Day 42 A Recap of Chicago

My trip to the Tom Bishop International Miniature Show in Chicago was AMAZING!!!

Getting there wasn't bad, I left my house about 6pm on Tuesday, took a bus to Singapore, arrived about 1:15am and since check in doesn't start until 4am (for a 6am flight), I started my Downton Abbey Marathon.  Upon check in I was quite shocked to not only be given a seat immediately (I fly stand-by so I usually have to stand around and wait for a seat (praying I get a seat)...sometimes till just moments before the flight leaves) but not only did I get a seat, I got a Business class seat, so the first flight (roughly 6.5 hours) was quite comfortable and I got about 5 hours of sleep.  In Tokyo I had a fairly quick 90 minutes between flights, I wasn't quite so lucky with my seat on the next flight, but I got an isle seat in back, which is better than a middle...or worse none.  roughly 14 hours later we touched down in Detroit.  I should have had 90 minutes to clear customs and make it onto my flight to Chicago, but thanks to weather there, the airport was on a ground stop.  Then weather hit in Detroit, and they had a ground stop.  I won't even begin to tell you the juggling I did jumping between flights and gates, but the bottom line is, I got on a flight to Chicago that landed at roughly 9:30pm Wed night (which doesn't sound soo bad, except you have to bare in mind there was a 12 hour time change...so all in all about a 40 hour travel time).

Thursday morning and afternoon I laid in bed and did something I can't do very easily at home, I watched HGTV!  Of course the wonderful weather kept interrupting the satellite, but a few pauses were just fine.  

That afternoon I headed over to the 3 Blind Mice show, I purchased a few thing there, however I regret NOT purchasing 1 thing, which I was smart enough to keep a record of,  that was a Toile Bed from Designs By Janet.  I'm thinking I must have a bed of hers, however I don't currently have a project that requires a bed, and I'm really trying hard to only purchase for current projects....O' the conundrum.  Also, I didn't take a picture at her booth, which I really wish I would have.  

Friday morning I was at the Bishop Show preview when it opened, as I only had 1 day to see everything (which I'm sure I missed A LOT) and shop! Here are some pictures I took (I wish I would have taken many more, but I was soo busy shopping and attempting to keep everything straight in my head that more pictures were asking too much.

The #1 item, hands down (in my opinion) that I saw was this Chess board and pieces by Geoffrey Wonnacott (UK).  When it's closed it looks like a real chess pawn.

Here is it opened.  Truly the most beautiful ever!

Here is another chess board

Do you see a theme?  I was really considering purchasing my husband a chess board, but I'll be honest, my selfishness in my budget held me back...maybe when we have a project that it's truly needed.

LOVE These Hookah's.

One of the items on my list to check out was a steampunk espresso machine.  I really want to learn steampunk, and I want to start building some pieces, so how better to get inspiration than my checking out the professionals pieces.

More Hookah's....I may just have to consider one of these for my coffee bar patio in the future.

These next few pictures were of places displayed in the entry hall

Here was my 1 good idea I had after I had already taken a few pics, if I photographed the arts name or booth sign before I photographed the stuff, I would know without research (or faulty memory) who's it was.  I wish I would have started with this idea.

I love these book roomboxes, I'm stuff a book freak, now I wish my book shop I'm working on was in one of these....guess I could make another project some day :)

These couple of items are from Lisa's Little Things, I purchased the one above, however the coffee ones were new and just for 'show'.  I did purchase a few other items from her though, pie boxes and 2 different tea boxes.

This bakery was on display at Lisa's Little Things, it was adorable.

Rainbow Hand and Kathy is one of my favorites!  I would love to take a class and learn more (hopefully someday)  this is soo much my style!!  LOVE IT!!!

Below are lots of pictures of my purchases...although NOT all from just the shows, after I left Chicago, I drove to Minneapolis for my baby daughters Senior Prom and to see friends....and to hit up Little Enchantments Dollhouse store for basic supplies, along with Michaels and Joann's for tons of things I can't find at home. 

These scrapbook tiles were scored on clearance at Michael's for $1 a package, and I think they are going to be wonderful in my next project.

I bought this magnetic gluing jig from Smaller than Life, and today I used it for the 1st time...I'm already in love with and wondering how I lived without it.

I believe someone in one of my online groups mentioned these lights because I had it on my list for Joann's....they had 4 left, I grabbed them all.  Both fences were found at the floral market my daughter took her senior pictures at....I was on a serious shopping spree, and everywhere I went I seemed to find something :)

This is a selection of wall paper, doilies, jewelry finds, etc...I purchased many more finds, but didn't figure more pics than this was needed.

A couple patio sets I purchased

This couch was just perfect for George and Annabelle's living room, and I wish I could recall the table I got the wire baskets and tile from, I ended up going back there twice, because I purchased 5 of the tile, but after I found the perfect kitchen, I figured I may as well buy all she had, who knows how I'm going to use them.

