Betsy McCall Progress

I love when I make some headway on a "rehab" house. I've been considering what to do with the remainder of the main living area in the Betsy McCall house. I added a bold patterned paper and covered the fireplace way back in February, leaving me to decide how to paper the other walls and organize the space.

Here is my solution -- a light brick patterned paper from my DCWV "Downtown Loft" stack, with a place mat for flooring and adhesive cork for the stairs. The wall presented a neat backdrop for the amazing brutalist sculpture Pepper of MitchyMoo Miniatures made as part of our swap. LOVE it!

What do you think?? 

Submission from Rosa of Minismodernas

A few more submissions have arrived for the Call of the Small/Cubebot Challenge -- go check them out on the Flickr stream! And please consider tossing your own hat into the ring for a chance to win $200 from AREAWARE! Contest details here. It ends on December 1, so get cracking!

Credits: Couch is a custom piece bought at a Denver doll house store; Eames chairs are Reac; table is a crafting block with a bowl base; plant is AG Minis; sideboard is vintage German; globe light is minimodernistas. Accessories are Jo Ann Fabrics, dollhouse store and eBay finds, AG Minis, and handmade by The Shopping Sherpa.

The time it took me: Three days, about 2-1/2 hours total

Pant

So, I totally stole the title of this post from an inspirational piece of seating. Back in July, I posted a photo on the Call of the Small Facebook page of a phenomenal ergonomic and eco-conscious rocker, then on sale at Fab.

Photo courtesy of Fab.com

Known as the Pant Rocker, it was crafted by Shiner International, and I loved the lines and warmth of the wood...this chair definitely stayed on my mind. Enter the amazing Pepper of MitchyMoo Miniatures and poof! Magic! I now have my very own Pant rocker, in 1:12!!

 

Isn't it a wonder?? I'm sure it caused her much pain and agony. I imagine it was a pesky build. Don't worry, I have thanked Miss Pepper with a swap box full of many things...she is still awaiting her package, but I hope she likes everything!

The lovely laser cut lantern in this scene is also courtesy of Pepper.

She wired it with a mini LED and I managed to blow it on the first try with the battery. Typical of me to screw up the loveliness! Sorry again, Pepper! I also received incredible kitchen pieces and a brutalist wall sculpture, but I need to do a proper setup for those, which I will do as soon as I can.

I've been a very lucky duck as of late, because not only did I receive Pepper's goods, but two surprise packages, one from Lene of Modern Minis by Dragondee and the other from Cyd of My Mini Mod Pod.

Lene, who specializes in 1:6, offered me some lovely pieces she created in 1:12 for the defunct I'm A Giant Challenge, which was launched by Emily Henderson almost a year ago and sadly fizzled without a word (Megan did a phenomenal roundup of all the folks who actually did complete the challenge). So, the cool desk and storage unit, along with some lovely accessories, came from Lene and went right into this scene in the Villa Sibi.

Wouldn't you like an office setup like this?? I also added a vintage German low credenza and put the cushions from my Reac Barcelona chair as a topper. Looks less bare!

Cyd was very sweet and sent a hip and cool credenza as a generous thank you after I provided measurements from my Artply Highland (Cyd got a kit with missing pieces). She did a great job on it, don't you think???

I wish I could have highlighted every bit and piece I received from all three here in this scene, but rest assured they will make appearances in the future! THANK YOU to all, and you each amaze me with your talent and artistry!

Credits: Rocking chair and lantern by Pepper of MitchyMoo Miniatures; credenza by Cyd of My Mini Mod Pod; office desk and storage unit by Lene of Modern Miniatures by Dragondee; zig zag shelving by  MinisX2; rug by Fran Made Minis; marble sculptures are from my husband's collection; low credenza is vintage German with cushions from a Reac chair; office chair is CB2, spray painted silver by me; lantern pedestal is brinca dada; office plant and light are AG Minis; flooring is Con-Tact paper; wallpaper in living area is scrapbook paper from Michaels; wallpaper in office is from Lee's Art Shop, and rug is scrapbook paper from Jo Ann. Accessories are Modern Miniatures by Dragondee, Pepper of MitchyMoo Miniatures, AG Minis, Re-ment, Mighty World, Lilu Shop on Etsy, Nancy Tobey, Playmobil, vintage eBay finds, and handmade by The Shopping Sherpa.

The time it took me: 47 minutes

Daybed

Susan H. and I keep an eye out for each other. She frequently picks up treasures at estate sales and if it is 1:12, she lets me know about it (she works in 1:6). We've swapped Re-ment and other fun stuff over the past year.

Our latest swap involved an Asian-influenced daybed that she found recently, marked "George Spencer Dollhouse Collection." Anyone ever hear of him? Based on some quick we searching, it looks like it's from the 1980s. I was so pleased when the bed arrived...it is in excellent condition, and has lovely carvings. Since the piece runs a bit closer to 1:10, I decided to try it out in my Large VERO.

I covered a cushion in some nice Asian-inspired fabric from my local Jo Ann Fabrics store and used another swatch for a long bolster. What do you think? The two enormous heads are from a rummage sale. They actually came in a group of four, and I passed them by a few times before circling back and picking them up for less than $1.

These are the times that I say "What the heck" and throw stuff together for kicks. When will I get to use the heads again, right??? And who would have thought they would end up in a German-made house from the 1960s???

The light fixture is part of a string of clear ball Christmas tree trimming from Crate & Barrel. I cut a few off, tied them together in a circle and strung it from a hook that hangs from the ceiling. The floor is new paper from the Paper Source. I go there often enough that I can easily spot the new stuff. I do like this pattern a whole lot, and I think it helped set the scene -- the actual flooring did not mesh well.

