Antique gifts for the Addamses

I've been to several antique stores recently and I have NOT been disappointed! I went to several stores while on a trip with my parents in Tennessee. Jackson, Tennessee to be exact :) The Addamses were pleased to see me return with a few things for their much neglected Mansion.

These first items were bought by my mother. I was going back and forth on whether or not to purchase them and so she just got them for me :) They are old Avon perfume bottles. They are tiny but I think they have a lot of potential. I am thinking of turning the clear one into a large vase full of some of the dead roses Sans gave me. And I am thinking of using the cap of the pink one for a very ornate side table :) And then the pink part can be a large decorative bowl in Bentley manner perhaps.

The next antique I am not sure what I am doing with just yet but I love it! My dad wanted to contribute to the dollhouse as well and bought me this antique vanity with seat. I am trying to decide if it works best for Morticia or for Mrs. Bentley!!? It's a little creepy but very classic I think!


Lastly, I found this piece here in a DFW antique store. I think its just a small mirror meant for a ladies vanity BUT its the perfect size to be an impressive stand-up mirror in miniature. It will definitely be a center piece in Morticia and Gomez's bedroom. And it was only $8. I felt like I struck gold!


I am getting the tinglies back in my fingers for working on the mansion! I am planning and planning!! More to come.....

Off Topic: Making Monsters with my Sister

Just wanted to share with you a project I did with my sister when she came to visit me. I asked her what project she wanted to do and she practically yelled, "Lint Monsters!!"

Remember this guy from way back? Well she thought he was the cutest thing and wanted one of her own! They are made from dryer lint. I bought new red towels for my guest bathroom and saved the lint from washing those!

Anyway, here they are! My sister made a duck-monster since thats her favorite animal..... and mine came out a little like "Mike" from Monsters Inc. Hehe! They're both a little over an inch tall.

I'll be posting some Addams Family themed posts shortly.... I promise!!

Off Topic: Alice in Wonderland Chairs

Hi Guys! Well I finally finished something I was working on! And no it isn't for the Addams Family (they're gonna hate me!). It's my Alice and Wonderland Chair Collection. Anyway - I just wanted to share them with you here since they are what has been taking up most of my time!

They are now listed on my Etsy site (which you can find a link to on the side of this blog). I did a version of the Red Queen's Chair, the Mad Hatter's Chair, and Alice's Chair. They are not direct replica's of the movie of the book illustrations, they are just what came from my mind when thinking about the characters. I also did a version of the White Queens chair (similar to the Red Queen's) that I have posted on Etsy.

Let me know what you think!

Love you guys, Ara

Quick Family Portrait

I just couldn't resist getting the whole gang together here to show you who lives in the mansion so far! (click it to make it bigger)


Clockwise:
Morticia - The Matron of the Addams Family - made by me
Cleopatra - Morticia's prized African Strangler - made by Jayne of Tallulah-Belle
Cousin Itt - Gomez's hairy, yet playboyish cousin - made by Kate Whittaker
Cousin What - Cousin Itt's son - made by Kate Whittaker
Aristotle - Pugsley's pet octopus - made by me
Homer - Wednesday's pet spider - made by Teresa Dudley
Thing - The family's helping hand - made by me

Thank you all who contributed to this good looking group!! Don't they all just belong together!! Looks like a need to make a few more of the main family members to keep these guys all in line though....

The Texas Miniature Showcase

Well - I am finally posting about my trip to The Texas Miniature Showcase!

It was my first miniature show ever and I was so excited I had a very difficult time falling asleep the night before! My Aunt drove up from Houston to go with me and my husband said he would go as well! (I warned him that if he came he was NOT allowed to say at any time that he was bored.... he did a very good job and I think he had fun too!:)

Anyway, I also got to meet Texas Belle!!!!! It was great getting to meet up with her. We went and had lunch and shared our treasures we had found that morning. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon walking around together trying to keep track of my aunt - haha! I can't wait for her to come over sometime to see the mini-mansion!

It was such a blast!! I'm gonna show you my favorite things I got from the show for the Addamses!

First, this is a piece by an artist named T. Dudley. It's a spider in a cage and he was just perfect to be Wednesday's pet spider, Homer. My Aunt actually got him for me!! I was jumping up and down I was so excited! It's about an inch long to give you an idea of scale.



The mounted moose horns you see sitting on the mantel here is another piece I found made by T. Dudley. The funny thing is that I bought these at two different stands and they were made 5 years apart.... The spider with cage was made in 2010, and the moose horns were made in 2005. I will be mounting the moose horns higher of course but I really like them and they are the closest I have found that look real!

And lastly this is a Bespaq piece that I found at a booth that was perfect for Gomez!! My Aunt bought this for me as well! She also got me the lamp and the small tobacco set for the top of the desk! Now I am ready to get the second level of the mansion going! Thank you Aunt Debbie! Gomez is finally ready to light up one of those cigars and sit back and relax in his office!


I had such a fun time.... I'm looking forward to next year! (The Addamses are too!)

Swap With Kate: Welcome to Cousin Itt and family!

As you can see..... a few more Addamses have come home!! Morticia and Thing are seen here greeting Cousin Itt and his son, Cousin What!! Aren't they fabulous! Both of these were made by the wonderful Kate Whittaker!! She has really outdone herself for this one. I just wish I could put some kind of 3D app on this blog so you could see all the detail in these pieces!!

Because Cousin Itt was a little hard to see in the dark house I wanted to do a quick family portrait for them against a white back drop! Kate made everything.... the tiny coffin, Baby What, and even the precious pacifier (or Dummy... I just learned that from Kate) in his hairy little mouth! Ahhhh - I love them!

Also notice that she made the wheels into spider webs and there are two spiders joining Baby What wherever he may be going.

And I also wanted to show you the back of the coffin stroller! So cute!

Kate, thank you so so much for this wonderful swap!! I had so much fun and I can't tell you how excited I am to have two more of the Addams clan at home!! I really fuels my fire to get some things done! Big hugs from across the ocean!!

***
Oh yes.... and I was also gonna show what I made for Kate. But please stay tuned to her blog because when she is able she will show pictures of it in her project!!

She asked me if I could try making a wicker baby bed for her Sweeney Todd project. If you haven't seen the movie, Sweeney finds his daughters old bed.... all tattered and torn. So that is what I created. Its not just like the one in the movie but its based off of Kate's vision of what she wanted.

It was really fun making this for her because I got to try out some new techniques!!

Kate, as always, swapping with you was a blast! I look forward to the next time!!! -Ara

Off Topic: Gift for my Mother

Hi Everyone,

I know this isn't Addams Family related but this is something I've worked on lately and I wanted to show you guys :) I have had in the back on my head for a while plans on how to make a working miniature recliner. Well I finally got started on it and I couldn't think of a better material to cover it in than my grandfathers old work shirt!

I remember for years when I was younger that he would come home from work and plop down in his recliner and sleep for a few minutes before dinner. Of course us grandkids would either disrupt his slumber or make fun of his amazingly loud snoring!!! haha.
Anyway he passed away several years ago but I have held on to several of his old shirts.

This chair went to my mother for this past mothers day. I knew she would love it because of the connection to her father and because.... of course her child made it :) It now sits in her curio cabinet of memories and I am so proud for it to be there!!

Anyway - I plan to make some more of those recliners and sell them (without my grandfathers shirt upholstery of course!!)

Since this was the first one I ever made there are a few improvements I will make on the next few but I really like it! Let me know what you think!!

-ara