Sinks For Sam

Sam over at Blueprint Minis has recently discovered some techniques for miniature watercolor painting, and boy has she exposed a hidden talent! If you are not a follower of her blog or seen her awesome works of art, I suggest you go take a look! She shares her resources and encourages everyone to give it a try!

When she left a comment a couple blog posts ago saying she should commission me to make a sink for her basement apartment bathroom in the San Franciscan she's building, I saw my opportunity for a swap! We discussed styles and measurements, then I got to work! I love a challenge, and I super hope that one of the designs I've been playing with will satisfy the look she's trying to achieve.

Sam's Inspiration Sink with My Doodling

I wanted to try versions with both round and square sinks. I had a square plastic sink left over from a Reallife kitchen kit, and a round one I'd salvaged from the Barn when I realized I wouldn't have space for the two bathrooms I'd planned. These would make suitable models for the prototypes.

The inspiration sink appears to be constructed from thin metal, so I used 1/16" basswood. I cut the top and shelf using the life sized measurements scaled down to 1/12th. It is roughly 3" wide x 2" deep x 3" high (not including the back splash).

To cut the sink hole, I marked the center point between the sides, cheating the sink toward the front edge to leave plenty of space for taps (and bathroom-y stuff). Then I measured each of the sink halves out from the center point, top and bottom, then drew the circle around to connect them. You could also just trace the circle, but my sink will be under-slung and the sink is too large to just trace - the hole would have been too large. You could also just use a Circle Template, but that is one tool I don't have!

To cut the circle, I first traced the line with my flower making stylus, a tip I learned from the fabulous tutorials on Julie Warren's YouTube Channel. Then, my Xacto played nice and just stayed in the pre-grooved line.

To make the rounded legs, I used 1/8" dowel rod, the smallest I had on hand. Scale-wise, I think it's fine. For added stability, I sanded the ends to fit inside bead spacers with holes just slightly less than 3mm. I used contact cement to glue them together, then glued the spacers to the bottom of the sink tops so that the spacers were flush on the sides. To the bottoms, I added another spacer and some tiny beads that looked like they'd make good feet.

I added an extra shelf, as Sam suggested that the more display space the better. And I agree! We both weren't quite sure about the back splash and shelf, and the 3" w x 2" d measurements would leave the bathroom space a little tight.

With adjusted measurements, 2-1/4" w x 1-1/2" d and still 3" h, I cut new pieces, this time using a large bisque bowl for the round sink and a homemade wooden square one.

And employed the same method for the legs with bead spacers and feet. To fit the lower shelves, I traced the 1/8" dowel onto the corners of the shelf pieces, then cut and sanded away until they had a nice fit.

Here are the smaller versions. Sam and I still need to consult about back splash, details and finish, but since she is on a fabulous three week ski vacation, these may sit like they are for a bit. Which is good because, there hasn't been a hint of good spray painting weather here in weeks!

I don't know what that groundhog is seeing, but I never trust that guy, or the weatherman anyway! :O)

Hope the sunshine finds you, wherever you are and whatever the temperature may be!

xo xo,
Jodi

Guest Post With Love

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, Amanda Austin, the founder of Little Shop of Miniatures, wanted to shed a little love (and a coupon!) on all things small in this guest post. 

Here’s her list of 14 reasons to love minis just in time for February 14!

