Shelf for Timeless Toys

My husband has been unemployed for two months now and while it is frustrating at times not having a minis budget it also makes me think outside the square and think creatively. I am starting to look at some of the old commercial pieces I have in my stash to see what I can do with them.

Needing some shelves for Timeless Toys I decided to revamp some old shop shelves I have had in my stash since my first dabble in miniatures in the 1990s. The shelves were a bit fancy for what I have in mind for the toy shop and I also need to make use of every inch of space in the shop, so the panels at the base had to go.

I started with this:

and after cutting, sanding, redesigning, painting, aging and generally wrecking those nice shelves I have ended up with this:

I've put a few toys on just for effect but you will have to imagine it jamb packed with toys and probably with things hanging down the sides also.

I have another set of the shelves tucked away and may keep that set in its original state for the museum part of Timeless Toys. We will see.

On Saturday I am off to a miniatures show in my old home town an hour from where I live now. It is being put on by the miniatures club I used to belong to in the 1990s. It will be nice seeing the work of some other miniaturists and catching up with those that used to be in the club back in the 90s. I just hope they don't have too much on the sales table to temp me.

Prototype Pinwheel

I just had to have a go. Sometimes when you have an idea in your head you just can't ignore it. I want to make a selection of bright working pinwheels for my toy shop. I remember loving pinwheels when I was little.

I have made only one so far but at least I know it can be done. It was certainly fiddly and I have superglue under one of my finger nails.

The pinwheel is 2cm high including the stick. I will make the stick a bit longer on the next one. This poor pinwheel has been played around with for so long today in all my attempts to get it mounted on a stick and working so is a bit worse for wear.

And just to prove it works:

That is it for miniatures for today so I will have to take this pinwheel idea further during the week. I have promised my daughter she can teach me how to play Minecraft on the computer.

Timeless Toys - Concept Post

I have been giving a bit of thought to my Timeless Toys project and thought I would share some of my ideas with you right at the start.

First of all Timeless Toys will be a toy shop that sells and displays both modern and vintage/antique toys.

I will be using a corner house which my Dad made back in the 1990s. It is the same design as the one I have just turned into the Selina Rose Gallery for my sister. However, despite it being a corner design, I think I will place mine on a square base so I can put things around the exterior of the building. To start with I have in mind that there is a tree inside on the ground floor from which some toys will hang and be displayed and one branch will carry on to the outside of the building for a swing.

The house is very plain architecturally speaking but I think for this one I might do a stone facade and, as it is a toy shop, it will need a window display. I also envisage having stairs to the front door so I will need to put it on a base. I'm not quite sure how I am going to do these things yet but there is nothing like a challenge. I am also considering a slide incorporated in the design and a spiral staircase. As the inside space is very limited I will have to be very creative and careful not to waste display space.

I have been playing with the idea of using scanned images of old game boards or similar for the flooring. Below is just a rough photocopy of a couple of possibilities. I would need to do a few touch ups in Photoshop Elements.

This is going to be a creative fun project. That is what I need at the moment. It will hopefully turn out bright, quirky and fun.

When I was considering doing this project as an entry for the Undersized Urbanite Contest I wrote a poem which I was going to use to submit my entry at the end of the build. As I will not be entering the contest this year I will instead put it in this concept post to give you an idea of where I am heading.

Timeless Toys

There stands a toy shop, Timeless Toys
that is a favourite of girls and boys.
It is also a favourite of Mums and Dads
for there they can find toys they once had.
For in the Museum they like to peak
and auctions are held there once a week.
An auction was held the night before
and the Toyman arrives early to pack some more.

When the Toyman goes to turn the key
He is luckily distracted by falling leaves.
For inside the toys are rushing in flight
Trying to find where they were left last night.
As toys come alive when they can't be seen
But no-one must know
No-one must see.

The train tips sideways in his haste
to find the spot he was last placed.
While rag doll flies along behind
on an unexpected ride.
Golly clambers on his shelf
while down the stairs comes a little elf.
Cause when the Toyman does come in
Things must be as were left by him.

So, what do I have to hand at the present time that might go in my toyshop:

First of all I have a number of vintage games, toys and puzzles that I will scale down into miniatures including an old wooden box of dominos with a lovely vintage image, some old block puzzles, a vintage snakes and ladders, and a wonderful selection of paper dolls recently given to me by my friend Lyn. They were her dolls as a child so they are 60-70 years old.

Then there are some minis I have been lucky enough to receive from other miniaturists. First of all a selection of miniatures from Carmen of Mi Pequena Evasion (Spain):

and a game of Ice Cream Opoly from Manu of Il Laboratorio di Manu (Italy) - it even has wonderful little game pieces and mini paper money inside:

There are the doll items and Little Red Riding Hood scene below that I have made from Paper Minis kits:

I have quite a number of other Paper Minis kits to make up yet and will share these with you as I make them.

There is this selection of toys I have found within my stash:

Aren't the little knitted items just lovely. The Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls I bought back in 1990 from a miniatures convention in New Zealand. The little knitted golly was recently given to me by a lady I new back in my porcelain doll making days in the 1980s. He is just exquisite. Such fine workmanship.

There are some plastic farm animals that will be turned into toys:

Some buttons and charms that I will find a purpose for:

I have two of these shelves that I may or may not use. They will need a bit of tweaking to fit into my scheme. There is also a little shop sign for the outside of the shop.

A toy box and some old photos of children with toys. I will be keeping an eye out for vintage photos and postcards suitable for the Museum part of the toy shop.

I am hoping to fit this little German vintage room box into the toy shop although it might be just a little big. If there is a way to fit it in I will. It is 9 cm x 5 cm.

And, I just love this slightly dark but beautiful pendant which I will use as a picture on the wall of the Toyman's attic workshop.

Wow, I have rambled on. I'd better sign off now as I want to have a play with Adobe Photoshop Premier to see if I can create a little AmeriCARna video.

Have a great weekend.