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DIY Project #19, Part 2

13 Sep

I took eight days to complete DIY project number 19, although I have to say two days did not count because I hardly sat down to work on it. When M1 was still under home quarantine, we were busy tending to her needs. I felt as if we were running a full-service Airbnb, constantly making sure our guest was well fed and comfortable!

Project number 19 was as enjoyable to work on as the previous set from the same series. The only challenging part was putting the table lamp together. However, I decided to skip making the umbrella because I wanted my Little People figurine to be part of the prop. And the umbrella somehow did not fit it.

So now that this is complete, I will take a break before starting a new set. Alternatively, I should complete carving the second Gnome Trio that has stalled. We shall see.

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DIY Project #19

3 Sep

I have decided to bypass DIY project number 17 again! I don’t understand why I am struggling with it. I suspect the clay work is putting me off, as well as the wirework. So instead of staying stuck and not progressing with any more miniatures, I started on DIY project number 19.

The tiny project number 19

This set is another cute tiny piece like project number 18, as they are from the same series. I think this is the way to go forward to navigate challenging and unappealing tasks at hand. As I still have so many more sets waiting for me, I don’t want to lose interest in crafting miniatures!

Maybe once project number 19 is complete and I get my mojo back, I will jump back to number 17 to finish it off. Let’s hope for the best.

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Too Cute to Resist

20 Aug

With nine DIY miniature sets waiting in line, I thought I’d be fine and not buy anymore for a while. Well, I thought wrong! I bought another two micro-miniature sets recently, which I have to admit, were too cute to resist. They just arrived.

My latest purchases to add to my stash!

How can an ardent miniature builder resist these two? They are the latest release from the same manufacturer, and I just had to have them in my collection.

Never mind the big stash that I have. I might jump the queue and work on these ahead of the others. I may even bypass the current DIY number 17 and work on one of these irresistible sets!

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Alternating Between Projects, Part 2

16 Aug

I seem to be fickle-minded. At one point, I concluded that it was not good to alternate between carving and building miniatures, and the next thing I know, I was doing it. Now, I find myself at this juncture again.

Working on two projects at the same time

DIY project number 17 has started in tandem with carving another Gnome Trio. What am I thinking? As if managing the vegetable patch is not enough, alternating on two projects again? I must be very restless.

DIY project number 17

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The Big Gnome Trio, Part 2

6 Aug

I decided to focus on the last Gnome after completing DIY project number 16. The remaining section did not take long to shape and finish, and I’m glad I got this out of the way. With all three Gnomes now complete, I can revert my energy to building miniatures.

The big Gnome Trio now joins their mini version being displayed here and there in the house. Or I could prepare them to stand guard outside. We shall see, for I have to find the perfect spot for them.

The Gnome Trio in XXL and XS sizes.

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DIY Project #16, Part 2

2 Aug

It took me almost two weeks to complete DIY project number 16. The set was a nice change from what I have done so far. But there were occasions I was very exasperated because the parts and pieces are so micro-small. It’s hard to put them together. So I was using the tweezer a lot to hold things, and I was getting a lot of glue on my fingers as well!

Lots of micro details

Despite the grouses, I enjoyed the build very much. Will I attempt another one? Well, there’s the micro kit-in-a-box waiting for me. I will take a breather from building miniatures for a day or two before starting the next set.

The complete micro project #16. Love it!

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A Micro Project

27 Jul

As if having a stash of nine DIY projects is not enough, I succumbed to another online purchase of yet another set last week! Unbelievable considering that I am currently alternating between DIY project number 16 and the Gnome Trio. This latest purchase is a micro-set and even smaller than project number 16.

There seems to be a fear of running low on my DIY stash as I keep buying more and more. However, this latest purchase is different, whereby the miniature set has to fit inside a box. And the box measures a mere five and a half inches wide by three inches tall by an inch in depth. Micro is an apt word to describe this!

There’s always a first to try something new!

Exciting as it is, I should focus on DIY project number 16, which is at the tail-end of its build already, before even thinking of working on this micro project.

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Alternating Between Projects

23 Jul

Alternating between projects this time around is good. There is much progress for the Gnome Trio and DIY project number 16. I stopped project number 16 for the time being because I’m at the part where I have to make the plants, and this step looks very tedious. So I’m stalling.

It’s coming along!

I decided to work on Gnome Two, and it is looking great. Gnomes One and Two have just the varnishing process to be finally complete. Gnome Three, however, still has the work cut out for me. There is one section that needs carving, then the sanding, patching, and painting. It’s okay as the processes are enjoyable.

The Gnome Trio

Upon completing all three Gnomes, I need to find the focus to jump back into making those tiny plants for project number 16. Slowly but surely, my projects occupying my time to weather through this lockdown which is never-ending. Sigh.

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The Big Gnome Trio

20 Jul

Alternating between DIY project number 16 is the big Gnome Trio. I stopped working on them earlier to focus on DIY project number 15. And when number 15 was complete, I jumped back into carving for a bit before starting on number 16.

These days, I find myself alternating between projects again, even though I decided not to do so earlier. But I can’t help myself because I think all three gnomes can complete at the same time with DIY project number 16. We shall see how it goes.

Gnome One of three is complete and ready; Gnome Two has some fine-tuning before the gesso stage. Gnome Three needs a little bit more woodwork before the subsequent few processes to complete. Generally, I am pleased with the progress of all the Gnomes.

Coming along with the carvings!

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DIY Project # 16

19 Jul

DIY project number 16 is a tiny kit, micro to be specified. I dived into it after working on the big Gnome Trio for a bit. I thought it would be easy, but I was wrong. Thankfully, the instruction manual is in English and relatively easy to understand.

The lighting plan

The wiring work was so complicated. This miniature is the first one where the lights had a trail plan to set up. It is thoughtful of the manufacturer to include a battery in the battery pack to make things easier. After following the instructions thoroughly, I must say, it turned out well.

Inch tall room and micro furniture pieces!

The biggest challenge here is that the pieces are far smaller than what I have handled before. They are not just tiny but micro tiny! So I find myself using the tweezer more to pick up parts to glue; quite a change from all the previous work, and I find myself sighing a fair bit whenever things don’t go as planned. There were times when there is more glue on my fingers than on the pieces themselves.

Two floors completed!

Micro as it is, I foresee completing this set within a short time frame.

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