Saturday, August 10, 2013

Mackenzie-Childs Inspired Dollhouse Miniatures

Inspired by Mackenzie-Childs
miniature wreath, Christmas tree

Christmas table with Boutonniere runner

Close up of Boutonniere Theme table

Miniature table with Holly Berry napkins, tablecloth

Close up showing napkins, napkin rings,
hanging double drop ornament




Full Size Holly Berry tablecloth and topper
(Original From Neiman Marcus)

Mini version Holly Berry stocking


Mackenzie-Childs own lovely Stocking


Miniatures inspired by Courtly Check canisters, plates


Mini hutch with Courtly Check inspired
canisters, plates



TUTORIAL -Candy Tubes, Candy Cards, Stockings

Supplies: 1/8” outer diam. clear plastic tubing (JAR-JAF Miniatures item # R-194),  Tiny candy balls (railroad fruit, no-hole beads or candy sprinkles – must fit inside the tubes), 5 mm white pom pom, 5 mm plastic flat back rhinestone,  5 mm round punch from black sequin or thin plastic (I used part of a wiggle eye), 1/8” round punched piece of fun foam, tiny black no hole beads, orange thread.


Snowman Candy Tube – cut a 18 mm length of the plastic tube using an X-acto (rolling it while cutting).  Smooth cut end if necessary with a file or emery board.  Glue the rhinestone to the bottom as a base (see top photo).  Fill with the tiny candy balls.  Glue the pom pom to the top.  For the hat, use the tiny punch from fun foam on top of the black 5mm disk.  Glue these to the white pom pom.  Glue black no-hole beads for eyes.  For the nose I used two tiny snips of orange thread (for a carrot).  I kind of twisted them together at one end to make a point.

Santa Candy Tube – For this one I used a slice of a Fimo cane (a thick slice) that was about ¼” diameter for the top.   It had a Santa face design.  I used metallic no-hole beads for the ‘candy’. 


Candy Cards – these were made using various scrapbook stickers (Jolees, etc) in small shapes like Christmas socks, Christmas bulbs, etc.  The plastic bubbles were either pill blisters or wiggle eyes with the back sliced off.  Fill with purchased Fimo candy (or buy the canes and slice them yourself).

Finished side of stall with candy cards:

Below is another pic of the candy cards and candy tubes.  



Stockings - The red and white stocking above was an early miniature purchase from 1986 (artisan unknown but I recorded that I paid $6 for it).  The other two stockings were bought in a lot on Ebay and were made by Lori Ann Potts of Mustard Seed Miniatures.  They originally were hand sewn (red tulle netting, I think) around the edges and contained only Fimo candy.  I embellished them to add the Santa and Angel figures, the red & white trim around the edges and the labels.  Here is how I did the red and white trim (below).

I bought the green ribbon at Christmas time from Hobby Lobby.  I trimmed off the tiny candy cane edge trim and glued it around the sock.  I had to notch it around the toe so it would fit the curve.  I made a card on the top from just a clipping from a wrapping paper catalog (Container Store).

Next time I will show finished photos of the entire project and give sources for some of the items.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Vintage Market Stall - Ornament Garland

It’s been a long time since I’ve updated this.  The stall has been completed and was exhibited at Texas Miniature Showcase in Dallas, May 2013.  Here are some more photos and “How-tos” for some of the decorations.

I needed a sign for my market stall.  I wanted something that didn’t look manufactured (like it came from those ‘Dept 56’ Christmas Villages).  I decided on a hanging garland of vintage looking ornaments – just card cutouts.


Most of the supplies used: index card, scraps of Christmas wrap, some tiny gold bead garland (you can find this on Ebay), gold scrapbook letters, snowflake nail stickers, a half inch circle paper punch.  Plus your basic tools (scissors, X-acto knife, Crafter’s Ultimate glue.


I sketched the shapes and sizes I wanted to use and compared them to the letter stickers to make sure the stickers would fit.  I cut the shapes first out of a folded piece of paper as a pattern.   I glued gift wrap to index card (on both sides).  I then cut ornament shapes from the double sided index card. I used a small ½” paper punch for the round ornament.  The others were cut using patterns.

I used tiny strips cut from silver paper doily on the tops of the ornaments to attach them to the  beaded garland (also served as an ornament cap).  When I attached the ornaments, I didn’t actually glue them to the garland, instead I glued the strip of silver to the back of the ornament.  I wanted them to swing freely and to be able to adjust how close they were to each other.


To attach the letters, I had to use an X-acto to position them.  I also had to darken the glitter letters a little because they didn’t show very well.  I just used a little diluted brown paint.

I attached the sign (garland) by drilling small holes and threading the plastic bead garland through eye pins pushed through a bead cap into the holes.

Finished Garland sign.    Next time some of the candy!