News and upcoming miniature projects :)

Hey everyone!  How's your summer going so far?  Good I hope?

Well we're in a whirlwind of activity at the ole Hays House, still in the middle of house-wide renovations as well as decluttering and cleaning out the house of all unnecessary junk.  Don't you just hate that?  You look around and figure out that the place is a cluttery mess and you have to do a "house purge" to get everything cleaned out and reorganized.  In my case, I had 15 years of stored crap in my basement that has to go before I lose my marbles.  My workroom has been moved downstairs due to lack of space anywhere else (which is why I wasn't working on minis for so long), and as it is I'm starting to feel like the thing under the stairs in the deep recesses of the house.  Yikes.  Must. Get. Junk. Out. Now.

So that's what we're doing.  And laying kitchen tiles as the same.  And I'm trying to work on minis as well now.

I was contacted by the new editor of American Miniaturist Magazine and invited to submit work for the upcoming Halloween edition.  Right about that time, I got the blue screen of death on my computer and lost all my previous work photos until I get someone to fix it.  Ugh.  Do you ever get the feeling after a rash of bad luck that you're under some sort of curse?  I'm starting to think I've got a curse on my head :)

So anyway, I'll be making some new really good (I hope) minis for that and shooting some new photos since my oldies are currently under blue screen lock down.  I hope something ends up being good enough for publication-that would be so much fun!

I'm currently working on a low side cabinet in the Honeydukes theme which I plan on pulling out all the stops on.  It should be pretty exciting.  I've been getting some requests for more of that theme so I must do a few pieces before I get started on my spooky Halloween stuff.  Speaking of that, I just redid Sherry's (my MIL) Marie Antoinette doll, table and chairs set she made previously.  I really felt it needed to go in a different and more exciting direction and that her hand-sculpted doll would be much more fun as a Halloween type miniature instead.  So she has been re-imagined into the ghost of the Countess Bathory, the infamous blood countess from Hungary.  For the horrific story of what she did, view her wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory        

Oh my goodness, what a crazy woman!  So anyway, I thought it would be neat to make a miniature of her and her atrocious interests for Halloween.  Check out the bloody axe on the table top:

 To make a long story short, she was rumored to have bathed in the blood of her beautiful young victims (possibly numbering in the hundreds if the witnesses were credible) in an effort to stay young herself, as well as drinking the blood. In essence, she was a complete psychopath! Sherry did a wonderful job making her beautiful in sculpt, hair and dress while I took the pleasuring in painting her skin/eyes to look white and sparkly (ghostly) with the blackness of her soul running down her face. She is meant to look tattered, ghostly, haunting, and spooky. In her hand, a wine glass of blood from one of her victims. I decorated her table to reflect her terrible hobbies: bloody candelabra with bleeding candles, bottles and tottles of unknown nefarious purposes, a handcrafted bloody axe, Transylvanian Gazette newspaper, fortune telling orb, a bottle of vampiric blood, a book on vampire forensics, a death warrant scroll, a terrible place setting with a severed skeleton hand holding a red rose, silverware-all covered in ghostly white spiderwebs with one little spider perched on top of a red rose flower arrangement. Tatty black tablecloth covers the table top as well. 
Fit for the finest haunted house or room box in your home :)

Available here at this clickable link below:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/191440687/dollhouse-miniature-ghost-blood-countess?ref=shop_home_active_1

Please stay tuned for soon to be new Harry Potter items that I'm currently working on.

Have a good summer and have some adventures everyone!  Hugs-Tara

Dollhouse Miniature Nautical Mermaid Cove Grand Buffet 1/12 scale

Hey everyone, long time no see right?  I've been very busy working on my house and haven't had much time for minis for quite awhile.  Sad :(  Part of my problem is I took my work room and made it into a much needed bathroom upstairs.  Nothing worse than trudging down the stairs in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.  Too much information right???  Well it did really bum us out to have to do that.  So now I'm lacking a proper work space.  It's much harder to make minis when you feel displaced and have no decent area to work in.  No matter, I'm soon to be fixing up the basement in order to have a work space of my own again.  Hopefully before you know it I'll be churning out minis left and right all over again.  I really look forward to having a work space.  It's be wonderful to be able to be creative again.  Anyway, I did manage to get a moment to myself to make a cute little mermaid buffet cabinet and I have to say that was quite a job.  I sculpted some ea creatures and they weren't easy to do for me.  I do think they turned out quite well though, despite that.  I'm sad they didn't photograph as well as they look in person though.  I feel they are really detailed in person, but it doesn't show up well in the photos.  Well here goes nothing:

