Happy New Year

 

Mini Memories - Johnstown Christmas

 Ok, In my post about my mom's Christmas gift I wrote about having a vision to do a room box based on a picture from a few years in time after the East Earl Room Box where we lived in a different house

I know I know.  I said I was going to work on the library of he 1920's era house.  And I did!  But I honestly NEEDED to do another room box.  I needed to do this room box because I was recreating something special for my husband and he is home 24/7 recuperating from an accident.  I had to have something to be working on so that I could on work on his project on the sly!  It was difficult, I was constantly listening for footsteps and would quickly swap out projects!  Stay tuned, I’m sure there will be a post!

In the meantime, here is Johnstown Christmas Room Box

So here is the letter that I wrote to go with my room box.  The picture was taken in Johnstown, PA...so of course that is the name of the room box.  

Johnstown Christmas

 

A picture gives us the ability to remember one second in time and reminds us of important moments. But a picture also has the ability to open the mind to memories surrounding the location, event and time. 

This Christmas picture in Johnstown, PA reminded me of a happy Christmas spent with family with the stockings hung on the fireplace, the lights strung on the tree and Dad’s trains set up and ready to make their circle around and around.  What an amazing snapshot in time.  But looking at that picture made me remember so much more. 

Johnstown was where the infamous popcorn incident occurred.  Oh yes, there was that year when we popped popcorn to make a popcorn string.  It would have been a lovely strand of popcorn if only good old Princess, our dog hadn’t decided to eat the popcorn off the string as fast as we were putting the popcorn on the string.    

I believe it was a Johnstown Christmas when we realized that tinsel on a tree is not a good thing when you have a cat in the house.  I won’t go into details and instead only say that  a good tug was needed…poor Frosty.    No more tinsel ever made it into our house for Christmas.

The nativity on the mantel in this picture was obviously arranged by mom.  We all know that everyone in the nativity should be looking at the tree! 

My bloomer stocking and the dogs bone stocking were Johnstown additions to our Christmas.

The more I look at the picture the more I remember,  Dad’s bells….Dad’s star and dad being a bah humbug throughout the tree decorating except for his bells and star.  The smell of Dad’s trains. (yes, they have a smell).  Making cut out cookies.  Trying to stay up with Alan to see our presents in the middle of the night.  So many memories flood back as I look at the picture. 

This gift combines some of those memories….

 

Merry Christmas

 

Mini Memories -East Earl

 I have had a dream for quite some time.  I have thought about making a recreation of a Christmas from my childhood.  I even knew what year I was going to do.  I wanted to recreate a Christmas from our years in East Earl (Lancaster County, PA). 

This wasn't very 'Christmasy' as a picture, but it was nonetheless Christmas and it was the only Christmas picture I had from that house.  Please excuse my very short dress and my dad's high rise pants.  I had some memories from that time, even though it was 45 plus years ago and I wanted to incorporate those memories into the scene.   I dreamt about this project.  I never got around to making this project.  In fact, I never got around to anything other than saying I wanted to do it.  I had always thought that it would be an amazing gift for my parents.  

That changed this month.   I had just finished my Appalachian Porch Scene for the miniatures.com creatin' contest and I was looking for something to get into.   I mean, it's not as if I don't have a huge dollhouse that has barely been started or anything.  (hahaha  I am vowing to start working on that next).  

I sat down and decided to start the project.   I made it out of a box that I had.  I tried one box but it was just a wee bit too big.  So, I went with something a wee bit smaller.  I snipped off the flaps and I was ready to dive in. 

I started with the fireplace.  I recreated the back above the fireplace using popsicle sticks. 

And then using simple cardboard, I created the fireplace.  I also created a wee little sized refrigerator as it was whilst we lived at that house that I received a kitchen set for Christmas. 

I started to paint everything.   The box itself was painted, the fireplace received a coat of paint, the wood paneling for above the fireplace was painted and that wee little fridge for the kitchen set received a coat of avocado green paint. (Hey, I was a child of the 70's what do you expect!)  The fireplace received its bricks (egg carton) and I had to step back to let everything dry.   While drying, I took the time to wrap some presents!  I also created a chair.  I am NOT happy with the chair.  It is not of the right shape nor is the fabric correct.  I will be using this until I find the correct fabric. Of course, I had to put everything I had into place to see if it would fit. 

