The dollar store swap items I received

These items were made by Doreen. The fern planter is from a wedding bubble bottle and the cherub was a little ornament. The cake stand is a bobbin.
Brenda's items - the ironing board was made with parts cut from a full size wire rack, foam core and a pair of panties. :) The laundry basket was cut from a bowl freshener. The little box by the chair holds the pencil eraser petit fours.
Gaye made a ping pong ball chandelier and a table from a battery powered candle stand and a door knob guard. The bowl is half a baby rattle party favor. The button next to it is supposed to be the bowl stand. It just hadn't been glued back together yet.

As you can see, I received some beautiful things. I have some very talented mini friends!

Dollar Store Swap

I recently participated in a dollar store swap. The only requirement was that each item had some part purchased from any dollar store. I chose Dollar Tree. My supplies were: party favor trophy cups, measuring spoons, plastic fern and a pink plastic desk and chair set.
These are the finished items. The trophy became a stone planter for the fern. The desk and chair set got a shabby chic finish and the measuring spoons became nested mixing bowls. (I got that idea from one of your blogs. I'm sorry that I don't remember which one. Please comment here and give yourself credit. :) )

The items I received were far more creative than mine were. Some of them were a mini garden, a cake decorating prep board, an ironing board, a basket of laundry, petite fours from pencil erasers, a shabby chic chair, a round dining table, a fruit bowl and a chandelier (from a ping pong ball half.)

Fireplace Swap & Boutique Ideas

I found these ornament frames today at Dollar General. I am going to use some of my mirrored poster board to make ornate mirrors for the boutique. I also have a name for the shop - Zegelien's Ladies Boutique. The larger retailers of that era all seemed to be named for someone. Zegelien is my MIL's maiden name. I just like the way it sounds, LOL.
I was recently involved in a fireplace swap in an online forum. I made the fireplace tools, bellows, ax and stack of logs for everyone. A few of the lovely things I received are shown here - the Victorian coal box looks wonderful in my Petite Dreams Victorian parlor.
Kate upgraded to this beautiful fireplace. Brenda made the fireplace and the overmantle (really intended to be a dummy board but I like it on the mantle.) She also made the clock. The log rack was made by Gaye and the pinecone topiary was made by Rosie. The turned jar on the mantle was made by Tom Saunders - that piece was the original inspiration for Kate's living room in Magnolia Way. Brenda, Gaye and Rosie all made more items than I've displayed here. Not all of them have a permanent home yet.

Halloween swaps

Since Harriet moved out of her old kitchen and into the boarding house Wanda moved in. She's done some redecorating with batty wallpaper and a good layer of grime everywhere.
I received some very interesting swap items from my Small World friends. Gaye made everything on the table except for the crystal ball -spells on scrolls and a spell book, a candle and a skull.
The witchy cookie jar was made by Sandy Copeland. The "food" was made by Gary in New Hampshire - witches fingers, bbq bat wings and candied eyeballs on the footed tray. The wooden bowl holds rancid meat with carrots and rat tails and a boar's snout.
Brenda made the pumpkin head and the three jars of potion ingredients on the shelf over the window. Gaye made the bottle. The shelf over the chair holds a glow in the dark skeleton from Gary and an eyeball plant from Rosie. The bottle next to the cauldron was also from Rosie. The shelf on the right wall holds a beautiful witch's hat by Sandy Copeland.
Charlene made the pumpkin with the ghost and Brenda made the crate of pumpkins. Wanda's hat and her owl, Walter, were made by Sandy for last year's swap.

I made the furniture and the candlestands with candles, the wall shelves, and Wanda. The view through the window was in the October issue of American Miniaturist.

Play time

After a busy day, James and Rebekah finally sit down for supper. The stew simmered all day and is very good.
Now that everyone has received their garden swaps in my Small World group, I can show how I used a few of the items in and around my cabin. Brenda made the basket of beautiful heirloom tomatoes and the carrot. The loaf of bread is the best mini loaf I've ever made. :-)
Gary made the flowers. They look great in Rebekah's heirloom vase (made from a bead.)
This is a much better photo of the wood chopping area. I weathered the tree stump a little.
This little bunny was also made by Brenda. I showed a back view earlier. Isn't he cute? Even if he is nibbling on Rebekah's plants.

I love my mailman!

Today was a great day for mail - I got all three packages I've been waiting for. The first was the kits to make these chairs to go with the table I made for a customer. The Chrysbon Duxbury chair looks just like her real ones. I'm really happy with the finished chairs and now I can get them mailed to my wonderfully patient customer. :-)
The second package was the order from HBS that I used my birthday money for. Part of it was this outhouse. It came unfinished but I gave it that silvery, gray finish that wood ages to when exposed to the elements. The Jensons are very happy to have their "necessary" ready for use.

The third package was the Small World garden swap. Not everyone has their package so I'm only gonna share this adorable little bunny. It looks like he's knocked down one of Rebekah's precious plants so he'd better be careful.