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New Sweets for Valentine’s Day plus a Curvy Shelf to Display Them
Filed under Miniature Baking, Shannon Cooper, Valentine's Day
January has gone and Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching! Lots of cute PINK (and red) miniatures have arrived, so I picked out an adorable Valentine Hutch art project to inspire.
In addition to the new items, back-in-stock items, and items in the gift kit, I added everything in the supply list from the art project to the new sale!
So I’m diving in with a few of the new things first (and even more are farther below). And don’t forget to read to the bottom for the DISCOUNT code on the sale collection!
Hearts Aflutter Mini Valentine Hutch
Wow! Design Team Member Shannon Cooper has made (an amazing!) Hearts Aflutter Mini Valentine Hutch using a Wooden Hutch or Buffet, plus 80 bajillion items I will explain!
Beside the tall overview pic, there are 2 wide close-up photos below (showing 2 of those 3 jam-packed shelves), and there are more photos in Shannon’s blog post:
After the hutch was painted, I lined the shelves with strips of polka dot paper. Tons of images from the Tiny Little Valentines Collage Sheet were cut out to fill the shelves. There are candy boxes, two valentines card boxes, two gift bags, and a (mini) handful of vintage valentine cards on the shelves and on the lacy border. Peeking out from between a candy box and a red canister (on the top shelf) is the cutest kitten (in a bonnet!) you’ve ever seen. Thanks for making some extra tiny cat valentines, Leslie!
Whenever I am making a miniature hutch or shelf of some sort, I tend to crowd stuff in there, jamming as many tiny things as will fit. The project sort of turns into an “I Spy” game, which is kinda fun. Some of the things you’ll find are:
– a red jam jar
– heart cookie cutter
– a couple of the jelly jars with lids
– tiny resin cupcakes
– a white resin milk bottle with a heart painted on
– and a tiny metal jewelry box
Whew!
Most of the minis in this project were altered just a tad, like the Red Canisters. (I just glued a white heart to the front!) Some of the jar lids were painted or colored with a red Sharpie before being filled with microbeads, or polymer clay cane slices. The lid of the Frozen Yogurt Container on the top shelf was also colored with a red Sharpie, and I drew on a little heart.
The Tiny Lace Borders worked out perfectly for the shelves. The bottom lace was cut from a wider section and I added pink rhinestones along the top. The heart-shaped lace border was just trimmed and glued on. So quick!
Note that I have added a few newer items to Shannon’s original list, like: Tiny Glass Jar with Lid, 3mm Valentine Mix Nonpareils Faux Candy, Tiny Round Serving Plate, and Polymer Clay Cane – Red & White Rolled Cake.
Read more (and see more photos in Shannon’s blog post and here’s her supply list (included in the sale collection, in addition to my substitutes)!
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More New or Back-in-Stock Sweets
Aw… those tiny hand-made tarts are now in 3 fruit flavors (and would fit right in with a Valentine’s Day sweets display). Note that the 3 items in the second row are in Shannon’s artwork (those white containers looks so cute with little hearts — or cherries — painted on them). AND all these goodies are also in today’s sale collection… see the COUPON below.
FREE Gift with Orders
A Pink Valentine Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight February 7, 2024)!
That name is not lying — this is a lot of PINK! This set includes SEVEN items:
– 3mm Valentine Mix Nonpareils Faux Candy
– Polymer Clay Cane – Red Hearts
– Polymer Clay Cane – Pink Hearts
– Tiny Resin Strawberries Cabochon
– Tiny Resin Cupcakes Cabochon (just a few left so not sold separately)
– Pink Korean Chips Bag Cabochon
– Pink Mini Drink Box
And in case you want to buy more, almost all of these items have been added to the sale collection! Some are on clearance already, so the discount coupon will give you an extra 20% off beyond the current sale price.
Mini Valentine Hutch SALE
Here’s that second promised photo from Shannon’s project, and it helped me focus on just one area of this fun project to choose products from for the highlights below.
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Sadly the pink bunny in that shelf is sold out, but did you notice the new version of the silly bunnies?! So cute! (And they are decades-old stock imported from Germany so won’t be around for long.)
Use coupon VAL-SWEETS when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 40 items!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, February 7th at midnight PST.
New Tiny Little Room Box, Art Ideas and a Related SALE
Filed under Bella Ayers, Paper Dolls/Theatres, Shadowbox/Room Box, Shannon Cooper, Teri Calia
Aw… look how cute and tiny the new Quarter Scale Window Room Box is!
I love this little room box! Even smaller than the Half Scale Window Room Box it was based on (shown below in the next section).
See one of the photos at right for sample quarter scale furniture and showing how you can use the extra depth of the apron to extend the room.
I picked out 3 projects to inspire (in a mix of quarter scale and half scale). In addition to the new room box, I added ALL 3 supply lists from the art projects to the new sale (including some suggestions for substitutes for each project).
Don’t forget to read to the bottom for the DISCOUNT code on the new sale collection!
Artwork using the Half Scale Window Room Box
Kimberly Ayers made a sweet Cinderella’s Room with the “larger” Half Scale Window Room Box. The “room” inside this room box is 4-3/4″ tall (perfect for the images from the Small Cinderella Paper Dolls Collage Sheet (the paper dolls are a maximum of 2-1/4″ tall).
Beside the chipboard bed I am suggesting (for the bed Kimberly made — see photo/link below) I also added a newer tea set and a variety of paper roses.
Here’s Kimberly’s Supply List (included in the sale collection, in addition to my substitutes).
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 1:24 Round Table & 2 Chairs |
 Small Cinderella Paper Dolls Collage Sheet |
 1:24 Bed Standard (suggestion for the bed Kimberly made… and added to the sale) |
Artwork using the Half Scale Bay Window
Shannon Cooper used the bay window (that fits the Half Scale Window Room Box shown above) as the starting point for this cute (!) tiki bar scene (that bay window is just 5″ tall).
