Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Projects

In this case, it's even a miniature project.  Before you ask, no, the craft room is still a natural disaster.  I've been blissfully ignoring it in favor of taking a few things upstairs to the dining room table.  The weather has been too nice to spend all day in the storage room, storing fabric to de-stash.  That has to happen before the craft room becomes livable again.

Anyways, back to the minis!

Remember when I showed you my lamps?  Well I was given a really good reason to finish one recently, bumping it ahead of the Panda Nursery in my queue.  The Peoria Area Stitchers' Guild General Meeting always consists of a fun program in addition to sweets, show and tell, and the business portion.  Three of us have been asked to do the program on miniatures and miniature stitching.  My part of the program will focus on "Miniatures Aren't Just Dollhouses," and will feature a bag room, a converted trophy case, and one of my lamps.

I could only finish one for two reasons.  One, the second lamp's metal bits have fallen apart.  Remember the toy animals made of plastic that only stood up when you pushed a button and they fell over again?  Yeah, well the lamp's metal bits looks like one without it's button pushed.  The most important reason for not getting both done is I'm still looking for bits to fill the second one.  I had everything to fill the first.

So here's the finished lamp.

The bottom picture doesn't do the inside true justice, as there are layers upon layers of "stuff" stacked everywhere.  For some reason my camera didn't like trying to get photos of this scene.  For example, that big teddy bear is sitting on two old maps and there are books and records under his chair.  And behind the old Christmas tree is a croquet set an old cigar box filled with Confederate money.  Just some of the oddities and odds 'n ends found in this particular attic. There's plenty of room to stash other little things as I acquire them as well.   If I can ever get better interior photos, I will post them.
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Also for those of you keeping up with news about my dad, he's being released from the hospital to a nursing/rehab facility for two weeks or so.  Then he will be doing outpatient rehab. 

Reupholstering

A week ago I went south to fetch some furniture home.  Namely my paternal grandmother's dining room furniture.  FH and I finally have some grown-up furniture in the house.  Not only are these much loved heirlooms but given our love of entertaining the lack of a large table was becoming irritating.

The latest timesink for me has been fighting with my grandmother's dining room chairs. They have been naught but bare frames and have been this way since I was in high school.  Several things (grandchildren) came up and my mother never got around to actually reupholstering them.  She did however make a lovely book (with photos) showing how the original upholstery was put together and included a pattern for the seat cushions.  She also saved original pieces of fabric to use as patterns.  I finally finished them on Friday evening after about two weeks of stop and go work. The project stopped and started based on availability of materials. Everything was here except for the fabric, which arrived Wednesday. Then the real fun began.

Here is a pictorial step-by-step of the process:

Bare frame.

 Jute buckram webbing.

 New cushion cut to fit.  This replaces the original (and very icky) horsehair.

 Muslin to cover the cushion and make future upholstery easier.

 The gorgeous fabric that Mom picked out for the chairs.

 Simple black fabric to cover the bottom and make things look more finished.

 Close up of the fabric.

 I plan on covering a few 12" pillow forms with some of the leftover fabric.  That way FH can comfortably sit in these chairs for a long meal.  Once the sun is up we are going to spray some Scotchguard on the fabric to hopefully help protect it from spills and dirty cat feet.

If I get a chance during daylight hours I'll get a picture of the dining room set in situ.  I'm off for some much needed sleep.

From My Stash 3-25-09

These aren't really "stashed, since they are in use but I believe they count since I haven' t finished the miniatures for them.

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.