Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Flamingos......

You ladies are way too smart for me......believe it or not, this project does have an "Alice" theme. I guess the flamingos were an obvious clue.


When I saw the film last week, I was quite taken with the imagery and reminded of Lize's beautiful Wonderland Tea Party garden which she featured on her blog recenly. The Summer Lakeland Miniature Show always has an area for exhibits. I entered one last year and wanted to do so again but I really had nothing that I liked well enough to exhibit. Then I realized that I had this box sitting around doing nothing and decided this was it.


Above is the interior of the larger of the two rooms. The rug will be tea-dyed to age it. The plan is for this to be a crazy hat shop. The smaller room through the curtain will be the workroom.

Below is the exterior entrance. A long time ago, I attached the box to a longer piece of plywood so I could make a garden entryway but it had accumulated so much dust it had to be removed. The walkway bricks are the type that go one with a stencil. I recall it being very easy to do at the time.




This is the exterior of the "backside" of the box. I put plexiglass in the windows to keep the interior dust under control...I hope. You can see the "aging" on the clapboards though it is still too shiney, I think. The paint was a satin house paint but I may have to overspray with a matte finish to dull things down, though it is doubtful this side will be seen very often. The flash makes the shine really noticable. (Sorry for the crooked photo.....)

And now for those ceiling details......


I used a playing card paper that I downloaded to cover the ceiling (and hide the electrical) in the larger room. The "medallion" around the lighted fan is simply four wooden heart shapes that are painted red and glued under the light. It is not exactly the fixture I love but it was there, somewhat hard to remove and serves the purpose which is to prove light. I also added 2 flourette bulbs for indirect light.


The smaller room has the paper "coffered" ceiling detail which I framed out in stained wood. This rooms light is provided by a super-bright flourette. To hide these lights, I used a decorative molding on the front of the box. (you can see this on the picture above showing the curtained doorway.) This molding does block the view of the ceiling in both rooms which is why I made the comment about standing on one's head to be able to see it. :o)

More later......

Tabitha

8 comments:

Whittaker's Miniatures said...

Its going to be fabulous, I aodre that car paper! Kat the Hat makes incredible hats and even has a Hatter hat making table going on ebay! http://katthehatlady.blogspot.com/2010/03/finished-mad-hatter-table-and-my.html
Check out her blog Susan!. Cant wait to see all the progress........will you be having a Mad hatter himself?? Julie Campbell has a Hatter too and hes amazing!
http://bellabelledolls.blogspot.com/2010/03/mad-as-hatter.html Kate xx

Jo Raines said...

I absolutely love it! How very clever and what beautiful 'bones' of the roombox itself! I love the door, the lace curtain and the playing card ceiling! It will be wonderful!

Jody

Whittaker's Miniatures said...

sorry loads of spelling mistakes, supposed to read, 'adore that car paper' lolxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Whittaker's Miniatures said...

Geez its not me the blogger is leaving letters out, must be curse of the Hatter!!, 'CARD PAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!! kate xxxx

Lize said...

Now those cute ceilings are both worth standing on my head for! But the card ceiling is worth a double headstand! Can't wait to see the rest.

Marsha @ Tattered Chick said...

I'm looking forward to see your progress! How fun! And of course I LOVE flamingos!!

xxoo

Tallulah Belle said...

it is going to be amazing Susan.

I love the ceilings esp the coffered one. I want one of those in real life too :-)

Crafts From The Stash said...

I am very excited Tabs I love things like this. Which reminds me I am late for a very important date with my sculpting tools.....

Debie xxxxx