Sectional Relationships

I had a surreal experience this week. I got to meet Paris Renfroe live and in person. In short, he's cool. I'm sure nobody is surprised by that declaration. It's sort of (for lack of a better word) weird to meet someone in the flesh that you only know through text. I guess it was a little easier for me than it was for him since I knew what he would look like, etc. I give him total credit for not turning and running for the hills when I introduced myself. Chuckles.

We actually had a good conversation over tapas and sangria. The sangria definitely added a lot of color and laughter to our chatter. It's obvious that Paris has design talent and skill, but when you talk to him, you learn that he has a bevy of good ideas. Lucky for me, there were more perks than bottomless sangria at our meeting. He was kind enough to bring me a gift = the sectional sofa in the scene above. I have no idea how he knew I would appreciate something like that. You?
When it was time to say goodbye, I did contemplate kidnapping him and locking him in my basement so that I could do the whole Buffalo Bill "It puts the modern miniatures in the basket" thing, but I suppressed that impulse and just smiled and waved.

The Goods: Kitchen unit and sectional couch are PRD, bookcases are DHE, large display unit is a lipstick holder from The Container Store, chairs are REAC, table is Kitty Puppenmobel, bench seating is Momoll Legno. All accessories are Lundby, Playmobil, Mighty World, Bozart Toys, Mattel, Battat, Re-Ment, MegaHouse and Hallmark. The doll family is Silver Acorn.

Chromotherapy

When I watch this backlit PRD kitchen cycle through an array of colors, I cannot help but think of the Emerald City scene from The Wiz. It's the scene where Richard Pryor (who plays the Wiz) makes announcements about what color is "IN" for Emerald City and then the citizens are immediately bedecked in that palette. Pryor's announcements are preceded by a sound of trumpets, etc. and so every time this kitchen changes color, I hear those horns playing in the background and it makes me chuckle. However, while I was setting up the miniature scenes above, I kept humming "Flashing Lights" by Kanye West and--since it has been getting a lot of airplay--singing the hook from "Day N Nite" by Kid Cudi. Okay, okay, I was also singing Wonder Pets.

Anyone who owns the original Kaleidoscope House kitchen knows that the unit needs a bit of a design boost and some functionality. Per Paris Renfroe, the depth of the original KH kitchen unit would be so narrow in 1:1 scale that you would not be able to install a cooktop or a sink. I know exactly what he is talking about because I've set up scenes where a single miniature cooking pot covers all four burners of the KH kitchen stove. I know there are several of you out there nodding your heads. Anyway, it was time for a remodel.

The kitchen is PRD Miniatures. Blue Views: The Panton chairs and the Swan chair are Reac Japan. The modular sofa and coffee and dining tables are ebay buys. The rug and one pillow are AG Minis. Fuchsia Views: The sofa is Voila Toys. The chair is Bozart Toys. The coffee table is Lundby. The rug and modular units are Battat. All other accessories are Re-Ment, Irwin, Mattel, Mighty World and Buddha Buddha Life.

Laundry Day

The last load of clothes are tumbling in the dryer. My weekend has come to an end. There's a wonderful sense of satisfaction when all the tasks of the day are completed and I can start my week without any leftover "To Do's" and "Should Have Been Done's" tapping on my shoulder.

I actually have several miniature scenes waiting to be photographed. I partied a little too much on Friday and was too...(we'll say) "lazy" on Saturday to take any photos. And, of course, today was a very rainy and dreary day (should I add blustery, Winnie??)...so not ideal conditions for any miniature photography. I worked on the above scene for 15 minutes. I was amazed at how many tiny weapons I have in my collection. You may not be able to see from the photos but all of the storage bins are filled with guns, shovels, knives, ammo, crossbows, handcuffs, grenades, axes, swords...

The sink and washer/dryer are from Theo Klein. The storage unit is from the Dolls House Emporium. The laundry baskets are from Plan Toys. The laundry detergent is from Re-Ment. The weapons and weapon case are from an assortment of action figures that I have purchased over the years.

Hush Little Minimal Baby, Mama's Gonna Pack You A Nursery

I've been cleaning and reorganizing my house over the past couple of weeks and it always amazes me how much mess it makes to clean up and throw out stuff. Our home office was packed with a multitude of boxes and is just now breathable with a single box in the corner as a reminder of the battle that we've won. Course, the war ain't over.
A portion of the scene above is definitely influenced by the sea of boxes. I'm sure you cannot tell exactly what... The crib is Bodo Hennig. The chair is Kitty Puppenmobel. The table is Voila Toys. The wall art is Charley Harper. All of the accessories are AG Minis, Irwin, Muji, and various run-of-the-mill craft items.