14 Things to Love About Miniatures

By: Amanda Austin

1. They let you dream. They say if you can dream it, you can do it. And that is certainly true when it comes to miniatures. Whether you’re pining to create a cozy cottage scene or a sleek, modern miniature kitchen, go for it! Your only limit is your imagination. 
2. They let you be creative. Speaking of imagination, you probably use a lot of it when it comes to miniatures. Everything from the scale you use to the colors you choose to the way you arrange a scene lets you flex your creative muscles in countless ways.
3. They put you in control. With so much in our lives out of our control, it’s comforting to have total domain over a small, magical world.
4. They’re great conversational topics. Tell people you make or collect miniatures, and you’re sure to get lots of questions about your super cool hobby. 
5. They’re an awesome collector’s hobby. Coins, stamps, souvenir shot glasses—we all know someone who collects these. But miniatures? Now that puts you in a rare and special class of collectors.
6. They’re cooler than ever. If you’ve been creating and collecting miniatures for years, congrats—you were officially ahead of the curve! The growing interest in miniatures has captured the attention of major publications like The New York Times.
7. They’re a productive use of time. We all need time to decompress. And indulging a miniatures hobby is a way better use of leisure time than watching back-to-back episodes of reality TV shows. (That said, I do love a good binge watching session once in a while—current favorite is “Say Yes to the Dress!”)
8. They’re just so darn cute. Tiny things are just adorable. Period.
9. They keep you sharp. Your brain is sure to get a workout when you’re assembling a dollhouse kit, making a mini piece of furniture, or arranging a mini room just so. 
10. They’re the perfect escape. We all need a pick me up after a rough day. Escaping into a miniatures world can give you just the distraction you need to emerge refreshed and refocused. 
11. They let you slow down. We live in a fast-paced world where the ping of our phones is never far away. Spending time with miniatures gives you a needed respite from the world and its endless demands.
12. They connect you with other miniature lovers. Other miniature lovers are the best, right? And they’re easy to meet at miniatures shows, miniatures museums, or by reading their miniatures blogs or following miniature lovers’ accounts on social media.
13. They transport you to a different time and place. Maybe you have a thing for the Victorian era. Or maybe you always dreamed of decorating your own mansion but have yet to win the lottery. That’s no problem at all when you’re into miniatures, because you can literally recreate any time and place your heart desires in small scale.
14. They’re always new possibilities. Sometimes it can be bittersweet to finish a project. But isn’t it great to know there are endless possibilities for your next one?

Why do you <3 miniatures? Let us know in the comments below!

Little Shop of Miniatures is an online store specializing in wooden dollhouse kits, room boxes, dollhouse building supplies, and dollhouse miniatures. In honor of Valentine’s Day, they invite you to take 15% off your entire order before taxes and shipping. Simply enter MINILOVE at checkout from now until 11:59PM February 14 to receive your discount! 

In Sink

I've had some inspirational a-ha moments and quite a few where I stared off into space wondering (or dreading) what the next steps would be. Having more than one thing going at a time and keeping track of what's left is really giving my brain an exercise! To look back and summarize though, it would be fair to say I've really enjoyed the exploration.

I did some more manipulating of the basic barewood sinks just to create something unique and interesting. I added some parts, removed some parts and just let the imagination loose.

 

I had an idea a while back about using cup hooks and earring backs to make faucets. I played around a little, and I am satisfied with the outcome (though there is always room for improvement).

I bought these cup hooks and these earring backs. They each come with lots of variety so that future options can be explored. For these faucets, I used the bell shaped clear silicone back. I drilled the hole a little larger so the cup holder shaft would slide in but still fit snugly. Then I slid the earring back on and painted with Krylon Short Cuts metallic paint pen. I definitely could have achieved better results with spray paint, but with the current cold and humidity, I wanted a simpler option. Just playing with the pieces made me think of Candle Snuffers and 1/4" scale non working sconces, too!

To make the taps/spigots, I used the metal bell shaped earring backs for the bases, adding a spacer bead for the tap and jewelry pins to cover the hole and hold it all together. Added bonus: the taps actually turn!

The brilliantly creative Fran Casselman was very kind and sent me an excellent faucet idea and How To. She also generously gave me permission to share it with everyone! Thanks Fran! This is definitely a "try someday" project, and it just so happens I need new socks!

It was easy to drill a hole and add an eyelet for the drain in the bucket sinks, but some of the other sink vessels I want to use are bisque, porcelain and glass. I am going to need research and practice before I try to drill through these materials, so I needed a simple alternative that let the work continue NOW. Many sinks have the plunge type plugs covering the drains, so that is what I decided to employ. I used the Tim Holtz round metal fasteners in my stash. To make them sit a tiny bit proud of the surface, I slipped a plain cylinder silicone earring back over the tabs, then cut down to size with wire snips. This allowed for more gluing surface and provides a steady base..

I played with many different styles and finishes to test the accumulation of "have to try that someday" supplies in my stash. It was fun to just go with an idea and not worry about the outcome in relation to how things would look in a particular build. I really enjoyed that!  I was thinking fun and funky B&B when I came up with the names and the themes.

