My next project(s)

In my last post, I hinted about my next project. I guess I can elaborate a little more on that here. :) I've had the Canterbury in a box for a while and have been trying to figure out what it's going to be. At first, I thought about turning it into a library, a tea room, a bakery, or something like that. Then it hit me! I love history and one of my favorite places to go visiting, antiquing and learning about the area is Lancaster, PA and the surrounding area. This part of Pennsylvania is full of Amish farms and museums, as well as lots of Pennsylvania Dutch history. (For those unfamiliar with PA Dutch, these folks lived in PA around the 18-19th centuries and were actually German Descendants. The word Dutch here is actually an alteration of the word "Deutsch," the German word for, well, "German." My ancestors on my father's side were PA Dutch and Irish, and the PA Dutch side had lived in the Lancaster County region at one point).

Anyway, I digress... for my next project, I want to build a historical society of a fictional town in the Lancaster area with lots of PA Dutch, Amish, and historical artifacts. This is going to be a lot of fun. I foresee a tiny meeting room, a research area, and an upstairs museum. I know the Canterbury is small, so I won't fit a ton of stuff in there, but I think I have plenty of pieces already (and in kits) that will work. Plus, this house comes with its own furniture too, so I can fill in the empty bits.

I've already picked up some stuff from an antique shop in Cambridge, NY: tintypes (to frame and put on the wall) as well as a wooden nickel as an antique advertising piece.

We have a color laser printer again  and I am going to make some hex signs, advertising and more historical photos. I've also picked up a little working wooden filing cabinet (for the research room) from Mainly Minis.

 

I can't wait to start on it. I've been itching to build lately and this particular kit is small so there's actually room to display it and I may even finish it over the summer. This build also gives me an excuse to hit the antique shops for more ephemera. :)

One more find in Cambridge is a gorgeous Japanese box:

I think I am going to turn it into a room box and perhaps sell it on Etsy. Hmm, we will see. :-)

My first Etsy treasury inclusion!

So it seems as my little knitting basket has been featured in an Etsy Treasury! So exciting!

Bed and Breakfast (in miniature) treasury

Lots of cute stuff featured here - check it all out!

So, I've been quiet as the semester is quickly winding down to a close. Lots to do, lots to do. But not to worry, as I have been planning my next project. :) Once I get some materials together, I'll reveal what it is.

I've decided to not participate in the Spring Fling from Greenleaf (well not at the moment at least; I could change my mind), but instead work on another idea I've had, one that's based in history. :)

And, now that the semester is soon to be over and I will have more time to travel, I am planning something very fun. So, stay tuned for that. ;)

Wordless [Mini] Wednesday - New stuff on Etsy Edition :)

New mini goodies and some stuff for sell. :)

I picked up two more Carolyn Curran pieces last weekend and want to share. I love these things! I talked to one of the nice people at the shop in Queensbury, NY (Sutton's Antique Marketplace, if you're ever in the area) and they told me that the dealer who sells these also collects life-size pottery. A lot of these minis were copies of pieces of his collection. I love hearing background stories about these items! Anyway, here's a pic of the two newest pieces added to my collection:

Behind the pottery in that picture are some goodies I just placed on etsy: a framed print of a lighthouse and a basket full of knitting goodies. Here's a link to my shop and a pic of all the stuff that's up for sell as of tonight (except for the table, which is only for display)!

I also have a little Reutter Porzellan Beatrix Potter tea set (dollhouse mini size, of course) up on eBay here. :)

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend! I have a lot of grading to do this week, so my posts may be minimal, but the crafty gears are always turning. ;)

PS: Linda's Minis has a facebook page, too! Check it out here. :)

Wordless Wednesday - Vermont Edition

More goodies from Vermont

Over Easter Break, my fiancé and I had a little getaway in the Green Mountains. This is always coupled with some shopping (especially in thrift and antique stores). So of course, I kept my eye out for goodies to add to my collection!

We checked a really nice (and quite large) Goodwill in Burlington. I found a jackpot there! A display case with minis inside - all for five dollars!

Here are some detailed view of the minis inside. First there are some general store goodies:

 Then, there were some carved wooden animals which I think I might put in the herb shop.

 Next are some brass pieces:

And finally, miscellaneous stuff, including a really creepy little clay figure on the right which I might give to Jay. ;)

I have to repair some of the things in here, but they are in good shape and just needed some cleaning.

We also stopped off at a couple antique shops. One in particular, in Morrisville, VT, had a cute tin dollhouse full of all different scale furniture pieces. I loved that pieces were individually price as there were a few things that were really cute. I picked up two little benches and a round table with benches.

I found other bits as pieces as well, including some marbles and a lovely wooden napkin ring adorned with palm trees which I might give to Jay for his tiki bar.

I've turned those marbles into crystal balls which will soon be on Etsy. :)

Finally, my own Etsy shop!

I am excited to announce that I now have an Etsy shop!

There are just a few things up there now, including bowls and a decorated hutch. You can see them all in this photo:

Definitely more to come soon!