Miniature Mannequin Tutorial

 Good afternoon, friends!!  Yesterday I was browsing the web and found a beautiful French window display that had an old mannequin with a gorgeous lace skirt on.  I stared at the picture for a few minutes and thought.. I can make that.  I dug through my stash of lace and couldn't decide what to use.  I selected some vintage tulle that I recently bought for fifty cents at my local fabric honey pot store.  

I began by making the bodices out of oven bake clay which I much prefer to the air dry clay.  While they were baking, I dug through my stashes of supplies and found spare wooden spindles and buttons for the bases.  When they were ready I got to work.  

I painted the bodices and then covered them in wood glue and white tulle.  Then glued on the top piece and bottom stand.  I aged the body tulle which also kinda covered up the yellow-ish wood glue.  

For the skirts I just cut a long piece of tulle and ran a needle with thread through the top edge, pulling until I felt the skirt was pleated enough.  I thought about making some sort of shawl or lace top but wound up liking just a necklace.  The pink mannequin isn't quite finished.  She is the smaller, four inch tall gal.  I'm not quite satisfied with new necklace feeling like it needs something else.  As it needs to be really tiny, I haven't found what I need to use yet.  It's here somewhere!

Hope you enjoy!  

Isn't that skirt gorgeous?!?!  The tulle is old and relaxed just right.  Reminds me of something from the 1950's.

That's all for now.  I wish I had a beautiful Paris shop window to put them in!

Please share on Pinterest if you have a second!

If you share anywhere else please ask permission!

XOXO ~Laurie

Miniature Blue Canning Jars

 Hello friends!!  Sometimes an idea hits me in a strange place.  This morning, whilst in the tub, I thought to myself... so what if I used school glue with liquid food color and painted jars with it?  School glue dries clear and the food color might tint it just enough to make the jars a different color.  And guess what??!!  It worked!!  So now I am sharing it with you!!

Simply mix a drop or two of white school glue and a very tiny amount of liquid food coloring and apply it to your store bought, teeny, tiny glass jars.  They are so beautiful!!  I even tried to use my glue gun to write Ball on the jars.  From a distance it looks legit.  But we know different wink, wink!

On a side note... if they dry and you don't like the color just run them under hot water and the glue will dissolve.  Then you can try it again!!!  Magic!!!

So pretty and soooooo easy!  

If you enjoyed this tutorial or any of my other posts, please share to Pinterest for me!!

Love ya, mean it!!  XOXO Laurie

Miniature Farmhouse Chair Tutorial

Hello Mini Lovers!!  Today I am sharing a miniature farmhouse chair that I made.  I know chairs can be easily purchased and painted but isn't is more fun to say "I made that"?!?!

I made this chair from premade spindles purchased from Etsy, toothpicks, a piece of balsa wood for the back and a piece of heavier craft wood (can't remember the name lol) for the seat.

I don't use fancy tools.  Mainly to cut wood I use an exacto knife or kitchen shears.  To sand I use a fingernail file or sandpaper.  I also like to use a little fingernail kit that I've had for years.

I sanded the leg ends at an angle then glued onto the bottom and two on the back.  These usually come in a pack of eight and I always save the parts I didn't use.  They come in handy for other projects.

I painted some brown splotches over the chair where I wanted chippy paint to look old.  I painted school glue over the brown and then painted white paint.  Don't let the glue dry before you do this part.  As it dries the white paint will crack exposing the brown paint underneath.