Shannon converted the bay window into a little bar by cutting off the front two supports and replacing them with bamboo poles. The bar top is a piece of heavyweight card cut to extend past the window. Holes were made to accommodate the bamboo poles, and the edges got covered with trimmed reeds.
I do need to point out a few of my favorite things:
– the direction sign that includes “inebriety”
– did I mention this whole scene is TINY? it’s built in a Corner Room Box (which means the entire depth is 4″)!
– Cute cocktails! The straw in the tumbler is masking tape rolled around a sewing needle. (Clever girl!)
Read more in Shannon’s blog post and see her Supply List.
Artwork using (more) Quarter Scale Furniture
Yes, that’s the same 1/4 Scale Furniture that I mocked up in the new room box at the top of this page (but artfully painted by Teri Calia… and made into The White Rabbit’s Hutch inside a Miniature China Cabinet!
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Teri always takes such care in choosing components for her projects… like the teaspoons as handles on the doors — and that tiny little cup of tea on top of the hutch!
Teri designed two collage sheets with teeny, tiny papers and trims for making your own 1/4 scale dollhouse inside the Miniature China Cabinet (with an Alice in Wonderland/White Rabbit theme)!
Ok… so what’s up with the tiny photos at left and right? The one at left is showing the Metal Alice in Wonderland Figurine and Large Antique Silver White Rabbit Charm I’m suggesting as substitutes for the (sold out) Alice figure on top of the hutch. The bronze version of the rabbit is still available, too.
The photo at right is showing that the 8x10mm Gold Hinges will fit as substitute hinges (that’s the flat pieces of the side of the china cabinet plus one of the top window doors and one of the cabinet doors).
Here’s the full Supply List for Teri’s artwork (and remember that extras I added (plus the supply list) are also added to today’s sale).
FREE Gift with Orders
A Tiny Bronze Charms Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight January 31, 2024)!
This set includes 1 each of 6 items:
– Bronze Watering Can Charm
– 17mm Bronze Diary Keys
– Medium Bronze White Rabbit Charm
– Antique Bronze 3D Crown Charms
– Tiny Bronze Cauldron Charms (also in Teri’s artwork… on the right side of the middle/bedroom floor)
And in case you want to buy more, all these items have been added to the sale collection! Some are on clearance already, so the discount coupon will give you an extra 20% off beyond the current sale price.
Tiny Little Room Boxes SALE
What’s this? I was playing with the smaller-than-1:12-scale items and put together this little scene (and it is tiny: the Wheelbarrow is only 2-1/2″ long — with the handles).
The SIX items shown at left are linked in the 2 rows of pics below and ALL are also added to the sale! Since the Half Scale Metal Garden Tools and the Mini Flower Borders are pages with multiple items (I used coral flowers and the short spade) ALL of the items on those pages are included in the sale, too!
Use coupon TINY-RB when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 50 items! Remember it includes the 3 supply lists from above and the new Quarter Scale Window Room Box, the items in the Gift Kit, and any suggested substitutes for the supplies!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, January 31st at midnight PST.
New Kitchen Miniatures, Baking Art/Sale & Free GIFT!
Filed under Miniature Baking, Rhonda Secrist Thomas, Shannon Cooper
Lots of cute miniature items have arrived (mostly with a baking/cozy kitchen theme). Plus I picked out 2 very different baking-themed art projects to inspire.
In addition to the new items, back-in-stock items, and items in the gift kit, I added BOTH supply lists from the art projects to the new sale!
So I’m diving in with a few of the new things first. And don’t forget to read to the bottom for the DISCOUNT code on the sale collection!
Let’s Bake! by Design Team Member Shannon Cooper
This is such a cute kitchen mini project! Shannon started with sunny wallpaper and all the resin buttons from the Tiny Retro Bakery Box Kit, plus a couple pieces of 1:12 furniture (and a ton of tiny things!) to make a scene with a very mid-century feel!
Here’s an intro from Shannon’s blog post:
The Tiny Retro Bakery Box Kit started me on this path, with its delightful kitchen themed buttons, collage sheets, a tiny mixing bowl…ack! It is too much! So, naturally, I took that stuff along with some other bits and bobs and crammed it in a 7×7 Corner Room Box. Yay!
Lots of items in Shannon’s project are back in stock (including the wooden table and spoon rack). Note: I’ve put everything in Shannon’s BIG supply list on sale! More info below… after more photos from this fun project.
There’s a work table in the center that holds pots, pans, and bowls on the bottom self, plus all of the baking accoutrements on the top: a blue measuring cup (technically a coffee cup in a gorgeous retro color but a few swipes with a Sharpie turned it into a measuring cup), a milk bottle, muffin pan, rolling pin, cookie cutter, metal bowl, a cookbook, and a smattering of jars.
A bit of paint has been added to the cutting board before being hung on the wall. I think it adds a nice touch, plus I really like that button. The shank was snipped off the back so it lays flat. The same was done to all of the buttons used, but I have a second set to sew onto something later. 🙂
The hutch in the back has tons of things on its shelves and inside the opening doors on the bottom, like a grater (another button!), honey jar with a label from a collage sheet, red canisters, more jars and containers, a rooster, a couple more cookbooks, and a tiny picnic basket (omitting the handle).
Note some substitutes I’ve added to the sale:
– 28mm Brown Fruit Bowl (for the second set of stacked bowls under the table)
– Cup of Cocoa with Whipped Cream (there is one on top of the work table but this is a new style)
– Tiny Round Serving Plate (for under the tart on the tabletop)
– Tall Milk Bottle with Red Label (a pretty close match to the milk bottle also on the table… plus one of these is in the gift kit!)
