I improved the grocery store a bit in the past week. I made some more boxes of produce to add to the bottom shelves. From @natalunasans, I also got some cauliflower and a farmer’s market stand, which I boosted on a riser and used to display all my berries.

It’s all coming together! I still need some more labels [and to put up the ones on the floor], but I’m proud that my set with the most pieces nears completion!

I finally turned my midcentury modern Ohio Art recipe card tin into a chest freezer for the heteronormative kitchen. The recipe card tin has been playing a chest freezer for months, ever since the photostory The Chest Freezer, but I’ve wanted to improve it. So I lined it with white paper and bubble wrap on top to simulate built-up ice. I also covered the RECIPES label with one that said FREEZER. The bubble wrap reduces the amount of storage space, but it adds much-needed insulation and realism.

Latest improvements to the grocery store set include more signs for the deli counter and magnets that are better scaled for 1:6 scale and holding up signs.

I printed out vintage fruit crate, vegetable crate, or seed packet labels for almost all of my produce section, laminated the pictures with tape, and then put them by the appropriate fudz.

I’ve always wanted to have a 1:6 scale grocery store set, but I’ve always been daunted by the amount of tiny packages needed to create a realistic market. Therefore I started with a produce section, thinking that I could leave all the other sections to the imagination. [Funnily enough, I said pretty much the same thing, in much the same words, when I first started this set.]

I recently got a new bookshelf and put up several sets for my dolls.

A while back, I acquired a cast iron child’s toy stove that would have worked well for 1:6 scale, except it was too short. I recently purchased a beautiful Little Maid pressed tin, lithographed toy stove from the 1930s with the same problem — too short. I justified this purchase by saying that I have three currently active characters who like to cook [Amish, Night, and the Magister], and the Magister is exactly the sort of person to have different cooking places for different foods.

Incidentally, I did some research, and apparently stoves really looked like that in the 1920s and 1930s. Little legs were common, as were multiple ovens, often set side by side with the burners.

I’m surprised that toy stoves running on electric current were so popular for decades. As far as I’m concerned, that sounds like second-degree burns or a house fire just waiting to happen.

Anyway, shortly after I acquired the Little Maid stove, I found Sixth Scale Studio on Etsy. Besides furniture, this shop also makes risers for kitchen furniture so that it’s a more realistic height for 1:6ers.  Huzzah!Continue reading Toy stoves as pieces for dolls

The kid-sized bunkbed is finally complete! Continue reading Bunkbed for the Little Dorks!

About a year and a half ago, I got some 1:6 scale candy house replicas made by BC Mini. This is what they looked like:Continue reading At long last, the 1:6 scale gingerbread house project is complete!

I finally upgraded my flat produce display furniture to appropriately slanted furniture. The frame of this piece is an unfinished wooden box from Michaels. Base is a wooden crate from packaging for some candy. Bottom shelf is just box lids glued side by side and also glued into frame. Top shelf has a support framework made with dowels, balsa wood, and hot glue. I ended up removing the shim under the front edge, and I put my mini pumpkins and mini squash on the top of the frame, but, other than that, the pictures show how it looks now.

Continue reading Behold, for I have made a two-tier produce shelf!!!!!!!!!

Zuru has come out with 5 Surprise Mini Brands miniatures. Like the Australian Coles Little Shops minis, the Zuru minis are small representations of familiar branded items one can find in a grocery store. Unlike the Australian Coles Little Shops, the Zuru minis feature United States brands. There are various sets of 5 apiece. I bought a bunch already opened off Ebay because I only wanted certain ones of each set. Below you can see pictures of various minis with a variety of 1:6 scale dolls for comparison. Overall, I’d call these minis a consistent 1:4 scale [unlike Coles Little Shops, which really vary in scale]. Nevertheless, since foods and drugstore products can come in so many sizes of packaging, I think these can easily work for 1:6 scale too. Continue reading Zuru 5 Surprise Mini Brands miniatures — a little big, but they work for 1:6 scale

Coles, a grocery chain in Australia, ran a promotion in August and September. People purchasing $30.00 AUD received a blind-boxed miniature of a product sold at the store. There were 30 miniatures, plus rare accessories like branded baskets, aprons, carts, etc. People went wild for the minis, not only in Oz, but around the world, and Ebay sellers did a brisk business in secondhand minis.

I, of course, being an aficionado of small things in the 1:6 scale range, perked up when I heard about Coles Little Shops. The inclusion of Nutella in the minis sealed my interest. I’m not really a fan of particular brands, but Ferrero Nutella is one of them. I have not acquired any Nutella in 1:6 scale, however, mostly because I didn’t want to sculpt its distinctive jar shape. When I saw that Coles had reproduced the iconic Nutella container and the packaging label in minuscule detail, I jumped on it.

