My Greatest Mini Bargain Ever, just $46.71!

I was in Hobby Lobby buying items for my nephew, who's nursery I am designing. I can never go into the store without stopping by the doll house section and the clearance aisle, which just happens to be side by side. I thought I was having a migraine (which affects my vision sometimes) when I saw the price tag! It was discounted for missing pieces. I asked the lady in the store if the walls were missing she said no and that was all I needed to know. She said she really didn't think anything was missing but the box was found open and could not be sold at regular price. I started feeling light-headed and my heart started racing! I couldn't get it in the basket fast enough, I even picked it up by myself because I was too afraid to leave it. LOL.

 I also found this for video $11 (regular price $19) along with doll kits in the clearance section. It is a really good video for someone like me who would like to make my own dolls. She makes everything from scratch and uses oven bake clay. I see how I can easily adapt the techniques to 1:12 dolls. I have how-to-books on making miniature dolls, molds, tools, etc. and I still feel intimidated for some reason. But I plan to make my first one soon.

A Customer for the Shop and More Hats!

I bought this doll from http://www.etsy.com/shop/flosminis. Her dolls are very reasonably priced and besides, I need a customer to try on all these lovely hats from http://www.etsy.com/shop/JustForYouMiniatures. 

Cream French Bedroom Furniture

I bought this set from DHE, the pieces were on sale and with free shipping! I am considering adding some hand painted gold detail to tie into the wrought iron beds with the gold accent that I bought previously for the girls room. Now I just need to find the right wall paper.
http://jocelynsdollhouse.blogspot.com/2013/02/new-custom-wrought-iron-twin-beds-by.html

Mini Find: Ready Made Miniature Clothes Hangers

I found these while browsing in Joann's Craft Store. The perfect size for a dollhouse closet.

Foam Board Mock-Up of the Creole Townhouse Facade

I like to create a foam board mock up whenever I make major structural changes or build from scratch to see if everything will work "outside" of my head.

The top portion of the dollhouse was broken in two places when it arrived and would have required repairing anyway. The original facade had three parts: one for the top and two for the basement level. 

I tapped the three pieces together to make one and traced the outlines of MDF onto foam board. I added the doors and windows and the balcony.  

The balcony dipped and the posts fell as I was taking the picture

I purchased porch posts and shutters from miniatures.com and additional railings from Dolls House Emporium. The large window I had already and I relocated the door to the middle. I would like to have one large piece that opens or comes off the front.

Creating The Hat Shop

I am creating a small custom millinery shop on the ground floor of my Creole Townhouse. I know that many of the townhouses had businesses on the first floor. My house only has the hat shop on the right side and what would have been a second shop is now converted into an indoor kitchen.

 I made the manikin heads and hat stands with large finials from a craft store.

 

I made the display cabinet pretty much how I constructed the bar in the coffee shop, but I plan to use a glass sheet instead of real glass behind the shelf.

The decorative "carvings" are dimensional stickers that I will glue to the front after I paint it. 

I used left over wood trim from bakery/coffee shop and a chair rail and some brackets from my church dollhouse kit.

I bought the hats from
http://www.etsy.com/shop/JustForYouMiniatures they are excellent in quality and craftsmanship.

There was a delay in my shipment and she gifted me a extra hat, how sweet was that!

 

  Originally I had decided to try and make my own. I bought a package of 12 ready-made miniature straw hats for $3.77. I had planned to leave some natural and cover others with fabric. I bought some small trim to decorate them. 
But I think I am going to give this project to my mother. The mirrors I bought a while ago from miniatures.com. I still don't know the name of the hat shop yet.