I was seeing a light at the end of the tunnel!  I pulled out a small mini Christmas tree that I received in a miniature swap for the mantle.  I was watching videos and planning on making candles but just happened to find a dollhouse store only 40 minutes away and very near a store that we had already planned to visit.  I checked out their candle selection and went ahead and spent the $1.60 to buy about 10 tapered candles.  (I also got a cat and a washtub from the store...and somehow managed to not buy anything else....probably because Jason is injured and off work so we are a one paycheck family at the moment.)  I had also found a small tonka truck that would be arriving in the mail at anytime.  So my scene was set for everything that was in the picture.   What else would I need?  

As I said earlier, one Christmas in this house I had received a play kitchen set.  I definitely wanted to have that in my scene.  I also wanted to have a Christmas tree.  And there was a particular tree that stood out in my memory from the time we lived in that house.  One year, my parents decided to buy a live tree and when the holidays were over to plant it in the front yard.  We kept the live tree in a wash tub throughout that holiday season.  Our house was brand new which I guess is the reason that my parents kept that Christmas tree in the basement....I remember a sitting area around the tree in the basement.  BUT a basement tree wasn't going to do me any good in terms of my recreation.  So, some artistic license was used, and I moved that live Christmas tree in a washtub right on up to the living room!

I had shored up my cardboard box with foam board and trimmed the edges with cut popsicle sticks.  My original idea was to do that for the front edge, but as you can see in the picture above it just didn't look good.   I luckily had a box of scrap pieces of wood that I had found in my brother's workshop, specifically in his garbage can.  They were about 1 1/4 inch wide and would be perfect. I removed everything from the room box, cut those pieces of wood, glued them on and left it all to dry.

Finally, it was time to put it all together.   Normally I don't like to glue my items into place, but I have done so with this room box.  It will be moved around a bit, and I figured to make this as easy as possible.  The only thing that is not glued into place is the chair simply because I don't like the chair and plan on making something different as the time and the correct fabric appear in my life.    Of course, there is a cat in the scene.  All of my dollhouse projects have a cat somewhere!  This one was able to relax comfortably on the chair....not a perfect rendition of Frosty, the cat that I grew up with...but close enough.  

There was only one last thing that I wanted to do.  I plan on giving this to my mom.  I plan on printing out the picture and writing a wee little explanation for her as to the artistic license I took with adding the cat, the play fridge and the tree.  I also wanted to add a sign on the room box indicating what the room box was depicting.  The letter will be at the bottom of this post. 

You see, I've wanted to do this project for a long time long before my mom's health started to slip.  In fact, when I started this project this month it wasn't because of my mom's medical condition.   But mom is not doing well.  She is becoming more and more forgetful and confused.  To the point that she couldn't remember when my birthday was the other night when we were talking.  I believe that she will remember the holiday from the 1970's.  I just wanted to make sure that there was a gentle nudge to remind her if I wasn't there.  

I ended up finding a different fabric and remade the chair in a style that is a bit more reminiscent of the chair in the picture!

I am tickled pink with this project.  I think it turned out REALLY well considering the only things that were purchased was the tonka truck, candles, cat and washtub and fabric for the chair. Everything else was found in my stash or made by me. So, what is next?   If I knew that my mom would receive this gift well, I would recreate a different Christmas Scene for her birthday....which is 3 days after Christmas.  But honestly, I'm not sure how this gift will be received.  I have the pictures of the holiday that I would do next on my computer and ready to roll, if truth be known!  Sneak peak??  

Yeah, I looked for a fabric to match the couch when I was looking for the chair.......not an easy find!

But I DO have that 1920's house to work on!   Maybe I will put that big monstrosity into my office and commence work!   I have got one room started.  OK, actually two rooms.  I have started on the two rooms in the side addition. (to the left on the picture below).  I have redone the floor in the upstairs and started to fix the access to that upstairs room in the addition.  I have also added steps and the walls are partially done.  The upstairs room I know exactly what is happening with that room.  The downstairs room is where  I continue to ponder.  I vacillate between a music room and a dining room.   Time will tell.

East Earl Christmas

 

A picture, a snapshot in time that transports us back to a moment in our lives.  It is a window that we can open to invite memories to come flooding forth.  This picture, however, invites a single question!

Where in the world is the bottom of my dress and the bottom of dad’s pants!  Was there a fabric shortage that year or something????

 

Once past the scandalous outfit that I was wearing (seriously, that hem was almost up to my chin!) the memories started to flow. 

Lancaster, the Christmas where we bought a live tree and kept it in a big tub in the basement. I remember chairs around the tree downstairs and eating orange Danish as we celebrated Christmas in the basement around the tree.

It was in Lancaster that I received my pride and joy….my avocado green metal kitchen set! 