These 2 chairs were from completely different people, the white I believe was from A little more in Miniatures from the 3 Blind Mice show, and was on my purchase list from their website.

I purchased a bunch of fabrics and trims, and was on the watch for some very cheap furniture finds for my outdoor patio, I found this table for $5, which has already been painted over and crackled.

A few misc rugs, etc.

1 big thing on my list was molds, I'm soo excited to try them, hopefully they make my life a bit easier.

These 2 chairs were found in someone's clearance stash...the one on the left is now lavender with a trimmed seat and a ornamental detail added...I'll have to post before and after pics of this stuff. 

More misc items

True 2 Scale was another booth on my "to shop" list, and I got everything I wanted  :)

My coffee bas is going to be just splended with these finds....unfortunately I was soo overwhelmed I didn't purchase nearly enough...so now internet shopping I shall still have to do. 

The Dim Sum, sushi tray and peppers are from Twin Heart...her booth also required 2 stops and twin purchases :)

Mesh Miniatures at the 3 Blind Mice Show had soo many great things I needed, door handles, hardware, toy planes, serving wear, etc.  I'm very excited to work with this stuff. 

On my pre-show 'splurge' list was these crocks from Stokesay Ware....I'm beyond excited to have them, although I'm be honest, they don't have a 'home' yet....but sometimes ya have to break even your own rules.  They are just amazing!

These 2 items were my 'surprise' can't live without purchases and both are perfect for my next project, which I'm hoarding for in an effort to attempt to start and finish in a reasonable time (luckily there is no real definition for 'reasonable time' :)

Well I hope you enjoyed my show and tell of my Chicago Adventure.....Since posting last for my book shop/ coffee bar much progress has been made, so check back soon (my goal is within a few days) to update here with new pictures....I've done SO MANY little projects for it, it truly is my first REAL miniature thing that I'm proud of. 

Day 41: In Chicago...so excited!

I can't believe I'm here! Took me about 40 hours of travel, but I made it!  I'm in Chicago to make one of my dreams come true...go on a miniature shopping spree!  Tonight I'm going to the3 Blind Mice show and tomorrow to theTom Bishop International Show, and thanks to my amazing husband, I actually have much money to spend :).  Hopefully I will have some great pictures to share also:)

Day 40...My Husband has taken the leap

I think most of us will agree our husbands have great creative juices running through their veins.  Anytime I'm stuck or need advice or ideas, mine always comes up with great ideas, and thinking "like a guy" most of the time he's able to tell me an easier way to do stuff (cause don't most men look for the simplest, least time consuming way to do just about anything so they can get back to what THEY want to do? :)  Well my husband and I have been thinking and planning his 1st miniature project for about a year and a half, and well...it's still on paper and in our heads, BUT yesterday on a whim he started a completely different (and 1st) miniature project (So basically he's already like me in this hobby).  

As most projects (for me) seem to come about, we were chatting about who knows what, and we were both working on hobby stuff (me, my book shop and coffee bar and him a R/C Airplane he's building from scratch...it's crazy cool, maybe I should most pics of that!)  I digress....anyway....my husband's hobby's are magic, beer and airplanes.  So we get talking and O'wait, he was working on a magic trick, he was making a new one, that's right.  Ok, so we are chatting (that part I got right) and I start talking about a new project I want to do (cause having 6 or 7 going is not enough?) and he saids "O'no, your next project has to be the brewery we're doing together" (the one in our heads and on some paper) and I say "No, that's your project, I'm just going to assist and do parts" and then he saids "Ya, you should make a miniature Airplane model store like the one in the magazine" and I'm like that would be easy I'll make the room box you make the planes...then I say something about but it's been done, lets do something else, and somehow we come to a Magic Shop, and then it hits me, I'm like let's do a small like kiosk/shop, cause most of the magic shops are little anyway, and I remember this wood piece I bought at Michaels which I've been hanging on to, and just knew someday I would find something great to do with it.  

Here it is!  In all it's less than glamour. 

So we brainstorm for literally less than 5 minutes on modifications it will need to work, and within a very short time yesterday the following changes were made:

First I took off the doors and window bars (the customers aren't going to jail!)

I do believe it's already looking better :)

Then I filled in the windows (cause this is after all "his" project, so it makes sense that I'm doing this :)

Then when we got to this point we brain stormed again and came up with the idea to have the shop name in the space above, so we decided to take off the top bar across the top.

Just like that, our....Oops, I means "HIS" little project has been started.

He then skim coated the window openings again so as to patch good, and now this morning, literally as I type this, he is on the balcony (cause we are now condo livers) sanding so it can be painted today.

Condo livers...what a funny term....sounds like something my Grandma would want me to try as a kid and even though it could taste good, I would still not try it, even going so far as to tell her I was allergic...which I did once did regarding chicken (when I was a kid :)