Back in Stock
Note that the table is in Shannon’s artwork (plus the spoon rack and nut cracker). The 2 chipboard items (and ribbon set) are in Rhonda’s project (more info below).
Something Old & Something New Baking Journal
by Design Team Member Rhonda Thomas
I love this bright and jam-packed journal by Rhonda! She added lots of pockets to the 3 tabbed pockets already included in the Pocket Folio. And added tons of ephemera (new and old) into all the pockets.
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Rhonda obviously had fun adding images and charms (and buttons, and miniatures, and ribbons…) to her pages and to the journal’s binding (see all the charms hanging from the baker’s twine binding). She also has tutorial photos on her blog post about how she tied the tabbed pages into the journal cover.
As an example of extra pockets: see the wide photo below with the triangular RED pocket (with the housewife holding an ice cream scoop… plus I spy a grater and a rolling pin on that pocket):
The inside back cover of the Pocket Folio was a great spot to add another pocket. Again, I just added some cut paper (the triangular red bit) and glued it down on two sides. Perfect spot for more collage sheet images.
Visit Rhonda’s blog post for lots more photos and info; and here’s her Supply List.
FREE Gift with Orders
Pretty much all in Shannon’s artwork: A Mini Kitchen Props Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight January 24, 2024)!
This set includes 1 each of 6 items:
– Tall Milk Bottle with Red Label
– Coffee Pot Button
– Baked With Love Cutting Board Button
– Sugar Canister Button
– Sky Blue Retro Coffee Cup – note new color
– Silver Grater Button
And in case you want to buy more, all these items have been added to the sale collection! Some are on clearance already, so the discount coupon will give you an extra 20% off beyond the current sale price.
Miniature Baking SALE
Use coupon KITCHEN when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 70 items!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, January 24th at midnight PST.
Half Scale Book Nook Preview & Sale!
Filed under Book Nooks, Miniatures, Shannon Cooper
Wow! Something a bit different today… some fabulous work-in-progress photos by Design Team Member Shannon Cooper of a future Book Nook project. Plus some new windows designed for that project.
Note that Shannon works on large foamcore panels, precut to fit into the book nook (shown side by side in the wide photo below). I love all the hand-etched bricks on those panels.
I put all the new items (and everything shown in Shannon’s photos) into a new sale collection (and added extra 1:24 scale items, too)! Don’t forget to read to the bottom for the DISCOUNT code on the sale collection!
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Nice! That photo at left shows the left wall with the panel inserted.
Those curved windows are made with the new Half Scale Warehouse Windows (Shannon used 4 of them, cropping the top windows to use less panes and to give her room for some fancy chipboard trim… I can’t wait to find out how she made those top sections.)
The new windows are sets of windowpane windows on thin chipboard (with score marks in both the center column and next to the side tabs). Though they are sized for using on the wall of the Book Nook Box Extra Large as curved store windows, there’s also a photo on the window page showing they will fit on that book nook wall witout bending the windows if you trim off the tabs.
Thank you Shannon for including that photo of the back of the curved-window unit (shown at right). You can just see that she added some black half circles of chipboard to hold the curves in place and to be the floors of the displays in the windows. (Bonus: I asked and she curved those windows over a Tacky glue bottle!)
A bit hidden from the angle above/left but you can see from the flat panels pic above that there’s a door and stairs in the center of the 2 curved columns of windows (on the ground floor). And there’s one of the new Warehouse Center Windows in the center on the second floor.
Finally (for this photo), there’s a preview of the back wall (the wall is at an angle and I am not sure what Shannon’s planning for the space behind the angled side). But I can ID the door and 2 windows.
Moving on to the right wall! I love all the depth Shannon added (with lots of balsa wood… pretty sure she uses disposable scalpels).
The starting point for that fancy window is the new Half Scale Storefront Window with Arched Top. Heavy chipboard with lots of windowpanes and a center space for a door.
Shannon’s version has depth for showing products in the store windows (and probably lights).
Her door is one from the Half Scale Doors – Set of 2 that she cut a window into. The steps have an extra rectangle of chipboard on each step that overhangs the front edge a bit (a nice detail).
The 2 windows above the storefront windows are from the Dollhouse Windows with Shutters 1:24.
Bonus/preview of the new Half Scale Signs and Sign Hangers (shown below in the next section): the little photo at left shows using one of those signs with the Half Scale Storefront Window with Arched Top (if you don’t use steps, that same door will have ample clearance with the sign above it.)
More New Items or Doors/Windows in Shannon’s Photos
Starting with that cute new set of Half Scale Signs and Sign Hangers! (At right and below.) A set of medium-weight chipboard signs and hangers (2 hangers, 2 styles of signs each with an inset overlay for each side of the sign). Also shown with the new jump rings, also below.
Half Scale Book Nook SALE
Whew! Beside all the new half-scale windows & trims (and not-new windows/door/etc in Shannon’s photos), ALL Half-Scale Miniatures are on sale! This new sale collection even includes some half-scale collage sheets!
Use coupon WIP when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 100 items!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, January 17th at midnight PST.
Updated Writing Room Book Nook, New Items, Sale & Free GIFT!
Filed under Book Nooks, Miniatures, Rhonda Secrist Thomas
Lots of cute items have arrived (mostly with a “mini art supplies” theme) which reminded me of the My Victorian Feminine Writing Room by Rhonda Thomas. So in addition to putting Rhonda’s original supply list on sale, I’ve added the new items, too (plus the items included in the related gift kit below)!
So I’m diving in with a few of the new things first (saving a couple biggies for farther below, shown with photos from Rhonda’s art as inspiration). And don’t forget to read to the bottom for the DISCOUNT code on the sale collection!