  
I've managed to get glitter all over it, which shows up as specks on the cabinet finish.  It's quite pretty in person and yet looks like dust in the pictures, ugh.  And my octopus seems to have a glue stingy behind his leg, which I have pulled off now.  Oops, my bad :)

What's on this: cake pop display in a vase, filigree mermaid picture, sculpted octopus and lobster, mermaid mirror, clam tower with pearls, pastel french macaroons, weathered teapot and platter, bowed flower, seashells and water type plants.  Inside is a few little things like a pot of shrimp in sauce and a basket of seashells.  More photos can be seen here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/186529047/dollhouse-miniature-nautical-mermaid'

I'll soon be back with more little projects.  I've really been missing my mini-making and I want to do a little more of it when I can.

Hey everyone, have a lovely spring and may all of your dreams come true this year :)  Hugs-Tara

Dollhouse Miniature Mermaid Cove Seashell Cabinet

Hi everyone :)  How have you all been this summer?  I hope you've had a great one!

We're still working on our old farmhouse, and that has really kept me away from minis for quite some time. I'm really trying to fit some mini work in when I can, which is few and far between still at this point.  I'm on a beachy, ocean kick.  We're doing our bathrooms nautical inspired, after a recent trip to the ocean.  We were reminded of how much we love it there.  Here in Illinois we don't have much of an ocean view, so I'm bringing all things related to the sea to us :)  It's fun, and we all love it.  Here's a photo feed of the kinds of fun things we're getting for our new bathrooms if anyone likes nautical things:
http://s651.photobucket.com/user/tara_yvonne_photos/library/Old%20farmhouse%20renovation?sort=2&page=1

So in the middle of designing a couple of nautical bathrooms, it made me want to make a nautical mini.  I started by painting the cabinet a weathered gray because it's a nice light nautical base color. I pearlized the handles, added sparkling sands, beach glass, seashells of all kinds, a hand-made seashell topper for the cabinet which looks like a nautical crown of sorts. There are treasures abounding all over the cabinet, the sort of thing a mermaid might pick up in her daily travels around the ocean. There are water plants growing from the sandy outcroppings of the cabinet, a ship in a bottle, jewels, two genuine stone dolphins, one in jade and the other in rose quartz. The top of the cabinet sports a lovely seashell flower arrangement with gray pearl, a cute vintage photo of a mermaid child, and a basket of beachy flowers and seashells. A gorgeous framed copy of Waterhouse's "The Mermaid" painting graces the door of the cabinet which does not open (sand and plants in front of it).

Roughly 7 1/2 inches tall because of the greenery sticking up, the base is around 4 3/4 inches wide. 

Available here:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/158850683/dollhouse-miniature-mermaid-cove

Have a great "rest of the summer", what's left of it guys and girls!  Have a blessed day :)

Back with a new Miniature Witch or Wizard Mucky Cauldron Tower :)

I've been long gone for awhile now, but I'm finally back to work.  I had to take some time off for home improvements.

Here's what I made this time around, a stack of mucky cauldrons with left over potion in them, what a mess! I think these would look fabulous outside a witch or wizard shop, or even inside a wizard-themed room.

Here's the official description:
  The piece roughly measures 4 1/4 inches wide at the base, a little over 5 inches tall, and is a little over 2 inches deep. It's completely hand made, all the cauldrons are hand sculpted, the owl is hand sculpted and painted. The little bottle of cauldron cleaner has a handmade brush for scrubbing the cauldrons out. The cauldrons are mucked up with left over potions, all dribbling and oozing over the sides of the cauldrons. I have a process uniquely my own for making vibrantly-colored faux water or in this case potion :) No one can reproduce this effect but me because I am the only one who knows the process. I personally feel this gives the best effect possible. These are so much better in person, I'm having a rough time taking photos due to the weather right now. Trust me when I say this miniature scene is very nice in person and anyone who buys it will be pleasantly surprised when they see it in person. 

