Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Workspaces

While the rest of the ACT had the first of two long weekends in a row this weekend just gone, I spent the weekend 'working',

The quotes are because I spent the weekend visiting people's workspaces as part of my role as co-Editor* of The tiny Times. Which didn't feel much like work at all...

Our workspace for the weekend, Saturday afternoon:
Dining table with two mugs of tea, a biscuit on a plate, a magazine with a pen on it and a laptop in the background.
Visiting on Sunday morning:
Garage workshop in a back yard.
and Sunday afternoon (part one):
Drawing table with lamp, in the corner of a room overlooking the garden. On the desk chair is a tapestry cushion of a fantasy creature.
(and two):
Workspace surrounded with glass cabinets full of Japanese toys.
 Finally, a Monday visit to the printer to discuss our options for future issues...
Man in a printers, pointing at two magazine issues.
(*Yes, I've had a promotion.)

Friday, September 26, 2014

Stuffed at work

Paid parking is being introduced in the area around where I work on October 1. At the same time, our staff parking charge is going from $40 a fortnight to $75 a fortnight (and, in a few months more than probably to match the full local price of $120 a fortnight).

Because I live in a spot with good options for buses (I moved here before I owned a car), I have the option of taking a bus to and from work ($56.80 a fortnight). This week I decided to lend my carpark to a colleague and undertake The Great 2014 Bus Experiment to trial the public transport option before I have to decide one way or another on keeping my car park.

It's been OK. Yes, it takes a lot longer to get to and from work (up to 55 minutes in the evening instead of 30 minutes in the car) but I have enforced exercise and up to an hour of bonus reading time a day.

But it does mean less time at home to do things.

Yesterday morning I decided to follow Mitchymoo Miniatures' lead: I took my unstuffed cushions in to work with me to stuff at lunchtime:
Office desk with unstuffed dolls house miniature cushions, cotton balls and tweezers.
Hmmm.... I wonder what else I can achieve in ten minute chunks stolen from my lunchtimes?

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Well, that didn't work out quite how I expected...

Our department has just gone through a major restructure, which has meant that pretty much everyone has moved desks (and, probably, jobs). There was a major clean out before the changeover happened, with large rubbish hoppers appearing all across the building.

And I can never walk past such things without having a quick peek inside to see what might need to be rescued. This caught my eye, for instance
Opaque plastic ring binder.
and screamed 'bathroom window' (instead of 'rubbish' which is apparently what it screamed to its original owner...)

In yesterday's post, I alluded to a plan to turn my existing French doors into something more mid century.
Modern dolls house miniature French door with frost insert. In the background is a opaque plastic ring binder, a pen and a pair of scissors.
Using a chunk of the folder cover instead of the plain glass supplied was part of the plan. 

But then I got too clever for my own good, and decided that it would look ever so much better without the muntins.Except I didn't stop to consider, before sawing them out, that they might have been notched in place. So I ended up with this:
Dolls house miniature French Door with muntins removed.
Dammit! So close and yet so far.
Dolls house miniature French door with opaque insert and notches where the muntins used to sit.
I guess, if I want to rescue this, that I need to cut inserts to fit from the muntins I removed. And then paint the whole thing to try and cover the mess.

Or I could just go with the 'close enough is good enough' approach and add the new opaque panels to my other set of French doors and leave the muntins in place.

I'm not holding my breath for the second option...

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

The bellabox is back

There were two packages waiting for me at the Post Office this morning: one turned out to be an Etsy purchase that I hadn't made (I suspect the seller sent my purchase to the person who bought what I received: hopefully I'll hear from her overnight.)

I had no idea what the other one was and was very strong and refused to open it until I remembered what I'd bought. Finally, by midday, I gave up and opened it. And realised why I had no idea what it was.
Small cardboard box labeled 'bellabox' on top of postal wrapping.
It was the bellabox I'd sent to Penelope in February, returned to me with new goodies inside.
Selection of dolls house miniatures displayed on the top of a small cardboard box labelled 'bellabox'
 Which means I must empty it and send it on again, right? (Thanks Penelope!)

