The Artist’s Studio – Firewood

I cut some firewood for the wood stove and walnut firewood box. There was an old farmhouse near my parents’ place in a local suburb. I don’t think anyone around here appreciates an old white farmhouse like I do. I suppose there could have been structural issues with this particular one, but I still think it’s a shame when a bunch of suburban cookie cutter McMansions take over old, beautifully detailed houses.

Anyway, they did save most of the trees on the lot but cut down the largest of them. I was horrified when they did it. Again, the usual thing around here is to cut down every old tree, build a house then plant new tiny trees. They cut this one down because they failed to take its location into consideration when planning the garage. I went over there after the damage was done and grabbed a branch from the ground.

That branch has been waiting for just such a project as the Studio…

I sawed tiny logs from the main branch with a tiny saw. :D The branch is quite dry, so I was able to just snap the smaller pieces apart.

I split the larger pieces using a chisel and rubber mallet. What interesting grain patterns! It smells good, too.

Some of these pieces will fit under the wood stove (pardon the primer).

I love the textures and colors.

Since the firewood box will hold the battery and switch for the wood stove and I don’t want to have to rearrange firewood each time, I made a fake wood stack that can be lifted out of the firewood box.

I added small scraps of walnut 3/4″ high to hold the wood stack above the battery and switch (not yet added).

I cut a flat piece of walnut smaller than the opening of the firewood box and set it inside.

I glued a stack of firewood to this new base and the logs to one another until I had a good layout.

I left four logs loose so I can arrange them on top at random. No one would be the wiser just looking at the firewood box. :D

Whenever I want to operate the switch, I just lift out the wood stack. It lifts out without the aid of tweezers, but my big hand blocking the view would have defeated the purpose of a photo. :D

Here are all the pieces together.

A fitting memorial for a beautiful tree in front of a beautiful house, both of which are no more.

Categories: The Artist's Studio
March 18, 2013 | 0 comments

The Artist’s Studio – Gluing ceiling board

Since the front opening trim had been cut and sorted, it was time to finally glue the ceiling board to the main structure. Scary to be completely out of dry fit! :O

I added one nail to help hold the dividing wall in place since my cut ended up being further off than I had hoped. I had drilled a pilot hole into the wall and ceiling board to keep the mdf from splitting.

I wired the two recessed can lights. The roof is now ready for final finishing – just awaiting the shingles from the supplier.

With the ceiling on, I tested fit of the front edge moldings. I knew they would be too long before I added the ceiling board. Instead of trying to sand or shave off a tiny bit, I just mashed them into the foam base until they fit under the ceiling. Haaaaa!

To finish the front opening along the top edge, I cut a strip of 1/2″ x 1/2″ balsa. I used balsa because I had it on hand, and my scroll saw made a clean cut through it without any crushing along the edges. :D

To make this piece level across the top of the ceiling board, I will need to mount the right front molding slightly away from the lead edge of the wall at the top.  I’ll add a tiny shim in there when I glue it all in place. Interior trim will mask all of this madness.

The structure will have a clean, finished look when viewed with an open front.

I glued the left siding template in place.  The right side template needs to be recreated from the start. I failed to press it in time to dry after painting, and the wood has never straightened correctly since even with attempts to fix it. I sanded and sealed the left siding once the glue dried.

I snipped the bracket from the back of the water fountain and tacked it in place over the wiring access hole with mini hold wax.

I glued in the plain wood trim at the top edges of the dividing wall. You’d never know there was a gap. :D

The main half round beam will remain removable with the front bathroom wall. It’s easily held in place with mini hold wax. I painted this Country Grey by Americana to match the paper instead of Warm White to match the trim. I thought a bright white vertical line in the middle of the Studio would be distracting.

Categories: The Artist's Studio
March 17, 2013 | 0 comments

The Artist’s Studio – finishing front edges

Who knows why the Studio is uneven along the front edge of the floor even though the walls measure the exact same depth. Perhaps the individual floor boards are misaligned overall. It’s nothing that can’t be fixed.

To finish off the front edge of the floor, I used window/door frame strip wood from Manchester Woodworks. It’s used to make windows and doors. It measures 3/8″ by 1/2″ and fits over 3/8″ wood cleanly.

The frame wood blends well enough with the wood floor and gives an even surface to attach the main front deck.

I used the same frame wood to finish the front edge of the right front wall. The trim extends 1/16″ past the front edge.

As noted before, the left front didn’t match up to the right, so I added a 1/8″ thick strip of balsa to build up the wall.

Now the frame wood sits on top of this shim and extends 1/16″ past the front edge.

