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MY MINI JOURNEY

JULY 1, 2009
MINI INVENTORY (or confessions of a mini addict)
As I'm coming into my 20th year of mini-ing, I thought it was time to take stock of what I have, what I've given away, and where I'm going.
Pictures not here can be found at my Webshots
 
HOUSES:
 
THORNHILL
(exterior finished, interior is under construction). When DH "thought" he would be able to retire, we had plans to build and furnish dollhouses to sell. We purchased the Thornhill kit to learn how double wide kits are made. (life is what happens while making other plans)
 
CHURCH 
(under construction) The building was started by a master carpenter who got alzheimer's. A friend of DD's gave this to me.
GAZEBO (built and painted, but not filled). This was a birthday gift from DH.
 
MINI MART EATERY
(finished, but I'm always adding to it) My DD gave up minis and moved away (one of the times). I traded her a TV for the assembled shell.
 
RANCH HOUSE
(custom build double wide, under construction, the shell is built). Holidays with the family gone, are very depressing for us. So we decided to build a replica of DH's childhood home, and work on it, on holidays. After almost 6 years very little has been done on this house. (life is what happens while making other plans)
 
BOSTONIAN
(under construction, shell is built). This was a birthday gift from DH.
 
HARLEY COW HOUSE AKA THE ALBATROSS
(completed) I bought the kit in 1994 for my 3 year old grandaughter, because when I let her play with my minis, her Dad said she needed a house. When her Mom took her far away without telling us where, I put the house in progress, in the attic. 5 years later on one of her returns to the nest, my DD decided to get into minis, and asked for the house. She started to work on it, then moved out again, and asked me to finish it for her. She wanted it themed, Harleys and Moo Cows. The Harley Cow House is now a permanent resident.
 
DUMPSTER DIVE 1
(under construction) DH found this and brought it home about 8 years ago. He swears he is NOT a miniaturist but decided he would do this ONE house.  He hasn't worked on it in years, but HAS been talking about it lately.
 
DUMPSTER DIVE 2
(needs total renovation) DH found this recently. It will be a ski chalet.
 
CAMP GROUND
(still in the planning stages) DD has given me a few camping tents. I kept 4 of them and will have a campground.
 
RGT LIGHT HOUSE
(still in the box) A birthday gift from DH.
 
HOUSES GONE (never forgotten)
 
DUMPSTER DIVE 3 (a shell) We decided to give this away. For three years we put it out FREE at our neigborhood yard sales, no takers, so to landfill it went.
 
DUMPSTER DIVE 4 (a badly broken shell) This was a VERY contemporary 70's style house. It went to landfill during one of my moves. I wish I had kept it, but I had too many houses at the time. (8 less than I have now)
 
MY BELOVED REPLICA HOUSE "THE SEAVIEW" 
(a beyond huge, custom built, 2 and 3 rooms deep) This was an exact replica (minus plumbing) of a home we lost in bankruptcy. It was the last time and place our family was together. It took me 11 years to build and furnish, staged at that Christmas 1989. The building was 4 feet deep and six feet long, two stories high. It weighed well over 300 pounds. When we were looking to move into a condo, and having trouble finding one with a room large enough, I decided to dismantle the Seaview, and send it to landfill. (life is what happens while making other plans). The economy went bust. My real life home has lost all it's value, with 26 years to go on a hefty mortgage. I may never be able to move to a smaller place. We could have kept the Seaview. I was having trouble moving it around and caring for it though, so maybe it's for the best.
 
ROOMBOXES DISPLAYS DOMES
 
JULY 4th CHRISTMAS PICNIC
(completed). I built this and included many of the gifts and swaps I've received. This was dedicated to my only brother who lost his battle with a life long illness on July 4th, 2007.
 
CHRISTMAS
(completed, but I'm currently making a few changes)
 
BIRTHDAY DOME
(completed) This has gifts I received from net mini friends.
 
DOME (empty)
 
SMALL ROOMBOX (built but empty)
 
RAINBOW BRIDGE
(still in the box) To be dedicated to my fur babies, the only "family members" I had as a child, and to those fur babies who comforted me during difficult adult days.
 
2 PORCH ROOMS
  
(under construction) These will display the porches and decks I made for the Seaview.
 
34 WALL ROOMS
  
(a work in progress) These hold all of the furnishings and accessories I made for the Seaview, as well as the furnishings and accessories that will go into the houses I'm building. I'll also have a few themed rooms here.
 
MINI CELEBRATION BOXES
  
(completed) Very small boxes and displays include: July 4th, Wedding, Halloween, Poo Birthday, Graduation, Valentine, and several Recovery Boxes.
 
DRESS BOX
I made this to show off mini dresses a friend had made for me.
 
DISPLAY BOXES and FRAMES
  
I have six of these displaying mini accessories, that I've made or received as gifts or swaps.
I also have several frame boxes, small glass display boxes, and a case of the little boxes I use for the celebration scenes.
In addition I have several printers boxes, a couple of small store diplay units, and a few small shadow boxes. These all need refinishing.
 
GIFTED ROOM BOXES AND DISPLAYS
 
WORKSHOP
(completed, except for some of the power tools). This is a replica of my DH's workshop. I built this for him for Dad's Day.
 
SOBRIETY ROOM BOX
(my first completed room box 1995) This was a gift for a young lady who had achieved five years of sobriety.
 
MINI CELEBRATION AND RECOVERY BOXES (2x4 to 3x6)
            
I made and gave away dozens of these. I was also commisioned to make several.
There were Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmas, Retirement, Real Estate, Electrician, Winnie the Poo, and many Recovery boxes.
 
BOAT SCENE
I did this scene for my husbands boss.
 
NATIVITY
I knit the figures 6" and under, and DH built the stable.
 
ABOUT MINI  ME: (aka the Misfit Miniaturist)
I started the Seaview in 1990. I didn't even know that miniaturing was a "hobby." I fell in love with everything when I went to my first mini show.
In 1995, I became an internet mini person. I was looking for information, so that I could learn ways of making things to complete the house.
I met some wonderful people through internet mini groups, and bulletin boards. Many of them have moved on to other hobbies, or to Mini Heaven.
The fun we had, the encoragement they gave me, and all that they taught me, will stay with me always.
 
On a very sad and lonely Thanksgiving morning, I received an e-mail giving me notice, that one of the Net Groups had given me first and fifth place awards for my Nativity and Sobriety roomboxes. I was so blown away by this, that I cheered right up, and realized that MINIS have a way of making people smile (mostly me).
 
I "accidently" acquired a few more buildings, and soon my intention of building ONLY the Seaview blossomed into a full blown mini obsession.
 
I didn't know any face to face mini people.
I joined an on-line group, known then as AOL Miniaturists. Wanting to be a part of, I requested to join in on their swaps. I was very discouraged by that group. They said they didn't want crap, and they didn't want to deal with people who were NOT serious.
 
I fought with that group for months, about their words and attitudes.
Finally, I left them in their dust, and went on to create the website, to encourage newcomers and old timers alike to MAKE MINIS, when ever they could find time. I joined a couple of other groups and started one of my own.
 
Maybe I'm NOT serious, but somehow minis find their way into my home. Someone "out there" thinks I should be making or fixing minis. I'm not arguing.
In the past 19 years, no matter how bad life gets, minis can take me away for a while, and make me smile.
 
I'm still a lone miniaturists, as I've yet to find a local group accepting new members. My two mini friends have moved away, and onto other things.
We had a shop in the area, long gone now. The owner and I were going to get together when all her G-Kids went to school. She passed away last fall.
It does get very lonely at times, but I'm happy doing what I'm doing. So for now, I keep making minis.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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