Mini-Mini Brimbles Mercantile - BB SWEETS!

The quarter scale Village kit and Town kits from Greenleaf are really cute, and fun to build. Needless to say, they don't take long to put together. The first house I grabbed was the mini Brimble's Mercantile, which was the whole reason I bought the kits to begin with. As I was building it I was reminiscent of BB Sweets and how much fun it was to complete. I wanted to replicate the original as close as I could, I think it turned out adorable! 

Here it is next to the 1:12 scale version - Brimble's Mercantile, "BB Sweets"

 

 

I tried to match the shingles as best I could, and of course the columns and vines in the front. This particular house is completely sealed, so there was nothing to decorate on the inside.  Here are some closer photos:

 

The kits also include a mini Arthur, I will post photos of that one when it's done. I'll be making it a mini replica of my 1:12 scale Arthur as well. I may even try to do real stucco on the quarter scale version. I'm pretty sure I still have the original paint color from the Arthur. The colored shingles may be a challenge however.

Meanwhile I still have the beginnings of my Artply Highland under construction, plus the multiple built houses that need rehab, and oh yeah the stack of kit boxes that have houses screaming my name, plus the room boxes that are sitting empty, and/or half decorated. I guess I know when I retire I will never get bored!

 

Thanks for visiting :-) 

~ Mini-Shack

Video ready for the Brimbles Mercantile by Greenleaf

I finally got the video uploaded for BB Sweets, my Brimble's Mercantile candy shop and bakery. I took a lot of photos, with three different cameras, in both natural light and artificial. The result of that was several hundred detailed photos to edit and select for final video insertion. I was a little overwhelmed, so I picked the best that I could and threw together this video.

I also documented the entire build from start to finish. I like to do a separate video for the builds, since there are so many photos involved. I personally don't care for videos over 5 minutes, so I try not to create them either. I like to make a "build" video in case anyone gets stuck doing the same kit, they can pause the video and hopefully it will help them out.

So for now, please enjoy the interior and exterior video of the finished product and imagine yourself in a sweet and yummy place to feel like a kid again!!

Thanks for visiting!

 ~ Mini-Shack

My Brimble's Mercantile by Greenleaf aka "BB Sweets"

My sweet shop is finally done. Lovingly named BB Sweets with my grandson in mind, who calls me BB.  I didn't keep track of build time because I paused a few times while working on this. This was made from a kit by Greenleaf called the Brimble's Mercantile. I've been thinking of a bakery for several years, so to get to the end and have this completed is a real joy. I spent many nights in front of the TV rolling tiny candy, making tiny cupcakes and cakes, making boxes with labels and filling tiny jars full of colorful treats. As you can see it's very detailed on the inside, but the exterior was time consuming as well. 

 

Brimble's Mercantile by Greenleaf

 

I always imagined my bakery with a striped awning on the front. I was able to use the wood roof structure that comes with the kit because of it's shape, all I had to do was add the hanging tabs. They're actually snipped off tongue depressors, and the measurements worked out in my favor because the stripes lined up almost perfectly.

The siding was measured, cut, and glued on one strip at a time. The shingles were cut and painted, then applied one by one (no fun around the dormers!). The structure sits on plywood that is extended on both ends. I used this space to create extra patio area, with faux brick on the front and stone in the back. I used Paperclay for both ends. 

The major endeavor was the exterior staircase. The original kit intends for the stairs to be on the inside. I didn't care for this idea because it took up a lot of space, both downstairs and upstairs. I sealed the two windows off downstairs as well, I needed the wall space. I moved the staircase to the back of the building, and was able to keep it the same shape with the upper landing close to the upstairs window. I made the window into a door and then built a landing with railings. Made a few adjustments on the bottom level and it lined up pretty well.

Once I can grab the perfect sunlight hitting the bakery I'll post proper interior detailed photos, and create the video. I'm finding that flash photography doesn't do this justice. 

Getting excited about my next project, The Mint Julep!

Thanks for visiting!

~ Mini-Shack

Now what?

Well...today I am officially the owner of a new-in-the box Brimble's Mercantile kit by Greenleaf. From the moment I thought about doing a bakery I wanted to do it in the Brimble's. It's been over a year, maybe two, since I started looking for one. I missed out on several on eBay, etc. so I kind of gave up looking. I started looking at other kits instead that were smaller, and I decided on the Greenleaf Buttercup. I picked one up for super cheap NIB...then I flip flopped to The Ashley by Dura Craft because I also found one cheap. So here I am with two cute little houses that are very similar, that will not end up as my bakery after all. I'm having thoughts of kit bashing the two together as one house. Or possibly building them both, and designing them similar to the Brimble's and making a coordinating bakery, tea shop and some other sort of shop. Currently I have five of my built houses on display in a row,  if I add these three I could end up with a village in 1:12 scale...oh my!

I'm thrilled to finally have a Brimble's, I don't have any photos yet but here's a lovey stock photo:

It's perfect for a bakery. It comes with some store fixtures such as built in shelves, signage and display cases. The upstairs will be the work and storage area and the downstairs will be the bakery. It's actually more than a bakery, there will be candy and ice cream too. The name of it is "BBs Sweet Shop". I am excited to get started! I will document this build along the way with photos, as I do with all my builds.

Here are some stock photos of The Buttercup (yellow house) and The Ashley (pink house):

They're both so cute, but as you can see they're very similar. I'm sure it will come to me, I'll know what to do with both of these houses when the time is right. It always seems to work that way :-)



Thanks for looking!


~ Mini-Shack

BB's Sweet Shop

Well I've done it again...I need to stay off internet resale sites...I couldn't pass up a deal for a Greenleaf Buttercup kit new in the box, which will eventually become "BB's SWEETS", my bakery and sweets shop.

I picked it up from a lady in my town and she also included a handy book called "Everything You Wanted To Know About Dollhouses But Didn't Know Who To Ask" written by Nancy Van Horn from the company Houseworks. Some of the information is basic, but there's a few good tips and tricks in there that I've found useful. Here's a photo of the cover of the book and the table of contents:

I'm excited about the Buttercup kit. For a while now I've been picturing a bakery in my head and scouting out different houses for the shop. I was really stuck on the Greenleaf Brimble's Mercantile, but I'm too thrifty to buy one new from Greenleaf. Plus, they only sell laser cut kits now and I want an original kit. They have come and gone on eBay, and I missed out on a few by hesitating. I decided to go smaller so I had narrowed it down to the Ashley by DuraCraft or maybe the Adams by Greenleaf. What I like the most about DuraCraft kits are the cool etched windows they always include. Plus the Ashley had a spiral staircase, which I was going to put in my Alison Jr. instead. But that's quite alright, I am very happy with my Buttercup purchase. I'd like to get it going right after the holidays..it's fresh on my mind but I do have several other projects sitting here staring at me, plus I need to finish off the interior of my Brookwood, which is what I am currently working on.

My plans for the bakery are fairly typical - shades of pink with decorative stripes and polka dots, with a lot of yummy treats in display cases. I'd like a few cafe tables or at least a counter bar as well. 

The kit came in a plain brown box (pictured in the photo of the book above) so I don't have a photo, but here is a stock photo of the Buttercup. Coincidentally it actually shows a sample of a shop:

 

Wish me luck on time and project management! HaHa.

Thanks for looking!

~ Mini Shack