Updated information at bottom-A give away commences, and two more magic Harry Potter miniatures are done!

Super super busy around here now that school's out,  but I've been trying my best to get things done around everything else.

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Let me post pictures of the new minis I've made recently, both one of a kind-when they're gone...they are GONE :)

Professor Trelawney's fortune telling table:

And Professor Sprout's Herbology Cabinet with magical plants of all kinds:

Both available here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/19thDayMiniatures?ref=si_shop

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Blog Giveaway Information~~~~~
And now for the giveaway information, which I know is very late.  Sorry about that!  I plan on making 3 individual mandrake plants like the ones on the top of this cabinet for the giveaway.  I haven't made them yet but I will.  If you'd like to join this giveaway, click on the link to my etsy store right above this message.  Leave me a message with your blog username and please make sure you have joined my friends list on this blog.  Anyone who is not a member will be disqualified.  This is open to the general public with no previous store purchase needed.  I'll post the mandrakes when I make them, and first place winner will have first choice of them.  Second place winner will get second choice, and third place winner will get the last available mandrake plant.  These will be dollhouse scale, 1/12 scale.  The mini will stand no more than 2 inches tall.  Drop in an join the giveaway in my etsy store!  Use the contact the seller button on the side of the screen.  Good luck everyone!  Hugs-Tara, 19th Day Minis

*  I think it will run for 2 weeks, so I'll be taking names in my shop until June 12th.

~~~~Please click this link and pop into my store to let me know you're joining the giveaway if you do wish to join the giveaway so I don't have to go hunting for you later should you be one of the winners!  Thank you, this will save me time and trouble later :)  If you don't do this you probably won't be entered in the drawing! I could get busy and miss someone accidentally -
http://www.etsy.com/shop/19thDayMiniatures

A little futher along on my Harry Potter Hogsmeade Miniature Tree

I still have a long way to go yet but I have a good start.  I basically have most of the signs up, but I forgot one of them (a quill shop) so I guess it'll have to be around the back of the tree.  I only have a few of the displays done for each of the shops though.  The Hogsmeade Post Office is done, the one with the owl and rolled up scrolls (including a daily prophet newspaper with Harry and Hermoine on the cover).  The Hogshead Pub is done as well, with hanging bottles of butterbeer and a metal tankard for drinking out of.  You might not realize the Hogshead is Aberforth Dumbledore's pub, the brother of Albus Dumbledore.  This pub plays an importamt part in the movie as it was the place where Harry, Ron, and Hermione enter Hogwarts through after all the other secret passages in are blocked off by Professor Snape after he takes over Hogwarts.  Without this pub's secret passage, there would have been no way in and thus no way that Harry could find and kill the last horcruxes.  Anyway, that display is done.  The only other one done right now is the Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop display.  I made a partial table top, covered it in lace and glued it directly to the side of the tree.  On this I placed the tea shop sign, a detailed painted teapot and cup.  The cup has "tea" in it with a heart floating in it.  This tea shop is billed as an over the top, sickeningly sweet laced-up froofy shop that Hogwarts couples frequent on dates :)  So I froofed up the table setting and added a floating heart to the tea.  I have a partial start on the Zonkos Joke Shop display, I added bright ribbon cut in irregular lengths to the top and some sparkly green shooting stars around the top of the sign.  I suspended the "tricks &jokes" sign that goes with this shop sign just underneath the shop name by chains, and then dangled some extendable ears from the sign.  I'm still trying to decide what else I'll dangle from it.  So that one's not done yet.  These ears are hanging from the ceiling in the real theme park at universal studios as shown below:

and were featured in one of the movies:

so I really wanted to add them in :)
I still haven't started Gladrags Wizardwear yet with it's little funky socks, and all I've got on the Dervish and Banges sign so far is a neat little cauldron.  I'm still unsure what I want to do with that one.  And I have nothing on the Three Broomsticks sign yet.  I know for sure it will also have a single butterbeer bottle as well as two pumpkin juice bottles hanging from it.  I may add on the three little broomsticks around it as well. 
Oh I also forgot I did get the Hogsmeade station one done as well.  All that could be done with it that I could think of was to add on some train tickets to the Hogwarts Express Train.  I put up the fancy schedule sign and made some cute little Platform 9 3/4 tickets to hang around it.  I'll put up the pictures:

Ugh, poor little three broomsticks sign dangling there with nothing on it!

It looks so odd.

Poor little candy-less Honeydukes sign!  It'll have chocolate frog boxes, a frog climbing the top of the sign and other candy around it.

Like I said, so much more to do.  But it's a decent start anyway :)  Gosh these pictures are so horrible due to the wicked wind we have today!  I had to shoot them too fast and they stink :(

 

A grave situation, in miniature :) And another Harry Potter Miniature for good measure

Ok you know how I said I wouldn't be making any more minis until Sherry got here?  Well apparently I fibbed :)  Having caught the Halloween fever I couldn't help but whip up a few haunted house graves.  These are messy to make, and not a lot of fun to clean up after doing.  I figured I'd save someone else the hassle and make some in case anyone was making a spooky scene and needed some.  I had last years graveyard scene which I didn't really like how it turned out at all.  I took on too big of a project and wimped out on it after so long.  And I was so new to mini making that I just didn't have the experience yet to do it as well as it needed done.  I tore it apart and used some of the parts to make smaller individual graves.  These could be added into a scene much easier.  I'll zip it and just show you:

The first is a more traditional grave with an additional calla arrangement made by Sherry can can be placed anywhere.

The second is a pair of graves that can be used together or seperately.  They are more Halloweenish in design and have the funny skeletons coming up out of the dirt.  Man these pictures are horrid, so much better in person :( 

Another thing, I've added a set of Harry Potter mini butterbeer bottles and pumkin juice bottles up for general sale in the store. 

I had two custom orders for these so I figured if I'm making them might as well add a set for general sale too :) 

Everything available here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/tarayvonne?ref=si_shop

 

New dollhouse miniatures available in the store, some Harry Potter Miniatures

New items, Sherry's absolutely fantastic minis (everything available here:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/tarayvonne ) :

and a haunted mansion bed complete with removable ghost doll (and removable spider webbing should the customer not like that) that I made last night.  I wanted to start doing a few more affordable pieces and this is one of them.  Very reasonably priced :)  And I could not get a flippin' decent picture of this to save my life :(  White doesn't photograph well for me, no matter what I do.  And the ghost lady is white, go figure :)

Halloween is coming up, I figured it was time to get a few haunted/spooky pieces in the shop.  Stay tuned because there will be more :)

Custom Ordered Harry Potter Miniature Tree all finished :)

Okie doke, here it is :) 

I wanted to make this owl fluffier with more curly feathers because it's so cute that way. 

Thank you all for your kind words all of the time!  I wish Blogger was fixed so I could comment back!  Trust me, I read all of them and cherish every comment :)  Thank you for the praise on my work, that's always nice to hear!

This artwork photograph is courtesy of:  http://www.queeky.com/gallery/image/headless-horseman-0

and is the work of the respective artist.