(Before I forget! With all the hubbub of FIVE newsletters in a row during the after-Christmas sale, I have not yet announced the winner of the French Bakery Sweets Giveaway: Mary!)
 Tiny Set of Pencils |
 Miniature Crayons in Box |
 4 Piece Mini Ruler & Triangles Set |
 3 Piece Vanity Set with Hand Mirror |
 Cast Metal Perfume Bottle |
 Silicone Mold – Vintage Scissors in 4 Sizes (back in stock and on sale… this row of vintage things will make more sense when you see the art below) |
My Victorian Feminine Writing Room
I love Rhonda’s book nook (with many, many portraits — and the pretty swirly motif ceiling inserts and desk). And the inspired use of a vintage “Cray-Pas” oil pastels case to create a roof!
Here’s a bit of text from Rhonda’s blog post to get us started:
Welcome to my my little place to create and collect. Not only do I have this wonderful nook of a room on the top floor of my old home, I also have the attic space to store things and to use as a cozy reading area. You know what else I have? A sweet ghost who likes to make their presence known.
Lucky for me, I’ve had a lot of experience with ghosts, so it just makes my little nook that much more welcoming. I feel like I have someone watching out for me. Maybe it is visiting, maybe it belongs to one of my antiques, or maybe they used to live here.
All of the life-sized supplies featured came from my mom’s desk and my grandmother’s. My grandmother always used a fountain pen, and there are some of my mom’s powdered pigments and items from her “Suzuri Bako” Japanese brush set.
More info and pics of some of the many items Rhonda mentions are below.
I’ve put ALL of Rhonda’s supply list in a new collection and created a discount code for 20% off those supplies! More info on the sale is below!
In the wide photos below, I’ve zoomed way in (to the painting on the easel and the shallow stairs (2 sets of them) that are in the back of the book nook.
Those stairs were designed for this book nook. Just enough depth (1″) for a plant or a small stack of books… the idea of the edge of a stairway.
Next up in this little tour: the desk and all the pretties on the top of the desk.
Beside the 3 items shown in the row below the wide photo, I spy scissors and a metal oil can in a filigree basket (and a coffee label on the metal paint can makes a perfect spot for pens & brushes). That Jane Austen cover is from the Miniature Antique Book Covers Collage Sheet.
See Rhonda’s blog post for tons more photos and tips (like how to hide LED lights, and how to make a working lamp and lamp shade).
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FREE Gift with Orders
Inspired by that desktop photo above: A Silver Writing Room Charms Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight January 10, 2024)!
This set includes 1 each of 5 items:
– Antique Silver Pen Nib Charm (back in stock)
– Mini Silver Envelope Charm (back in stock)
– Tiny Antique Silver Key
– Small Round Silver Teapot Charm
– Mini Silver Resin Oval Frame
And all these items have been added to the sale collection! Some are on clearance already, so the discount coupon will give you an extra 20% off beyond the current sale price
Victorian Writing Room SALE
Whew! Beside all the beautiful supplies above, I snuck in one more new item in this section, so it’s included in today’s sale, too: Dart Board with Darts (note that the attic in Rhonda’s book nook is filled with antique toys).
Use coupon WRITING when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 60 items!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, January 10th at midnight PST.
French Bakery One-Day Sale! Clearance Sale Extended!
Filed under Cat's Away... 2023, Miniature Baking, Shadowbox/Room Box, Shannon Cooper
Holiday Closure & After-Christmas Sale
It’s Day FIVE (the final day) of this week of While the Cat’s Away Sales & Giveaways! (Can you believe it? This is the 16th Annual Cat’s Away Sale!)
Remember, the shipping staff are on vacation till January 3rd, but for sale prices and/or freebies, I think you’ll be able to wait. Shipping will BEGIN on January 3rd, so you’ll need to be patient if you’re ordering during this sale. More info on the sale and holiday schedule.
On to today’s goodies: TWO Sales and a Giveaway!
Sale #1: EVERYTHING on Clearance is now on Sale at 50% off!
This is HUGE (over 300 items from all themes) plus over 20 new items added today!
Extended! The extra mark-downs end WEDNESDAY night, January 3rd, 2024 or until sold out! I will merge orders (to save shipping) if you order multiple times during the sale.
Note: there will not be a newsletter tomorrow. The next regular newsletter will be on Sunday, January 7th, 2024!
Highlights from NEW Clearance Items with an French Bakery Theme!
Over 20 items just added, so just a few highlights shown below (and some of these will make more sense when you see the featured artwork below). See all the new French Bakery-themed mark-downs on Sale at 50% off.
Sale #2: ONE-DAY COUPON SALE on ALL Supplies from
La Petite Patisserie by Shannon Cooper
La Petite Patisserie is made out of a Storefront Room Box that is an ample 10″ tall x 10″ wide (and with the extra 2″ above the “room”, that facade will give you space to add signage or (like in Shannon’s cute artwork) an awning. This design includes a nice, big window, and a door with a window and a transom above it.
“Step into La Petite Patisserie for a croissant and un cafe, then enjoy them at the outdoor table with a little friend.
“Looking through the window we see delicious breads, creme filled cookies, macaroons, and cake, and on the pretty scrolled table (that is actually a tiny plant stand), against the wall there are more cakes, creme puffs, and cookies. The white shelf got a trimming of Dresden (that came in handy for the cake stand edges and “baseboards”) before being topped with a plant, wee clock, and a metal teapot.
“My favorite part of this project was the cake stands and cake sitting on the ornate cake table. (Well, that’s a toss-up as the silicone molds made making the bread quick and easy: Smash polymer clay into mold. Bake. Add coloring with soft pastel. Bam! Done.) But back to cake: Alpha Stamps has a Cake Stand Kit, and the cakes are miniature wooden cakes that have a bit of trim glued around the middle! How many times can one use cake in a paragraph? I need cake.”
