Lighting Tutorial for Glitter Houses

2011-08-05T02:37:00.059-05:00

I've had several requests for directions on lighting up the glitter house kits with LED lights. Hopefully, this tutorial will answer those questions as well as provide some general tips about working with LEDs.

Complete LED lighting set.

You will need:

Glitter house kit or other project to be electrified
3V LED light, battery holder, switch, 3V battery, shrink-tube
Hairdryer
Tweezers
Tacky glue
Clear tape
Acrylic or enamel paint in white or cream

A complete LED lighting set (includes LED, battery holder, switch, battery and shrink-tube) is available from my Etsy shop (soldering is not necessary).

If you already have an LED supplied with your glitter house kit, you may wish to purchase the battery holder, switch, battery and shrink-tube together to complete your LED setup.

If you want the LED lights only, they may be purchased separately.

First, a basic introduction to LED lights (the tutorial follows):

Why LEDs?

LED lights are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs.

They don't get hot (perfect for glitter houses, Christmas trees, and places where the lights will be dangerously close to flammable items).
They last a LONG time - 10 years/10,000 hours. It's very unlikely that you will have to tear apart your project to replace an LED light.
They give off a lot of light. In fact, sometimes they give off more light than is needed for our miniature projects. Thankfully there are ways to cut down the amount of light (discussed below).
They are tougher to break than an incandescent light because there isn't a filament.

What kind of power source do I need for LED lights?

LEDs for miniaturists are typically available in 3V, 9V and 12V. Depending upon the type of LED, you may use a:

3V coin cell battery
9V battery
9V regulated power adapter (it's important to check that the adapter is regulated; most are not)
12V dollhouse power supply

IMPORTANT: Make sure that the LED that you purchase is compatible with the power source that you intend to use it with.

A blue LED lends an eery look
to the Halloween Glitter House.

All of the LED lights purchased from True2Scale should be used with a 3V coin cell battery CR2032, NOT a dollhouse power supply or a 9V battery. The 3V battery is preferred for the glitter houses because it is small and allows for the freedom to move the display around without having to worry about hooking it up to a stationary power supply (for example: an outlet in your dollhouse). Also, the battery allows up to 10 lights to run for about 12 hours. 3 lights will run on a single battery for about 40 hours. The battery can then be changed.

This hutch, decorated by After Dark Miniatures, contains 8 glitter houses
with LED lighting. Battery and switch are located on the back of the hutch.

How to Add an LED Light to Your Glitter House Kit

Conducting a Trial Test
Before the house is glued to the base, but after the roof piece(s) have been attached, you may wish to check the light. It is a good idea to see how the position of the LED in the house affects the way the light shines through the windows and door.

Slip the battery into the battery holder (A), making sure that the plus (+) side of the battery is on the same side as the plus (+) sign on the battery holder.
Twist the LEDs red wire to the red wire on the switch (B). Then, twist the other wire to the black wire on the switch.
Turn on the switch. If it doesn't light up, take it to a dark room (this is a very small light after all) and try again.
When it is lit, slip it inside of the glitter house before the base has been glued to the house. Move the LED around to see how the light shines through the windows and door. Make a mark inside of the house showing the desired position of the LED.
Untwist the wires.

Battery and battery holder (A), Switch (B), Shrink-tube (C), LED light (D)

Changing the Brightness of the LED
In my opinion, the LEDs are a bit too bright for the tiny glitter houses. To dim the light, I paint over the bulb with a white or cream color paint. Acrylic or enamel work just fine. If you feel that you want to dim the lights even more, you may wish to use 1/4 watt resistors. These come in a package of varying tolerances. You'll want to try different color resistors out to see which tolerance you prefer. You will need 2 resistors. 1) Slide the shrink tube over the wires. 2) Twist the red wire of the LED to the first resistor; twist the red wire of the switch to the resistor. 3) twist the green wire of the LED to the second resistor; twist the black wire of the switch to the other end of the second resistor. 4) Slide the shrink tubes over the connections and heat with a hair dryer until they have shrunk tightly around the connections.

Making the LED Wires Shorter
Straighten the wire of the LED. Figure out the length you want the bulb's wires to be. If you need to shorten the wires, you can re-expose the ends by gently sanding with a piece of fine sandpaper.

Attaching the Light to the Glitter House
Put a small amount of tacky glue on the inside of the house where you marked the position of the LED. Attach the LED to the house with the yellow side facing out (a green arrow is printed on the back side of the LED). Clamp the LED to the house with a tweezers or transparent tape and allow to dry thoroughly. Bend the wires to exit the back of the house. Don't worry about hiding the wires; they are so fine that they will not cause gaps, and may be covered with white paint, glue and glitter to blend into the snow. Glue the base to the house and decorate the house according to the directions supplied with the glitter house kit.

Connecting the LED to the Switch
Slip the black shrink-tubes (C) over the ends of the wire on the switch (B). Push them toward the switch. As before, you will twist the red wires together; and twist the black wire and the remaining wire together. Pull the black tubes down to cover the connections. Heat with a hair dryer until the black tubes shrink down to fit tightly around the wires. Enjoy your beautifully lit glitter house!

N.A.M.E. National Convention 2011

2011-07-28T06:00:00.128-05:00

Last weekend, Mr. True2Scale and I attended our first N.A.M.E. National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. We had a fun time getting to know fellow miniaturists, eating great food, and shopping for items for my soon-to-arrive Tuscan house. And...a visit to Cleveland isn't complete without touring the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After all, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see the meat dress!

This year's convention theme was With a Song in My Heart. The souvenirs given to the attendees reflect the musical theme.

The 1:12 scale souvenirs were a dress worn by Deborah Kerr in The King and I, made by JoAnn Roberts; an adjustable music stand by Tom Walden; and blue suede shoes by Sylvia Rountree. The steering committee made a gift to complement each souvenir, including a wooden wall hook for the dress; sheet music and a storage box; and a framed, gold record of Blue Suede Shoes.

A portion of my table at Mini Mart.

The convention provided me with my first opportunity to sell my mini kits at a show. I sold as part of the Mini Mart, a 2-hour Thursday night frenzy that left Husband and me breathless and exhausted! Thank goodness for the help of a kind friend who assisted with writing receipts.

On Friday, I took a class from Shannon Moore and learned to make a corner chair. It's a beautiful piece that I some day hope to finish and post a picture. I REALLY do want to finish that chair!

I spent part of the weekend enjoying the exhibits. I was especially fond of the design and construction of the Three Gables display, a home for three different shops. Here are some of the creative exhibits at the NAME National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio (the photos taken with my phone do not do them justice!):

Three Gables created by Sue Ann Ketchum,
designed by Greenfield Creations; 1:12 scale

Holiday House at Christmas by Karen Marsh;
1:48 scale

The Greenhouse at Christmas by Karen Marsh;
1:48 scale

Part of a large exhibit, The Shops at Maxwell Square by Terri Maxwell;
1:12 scale greenhouse and florist shop.

Interior of the greenhouse.

Working fountain surrounded by shops.

Hunny House by Karen Marsh; 1:48 scale

I'm Back!

2011-07-26T11:15:00.001-05:00

Ok, you know that you've been gone a long time, when you open up Blogger and the entire dashboard has changed! Was my last post really over a month ago?

During that time, Hubby and I visited Spain and attended the NAME National Convention in Ohio (I will post later with pics from NAME). While in Spain, I had to find a miniatures shop to feed my addiction! In Madrid, I enjoyed a nice chat with the proprietress of Puck and purchased some delightful things. One of the items is a lovely plate made by Ana Felipe, who is part of a family of craftsmen who work in miniature, the Felipe-Royo Family.