~~~~~~~~Stay tuned, Sherry and I will be working together on a super fun project when she gets here.  What will we be making?  Why a 1/12 scale headless horseman on a rearing black spooky horse holding his flaming pumpkin head in honor of the upcoming Halloween holiday!  I've ordered the lovely black wool hair for the horse and I'll begin sculpting him as soon as it gets here :)  This project should rock your socks guys and gals!  And it will be super duper fun for Sherry and I :) 

Almost finished on the custom ordered Dollhouse Miniature Harry Potter tree

I still have to make the owl, and the golden snitch but everything else is done :)  Gosh, things have been so crazy around here it's been very difficult to find the time.  Remodeling, sick husband, kids, school activities, etc.  It's shocking I've gotten any sleep at all!  Or gotten this far on this tree.  My poor dear client has waited patiently this long, hopefully she can wait another day for this to be done.  I'm trying!  I think this turned out lovely so far, and more detailed if anything.  I had to make another chocolate frog climbing on the tree because they were such an interesting part of the movie (Candy frogs that really jump?  Cute!)  Notice the howler letter down low on the tree front :)  It was so amusing when that letter began yelling at Ron in his Mother's voice, I just had to make one this time.  It's nearly identical in shape as it was when it was yelling at him.  I found a picture online and copied it in clay and paper :)  Except I did add on Ron's name.  Things that I made for certain characters from the movie are all addressed to whom they are to.  I guess I'll just show you what I have thus far, keeping in mind it's missing the super important owl right now but will have it in the end:

I'll post a finished update hopefully by tomorrow night.  And I will not make another tree for a long time lol!  I need a break, so this is the last one for quite awhile :)

Update, Now Sold-Dollhouse Miniature Harry Potter Gryffindor Common Room Fireplace completed at last!

