Yesterday I posted a link to how to make simple shop counters in model and dolls house scales. Now I've posted the instructions to make a clear miniature display counter you can place on top of the wooden base. This is ideal for showing off pastries, baking, ice cream or using as a toy case or a collectible model case for a miniature display.

The display counter is made from sheet acrylic, and I've shown it with a curved top, made using this simple technique to bend sheet acrylic or Plexiglass (TM). If you haven't worked with sheet acrylic before, you may also want to check out the article on glues for plastic. Plastic welding solvents work well for this project. Good sanding / polishing pads are useful as well, like the ones designed for automotive finishes or Micro Mesh sanding pads reviewed here. The Micro Mesh pads make it easy to take scratches out of plastic leaving you with a professional finish.

Photo © 2012 Lesley Shepherd

Fitting out a tiny shop can take a bit of planning. Your designs are easier to realize if you make custom miniature shop counters in your choice of depth, width and height. I've made mine with a simple faux marble top that lends itself to a pastry shop, and I've made it a lower height to accept a glass fronted top.

Using the same technique you can make displays with clear fronts and sides if you use acrylic sheet or plexiglass as the main material, and cover the edges with wood trim as I did here. To add to your dollhouse shop fixtures, use the instructions for making a miniature bookcase to build shelving units.

To add to a pastry or tea shop I realized I wanted marble pastry boards and counters. In miniature, real marble is out of scale, so it works best when created with a faux marble paint technique scaled down for miniatures. I used acrylic paints and you can turn almost any miniature into something made of marble. Try painting wood or illustration board to make marble floor tiles or panels, or you can paint baseboards, columns, or the base of statues.

An easy project to begin with is a simple wooden pastry board made from craft wood or card. Try your hand at cheese boards as well.

Photo © 2012 Lesley Shepherd

For miniature crochet choosing a thread and hook size can make or break a project. Even if you don't have access to the perfect thread, you'd be surprised what you can find in your local quilting or needlework shop or craft store. Using a 1mm needle and a range of threads, you can create anything from mini plush thread bears, to dolls house fashions or bedspreads, using full size patterns, or patterns specifically designed for miniatures. In these small scales, the stiffness of the thread is as important as the thickness.