Progress on the Tuscan Farmhouse

2011-06-22T13:42:00.003-05:00

I just received these pics today and couldn't wait to share the progress of the Tuscan Farmhouse. There is still some painting and a bit of work left to do yet, but it is taking shape.

I am still undecided about what to do with the little room off the side. Shall it be a storage area? laundry? tool shed? breakfast nook? room for the wine press? Perhaps some of my knowledgable readers can tell me if a wine press would be located in a house or in a separate building?

My Tuscan Farmhouse

2011-06-17T08:02:00.000-05:00

After planning and talking about building a Tuscan farmhouse for years, it is finally becoming a reality! Of course, in order for that to happen I had to relinquish the thought of building it myself!

I've asked SMRD Studio to create the Italian home of my dreams after seeing her work at the Chicago Independent Show in April. MR specializes in just the type of structure I'm seeking. I sent her photos of a bed and breakfast that I stayed in while visiting Greve in Chianti and asked her to use them as inspiration for my 3-room house. MR said that the structure should be finished by the end of the month. I can't wait!

I wish I had a workshop like this!

Le Cetinelle, the inspiration for the miniature Tuscan farmhouse.

Plein Air Printables and Tutorial - from AIM

2011-06-01T01:00:00.001-05:00

The June/July issue of AIM Magazine is available—and it's a great one! It's packed full of gorgeous, art-themed work of artisans as well as inspiration for art-themed projects!

I submitted this tutorial and printables for a plein air printing set. Please enjoy and don't forget to drop on over to AIM Magazine for more art-themed projects and inspiration!

If you've already read the AIM tutorial and you're looking for the high resolution downloads of the artwork, here you go!

Plein air painting set. Click on image to enlarge.

Tools and supplies:

Printable artwork

Ruler
Pencil
Tweezers
Mouse pad
Ball stylus tool
Round toothpick
craft knife with new blade
Markers
Glue stick
Tacky glue
Acrylic paints
White cardstock
Gloss white paint
UV protectant spray
Clear fingernail polish
Round, flat seed beads
Masking or drafting tape
Premium matte photo paper
Lead wrapper from wine bottle
Cardboard backing from notepad
Floral glossy stain spray in walnut wood tone

A note about printing: These items should be printed on your printer's highest quality setting. Spray the prints with a UV-blocking aerosol.

Flattened and rolled tubes look "used".

Paint tubes
Using the side of your craft knife as a roller, flatten the lead wrapper from the wine bottle.

fig. 1 Roll lead around toothpick

fig. 2 Crimp end of tube.

Cut the lead into 8mm x 8mm squares. Roll the squares around the toothpick where the toothpick begins to taper (fig. 1).

One end of the lead tube will be smaller. Crimp the smaller end of the tube with your tweezers to form the bottom seam of the paint tube. (fig. 2).

Bend the top edges of the tube in slightly (fig. 3). Paint the seed beads, filling in the hole. Glue the beads to the tops of the tubes. Allow to dry thoroughly. Using your finger, lightly push the tubes flat along the bottom seams. Glue the trimmed labels around the tubes. Tubes can be rolled up with tweezers and paint applied to the tops to give them a used appearance.

Box for paints

Trim the printed pieces. On the back of each piece, lightly score the fold lines. Fold each of the box sides flat. Bend them back to their final positions. Glue the tabs to the box sides.

Painting in progress on board
With the pencil, draw along the sides of the print to extend the edges of the sketch under the painting; draw the lines of the river, mountain, horizon, etc.— wherever the artist may have sketched before the tape was applied. Cut out the painting, leaving a 4mm white border. Cut a 55mm x 45mm rectangle from the notepad backing. Round the corners of the rectangle with the craft knife. Spray both sides of the rectangle with the wood tone floral stain. Cut 2mm wide strips of masking tape. Run a thin line of glue along the edge of the painting. Position the tape on the glue. Tear the ends of the tape. Allow to dry. Using your markers, “paint” the edges of the tape around the painting to simulate the watercolor washes on top of the masking tape. A light gray marker works well to simulate the wash effect on top of the brighter colors.

Palette

If you do not have a suitable shaped plate or finding for the palette, one can be made from cardstock. Cut a 25mm x 15mm rectangle from the cardstock. Cut rounded edges, if desired. Lay the rectangle onto a mouse pad. Create a 2mm indented edge around the rectangle using your ball stylus tool. Round the edge at the corners. Turn the rectangle over and rub over the creases to indent the edge more. When satisfied with the results, add paint daubs to your palette using thinned acrylic paints in various colors. When dry, coat with clear fingernail polish.

Miniature Roses Tutorial

2011-05-20T01:00:00.007-05:00

Tools and Materials:

coffee filter or japanese silk paper
punches: 1/4" heart, 3/16" teardrop, 1/4" star
watercolor pencils or acrylic paints for petals
colored pencils
avocado green acrylic paint
ball stylus tool
needle or needle tool
mousepad
paper towel
paper covered wire
sewing thread
tacky glue
satin acrylic varnish
tissue paper for box lining
silk ribbon for bow
tweezers
leaf veining tool (optional)
florist box kits

Step One: Petals

To make one rose, punch 5 hearts from the coffee filter or japanese silk paper. Paint hearts. For the dozen red roses, I used a combination of True Red and Moroccan Red acrylic paints. If you would like subtle colors, try using watercolor pencils (I used red and yellow watercolor pencils on the pink single rose). Keep a paintbrush and water close by so that you can blend the colors as you work on the petals.

Subtle colors may be achieved with watercolor pencils.

Step Two: The Basic Shape

Glue 2 hearts together as shown in picture. Glue a painted, 2" wire stem to the heart. Allow to dry.

2 hearts are overlapped and glued. A stem is glued on.

Step Three: Shaping the Center

Place hearts and the assembled hearts with a stem on a damp paper towel. Let them absorb a good amount of moisture. Place the hearts with a stem on a mousepad. Using your ball stylus tool, press down along the edge of the left heart. Turn the hearts over, press down along the edge of the other heart. You want a ruffled edge.

Step Four: Making the Center of the Rose

Pick up the stem, add glue along the bottom edge of the hearts, and roll the hearts around the stem. This will create the tight center of the rose. Pay attention that the ruffles look the way you want them to. You may wish to look at some photos for reference.

Shaping the petals with the stylus.

Step Five: Shaping the Petals

Pick up the damp loose petals and place them on your mousepad. Using the ball stylus, press down along the top edges of the hearts and the pointed bottom of the hearts. Turn the hearts over and press down in the centers of the hearts. The shape of the petals should look similar to the photo.

Step Six: Adding the Petals

Add a tiny amount of glue to the pointed bottom of the petal and glue to the stem. Wrap the petal around the center of the rose. Do this with more petals, overlapping the spaces between the petals as you glue them on. You may wish to cut the hearts in half down the middle to create smaller petals or use a variation of hearts and half-hearts.

Step Seven: Calyx

Punch a star from the paper. Paint with avocado green acrylic paint. Using your ball stylus, push down on each of the five points of the star. Turn the star over and push down in the center. See the photo for reference. With a pin or needle tool, poke a hole in the center large enough to go over the stem. Put a tiny amount of glue along the bottom of the rose petals. Push the star up the stem into place.

Step Eight: Leaves

Punch 3 leaves from the paper. Paint with avocado green acrylic paint. Using colored pencils, add some color variation to the leaves. I used orange-red, dark blue, dark green and black in very small amounts. These may be blended with your fingers. The back side of the roses may be painted a lighter color or colored pencils may be used to lighten the effect. To achieve a wonderful, realistic look to the leaves, you may wish to use the veining tool from Templewood Miniatures. Paint leaves with satin acrylic varnish to add a realistic shine.