In comparison to the premier 1:6ish scale products made by Rement, which are meticulously molded and painted, often with openable packages, Coles Little Shops are simpler. As duplicates of exterior packaging only, they are either paper or plastic packages filled with foam for shape, or they are single-color pieces of stiff, brittle plastic. Scale varies wildly among the 30 products. Daily Juice, eggs, Leggo, for example, are good for 1:6 scale, while Nutella, Milo, and Colgate look like larger 1:6 scale containers you’d buy at a bulk store…or 1:4 scale. Vicks and John West seem closest to 1:3 scale. It seems very strange that the promotion didn’t just pick a scale and go with it.

The advantage that the Coles Little Shops have over Rement is the fact that they’re officially licensed by certain brands, so they look exactly like the real things sold in Oz. For example, if you squint hard enough at the Colgate, you can see the toll-free informational hotline number for Australia and New Zealand if you want to call someone up to talk toothpaste!

My favorites are Nutella, Colgate, Daily Juice, Mount Franklin, Coles eggs, Pantene, Leggo, and Chobani. These all work really well with the solid, simple design of the minis. Colgate, Daily Juice, Mount Franklin, Coles eggs, and Leggo are all instantly identifiable, even if you don’t know the brands, so they’re very satisfying aesthetically. As for Nutella, Pantene, and Chobani, they’re recognizable as branded products that are either never produced in 1:6 scale form or are produced rather unrecognizably. When was the last time you ever saw decent yogurt in close to 1:6 scale?! Continue reading Coles Little Shop branded miniature food and products

I want to show off some of my cool sweets, so I arranged a display of my favorites. Hey, who put that Cyber helmet there?! That’s not even remotely close to edibility! I need a sheet of clear plastic to cover the front…Continue reading Bakery cooler in process

Tonight I set up a corner of the Body Shop, a nexus of PWS culture in Zombieville. Continue reading The Modern Wizard school of set design illustrated with the Body Shop Cafe

Lumberjack shows scale on some 1:6 scale drug packages I made. The bottles are white electrical tape, wrapped around cores made of glue sticks. I just wrapped the tape thicker for the tops. I put a few layers of tape on the top and bottom to cover up the core. Then I downloaded labels from online, deliberately going for pharmacist bottles, as opposed to prescription bottles. I scaled down the labels, printed them out, then taped them onto the bottles. The bottles are probably oversize, but check it out — you can read the labels, at least enough to see what drugs they are!

As for the Fentanyl patches, those were easy. I just found a picture of a package online. Since it showed both front and back, I found out the actual size of a 50 mcg patch and scaled the patches to approximate size. I printed them, cut them out, folded them in half like greeting cards, then laminated them with tape.

Continue reading 1:6 scale drug packages

After pining for one for quite a while, I finally found one on the DOA marketplace for $23.00 shipped, which is about how much I’m willing to pay for one. Woo hoo!

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In the 1990s, Acme made many refrigerator magnets of household appliances, some of which may be repurposed as 1:6 scale accessories. Here Isabel models my latest finds, a toaster oven with working door and a scale. I like the Acme magnets for their high level of detail and their realistic color schemes.

Continue reading Acme magnets as 1:6 scale kitchen implements

In my recent travels, I have discovered the following Xmas ornaments that work well for 1:6 scale purposes.

Continue reading Tis the season to repurpose ornaments.

I finished Isabel’s car, Eppie, a few months ago, but never got around to photoing it until now. Behold!!!Continue reading Isabel’s car, Eppie

My Harumika mannequin has changed looks and hands a few times before settling down.

Continue reading Moriendi, Isabel’s mannequin [formerly Bering Lusk]

I acquired an unfinished double-hung window for a playscale dollhouse from Ebay. It came with a removable plastic pane. I took out the pane and spray painted the frame white.

I then measured two pieces of fabric the size of the pane from my backdrops collection. I ironed each piece of fabric and used Mod Podge to adhere it to a slightly stiff sheet of watercolor paper.

When I get some adhesive magnetic strips, I will put some on the back of the window frame. I can then pin the pieces of fabric between the frame and my magnetic backdrop so that the scene appears to be either day or night.

Continue reading New set piece: double-hung window

I’ve tried very hard not to want a 1:6 scale fireplace, but my irrational lust has not abated. When I have the money, then, I will get one from Mini Chair and then repaint it a flat white. Fake "distressed" paint jobs distress me. :p

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I had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to fill the Rement Beauty Counter with bags. I have very few purses and such.

