Miniature Crocks Tutorial

 Hello all!  This is about as simple as it gets!  To make these tiny crocks all you need is the top to old spray bottles, paint and mod podge.  That's it!  

Most of the time I like to put a coat of chalk paint on before I paint.  In this case, it's not really necessary.  You will have to paint a couple of coats of regular craft paint so you can't see through it.

After the paint is dry, I like to brush on a coat of matte mod podge for a good finish.

Thinking of a butter churn, I grabbed a couple of buttons and a toothpick.  I glued the buttons together and painted them.  It turned out pretty good.

Thanks for stopping by!

XoXo ~Laurie

Etsy Shop Update

 Good day to you all!  I wanted to let you know that I have listed some of my handmade miniatures along with some vintage miniatures for sale in my Etsy shop!  It's been a while since I've offered my miniatures for sale.  I do love each one of them so but sometimes you've just got to clean house.  So I decided to share some!  There is always free shipping on my miniatures.  I also sell fabric scraps hand chosen with the tiniest patterns perfect for minis.

There will be more listed soon!  Please let me know in the comments if you have any requests for my handmade items that you have seen here on my blog!

You can visit my shop by clicking HERE

Thanks for looking and visiting!  

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Laurie 

Miniature Mantle Clock Tutorial

 Hello all!  Isn't it funny how one little thing can inspire a miniature piece??  That is what happened with this cute little mantle clock.  The faux gold oval ring with plastic probably came from an old piece of jewelry, maybe a watch.  I found it in an old sewing box I bought at a yard sale.  But it totally inspired me to make a purpose for it again.  

I do not have proper measurements, I never do, because I made the clock around the oval piece.  I would say it is about an inch and a half tall.  For the back I used black card stock, in two solid layers then two layers with an oval cut out for depth.  I found and printed a clock face from the internet.  I also used layered card stock for the base and top.

I used beads for the columns and trimmed down lace for the edging design.

I used wire to hold the beads together while the glue dried then trimmed the excess wire.

I painted it all black first then decided to paint it brown.

Not too shabby don't you think?!  

Oh, and as pretty much always, I used Elmers wood glue to hold everything together.  

Thanks for visiting!  

Happy mini-making!

XOXO ~Laurie

Miniature Bird Nest Tutorial

 Hello all!  I noticed a branch on the outside of my fairy pumpkin house that looked like it needed a little something.  So, I thought I would try and make a teeny bird nest to go there.  I wish I would have taken pictures of the first one being made because I think it turned out better than the second example.  They both turned out precious in their own way. 

The first step that I took, no pictures, but I used two shades of DMC floss (cross stitch string) in tan and brown.  I dabbed school glue on my pointer finger and thumb and ran the string through the glue then let it dry.  This just stiffens the strands.  I then cut it up into small pieces about a half inch long and also cut pieces a little longer and a little shorter because the "sticks" would naturally be different sizes.

I then used a very small button and dabbed wood glue on it then placed some "sticks" on the glue.  After that I just used my tweezers and would barely dip each stick into the glue and stacked them up around the edge of the nest until I came to what looked like a nest.  

Of course, I had to make some tiny bird eggs out of air-dry clay :) 

Have you ever made a teeny bird nest?  What material did you use?

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

XOXO Laurie