Step Nine: Branches

Dab a bit of avocado green paint on a paper towel. Pull the sewing thread through the paint on the paper towel. Allow the thread to dry straight, hanging from a drawer pull or door knob. When thoroughly dry, cut a 5/8" length of thread off. Glue 3 leaves to the thread (you may wish to use the photo below as reference for leaf placement). When dry, glue the branch to the stem.

Step Ten: Adding Finishing Touches to the Rose

Paint over the joint where the stem and branch are glued together. You may wish to add tiny "dew" droplets to the rose or leaves using Diamond Glaze.

Step Eleven: Assembling and Decorating the Box

The precut boxes shown in the photos may be purchased through my shop. Assemble the boxes and glue the supplied acetate into the windows. Cut tissue paper of your desired color and place into box. (I used bright green tissue inside of the box of dozen roses, and sheer ribbon inside of the single rose box). Do not glue. Decide how you want the roses to be placed in your boxes. Some of the stems may need to be cut shorter. Glue the roses to each other - not the tissue paper (glue will generally make a mess of tissue paper).

Flower boxes are available from my Etsy shop.

Step Twelve: Making the Bow

To make a bow, cut or punch a 1/4" circle from cardstock paper. Cut the following lengths of ribbon:

four pieces, 1.5 inches
four pieces, 1.25 inches
four pieces, 1 inch
1 piece, .5 inch

Except for the .5 inch piece, glue all of the lengths of ribbon into loops. Glue the .5 inch piece into a circle. Dab a small amount of glue in the center of the cardstock circle. Position the four largest loops on the glue to form an "X". Glue the next smaller loops in between the larger loops. Glue the smallest loops on top of the largest loops. Glue the small circle of ribbon in the center. Cut a length of ribbon to go around the top of the box and inside the lid. Glue to the ends of the ribbon inside of the lid. Do not put glue on the outside of the box because it may stain the ribbon. Glue the bow to the box's lid on top of the ribbon.

Enjoy your box of roses!

Here are some public domain photos to help inspire you! Click on them to make them larger.

Giveaway Winner!

2011-05-16T20:52:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway!

A winner has been chosen...

Congratulations to Kate from Whitaker's Miniatures! Kate may choose $25 of items from my Etsy shop.

Thanks again to everyone who left a comment!

Blog Anniversary Giveaway!

2011-05-06T12:10:00.004-05:00

Just a little way to say thank you to my followers for indulging me with their kind comments during my first year of blogging! I am very lucky to have made so many good friends, and I'm continually inspired by the work that I see in blogland.

As a small gesture of my gratitude, I am giving away $25 of merchandise plus free shipping in my Etsy shop to the winner of the giveaway.

Please leave a comment below and tell me what you would like from my shop. I will draw one name on Monday, May 16. You must be a follower to participate.

Good luck!

cupcakes by Minnie Kitchen; macaroon charlotte by Oiseau deNim

Dieting is Easy...in Miniature!

2011-04-29T17:18:00.004-05:00

All of this work in front of the computer lately has made my jeans smaller! Therefore, no more desserts for me. I am only allowing myself to indulge in the making of miniature dessert tower kits. You can find them on Etsy and fill them with your own decadent sweets!

Macaroons and charlotte by Oiseau deNim

Spring Gifts from Oiseau deNim

2011-04-26T07:34:00.004-05:00

I had a happy surprise when I opened my mailbox to find these gifts from Peiwen of Oiseau deNim. The hens are traditional French Easter chickens! The dishes with Beatrix Potter illustrations are special to me because they remind me of those lovely books that my mother read to me as a child (who doesn't giggle when they see portly Tom Kitten with his bursted buttons?)

As I opened each gift, my husband stood over my shoulder with the curiosity of an 8-year old. When I unwrapped the pink egg we were both surprised and laughed at the two tiny ducklings peeking out at us! Delightful gifts from a special friend! Thank you, Peiwen!

Autumn Themed Glitter Houses

2011-04-25T13:09:00.002-05:00

Glitter house kits done up for an Autumn theme? Yup, that's what Barb Lewis of Fifth Street Studio has done with my holiday glitter house kits. I love to see how they have inspired her to create something different. Aren't the tables delightful? She will be selling at the New Orleans show. Thanks for sharing, Barb!

Photos: Barb Lewis, Fifth Street Studio

Barb modified these house kits for her tables.

Progress on the Dessert Tower Kit

2011-04-22T10:32:00.004-05:00

Previously, I posted a prototype of my new dessert tower kit and a call for help from mini cupcake artists. I am happy that Janet from MinnieKitchen answered my request. I've asked her to provide some of her yummy looking cupcakes to help figure out the dimensions of the pedestals and get her input on any structural changes for the tower. Not only do I want the towers to be cute, but practical to use.

It was a pleasant surprise to find these pics from Janet this morning. The cupcakes on the tower are just temporary; she is creating some others that will echo the colors of the stand. I can't wait to see what the final cupcakes will look like!

The dessert tower in progress. photo: MinnieKitchen

The first prototype of the dessert tower (from last week).

Treasures from the Chicago International

2011-04-13T10:16:00.004-05:00

The show was spectacular, as usual. It was a chance to meet old friends, and make some new ones as well. I met Barb Lewis, from Fifth Street Studio. She is an IGMA Artisan who makes amazing autumn-themed foods. She will be making up some of my glitter house kits as autumn houses to display on her food tables. She'll have some of them for sale at the upcoming Texas show.

I also met Diane Alymeda, an IGMA Artisan who makes breathtakingly beautiful miniature stained glass and contemporary plique-a-jour enamels. I was lucky enough to take her jeweler's saw class. Wow, did I learn a lot!

Every year I have some sort of binge at the Chicago International. This year, it was baskets and glassware. Luckily, I had plenty of both to admire and choose from!

From left to right: sewing basket by Crystal Monson; square basket with handle Precious Little Things; rounded top basket with lid by Francine Coyon; twig basket Marie's Mini Shoppe; oval basket TYA Kitchen; wire basket by Le Miniature de Eurosia; Native American birch bark basket by Boyne Miniatures.

For my Art Deco library: a 1:24 scale decanter and glass by Gerd Felka.

Christmas Market Stall Inspiration

2011-04-03T09:27:00.000-05:00

I received a comment from Angelika on the progress of my Christmas market stall. Honestly...there hasn't been any progress for a very long time! But Angelika has a treasure to share! Please take a look at her photo album. Thank you for sharing, Angelika!

Angelika Oeckl via Picasa

Printable Textures

2011-03-28T11:29:00.004-05:00

Looking for some cracked paint, wallpaper, book covers/end papers or just some great pics to help you grunge up your scene? Check out lost & taken. It's a gallery of free, high quality, printable textures that can be used for personal and commercial projects. Enjoy!

Spring is Here! And so is the Tulip House!

2011-03-25T19:45:00.002-05:00

I've been really busy lately (please excuse my recent absence from the blogging world). There are so many ideas... and so little time!

Here is another item that I've been working on. The inspiration for this glitter house kit was a request by Sonya. She wanted a little cottage that was not Easter, but Spring-like. Well, I set to work creating a little English cottage with a flower garden. And then Hubby peered over my shoulder and said, "how about a flower-shape house?" It was just too much fun to imagine. I had to try!

Oiseau deNim's beautiful hyacinth and basket are finely crafted!

After I emailed Peiwen a photo of my progress on the little tulip house, she suggested that sit in a pot. Genius!

So you see, this has been a collaborative effort from all over the world! Sonya, I hope that you thoroughly enjoy putting together the Tulip Cottage kit! Thank you to Sonya, Peiwen and Hubby for their suggestions; and to Peiwen for her gorgeous hyacinth and basket!

If you would like to purchase the Tulip Cottage glitter house kit, it is available on Etsy. Happy Spring!

