Three Easy Projects: If I Can, You Can--And Sometimes I Can't

I spent a lot of time on Pinterest looking for inspiration and how tos. Sometime I even make things up as I go along. I am not particularly artsy or crafty or talented or imaginative. Not like so many who are real artists. I do want things to look right. Perfect. If I want perfect, I buy it, but miniatures are expensive and they do add up. As I near completing the construction work on the Farmhouse that used to be blue, I am thinking of how to accent the outside. There are miniaturists who inspire me:

• Dollhouses By Robin Carey: If you have not visited this blog, you must. Her houses are spectacular and the gardens that she plants outside are exquisite. I visit this bog often so that I can see how she does certain things. There is no way that I can spend the kind of money that it takes build a garden using professionally designed flowers and gardens that are so perfect. Nor can I actually make all of the flowers that other artists make.

• 1 Inch Minis by Kris is the best blog to visit if you want to learn how to make your own--of almost everything. I don't always follow her tutorials exactly; instead, I modify according to my ability and the tools that I have.

• Cinderella Moments is a must visit for a lot of reasons. Her little hand built cottages all from scratch are everything: adorable, whimsical, magical, fabulous--you get the point. She explains how she made an item, offers instructions and tutorials, and is so encouraging if you ask her advise, opinion, or how did she made something. 

These are all current, active blogs that are fun to visit. And be sure to check out the others that I follow listed on the side bar, for they are superior miniaturists, too.

I wanted a screen door for the farmhouse, I bought one. You can find these laser cut screen doors on several website catalogs such as Superior Dollhouse Miniatures and Miniatures.com. There are several styles that you can choose from. Most of the old Victorian farmhouses had screen doors; ours did. So I ordered one and I was so excited when I opened the package:

It is so cute. I absolutely love it, but as you can see, it does not fit the front door:

So I decided to make my own. I am still working on it, but here's the beginning.

 

It is a very simple project. I used the narrow craft sticks cut to measure simply by laying each board inside the door jamb to cut it to the right length. I played around with decoration for the door by using my Cricut to cut the corbels and the center design out of card stock, but the corbels didn't cut well. Too small. I did get the center piece to cut nicely, so I stiffened it by using Modge Podge on it to give it body and shine.

I then searched my favorite sites for 3/4 inch corbels and found these at miniatures.com for 1.99 a package. Perfect. The screen door will be stunning. I have painted it the same color as the house, which adds a nice accent.

Next I wanted potted plants for the front porch. I have seen these little packets of flowers at Hobby Lobby and saw another blogger use them, so I thought I'd try making my own arrangement. I wanted blue hydrangeas for the porch and they are are very expensive in the catalogs. So here is my version. Supplies: Spare Parts flowers, small gage florist wire (I had it on hand, so I can't tell you the gage), and Tacky Glue

Using my jewelry making pliers, I twisted an loop then bent it to create a platform for the little flower, added a dollop of glue, then the flower. How simple is that?

 I found this strawberry wreath at the thrift store one day. I bought it, knowing that I could use it. While the strawberries are too large for the dollhouse, the leaves are about the right size. 

  

I already had the little clay pot, which I filled with spagmum moss that I had on hand. I tamped in tight and didn't glue in. I added glue to each wire and poked it the moss. I bent the leaves slightly to give them some shape and definition and glued them in, too.  Pretty cute.


And I wanted a rose trellis. The first house that I bought that got me started building has a trellis, so I used it as my inspiration. I purchased 1/8th by 1/8th wood from Hobby Lobby and a package of Spare Parts Roses that are perfect, then I began cutting. I used 1 1/2 lengths of wood.

Using my strawberry wreath, I cut vine to hot glue to the trellis then hot glued the roses on. It looks a bit sparse, and leggy, but isn't that how roses grow sometimes? Mine, at least.

The rose trellis adds a nice spot of color to an otherwise plain house. I have bee looking for a new name for the Blue Farmhouse that isn't blue any more. The Rose Farmhouse, perhaps. 

Please feel free to comment and suggest. If you think that my trellis need more roses or leaves or a good pruning, let me know. 

I am finishing this post the next day. The screen door project didn't go well last night, so I am making a new. Stay tuned for the next episode.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I love it when you do.