I am thinking of making Rumpy Pumpy a general secondhand store selling cool stuff. Then I could use some of my interesting accessories that otherwise would never appear.

In any case, I have to change the title of the Beauty Counter.

Continue reading Rumpy Pumpy now stocked with bags

Here’s Peter with the Rement Beauty Counter that I got in the mail yesterday. It’s too short to be set on the floor as is.
Continue reading Peter and Rement Beauty Counter

I love the Doll Page Show and Sell Site. It’s an online marketplace where people post free ads for their doll stuff, mostly FRs [Fashion Royalties] and high-end Barbies, though 1:4 scale Tonners and BJDs of all sizes form a steady minority. There’s also a small, but steady, minority of naked rescue dolls that I’d expect to find at a thrift store or garage sale. Prices are pretty reasonable for the secondary market, and, if you stalk the new ads, you can find some exceptional deals. The only thing I dislike about the site is that sold items do not automatically disappear from the search results, which means they keep hanging around to taunt me. :p

Anyway, I have sold a few items on the Doll Page and purchased even more. I got a kitchen hutch with crockery for $30.00 shipped, which was just about what I was willing to pay. The seller actually refunded me s/h [$15.00], as one of the crocks broke in transit, so the hutch ended up being just $15.00.

Some aforementioned cheap nudes also came from the Doll Page.

FR London Calling Kyu Barrett also came from the Doll Page. Just to give you an idea of the low prices you can find there, I bought Barrett for $75.00 shipped because the seller wanted to clear him out so she could buy someone else. :p Other MIB dolls of his type are asking $100.00, $115.00, $116.00 and $215.00 shipped. Asking prices are higher on Ebay.

My most recent Doll Page score is a MIB Rement Beauty Counter for $55.00 shipped. I had never heard of this piece before last week because it’s really rare and from the early days of Rement [2005, according to HLJ]. The most recent one that sold on Ebay went for $74.98 shipped, while there are a few that remain up for between $135.99 and $189.00 shipped, both of which are ridiculous prices.

Anyway, here’s a box photo by seller kari. Accessories not included. This set piece will show up in Rumpy Pumpy to display either jewelry or bags and other accessories.

Continue reading Score!: a new addition to my set pieces

I have collected a sample from the woods near my work. It is most likely some kind of grape vine. I’m either going to use the sample itself in the set or make smaller models from it. 

This 1909 pamphlet on the state’s shrubs and woody vines might help me identify it.

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I found some sprays of plastic ferns in the clearance section at Michael’s last week and couldn’t pass them up. Tonight I broke out the ferns, some leftover dried moss and the Aves Apoxie Sculpt to make some more ground cover.
Continue reading Now the forest set has ferns!

Out of the blue, earlier this month, I received an E-mail from figural sculptor Georgia Landau, asking me if I wished to buy some of her dollmaking supplies. After decades of making dolls, primarily in porcelain, she has moved onto clay, leaving behind wool and other fibers, fabrics, furniture and other odds and ends. Unable to make her official Saturday moving sale, I trekked to Montpelier Friday after work in driving rain to examine the goods.Continue reading Alabama and the rest of my haul from Georgia Landau’s castoffs

This fabric, to be precise.

Continue reading $30.86 for two yards of fabric

Back in my less discriminating days, I used to acquire stuff more easily that I thought looked great, but which I did not immediately have a use for. Now that I’m older, pickier and possessed of much less space, I have winnowed my collection of set pieces and accessories down to those that I can use in multiple situations. [Well, with the exception of my Shoezies shoe display rack — it’s so cool that I will write shoe stores into my photostories just so I can use it for its sole purpose!] Though I have drastically reduced my 1:6 scale stuff to the most practical and useful pieces, sometimes some stuff hangs around that I’m not sure what to do with.

Take this 1:6 scale cork scene, for example, with which Isabel is posing below. It’s a cluster of miniature, carved, wooden buildings in a glass case with black trim.
Continue reading Really nifty 1:6 scale things that just sit around

Basically the Room With A View series of products, made by Clea Bella, is a tabletop trifold display board with magnetic walls, just the right size for 1:4 or 1:6 scale sets. Of course, you can blow extra money on wallpaper and floor coverings, sold separately, or you can just stick up your own backdrops with magnets, which is what I plan on doing. I am therefore planning on acquiring the Basic Wall Unit, which is $86.65 with shipping included. This is actually cheaper than trying to find similar magnetic trifold boards in the wild and repurposing them.

I am so incredibly sick of foamcore with fabric stapled to it. It’s loathsome.