Halloween House is Ready!

2011-03-25T11:23:00.000-05:00

Finally, I have finished the Halloween house! It is available on Etsy. This is the most architecturally detailed house that I've created so far. At 7/8" (22mm) tall, the house is packed with spooky delights!

It's very easy to put together; just fold on the perforations and glue. The instructions take you step-by-step through the assembly and decorating. You may wish to decorate the house using the included tiny ghosts, gravestones, pumpkins, boards on the windows, and glitter; or decorate the house with your own details.

A tiny LED light is included. The wires can exit the back of the house or through the bottom of the base; depending upon how you wish to display your house. A 3V battery is required for lighting. The battery is about the size of a coin and can be easily hidden into a display.

Enjoy a spook-tacular time putting together the Spooky Lane haunted house kit!

Creating a Scene

2011-03-15T09:41:00.001-05:00

The tulips are just starting to peek above the frozen tundra of the upper Midwest. And yet, here I am, creating a Christmas display for my new glitter houses. This is a preview of the display. The finished piece will have more decorations: stockings, a swag, glass jars and ornaments.

The nicely detailed fireplaces are from Braxton Payne. The mirror is a combination of moldings and gold paper. In the picture, the mirror is reflecting the tree mural on the back wall of my studio. This was a happy accident, but I like how the branches look in the mirror.

Today, I'll wire the houses up and attach the battery holder to the back of the display. The battery is about the size of a U.S. quarter, so it should be easy to hide.

I hope everyone in the Northern Hemisphere is enjoying a beautiful Spring day!

A Haunted Glitter House

2011-02-19T00:33:00.002-06:00

I just finished the Halloween glitter house kit. It's been a fun house to design. I'm particularly fond of the shapes of the windows and the roof. The height is 7/8" (22mm).

The kit is available on Etsy. The precut house can be assembled in minutes and includes a tiny LED light. Everything shown in the picture is included in the kit: ghosts, pumpkins, grave stones, boards to cover the windows, tree and glitter. You may decorate your haunted glitter house to your liking!

Lighting Glitter Houses

2011-02-15T10:51:00.002-06:00

I'm playing with lighting the glitter houses today. There is a tiny LED light inside that casts such a nice, warm glow. The lighted houses are reminding me of the snow village that I would help my mother assemble on the fireplace mantel every Christmas. We would set the houses on top of polyester snow and hang stockings below. Hmm.... I think I need to start designing some stockings to go with these little houses!

New Glitter Houses and Trees

2011-02-11T14:57:00.000-06:00

I've just finished the newest glitter house kit designs! Here is a sample of the 1:12 and 1:24 scale church and the 1:12 scale school. The other buildings include a barn, farmhouse and bungalow. I'll post the other buildings as time permits. They will all have the option of LED lighting.

Miniature Landscape Sculptures

2011-01-26T09:22:00.005-06:00

These paint can sculptures were created by Gregory Euclide. I love the paint pouring out to create rivers! You can see more of his work on flickr.

Gregory Euclide via flickr

Printables of Vintage Garden Plans

2011-01-10T10:38:00.003-06:00

It's that time of year when I start looking through seed catalogs and begin planning my perfect garden. Perhaps it is because I am already tired of the long hours of darkness and the gloomy, cold days in the Northern Hemisphere.

Here are some fun, printable, vintage garden plans. These would be cute framed or just sitting on Milady's desk. These are from the public domain images supplied by Vintage Printable. I've modified them to fit 1:12 scale. Enjoy!

For the best print quality, download the pdf.

Itty Bitty Glitter House

2011-01-04T09:46:00.001-06:00

I know that it is past the Christmas season and I should be focusing on other things, but I've been working on prototypes for miniature glitter houses again. These are much smaller than my previous houses. They would be appropriate as ornaments for a Christmas tree or as a village scene in 1:24 scale. This is the first of 5 houses. It is .25" (6mm) tall and is modeled after my own house (a Cape Cod style). This prototype is cut from white paper, but the actual houses will be in pretty colors.

I think I am addicted to making glitter houses!

Christmas Swap

2010-12-27T10:45:00.003-06:00

These are the beautiful gifts that Lara made for me. They will fit perfectly into my Victorian house. Aren't the childrens' toys amazing? The tiny flowers and berries will compliment a Thanksgiving table so nicely. And the ornaments have hooks! Everything is so detailed and well made. Thank you, Lara!

Here is the gift I made for Anna. Peggy was originally my partner, but was unable to participate for health reasons. Best wishes to Peggy for a quick recovery! And a big thank you to Caterina for organizing the swap!

Christmas Traditions

2010-12-23T09:52:00.001-06:00

I have enjoyed learning how other bloggers are celebrating their Christmases. I think that no matter what part of the world you live in, the central part of the celebration is always the meal.

Rolled oplatky and honey in Slovakia, 1998

My husband is from Slovakia (the eastern part of former Czechoslovakia), so we celebrate a traditional Slovak Christmas Eve. The meal is typically started with a prayer or good wishes said while a family member makes the sign of a cross (made with honey) on your forehead. Crispy wafers (oplatky) with Christmas scenes are distributed with honey and fresh garlic cloves. I know that it sounds awful, but the garlic and honey are a wonderful combination!

Next comes the soup. My husband's family (in Slovakia) always makes sauerkraut soup (kapustnica), made with pork sausage, pork roast, sauerkraut, dried mushrooms and garlic. My husband makes our sauerkraut soup ahead of time so that the flavors have time to marinate. It also makes a rather pungent smell in the kitchen :)

Dinner in Slovakia (we named her Miroslavka), 1998

The next part of the meal is fried fish. In Slovakia, the fish used is carp. Americans have an aversion to this type of fish, so my husband makes cod or trout. At this time of year, many Slovaks visit the fish vendors and take home live fish. When they arrive home, the carp goes into the bathtub to live out the last day or so of his life. This ensures that the carp is fresh for the dinner. :) The fish is accompanied by potato salad and of course, plenty of liquor (another Slovak tradition).

Wherever you live and whatever your holiday traditions are, I wish you the happiest of holidays!

Happy Holidays and a Gift for You!

2010-12-21T14:15:00.003-06:00

Happy Holidays to everyone! I hope that you are enjoying a beautiful season with family and friends.

I just finished designing these mini boxes as a gift to you. Perhaps you will find them useful for your miniature treats and gifts. Happy holidays!

Download the pdf of the box designs.

Should She Bake a Pie or Make Pasta?

2010-12-17T07:00:00.010-06:00

I just received this resin doll designed by Marcia Backstrom. When I saw the doll in Carol's Etsy shop, I knew that she would be perfect in either of two projects that I am making slow progress on. Maybe you can help me decide which project? Should the doll go into the summer kitchen scene (America 1900) and bake a pie? OR should she go into the Tuscan kitchen scene and make pasta fresca? What do you think?

Delicious Miniatures from Oiseau deNim

2010-12-16T07:00:00.013-06:00

This is how my French table would look, if I lived in France. All of these beautiful miniatures were created by Peiwen from Oiseau deNim.

She has sent me a some of her new savory items – a French Terrine (in back with the knife) and Red Fruits Gratin – yum! And, something I have always wanted to try to make in real life: a Creme Brulee. Although I could never make the top turn out so nicely has Peiwein has done. My Creme Brulee would end as a torched piece of coal! The chocolates in the shape of seashells are amazing! They remind me of the Guylain seashells that are so yummy. Peiwen has even dusted the chocolates with a shimmer of gold! And aren't her macaroons to die for? They are simply perfect! The baker has developed a new recipe that gives them pretty, pearlescent colors. The snowflake on top of the macaroon charlotte is a pretty detail. And the box is perfect for a collection of mini ornaments.

