Search My Blog!

Use the Search box below to find keywords that you're looking for quickly and easily!

Search Feature

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Slightly Out Of Season...

Hello my friends! Hope this post finds you enjoying all of the things your particular season has to offer!

 As many of you in the northern hemisphere know, August in the northwest region of the United States means hot weather. This year is no exception! So in-between short weekend explorations into the forest, I've been keeping busy with very cool and out of season thoughts.

 Like the smell of baking gingerbread, the blast of cold air as you step out the front door and Bing Crosby's memory evoking voice...


It has taken many hours just to get the hutch finished up for the Sweet Christmas Cottage kitchen, and there are many fun and challenging hours yet to come until I can call that room complete.


Everything takes me longer than it should, but with luck, I will have the stamina to complete it. Hopefully in time to enjoy the little cottage for the real Christmas season.


Next post, I shall endeavor to have more to show and tell!

Ho Ho Ho!
Jodi



Thursday, August 10, 2017

Back to the drawing Bo... er.. Paper

I just couldn't put my finger on why I wasn't loving the staircase in the New Orleans kit. Here's a photo to refresh your memory. Take a look, I'l wait...


Then I realized, after letting the thought niggle at me while I worked on the Sweet Christmas Cottage, that they were just too wide. About 3/4" too wide, and they really crowded the entryway. Not to mention the room in general. Picky, picky - I know. But in 1:1 that's 9 inches, and that can make all the difference!


So, after I finished swearing and chastising myself for not just leaving well enough alone, I drew up some new plans. Hey - I am willing to make two attempts before I settle for the best result.

This new set of stairs would include built in shelves, solving once and for all the other nagging issue: the column bookcase. Now I would be free to give up the idea and still have a place to display some of the really cool stuff I've been collecting for this project. And, I'd gain back 2" there. Are you adding it up? 2-3/4" of regained floor space! Totally worth the investment of time and a new staircase kit. A perfect opportunity to take advantage of the HBS/miniatures.com 25% off sale!


Remember the issue I had when I originally decided not to use the pre-built stairs that came with the kit? They were extremely narrow, and the pitch made them very child dollhous-y. Not grown up dollhous-y. Well, a more realistic pitch meant that they were longer in length, so when installed, were about 1-1/2" too long for a believable landing. This was something I tried to ignore, but if I'm honest, it kept me up at night.


One of my brilliant readers asked if I had considered making it a return staircase. At the time, when I was stuck on the idea of keeping the column bookcase, I dismissed the thought thinking it would make that end of the room too heavy. But now, without the column bookcase, the idea was back on the table.

After my very helpful husband cut the new staircase to width for me (I bent my scroll saw blade in the attempt), I made a mock-up with a return. Bingo! That was just what they needed for better fit and function!


I cut and attached the wall stringer, shelves, back wall, landing and step from 1/16" illustration art boards. This stuff is great because it won't warp from glue or paint, can be cut with an Xacto, can be sanded and has a smooth surface.


Once the structure was figured out (the hard part), it was just a matter of the painting and sanding and staining and trimming over and over for days - whew! Why do I always look forward to this stuff until I am mid-way into it? That's when the whining starts...





But, in the end I am much more happy with these stairs. And, because I gave it two good tries, it will no longer keep me up at night! I think my next mini endeavor will be a much easier one with almost instant gratification. I'm switching back over to the Sweet Christmas Cottage kitchen, where it is mostly filling shelves with adorable minis!

Have a wonderful weekend, full of peaceful dreams...

xo xo
Jodi

Thursday, August 3, 2017

Sweet Christmas Cottage - Kitchen Layout


Who is that glamorous woman in the kitchen? Why, that's Ellie! She;s here to demonstrate how a few small changes made to mass produced miniatures can make them just right for your space!



The kitchen furnishings are made up of some barewood hutch units, a Jane Harrop farm sink kit, and some scratch and dent appliances found on eBay. The layout works, but they need a little something...


20 seconds in the microwave, and I was able to carefully remove the the hutch pieces from the bases.


New counter tops and trim were cut from 1/16" basswood, then stained. These created a continual surface, turning individual pieces into one unit. More counter space is appreciated by everyone, even mini cooks!