So, that's my crazy scene for the day. Thanks, Susan!

Only a few hours to go before my UMBRA giveaway closes...you have until 11:59 p.m. EDT tonight to leave a comment HERE NOW CLOSED for a chance to win one of two great products! Nearly 50 people have entered -- good luck all around and thanks again to UMBRA!!

The time it took me: 45 minutes

Credits: Daybed is George Spencer Dollhouse Collection; cushion is AG Minis, covered in fabric from Jo Ann Fabric; carved heads are from a rummage sale; round table is vintage Brio; chair and dresser are vintage German; pillow is handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; planter is a napkin holder from Crate & Barrel, and the fixture are ornament balls from there as well; flooring is from the Paper Source. Accessories are Michaels and dollhouse store finds.

Swap Happy

What a time I had opening all of my tiny packages from The Shopping Sherpa as part of our January-February-March swap -- heck, call it our spring swap! We both were busy bees making things for each other and creating a cohesive bundle of useful mini stuff and I could not be happier with my treasures! She posted on the goodies I sent her in two posts--here and here--and I'm cramming all of mine into one!

I tossed out to her a few requests for stationery, bedding, rugs, etc., and she came up with a Kate Spade-Jonathan Adler theme with bright, punchy colors and strong graphics.What a great idea for me, right on target.

Care to see everything?

It all started here...

That post card is a Shopping Sherpa original! Really lovely!

The tiny packages in string then revealed pillows, a mirror, bulletin boards, and graphic art -- LOVE the iconic design imagery!

Rugs! Stylin'!

Three luxurious bedding sets! They're nicer than my real bedding!

And what's Teddy holding...???

Vintage posters!

And storage boxes, desk accessories, books, and a matching Eames elephant!

A gremlin holds onto his Jonathan Adler design bibles...

Last, but not least, some papers that will definitely come in handy in a number of my houses.

THANKS Shopping Sherpa! 

Another thanks goes to Claudia, who runs a new blog, Lillis Puppenstube. She's renovating some great vintage houses, and I admired the papers in one of them, here. She kindly sent me a few sheets, with some groovy extras! I hope they end up in my VERO soon!

This one has potential for a 70s scene!

Speaking of scenes, I'll end with a quick one in my fish condo, which I have brought out of retirement! I love how all my new items look, along with some new papers from the Paper Source. I am especially taken with the yellow and white one used for flooring. Very mod!

Credits: Chairs are vintage from Sweden; lamp and plant are vintage TOMY; stool and side table are vintage German; clock is Bandai; pillows, storage boxes, silkscreen, and books are handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; apples and trash can are AG Minis.

Shared Space

Full disclosure: photos taken with my cell phone. Apologies in advance for the poor quality.My camera broke and I am still working out the solution, but couldn't keep away. :)

My brother and I are three years apart and our bedrooms were usually in close proximity while growing up. The older siblings tended to get the larger rooms, or shared a very large attic space. When we moved into a brownstone in New York City, we shared the top floor, and our rooms were separated by a bathroom. The room setup in the Kaleidoscope House inspired me to think back to those years.

His room was usually pretty tidy, but he had a weakness for bringing food upstairs. To this day, we make fun of him for his love of Pop Tarts and fruit (eaten together), and peanut butter. He is a big snacker, and at 6'5" had all sorts of excuses to keep his body fed on an hourly basis.

Me, on the other hand...I loved to sit and play with office supplies. I had lots of knickknacks and wrote letters all the time. My room was usually messy, but I couldn't bring myself to mess up the scene!

Speaking of sharing...it's been great to do a few swaps with Oese and now Tarkus! Oese made some wonderful books and pencils and also sent a lucite box and other mini treats. Tarkus and I swapped Re-ment and she threw in a few of her handmade pillows! Lovely!

Credits: Yellow beds, bathroom set, and toy chest (actually a refrigerator) are vintage Fisher Price; red chair is vintage Fairline; red and white dresser is vintage Jean of West Germany; plant is from Lolly's; egg table, fish bowl, peanut butter, Pop Tarts, pink clock, rocking horse on top shelf, "Happy" lunch box, brother's side table, bathroom back splash, and sewing items on toy chest are Re-ment; Easter Island head is from Barnes & Noble; speaker is vintage TOMY; bowling pins are Japanese toy erasers; red striped bed cover and green bath mat are IKEA; purple flower bed cover, flowers and silver box on top shelf, pouf, magazine holder, and lamps are AG Minis; pink vanity and pink cup are Sanrio; violet desk and matching lamp and bathroom mirror are vintage eBay finds; bedside table is vintage German; bird pillow is by Tarkus; accessories are AG Minis, TOMY, Pain d'epices, Re-ment, KidRobot, and my kids!

Re-ment: I have written about the Re-ment in this scene with a few exceptions. The stamp set is from Girls in the City, #3 "Accounting Essentials," and is good for 1:12. The sewing items are from the Primary School Stationery set, #10, and is good for 1:12. The Pop Tart is from Fun Meals, #7, "Morning Grab 'n Go," and is a bit large for 1:12, but works. The rocking horse is from Princess Tea Party, #5 "A Rocking Horse Cutlery Tree," and is good as a toy in 1:12. The "Happy" lunch box is from American Kitchen, #5 "Fun at the Cafeteria," and is too large as a lunch box in 1:12, but can be re-purposed as a small suitcase.