I am so delighted to have these beautiful miniatures. Thank you, Peiwen!

Scottish Tenement Kits

2010-12-15T07:00:00.010-06:00

I don't know the scale of these architectural model kits, but they are full of detail. The "tinyment" is sophisticated enough to display on your bookshelf when your friends who don't create miniatures come over for martinis. They're made by Glasgow-based Finch & Fouracre, designers and architectual modelmakers.

photos: Finch & Fouracre

Adobe Photoshop Elements Links

2010-12-13T11:09:00.003-06:00

If you're a Photoshop Elements user, you may appreciate these free tutorials. If you're thinking about purchasing the graphics editing software, Adobe is currently offering $40 USD off in rebates, which brings the cost down to $59.99 USD for Photoshop Elements version 9.

As always, Photoshop tutorials for making minis are still accessible on my blog. The link "Photoshop Tutorial" is permanently located below the header.

Embarking on a New Journey: Facebook

2010-12-11T08:39:00.001-06:00

Please join me! Click on the "Like" button to the right, or search Facebook for: True2Scale Dollhouse Miniatures. I look forward to seeing you on FB!

Another Basket

2010-12-10T09:45:00.003-06:00

I've been trying a few new techniques and materials for making baskets. The possibilities of design and decoration using different weaving techniques greatly interests me. Here is one of my results of adapting some real life techniques to miniature.

My Favorite Removable Glue

2010-12-07T01:00:00.001-06:00

I change my mind a lot. For example, I painted my garage door with 5 shades of taupe before I was happy with the way it looked. The last shade I created by slowly dumping black acrylic paint into the gallon of latex paint to achieve the perfect gray tint to the taupe. Perhaps my artistic friends in blogland may relate to my quirkiness?

Photo: timholtz.typepad.com

My point is that I hate to glue things down permanently. To be able to change things in my mini rooms, I like to use a removable adhesive called Glue Dots®. They are acid-free and archival safe so they don't discolor papers or eat away at finishes. You may be familiar with them from their industrial application – direct mail. Often they hold fake credit cards onto the annoying credit card offers. If you peel the glue off of the paper, it stretches and is fun to pick at. They are also popular for scrapbooking. If you can't find them at your local craft store, try ordering them online.

Photo: gluedots.com

Some dollhouse uses:

hanging wall art
hanging shelves
attaching seasonal decorations
sticking furniture and rugs to floors
holding accessories in place
sticking templates to pieces before cutting
adhering items to the inside of containers for protection from shipping

Do you have a favorite removable adhesive?

Giveaway Winners and a Discount!

2010-12-01T16:02:00.002-06:00

Thank you to all who entered my birthday giveaway and left kind comments. Because of your many greetings these past weeks, I enjoyed a very long celebration!

As a thank you to all of the giveaway participants, please use this discount code at my Etsy shop to receive 20% off the laser cut glitter house kits: GIVEAWAY4U. This discount is valid until December 15.

The winners of the glitter house kits are:

Linda (Linda's Miniature Musings)
Alma e Lia (Vilia Miniature)

I hope that you will enjoy assembling and decorating your kits!

Giveaway Ends Tomorrow

2010-11-30T09:07:00.000-06:00

Just a reminder: if you haven't signed up for my birthday giveaway, please do so today by leaving a comment below. I will be choosing 2 winners tomorrow. Don't forget to let me know which house you prefer. Good luck!

Treasures from Oiseau deNim

2010-11-12T14:00:00.000-06:00

Look what I have received from Oiseau deNim's Etsy shop! A Treasury of goodies. A Salami Set (to go in my Tuscan kitchen), Raspberry and Caramel St. Honore (her French pastries are to die for), and, speaking of death, her spooky bottles would be a must-have drink at every skeleton's cocktail party.

It gives me much pleasure to own such beautiful work. I wish that my photography could accurately depict just how detailed these items are. Thank you, Peiwen!

Birthday GIVEAWAY!

2010-11-10T17:40:00.010-06:00

To celebrate my birthday with my blog friends, I'm giving away some of my new glitter house kits. Two winners will be drawn randomly. Winners may choose one of the five styles of glitter house kits.

If you are interested in taking part in the giveaway, please leave a comment and let me know which house you would like to win. A link on your blog would be appreciated. The giveaway is open to followers of my blog only. I will draw two random names on Wednesday, December 1. I ship internationally.

Thank you for participating in my birthday giveaway!

Tuscan Treats from After Dark

2010-11-05T18:33:00.001-05:00

I returned from vacation to find a package from Eve at After Dark. I mentioned to her that I have a Tuscan kitchen in the planning stage, and she has supplied me with a fantastic assortment of Italian goodies. They are lovely. The tiny little nuts amaze me. I especially love the apples! Perhaps they will find a home on the window sill of the kitchen. Thank you Eve!

Below the photos is a quick video that I shot while on vacation. I thought that you might enjoy seeing some of the unusual foods available at the night market in Beijing; including snake's skin, squid, octopus, scorpion, silk worm larvae, etc. I wasn't brave enough to try any of them. However Hubby said that the scorpion and silk worm larvae were delicious!

Printable Book "Botanique de la Jeunesse 1812"

2010-10-19T09:40:00.002-05:00

Another printable book for your collection. You may wish to create a cover for this one. Thank you to Caterina for finding these beautiful graphics!

For the best print quality, download the pdf.

Blog break
I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone's blogs when I return from vacation!

Free Photos for Your Blog and Copyright Info

2010-10-13T09:46:00.006-05:00

There are many reasons to use pictures on your blogs. First, it draws attention to your post. Second, it may add to your blog's search engine visibility. But what if you don't have a picture? Do you do a quick Google image search and hope that the author of that pic doesn't mind that you're using their image? If you blog is for personal use only (in other words, you are not helping to promote your business with it), the authors of the photographs or illustrations may not mind. But why take the chance that you are violating the copyright by using protected images?

Copyright and fair use
This has always been an important subject for me because I deal with it in my career as a graphic designer. Generally, I assume that everything on the web is copyright protected, unless it states otherwise. If no copyright or trademark information is given, it is still protected. You may wish to check out this easy explanation of copyright and fair use.

Where can you find copyright-free pictures?
Some websites offer inexpensive royalty free stock photography and illustrations. These can be purchased for a couple of dollars. But if you're cheap like me, you may prefer these free alternatives:

morgueFile
Stock.XCHNG
Google Images Didn't I just mention not to go there? However, Google Images provides an option to filter for image type. If you click on the "Advanced Image Search" link, you can do a search for different image rights. Try searching for images "labeled for reuse" or "labeled for commercial reuse with modification".

Who is using your images?
If you're wondering if anyone on the web is using your personal images, there are a couple of tools that can help you find them:

Credit: FreelanceSwitch.com

A Fire for the Fireplace

2010-10-12T09:29:00.000-05:00

I have been a terrible blogger lately. With so many things going on, it's been difficult to keep up with posting and reading blogs. However, I have made a bit of progress on my 1:24 scale Art Deco library. I've finally completed the fire!

Printable Book "Livre de Fleurs" from 1620

2010-09-21T10:46:00.001-05:00

Here's a book ready for you to print out and put together. The gorgeous graphics are from Vintage Printable and are copyright free. Download the pdf.

If you'd like the book to look more authentic for the time period, you may wish to create your own cover from leather, polymer clay, etc. The cover in the pdf can then be moved to page 1 to become the title page.

I recently came across a tutorial on creating miniature books that you may find interesting.

Thanks to Caterina for finding these beautiful graphics!

For the best print quality, download the pdf.

Vintage Printables

2010-09-14T16:49:00.001-05:00

Free, beautiful, vintage images from Vintage Printable that are in the public domain (no copyright issues). Click on "disable slideshow" if you want to download an image. The samples below were taken from the Printed Material, Ephemera and Typography section.

