Now that the Italian book has been completed, it’s time for a new miniatures project, and I’ve decided to choose something based on how much fun I anticipate having throughout the process. 😉 I need at least one project before the busy holiday season is upon me to really get the creative juices flowing, and this miniature bakery and ice cream parlor has been on the back burner for awhile–I think it’s time!
To kick off the brainstorming I created a Pinterest board, which I’ll probably be adding to quite a bit as the project progresses. You can see more of my ideas in the descriptions for each pin where I’ve been compiling notes on various things I want to miniaturize.
To give you an idea of what this project will look like, here’s my plan: I’ll create the bakery from the ground up, photographing each and every part of the construction. Then, I’ll move onto the decorating stage, and finally, all of the cases and counters will be outfitted with cute sweets. The best part? All of this material will be carefully compiled into a book, and this one is going to be a bit different from the Dollhouse Chef Series.
Rather than a series of food-only projects, I’ll be dividing the book into chapters based on the construction stage, and each chapter will contain a combination of articles filled with photos and tips based on what I’ve learned throughout the process; step-by-step instructions for any foods made; how-tos for all non-food items, like menu boards, bakery boxes, ice cream cups, and more; and printable for any pieces, such as the non-food items just mentioned, that I design myself.
In essence, you’ll see the entire bakery-building process from start to finish and have the instructions, printables, and photo inspiration to recreate your own version once the book is complete. Since this is new territory for me, I don’t know how long the book will take, but there will be plenty of updates here on the blog, of course, so be sure to check back regularly!
Here’s a sneak peek at the layout so far. I’m using two leftover pieces from my personal dollhouse for the side walls and pieces of wood I already had on hand for the floor and rear wall. All of the furniture is from my personal collection, and later in the process I’ll be sending out an email to see which of these pieces you’d like me to order and carry in my shop for your projects.
The section against the rear wall will be the preparation area. The fridge will be filled with ingredients, the center piece will be turned into a sink, and the white counter at the right is a stand in for what will likely be a long, metal-topped counter with shelves above and below where the main dessert prep will take place. I’m envisioning bowls of frosting in pretty colors, lots of pretty bakeware and other dishes, and dry ingredients. To the far left of these pieces will be an oven, which I still need to buy.
The case to the right of the ice cream freezer will be filled with cakes and pies, and I’ll be choosing designs that I’ve never done in previous books to give you brand new projects.
For the ice cream freezer, I want to fill it with brightly colored gelatos, each with toppings displayed on top of the filled gelato trays. On top of the case I might have a cup of little spoons, maybe a napkin dispenser, and perhaps samples of the different types of cones customers can choose from.
This long counter unit is where customers will check out, so there will be a tiny cash register and bags and boxes for to-go orders, and I want the shelves to be filled with packaged sweets, like candies and cookies. The top of the counter will feature more packaged goodies (i.e. “impulse buys”) as well as cake stands of varying heights piled high with sweets.
And in the main floor area, where I have a rectangular white table standing in for now, I want to create a display of gift items, like bakery cookbooks; gift baskets of sweets, preserves, and other goodies; and maybe even some high-end bakeware, like the pieces you might find at Sur la Table. Here’s a digital sketch of the room, which I’ll be using to test out colors and patterns as the construction progresses.
Should be fun! 😀
July 17, 2014 at 9:17 pm
I want to go to there.
July 17, 2014 at 9:22 pm
I’ll meet you there, Cicely. 😉
July 17, 2014 at 10:23 pm
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! I was excited from the start of this post but when I saw the ice cream trays and read “gelatos” my head just exploded. Cannot wait to follow this process!!
July 18, 2014 at 1:39 am
I love the ice cream freezer so much! The design at the end is also very nice :). I already have a few of the piece in the picture so I’ll have to experiment with my mini baking scene. Love the “Sur la Table” French bit.
July 18, 2014 at 3:05 am
Thanks, Rebecca! And oooh, yes–if you make a tiny bakery scene, I’d love to see it! 🙂
July 18, 2014 at 3:07 am
hee hee 🙂 I have to say, I’m most excited about the gelato case myself. I’ve been saving it for ages, and now that I’m finally filling it I feel like I have to choose the flavors very, very wisely–so much pressure! 😉
July 19, 2014 at 12:55 pm
This looks so cool already, but I can’t wait until you fill it with all your “goodies”. The cases look wonderful and it’s very nice to see the steps you’re going through.
July 19, 2014 at 3:47 pm
Thanks, Diane! I’m almost done with the wall finishings, and I kind of wish I could fast forward to the food myself! 😉
July 20, 2014 at 9:09 pm
This looks like a fun project! Don’t forget to include (on the back counter) a waffle cone maker! And a bowl of melted chocolate to dip the ice cream cones in!!! I made some sugar free real cones the other day, think I will go get one!!!
July 20, 2014 at 10:36 pm
Oooh, what cute ideas, Jan–thank you! And your real cones sound absolutely delish! What a fun summer treat. 🙂
July 22, 2014 at 12:05 am
[…] you missed my earlier post about the project, be sure to check it out here, because you’ll see how this project fits in with a brand new book I’m currently […]
July 23, 2014 at 5:22 pm
[…] as I mentioned in a previous post, all of the steps I’ve taken so far will be outlined in detail in the book I’m working […]
August 5, 2014 at 4:38 pm
[…] The front wall of the bakery is coming right along thanks to a rather mind-numbing stretch of brickwork last Friday. It took a bit of hunting around at local stores to find the appropriate foam for the bricks, and then there was a bit of trial and error with the brick-making process, all of which will be detailed in the book. […]