Head on over to Shannon’s blog and see the cake decorating tutorial she’s put together, and more pictures!
Use coupon PETITE when checking out to get an additional 20% off beyond current sale prices on everything in Shannon’s Supply List! That includes a double discount on anything on clearance, too!
Note: I substituted quite a few things in the supply list (as exact sets of plates, for example, come and go — and this fab project by Shannon is almost 9 years old)! Here are a few of my additions (so on sale, too!):
– Wrought Iron Patio Table (for the table outside under the tablecloth)
– Plant Stand with Drawer (for the cart with cakes inside the bakery… near the open door)
– 1:12 Shelves – Set of 2 (for the shelf above the Welcome sign… just visible on the right of the photo, through the big window)
a few more smaller sub products are noted down in the Giveaway section.
BONUS: I added the TWO NEW 3mm Nonpareils Faux Candy Sets (and all the sweet treats shown in the photo at right) to this sale collection!
Those 3mm candies are shown in 2cm and 3cm Tall Glass Candy Jars. Plus there are a bunch of things I picked out for color (kind of a Valentine/Christmas mash-up). See all ELEVEN of them at this link (including the glass candy jars — all in the COUPON sale collection).
The sale ends TONIGHT, December 30th at midnight PST.
Highlights from the French Bakery Sale!
 Deep Storefront Room Box |
 Tiny Plant Table |
 Wrought Iron Patio Table |
 Multiple Shapes Mini Cookie Mold |
 Roosters Collage Sheet (see that cute vintage calendar to the left of the white 2-layer cake?) |
 Miniature Silverware – Set of 20 |
Hooray for the French Bakery Sweets Giveaway!
I picked out SEVEN items from Shannon’s supplies for today’s Giveaway (plus a bonus 8th item from the new clearance things):
– Tiny Plant Table (the fancy table, photo above)
– Mini Cake Stand Kit (used to make stands sitting on that plant table)
– Mini Silicone Mold – Many Sizes Bundt Cakes
Four substitute items (now in the supply list so on sale):
– Mini Oval Resin Basket w 1 Handle (like the little basket on the chair outside)
– Tiny Tray with Handles
– Blue Delft Plate Set (there’s a fancy plate on display next to the clock… on the shelf)
– Cup of Tea (on the round table)
And from new clearance items: Set of Fancy Silverware
Don’t forget to use coupon PETITE when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in the French Bakery Collection!
To enter the French Bakery Sweets Giveaway drawing all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post TODAY ONLY (the deadline is 11:59 pm PST, Saturday Night, December 30, 2023).
Don’t forget to leave your (hello!) correct email address, too, so I can contact the winner; your email address does not need to be made public. Note: I’m offering free shipping, too, but only within the USA. International shipping will still apply.
The winner will be announced on Sunday, January 7th (in the next newsletter); but they will be notified via email sooner than the newsletter. Happy New Year!
Who won yesterday’s Through the Looking Glass Giveaway? That would be Madelyn! Check your email (early next week) for more info.
 Mini Cake Stand Kit |
 Tiny Tray with Handles (a couple trays are inside, against the window) |
 Blue Delft Plate Set |
Through the Looking Glass One-Day Sale! New Mark-Downs 50% off!
Filed under Alice in Wonderland, Cat's Away... 2023, Guest Designers, Miniatures, Shadowbox/Room Box
Holiday Closure & After-Christmas Sale
It’s Day FOUR of this week of While the Cat’s Away Sales & Giveaways! (Can you believe it? This is the 16th Annual Cat’s Away Sale!)
Remember, the shipping staff are on vacation till January 3rd, but for sale prices and/or freebies, I think you’ll be able to wait. Shipping will BEGIN on January 3rd, so you’ll need to be patient if you’re ordering during this sale. More info on the sale and holiday schedule.
Before we get to today’s featured Alice in Wonderland Theme (!): these very cute (and very flexible) House Shrines with Doors in THREE sizes are back in stock! Each shrine has double doors, a deep drawer, and a facade with a faux peaked roof.
All 3 sizes are included in today’s sale! The artwork below uses the medium-sized shrine; there is also art by TWO Design Team Members using the smallest and the largest shrines if you’d like more inspiration.
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Sale #1: EVERYTHING on Clearance is now on Sale at 50% off!
This is HUGE (over 300 items from all themes) plus new items added daily during the sale!
The extra mark-downs end MONDAY night, January 1st, 2024 or until sold out! I will merge orders (to save shipping) if you order multiple times during the sale.
Highlights from NEW Clearance Items with an Alice in Wonderland Theme!
20 items just added, so just a few highlights shown below (and some of these will make more sense when you see the featured artwork below). See all the new Alice-themed mark-downs on Sale at 50% off.
Sale #2: ONE-DAY COUPON SALE on ALL Supplies from the
Alice Through the Looking Glass Shrine by Connie Littell
I so LOVE this project! Connie used the medium size of the House Shrine with Doors as a structure. Then went to town (!) papering it and filling it with furnishing and tiny sweets! There are tutorial photos on her blog post, too, so you can see how she made some of the tarts and custom items. Oh, and beside the big photo at right (and a wide photo under this intro text) there’s another wide photo showing the a close-up of the table of treats at the bottom of this post.
Here’s some text from Connie’s blog post:
The base for this project is a House Shrine with Doors – Medium, the perfect vessel to set a Queen Alice scene inside.
Open the doors and you’ll see I used a Victorian Table Kit I set all kinds of goodies on and filled the walls and floor with as many tiny treasures as possible.
I fussy cut a few of the winged creatures from the Alice paper to display in a Mini Metal Shadowbox.