Gift from Eve (After Dark)

2010-09-01T00:01:00.002-05:00

Charlotte cakes! I confess my ignorance - until reading everyone's posts on them, I had never heard of a charlotte cake before. But now I have two from Eve at After Dark. And such lovelies! The fruit makes my mouth water. Eve, thank you very much!

Eve has some gorgeous charlotte cakes and other items available in her Etsy shop.

Gifts from Caterina and a Light Tent

2010-08-31T08:40:00.000-05:00

Caterina was so kind to make these items for my Victorian house. A pair of men's slippers, books with pages, an envelope of tiny postcards and crocheted potholders which will be the perfect colors for the kitchen. I am in awe of her tiny crochet! Thank you, Caterina!

With the darker months of the year quickly approaching, I decided that I should no longer rely on my bay window as my photo studio. For the cost of some foam core and full spectrum light bulbs, here is my economical solution - a homemade light tent. I can't wait to hear Hubby's reaction when he goes downstairs to the bar in the "man cave" and sees my new studio sitting on top!

2011 Chicago International Workshops

2010-08-28T23:34:00.002-05:00

I thought that you might enjoy viewing a sample of the upcoming workshops to be offered at the 2011 Chicago International Show. The prototypes for the workshops were unveiled this weekend at the Chicago Fall Show (where I also found several things which I will post about at a later time).

Sorry for the bad pictures, they were taken with my camera phone.

No. 11 Bond Street, Whitledge-Burgess

Little Girl's Bed, Judee Williamson

Fun with Faux Finishes, Carol Sherry

Vintage Feather Tree, Laura Montgomery

Versailles, Jo Bevilacqua

Vintage Wine Rack, Andy Bevilacqua

Making High Quality Printables

2010-08-22T00:00:00.216-05:00

Some tips to prevent your printables from being fuzzy:

Image quality
There are 2 main reasons why pictures turn out fuzzy: 1) printer and paper quality and 2) resolution. Resolution is the easiest (and least expensive!) of those things to change. This is done in your photo editing software (Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, GIMP, etc.).

If you want to figure out why the pictures you print from the web always turn out blurry, it probably has to do with resolution.

What is resolution?
Resolution is the number of pixels (dots of color) in your picture. Think of resolution like the thread count in sheets. A higher thread count means that the fibers are closer together, resulting in a smoother surface and better quality sheets. Resolution works in a similar manner: a higher pixel count means that the dots of color are closer together, resulting in a clearer image.

For making printables, you want a minimum resolution of 300 pixels per inch (118 pixels per centimeter). Fewer pixels will result in a blurry printout. More than 300 or 118 pixels will not be perceptible to the human eye due to the limitations of typical desktop printers.

Pictures on websites are typically 72 pixels per inch instead of the 300 pixels that you require for printing.

How to Change Resolution
This is done in a photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, GIMP, etc. This cannot be accomplished in Microsoft Word or other text editing software. If you don't have photo editing software, you may wish to download a free, 30 day trial. If you are using a Mac, you may download the trial here. GIMP is free without a trial.

Here are the directions to change resolution in Adobe Photoshop Elements (most photo editing software has a similar setup):
From the menu at the top of your screen, choose Image — Resize — Image Size. A window like this will appear:

Under "Document Size" You will change the "Resolution" to "300" pixels/inch or 118 pixels/cm.

The "Constrain Proportions" box should be checked by default.

For now, keep the "Resample Image" box unchecked.

You can see that when you type in a new number for the resolution, the width and height changes. If you type in a new width or height, the resolution will change.

Now, let's say that we have a picture that is 2 inches wide with a resolution of 300 pixels per inch. We want to make it 1 inch wide and keep the same resolution. Notice that if we try to change the resolution in the window, the width will change according to how many pixels are being spread out in those 2 inches (think about thread count in sheets). In order to make the change, we have to check the "Resample Image" box. Enter "1" in the "Width" box. Enter "300" pixels/inch or "118" pixels/cm in the "Resolution" box. Done!

IMPORTANT!!!!

You can always make it smaller, but you can't make it bigger.
This is a frustrating fact about pixels and an area of confusion to many people. I'll try to break this down into a more creative way of thinking about the process:

Imagine that pixels are little dots of watercolor paint on paper. If you stretch out the watercolor paint by adding water, you'll see a blurry area of paint because the pigments are now diluted over a larger area. This is similar to what happens when you add more resolution to a picture than it originally had.

For example, if you find a picture of a book cover on a website that you want to print out for your miniature setting, make sure that when you open it in your photo editing software, it has 1 of 2 things:
1) A resolution of 300 pixels/inch or 118 pixels/cm or more and is at least the size that you want your final print to be.

2) A width and height large enough so that when the picture is made to your desired size, the resolution will not go below 300 pixels per inch (remember resolution is proportionate to width and height).

Working with Pictures From the Web
First—I can't stress this enough — make sure that if you are using the pictures you find on the web for commercial purposes, the pictures are in the public domain.

Second, open up the picture in your photo editing software and check the resolution and the size using the guidelines above. If the picture is too small (and in most cases it is) just remember that the final result will be a bit blurry. The amount of blur will depend upon how few pixels it has. Typically graphics on websites are 72 pixels per inch. This is due to the resolution of a typical computer monitor. More than 72 pixels per inch is unnecessary because most computer monitors cannot show more than that.

Most printable websites that I have visited do not offer their graphics in a high resolution format. The authors may have put a lot of work into their beautiful designs, but the printables are blurry when printed. Hopefully, we can spread the word to our fellow miniaturists out there — 300 pixels per inch, please!

Recap:

Resolution: 300 pixels/inch or 118 pixels/cm
You can always make it smaller, but you can never make it bigger
Don't use Microsoft Word or other text editing programs to change your photo sizes. Instead, download free photo editing software.

Read previous posts about Photoshop with tutorials to get you started.

If you have any questions, feel free to email or leave a comment.

Collaborating with Oiseau deNim

2010-08-20T11:00:00.031-05:00

As many of you know from my profile, when I'm not creating miniatures, I am a freelance graphic designer. My specialty is packaging design (boxes, bags, cans, etc.). When Peiwen of Oiseau deNim contacted me about doing box designs and a logo for her work with polymer clay foods, I readily accepted the invitation. Not only have we come up with some fun items, but we've developed a friendship as well.

Please take a look at what Peiwen has sent me. Her work is breathtaking. I feel honored to not only have her pieces in my collection, but to call her my friend.

I call this Breakfast with Peiwen. It makes me imagine that we are dining together al fresco in beautiful France! My camera cannot capture the detail in her work. These items are simply stunning! I think I will have to create a new garden room to accommodate them.

The logos and cake box are from our collaboration. Peiwen lives in France and much of her work is inspired by French cuisine. "Oiseau" in French means "bird". She wanted to capture the meaning of her business name and the whimsical, feminine appeal of her work in her logo. Many of her boxes have lace designs; therefore she wished to include lace in her logo as well.

This is the mouth-watering Passion Fruit Macaroon Charlotte. It fits nicely into the box that she requested from me. Notice how the handles form an "O" like "Oiseau". That is typical of Peiwen's attention to detail! She added the pretty floral motif to the box.

Thank you, Peiwen, for your beautiful gifts and for allowing me the opportunity to work and play with you!

The passion fruit macaroon charlottes are currently available for purchase from Oiseau deNim's Etsy shop.

Source for Printable American Newspapers

2010-08-18T14:45:00.001-05:00

The Library of Congress Digital Collections website is a great resource for printables. If you're looking for an old newspaper for your attic or historical setting, try their Chronicaling America newspaper database. You'll find downloadable, high resolution pictures of front and inside pages of American newspapers from 1860 - 1922. These are in the public domain.

