The Quarter Corner Pub

 For 2014, the NAME Day project is a "Cozy Corner" bench and table. I participated in the Quarter Connection version of the NAME Day project, which created a Pub around the Cozy Corner bench.

Here is the front view of my Pub.

Unfortunately, this year's project didn't include a base and display box, so to really be complete, I need to create a base and some landscaping. That's going to be a one-of-these-days project.

But at least I've completed the structure and interior. Yay!

 Right side of the Pub

 I added a chimney to the Pub, which was not part of the kit.

 The chimney hides the battery holder, on-off switch and excess wiring to the LED bulb.

I used some scrap wood to create the chimney and left over stone exterior graphic to blend in with rest of structure.

The chimney opens and closes using a paper hinge.

 Here's the interior of my Pub.

The best part of the project was filling it up with the swap items I received.

Having light for this project was really needed because everything is so dark--dark wood timbers, brown ceiling, brown-red plaid wallpaper, wood floors. Brown, brown, brown everywhere.

Without the light above, I doubt you could make anything out unless seen in person in daylight.

After posting this blog, I was taking a shower this morning 10/27 and realized my big GOOF. I should have placed my fireplace on the same side as the chimney and the bar in the center. Aargh!

Too late now. Everything is glued in, and I would ruin the wallpaper and flooring trying to move it around. Can't believe how DUMB I was.

Oh well, this stands as my personal Tower of Pisa.

Readers, learn from my mistake. If you  put in a fake chimney, put your fireplace on the side with your chimney on the outside!

 A close-up view of the left side of the Pub. There's a bowl of heather, grapes and fish and chips on the Cozy Corner table.

I also received a barrel table with three stools, a tray of wine bottles with grapes and cheese platter, and some wine glasses. The tray with 2 wine bottles, grapes and cheese board are from Carol Cooper (wow!!!).

 The center barrel table has a bowl of nuts, checkerboard and game of draughts courtesy of Heather Drinkwater for guests to while away their time.

The silver framed picture to left of fireplace is from Nellie Miller.

 A buxom bar maid is ready to serve lots of grub to guests. There's a broom ready to clean up in case guests get in a brawl.

I didn't get near as many bottles of spirits and wine as I would have liked, so I filled the back of bar with bottles made from Karen Benson's (The Quarter Source) laser cut bottles from acrylic. You color the bottles with Sharpie pens (yellow, brown, red, green, orange, purple work well), color the bottle lids black/silver/gold and cut out the teeny tiny spirit labels included with kit and glue on each bottle for realism.

 Someone once commented to me, "I don't know how you finish so many projects."

Easy! Participate in the swaps that occur when this kind of event takes place and USE them. I got this tip from a fellow miniaturist and I've been following it ever since.

In the swap, you make 20+ items (all the same) following the theme of the project. Mail them in, and you get 20 items from 20 other people. It's amazing how this kind of exchange can enhance any project. For items I can't use, I save and take out to use for another future or past project. It's a real time saver and makes all your projects that much more special because each item is sort of like a time capsule for that particular time.

The pictures BELOW are items I received in my swap for this project. This way I have a picture of what I received and who made what. Thank you to all who made these items. I hope you can see how they were used in my Quarter Corner Pub.

2 trays of fish and chips with 2 glasses from Lesia Lennex. These are on the corner bench table.

 Ceiling fan, tray of food with cup of coffee, and a nice box that I can re-use from Tonia. I used all items in my Pub.

 From Barbara Striethorst. The laser cut letters will come in handy one day. I used the table and stools for left side of my Pub.

 I put the dart board cabinet from Annilee Taylor on left wall of Pub.

 I used one of the framed pictures from Penny Whytlaw to the right of fireplace. The bowl of heather is on the cozy corner table.

 I used the Guinness sign from Gayle Baillargeon (I was at Gayle's table in Tucson NAME National--she always gives away a laser cut item as a gift if you are fortunate enough to be part of her swap group) on the interior door. Couldn't find a place for the rest at this time, but will come in handy, I'm sure, one day.

 Some grapes on a board from Elaine Desmarais. This is on the cozy corner table.

 Another dartboard from Donna Post. Will be saved for another project.

 A mirror, framed rooster print and rooster rug from Sheila Barker. I put the rooster rug in front of the fireplace of my Pub. It's kind of fancy for a Pub, but adds a touch of class.

 This was cute--a broom from Doris Alderman. The bristles are from an ecru chenille stem--clever!

 A candle, 2 bowls of nut and a silver mug from Carol Collins. Used them all.

It's a good thing I took pictures. As I am writing this, I realized was missing one bowl of nuts so I went looking for it and found it in my trash cup! Whew. That was a close one.

 A coat rack from Lela Krieger. To be saved for another project.

 A table lamp, silver frame clock?, flower window box from Linda Clark. Used them all.

 Crystal decanters and wine bottle from Mary Wrenn. Used them all.

 A sheet cake from Betty Perry. To be saved for another project.

 A beautiful barrel table with draughts board and box from Heather Drinkwater. Used in center of Pub.

 A condiment tray and microwave from Carl Shea. I thought of putting the microwave in the shelf behind the bar, but you wouldn't be able to see it, so it would be waste for such a cute item.

The condiment tray is on the bar to lure customers in.

 A cash register from JoAnn Jacot. It's on the bar.

 A pub sign from Ninalu Bovensiep. It's on the side with the chimney.

 A bar table and printies. I wish I had received some bar stools. My bar needs some stools.

 A cute pub sign from Terri Young. I put on the outside of pub, side without chimney.

