Linda’s She Shed Dollhouse Miniature

After taking a long break (5 years to be exact) I’m back creating miniatures again. 🙂 Dennis Nordman asked me to build his She Shed Kit which is based off of a real life Garden Shed. I’d been posting pictures of the real life one on Facebook for years whenever I found a new picture of it and was so happy to find out Dennis made a kit based off of it. I will blog step by step of my building it next week. For now, you can enjoy this short video I created on YouTube. This will be for sale this coming Fall. Thank you for stopping by!  ~ Tracy Topps 🌷💗

Medieval Miniature Dollhouse Castle Created in 2012

I was looking at my blog again today and realized I have so many things Ive created over the past few years but have never blogged about it. One of them is a Medieval Castle Tower I made from scratch for a Client of mine. One day she sent me a message asking me what I was working on. At that moment, I wasn't working on anything and had decided to take time off that year to create only things and ideas that had been stuck in my head for years. The idea of a Castle tower thrilled her.

Her Castle tower was inspired by Rik Pierce's "Norman Castle" class he did at the Tom Bishop show. I saw it the first time I attended the Bishop Miniature show. I was so very excited about it because he told me he had taught it as a class project. The sad part was that I missed out on it but he told me he would do another class the following year.

Well, the next Spring, I took the class "Snape's Dungeon". I was hooked on Creative paper clay form that time forward. The problem was, I couldn't keep the Tower out of my head. I sent an email to Rik about it and he sent me pictures of his tower and sold me the casts from it. He told me he had faith that one day I could create my own version of that Castle. Seven years later, I took out that picture and created my version of it. I called it the "Dragon Castle Tower".

My castle was wider and larger because I wanted more space for my customer to decorate it. I didn't do a Moat or drawbridge. But we were both very pleased with how it turned out. She had a doll artist create several dolls for it and shared pictures of them with me via Facebook last year sometime. Here are the pictures of my Tower. I plan to make another one in the future. There are things I want to change on it.

Anyway, I thought I'd share this because it is a piece of work that I haven't shared here online. I post most things on InstaGram now. You can visit me there by clicking here. MinisOnTheEdge Instagram. I was happy I started on it before I had my car accident later that year.  Had I waited, It probably wouldn't have been built.

Thank you for stopping by to read my blog. Wishing you all a Fabulous day.

Tracy Topps

Pretty Faux Dollhouse Bed Tutorial By Tracy Topps

I had been looking for some of the tutorials I've done online in the past and decided to start putting them on my blog. There are so many that I forgot I had even done some of them.  This one is featuring the Faux dollhouse bed tutorial I did for the Greenleaf Gazette back in 2011. You can view that Newsletter by CLICKING HERE 

You'll need:

Card board
lace trim
2 sheets of wallpaper or scrapbook paper with different patterns
white glue
hot glue and hot glue gun
5" x5" square of fabric
scissors
A smile on your face :)

First you will cut your card Board Pieces in the sizes listed below. (One size is not pictured in the photo below but will be needed and shown later on.)

2 pieces  3" x 1"
1 piece 6 1/2" x 3"
2 pieces 6 1/2" x 1"
1 piece 5 1/2" x 1"

Now assemble your bed so that it looks like the one picture here. I used my hot glue gun for this:

Pick your wall paper and cut it to a size a little bigger than the top of your bed. Add white glue over every inch of this so that the wallpaper will not buckle. I did mine this way then I used a credit card to smooth the glue completely over the top.

I laid the wallpaper over the glue and smoothed it over (you can use a clean credit card for this part too). Take a sharp hobby knife and cut the wallpaper to edge of the cardboard.

Take your second wallpaper pattern and this will go around the bottom half of the bed. It should look like the picture below when this step is completed.

Now take your lace that you will use as a bed skirt and your white glue (I used Aileen's fabric glue).  Add white glue where the two wallpaper patterns meet and add the lace along this. Remember to cut enough of this lace so that you can create a little bit of a pleated or flowing look. You do this by "pinching" some of the fabric lace together at some points. Let it dry completely. 

Now, get ready to add your second lace trim.  I used my glue gun so that I could speed this along. Remember, use it very sparingly. If you are not good at being very neat with the glue gun, your can use white glue (I did that on the first bed I made).   If you use white glue, be sure to use enough but not too much or it will come through the lace and look messy.  As you add the lace, remember to press it so that it adheres to the glue. It should cover the rough edges so that you can not see them any longer. 

