Undersized Urbanite Toy Shop/Toy Museum

I am hoping to undercoat my sister's gallery over the weekend. Once the exterior is sorted it won't take me long to complete the inside.

However, before I can do any miniatures this weekend I need to tidy my work table. This is its current state:

I've been reshuffling things in my workroom and a whole lot of stuff got dumped on the table. We won't even talk about the piles of stuff on the floor!

I've spent most of this last week at dance competitions with my daughter so I've spent this afternoon catching up on blogs and housework and I want to spend the rest of this evening clearing the desk. So saying, it is currently 9.00 pm on Friday night in New Zealand so there is not much of the evening left (and I've still got the dishes to do).

A number of people have commented on the corner house I am building the Undersized Urbanite toy shop entry in.

This was built by my Dad when he was still alive back in the 1990s. He was a cabinet maker by trade. From memory he built three. My sister Karen owns one which I am building the Selina Rose Gallery in and I have been lucky that one has now found its way back to me to build the toy shop in. I think the other one went to a fellow miniaturist back in the 90s. They are great to tuck into a little corner or you can put them on a base. They have limited floor space in the rooms but enough for a good display.

Thank you for all the positive comments about my entering the contest. To be honest I am really doing it to challenge myself. I am hoping it will motivate me to push myself out of my comfort zone and just be creative and have a go with a fun project. I am also going to enjoy watching the other entrants' projects take shape.

Of course with any project you run into problems. The first problem I face is WHAT AM I GOING TO CALL THE TOY SHOP/TOY MUSEUM. I don't want to keep referring to the Undersized Urbanite Toy Shop/Toy Museum. I've thought of names like Timeless Toys, Childhood Wonders and a few others but I'm struggling to think of an effective name that encompasses toys past and present. Any ideas. If someone comes up with a name that I decide to use some miniature toys made by me during the project will find their way into your miniature collection.

I have gathered a few old toys I am going to try to scan and scale down into miniature such as:

An old Box of Dominos - I will need to tidy the label a bit in some graphics software, but isn't the image of the girl and the dogs gorgeous.

ABC Block Puzzle - more cute images. The block puzzles make up two alphabet images, one with numbers, one with a cow and calf, one with kids and dogs and another with kids, cat and kittens. I also love the image on the box.

Snakes and Ladders - I found this in a freebie box at a local op shop. It is a little tatty but I love the old nursery rhyme images. Mean looking snakes though!

A rag doll cut-out on fabric. Another cheap op shop find. It appears to have been advertising for an antique toys and dolls exhibition.

Well I have just looked at the clock and it is now 9.20pm. I think the desk tidying might need to wait until tomorrow. I'd better go and do the dishes.

I hope you all have a great weekend.