 A buxom blonde babe from Jackie Williams. I originally thought she would be a customer coming inside, but placed her behind the bar--more likely to attract male customers, LOL.

Thank you Jackie! This is fabulous. I find having dolls really makes a scene come alive.

A tray of wine glasses and cheese board from Diane Fisher. I used the wine glasses, but saving the cheese for another project.

Thanks for looking!

Cynthia Howe's German Christmas Market Stall

This is a 1 inch scale German Christmas Stall from Cynthia Howe kit I finally got around to completing. It sat forlorn in a box for a year before I got around to it.

Unlike many Cynthia Howe kits, this one was not entirely laser cut. In fact, the structure uses 1/8" to 1/4" plywood cut on a table saw. Staining all the wood pieces saves a lot of time in painting and touch ups, but wood stain has terrible noxious fumes and it takes almost a day to dry completely. The all wood look also replicates real life market stalls seen in Germany---look it up on a web search.

In addition to gluing, we had to add some nails, too, but not too many. The basic structure was pretty easy.

Wiring and HIDING the light wires kept me up at night. That, and figuring what my market stall should be filled with, since I opted out of buying CH's line of laser cut creches, ornaments etc.

 Here is the front view. I found the angels in my stash of "stuff". The laser cut "brass" ornaments are from CH, but cut from cardstock, so I colored with Krylon gold leaf paint pen to simulate "brass".

 I got so tired of brown, I painted the roof green using Home Depot's colored wood "stain", which they mix up special for you, except you have to buy a quart of as a MINIMUM, so I will likely never ever use the rest.

My 8-year old son helped me add "snow" (Snow Tex) to the roof. All the random dabs are his.

 Here it is all lighted up. I decided my market stall sells antique style toys, paper kits from Ann Vanture of Paper Minis.

 These are toys from Ann's Vintage Toys subscription. On of the monthly kits is 20 antique toy dollhouses in a village, so I used that as my Xmas village instead of buying CH's line of Putz glitter houses. There's also a carousel, Cinderella toy theatre, dolls around the world, a toy castle, a Goldilocks and Three Bears toy theatre, Victorian style dollhouse, and a can holding pinwheels and old fashioned spinning toys.

 Toy paper soldiers and puzzle cube blocks on the side of the stall.

 Eichmann puzzle cubes and vintage toy game box.

 Cutting out all those paper doll figures, the beds, the table, etc was a pain, but worth it in the end, considering it's all paper.

Couldn't hide all the wires, but it looks really nice all lit up.

Sue Herber's Boulangerie

This is a one inch kit I bought from Sue Herber at St Louis NAME National convention. I think it was the last one she had for this kit. She taught this class on a Molly Cromwell cruise to France 1-2 years ago. 

The kit includes the structure, wallpaper, all the furniture, the accessories and the FOOD to complete. How fabulous is that? 

I loved putting together this kit and finished in about 3 days. This is one of my all time favorite kits ever, and it doesn't take up too much room despite being 1 inch scale.

 The structure uses plywood cut by table saw. The door and window frames are laser cut. The "paintings" have a hand drawn/hand-colored effect and uses the French Quimper style art work.

 Here's the inside--simple but elegant, charming, and very French.

Arranging the macarons, croissants, baguettes, eclairs, piggie rolls, and twist baguettes was fun, especially since I didn't have to make any of it.

I used the petit fours I received as table gifts in St Louis NAME National seen on the light blue side table. Perfect, non?

There's that plate with "T" monogram I also received as table gift in St Louis, and in blue, to boot. It was made for this Boulangerie.

This is one of the best and easiest kits I have ever had the joy of putting together. Thank you Sue!

Quarter Scale Market Stalls

These are quarter scale market stalls offered as kits by Suzanne Larson-Tamburo of Andrewsminis.com. They're cute kits that have a base that is under 2 inch wide and high and range from $12 to $17 (at least the ones I bought).

Although small, it takes at least 1-2 days to complete each stall kit and the painting can drive you batty. However, when it's all done, you really enjoy the end result and they take up hardly any room at all.

I collected mainly the ones that represent a holiday or a special feature related to conventions or houseparties I have attended.

 This kit contains multiple cast metal miniatures and seemed to be a "value" for the price, but the painting for the dollhouse, the doll, the doll bed, the car and truck about killed me, because it's quarter scale toys for a quarter scale doll (1.5" high max).

The Playtime market stall was offered during 2013's Lexington Playtime Memories Houseparty.

 The Celebration market stall was introduced at 2012 Charlotte National Convention celebrating NAME's 40th anniversary. It features party supplies. I added gift boxes, gift wrapping paper rolls seen at the back of the stall.

 This market stall was introduced in St Louis NAME National convention in honor of Mary Engelbreit. Had to have it.

 This market stall wasn't too hard, except for painting the snowmen. You have to follow the reference finished picture in order to "see" the broom, mittens, hat, scarves and buttons. What you get is a handful of gray metal figures that you have to bring to life with paint.

 In honor of St. Patty's Day. The leprechaun on top counter is a bead or button, so no paint needed--yay! The leprechaun on the base was all gray metal and a pain to paint. You also have to paint the pot of gold. The rest was easy.

 Here's the Easter market stall. More painting--basket of eggs, goose with teddy bear around its neck, white bunny, and I repainted the egg because I wanted mine pink but I received a lime green egg in my kit. Cutting some of the printies (Easter basket, egg decoupage, the egg shape cards) was a pain, but worth it in the end.

 In honor of July 4th/Independence Day.

 In celebration of Fall and Harvest Season.

 Wouldn't be complete without Christmas market stall.