I placed a Plant with Pink and Fuchsia Flowers inside an Antique Garden Urn as decoration. Before I set it in place, I snipped a few of the flowers and dropped them inside a 1cm Clear Glass Globe that got mounted on a spiked cone brad. When finished, it looks like a little floral snow globe.
[Aside: I added the Mini Blossoms Mix – Fuchsia Pink to the sale, to make your own “puff ball” pink plant.]
Great job, Connie! What a beautiful project! More info is in Connie’s blog post.
Use coupon ALICE-2023 when checking out to get an additional 20% off beyond current sale prices on everything in Connie’s Supply List! That includes a double discount on anything on clearance, too!
BONUS: I added the NEW Croquet Set (and the Tiny 3D Hedgehogs shown with the set in the photo at right) to this sale collection!
I also added the other 2 sizes of house shrines to the sale:
– House Shrine with Doors – Large
– House Shrine with Doors – Tiny
And a couple more substitutes for sold out items:
– Silver 3D Knight Chess Piece Charm (Connie used a set with a bronze version of this same chess piece)
– Time for Tea Silver Charms Set (the set includes the same knight AND the tea cup Connie stacked on the table).
The sale ends TONIGHT, December 29th at midnight PST.
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Highlights from the Through the Looking Glass Sale!
Sale #3: ONE-DAY COUPON SALE on ALL Alice in Wonderland Collage Sheets
Use the same ALICE-2023 coupon to get an additional 20% off anything from BOTH one-day sales. Over 60 collage sheets are in this second collection (with tons of options from tiny dollhouse miniatures to larger book covers)! See all the Alice in Wonderland Collage Sheets!
Hooray for the Through the Looking Glass Giveaway!
I picked out TEN items from Connie’s supplies for today’s Giveaway (mostly things on table):
– House Shrine with Doors – Medium (ok… not on the table!)
– Victorian Table Kit – Black
– Transparent Teapot Charm
– Pink Heart Cake with Roses
– Tiny Brass Card Suits – Set of 4
AND five more items listed below that close-up showing all those cute things on the table!
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– Polymer Clay Playing Card Slices
– Eat Me Cookies Polymer Clay Slices
– Tiny Doilies – White – Set of 4
– Tiny Antique Silver Keys – new on clearance
– Ceramic Tea Set with Blue Pattern – new on clearance, not in Connie’s art but perfect for a tea table
Don’t forget to use coupon ALICE-2023 when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in both collections: Through the Looking Glass and Alice Collage Sheets!
To enter the Through the Looking Glass Giveaway drawing all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post TODAY ONLY (the deadline is 11:59 pm PST, Friday Night, December 29, 2023).
Don’t forget to leave your (hello!) correct email address, too, so I can contact the winner; your email address does not need to be made public. Note: I’m offering free shipping, too, but only within the USA. International shipping will still apply.
The winner will be announced TOMORROW in the DAY FIVE Cat’s Away Newsletter (with a New Sale)!
Who won yesterday’s Alchemy Shrine Giveaway? That would be Beka! Check your email (early next week) for more info.
Alchemist Art & Glass Bottles One-Day Sale! New Mark-Downs 50% off!
Filed under Cat's Away... 2023, Lora Mahaffey
Holiday Closure & After-Christmas Sale
It’s Day THREE of this week of While the Cat’s Away Sales & Giveaways! (Can you believe it? This is the 16th Annual Cat’s Away Sale!)
Remember, the shipping staff are on vacation till January 3rd, but for sale prices and/or freebies, I think you’ll be able to wait. Shipping will BEGIN on January 3rd, so you’ll need to be patient if you’re ordering during this sale. More info on the sale and holiday schedule.
On to today’s goodies: TWO Sales and a Giveaway!
ONE: EVERYTHING on Clearance is now on Sale at 50% off!
This is HUGE (over 300 items from all themes) plus new items added daily during the sale!
The extra mark-downs end MONDAY night, January 1st, 2024 or until sold out! I will merge orders (to save shipping) if you order multiple times during the sale.
Highlights from NEW Clearance Items with an Alchemy Theme!
Over 20 items just added, so just a few highlights shown below. See all the new alchemy-themed mark-downs on Sale at 50% off.
 Ouija Board 3 Inch Coffins – Set of 2 |
 Lady of Guadalupe Pendant |
 Antique Gold Flaming Heart Pendant |
 12x8mm Green Glass Rectangular Beads |
 Silver Triple Moon Charm |
 Fancy Acorn Drawer Knobs (These would make a great substitute for the finials on Lora’s shrine below…) |
TWO: ONE-DAY COUPON SALE on ALL Supplies from
The Alchemist’s Oracle by Lora Mahaffey
Wow! This is so beautiful! And so much thought and time went into all the little details. I’ll let Lora start off this intro (and scroll down a bit to see the wide photo showing more angles):
Oooh, this piece is kind of mysterious. In my mind the alchemist is using the oracle for calculating his transformational formulas. The planetary dials moving in sync with each other creating whispering harmonies, stopping at certain curvatures and creating patterns for the alchemist to study.
Or maybe… The mouse is the oracle. Sitting on his stool, interpreting the rotations like a fortune teller or a Tarot reader. [Aside: I subbed that grey mouse for the one Lora used.]
I drilled a hole in the back of the shadowbox (after gluing my chosen papers on the sides and back) to allow for the tea light flame to stick through.
Right after I did that I realized that the doors would not fit properly, so I decided not to use them. Too bad, because I had a fun thing I was going to do. Ah, well. Save it for next time!
After the final fussing was done in the interior and on the outside, the facade was glued on.
The runes are just completely made up. If they say anything it was an accident! (Or maybe I was channeling the mouse!)
Good work, Lora!! I particularly like the bent piece of filigree on top of the front as a holder for the (back in stock) Round Glass Dome. Note: I added the filigree grab bags to the sale collection as the remaining stock of the filigree Lora used are now in those grab bags.
