Sunday, August 28, 2016

August 28, 2016

One blink of the eye and over 6 years has past.
I now live in Auburn, Washington, I am still an Operating Room RN, at 59 I can see on the horizon Retirement is beckoning to me.

I finally had enough senority to get a summer vacation and I attended the 2016 NAME National Convention in Seattle Washington this July. It was so wonderful to see all of my old friends and make new friends. I took classes, shopped in the sales room and celebrated with my Miniature family at the meal functions and banquet.

One of the projects I bought at the salesroom was Secret Books Case, designed by Shawn and Robin Betterley.

Robin is an amazing artist, and makes these pretty perfect things that she and her husband create and sell on their website: robinbetterley.com

But she has this other side.... this grungy, used and a little twisted side... she and her daughter love altering things and re-cycling or up-cycling things. I told her I was going to do my "thing" with her kits and she gave me her blessing.
I purchased 6 different book kits and naturally "altered" them.


The Bookcase was easy to put together, it is oversized miniature, bigger than 1" scale. The book kits that Robin sell have 1/144th or 1/4" scenes inside. I decided I wanted to put some of my little treasures that I have been squirreling away for years.


I found images online of old marble pages, I used them on this book. Naturally you won't find something bright and pretty in a spellbook.



Ancient pictures and notes in the back, claw holding a seer's seeing glass ball and skull mask on the wall.


I left the shelf out of the original kit, painted all of the wood a "used" brown color.

I looked through my multiple boxes and drawers, I found this beautiful beetle that died a natural death at least a decade ago.

I have been waiting along time to showcase the beauty that Mother Nature bestowed on him.

Next is my book on Spiders.
No I do not have a dead or live Spider that I put in the book.

Why spiders?

They are a huge part of the Eco-system. They help control bad bugs and are true artists with their webs.

There has been an exceptional amount of live spiders coming in my house and visiting this summer... most made it back outside intact

I am leery how many will be visiting this Autumn when the weather turns cool and they come in to warm up..... their "normal" visiting hours... perhaps if they see this book open they will head back outside on their own!!

Cinderella who had to lose her shoe to get her crown, I had to lose my tooth.

Another item I found was a "crown" from a tooth who has long left my mouth and was replaced with an implant.

Yes, I saved it. I payed a lot of money for that thing and spent hours and hours of quality time with my dentist.




I love all things, worn things. I especially love books, all books.
I have an old "Spelling Book" on my shelf.

And a book of "Crows"

I love Crows, they are smart, clever and inventive.
I had a special relationship with one when I was a child. I nicknamed him "Cracker", he would take the treats I gave him and buried them for a later meal.



 The Bookcase has a display stand built on top that can hold the book in place. It is fun to rotate that books on it's shelf.

I wanted to highlight the bookcase, so looking through my treasures I found an old Photo Frame case, that had matted photos for each side, when you took the Frame off (held with magnets) there was a file of photo sleeves. I removed the glass from both sides, removed the interior photo sleeves.
I covered the mat board with paper on both sides- and put it in one side. That created the inside/outside wall, I papered the sides, added a floor. The other side is open so you can reach in and open the books. The Bookcase fit is perfectly!!

This was another thing that I found at Goodwill for $3.00, not knowing when I would use it, how I would use it, but I knew one day I WOULD USE IT, AND I DID!!!!

As you can see there is space on those shelves.

I already ordered 8 more books that I will be filling with more of my precious bits and baubles.

Hopefully one will hold a perfect little Mouse's femur bone. I put it in a very safe spot, so safe I can't find it. Rest assured once I find it, it will be in my bookcase.

So what do you have in that cigar box? Do you have some of your children's baby teeth? Do you have one special earring that is missing it's mate?

This is a quick and fun project to do, whether you use the beautiful art that comes in the kit, or you change it like I did.