The Mermaid

The Hacienda

The Old West Hotel

The Blue Bayou

The Shabby Camellia

The Boone River

Each one is going to get it's own specialized accessories: baskets for shelves, candle, soap dispenser and vase of flowers, hand towels, linens and special mirror. With so many still left to do, I am going to have to decide whether to commit to this idea or finish the other 20+ when next inspired. The joy of minis is that you can choose whatever strikes you! Whenever it strikes you!

Marion - here they are in the sink shop. With so many more sinks to do, I am going to have to expand the building! ;O)

I am so looking forward to whatever is striking your fancy, and I can't wait for all the inspiration I know it will bring to me!

xo xo,
Jodi

Sinking Deep

I'm just full of ideas. And because of that, so is my house. This organizing spree has had it's merits: knowing what I have and reacquainting myself with those ideas. It's also had it's drawbacks: knowing what I have and reacquainting myself with those ideas. Um, yeah. So what to do... I know! Start actually making the ideas come alive! Starting with sinks...

Believe it and gasp, but the above photo includes enough stuff to make 26 sinks. Okay, vanities really, but with all sorts and varieties of sinks in them. Bathroom sinks, kitchen sinks, bucket sinks, bowl sinks, butler sinks, farm sinks... You name it, I have an idea for it. So rather than dwell on why in the H. E. double toothpicks any sane person would have stuff for 26 sinks, I'd rather just get cracking on turning the stuff for 26 sinks into the 26 sinks.

I had to start someplace, so I decided to begin with the Barewood wash stands I picked up from Minimum World while they were on super sale - like under $5. They are fun to nuke in the microwave, pull apart and rearrange or finish in imitative ways. I'm turning these three into rustic modern bathroom units with galvanized bucket sinks and pump faucets.

The buckets needed to recess into the sink tops, so the following steps are how I made the holes for them without a Dremel hole saw attachment.

I found a Woodsie that was the same circumference as the bottom of the bucket. I found the center of the sink top and drilled a pilot hole. Then I drilled another pilot hole into the center of the circle. Then I lined them up by pushing the drill into both pilot holes and traced around the circle onto the sink top. 

I drilled holes around the inside edge of the circle, then continued drilling holes until I had a very rough hole.

Then sanded and sanded until the bucket fit as deeply as I wanted.

I scribed boards into the sink top with a stylus and straight edge. Then I applied an undercoat of stain followed by several coats of chalk paint. Since this piece has a functional drawer, I had to cut a section from the back of the drawer so that it could slide past the bucket. Like many old and retrofitted wash stands, there won't be much drawer space, but some.

The back of the decorative backsplash on this piece had a recess. I decided to turn it to the front and fill it with tile. I measured, found a tile I liked, resized to fill the space then printed them onto cardstock.

I mounted it onto a 1/8" piece of soft balsa, then scribed the grout lines into it.

Then coated with several layers of Mod Podge gloss. 

The next steps will be to settle on finishes for the other two, age and rust up the pumps, decide on hardware and such. I also enclosed the bottoms on the two unfinished pieces to create a fake drawer. Theirs had opened bottoms and no drawer. I thought a little more detail, even if it didn't function, would be nicer. Hey - after these ones are done I'll only have 23 more sinks to go!

I drilled holes into the bucket bottoms and added eyelets for drains, I also attempted to make a silicone mold for drainpipes. I have so many to do, I thought I might try to make them myself. I have yet to cast them, as I could not budge the lid from the hardener bottle. It's been sitting in a drawer for a LONG time! Need bigger pliers!

Because of the shape of the pipe, I had to slice the mold to remove it. The masking tape is my attempt to hold it together long enough for the resin to set up. There will be sanding.

My attempts to bend copper, aluminum and brass rod to form my own drainpipes is still unsuccessful. They all seem to split past 90 degrees, heated or not. My future experiments will include solid rod. Hopefully, I'll have good info to share on that.

And finally, a recommendation. I received the Ric Pierce Techniques Book for my birthday last month and highly recommend that anyone who did not have the opportunity to attend his classes go get one! Your mind will expand, then explode with ideas! My daughter is coming over to work on our 1/48th scale fairy houses tomorrow, and I feel a whole new direction coming on!

Hope all of you are finding ways to turn your ideas into something marvelous!

xo xo
Jodi