The Expansion of My Miniature World Books

Hello my dear friends,

I hope you all had a very good weekend. Finally the sun decided to come out and we had some lovely days in a row. Unfortunately for me I wish I was as happy as the weather. My health decided to pull some strings which to my dismay has left me very weak, helpless and tired to do anything both in my real life or in my miniature world. Due to this I haven't started working on my next project but I am really looking forward to gain my strength so I can once again move on. I have just been diagnosed with a very under active thyroid. I still have to run more tests and now I am on meds. Under these circumstances I am waiting for the meds to kick in as it has been only over a week that I found out. I am very optimistic and I am looking forward to feel much more like my usual tornado self.  

I also wanted to welcome 2 new followers of my blog Marie Winell and Nancy Gallo. WELCOME!

Being what things are I wanted to share with you the lovely expansion of My Miniature World Books which is being quite a success. From downloads, I have turned them into kits and now they are for sale from my own blog. I have opened a section just for My Miniature World Books where you can purchase the books directly from here. There is a tag right near the home page to see them.

My Miniature World books have all started from the first book that I made called "The Book of Fairytale Spells" which was made for my Fairy tale Magical Mystery tower. I have made it for the Witch's Den based Snow White. I had quite some request for copies of this book and my friends suggested that I should actually start selling it.

The Snow White scene with the 1st miniature book

The Book of Fairytale Spells

It was a great hit and it is still going strong. With the first book came more publications and since that day 18 books have been made. Most of the books where all made as requested from customers and friends and have been quite successful. 

My Miniature World Books.

All Books are made in the same way where you can find the Tutorial on my blog The Making of My Miniature World Books. They are very easy to make. All the books have an indexed spine to complete your collection.

Indexed Book Spine

The Books are available in two versions. For those who prefer to print them themselves they can purchase the sheet and build the books with the download version which at the moment the books are only available at My Miniature World Shop at etsy.

My Miniature World Books downloadable sheet.

Since last December all books have been available in kit form. They are printed on high quality paper with a lazer printer and come cut and ready for you to build. It only takes a little bit of glue. You can find them for sale also at my shop at etsy and now even from my own blog here.

My Miniature World Books in kit form

So far I have made 18 books which I have really enjoyed making. Some of them have been inspired from animated movie pictures. Some from fantasy movies. I have also had requests to make specific books.

Here are the books  that I have made so far.

 There are 8 fantasy books based on fairy tales, fairies, mystical creatures and many more.






We also have 3 Christmas books for the festive season. 






    

We have also some Children's stories.

The latest additions after lots of requests and consideration I have also started the collection of the Children's Stories by Beatrix Potter. This collection has started since last February and every month a new book is made. So far 3 books have been made and at the moment I am working on the 4th book.

So I hope that you will find time to have a look at the new additions. If there are any requests or suggestions that you would like to see please do let me know. This has been quite a new venture for me and it is still growing so I am looking forward to keep up to the task.

Well that is all for today. Let's hope that I will gain my strength to start working on my new projects.

Please keep tuned for my updates.

Take Care and See you real soon.

Hugs,

Rebecca xxx

The Gingerbread Man Miniature Scene

Hello my dear friends,

I hope you are all fine and have enjoyed your Easter Holidays. The weather here in Malta has been slightly better and finally I hope I can get back to being my normal self again. I haven't done much as real life has taken over in the past few weeks. My kids where off from school and I enjoyed them to the full. I also wanted to welcome a new follower to my blog Penelope Welcome!

Today I will be sharing with you something a bit different from usual. It is a little miniature scene which is called The Gingerbread Man. Well I think we have all read about this little fairy tale about the naughty gingerbread man that after he was baked he ran away and was chased by the bakers and a few animals but at the end he was eaten by the cunning fox. 

The Gingerbread Man Miniature Scene

Well, this miniature scene was basically made for a school project. My colleague at the office needed some help to make this project for her 6 year old son. It basically had to be about a favorite story book of the kids where then they will do a Show-and-Tell about it. As she didn't have any idea how to go about it......well you can all imagine what happened..........instead of helping her, I ended up making it myself which I really enjoyed doing. It was something fun and a bit different from the usual. 

As it was a school project I had to cut costs especially being for a 6 year old boy. So I asked for the copy of the book and it was one of those small Lady Bird Books full of pictures. It brought so many sweet memories of when I was a kid myself. I tried to use most of the pictures and characters from the original story book. One of the favorite quotes that the little gingerbread man used often in the book was "Run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the ginger bread man!". I read the story a couple of times just to get a good feel about it until I got the final picture printed in my head. I wanted it to look something between a pop up book and a mixture of a miniature scene. 

The first thing that I did was look for clip arts from my good friend Google such as trees and bushes. I even scanned some pictures from the original book.   When that was sorted then I moved to get the supplies. The number one thing that I needed was a book with a hardbound cover. There was no way I was going to destroy one of my books so I went to a charity shop and found a tick hard bound book cover. Knowing that it's destiny was meant to be destroyed, I choose a book that most likely was not to be picked up by no body.  So I started off by using a scalpel knife to go through 400 pages. My fingers where numb after that and now I know how a book worm feels. 

Using a scalpel knife through 400 pages

  After that was done I finally sanded it the pages down to make them more smooth and even. I can't even believe it myself that I actually destroyed a reading book .

The inside of the book ready and sanded down

  Then I covered the book cover using a blue contact sheet to make the new cover for the book as the book was going to be displayed open in a standing position. I  printed the original art work of the lady bird book from the story. I sprayed some acrylic lacquer so it will have a better finish and stuck it to the contact sheet on the cover with a pva glue.