Now take your cardboard piece sized 5 1/2" x 1".   This will be the pillow part of the bed. Add the glue from the hot glue gun along the bottom of one side of this piece. Then add your wallpaper to it. You will wrap the wallpaper around to the other side and then glue it in place nice and tight.

Glue the "pillow" across the bed. I added more lace because I wanted mine to look very "Girlie". Now of course, if you like your bed like this, you can stop here and enjoy. You can pose a doll on top or have pillows, dolls or even a book to make it look used or lived in. I choose instead to add a draped cover over mine. Continue to the next step to do this step.

Take your fabric and your lace trim. Add white glue around the edges and begin pressing it down so it will not come apart. Be careful because you don't want to use too much glue as it will stain the fabric! When I get to the corner, I do not cut the lace. I pinch and fold it (add a touch of glue) and continue the run like show in the 2nd picture

 

This is one of mine completed:
 

     

Now to drape it over the bed, you need your fingers wet (not dripping) and you need to fold your fabric in a way that it will be in the direction you want to lay it. When it dries, it will lay more easily! When it dries, get your hot glue gun and add a drop of hot glue, where you want your cover to start at. I used hot glue because white glue will bleed through (and it will take longer to dry). I then press and pinch the fabric so that it will fold nicely and look natural.

Pinch and press at the top; then add another glue drop at the bottom and pinch & press.

Then glue it around the edges and it ends up looking like this when completed:

This one Below was the first one I did for a Dollhouse

If you like the Cornice I made, you can see the tutorial for it by Clicking HERE

Next, I'll Blog the Faux Dresser which works very well when you have very small dollhouse rooms you are working with. 

Thank you for viewing my Blog and for the encouraging comments you leave for me. I really do Appreciate them. Please send me pictures of yours if you create one and feel free to share this with your miniature clubs or other craft groups.  

Tracy Topps

Dollhouse Display ~ The Garden Courtyard Scene ~2013

Dear followers of my blog. It seems that yet another year has gone by without me blogging as I used to. Its mainly because I haven't been able to work as much on my dollhouse miniatures like I used to. I don't finish one big project per month as I used to but the mini bug is still inside of me :)

last year, I was able to complete two small projects and one large project. This blog is about one small one I finished last year in February.

I was going stir crazy and needed to work on a mini project. My real life bathroom was being revamped and my home was a mess. I also deal with pain in my upper back arms and right hand. So I started with a small corner yard scene because those of you who follow me know the story of how I LOVE doing yards scenes and why. I used Creative paperclay to create the stucco and stones. I created some of the flowers by hand.

I had such a fun time doing it!! It's 1" scale and it has grooves in so that a plexiglass covering could be added to it. Before I had a chance to put it up for sale, it sold after posting pictures of it on Facebook. Here is pictures of that scene.

Thank you for taking the time to read and view my blog! I am still surprise and flattered by amount of "hits" this blog still get and the emails regarding this blog. Thank you all for that! ~ Tracy Topps

Medieval Lighthouse Rik Pierce Class Project

I took a class back in 2007 at the Chicago Tom Bishop Miniature show and it has been sitting covered in my workroom every since. Most of it was complete but, I was working on projects for customers and just set my house aside.

Last year, I decided to work on it but after the car accident last summer, it just made my other health issues harder to bear and I did mostly nothing. Last week, I was having an extremely good day. Hadn't had one in so long that I dusted my project off took pictures and got busy on it.

I Love this project because I took it with two of my friends from Greenleaf so we all have this rare class project by Rik. He only taught it for our class and that means there were under 20 of these world wide. Anyway, after a little over a week, the pictures show where I started and where I am at with it right now.

I hope to be finished sometime next week. I hope you enjoy the pictures and Thank You for viewing my Blog!

The Rosedale 1/2' scale Dollhouse Kit

What a Wonderful treat I have to share with you today! This gorgeous Rosedale Dollhouse has been built. Ive been having the desire to build this for a long time because this is a Space saver! It is 1/2" scale (1/24th Scale, G- Scale, half scale). It's easier to handle because it's smaller. It still took me a while to complete it but it's because I wanted to do more than just paint it.

This Manor has stucco with exposed brick made from an airdry clay. Three Flower Boxes and a tree is decorating this yard. Insides are 4 rooms and a full large attic and a staircase which is painted all white so that the color scheme can be changed up. The size is 13"H x 13"W x 8 1/2" D. It sits on a grassy base with a brick pathway.

If you have had doubts about trying the Greenleaf halfscale kits, I can tell you this, you won't be disappointed because it has all of the wonderful detailed features that is included in their 1" scale models.

