Mini Beginnings

Thursday 17 May 2012

2 years is that a record?

Well it's been 2 years since I started and then abandoned this project (and all my other miniature ambitions) for various reasons.
A lot has changed since then and I now have more time on my hands and the miniatures began calling again. I've been thinking a lot about what I'd like to do with this project and how to progress it in a 'fun' way. I've finally decided that instead of a standard Tudor kitchen this is going to become a witches kitchen. I want something that is going to end up fun to look at (and to create).
The mission is still the same in that unfortunately at present I simply cant afford to purchase all the amazing miniatures that are out there so I will be continuing to make everything myself with the materials that I have. This includes a witch (I have never before created a doll so this could be quite interesting!). I'll post links to all the tutorials and hope that you can follow my progress.

The first port of call was do something about the table, every time I walked past and looked at it, I got more and more unhappy with it. Firstly it was too long and secondly it was too bright. I've been playing around with it today by cutting a piece off the end and trying to do something about the colour. Problem number 1 was that I only have a medium oak stain (the colour it was in the pictures in the post below) and as I am trying not to spend anything unless it is essential I decided to get my paints out. A fun half hour later and this is what I ended up with, I'm really pleased with the result...

It's darker than it was and i've added some plank effects to the top (which you cant really see in this photo). I also started playing with making a chopping board (out of the wood that I cut off) but I'm not sure, I may end up with a rebel witch who does her cutting straight on the table...we shall see.

Sunday 9 May 2010

A shiny floor and new table.....

Here is the promised photo of the 'polished' tudor floor lol. I've been informed that Tudors wouldn't have polished their floors but I do think it looks so much better now, and the tudors in my kitchen liked clean floors ;)

I've started furnishing my kitchen by building a trestle table. I followed the instructions here (as this is my first time furniture making) but changed the design of legs so it looks similar to a photo of one in a reconstructed tudor kitchen. I'm going to work on a shelf next and long stool to go along the left hand wall.

I made these items a while ago, but couldn't resist putting them 0n the table to see how they looked -

Another welcome

to....

Naomi (Naomi, sorry I can't see if you have a blog, please correct me if you do have one)

Puno/Monika from PuNo's Minis 1/12

Maria Jose from Marivigano

Marleen from Marleens Miniaturen

Synnove from Synnoves Et Dukkehjem

and Glenda from Peppercorn Minis

Thank you so much for following my blog, I hope you enjoy it here. x

Thursday 6 May 2010

More Flagstones.......

I've been playing around with the kitchen flagstones these past few days and after several colour washes I think I am just about done. I'm going to seal them with an acrylic sealent which will make them slightly shiny which hopefully will make them look like a swept and polished floor (even though I'm not sure the tudors would have ever polished their floors!).

I've suddenly realised that the overall building of the room box is complete - wow, I wasn't sure I would even get this far. I'm looking forward to the next stage though of furnishing it! Again as I have made everything so far from scratch (apart from the lights), I am going to try and make all the accessories myself. I've armed myself with some wood and some glue and already have a stash of polymer clay, so I'll keep you posted with how I get on.

Saturday 1 May 2010

Tudor Kitchen .......Flagstone Floor

I've made a start of the floor of the kitchen. Following Nina's blog and comments (thank you Nina, I really would have been lost without your blog!) I used a knitting needle to carve stones out of the polyfiller. I'm now patiently waiting for it to dry so I can sand it down and start colour washing.
I've also been playing around with the furniture. I've added some venetian gold and more distressing to the dressing table and painted and distressed a chair to go with it. I'm going to find some suitable material to upholster the chair and make a cushion (all firsts for me so this could be quite interesting!).

I know they both look a bit over the top and I'm in two minds as to whether to remove some of the gold, but I'll wait and see I think. With my recent paint purchases I also bought some crackle glaze. I've been experimenting with it on another piece but haven't quite got it to look right yet - I'll post more once I've played around with it a bit more.

That's it for now. We've got a bank holiday on Monday so I'm hoping I might manage to get a bit more done.

Thursday 29 April 2010

Progress is slow........Tudor walls

Sorry, it seems ages since I last posted something about my roombox. I haven't had much time recently so I have only just finished plastering the walls and then I had a go at a few colour washes to age them (thank you nina!).

The result isn't too bad (sorry it's a bit hard to see in this photo - I really need to work on my photography skills!). I had a couple of hiccups to start with. Firstly making the grey wash too thick and dark and despite immediately watering it down as I hadn't sanded the walls first (another one to remember!) the paint sunk into the ridges and wouldn't dilute!

I then ended up going totally in the opposition direction as I found that if you wet plaster (like with a colour wash) the plaster looks grey and discoloured. When you come back to it after it has dried it looks exactly the same as when you started! I'm not sure if I was doing something wrong but I ended up just kind of slapping it on and hoping for the best when it dried.

I still need to do a bit more 'sooting' up above the fireplace but I think that is more or less it for the walls - if I can ever get the bits of masking tape off that I have managed to plaster to some of the beams (pulling making tape off while the plaster is wet is highly recommended!!!).

Next step - a flagstone floor made from more polyfiller. I'll keep you posted.....