Update, this is now sold/on layaway in my store and is no longer available for purchase.

Ok seriously, this was harder than you know what for me!  It's not perfect, There are a few little things I would change if I could.  But it's the first thing I've ever built from scratch, so be kind!  I tried my best and I think although it has a few bumps in certain areas that could have been smoother, it's still pretty darn good for a first try!  And I will say it did get a little heavier than I would have liked due to all the clay I had to use on the structure.  There is wood under there, and it wasn't thin wood either because I wanted it sturdy and not breakable.  You could probably drive a car over this thing and it would be just fine :)  And I'm quite sure that this is truly one of a kind, because who in the hello would be crazy enough to build this thing but me?  Talk about time consuming!  It took me forever!  Every slate tile was hand-snipped, painted and pieced together onto the exterior!  It was hand sculpted all over the place as well, because I found I needed to build out the chimney bottom a bit more.  I hand sculpted the larger grate inside, added in real fireplace ashes that are glued down in place and then coated over the top of them as well.  I hand-burnt the fireplace logs and placed them all as they are with glue.  I hand-sculpted Sirius Black's face and then added bits of wood fiber around him for hair, beard, moustache.  I painted him, sparkled him in fire-orange glitter.  I made flames, very well done as I could get them out of shimmery plastic that I also painted here and there with orange.  A semi-burnt Daily Prophet newspaper hangs out of the fireplace with a front cover of Harry and Hermoine hugging before the Tri-Wizard Tournament as taken by Rita Skeeter.  It looks as though Harry has just tried to dispose of it like garbage to be burnt :)  The top of this fireplace is made of thinner wood and is open on the top for ease of cutting with some type of strong clippers or saw, so it can be cut to the tallness of your room so that it reaches the very top of the room.  I can do this for you should you give me correct measurements or you could do it at home with a small saw like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Hacksaw-Small-Sharp-Cutting-Junior-Hand-Saw-Tool-/160537150316?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2560c2836c.   I know one thing, I will NOT make another.  This was far too difficult a build for me and took a very long time.  So when it goes, it's gone for

good :(  OOAK!  I think I did a good job, considering it was a totally new thing for me to try.  Here's some very bad inside, night time pictures of the fireplace. I'll have to retake them outside in natural bright light to really show how much better it can look than these show:

Gosh these are so awful!  You can even make out Sirius Black's face in them or the "very clear in person" newspaper :(  I'll try again tomorrow and redo this blog post with new outside pictures.

Available here in my store:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/80699791/dollhouse-miniature-harry-potter

Oh, and I just listed a piece from my own personal collection that has been in storage (sealed safe and clean inside a large plastic container the same as I store my minis I'm selling).  I bought too many when I was starting to collect about a year and a half ago.  This one was made from parts I bought from other sellers (like Erica VanHorn of EV Miniatures) and also some of my own tid bits I made.  I'll be listing pieces as I unwrap them because I just don't have the time to deal with them or set up my witch cottage (or the room for that matter).  I would be too scared kids or pets would ruin them in this crazy house!  So out of storage they will go, and into my store as I can.  There is even a witch's bathroom set :)

I distress painted the very nice hutch cabinet myself to look old and witchy.  This is currently available in my store.  There are several expensive parts on this, like the scroll and hand-blown glass leeches jar, as well as all of the hand-blown glass canning jars.  And the books were professionally made, as well as the tiny pumpkin cake with a slice taken out of it and laid on the side.  Cute!

