Miniature Binoculars Tutorial

 Hello Mini Friends!  Are you ready for the cutest, tiniest pair of binoculars?  I pictured in my head adding a stool with a bird watching book and a pair of binoculars for the loft patio.  These were so easy to make and you most likely have everything you need right now!

The supplies that I used are cardstock, two jump rings, two beads and two rhinestones.  

I used a hole punch to get twelve circles and glued them together six in a stack, making two stacks. Then I glued the jump rings to the top of each stack.  Next, the trapezoid shape is probably an inch and a half long and I used a paint brush handle to round them out, then rolled them up as slanted as I could and glued the end down.  

I glued the rolled up pieces to the circle stack and placed a tiny amount of glue between them and pressed them together.

I used a thin strip of card stock and glued it to the top of the cylinders then trimmed off the access leaving enough to glue the strap to.

I glued the two beads or eye pieces on top of the strip.

I used the rhinestones between the eye pieces as the focus dials, one on top and one underneath.

I curled the thinnest piece of cardstock to use as the strap.  Then I painted the whole set black.  The strap I painted brown.  Then I gave it a clear coat of gloss Mod Podge.

I also used a bit of dimensional magic to make the ends look like glass.

I didn't take pictures while making the first set, then decided to make a tutorial for you.  I like the first set better than the second.  But both are precious.

Aren't they just the cutest??  

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO ~Laurie

Miniature Wainscoting Tutorial

 Hello to all my mini friends!  OK.  I've never actually used the word wainscoting, only calling it a half wall in the loft.  But I was told it is actually called wainscoting.  So here we are.  lol

My loft needed a little something for the walls and I think the half wall turned out great!  I used chipboard, cardstock, a beaded necklace, sequins and a rhinestone for the center of each sequin just for detail.  In keeping with the theme of the building, I painted it black and used metallic brown to highlight the edges.  And as usual there are no measurements because I simply cut the pieces to fit the space.  

The inside front wall around the windowed door is done in all brick so I thought it would look good to add a little bit of exposed brick on the other two walls.  I feel that originally these two walls were brick and were plaster covered sometime over the years.

I don't have one of those fancy cutting machines.  I just use my exacto knife.

I glued the pieces to a piece of cardstock as I thought it would be too difficult to try and center each cut out on the wall itself.  And it'll be much easier to paint and then install.

Adding top and bottom trim pieces here.

This is where I added a little more detail.  I had an old, beaded necklace that was broken so I decided to use it as detail under the ledge.

After painting the wainscoting, I checked it for size in the loft before using joint compound 

on the walls.

And while writing this post I decided to show you my next pictures of the loft walls.  

This picture shows the walls before shadowing.  Also, I have had these floral napkins for years and have used them many times.  For this wall, instead of cutting around the flowers I just gently tore around the pieces to avoid napkin lines.  It worked rather well and the pieces simply blended into the paint.   

P.S.  I only used the top layer of the napkin.

I am in LOVE!! 

Thanks for following along in my loft journey!!

It sure is coming along!

XOXO ~Laurie

Miniature Apothecary Boxes Tutorial

 Hi my Mini Friends!  I wasn't quite sure what to call these apothecary boxes because they might be a called a cabinet?  Even though they aren't big cabinets or what I would consider a cabinet.  Maybe a supply box or doctor's box?  Nevertheless, today I am showing you easy chipboard boxes to make.  The drawers do not open.  Matter of fact, I didn't even put a back on them mainly because they all had homes inside of a bookshelf or against a wall in my Apothecary.  

As usual, I did not include measurements.  Mainly because I just winged it making these the right size for each spot I needed them for.   I think they turned out great and really went together in no time.  

I did put legs on the one I am showing as my tutorial.  

So maybe that one would be considered a cabinet.

As you can see here, I cut from chipboard two sides, a bottom, top and front piece.  I also cut thin strips to look like drawers or square pieces to also look like drawers.

I used my trusty Elmers wood glue to piece them together.

The legs I bought from an Etsy shop.

You can see the tiny labels below.  I found the free printable online for these and shrunk them down.

I used beads as the drawer pulls.

The blue one is my favorite.

Thanks for stopping by and I really hope you enjoyed this!

XOXO ~Laurie

Loft Update and Geraniums in Window Boxes Tutorial

 Welcome Back Mini Friends!!!  Ever had a project that just sits and waits for you while life is chaotic?  2025 has been a tough year on the farm but one thing I can count on is that my miniature project in the craft room is patiently waiting for my next move.   There is such a comfort in that.  

The Loft above my Apothecary is coming together.  At least the patio is, and today I am sharing my progress and some "flowers" and flower boxes for the patio railing that I made.  For the planter boxes I used packaging from my dog's heartworm medication and added some hot glue details and then painted them.

For the geraniums I used beet seeds, mounted them on green floral wire and then painted them.  I glued floral foam into the planters and painted it brown.  Then I just stuck the flower picks into there with E6000 glue.  For the geranium leaves I used a flower-shaped punch.  

Towards the end of the post you will see that I added ivy climbing the half wall.  I also have started on the flooring in The Loft.  

My big question for you is... What do you think the inside decor should be?  I am thinking it should be an Artist's Loft, with paintings and paints.  What do you think??

Thank you for visiting!  Stay tuned for more Loft updates.  Maybe I'll get it finished by the end of the year!  LOL.  I'm working on lighting, flooring, walls, and eventually a ceiling and rooftop.

What do you think on decor for this space?  

XOXO! Laurie