Riding bikes in that basement…round and round. Horses Necks in our orange kitchen.  Lots of snow….a very big snow in fact.  Ahhhh so many memories!

 

I managed to fit a few memories into your gift. 

Mini Swap

 I decided to participate in the Winter Swap on my facebook miniature swap group.  This would be the third year that I swapped during the Christmas season and probably my 5th swap in total.  What would I make?  

Of course, I made a quilt.  It was a winter themed swap, so I did a throw quilt and a book.  Because that is the ultimate winter activity for me!  I have actually shown my swap quilt on here before in a post because of course I made a few extras!

I got my swap items sent in about a week before the deadline and then I had to just sit back and wait.  And wait...and wait.  Ok, my wait time was a bit longer because I had sent my items in about a week early.  BUT finally my swap box arrived!  I couldn't wait to open it up and see what goodies I got!  I was tickled.  Some of the items are absolutely fantastic!   It is amazing to see how the talents and strengths of each of us combined into a great swap with a huge mixture of items!   

Sooo, do you want to see what we got this swap?

This snowman and accompanying snowballs were absolutely adorable and the plate of gingerbread men cookies just topped of this swappers bag.

Presents and toys!   Love love love!  

A hat and a scarf!  So soft, and I can definitely see this in a winter scene in my dollhouse!

A sled and a mug for hot chocolate.  This swapper also included a really cool wreath.

Ok, can I just say that I swooned when I saw the skis and ski poles!   I have an attic scene that I've been slowly working on and these are going to go into that attic....at least until I make a winter scene!

A sled/toboggan and some more snowballs!  The snow man and the winter flower are adorable, and the little tree just happens to be a perfect size for a project that I currently am working on. (Stay tuned...it should post soon!)

The next swapper gave a calendar and two mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows!  I had to include a close up of the marshmallows!

I opened the next swappers items and my mouth dropped open in awe!  Food items!   Food is difficult for me.  I keep saying that I am going to get out the supplies and learn to do food, but I never get around to it.  Or rather, when I do get around to it, I end up disgusted with what I create!  So to get these food items was amazing!

Next up with had a snow glob and some wall decorations.  I will certainly be able to decorate my winter scene when I make it!

This next swapper sent a wreath, a mug with hot chocolate with whipped cream and a plate of cookies!  Once again, the plate of cookies...woozer!  Amazing looking!   I included a close up of the tray of cookies, but left the saran wrap around it since I knew they would be going into storage for a wee bit until such a time that my scene is ready for a cookie tray!

A trio of candles on a nice display!  Love it!  And even though it is Christmas colors, I believe this may end up being an everyday item in one of my dollhouses! I do have a music room with a grand piano in the works...this would look really nice on that piano!

And we have a quilt and matching pillows.  Very nice!  The fabric is similar to something I have in one of my rooms in one of my houses, so it just may be heading to that house soon!

We have a bag of snow, some ice melt, a shovel and some snowy boots. (and a welcome mat)  I love the snowy boots!   They will look so nice beside a door in my winter scene!!!

Amazing was my first thought when I saw these floral arrangements!  Absolutely amazing.  I actually wishing that I had this before I submitted my creatin' contest because the arrangement on the left would be perfect on that porch!

The next swapper sent a throw blanket and a pillow!    It is super soft and will make a perfect throw across a bed or a couch!

This snow man was another cutie pie!  And I love love love the poinsetta!

And finally, we have my quilt and the book that I sent for my swap items!

Isn't the talent and creativity amazing???  This was certainly a fun swap!  I don't know what the next swap theme may be, but I may just have to sign up again!

I did it

I enjoy making quilts.  I enjoy making real life quilts for sure.  But I get absolutely giddy when I make a miniature quilt!  I typically make my quilts by hand...both life sized and miniature.  It is easier for me to hang out with my husband in the living room or take it with me on vacation or on a long car ride.  I can work on it more freely.  

 Thus, I have a trunk of quilts.   I also have a shoebox of miniature quilts.  The lifesized quilts make their way to our beds and to the couch for cuddling under on a rotating basis.  But the dollhouse quilts....what do you do with them? So I did it!   I made a small etsy store for my dollhouse quilts.  I enjoy making quilts.  It amuses me and I find it enjoyable.  I only have a few quilts up there right now.  I have to take the time to photograph and do the listings.  I also have a lot of duplicates or similar quilts that I am just holding onto versus posting a gazillion of the same pattern/style.   

I don't expect to make money....but hey, if I can sell one or two here and there it would be fantastic....and it would help me fund my quilting and dollhouse projects!

I can be found on Etsy in the shop named MaryFransMiniMuse