            

My last miniature theme tree done :)

I am SICK TO DEATH of trees lol!  I have one custom order for one that I'm still waiting on parts for and then I am so done!  Yicky, I need to move on to other things :)  I have two custom orders (but I'm waiting on parts) so I'll be working on my Harry Potter Gryffindor Common Room Fire Place in the mean time.  Yay!  Here's what I did with my Candy Tree:

Available here:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/80155869/dollhouse-miniature-regular-candy-shop

I included this candy cabinet with this one because I felt like it :)  Ok I wanted to try a new candy technique and then I just went ahead and finished the cabinet afterward.  The whole cabinet is "candied", meaning the whole thing is covered in a faux sugar coating :)  It's pretty cool in person.  I liked it.  It's really "crystallized" in person.  Anyone can put candy in a cabinet, but most people don't have the cabinet itself candy-like.  I just took it a step further than most people.  The decorations are simple, but could be easily added to.  Imagination is key, the sky's the limit!  Basically it's next best thing to being a free add on to this tree because I usually sell these trees for around this price anyway.  So it's a two for one deal :)  And trust me when I say, you'll find no one doing this amount of work at this price!  

Now I have a quick question for you all.  Does anyone know where I can find a clear shot of Dumbledore's memory cabinet, the one with the fancy cathedral top?  I can't find a close up shot that's good of the top of that thing!   

New miniature items arrive and new miniature trees are began :)

While I await parts for some customer orders to come in I've began two new trees because they are so much fun!  One last candy tree in a more "less specific" candy format.  This tree will not have Honeydukes specific candies but rather an assortment of candies that could be used in any candy shop, including Honeydukes.  No named jars, etc.  It will have a few jars, but they will not have labels.  Still decorated, but not labeled.  Just a candy tree, usable anywhere :)  The reason it would work in Honeydukes still is because it is in Honeydukes pastel colors.  The tree itself has been painted a light green and sparkled and will have a bottom scenery like a scene off of a candyland game board with lollies sticking out of the ground.  You can't see from the picture but there is a soft fuzzy grass all over the base that does not show up well in the picture.  The little pots will have tissue paper in a variety of colors in them with candies sticking out.  Like lollies and piles of wrapped candies.  The topper will have a splendid lolly display sticking out of the blue bow.  

       

I also started another tree, a vintage witch candy tree that should be very cool when I'm done.  Which I'm far from done right now.  I have a basic start on it.  I plan on adding in cool vintage witch picture ornaments, candies inside the jack-o-lantern holders, etc. and to top it off I'm planning a witchy sign sticking out of the mossy and creepy bottom scenery that will have some witchy clever saying on it with a feathered owl perched on the top of the sign.  I'm loving it right now and it can only get better from here :)  It has nowhere to go but up.  The tree topper is one of Sherry's witch hats that has been slightly altered by me to suit the tree style.  I know this one will turn out spectacular in the end!  It was inspired by my love of vintage witches and Halloween.  And fall is coming, I can feel it in the morning air when I step outside.  My favorite time of year!  So crisp and fresh and cool.  And colorful where I live, the trees turn pretty colors :)  Anyway, here's what I have so far:  

These haunted/spooky miniature topiaries I just made sold right away.

Now I have to tell you abut Sherry's latest creation that is just fantastic!  Man did she do a good job and the pictures do not do this piece justice!  She's made a Harry Potter mini again that is so "magical" in person.  A Dumbledore's study cabinet with an hand-feathered owl and Dumbledore's glasses :)  Take a look!

 

       How cool is that?!  I love it!  She said she was sad to see it go, she loved her little owl :)  And I must say it is very well done in person!  And the books are handmade and well aged looking.  Very well done Sherry!  And those tiny little glasses she made by hand.  That could not have been easy!  I will say Sherry has begun ordering parts for the splendid octagon cabinet in Dumbledore's study that was filled with nothing but gorgeous clear glass bottles.  Does anyone remember that cabinet from the movie?  It was stunning.  I know for a fact that she has ordered 50 lovely hand-blown glass bottles to use in the cabinet from the Ukraine.  It will have to be specially built and she is claiming it will be as well done as she can make it.  She's putting her heart into this one :)  I'm sure it will be the only one in existence when she makes it, because it's just too difficult to do!  No one is brave enough to try it but Sherry!  I sure wasn't gonna :)  Although I have always admired that cabinet. 

I am still SLOWLY working on my Gryffindor common room fireplace.  It's built, basically.  But it's very very hard for me and will take me awhile.  I think I have a good start though!  And it's very sturdy.  Too soon for pictures but I'll post them when I get comfortable enough with my progress to show you all :)