I have a "thing" for objects/furniture that can hold and protect miniature scenes and still function as they were intended. I'm not sure why, but it appeals to me. It also appeals to the minimalist I married. Lucky for me, our best friend has a woodworking shop, patience, and design skills. He also takes a certain amount of amusement in watching FH cringe when he helps me plan a new project.
Structures that need filling:
1. The pair of living room lamps. They are a matched set, only one is in the picture though, and are designed to look like sections of attic.
The tops and bases are make from un-stained paduk. Used tung oil on them to allow the natural wood to remain glorious.
The outside is shingled, the inside papered with mini newspaper. There is a plexi-glass front that slides out to allow access. I need to make the windows and add beams... then start filling them with odd bits and pieces. I have some things ready to put in but not some of the larger things.2. The nightstands.
I built these beauties before FH and I were married. Several trips to the Ft. Lenard Wood area were made to our friend's house to use his shop. They are built from red oak plywood and trimmed/faced with solid read oak. FH likes darker woods so I used a rosewood stain.The cool thing about their design is the top section is designed to hold a 10 gallon fish tank, which is a great thing to build a mini room in...provided it's a new and never-been-used fish tank. The back opens up to allow access to the tank for whatever reason.
I have started FH's scene already. I decided to do a hunting cabin for him, with both indoor and outdoor elements. I got stalled out looking for a 1:12 scale badger and then we moved to this house. I my goal is to get a good chunk of the scene done so the tank can move into it's home and free up some shelves in the craft room. Then I can add bits whenever I get them done.
My scene is going to be a living room with a card table in front of a window that looks out into a garden. I will have bookshelves with books, photos, and 1:144 minis on display. I've begun collecting things for mine but have not started it yet. There simply isn't enough room right now.
Now that things have calmed down a bit I need to make a prioritized list of projects I already own and get down to business. For variety I can insert clay work into the mix.
8 comments:
Those are wonderful displays, I hope you will be inspired to work on the miniatures for them, beautiful wood.
I am so impressed that you built the red oak nightstands! I know how hard oak is! They are beautiful.
I taught a couple of classes on building a kitchen in a 10 gallon fish tank years ago. They are great for mini scenes. They are also really easy to electrify! Added bonus.
Are you going to do his and hers attic scenes in the lamps? They are really nice too.
Jean: I hope I can trick myself into getting inspired too. Part of my problem is I think I really prefer designing and building structures more than actually finishing a scene. Once it get done with that the project becomes less interesting.
Casey: Thank you. That oak was a pain to work with, but it wasn't too bad. The attic scenes are going to be different. I guess you could call them his and hers.
One will focus on a mirror and a trunk with old clothes that has been ransacked by children. The other will focus on stored Christmas decorations and a few forgotten presents. Both lamps will contain references to FH's and my family's ancestry.
The tables are beautiful, MiniKat. I think your talents are endless!
Love the Lamp stands what a fantastic idea. In your post you said you was trying to find a Badger. If you go over to CDHM they had a tutorial on how to make one.
Here's the link:- http://forums.cdhm.org/index.php/topic,6869.0.html
Cool idea...and a clever way to sneak more minis into the house :-)
I can definitely see why you would like things like this. An excellent way to showcase what you do!
I bet some Shadow hair could be used to make a very realistic badger... :)
You do the best projects!
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