To make your newspapers look old, try Nikki's tips on aging paper on her blog, Miniature Question and Answer. Or, if you'd like some practice with Photoshop, try my step-by-step tutorial on aging newspapers. Enjoy!

Gift for Caterina (Le Minis Di Cockerina)

2010-08-17T15:30:00.012-05:00

I've been happily creating geraniums to help Caterina fill her tree trunk planter. She has really done a nice job of making the planter look like its full size counterpart!

Fixing Page Scaling on Printables

2010-08-16T17:01:00.004-05:00

Printouts can vary in size if they are made from different computers; this affects the scale of the printables. It can happen because of page sizes (A4-size European pages are slightly smaller than American letter-size pages) and the difference in print settings.

To help ensure that the printouts you make from this blog are in 1:12 scale, I'm implementing a new measuring system that is combined with my logo. When you print items from this blog, you may measure the dimensions of the true2scale logo on your printout for comparison. You may also wish to make them larger or smaller, depending upon your needs.

The bread pan and the pie plate printables have been updated with the logo. Please let me know if you have problems or suggestions to make it easier for you to print items from this blog in scale.

Printable Pie Plate Fix

2010-08-16T16:51:00.000-05:00

If you have downloaded and tried to use my pie plate printable, you've probably noticed that the sides don't quite fit around the bottom so nicely. I am sorry if this has caused problems for anyone.

Here is the correct version: For the best print quality, download the pdf.

The template on the original post has been updated in case anyone has it bookmarked.

Gift for Eve (After Dark)

2010-08-12T00:00:00.002-05:00

I'm a fan of Evie's miniature food creations. Her beautiful work can be seen at After Dark Miniatures or her Etsy shop. When she contacted me for a swap, I happily agreed. I hope that she likes the bunny box, basket and jar of honey. They were fun to make!

Gift from Maria (Il Cucchiaino Magico)

2010-08-11T00:00:00.005-05:00

Look at the pretty items that Maria from Il Cucchiaino Magico has sent me! They are souvenirs from fair Verona and the infamous Romeo and Juliet. The book is so perfectly made; it is printed throughout with lovely illustrations and the binding is perfect. It even feels like a real book! The little box is packed full of pretty postcards and the CD case even has a CD inside! Perhaps the enclosed letter to Juliet will inspire me to make a wish...maybe to finish some of my miniature projects! :) Thank you Maria!

Gift from Oiseau deNim

2010-08-10T00:00:00.020-05:00

If you aren't familiar with Peiwen at Oiseau deNim, you really should pop over to her blog or her Etsy site. Not only is she an amazing miniature food artist, but a really wonderful person as well! Here is what sweet Peiwen has sent to me.

Swap with Ira (Merry Jingle)

2010-08-09T00:00:00.038-05:00

I eagerly agreed to do a garden-theme swap with Ira at Merry Jingle. I was utterly surprised when she sent me these fabulous things for my captain's study. Just look at the wonderful items that Ira has assembled! There are so many maps; the captain will be one man who will never need to ask for directions! I can see that a lot of effort and thought went into this swap. Thank you, Ira!

And here are the hostas and geraniums that Ira has requested. I am a fan of succulents, so I included a misfit mug of hens and chicks (just like I have in my own garden). I hope that all of these items will fit nicely into her Toscana garden.

Tuscan Inspiration

2010-07-28T22:09:00.002-05:00

I haven't had a chance to work on any minis lately, but I have been thinking a lot about the Tuscan farmhouse I'd like to create some day. While in Italy last fall, we stayed in a lovely farmhouse near Greve in Chianti, which has inspired me to plan for a future miniature project. I love the stone facades, clay tile roofs and wooden shutters of the farmhouses in the region. The colors and textures are in perfect harmony with their surroundings.

Here are some of the photos that I snapped for future reference. Notice how the cat was patient with this obsessed tourist!

I hope you enjoy this bit of Tuscan inspiration! Click on the photos to see them larger.

Printable Pie Plate

2010-07-24T11:11:00.002-05:00

Print this template onto heavy paper to make a pie plate. I like to use manila folders or cardstock. Put glue on the tab to secure the side together.

This would be cute painted to look like enamelware, graniteware, stoneware or tin. To add more baking pans to your cupboard, you may wish to download the printable bread pan. Please share what you come up with!

For the best print quality, download the pdf.

Holiday Swap - Lovely Things from Ingrid

2010-07-18T09:16:00.001-05:00

I'm a bit late in posting, but I don't want to be remiss in sharing the items that Ingrid has made for me. Aren't they lovely? Everything is so detailed! The passport has real stamps and the photo books contain photos from all of the places that I hope to visit some day. Thank you, Ingrid! And thank you to Caterina for hosting this fun swap and opportunity to get to know our fellow miniaturists in blogland.

Printable Flower Pots

2010-07-13T07:00:00.015-05:00

All of this talk of gardening on Ira's blog has inspired me to design some flower pots. The template contains several pot designs to be printed on heavy paper. These would also make cute contemporary style flower vases.

You may wish to check out the coordinating plant tags.

Please note that this printable project has been shared for your personal use only.

For the best print quality, download the pdf.

My First Macaroons

2010-07-07T09:58:00.002-05:00

I consider myself all thumbs when it comes to working with polymer clay. I've tried all of the easy foods – peas, carrots, bread – and they all turn out looking like a mess. Yes, it is true, I cannot make little round peas look good.

That's why I admire the work of food artisans. I can sit and stare at Peiwen's (Oiseau deNim) fantastic creations for hours. So when I found out that she was teaching a class on CDHM, I jumped at the opportunity to sign up. I was not disappointed. She is a wonderful teacher; her explanations and photos were spot on.

So although my macaroons are a bit wonky, thanks to Peiwen, they look better than my peas!

Who Hates Photoshop?

2010-07-03T10:28:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon a blog that mentioned new photo editing software built for amateur photographers and bloggers in mind. It looks like it would be a great alternative to the overwhelming features in Photoshop. Aurora touts itself as a simple and inexpensive (50 USD) photo editing software that runs on a PC or Mac. It allows you to re-light, add visual punch, crop and straighten and then share with friends and family via email, Facebook, Flicker, Photobucket, Shutterfly and more. Download the free trial and give it a whirl.

Photo: http://www.lightcrafts.com/gallery/

Printable Pizza Box Design

2010-07-01T07:00:00.001-05:00

I previously posted some blank pizza box templates. If you're not excited about creating your own design, here is a box that is already designed for you.

Please note that this printable project has been shared for your personal use only.

Click on the image to download a print quality version.

Gifts from Sonya

2010-06-29T16:31:00.000-05:00

A large parcel came in the mail today, all the way from Sonya in Italy. When I opened it, I was excited to see so many little gifts that will fit nicely with my upcoming plans for a Tuscan house.

Look at the purse. It is my first Gucci - a real Italian Gucci!

Thank you, thank you, Sonya! You are a generous and thoughtful friend!

Free Graphic: Pizza Boxes

2010-06-26T06:00:00.002-05:00

I've seen some terrific mini pizzas showing up on blogs lately. Maybe your pizza can find a home in this box? Please share your creation!

This is a copyright-free graphic.

For the best print quality, download the pdf.

Looking forward to dessert class tomorrow

2010-06-25T11:16:00.002-05:00

I'm excited about taking my first online class at CDHM tomorrow. But what makes this class extra special is the teacher – Oiseau deNim. She will be instructing the participants on making French Desserts and Macaroons. She is a fantastic food artisan! Stop over at her blog or better yet, register for her class on CDHM.