Leather Chaise In The Sunroom

I thought I was going to be able to do more with this room before naptime was over, but no such luck. It never fails--if you plan to do something during the siesta, it lasts 30 minutes. If you plan nothing, they sleep for 3+ hours. Oh well, I'm off to play safari adventure! Pray that I don't get eaten by an alligator. For some reason, they like to pretend that happens to me every time. I sincerely hope that has nothing to do with my parenting. Hmm...

The fireplace is a wood block from your standard craft store with a plastic case filled with sticks on top. The wood seating was a gift from my spouse--came with the pool from an earlier post. The pillows are from the Kaleidoscope House accessories, Fisher Price and Mighty World. The leather chaise is from Paris Renfroe Design. The tall wood planter is from Plan Toys. The drink accessories are from AG Minis and Mattel.

Oh, and who am I kidding?--the entire Kaleidoscope House is one big sunroom. I just don't have a name for this post.

Happy Holidays 2008

Let's see...hmm...what would I like to have for Christmas this year? It seems like I ask for world peace every year and I don't think the fat dude in rojo pajamas is listening to me. Of course, maybe this peace thing isn't something that can get worked out overnight. Then again, maybe I'm on the naughty list...yeah, probably.

Empty Room

The platform/futon bed is a combination of Voila Toys and parts of a Dolls House Emporium bookcase. The chair is from Reac Japan; the sideboard/bookcase is from the Dolls House Emporium (Mackintosh collection) and the lamp is from AG Minis. All of the accessories are from Re-Ment, AG Minis and Bozart Toys.

Tool Kit...chen

I guess this scene is most likely inspired by the fact that the person I married will be getting a new motorcycle soon. Do I imagine that my kitchen cabinets will be replaced by rolling Craftsman tool chests? No, not really. However, I do expect to see even more motorcycle boots in the hall closet which means my Chuck Taylors will need a new home.

Let's see...what's here, um the tool chests and silver coffee tables come from Mighty World, the sink and microwave are by Theo Klein, the wine rack and counter are from Selecta, the red chairs are Take A Seat by Raine, the couch is from Reac Japan, the TV is a Hallmark ornament, the motorcycle is an action figure accessory (I cannot remember which one) and all the accessories come from Battat, Mighty World, Re-Ment, MegaHouse and AG Minis. Oh, and ha ha, the silly Matrix art is from an old TV Guide cover.

Very Slowly Getting Time For My Hobbies

I especially like the minimal modern dollhouse inside this miniature scene.

Momoll in The Kaleidoscope House

I wanted to use two of the Momoll sinks in this scene, but those that I have are too different from each other to work well together. I decided to use the Momoll dining table to complete the kitchen island. I've always admired the original kitchens in Eichler homes that had the dining table and cooking surface as one unit. Due to space, I couldn't put four of the Organic Armchairs at the table extension so opted for one of the Momoll dining benches instead that could be tucked underneath when not in use to maximize traffic flow.

The kitchen island, benches and bar are from the Momoll Legno sets. The chairs are from Reac Japan. The bar stools are from Lil Bratz sets. The shelving units are from Gotochi. The stove is from Streets Ahead Dollhouse. The dishes and kitchenware that are not from candy toy companies are from Mighty World sets. Other accessories are from Re-ment, Reutter Porcelain, Irwin and Mega House.

A New KH Bathroom

If you really lived in a home designed like the Kaleidoscope House, would it be uncomfortable to use the toilet or take a bath/shower with all that glazing? We have a wall of glass in the rear of our house and sometimes I wonder if my neighbors can see me making a sandwich, muttering to myself (Everybody does it!), or snacking while sitting on the island to see TV in the family room (barbaric!). It makes me a little self-conscious when I remember that the curtains are open and the show is free. I don't think I could have floor to ceiling glazing that exposed the outside world to my bathroom unless it was the kind of glass that clouds over with electric current, but what do you do when the power goes out like it does so often here in California? In this You Tube era, I'd hate to be the most watched, emailed and laughed at video of "somebody in the bathroom".

Anyway, the images above are a bathroom design in the Kaleidoscope House. The tub is a small bowl that I got from Marshalls a couple of years ago. The sinks are from Voila Toys and the toilet (not so obvious in the small room behind the sliding door) is Theo Klein.

For those who routinely inquire: This room took about 10 minutes--mostly because I kept dropping the bath products. Putting together miniature scenes is sometimes like trying to rob a tiny house with hundreds of laser sensors. I don't use tweezers because they drive me crazy but on the odd occasion when I keep dropping items or bumping furniture with my hands trying to set tiny pieces down, I wonder if I should try the tweezers again...Nah!

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

A few posts ago, I mentioned that I was packing my Kaleidoscope House away. While I was in the middle of packing it , I decided to decorate it instead. Shrug. Above are images of the new living/dining room.