Turkey Turmoil

This turkey puppet in the toy store is looking a bit worried about the upcoming holiday.  

(I purchased him from David & Wendy's Dollhouse at the Denver mini show last February.)   

I've told him he doesn't have to worry - he's needed for puppet shows in the toy store. 

And this is a RL turkey made out of oreos and candy corns that my son made in his class Thanksgiving party:

Maybe next year I will try to make a mini one. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

From Holiday Catalogues to a Dollhouse Christmas Stocking Banner

Here is a dollhouse Christmas stocking banner made from stocking pictures in the Pottery Barn catalogue.

I also made one with blue stockings (and a little Peanut drawing pad on the chair from cutting out the Peanut stocking):

In case you haven't done this before, it is very easy.  

Just cut out the pictures (another good source is the Paper Source catalogue) and glue them onto another piece of paper with room above so that that section can be folded over to wrap around the string.)

Then cut out each stocking with the above part (making sure the above part can't be seen when folded) and glue together around string. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Takeout from TYA Kitchen in Tokyo

I just came back from a quick trip to Tokyo for work, but managed to squeeze in a visit to TYA Kitchen.   Those dumplings are making me hungry!

Here is their website:  http://minityuan.ocnk.net/

Yukio Kawai is the artisan, along with his wife and daughter who make the food, behind TYA Kitchen. 

Here is a close-up of the salad and meal takeout (in their perfect takeout containers!): 

They are having a documentary made about them, and so the filmmaker asked if he could film me shopping and ask me some questions.   It was great to talk to him and learn more about TYA Kitchen.  He also translated for me and Yukio Kawai to talk.  Many of their roomboxes are made at the request of customers to preserve memories.  Yukio-san also asked if I had any requests for items, so let me know if there are any suggestions. 

 I didn't take any pictures this time, unfortunately - a bit flustered with the camera recording, but every time I visit, I always see new details.  (See my Visit to TYA Kitchen blog post.) This time, he had made a American diner based on his trip to a diner while at the Chicago international show.  

Here is a picture of all my purchases. 

Cooking in the Malibu kitchen with some new TYA Kitchen accessories: 

I also went after work one night to Tam Tam Hobby Shop in Akihabara and picked up some model train stuff, which are for my 1/12 toy shop (and separately, some little toys for my kids). 

Have a great weekend!

IGMA Show - Small Beginnings - the Children only shopping area

Sheila from Shenandoah and Stuff asked me what my children bought at Small Beginnings, the children only table at the IGMA show.   

I am always very excited to see what they bought when we arrive home (no adults are allowed in the children's corner.)  It even has a wall around it so you cannot see in (I should take a picture). 

So here are their purchases.  

They found some great stuff.   Miniaturists are very generous with their donations to Small Beginnings.

The best find was this bed.  My daughter found it.   I think she found the chair there last year.

The covers are made by mother-in-law.  

Here are my son's purchases (he is only 5).  He first came out having only spent 80 cents. 

I reminded him that he had a garden and he went back in and came out with these plants.  That was a good find.  He also found the really cute mailbox and the box of fruit.  (The little mailbox has a flag that can stick up, so at Christmas time, I am planning to put some Christmas cards in there and put up the flag 😉)

He told the ladies who work that corner (they are very nice) that he had a castle dollhouse and they showed him this.  At first he said no, because his castle was a much bigger size, but then when we were looking at the stalls outside and he saw something similar for much more, he said he wanted to go back and get it.  I think they are very nice and his little boys can use them as toys.

Here are my daughter's purchases (although the fish tank was from the auction outside) and the blue stone was purchased from Artistic Florals by Arlene Finkelstein: 

The train track is very cool:

She also found these lamps:

And some more animals:

She bought this fish tank from the auction (another mom outbid her but very kindly allowed her to get it)

And then outside the Children's Corner, I bought them each a dog and a fish bag, and Sofie also bought these flowers from Artistic Florals:

My son really wanted this armor that went for around $80 in the auction and some swords that were around $20 each, so that was too expensive.  Instead I found these on eBay for him:

I particularly love the suit of armor.  

Have a great weekend!