Feeling inspired that I finally completed the last miniature, I started on the next one immediately, project number 26. It should not take so long since I have to be home to continue my road to recovery from my medical issues.
I have yet to play golf, so it’s a matter of allocating enough time to the project daily. Then there will be progress. I find these DIY miniature sizes more enjoyable to do. Also, the completed set does not take up much space in the IKEA display cabinet. Nice!
Since I took forever to complete DIY project number 23, I decided to play with it. Being my only classroom setting kit, a little role play for some fun. As I happened to have three felted Miffy bunnies (I gave the others away), they are the perfect size for the classroom!
Add in Hedwig, the learned owl, to teach the classroom – this little fun makes up for the lengthy duration I took to complete the set. If I had more felted characters done up, I would have one busy township bustling with activities. All those DIY sets that I have completed would have a better use than just being in the Ikea display cabinet.
DIY project number 23 has been such a challenge. After five months, I’m glad to say DIY project number 23 is a done deal. Well, almost. Not so much of it is hard to construct, but more because of my commitment to staying focused to get it done. When there are other things to do, crafting miniatures takes a backseat.
The structure and furniture pieces were all completed some time ago. However, I left things unattended, diverting to felting Miffy rabbits and cute tortoises in between playing golf. The finishing details were the schoolbags and ceiling lights which I decided to skip doing for practical reasons, or call it customizing, if you may.
The set will sit in the Ikea display cabinet with the other completed miniature projects. So being in the display cabinet, ceiling lights are pointless because it is too tight a space to touch anything in there. In other words, I have not turned on the lights of any of the sets for some time already. As for the bags, well, I find them too tedious to make, so I’m leaving them out now, but I may change my mind. We shall see.
I have also decided not to take a long break and will jump right into DIY project number 24, which is a much smaller set; hence, the time to complete it will not take so long. I hope I will be more focused on it once I get started.
Straws have become such a no-no to use over the years because of their detrimental characteristics. Like everyone else, I do my part and try to minimize my straw usage. The one pack of straws that I bought from IKEA years ago for the girls to use for some high school project has been left unused, but I never threw them away. Ages, I would say, as both girls are all grown up now.
But straws sometimes can be used for home hacks to fix things. Recently I broke my golf umbrella, and it took me a while to figure out how to fix it. Then it dawned upon me that perhaps a straw could resolve my problem.
True enough, I fixed my umbrella by using a straw as a joint to hold up the broken arm. What a clever hack, isn’t it?
I have to admit this piece is my third character before the gnomes. Soon after finishing Mike from Monsters, Inc., I wanted to do something for myself. Hence, an owl to go with what I have been carving to make Gigglesville.
It took some 3D visualization effort, and in the end, I am pleased with the result! It looks like crafting miniatures and carving are taking a backseat for this.
Within a few days, I felted a few more characters. IKEA’s Christmas gnomes inspired me, so I decided to make a couple of my own instead of buying.
After all, a gnome character is right up my alley, with all the gnomes that I have carved. I think my attempts are pretty good!
As expected, I completed DIY project number 22 before the weekend was up! It was an easy-peasy set – that’s why I picked it over the other choices from the stash. Although I feared working on the many fabric pieces after completing the nitty-gritty, the task did not intimidate me. It turned out to be quite enjoyable.
There were days that I did not have time to sit down to work on the set, which I had anticipated, but I managed, and I’m pleased. The best part, I found a spot in the Ikea display cabinet for it. Soon after, I took a day off from crafting miniatures, and I even went to the office.
I think carving the Gnome Trio will be sidelined again because I want to start the felting activity to see if I like the new hobby. It could be the start of something new!
After the short getaway, it’s back to the daily routine. And this includes getting back to crafting miniatures. I have rested long enough, and the stash is piling up.
After some thought, I have decided to work on a mini-set, which generally is a feel-good piece to do. And this shouldn’t take too many days. Tops, I would say two weeks, inclusive of some off days and golf days.
A mini set is perfect because I am running out of display places. The Ikea display cabinet is chock-full of DIY miniatures of all sizes, and any larger ones would not fit. But I can squeeze in the tiny mini ones.
Perhaps my next purchase should be another Ikea display cabinet to house all my miniatures. Hmm, it’s a good thought.
By the way, I am bypassing carving the second Gnome Trio. The mood to carve is not quite happening. So back to crafting miniatures to keep busy is best.
True to my estimates, I completed DIY project number 21 before the weekend! It was a delightful end to this simple and uncomplicated set to do. The time taken was not too long, and there were even days when I did not work on it at all because I was out playing golf.
The only thing I changed, or should I say, added, were the two Little People to complete the cuteness of this set. Now it sits in the Ikea display cabinet with the other completed ones. For now, I am on a break from crafting miniatures and contemplating the next one to do.
Perhaps I really should get back to completing the second Gnome Trio carving, which has been left unattended for some time already. Hmm.
DIY project number 20 was quite an enjoyable set to craft. Although I stopped working on it for several days because I was busy with M2 and her leaving, I got back to it immediately when I did not have to worry anymore about her arrival and settling down.
The tail-end of the set was basically to dress it up with the hanging vines and fruits, as I had gotten most of the pieces in place already. It is a rather cute set, I would say.
And with its completion, it now sits in the IKEA display cabinet along with the others. I was contemplating starting a new set when I realized project #17 is still incomplete! Oh no, I have forgotten about it, having sidetracked on it with three other projects. I suppose I should finish it before even thinking of starting another new set.
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