Top molding was stained to match, new drawer fronts and hardware added, "tile" backsplash and old fashioned taps. Copper wire created the perfect plate rack.


The stand alone hutch now has more room for baking preparations.




A great fit for the room, lots of storage space, and the functionality that every busy Christmas kitchen needs.


The appliances were given a little silver paint in strategic places to add interest and realism.


Even Ellie was transformed to fit in better with her new surroundings. It's amazing what a new hairstyle and outfit can do for you.


 She loves her new look, and her new kitchen! It won't be long until this place will be filled with the sights and smells of Christmas!


With temperatures reaching 94 degrees today, I'm going to embrace that Christmas thought.


Hope you're keeping cool in the Northern Hemisphere, and warm thoughts in the Southern.

xo xo,
Jodi

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Sweet Christmas Cottage - The Backdrop


The idea for working on the Dura-Craft Columbian kit was to get the inside completely wired, floored, papered and trimmed out so I could work on little projects inside as I had the time or motivation. Same with the exterior - as inspiration strikes I'll work on texture, leaded windows and the like...


Just to prove I have nothing against tape wire systems (on non MDF structures), that's what I used to electrify this project. It was a pretty straightforward plan with ceiling fixtures, sconces and plenty of outlets for strings of Christmas lights.


 I made the modifications I mentioned in my last post: adding a kitchen window for above the future sink, expanding the kitchen by an inch, narrowing the staircase etc. I covered the low kitchen windows with a bead board panel to gain some much needed wall space. The windows will still be visible from the outside, likely "frosted in addition to the leading and some Christmas-sy color.


I went with a fun gingerbread cookie patterned wallpaper for the walls - apropos for a Christmas kitchen totally geared for making the stuff of sugarplum visions. The flooring paper gives a nice retro feeling, post war of course, because there is no sugar rationing happening here! I went with sheepskin chalk paint for the trims in here to keep it light and help balance all those patterns.


I managed to cobble together scraps of the tin ceiling I used in the New Orleans kitchen, covering seams with stripwood.


The living room might be a little on the small side, but I think the tree will fit nicely, taking up the front corner and window area, leaving just enough room for comfy chairs and an old time radio. Maybe even a little dollhouse if I'm lucky!




Cutting the stairs down to 2-1/4" gave me additional space in the living room, yet they still look wide enough for cottage standards. As I promised myself I would, I kept them simple. I used Houseworks random plank flooring and stained them with a Minwax Provincial stain marker. I think they turned out nice.





I used a House Of Miniatures fireplace kit as the basis for the fireplace, reducing the width, depth and adding some shelving for display. The log holder is improvised using WireForm Metal Mesh. There are a million ideas for this stuff... My fire lights need some adjusting still, and take no notice of my toothpick shim: the unit will remain removable for easier accessorizing. I see that I forgot my outlet covers, as well.



The bedroom should be just large enough for a double bed, a couple nightstands, a dresser and a chair. I have plans to make a custom bed. Need to finalize the design then dust off the old soldering iron and copper wire. I'll need to make that stairway opening a bit safer, and I see my trim has popped itself away from the wall. One step forward, one step back...


I forgot to mention that I'd swapped out the bedroom and bathrooms from the original kit design by relocating the divider wall to the other side of the stair opening. I thought it would be a shame to have a headboard practically covering up the dormer window.



To indulge my love for making kits, I decided to use the Greenleaf Master Bathroom furniture kit. It's charming style fits right in to the Christmas cottage, but the scale seemed a little on the small side of 1/12th. The wainscoting is 3" tall, so the sink counter should match that.



Not to worry! They make the perfect foundation for a little sprucing up! I made up and cut some chipboard panels with the Cricut. Getting better...





Paint, knobs, faucets, legs, Triple Thick, some ingenuity and now they're just right for the old time-y vibe!


Now the debate begins... Start on the kitchen build out on this one, or the New Orleans? Or the New Orleans staircase rebuild? Or take a nap? Oh yes, my pillow is calling...

Until next time,
Jodi

xxx