Oh, one more thing: happy accident that those half scale bookcases fit on the sides to hold all of the bottles and whatnot!
Go visit Lora’s blog post for more photos and tips! Just don’t forget to come back for the sale!
Use coupon GLASS-2023 when checking out to get an additional 20% off beyond current sale prices on everything in Lora’s Supply List! That includes a double discount on anything on clearance, too!
BONUS: I added 3 extra NEW items AND the remainder of the Glass Bottles section to this sale collection!
– Glass Mini Beaker Bottle with Cork – New!
– Mini Glass Test Tubes, Stand & 2 Flasks – New!
– Mini Books with Blank Covers – New!
The sale ends TONIGHT, December 28th at midnight PST.
Highlights from the Alchemist Art & Glass Bottles Sale!
Hooray for the Alchemy Shrine Giveaway!
I picked out SEVEN items from Lora’s supplies for today’s Giveaway:
– Simple Shrine
– Stairstep Shrine Base Small – No Feet
– 6 Tiny Glass Bottles
– Amber Even Tinier Bottles
AND three more items listed below that close-up showing all those bottles & potions on the side!
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– Little Potions Collage Sheet
– Secret Spell Book Labels Collage Sheet
– 15mm Round Glass Globe Dome
Don’t forget to use coupon GLASS-2023 when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection!
To enter the Alchemy Shrine Giveaway drawing all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post TODAY ONLY (the deadline is 11:59 pm PST, Thursday Night, December 28, 2023).
Don’t forget to leave your (hello!) correct email address, too, so I can contact the winner; your email address does not need to be made public. Note: I’m offering free shipping, too, but only within the USA. International shipping will still apply.
The winner will be announced TOMORROW in the DAY FOUR Cat’s Away Newsletter (with a New Sale)!
Oooo! Who won yesterday’s Garden Shed Giveaway? That would be Ginger Benedict! Check your email (early next week) for more info.
Mini Garden One-Day Sale! New Mark-Downs 50% off!
Filed under Cat's Away... 2023, Fairy Garden, Miniatures, Shadowbox/Room Box, Teri Calia
Holiday Closure & After-Christmas Sale
It’s Day TWO of this week of While the Cat’s Away Sales & Giveaways! (Can you believe it? This is the 16th Annual Cat’s Away Sale!)
Remember, the shipping staff are on vacation till January 3rd, but for sale prices and/or freebies, I think you’ll be able to wait. Shipping will BEGIN on January 3rd, so you’ll need to be patient if you’re ordering during this sale. More info on the sale and holiday schedule.
On to today’s goodies: TWO Sales and a Giveaway!
ONE: EVERYTHING on Clearance is now on Sale at 50% off!
This is HUGE (over 300 items from all themes) plus new items added daily during the sale!
The extra mark-downs end MONDAY night, January 1st, 2024 or until sold out! I will merge orders (to save shipping) if you order multiple times during the sale.
Highlights from NEW Clearance Items with a Garden Theme!
Over 30 items just added, so just a few highlights shown below. See all the new garden-themed mark-downs on Sale at 50% off.
TWO: ONE-DAY COUPON SALE on ALL Supplies from The Forgotten Garden by Teri Calia
The Forgotten Garden is a beautiful (and a bit strange) miniature creation by Teri. Strange as in mysterious, ghostly, weird and perhaps even a little unearthly. If you were to come upon it on a foggy morning, by yourself, out in the middle of the English countryside it may even unnerve you a bit.
Teri used 3 walls of the stall (but not the roof), perched on a 6x7x2 Platform Base. Clever girl: Teri didn’t use the roof, instead she used 1/4 Inch Square Wooden Dowels laid across the top of the shed walls.
The 6x7x2 Platform Base is sitting on top of another platform (Cottage Base – 9x9x1) with 2-Step Stairs (which were designed for the height of that taller platform).
Yes, that is a skeleton half-buried in overgrown grass you see to the left of the steps! I believe Teri thought of him/her as the long forgotten gardener or caretaker of the garden. (Aside: I love the dandelion that Teri made… growing out of the skeleton.)
As you approach the back of the building you may find yourself thinking, “Hmm… this place looks pretty dead but the roses certainly look like they’re taken care of.” Being a rose lover, you turn on the garden hose (that surprisingly looks quite new) and give the roses a quick drink. There is also a weedy windowbox, with Trellis Panels on either side as fancy shutters.
Inside the shed is a Workshop Table, covered with long-forgotten supplies (potting soil on old newspapers, a trowel and other hand tools, a flower pot on its side, a wooden crate under the table, and seed packets/gloves from a collage sheet Teri designed for this project).
Use coupon GARDEN-SHED when checking out to get an additional 20% off beyond current sale prices on everything in Teri’s Supply List! That includes a double discount on anything on clearance, too!
BONUS: I added 5 extra NEW or back-in-stock items with a garden theme to this sale collection!
– Small Green Frogs – New! and also included in the Giveaway so check below for a photo
– Tiny Resin Bunny Rabbits (How cute! Also new!)
– Dark Green Camouflage Foliage (back in stock, as are the next 2 items)
– Green Foliage Bushes
– Mini Flower Borders – Red (though all the colors are included in the sale)
The sale ends TONIGHT, December 27th at midnight PST.
Highlights from The Forgotten Garden Sale!
Hooray for the Garden Shed Giveaway!
I picked out EIGHT items from Teri’s supplies for today’s Giveaway:
– Simple Market Stall (no better place to start than the structure)
– Window Box with Gothic Facade (this is a substitute…it is a bit wider than the windows but as I’m including the panels Teri used as shutters, it works just fine)
– Trellis Panels – Set of 2 (and see below for the windows, too)
– White Sleeping Cat (who can be sleeping in your window box)
AND four more items listed below that art pic showing the window/shutters from the outside!
