Shabby Chic Cabin Furniture

I have been working on some furniture for the Shabby Chic Cabin project.
This vintage wing chair was a gift from a niece a while back - she knows I collect miniatures and picked it up at an antique mall a  while back.

The first step was to remove the cushions.

I then painted bright red mahogany color a glossy brown that I have been using on other parts of the cabin project.  Once that was dry, I coated with the crackle finish and finished up with the warm white paint that is also part of the color palette for the cabin.

Here are the front and back views with the cushions reinstalled.

The next project is a wardrobe for the loft bedroom.  I decided to do the crackle finish over the existing brown stain.

 I am going to line the wardrobe with some small print craft paper 

(as soon as I find the right one!)

Up next were these Victorian style kitchen chairs.  I have had these in my collection for over 30 years.  I had envisioned them in a Victorian house, but the cabin project will also be a nice home.  I was never able to find a table that was the same stain color as the chairs. So win win ?

Here are the chairs coated with the crackle mixture waiting to dry.

 I think they turned out nicely!  I have them paired with the table below.  This was the table that I displayed them with and it always bothered me that the table stain was just a little darker - problem solved!  I think I will keep it stained.

Magazine Article News

Be sure to check out the latest Dollhouse Miniature (March/April 2019-see below) for an article that I wrote on TootsieToy miniatures.  I also received a nice compliment on my article on TynieToys in the Feedback section.  Congratulations to Marc Mead ( a friend and fellow Okie for his article on glass in this same publication!

I also have an article publishes in Kage brand antique miniatures in the March 2019 Issue of Dollhouse World. 

Shabby Chic Cabin Fireplace

After working on the deer head head for my Shabby Chick Cabin, I was inspired to work on it a little more.  I had started a fireplace for it, and was inspired to finish it up.

I wanted to finish the cabin in something that was a little out of my comfort zone, with an all white palette.

I started with a small picture frame that I picked up at an estate sale for 25 cents.   I took it apart and started by cutting off some of the 45 degree ends , but it was going to be too small.  I decided to add the wood block in the middle.  

The firebox of the fireplace was made of some scrap book paper with a white brick motif.  I attached another piece of wood to serve as the mantel and painted the whole think brown.  This was a technique that I have been using on all of the woodwork in the cabin.

The brown paint gets a coat of crackle finish medium and them some white paint.

This view shows the fireplace all assembled and ready to install.  I added a light gray wash to dirty up the back a little.

This view shows the fireplace installed.
The fire box is recessed into a chimney on the exterior. 

To see how this project started, click HERE

Faux Deer Head Tutorial

I came across a Christmas place card holder at an estate sale recently and decided it was worth the 25 cents. I knew it was the right scale for 1:12.

This is what I came up with

This is what I started with.  I was drawn to the simple lines and the geometric antlers.

It was made from some sort of plastic or resin.

I began by removing the garland and metal card holder.

I used my Dremel tool and separated the head from the torso.

Once it was removed I sanded the cut smooth

Here is a view from the front.

Here is a view from the side

I added a few coats of white craft paint

I knew it would be a great piece for my shabby chic cabin.

(which I have been neglecting)

Here it is in place.  I like it because it draws your eyes from the unfinished fireplace!

Recent Acquisitions - Plates and Paint

I came across a few interesting items this week at estate sales.

 I found this small hand painted winter scene and a miniature Limoges plate.

 Here is a close-up of the back of the plate.  I came with a metal holder to hang it.

I gathered together some of of porcelain plates that that I have collected over the years and grouped them together. Lots of variety and styles.

Magazine Photo Shoot

I have been getting my 1930's depression era cardboard house ready for an upcoming magazine article submission.  

I have furnished the house with some antique 3/4" scale Strombecker painted furniture.
To see this collection of furniture, click   HERE

Happy New Year !

Wishing you a happy 2019 !

I have purchased a few items for myself in the past few weeks - A miniature vintage plastic nativity, an antique book and a 1930's Strombecker stove ( 1:12 scale).

The book is German, has a verse for each day of the year and dates from 1909.

I have also included a few pictures of miniature houses that I have seen on a recent trip to Utah.

This "Santa's Workshop" was for sale in an antique store.

I posted some pictures of the inside on my Instagram - feel free to follow : tulsaarchitect

This old house was in the same shop - it was one room and the (dusty) roof lifts off.

This display was in a mall in Salt Lake City - when you pushed a button, a narration of "Twas The Night Before Christmas" played.

As the story progressed, different rooms in the house (or the roof) lit up!  

Who-ville Christmas fun at the office

Each year at the office, we have a cubicle decorating contest as part of our Christmas celebrations.  My cubicle won a prize last year so the pressure was on to come up with something great!  I wanted to utilize some of the decorations from last year and incorporate some new items. Last year I used a bunch of icicle lights on the ceiling and mixed in a bunch of white and silver ornaments.  

I worked with my cubicle mate and decided on a Who-ville / Grinch that stole Christmas theme.

This was our concept sketch

The building facades were sketched on the foam core boards cut out with a sharp knife.

Then painted with spray paint

Doors and windows were added with paint and markers.

I asked a friend to cut out some vinyl letters for us and they turned out great!

Here is a view of my desk, the icicle lights, ceiling ornaments and the Who-ville buildings and a silhouette of the Grinch in the window.

We accented everything with whimsical floral sprigs and giant plants made from foam and tissue paper.

We had several clients and other building tenants come in and judge the cubicals.  For an extra touch, we put Dr. Seuss images on our computer monitors and played music from the Grinch That Stole Christmas.

UPDATE:

WE WON !

Recent Acquisitions

While out doing some shopping I came across a few miniatures.

The Petite Princess Chaise lounges were both in the blue box along with a old slimline telephone.

I picked up the cast iron chair at a local antique mall and I came across these two miniature framed tiles at an estate sale.  I wish they had a country of origin.. maybe Russia?

To see the rest of my Petite Princess collection, click HERE

To see the rest of my antique cast iron pieces click HERE