In other news, I've not got much further with anything I blogged about last week (learning All The Things for my (latest) new job is taking it out of me and I spent good miniature-light time last weekend at the Lifeline Bookfair and the movies.)

Here's my completed La Gardo Tackett garden sculpture:
Mid-century modern miniature La Gardo Tackett garden sculpture
which I think will work really well in my scene: except I seem to have decided that since it's outside on the terrace, I need to have some lovely white weatherboards in the background (back to the spray can) and try and turn my existing French doors into something more mid century.

The pink sparkly bathroom tiles have got this far and no more:
Group of tiny pink sparkly mosaic tiles next to a grey sparkly placemat.
And there was a bit of a disaster with some white spray painting I did at the same time I sprayed the garden sculpture:
Close-up view of a number of plastic model kit components, badly painted with white paint.
(I need to clean off the pieces and try again. Soon. Before I lose interest.)

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Silver star

Examine the stash and remove two silver trays, bought at this year's ACT Miniature Enthusiasts Association show.
Two silver-coloured embossed metal dolls house miniature trays, one rectangular and one square.
Spy the perfume bottle sent to me by Kikka N in April and a Rement frangipani flower from who knows when in amongst the stash. Realise that the trays would work rather well as deco-esque wall boxes.
Two silver-coloured embossed metal dolls house wall boxes, one rectangular and one square, with a perfume bottle and frangipani in the lower one.
Do some more stash rummaging and add some other pieces that work with the theme, which now seems to have become a luxury bathroom (and discover that it's been a very long time since I've done a bathroom scene).
Two silver-coloured embossed metal dolls house wall boxes, one rectangular and one square, with a pink bottle and model Eiffel Tower in the top one and a perfume bottle, silver bottle and frangipani in the lower one.
Remember the rub-on chandelier silhouette decal I bought from Kmart a couple of years ago and have never found the right home for.
Selection of silver and white dolls house miniature furniture and accessories displayed under a rub-on chandelier sticker in its packet.
 And have a giggle as I realise I've just accidentally created the perfect home for the star challenge piece bought by Roruu for me last month at the Trash and Treasure markets (I'm still working out how to use last year's challenge piece: a large purple plastic octopus).
Selection of silver and white dolls house bathroom miniature furniture and accessories, with a full-sized silver-coloured placemat used as flooring and a range of silver, pink, white and blue miniature accessories.
And also some pieces that Mitchymoo and  Elvira sent me. 
Dolls house miniature bath, mirror and heated towel rail. On the mirror is a beaded bag and on the wall is a tiny pinky-silver tile.
Did you notice the pink sparkly tile? It's from a mosaic play set I picked up from the op shop for a couple of dollars a few years ago and have tucked away for the perfect scene:
Empty video cassette box containing bags of silvery-coloured mosaic tiles in blue, green, pink red and silver,

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

In a mod mood

I chose this sofa that Mod Pod miniatures sent me back in February as the starting point for a scene.
Mid century modern miniature sofa with attached coffee table.
While digging through the stash I realised that the Jens Risom chair that was in Elvira's parcel went rather well with it.
Mid century modern miniature sofa with attached coffee table and Jens Risom armchair,
I added a few gifted and purchased accessories
Mid century modern miniature sofa with attached coffee table and Jens Risom armchair, On the coffee table are mid century accessories including a bird house, bird, bottle and dish.
Mid century modern miniature sofa with attached coffee table, displaying mid century accessories including a bird house, bird, bottle and dish.
Midcentury modern miniature Jens Rimson chair with cushion.
and a stone floor (last seen in January last year).
Mid century modern miniature sofa with attached coffee table and Jens Risom armchair, On the coffee table are mid century accessories including a bird house, bird, bottle and dish and the floor is covered with stone paving.
And then I had an 'Aha!' moment as I remembered the box of op-shopped beads I picked up in April 2012 and tucked away. And how much they resembled the La Gardo Tackett garden sculptures I'd admired at the California Design 1930–1965: Living in a Modern Way exhibition in Brisbane back in January.
Picture in a book of La Gardo Tackett's garden sculptures, with a container of wooden beads next to it.
Picture in a book of La Gardo Tackett's garden sculptures, with four purple wooden beads lined up next to it.
 And so it was off downstairs to the spray can collection for a makeover:
Four geometric wooden beads lined in a cardboard box, having just been spray painted white.
Now I have to wait 24 hours before I can do the second coat and then another 24 hours until they're dry,,,

Monday, September 15, 2014

Finally finished!

