Hello everyone! I'm trying to fundraise for a friend. I'm trying to keep him out of dire straits, money wise. So, I'm making fandom figurines. Actually I'd attempt any form of figurine as long as it is relatively simplistic.


Here is my most recent attempt - Jeeves and Wooster. Worth about US$60.
I do have many much cheaper options. Just contact me and ask!

I had a dream about miniatures last night- there was a little, smaller scale, dollhouse, that was three levels, and some of it was two rooms deep. It was a bit splintery, but it was selling for $2 and I was trying to decide if I should buy it- not that it wasn't a bargain, but I wasn't sure if I'd be able to kitbash it well enough to do anything with it. Also it was a totally different scale than my usual- my plan was to sell it on Etsy. I was trying to work out what era I'd make it, when I woke up.

A week or so ago I was going on about the Etsy Zine I'm making, and asking for donations of articles, as a way to advertise yourselves and Etsy in general. Well tonight I finished it.

http://www.yousendit.com/download/bVlDL0dObTgwZ25IRGc9PQ
Here it is to download for free as a pdf! (though if you did want to donate for my time, check my shop)

I encourage everyone to download it! Print it out, leave it around in buses cafes and libraries, send it with listings, hand it out at shows!

It includes articles about crafts, inspiration, hobbies and Etsy. It also includes advertisements.

It looks fine in colour or in black and white.

Just my contribution to Etsy and Etsiers. :)

And if you could tell me how many you print out/leave around, I'd love to know for curiousity's sake.

What miniatures are you wishing for right now? What would you really like to find to buy, either online or in shops? Or things you really want to figure out how to make?

I thought I'd start up an entry about that, and in the comments you can tell me what you're after. And if I can make any of them I'll try. (And other people can 'take' the ideas too! So, don't limit it to the sorts of things I can make)

As always guests can post!

I said I'd tell about this, so, now, I will!

At the miniatures fair, I volunteered for two separate hours doing of course, polymer clay work. I've been volunteering doing that since I was about 13 or 14 years old, every year. It's great fun! I'd recommend it to anyone who can do it -you get to have people crowding around and watching you do your thing, ask questions, help them out, and sometimes make a sale or hand out business cards! Plus it was helping out my club. This year, I sneakily left some fliers I made for Etsy, on the volunteering table, even when I wasn't volunteering. And LOTS of them were taken.
I think people really like it when they see a 'young person' volunteering. Sure, I'm not a kid anymore, but it's still good for them to see, I think, that it's not all retired ladies.
This year, I had my business cards in front of me. I had when I was about 16 as well, but no one ever contacted me about anything. This year I had a website, so, I hope that someone did go and have a look at least. I also decided to give free samples. For several days before the show, I made candycanes (also available for sale on my Etsy shop) and I had some in a box in front of me, with a sign saying "Please take one, they're free!" I encouraged as many people as possible to take one. Of course I had forgotten that many wouldn't have had anywhere to put it! Some little girls were *totally* thrilled about it. A few little girls sneakily came back for more a few times- lol did they think I wouldn't recognise them? And lots of the adults were very impressed as well.
I had been expecting to have to explain to some children that no, you can't eat them. I hadn't been expecting the adult woman, who took one and put it in her mouth. I heard her bite it in half just as I shouted "YOU CAN'T EAT IT!!" I think we both died a little there.
Though me handing out real food makes no logical sense, at least I know it looked realistic?

New products for today: A Father's Day sculpture. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14705648

I also have miniature fried eggs, and some Pastafarian Christmas decorations.




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I'm so pleased to announce that I just got my first ever custom order! :D I am so excited by this, it feels like an honour to be asked to make something. I got everything made within 24 hours of receiving the order too, and I plan to send it off tomorrow. Let's hope I'm able to keep doing it so promptly in the future- though I guess they will have to understand that we have lives too.
Also what's interesting is that my Mum and Dad and brother (and my friends!) seem much more supportive of it now. My friends were supportive from the start, but now I'm proving that I can actually make enough money on it to pay back the listing fees/paypal fees/selling fees, my family seem much more enthusiastic. They've always liked my *things* I mean my Etsy experience. :) And I've got a stronger feeling I can 'do' something with this whole Etsy thing.

