Thursday 5 March 2015

Supplies for Minis That May Actually Do The Job!

I spend quite a lot of time browsing through items on Etsy and Ebay at jewellery findings, bezels, beads and all sorts of pendant glass. These items are used by lots of miniature artisans in many different ways so every so often I order a few bits and bobs.
Usually these orders end in disaster. The items are too big, too small or quite simply not what I was expecting at all.
So I go to Miniatura and look carefully at the stands which sell these sort of things or when in Hobbycraft I carefully study the many packets. Both of these sources seem to work out quite expensive and my success rate is no better.
 Today I received a package from an Etsy supplier that might change my success rate in a good way. I have been looking for tall glassware for Honeydukes and came across these in two sizes, 15mm and 20mm by 40mm, the 20mm size is perfect for Honeydukes but might be too large for other projects and........ 
 ......they even have lids. I wanted them for lollipops and cake pops as well as sweets, they might do the job quite nicely.
 These globes will certainly find a place in one or two of my projects. I ordered the 30mm and 20mm sizes. Perhaps the 30mm is a little too large but still of use.
These domes are gorgeous, they are not teeny tiny but as a lot of my projects are fantasy I am sure they will fit in. 
Although the findings are distressed bronze I will be able to paint them and match whatever setting they eventually find a home in.
Building a stash of items for any hobby is both time consuming and expensive so mistakes are really annoying, luckily these items were all winners.

18 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful source! I, too, have trouble finding proper glass containers and findings.

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    1. I always try to share because so many other hobbyists have helped me avoid costly purchases in the past. This is a good supplier I think.

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  2. I agree that they are winners. I got so many ideas just looking at them!

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    1. I actually put them with all the wrong tops but they still seemed to work! The glass globes have all sorts of possibilities I think.

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  3. Winners they certainly appear to be Janice! I love the glass and the bronze together. The glass could also be converted into light fixtures and the metal plates could used separately as well. Personally have had only a few disappointments in some of the hobby craft supplies that I have purchased on-line but that is usually when not enough useful information is given. It can often be a gamble but in this instance I do believe that you've hit Jackpot! :D
    Congratulations and have fun making all of your cake pops and many other sweets for Honeydukes!

    elizabeth

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    1. I am terrible at judging sizes Elizabeth even when armed with a measuring tape which has led to a number of giant pieces arriving! Much better at it now than when I first started. The metal plates are just what I was looking for as jar lids and cake stands and now I know the sizes that work.

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  4. Hello Janice,
    Great find! they look perfect!
    Big hug,
    Giac

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    1. Thanks Giac. Do love a bit of craft shopping!

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  5. Seguro que les encuentra utilidad. Tienen buen aspecto.

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  6. Those containers are lovely, Janice. I have the same problem too. I seem to buy a range of items, but most of them just aren't suitable.....ah well! Roll on NEC!
    All the best
    Vivian

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    1. I know how you feel Vivian. It's these little bits that seem to cause me most problem so I like to share when I have found something that works as they are so much cheaper than at the fairs. Looking forward to Miniatura too.

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  7. Some great supplies Janice (and I sympathise with the never-ending hunt for the right bits!). The large jars and globes would be useful in modern scenes. The jars look like large modern glass vases but could be used for old lantern style light fittings. The globes would be good for the hanging globe terrariums that are popular at the moment. And also, very large cloches were pretty common in Victorian and older times for covering displays like those wedding mementos and ceramics, automatons, taxidermy, etc. have fun with them.

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    1. You are so right, these will find their way in many of my scenes. The cloches, while large, are very nice and will definitely be perfect in a window display. I can see a rather nasty plant being stored underneath one of these.

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