De-Lightful Minis

I am so happy with the finished basement. I was able to put in many elements from the real basement and figuring out how to make the water heater and furnaces was actually fun. The greenish tan gas furnace was made from a Jones Soda mint can and some thin metal for the vents. The wood furnace is part of a plastic box with a metal door and foil covered straws for the vent pipes. The water heater is a film canister, buttons, jewelry findings and a larger foil covered straw with a label cut from a photo.
The shelf holds everything from paint and extension cords to deer antlers - although those are actually in the attic of the real house, not the basement, lol. Under the stairs is a safe for important papers and small collectibles. I could probably add a little mouse coming out from under the stairs as someone suggested.
The kitchen counter is ready for a party - there's a birthday cake, chips, barbecue skewers of beef (the chips and beef were made by wonderful Small World friends, Gaye and Brenda) and a cheese ball and crackers (this was a consignment shop purchase and was unmarked). I need to add a vegetable tray at some point.

So the upper room/library has been papered and floored. It's just waiting for bookshelves along the back wall. Then I need to fill it with bunches and bunches of books. My FIL was a librarian in addition to a farmer. He drove a bookmobile for many years. The center room of the upper story is lined with floor to ceiling shelves filled with books. When our children were small, there was also a pool table in that room so I will make one I think. At the least I need extra chairs and a wooden high chair or two if I don't use the pool table. As part of my "research" I watched a family video from 18 years ago. My youngest was a newborn and our daughters and all their cousins were playing in that upper room. The oldest grandchild was "interviewing" them while videotaping. It was all very cute and I got a good look at the room again. I don't want to repeat those days but I'm so glad to have so many wonderful memories of those large family gatherings.