I also was shocked that I'd only put the item that was custom ordered for five more of the same, up yesterday!

I've got some interesting new items as well, such as a jade skull. http://www.livinginthepast.etsy.com

http://www.lailaslovelies.etsy.com answered some questions for me today, I thought maybe you'd find it interesting!

Etsy Buy Handmade Lailaslovelies

Now, on to the interview!


1. What do you make, and why?


I make a lot of things, but mainly purses, stationery, and other gifts. I'm beginning to dabble in quilting a bit. I have a degree in drawing and painting from Arizona State University, and when I first started out, I thought I was going to be painting or just working on stationery, but then I bought a sewing machine about seven months ago, and a whole new world opened up! With a little help from my mother-in-law, I taught myself how to sew, and discovered a growing passion for it. I have always had a pure love of fabric, and now I can actually do something useful with it. I can't wait to see what happens as I learn more and become more experienced with it.

Today I spent about 4 hours working on some goblin dolls. I love it when I see people doing dollhouses that aren't totally normal. And I've been reading Terry Pratchett lately, where there are Zombie Lawyers, Werewolves, trolls, golems etc. And I decided that I wanted to make some goblins. First, I had to decide what goblins look like (Other people can tell me what they look like later, and give me custom orders). I decided that this pair would be green. Splotchy green. Not sure why, they just 'needed' to not have perfectly uniform green. Their eyes would also be just plain black, and larger than human's eyes. Their ears would be pointed and they would be bald. So, yesterday I sculpted their heads, hands and feet, and today I spent the four hours making bodies, putting them together, painting their faces, and dressing them.
And they're done! Two young goblin men.

I'll have photos later, my brother 'stole' the camera for his holiday this weekend. I hope you'll have fun looking at them, and if you know of anyone who needs goblins, tell them about me! (Or other fantasy peoples)

Yesterday I also made a Little Red Riding Hood figurine- did I tell you? I don't think I did. I'm branching out into figurines. Because I enjoy making them, and also that makes my audience a little wider. I'll happily make things for fandoms (as long as it's in the public domain or your own work, so that I won't get sued...).



I think she's lovely, and I think she'd look fantastic in a little girl's room, or maybe your own!

I also put up a new miniature cake!
http://www.livinginthepast.etsy.com for more photos.

First! I'm now featured on Imagination Mall- Right now I'm up with the 'added in August' section. I really hope that this will bring a lot more views and interest to my shop. If you've not heard of Imagination Mall here is the link. http://www.imaginationmall.com/ It's full of great shops!
I'm really rather pleased with myself that I remembered about Imagination Mall. I only applied yesterday, so this was very quick!

Secondly, I've put up what I was excited about the other day.



It's a preserved dragon's embryo! Perfect for witches, wizards, fantasy stuff, mad scientists, museums, sideshows, etc!

Find more pictures of it and more over here

I'm really excited about that miniature!

I'm very excited about a new range of things I'm bringing out in the next few weeks! Keep a watch out for my dragon/fantasy world related items- they're a little different. Though perhaps a little morbid.

Note to people who use sculpey: Liquid Sculpey is *translucent* not *transparent*. I learnt that the hard way today. Also, icecream making is going well!

The parcel I was worried about got there!
Unfortunately, it has also had an accident.
But on the plus side, I have a better way to send it now, and I looked through my stock and I have two icecreams left! I might make some more too. So, accidents happen, you just have to try your best to fix them. :) I feel really bad about this, and I know some people might think I'm crazy to be posting this on my blog that's linked to my shop, that I might be putting off customers. I think that customers probably prefer honesty and humanity- if they can't have perfection and anonymnity but that's not going to happen... I don't think, at least I hope, that I'm putting off potential customers. I made a mistake, and I'm genuinely worried about it, and I'm trying to fix it to the best of my ability.

I wanted to share with you today, the items that I have sold. They are only three, so far, but I'm quite proud of that considering that I am so new at this!


This was my most recent sale, but the one I made the longest ago. This was from my original 'selling at fairs' stock, that I'm now adding to Etsy. I wanted to make something that looked... melted, summery... And I obviously succeeded!