Try them! 

Hope you enjoy the pictures of my halfscale Rosedale

Gothic Themed Castle Roombox 1" scale # 2

This is an Enchanting 1" scale Castle Room Display. 

It was such a fun item to create. The stones on the walls are hand sculpted from airdry clay "freestyle" by me without use of molds. Each stone is then painted several various colors to give them each the look of real life stone.  The Fireplace was handmade & has an electrified "fire" with burning embers. 

This roombox also comes with 1 electrified candle stand which has 3 candles. It also has plexiglass on top (movable) and on the front (Unmovable). This was such a fun creation because I totally love Castles and things that has castle elements in them. Here are pictures of this completed creation. I hope it brings a smile to your face as it has done for me.

Sunshine Dollhouse Miniature Cottage

I did finally finish up this Cottage. It took me a long while but It's finished and Here are the pictures.

Welcome to the Sunshine Cottage where it always look sunny! There are birds and even a dog waiting to welcome you to your new home! The insides has 1 room with wood planked floor. There are 2 electrical outlets to add your lamps to give the insides the warmth and realism needed. The Ceiling has a blue floral printed wallpaper  and the windows has a nice white trim.

 

This cottage has flower vines and bushes adding to the warmth of the place. The front has a coach light. The size of this 1" scale dollhouse is 13" W x 13"D x 15"H . It was a fun build and I hope you enjoy viewing the end results

Greenleaf Dollhouses Spring Fling 2012

Well, I had hoped to be finished with this cute cottage but I did not get the opportunity to do it. I was rear ended earlier last week and I its been a literal pain in the neck. I was able to get a little bit further since the last blog post because I had started adding some color to this Cottage the morning of the accident and was only able to add a little more paint color to age the first coats of paint after the accident.

I had a different color combo in my mind but for some reason, my creative juices choose to change to these colors instead and I must say, I am loving it and has received nothing but Great replies from people who have already seen pictures of it online. 

I used the upgraded roof and door and of course, I did my own editing of the kit too. I still have more paint colors I would like to add. Also, there is still a lot of landscaping that needs to be done. I haven't been able to work on this but I will share the pictures of it as soon as I do. So here is a little "Eye Candy" for you today!

Thanks for stopping by to view my blog! Wishing you all a Fantastic day!

Tracy   ✿◠‿◠

Greenleaf Dollhouse Miniature Spring Fling 2012

I started on my Spring Fling Dollhouse Kit a few weeks ago and so much has been going on, I still have not completed it. I did want to share this picture of it with you all. I am also building another one but it is not finished yet either.

I have a little more done to this one than it shows in this pictures. I have shingles on the cute house . I Love it!

 I love the size and the design of it. I  was so happy that it came with various roof options and different door designs. It makes it so easy to change it up from the basic kit. If you build multiple kits, you can have a different look because you can change the elevation of it by just adding a different upgrade kit to it.

If you still are on the fence about buying this years Spring Fling dollhouse kit, I say get off the fence and buy one today! You have plenty of time to enter the contest also! This year Greenleaf Dollhouses has extended the deadline for submission. 

To Purchase this kit and to see the official rules to enter this years contest, click here:

http://shop.greenleafdollhouses.com/Spring-Fling-2012.html

I'll add more pictures when I am able to work on this again. Thank you for stopping by to read my blog!!

Tracy

Greeting Card Dollhouse Miniature Gift Part 2

You can see Part 1 of this Tutorial by clicking HERE

The Next Step is to get some of your favorite pictures and scan them in and shrink them to fit your miniature card scene. Then print them out on card stock and cut them out. Take your ModPodge and add it to the back of your picture and to a contrasting color of card stock then add the picture centered and then smooth out and add more ModPodge on top like this:

when that dries, cut and fold your contrasting color card stock so that it will be the frame and look like this:

 back side

Fold it and Glue it. This is a side view.

front view:

I took several of my favorite pictures. One of my two brothers and I when we were little and a recent one of my Mom and added ModPodge and cut them out.  I then  glued them directly to the greeting card.

I Then added my iron fencing and more flowers around it like this:

I then added leaves to the back of the card around the base:

Here are pictures of other greeting card scenes I have done in the past so don't forget to be imaginative!!

I used that card twice but did the settings different with each one pictured below. The cloths are Jean Day's designs:

This was a Thank you card I gave to my fitness instructor back in the day when I still worked out at the gym and not at home:

Thanks so much for stopping by and please leave a comment and let me know if you liked this tutorial and want more in the future!

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