The main deck and side deck sit around the frame wood.

Between the edge of the building and deck, a strip of walnut fits in the gap. I’ll cut a full strip to fit.

On the right side, the double layer of walnut trim wood makes the deck flush with the side wall. It all fits now! :D

On the inside, trim wood will finish the lead edge of each wall.

Categories: The Artist's Studio
March 16, 2013 | 0 comments

Jasper’s story

I thought I’d share a little off topic fun.  Jasper’s story is very interesting.  You might have read about my first kitty Basil from the Baslow Ranch posts.

Basil wasn’t the first cat in my life, but the first that lived in my home. After he passed, the house was so quiet. I read on one of those pet bereavement sites that the best way to honor your departed loved one was to open your house to another animal in need of a lifetime home. I started browsing petfinder and ran across “George.”

from petfinder

I instantly loved that interesting face! Looks like he has a secret…or is just confused…or both. Now that I know him better, it’s definitely both.  Haaaaaa!

The other photo showed him belly up, eyes closed and rolling on the floor. I took that to mean a trusting personality who likes belly rubs.  :D

from petfinder 

I called the shelter number listed, but they said he was at county animal control, which uses the shelter number to field calls.  I called animal control, but George was already gone.  They said it takes some time for the website to update.  I was sad but also happy that he had found a home.

His profile was still on the website a week later, so I called again to make sure we were talking about the same cat. She assured me he had been adopted but took my number and said she would check, just in case.

I lost interest in finding a new pet then, because it just felt right with George.  :\

About two weeks later, I started looking at black cats on petfinder since I know they are not adopted as readily, not only due to the superstition but they don’t often photograph well. I took my carrier and went to a place in the city after work one night. I figured I would meet the four cats there that interested me and see if anything happened.

I was just getting ready to walk in the door at the shelter when my phone rang. It was raining, so I stepped onto the porch with my carrier to answer the phone. It was animal control. The woman on the line asked if I was still interested in George because he had been returned for fighting with the existing cat at his new home. I told her I was just about to go into another shelter to pick out another cat so she caught me just in time. She agreed to hold him until Saturday afternoon; it was Thursday evening and their limited hours made it impossible for me to get out there sooner.

By this time, the shelter staff had noticed me with my empty carrier and invited me in to fill it. I told them the story, but they really wanted me to take a cat with me right then. I met the four cats as intended but nothing seemed to spark. I gave the shelter a donation and headed home.

The animal control facility was overrun on Saturday. They were having a special that if you brought in food and/or litter, it would decrease the adoption fee. When I arrived, they took my donations then put George in my carrier (I spent zero time with him) and we were shooed out the door.  :O

He cried the entire hour and a half ride home, and I thought, “What the hell did I just get myself into?!!!” 

Once at home, I sat with him in the back bedroom, and he was calm and curious.

Then he did a bear pose in response to a noise outside the window, and I was in love! :D I had never seen a cat do a bear pose before. Apparently, this is fairly common.

Not too long after we arrived home, he was drowsily resting. It was indeed meant to be.

I discovered his weirdness with water right away. He likes to try to knock over anything with water in it. I eventually got him a heavy bowl he can’t tip. Considering his friendly nature toward other people and his interest in a friend’s cat when we tried to introduce them (his cat was a cranky ol’ thing that refused to let Jasper near her), I think he was brought back either due to buyer’s remorse or the water problem. He’s also susceptible to fear aggression, but he’s 12 pounds. I can take him. He gets a timeout in the bathroom when he gets his crazy on, and all is well again about five minutes later.

George wasn’t a bad name for him, but I chose to change it to Jasper. It seems to fit him well. Overall, he’s a wonderful companion. He’s a snuggler, too.

Kitty kitty kitty

Categories: Animals and birds
March 16, 2013 | 0 comments

Vintage suitcases

Stacks of vintage suitcases are all over the design blogs and Pinterest. They combine nostalgia and beauty. I knew I wanted a set for grandma’s attic, and there is no better artisan to turn to than Fran at FranMadeMinis. I sent her some of my favorite pictures of vintage suitcases, and she knocked it out of the park once again!

They have the most delightful tactile sensation and the perfect weight.

She added wonderful hardware and aged detailing.

Here’s a penny to show the scale.

They look perfect in the nook by the chimney, though I need to finish the rest of the rafters and beams to do them and the other recent acquisitions justice.  :D

Thank you, Fran, for adding some wonderful nostalgia and realism to grandma’s attic!

You can see her wonderful vintage umbrellas in the Heritage entryway.

Categories: Miniatures
March 15, 2013 | 0 comments