Making the book cover

 When that was complete. I painted the base of the whole project in green acrylic and mounted the book to the base. Then using my computer it was time to start the design on the inside of the book. The first to start off was the back seen where you see the bakers running after the ginger bread man from the cottage. I printed some green trees and bushes where I have placed them staggered through the pages so it will have a 3D effect and sort of like a pop up book. When that was complete I added the front inside cover page which I designed using The gingerbread man's favorite quote and I also used the little original picture of the fellow. I have used a thicker kind of paper for this part to make sure that everything at the back was covered. Using a paint brush and pva glue I pasted it on and I also covered the edges of the pages so they will remain up right and stiff.

Adding the back scene and the trees and bushes to the pages

The inside of the upright book

So far I was pleased how everything was looking. I need to make some sort of lane or path from the book and along the base. So I used the paper mache' method to build the the slope and covered with with a piece of card board. After it was a tried through I covered it with gravel and green moss to give it a realistic touch. Then another idea came through my head. As I was going to make the animals chase the gingerbread man. I printed the fox to keep him in the book while the other animals will be actually figures. I printed the trees and bushes directly on cardboard, cut them out. To keep the trees up right I used wooden skewer stick and covered them with masking tape.

Making the path, trees and bushes.

I purchased the little horse and cow that matched the character from the story book. They had a nice size and finish and I was not surprised with their price tag. Their make is from Schleich figure collection. The little ginger bread man was made by me with polymer-clay as there was no way I was going to find one ready done. 

The ginger bread man made by me with polymer-clay

Then I added the figures to the scene painted the remaining green pieces and the school project was complete.

The Complete project

The book cover

The Tiny Naughty Gingerbread man

Yesterday I took it to the office and well you can imagine the squealing of my colleague when she saw it. She was thrilled. I really hope that the little chap will enjoy it and that he will do well in his Show and Tell.

So this is all for today my dear friends. I had to share this with you. Keep tuned as the new project will soon be kicking off.

Take Care and see you soon.

Hugs

Rebecca xxx 

The Divine Mercy Chapel Renovation is finally complete.

Hello my dear friends,

It has been a while as I have been very busy with Easter preparations and all that comes with it. The kids are now off from school. The weather has been slightly kinder and I was once again racing against time to finish this project just in time for Easter and it seems I have managed. I also wanted it to be ready by the Second Sunday of Easter (12th April) as it is the official feast which is called the Divine Mercy Sunday that was declared by St. Pope John Paul II. 

I  want to welcome 2 new followers of my blog Jenny Boerding and Susan Martinsen. WELCOME! I wanted to thank you all for joining us here and for your encouragement. I also wanted to thank our Friends that follow us on our Face Book Page which now have reached over 850 likes and My Miniature World Group/forum which now has reached 215 members. Thank you so much everyone. 

The Divine Mercy Chapel

So here we are at the end of this project. I still can't believe that I have managed to transform it from rags into riches. At least it looks rich to me. At first I wasn't sure that I would pull it trough but I did succeed and when it was done I could almost here it whisper a "Thank You".

So after finishing the flooring and the wall paneling I wanted to make the back altar to have a good idea how much I could fit in the furniture. I have made a small shelf and decorated it richly with the flowers and candles.

Back Altar

 With the back altar placed in the center, I also fitted the painting of the Divine Mercy which I have framed myself using cardboard and added more candles to it. 

The Divine Mercy Painting

With those in place I could start adding the main two pieces of furniture which are the Altar and the Pulpit. Somehow I still wasn't happy with the walls. They looked too plain. I didn't want to add paintings as I would have lost the effect of the stained glass windows. So I came up with an idea to add corner stone around the windows, doors and the painting of the Divine Mercy. I have painted the corner stones in the same natural color of the outside brick walls. Like this the room had a little bit of color which matched perfectly with the floor tiles. 

Corner stone works around windows and doors.

I then added the altar and the pulpit. I was slightly disappointed as the altar couldn't be place right in the center as the chapel was too small but I loved it as soon as I placed the pulpit at a slight angle. It gave it a different look.

The Altar and Pulpit in place

There was still something missing and I thought of adding more flowers near the painting of the Divine Mercy. Using the same method of the other flower arrangement that you find the Flower Arrangement Tutorial here.  I made these slightly bigger and fuller as there was enough space for them. This helped also to add more color to the surrounding and made a huge difference. I was happy with them.

Flower arrangements for the Painting of the Divine Mercy.

I also made a small shelf for the back in the corner for the church offerings. 

Shelf for church offerings

Then I added the last pieces to complete the church which were the pews. The pews match the front altar with the sign of the dove representing the Holy Spirit. I have painted them in the same color of the wall paneling and furniture and I added the hymnals to them. It gave them that extra touch.

Pews and hymnals

 Finally and not least I added 4 black wall candle battery lights which fitted in perfectly and matched so well with the style. I have fitted them in the wall gaps between the stained glass. In the dark the stained glass really has a nice glow to it. And there my chapel was complete.  I still can't believe that it is done.

Here are some pictures of the inside of the church complete.

Pews and lights in place

Ceiling View

Main Altar

I hope you have all enjoyed following this project and it's renovations. It was quite a challenge but it was also a blessing that I will always cherish. Sometimes the Above works in mysterious ways and maybe it was a sign that I should actually start believing more in myself and in my capabilities. I should start giving some more credit to myself. 

So now after this one big adventure, after Easter I will come back with a new project which most probably you all know. It is time for Ms. Leah to return and start off her new home next to her boutique in Regent Street. 

Keep tuned for the first glimpse of the new project. With this I wish you all and your loved ones a very Blessed Easter. 

Take Care and See You real soon.

Hugs,

Rebecca xxx