Decades ago, some jazz dog statues (yes, jazz dog statues) sparked an idea for a "Sit-and-Stay Dog Cafe" scene in my brain. But before any work was done for the Sit-and-Stay Dog Cafe, other animal themed projects sprung to life (Knitty Kitty and Mother Cluckers) and others were formulated in my imagination (Cottontail Confectionary, Fish Bowl Restaurant, and The Smoking Sloth).
I purchased this Real Good Toys Front Opening Shoppe from another miniaturist who had already finished the exterior in pastel colors and painted the interior all creamy pale yellow with black walnut flooring installed on the first floor.
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| Pastel green and pale yellow with pink accents and lace curtains! |
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| Move in ready |
The colors reminded me of spring and rabbits. And the "Cottontail Confectionery Sweets and Treats" was under way. I've spent the last 5 or 6 years collecting cakes, chocolates, and candies for the shop. Some I even made myself (Chocolate Goodies & candy)! Downstairs would have cakes, cupcakes, and more gourmet treats for adults and the upstairs would be more manufactured candies for kids.
But first, it needed light downstairs. Being a front/top opening structure meant that the top floor was fairly bright enough, but the shelves down below were very dark. So I installed some chandeliers.
And so I also needed to add matching black walnut wood flooring to the upstairs (helps hide the electrical wires) and then I installed some wallpapers (had to make a template for the wall with the stairs):
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| All electrified, papered, and flooring installed |
I had white Bespaq displays for downstairs. I needed some white furniture upstairs that was narrow and shorter than average since the upstairs is not as tall. Found a cute little bookshelf that I could paint:
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| Unfinished narrow bookshelf |
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| Painted them white, added green/pink painted details, and glued a FIMO pink rabbit I had made in a Ruth Stewart mold to the sides |
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| Up close pic of shelf in place (before flooring was installed) |
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| Front of the bookshelf has green/pink detailed painting |
For the back wall I had purchased a laundry room set from Hobby Lobby; I just wanted the upper cabinets and if it worked out in the space I'd go back and get another set or two (and use the other pieces in my other projects). But by the time I tested the fit, Hobby Lobby no longer carried the set! So, my solution was to kit-bash the 3 furniture pieces that came in the set to create a new back wall display counter.
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Photo taken from someone on Facebook when they found the set they were looking for in the clearance section of Hobby Lobby; sadly, my Hobby Lobby was sold out.
 | Sink cabinet on left would need to be cut down to same height as upper cabinets
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 | Removed sink so cabinet is same height as other cabinet, covered hole with wood that I would paint white to match countertops
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| Turned other cabinet on its side. It too would need to be cut down to a lower countertop height. |
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| All finished and in place |
Then it was time to decorate with all my furniture and sweets (many chocolate pieces and cakes came from Elizabeth Murta or Ruth Stewart).
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| Shelves are still a little bare. I thought I had collected plenty in the last few years but there's so much space! |
But the upstairs looks too dark now that the downstairs is all lit up. So I added a strip of warm white LEDs behind a piece of trim and wired that in to the electrical plan.
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| All lit up, although now downstairs doesn't look as bright - might need to change those bulbs to be warm white like the upstairs. LOL |
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| The pieces for my rabbit lollipop stand (from Alma, who sadly doesn't make miniatures anymore); green tier stand was a kit assembled by my friend Julie for me |
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| My finished rabbit lollipop stand with rabbit lollipops |
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| Upstairs |
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| Cotton Candy Corner |
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| The Pez dispensers, also made by Alma, on the right are my favorite miniature in the upstairs scene |
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| Tulips are on order from an Etsy lady but they won't arrive for another 2 weeks but eventually the flower boxes will be filled with tulips on either side of the rabbit cabbage planters |
Now I will either create some plexiglass covers for a customer (and maybe one for myself) or I will pull out the Fimo and make some candies for the shop (and some String of Turtles or String of Pearls plants for the
Peruvian scene I was just working on. And some cigars for my next animal themed shop: The Smoking Sloth). We shall see if plexiglass or Fimo wins...or maybe I'll start work on The Sit-n-Stay Dog Cafe or the
Irish Cottage.