I vaguely recall that, back in January, I was feeling all proud that I had opened my Little Building Co kit and done a dry fit. Thus, I believed, ensuring it didn't get buried in the pile of things to be done.

Look what I dug out and finished yesterday:
Wooden laser-cut miniature wooden cottage, held by a hand.
*Blush*

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Ask and you shall receive...

When I posted on Monday about my new Xavier Pauchard Model A chairs, Kristine from Paper Doll Miniatures commented that she was hoping they were making more models including the tall bar stools.

I'd already planned to contact the maker once I'd checked the quality and scale of the chairs, suggesting just such a thing. And I did so on Monday night.

After a couple of messages back and forward, where she asked which version I might most be interested in, and warning that it would take a week or two to finalise designs, I was shocked and delighted to wake up this morning to this message:
There are a handful of Pauchard designs now available here: http://www.shapeways.com/shops/prettysmallthings?section=1%3 A12+Furniture&s=0 Most are also available in 1:24.  
Selection of modern dolls house miniature Tolix stools, chairs and tables available from 3D printing on Shapeways.
 Which to choose? The low stool?
Modern dolls house miniature low Pauchard stool in yellow.
 The high stool?
Modern dolls house miniature high Pauchard stool in aluminium..
 Or the high stool with low back?
Modern dolls house miniature high Pauchard stool with low back, in grey.
You can thank (or curse!) me later...

(All photos shamelessly lifted from Shapeways)

Friday, September 12, 2014

Framed

My friend Ruth loved the story I created about her visit to Margell back in June, and particularly the Two Chooks tote bag I'd made to include the scene.

Since the bag was a fairly ephemeral piece for me I offered to give it to her. And then I had an idea.

I printed out a copy of the photo featuring the bag, sized to fit one of the small boxframes I have in stash, then positioned the bag (and a book on knitting farmyard animals I'd made to go with it) between the photo and the front of the frame:
Close up of a box picture frame containing a photo of a modern miniature scene, and a miniature knitting bag and book included in front of the photo.
This gives my non-miniaturist friend a way to display the bag which includes the back story, rather than it potentially getting lost in the back of a cupboard.
A box picture frame containing a photo of a modern miniature scene, and a miniature knitting bag and book included in front of the photo.
Brilliant! (If I say so myself...) 

Thursday, September 11, 2014

We call it acieed (aka: the convoluted process that is inspiration...)

Last night I was watching a couple of videos by Hurts on YouTube, trying to decide if I wanted to buy their second album or not, when the colour scene for one of the videos hit me as one that could work well in a miniature scene.

 So I pulled out the swan chair that Elvira had sent me, a vintage German table and a tiled placemat to see what happened.
Modern dolls house wooden table, swan chair and red tiled floor:view from above.
What happened was there needed to be some white.
Modern dolls house white table with wooden crate on it, swan chair and red tiled floor:view from above.
And then what happened is that I pulled put my stash of pictures,and this Avant card was on top, It was a simple thing to swap the red tile sheet for the purple one.
Modern dolls house white table, swan chair, colourful postcard and purple tiled floor:view from above.
(I don't use purple much, partially because it can be difficult to photograph, so figured this would be an interesting challenge).
Modern dolls house miniature scene of a purple rocket, bowl of colourful sweets and jar of tiny beads in front of a colourful poster.
An eraser from a December 2013 shopping trip, a jar of beads from Mod Pod Miniatures, and sweets from, I think, Elvira but I can't actually remember. I found them in stash anyway!
Modern dolls house miniature scene of a study with white walls and purple tiled flooring. A teal swan chairs sits in front of a white table with a laptop on it. A white shelving unitl is to the right and a large place lamp is attached to the right-hand wall.
 And a book light from the Typo Not Quite Right table. Too small to use next to the desk, I decided to try it attached to the wall.

