Monday, July 22, 2019

New Possibilities... Oh, And Books

I'd been thinking for a while about starting up an Etsy Shop and maybe making and selling miniatures.  Mostly the Holiday lanterns like the ones I made last Christmas.  And maybe a few other things, depending on my skill levels.

I spent a good part of the weekend making books for the Contest Book Shop.  I'm making progress.  Just feels really slow.  I need to start cutting out covers during the week and keeping them in bags until the weekends when I have time to glue and build books.



The second picture is full of books that will only fit in the very top shelves of the bookcases.  As you can see I'm using magazine spines, balsa wood and foam core board for my pages depending on the width of the spines.

I got a few more done after I took these pictures.  So two thirds of another box done.


Hobby Lobby had a sale, all candle holders, lanterns, table top décor at half price.  So I picked up a bunch of lanterns in various sizes.  This time I kept them all rectangle or square shapes because those hexagon lanterns really killed me with all their angles!



I decided on a scrapbook paper tile look for the floor and a matching paper for wall panels since the metal work on this particular lantern is in curves and I wanted to match them.  The stain is Rustoleum Traditional Cherry.  I liked how it looked against the floor.

I don't have the lights connected to their batteries yet but l wired up the tree with Christmas lights.  The hanging light is a drawer pull with LED chip lights inside it.  I need to add some feet to the bottom of the lantern to accommodate the battery pack for the lights.

The tree has beads for ornaments and a jewelry finding for the stand.  The book case is made of wood and I added some of the books I made that were more half scale.





 

So far this lantern has taken me about two and a half days.  I'm hopeful that I can do more of them.

How has everyone else been?



14 comments:

  1. I think it's a great idea with the Etsy shop. Your lanters and other miniatures are perfect!
    Books are looking great!

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  2. Such a cute little lantern.. each week, I am amazed at how much you achieve! I made just half a dozen books the other night and I although I had fun doing them, it was not quick, so I really take my hat off to you for having to cut, fit and glue a whole bookstore full.
    Anna x

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    1. Gotta admit that I cheat and don't actually use pages. Just wood or foamcore board usually

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  3. I love your lantern and am sure they'll be a hit in your Etsy shop.
    Great progress with the books!
    Hugs, Drora

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  4. I love that Christmas lantern! The scrapbook paper looks like an elegant rug. I love little scenes inside other objects, but Christmas scenes are my favorite. :-)

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    1. I'm hoping to figure out some other things that'll be fun for the shop too.

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  5. Oh how I admire your patience with all of those books! It is quite an accomplishment!
    What a wonderful idea to make and sell the lanterns! The ones you made previously were so wonderfully detailed and I am sure the new ones will generate a lot of excitement, too! It keeps things interesting having small projects that you can finish over a weekend or two! Sometimes we just need a little instant gratification, and that helps keep things exciting for the projects that take so long.

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    1. It is nice to know that I can get a lantern done relatively fast. Rather than a year to do one project!

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  6. Hi Sheila! Those Christmas lanterns you make are a lot of fun! It is such a good idea and can offer endless variations! And you are making progress with your books! It is slow, but the results will be worth it! I really admire you for sticking to it and using whatever you have to make them! They are looking really good and I am sure this shop is going to be stunning! Keep up the wonderful work! :):)

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  7. Speaking to a vendor once she said she reckoned she earned about 50p an hour if she stopped to think about how long stuff takes to make, BUT her selling was for the sheer pleasure in making the things and covering the costs of materials, plus a few pennies over to spend on her next bit of making. So even if you don't earn a living from your Etsy shop you will have a ton of fun making and seeing your work go far and wide. Lots of luck and fabulously well done with the growth in your books.

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    1. I'm hopeful! I think its something I'll definitely do, just need to build up the stock for it.

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