Tag Archives: miniature

Contemplating a New Build, Part 2

31 Mar

It did not take long for me to take the plunge and proceed with purchasing the DIY pinball machine kit. Forget the concern of where to place the finished Marble Run Spaceport, and forget about what to do if and when the pinball machine is done and completed.

The important thing here is the current moment in time, and that is to feel good and challenged, working on an intricate build. Let the kit arrive, and no need to contemplate but build!

Last week, I ordered the pinball machine kit from my favorite online shopping site. It has been more than a week, and every day I see the same status for my purchase: Seller preparing your order. Yikes!

Nothing is moving. Typically, when I order something, the status changes almost immediately, and I see the progress of the item, from being packed to being shipped, right down to the delivery date. Alas, none of this for my pinball machine kit! Boo.

I am worried that the vendor may not fulfill my order, as I have experienced cancellations in the past. So I messaged the vendor on the shopping site to check on the status. A computer shop assistant was quick to respond to my inquiry and even outlined the timeline for the order date and estimated shipping date to me. However, a week has passed since the shipping date, which they have acknowledged.

So they outlined a new delivery timeline and date, and asked for understanding and patience. What choice do I have at this point? I’ve waited so long already, and I shouldn’t cancel on them, right? Sigh, I wait then.

The next day, the shop assistant messaged me to say that my order had been packed and was ready to ship. The new target delivery date is tomorrow. I’m excited that there has been progress! However, I won’t celebrate just yet; I need to see that the package has actually shipped.

I hold my breath, anticipating the arrival of the DIY pinball machine. Keeping my fingers crossed, and stay tuned!

Contemplating a New Build

17 Mar

I’ve been contemplating working on another DIY project similar to the Marble Run Spaceport. That piece was so satisfying. The kit I am eyeing is a pinball machine that I can play with once I finish putting it together. How cool is that?

However, I need to resolve my predicament of displaying larger pieces, as my IKEA display cabinet has already been maxed out. The Spaceport has been sitting on my little workstation. I have no place to start a new project! Sigh.

So until I can resolve this issue, starting a new big project is wishful thinking.

The Spaceport has docked at my workstation!

Stalled at Homescapes, Part 3

26 Jul

I was stalled at Homescapes again the past few days. It looks like the updates are for only 50 levels each time. I was at Level 15398, thinking I could go on, but I had to wait for Level 15401 to open when I completed the last two levels in no time.

Why is this game so addictive?

Well, it’s good that I had a packed golf schedule to occupy my time rather than being home to play Homescapes. I didn’t even sit at my workstation to look at my incomplete miniature, left unattended and collecting dust for the last six months.

Level 15401 opened this morning, and I’m just taking my time to play until I get stalled again. I’m too fast for the developer of the game!

Stalled at Homescapes

19 Jul

My three-year-old iPad Mini5 has always been my go-to device at home instead of my iPhone for games, news, and movies. The game I have been playing a lot is Homescapes, having downloaded the game a year later after getting the iPad and playing daily.

But yesterday, I found I could not progress further! I have completed Level 15350, and Level 15351, in black and white, is not ready. Wow. Perhaps the timing is right with this pause because I find myself staring at my device too much if I am at home.

What do I do now that my favorite game has stalled? Hmm, I should revert to crafting my miniatures! That’s what I should do – something to consider and rethink my dependency on the iPad at home.

Waiting for Level 15351 to release!

No New Purchases

21 Nov

I have to admit I am surprised that during the recent 11.11 sale on my favorite online shopping site, I did not buy any DIY miniature sets! While I did purchase other things, I did not add to my stash of miniatures to craft.

Am I losing interest in crafting miniatures? The latest piece, DIY project number 32, has stalled for several weeks. Maybe I am going through a phase. I’m sure I will get back into the groove.

After all, my stash is still sizeable, and there are still many sets available online that I’d like to acquire. We’ll see how long I can last, making no purchases of DIY sets.

DIY Project #32, Part 2

24 Oct

As I am taking a week off from playing golf, the logical thing to do is to start building the next miniature to keep busy. Otherwise, I’d be on my iPad Mini for ages, playing my games mindlessly; bad for my eyes, I’d have to admit.

Assessing what I have, I think I will go ahead with the Walnut series set. Wish me luck!

DIY Project #32

16 Oct

I am keen to start DIY project number 32, but the will to craft and build is not there. Have I stopped too long and lost interest? I’m not sure. My stash of miniatures is still there, and the desire to buy more from my favorite online shopping site is also there, but the will to build is sadly lacking.

Perhaps I have been playing too much golf and hardly any time or energy left for other activities. Well, I guess I have to be disciplined, shake off the layer of dust, and do it!

DIY Project #31

18 Aug

After a lengthy pause from crafting, I have decided to start on DIY project number 31. Number 31, wow! It’s been three years now that I have been building miniatures, and I find this activity very therapeutic. It’s nice to be immersed in my little miniature world, away from all the noise and disruption of reality!

However, sometimes it can be very aggravating because things are all so tiny, but I take the challenge head-on. Deft fingers and patience are a must. My biggest bane now is storage. Where do I keep the completed sets? I should consider acquiring a second Ikea display cabinet to house all my completed miniatures.

So project number 31, a kitchen, is a small set like projects number 25 and 26. They are from the same series. Three weeks tops to complete this, barring disruptions or travel? We shall see.

Project number 31 begins!

To Craft or Not to Craft

25 Jul

Now that I have completed DIY project number 30, it is starting to collect dust (!) because I left it on the dining table. I am in a bind. Do I begin the next one or not? There is no space in the Ikea display cabinet to fit in another set this size. And I don’t have any spare dust covers to protect the completed kit from dust.

Perhaps I should pause my crafting because, just about every other day, I am at the golf course. So any crafting momentum would be slow and not smooth at all.

If I start and crafting is going slow, incomplete pieces will only collect dust at my workstation. It doesn’t have to be a predicament to craft or not, but it is. Sigh.

DIY Project #30, Part 2

17 Jul

I completed DIY project number 30 over the weekend! Despite taking a week off from it because I was busy playing golf, it was good-paced enjoyment and a pleasant experience compared to all my previous sets.

A super fun build
DIY project number 30

I did not encounter any frustrating moments and did not have glue stuck on my fingers. My biggest challenge now is to find a place to display it, as the set did not come with a dust cover. Looking at my Ikea display cabinet, there is hardly any space left, unfortunately. So I may have to swap things around to make room for it. We shall see.

I will take a break from building miniatures before deciding on project number 31.