And then the name came to me in a(nother) song.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Starting at the end

Yesterday's mail brought me this beautifully stitched black and white lattice cushion, from Judy Foster in New Zealand (and also some Whittakers L&P mini bars, but that's a different story...)
Modern miniature scene of a black and white lattice-embroidered cushion on a black and white chevron sofa against a wall with large black and white stripes. In the right corner is a red black and white mid-century modern flowered cushion.
Judy had been inspired to stitch a range of black and white geometric cushions after I'd facebooked a link to the Typo launch of their new Hall homewares range
Facebook post pointing to Typo's homeware range launch blog post.
and had let me chose one as a thank you.

Since I'm off work today with a dodgy tum, I decided it was high time I made a scene (can you believe it's been almost six months? I blame winter plus being sidetracked by Margell School and The tiny Times), using my new cushion as inspiration.

I originally wanted to make a bedroom scene but realised that the chevron fabric I'd planned to use (from a scrap bag picked up from Addicted to Fabric one lunchtime many months ago) was too short. So I used it to recover one of my day beds instead. I made the red cushions from another scrap of fabric from the same bag, and the wall is an IKEA placemat I bought in March.
Modern miniature black white and red scene of a day bed with cushions next to a table displaying a model London bus and vases.
Modern miniature black white and red scene of a day bed with cushions next to a table displaying a model London bus, vases, books and a plant. A large red lightshade hangs from above and a white flokati rug is on the floor.
The light shade is a bell off a Typo alarm clock (of course) and  the rug is from my stock.
Modern miniature black table displaying a model London bus, vases, books and a plant in black, white and red.
On the side table (a gift from Elvira) is a London bus from an op shop haul almost a year ago, a bead from stock, a vase made by Ann from Victorian Dollhouses, a fern (from the 2012 ACT Miniature Enthusiats Show) and three books (two made by me).

It feels like something you'd find featured in MidCentury magazine...

Monday, September 08, 2014

Shapeways here I come

Almost a year ago I managed to find a miniature version of the Emeco Navy chair, much to my delight.

Today, I received a package containing another chair design I've been wanting in miniature for ages: the Xavier Pauchard Model A chair.
A dolls house miniature scene of four Xavier Pauchard Model A chairs around a cafe table.
Created by Shapeways thanks to the joys of 3D printing.

Don't you love the twenty-first century? 

Saturday, September 06, 2014

What a week!

This week started with a(nother) new job and a horrendously steep learning curve in pretty much everything to do with it. It included my laptop deciding that I didn't exist (and, luckily, being convinced that I actually do). And ended with the opening of the Designcraft Master Modernist Icon | Maker+Designer exhibition at Nishi Gallery: an exhibition of Hans Wegner's furniture, celebrating 100 years since his birth.
Crowd at a gallery opening. A Hans Wegner table and chair are in the foreground and a stool, armchair and coffee table in the background.
It was very crowded and difficult to see all the pieces (I'm probably going to go back when it's quieter for a better look)
An exhibition space with an armchair and table and chair on display. A musician sings and plays keyboard in the corner.
People at an exhibition opening, looking at two small wooden side tables.
 It was odd being in a space with so many people holding so many drinks, with so many tables but nowhere to put anything down!

This morning I drove down to Margell School for a quiet weekend to recover from  the week.

Friends had stayed on their way to and from Melbourne last week and had not only left the place in perfect condition
Miniature bed, stripped, with bedding folded into a pile. A rolling suitcase stands on the floor at the end of the bed.
 but had added a couple of things as a thank you:
Dolls house miniature Amarylis plant in a pot on a coffee table.
 an Amarylis plant in a pot
Dolls house miniature wall shelving with a kiwi ornament placed on it, next to a pile of plates and dishes  and a shelf of food items.
and a kiwi ornament, picked up, they tell me, from the markets on a recent trip to Wellington, where one of them and I both lived before we moved to Australia. It goes nicely with my Be a healthy kiwi poster...