This bowl of Frootloops was one of the things that prompted me to get into Etsy. I decided to make some random cereal... of course, I can't use it myself, I have Victorian houses! And then on I decided that I wanted to make miniatures for other people. This was only a few months ago. It took me quite a while to figure out the milk!


This was my first ever Etsy sale. It's a child's sewing machine- the kind that you wind with your hand to get the needle to go up and down, but in real life it would actually work. I thought it'd be great for a little girl's room. I'm currently trying to decide if I should make another one...

Today I had been going to squee about happy things, but instead I shall tell you a Cautionary Tale of the Post Office.

I am so embarrassed, and very worried. Is this ruining the veneer of... professionalism? Perhaps, but as this is supposed to be talking about my Etsy experiences, I think honesty could be key. I stuffed up. There, I said it.

I hope I will be able to fix it.

Basically, in my experience, parcels overseas are what have customs forms. Letters do not. According to the post office website, a letter is under 50 g and under 2cms thick, and I can send it for $2. Cool, I thought! And I put the icecreams I sold ( I like those icecreams!) http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=9854015 into an envelope, safely bubble wrapped and whatnot, put a stamp on it, and sent it.


I now find out that for anything that's not just paper, I need a customs form.

*expletive*


I NEVER knew that. In my head if it counts as a letter, then it's a letter, and no customs form. Or at least that's what I *did* think. I've sent lots of things to penfriends like that without a customs form!!

So now I'm waiting to see if I'm going to get in trouble, if it'll get lost, sent back, or, manage to get through. I hope the woman doesn't hate me, I think she runs a shop and everything!!
:(

Also, if I were putting a customs form onto a normal envelope, like the post office lady seemed to be suggesting today, I don't know if there'd be room for the stamps and address as well...

gah. So yes. Don't Do What I Did.

... I was so busy sculpting tonight, while watching Pride and Prejudice (BBC version of course!) that I forgot what day it was. Which meant I forgot to go to singing. Ah well, was just having too much fun apparently!

Also... I just wanted to tell any visitors here, that guests are now able to comment.

The SAME festival is a two day affair, like every year (except the year when we had the convention, and it lasted three days. THAT was a fun weekend, but I was very new at the time and everything was intimidating!). We've always found that the first day, the Serious Miniaturists come to buy and look around and gossip. The second day, the Sunday, is when the Casuals come. The people looking to do something interesting on a Sunday. They pop in for half an hour or so at a time, they don't really look at the stalls, but they look at the displays. There are still the Really Serious miniaturists there on both days, many coming for both days. Apparently though? Attendance was up. I like to think it's partly down to me. :P I was trying my best to advertise the fair.
It was a sunny but COLD day, with a few showers, rather than the stormy day on Saturday (we had hail that actually built up next to the shed like snow!) which was ideal for taking photos of the HUGE English Village display. I'll show you those later, remind me!
It was a good day for me, due to personal reasons. These were- I was brave and talked to people. Okay you might not find that so impressive. But, I talked to people and hopefully got them convinced that the club is friendly! I answered their questions with a big smile, and engaged them in conversation!

Early in the first day, I forgot to say before, I overheard one of the members saying that she sells miniatures on Ebay. I made sure to 'corner' her later on and recommend Etsy to her! She's one of the few really computer literate members in the club. She was doing some making of miniature dolls- she had a big block of flesh colour, and was doing the 'build up' technique of modelling, rather than the 'pull out' version that many people try to do. She also admitted that she has no way of keeping the fluff or specks out of the pale coloured clay. At least I'm not alone with having trouble with that! It's nice to be able to talk about clay with other people, I haven't been to meetings for months to be honest. She says that when she's sculpting people and there are flecks in the clay, she usually just ends up saying that it's freckles or something like that. Most of her people aren't 'young' apparently, because it's easier to make older people! So. Flecks are normal, yay! :D Though of course I try to minimise it.
She'd never heard of Etsy so was quite interested in the flier I gave her. Also? I got rid of all my original fliers for Etsy, and most of the extra ones I made on Saturday night! :D Almost everyone who walked past took one.

So, back to the second day. It was my turn to demonstrate! I did two hours, with one hour between each of them. Mum also demonstrated her miniature quilting. I got LOTS of good comments and attention. I think I'll make a new entry about that later.