The floor is faux flagstone.

Here's the photos (bad due to weather, look at all the snow we got!)

Ok so it's available here and it's ONE OF A KIND, please don't ask me to make this again anyone!  It was time consuming, yikes.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/125503749/dollhouse-miniature-witch-or-wizard-shop?

I would like to draw attention to a charity campaign I just learned of called END7.  Here's a video (it's disturbing, please be advised) for anyone to watch to see what it's about if you choose to:

   

Please like END7 on facebook and anyone who can help out there is information there on how to donate:  
https://www.facebook.com/EndSeven

Thanks for viewing and God bless.

What I've been up to lately in Dollhouse Miniatures :)

Ok I have been working, I just haven't blogged for awhile.  Really busy around here like usual, yikes.

Here's what's come up since I last blogged, although some of it has now sold:

Fairy fireplace (sold)

Steampunk Wizard/Witch floor chest with Leafy Forest Dragon guarding her eggs (available)

Cottage style magically pouring fairy tea set (sold)

Cottage style magically pouring fairy tea set (sold)

Romantic style magically pouring fairy tea set (sold)

And finally this I just finished up today, another fairy sewing notion cabinet and stool set:

Available here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/19thDayMiniatures

And I'd like to post a link to Sherry and I's jewelry shop once again:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/HauntedMansionJewels

Some new things will soon be added to that shop as well.  And many nice things are currently in there now :)

Dollhouse Miniature Wizard of Oz Theme Tree now complete

Sorry for the long wait everyone, but I've been sick with an undiagnosed allergy that's causing me a lot of grief right now and for the past two months I haven't been well.  Still trying to figure out what's causing it, still going through tests at the doctor's.  It's been crazy trying to figure out what's causing me to get sick.  I've tried everything, even pulling out carpet in my house in case it's dust or something like that and cleaning everything in sight.  No idea so far :(

Anyway enough of that, but that's why it took me so long to get this done and not in time for Christmas.  But I did finally get it done.  I'm really happy with how it turned out though!  I feel it's one of my best.  TONS of work though, yikes.  Some very difficult sculpting on this one.

I'll show you pictures and describe what I did below them:

     

This tree is wildly imaginative and so very cute in person. Photos never seem to capture the magic of the minis as they really are in person. There is tons of work in this tree, I worked on it for a month and a half little by little. So many completely handmade and pure sculpted items on this tree, including the flying monkey with real feathers all over him that I made from sculpting clay and then I hand-painted him and added feathers all over his body. I followed a photo of the flying monkeys from the movie as carefully as I could. Another pure sculpt would be little Toto the dog, completely haired in tibetan lambs wool. Squished underneath a large gift box is the Wicked Witch, her little black and white stocking legs sticking out with those famous ruby slippers on her feet. Next to her propped up by some little munchkin is her witches flying broomstick. On the other side of the tree is a piece of snowy ground with completely meticulously handmade red poppies as in the movie. Remember when the Wicked Witch casts a spell for poppies to grow up in between Dorothy and the Emerald City? They made her go to sleep. Glenda the Good Witch cast another spell for snow to fall on the poppies which woke her up, allowing her to get to the Emerald City after all :) And so, snowy poppies on the other side of my tree. Toto stands on the yellow brick road under the tree ready to begin the journey to the Wizard. Various beautifully wrapped gifts sit under the tree, most wrapped elaborately in beautiful fabrics and fluffy bows. On the tree, candles everywhere, gorgeous framed photos from the movie of the most important movie characters including the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Glenda the good witch, the Wicked Witch, Dorothy, and one of the Wicked Witch threatening Dorothy. Also on the tree, hand-sculpted tornado ornaments with all sorts of things coming out of the top and gears flying along the side of the tornados as well. A sculpted pair of ruby slippers with little bows hangs right in the front of the tree toward the bottom where they can be seen well. All sorts of other things cover the tree but I'll let you look over the photos to see them all. These were the most important things I thought I'd mention. 