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I’m not sure if I want to spray paint it either black or white or just leave it pink and put some weird designs on it. For some reason I’m thinking that there should be cemetery iconography on it. :p I mean, she likes this couch, so why not extend the same excruciating design principles to her car?

Vanity plate: EPITAPH. Isabel’s name for her car: Eppie. Yeah, she’s weird…

Isabel rocks! \o/

No wonder she gets haunted by a dead version of herself.

EDIT: I think I’ll leave the car pink, but stencil some death’s heads on it in black. FUCK YEAH!!!

EDIT 2: Gravestone Artwear generously allowed me to use some of their designs on Isabel’s car, so I vectorized four of my favorites. I will then create custom window clings that I can stick on the doors, hood and trunk of her car. This is going to be amazing! Hmmm, I should also create a little gravestoneartwear.com window cling too. 😀

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I took some large pictures of my boxes of Rements. Actually, they’re technically my boxes of 1:6 scale accessories, with the exception of those currently in use or in storage. But a huge portion of them are Rements, so that’s why I’m calling them.

Some people organize their Rements according to the sets in which they were packaged. I organize mine by category.Continue reading The Rements [well, 95% of them, anyway]

My package from stupid.com, containing a toilet and a blender, arrived the day before Xmas. Finally got around to playing with the toilet today.
Continue reading Behold the mighty crapper!!

Got some more Rement today and added the mushroom lamp, mushroom bookends and mushroom pencil cup to her desk. Can't wait till her dolls come in.Continue reading Working some more on Ellery’s desk

Here's Ellery's bedroom where much of the action takes place…Continue reading Ellery’s room

I got my black velvet fainting couch and earring holder [=bookshelf] today. Here are some pictures with Jareth modeling. Tres sophistique!
Continue reading Lucian’s castle complete!

Since I have such a collection of Rements and other 1:6 foods and accessories, I decided to highlight some of my favorite pieces, mostly food. Boy, I have a lot of this stuff!

Continue reading Some of my favorite little things: 1:6 foods and accessories

I went to my parents' house today and sorted out the 1:6 things I didn't want. I also used my two new plastic trays to organize the rest of my Rements and small items.Continue reading More Rements!

Finally I brought from my parents' house my collection of Rements. I don't like to say that I have a collection of dolls, but rather an "amassment," because I readily use my dolls. I do, however, admit to having a collection of Rements, more than I could ever possibly use. [Seriously, when am I going to use that birthday cake? However, it was too cool to pass up.] Here they are.Continue reading Haul from parents’ house V: Rements

I also brought back from my parents' house a selection of clothes and accessories for Me and My Muses.Continue reading Haul from parents’ house IV: clothes, accessories and such

I brought back from my parents' house selected pieces of furniture from my amassment to build sets. Most of this stuff is for Ellery. Jareth and Jennifer host the pictures.
Continue reading Haul from parents’ house III: sets

Here’s Waverley’s studio, perfectly customized for her 14cm frame. Since Waverley is not here yet, my Dollmore Banji, which has no character as of yet, provides an idea of scale.

Yellow end table with lamp is from Rement. Bed/seat is an Orientdoll box topped with 1:6 pillows made by a friend. The end tables are made from carpentry scraps thatI hot-glued together. The plants are bits of fake greenery glued into wooden spools. TV stand is a ring box. TV is from Rement’s Merry Strawberry set. Books are 1:6. The penguin is an Iwako eraser. The stuffed bear is a modified Only Hearts Club Little Pet. The briefcase is probably something from Barbie, and the mini computer is a Playmates Uhura communicator.

Continue reading 1:12 scale room for Waverley

Angelie shows off my realistic lawn. Realistically, it’s in a half-dead state, in desperate need of some water. I achieved this effect by using an Ikea Trampa doormat with brown grass-like fibers as the base. Then I applied Liquitex acrylic paint (Light Green Permanent) very sloppily with a foam brush. The result looks much greener in some areas than others, just like a real lawn. Angelie shows off the effect. Continue reading Tonight’s project: the lazy lawn

Look — a backdrop of black velvet stapled to foamcore. This is also Will looking awfully devious! Continue reading This is the night sky. Because I said so.

Bamboo placement as backdrop. Plant stand as table. Miniature maneki neko, teapot and cork scene in a case from Chinatown. Food a combination of Rement, Iwako erasers and polymer clay. Cardboard bookshelf made out of a small box with books from printmini.com, more Rement, etc. Altar made out of jewelry box tops and carpentry scraps with photos from printmini.com.  Continue reading Lazy set development: Chow’s house