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Bonus: I’m also including one of the new Small Green Frogs (not actually in this project… but could be)!
Don’t forget to use coupon GARDEN-SHED when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection!
To enter the Garden Shed Giveaway drawing all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post TODAY ONLY (the deadline is 11:59 pm PST, Wednesday Night, December 27, 2023).
Don’t forget to leave your (hello!) correct email address, too, so I can contact the winner; your email address does not need to be made public. Note: I’m offering free shipping, too, but only within the USA. International shipping will still apply.
The winner will be announced TOMORROW in the DAY THREE Cat’s Away Newsletter (with a New Sale)!
Oooo! Who won yesterday’s Fruity Garland Giveaway? That would be Elizabeth Clark! Check your email (early next week) for more info.
 Mini Snow Shovel (also on clearance so double discount with the code!) |
 Mini Plastic Greenery Set |
 Windows 4 Panel Square (they fit the windows in the stall) |
Happy Holidays Room Box One-Day Sale! ALL Clearance 50% off!
Filed under Cat's Away... 2023, Christmas, Giveaways, Shadowbox/Room Box, Shannon Cooper
Holiday Closure & After-Christmas Sale
I hope you’ve stayed cozy and warm thus far in this holiday/Winter break and have had lots of yummy food with loved ones. In case Santa didn’t bring you your heart’s desire (or if you’re just looking for a good deal in prep for 2024 projects)… It’s the first day of this week of While the Cat’s Away Sales & Giveaways! (Can you believe it? This is the 16th Annual Cat’s Away Sale!)
Remember, the shipping staff are on vacation till January 3rd, but for sale prices and/or freebies, I think you’ll be able to wait. Shipping will BEGIN on January 3rd, so you’ll need to be patient if you’re ordering during this sale. More info on the sale and holiday schedule.
On to today’s goodies: TWO Sales and a Giveaway!
ONE: EVERYTHING on Clearance is now on Sale at 50% off!
This is HUGE (over 300 items from all themes) plus new items added daily during the sale!
The extra mark-downs end MONDAY night, January 1st, 2024 or until sold out! I will merge orders (to save shipping) if you order multiple times during the sale.
Highlights from the Clearance Sale! (first 2 rows are NEW mark-downs!)
TWO: ONE-DAY COUPON SALE on ALL Supplies from the Happy Holidays Room Box!
Wow! This is so beautiful! Design Team Member Shannon Cooper made the fireplace from the Fireplace Facade and a Deep Open Front 4.5 x 5.5 Shadowbox (and made that lovely garland decorating the mantelpiece, too)!
Here’s some text from Shannon’s blog post to get us started:
It is time to get ready for Christmas! I usually start hauling out the colossal collection of holiday decorations directly after Thanksgiving, mostly because it takes a solid week of deciding what items are going to be used, and where are they going to be placed, and…Jiminy Christmas, this year I’m demanding that the Harry Potter tree get placed in front of the window!
In preparation for the whole-house decorating, I decided to spend a little time making a 1:12 scale Christmas room box complete with a cozy fireplace. And a cat in the rocking chair. Can’t forget the cat.
The fireplace is a Deep Open Front 4.5 x 5.5 Shadowbox with a Fireplace Facade glued to the front. I added thin strips of lightweight card along the top, apron, bottom, and around the surround, then made a mantel from a rectangle of thin basswood. I painted the fireplace a nice pale eggnog color before adding glowing embers and a sprinkling of actual ash from our fire pit.
This is such a great project, Shannon! I love the colors and the whole vintage Christmas feeling!
Note: Shannon also added a mini-tutorial for making the fruit-filled garland on her blog post!
Go visit Shannon’s blog post for more photos and that tutorial!
Use coupon FRUITY when checking out to get an additional 20% off beyond current sale prices on everything in Shannon’s Supply List! That includes a double discount on anything on clearance, too!
BONUS: I added 4 extra items as substitutes for supplies no longer available (they are included in that supply link above, so also on sale):
– Duxbury Chair Kit (not a rocker but does have a vintage curvy back)
– Green Sisal Tree with Snow – 4 Inch (not quite as tall as the one Shannon used; you may want to put this one on a short table)
– Decorated Mini Christmas Tree (who knows! maybe you’d like green trees in those canisters on the mantel)
– Small Brick Wall Stencil (for the back wall inside the fireplace)
The sale ends TONIGHT, December 26th at midnight PST.
Highlights from the Happy Holidays Room Box Sale!
Highlights from NEW Clearance Items with a Christmas Theme!
Over 30 items just added, so just a few highlights shown below. See all the new Christmas-themed mark-downs on Sale at 50% off.
Hooray for the Fruity Garland Giveaway!
I picked out the supplies Shannon used to make that festive garland for today’s Giveaway:
– Wired Pine Needle Stems (two of them)
– Mini Pears
– Mini Oranges
– Red Apples – 1:12 Scale
– Embroidery Silk – 1/8 Inch – Red (now on clearance!)
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Bonus: I’m also including a set of the back-in-stock Red & White Mini Lollipops (not actually in this project… but could be)!
Don’t forget to use coupon FRUITY when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection!
Here’s another link to her blog post, as she included a tutorial on making the garland!
To enter the Fruity Garland Giveaway drawing all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post TODAY ONLY (the deadline is 11:59 pm PST, Tuesday Night, December 26, 2023).
Don’t forget to leave your (hello!) correct email address, too, so I can contact the winner; your email address does not need to be made public. Note: I’m offering free shipping, too, but only within the USA. International shipping will still apply.
The winner will be announced TOMORROW in the DAY TWO Cat’s Away Newsletter (with a New Sale)!