A Gift from Anthoula

2010-06-14T12:51:00.001-05:00

I admire Anthoula's work very much. So when I found out that I was a winner in her giveaway, I was thrilled! Today the package from Greece arrived containing a fantastic spinach pie and scrumptious looking cookies. Doesn't the spinach pie make you hungry? Look at the amazing detail! Thank you, thank you Anthoula! I will treasure your gift.

Anthoula has recently opened an Etsy shop so we may all enjoy owning a piece of her beautiful work!

This Bunny Doesn't Eat Hostas

2010-06-11T10:23:00.001-05:00

The last three weekends I have been organizing a garage sale at my mom's house. While cleaning out a desk for the sale, I found a CD of pictures I took way back in 2003 at the flower show at Chicago's Navy Pier. Here are a few of the inspirational pics I snapped.

A cute way to use those clay pots that you may have in your stash:

A tranquil garden room in blue:

Isn't she fun? I am certain that she wouldn't fit in my backyard!

Inkjet printing on Aluminum and More

2010-06-10T11:50:00.003-05:00

Here is a good tutorial for inkjet printing on aluminum. The writer suggests using inkAID to prepare the surface for printing. Apparently this product can be used on many different substrates - papers, fabrics and more - to prepare the surfaces for inkjet printing. Has anyone tried this product?

Giveaway Winner!

2010-05-29T14:45:00.002-05:00

Thank you for participating in the giveaway. The number was chosen using random.org.

The winner is...
Caterina (cockerina) Congratulations!

Printable Bread Pan

2010-05-27T14:27:00.002-05:00

Enamelware, graniteware, stoneware or tin... embellish this bread pan with your choice of finish. Please share what you come up with!

For the best print quality, download the pdf.

Gifts for Sonya and Printable Books

2010-05-21T10:14:00.002-05:00

I love the inspirational photos that Sonya posted of her new project, an American Country House.

I have a few things in my stash that are collecting dust as they wait for me to finish the settings that they will go into (and that's not happening any time soon)! Hopefully Sonya can use some of these items in her house. If not, perhaps they can find another home across the ocean.

Every American country house needs a rocking chair. This kit is from Chrysnbon (open but intact). I was surprised to find out that these detailed, plastic furniture kits aren't sold in every country! They are ubiquitous in the U.S. Does anyone know of website or shop in Europe that sells Chrysnbon?

The hutch and plates were not made by me. The hutch is painted an unusual shade of green. I always intended to paint it a different color. I'm sure that if Sonya chooses to repaint it, she will choose the perfect color for her decorating scheme.

Sitting on the hutch are more things that I didn't make: a 2-tiered plate that matches the fruit plates on the shelves and a brown ceramic platter. An old-fashioned milk can sits in front. At one time, these were used for transporting milk to the processing facility, but now they are often painted with flowers or scenes and used in country decorating.

Sonya asked me about printable books. I quickly put a one together in Photoshop. This is copyright-free.

Click on the image to download a print quality picture.

100 Followers Giveaway!

2010-05-20T00:01:00.008-05:00

In honor of the followers who read my musings and occasionally indulge me by leaving their thoughtful comments, I am giving away the wicker shopping trolley (imperfectly handmade by me) from a previous post. Several grocery items of local origin are included.

The giveaway is open to the first 103 followers of my blog. If you are interested in taking part in the giveaway, please leave a comment. I will draw a random name on Saturday, May 29. I'll ship internationally.

Here is the fun part: If you can correctly guess where I live, based on the items in the shopping trolley, your name will be entered twice in the drawing! Take a look at the items below.

Source for Printable Tiles, Signs, Murals, Rugs, You Name It...

2010-05-19T15:41:00.004-05:00

I stumbled upon this fantastic website today: cgtextures.com. It is a miniaturist's haven, chock full of printable stuff and reference photos! Check out the "fabric" folder for carpets and patterns. The "manmade" folder has gauges, buttons, coins and all sorts of reference. The "paper" folder contains books, wallpaper, etc. And the "tile" and "marble" folders contain so many patterns to choose from! For a walk on the macabre side, take a peak in the "bones" folder! The photos on the site are also a great reference for plaster, concrete, brick, roofing, architectural ornaments, murals, rust, windows, doors, you name it... and did I mention that they are high resolution and free? Have fun!

Free Graphic: Plant Labels

2010-05-17T22:49:00.003-05:00

The planting that I've been doing in real life has inspired me to design some miniature plant labels. Download the pdf of the label fronts and backs and enjoy! Please don't forget to share your creation.

These are provided for personal use only.

Free Graphic: Gift Box

2010-05-15T12:29:00.003-05:00

Here's a chance to put your design hat on and come up with some graphics for this box. Or, if you prefer, the interesting shape may lend itself to printing out onto a plain color paper or paper with a tiny pattern.

The downloadable pdf is ready for your 1:12 setting. The inclining sides give it an unusual shape – perfect for a candy box, fancy soap box, or a box to hold stationery, perfumes, wands, medallions or any sort of special item for your setting. Have fun and don't forget to share your creation!

This is a copyright-free template.

true2scale

New Item for the Atlanta Show

Workshops in Texas and Sturbridge

Highlights from Orlando

A Preview of New Kits for the Orlando Show

50 Miniature Valentine Tutorials

A Valentine's Day Treat

The Stove Reveal

Plans for This Little Stove

Favorite Posts of 2011 - Link Party

Merry Christmas - True2Scale

50 Miniature Christmas Tutorials

Customer Photos

Fun Finds from the Madrid Show

Madrid Show

Who Lives Here?

The Arnhem Fair - My Introduction to European Artists

Getting Ready for Arnhem

A Spooky Treat

Vintage Plates and Platter Printables

The Finished Tuscan Villa

Marigold Flower in a Milk Carton

LED Lighting Tutorial for Glitter Houses

N.A.M.E. National Convention 2011

I'm Back!

Progress on the Tuscan Farmhouse

My Tuscan Farmhouse

Plein Air Printables and Tutorial - from AIM

Miniature Roses Tutorial

Giveaway Winner!

Blog Anniversary Giveaway!

Dieting is Easy...in Miniature!

Spring Gifts from Oiseau deNim

Autumn Themed Glitter Houses

Progress on the Dessert Tower Kit

Treasures from the Chicago International

Christmas Market Stall Inspiration

Printable Textures

Spring is Here! And so is the Tulip House!

Halloween House is Ready!

Creating a Scene

A Haunted Glitter House

Lighting Glitter Houses

New Glitter Houses and Trees

Miniature Landscape Sculptures

Printables of Vintage Garden Plans

Itty Bitty Glitter House

Top Posts of 2010

Christmas Swap

Christmas Traditions

Happy Holidays and a Gift for You!

Should She Bake a Pie or Make Pasta?

Delicious Miniatures from Oiseau deNim

Scottish Tenement Kits

Adobe Photoshop Elements Links

Embarking on a New Journey: Facebook

Another Basket

My Favorite Removable Glue

Giveaway Winners and a Discount!

Giveaway Ends Tomorrow

Treasures from Oiseau deNim

Birthday GIVEAWAY!

Tuscan Treats from After Dark

Printable Book "Botanique de la Jeunesse 1812"

Free Photos for Your Blog and Copyright Info

A Fire for the Fireplace

Printable Book "Livre de Fleurs" from 1620

Vintage Printables

Gift from Eve (After Dark)

Gifts from Caterina and a Light Tent

2011 Chicago International Workshops

Making High Quality Printables

Collaborating with Oiseau deNim

Source for Printable American Newspapers

Gift for Caterina (Le Minis Di Cockerina)

Fixing Page Scaling on Printables

Printable Pie Plate Fix

Gift for Eve (After Dark)

Gift from Maria (Il Cucchiaino Magico)

Gift from Oiseau deNim