I know it was only two hours, but it really did take up a lot of my attention- I was just so excited for it! That hall really is cold though. It was in a town hall with two main rooms connected by a small hallway. The big room was the fancier hall, with the stage and the pretty ceilings and mouldings, and that had stalls around the outside edge, and the main display in the middle. The windows were about two metres off the ground, but themselves, very tall. Very well lit. Then there's a little front hallway that has the front door locked, and that was where 'the men' did their woodworking. Then at the other end was the corridor, which was where the visitors came in (to be faced with raffles and so forth! Which we apparently did well on this year! There's a lottery for a dollhouse every year, and various 'on the hour' raffles for room boxes, plus lucky dips for adults and children. And it's all for charity!) and more stalls, and the demonstration tables, and the eating area. One of our members does the catering, she's a marvel. I can't believe I just used that term, but it's true. SOMEHOW she manages to provide food for several hundred people (probably more considering lots of us eat more than once there in a weekend). and it's all very tasty! And home made! Amazing.

One of Mum's students showed up with her mother and father and grandfather, so that was nice. One of 'The Men' gave her a little wooden goblet. Which was cute. Extra cute because that's what he did for me when I was new...

We stayed until about 4, it ends at 4.30.


I'm not really quite sure what to say about the second day that isn't a plan for another entry!

*trails off uncomfortably*

This blog has lept in in the middle of what I'm doing... I'll have to backtrack at a later date I think! This weekend was the SAME Fair. As in, South Australian Miniature Enthusiasts. I tried to advertise it online as much as possible. I don't know, of course, if I had any influence. Today I sold tickets for the lottery dollhouse! It's quite different this year to previous years- it has a little side garden and the decor is quite different. I really hope though that whoever wins it, it pushes them into the hobby like it did me. We really need more people into it properly.
There was a good turn out of stallholders, including some new ones! They seemed impressed enough, I just hope they sell enough to make it worth them coming back next year. I fell in love with an item that's completely useless to me- a modern table, where its' tiny, with two stools that tuck underneath, and one side can extend... perfect for a tiny flat. Of course, I've got Victorian houses. Bah. But it's so cute!

Something I was pleased with, I'd made a lot of fliers for Etsy, and the fact that you can buy miniatures there. I asked the lady who runs the demonstration tables if I could leave it there, and she said sure! And I saw at least two people take one. :) When I was selling tickets I left them in front of me and by the end I am pretty sure at least 6 had been taken. Not that many I suppose, overall? But, considering I was trying to be subtle, and hopefully they'll tell their friends, it's a start.

I was also brave and gave my card to the owner of the fantastic shop we have here. I don't know if he'll use me as a business source or not, but I also gave him the flier for Etsy, so perhaps he'll at least buy stuff from team members, and expand the range on his shop- that's always a good thing!

I'm just hoping he doesn't look at my page on it and go '... what is she doing with those items and those prices??' though I *think* I'm getting the hang of pricing, sort of.

Still! Bravery! :D

More on the fair and my thoughts soon.

Hi! I'm assuming you like dollhouse miniatures? No? Yes? Maybe? Well, that's what lots of the posts in this LJ will be about. My dollhouse miniatures, and my experiences selling them on Etsy, and perhaps a bit about other Dollhouse Miniatures related things. Feel VERY free to friend me and follow along, and I'd love comments. Feel free to comment on old entries. When I get old entries that is.

I'm not a professional or anything, so sometimes I might have to vent or ask for help. But that's okay with you too, right? Don't watch me if you're expecting total confidence! Or you may be sadly disappointed. Some things might be friends only.

I'm 23 years old, and Australian. I've been 'officially' doing miniatures since I was 10 years old, but I first got interested in it at the tender age of two, when my mother got me a dollhouse that used to be in her classroom. It had HUGE 70s wallaper, and full sized shag carpet. But I loved that house! I would decorate it for the season, I'd make furniture out of matchboxes and corks... ah good times! When I was 10, I won a dollhouse, with real electric lighting, and things to scale. I still have it, it's just in the process of being renovated to something not quite so grand.

To start off with, here's a link to my Etsy shop.

Obviously, for LJ, I couldn't get 'Livinginthepast', as it was already taken. But that's who I am!