I'm very very proud of how this tree came out and though it was a lot of work, I feel it's one of my best and I'm thrilled with it :) It's lovely in person!

A smidge over 7 inches tall, the base is roughly 7 1/4 inches wide at the widest point due to the things sticking off of it and around it. This is a wider base to accommodate the various design features like the yellow brick road and snowy poppy field. 

Available here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/119673356/dollhouse-miniature-wizard-of-oz-themed

A sneak peak at the miniature Christmas tree I'm working on

I started a new theme tree and I haven't gotten very far along yet but I thought I'd pop in and show you what I have started so far.
Keep in mind this doesn't look like much yet but give me time and it'll be full of goodies:

                                                      And the backside of the tree so far:

                                                          And the front again :)

I have a long way to go yet.  My plans are to make the island of misfit toys characters with clay, to make more tree ornaments, some candy to stick here and there, and wrapped gift boxes for under the tree.  The bottom side that has nothing on it will have packages and "Charlie" in the box-the jack in the box toy who was a misfit because he was named Charlie instead of Jack :)  The gold disks on the tree will have candles in them and there will be bright green ornaments here and there.  And toys all over the tree of course.  It'll be full of stuff before the end.  This is just a basic start of what will be for this tree.  And yes, Rudolph the red nosed reindeer is an actual part of the tree base, he's glued on there.  You can't really see the fabric of the tree skirt but it looks like snow a bit but with a slight pale blue shimmer.  Around it is a snowy white garland trim you can just barely make out in this photo.  I'll be back when I'm done with it, this is the start of three theme trees I'm doing.  The 2nd will be Wizard of Oz because I need to rewatch the movie for inspiration.  How fun is that?  That's what's great about minis, you get to relive being a kid again :)  The third tree will be my own version of The Nightmare Before Christmas Tree but done in the Jack Skellington "Christmas" style instead of the Halloween style Sherry did (which was darling, I just want to do more of a Christmas look myself to change things up a bit).    Think Santa Claus Jack plus a few creepies, plus candy, etc.  Jack in his Santa outfit, shrunken heads on the tree mixed in with candy, bats, Christmas stockings, his dog Zero of course, etc.  A mix of Halloween and Christmas, with the majority leaning towards Christmas.

Stay tuned for updates :)

Updated photographs-New Dollhouse Miniature Witch Sewing Cabinet :)

Updated photos:

Ok it's far too dark out right now for good pictures so please bear with me.  I'll update this later with decent pictures but for now this is all I have.  Remember this fairy sewing cabinet?

This was really popular with people for some reason.  I wanted to do a witchy version of it because hey, it's Halloween season!  So that's what I did.  Here's what I did (and remember these are super bad photos in bad lighting so it looks way worse than it actually is and I'll post new pics later today):

Listing is here:  https://www.etsy.com/listing/112398590/dollhouse-miniature-witch-sewing-cabinet

So sorry I'm not having time to respond to comments right now everyone, it's so hectic here I can barely keep up with anything :(  I'm currently shooting tons of photos for Sherry's jewelry store because she brought a huge box of jewelry she made for me to list.  I'm having trouble keeping up with my own store right now.  And I haven't forgotten about my mad tea party, it's just on hold due to the Halloween season stuff.  I'll eventually be back with more of the characters made.  They just take me awhile because making animals and people is much harder for me.

More of Sherry's jewelry:

All available here in her etsy store:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/HauntedMansionJewels?ref=usr_faveitems&atr_uid=7202128

A few Halloween or Witchy Haunted House Miniatures and some more of Sherry's jewelry

I've put together a couple of goth/haunted house/witchy/ etc. minis in time for the Halloween season, a canopy bed and a goth curiosities cabinet as pictured below:

A little spell board and spell book sit on the bed as though set aside for a moment :)

The glare on the glass is making the magnified tarantula spider in the bottom right hand side of the cabinet not show up in the pictures.  In person it's completely clear :(  These really aren't good pictures (too early in the morning outside for good light so I'll have to reshoot them later today).

And now more reshoots of Sherry's jewelry:

Man I love my new camera!  So much better pictures :)

All jewelry available here in Sherry's store:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/HauntedMansionJewels?ref=usr_faveitems&atr_uid=7202128