Baslow Ranch – Farm wagon

This was one of the initial things I built for Baslow Ranch. As an integral part of my idea, I had to figure out from the start if it would even work the way I wanted.

My wagon was adapted from a covered wagon kit by Allwood (made in the 70s, I think). I changed it from a covered wagon to a farm wagon since the kit was 1:16 scale and, as a covered wagon, it would have been a bit small in relation to the barn. Here’s the box image.

The kit was partially assembled when I bought it. Three of the four wheels were already done as well as the main body. The faux wood trim didn’t look right (think wood paneling on an old station wagon), so I ended up taking the body apart altogether and cut new pieces from a scrap of plywood I already had. This allowed me to score the inner and outer surfaces of the pieces to mimic wood planks.

I painted the outer body Black Cherry by Folk Art. I painted the rest of the pieces with a wash of black and brown paint and used some of this wash to age the Black Cherry paint.

The trim is made from 1/8″ wide Instant Lead Lines by Plaid. This is a self-adhesive material used for faux stained glass. Once in place, I pressed a nail set into the lines to create rivets. A little rust paint added here and there aged the look a bit.

I added some ballast by Woodland Scenics to dirty up the inside.

It’s a good thing this was meant to be a rickety ol’ wagon, because the wheels are nowhere near straight. Three of the four wheels were assembled by the previous owner, but I my fourth wheel wasn’t much better. The chassis and basic structure are solid, though.

It ended up fitting perfectly in the barn space.

I applied multiple paint washes to some unfinished wood barrels I purchased and put them in the back of the wagon.

I made the stool using a pattern in the book Finishing Touches by Jane Harrop. It, too, was aged with a black and brown paint wash.

The wagon has a removable tongue, too, though it makes the wagon too long to park inside the barn with the doors closed.

Categories: Baslow Ranch, Model Cars, Vehicles
May 30, 2010 | 0 comments

Greenleaf 2010 Spring Fling – Baslow Ranch

This was my first time working with a Greenleaf kit. The 1/8″ plywood walls gave me some fits with the warping, but the laser cut pieces were great to work with. Overall, I loved this kit!

The overall feel I went for with this project was that of a late 1880s building that had been updated over time with electricity and other “modern” features of the passing times. It now sits as an open air, living museum to remind us how people lived and worked. I relied heavily on my trip to Bodie, CA – an open ghost town where you can walk around and explore – as well as other living museums I have visited.

I’ve named the Spring Fling structure Baslow Ranch, established in 1888. The name is in honor of several of my recent pets: Basil (pronounced bazzill), my beloved cat who passed away in September 2009; Clover, a sleek and beautiful Chinese dwarf hamster; and Willow, a Russian dwarf hamster who went through a lot in his long life and held on tenaciously until the very end.

And, the back:

A close up of the sign and light over the barn doors.

Attached to the main barn is a room for rent. Both the above sign and this one were created in Word and printed on paper. I glued the paper to a wood backing and aged with paint washes.

The backdrop I used in some of the shots is a photograph I took in Bodie, CA. This was a great place to visit – a bit of a chore to get there but more than worth the effort (bring a hat and sunscreen!). I took over a hundred photos walking around this open museum ghost town.

I tried to make as much as possible for this project, not only to stay on budget but to see what I could accomplish on my own. The things I didn’t make include: lights, buckets, barrels, as well as the glass, ceramic and metal minis. Of the minis I bought, however, I still changed most in some way by either painting or weathering or both. The blog entries for this build might jump around a bit in the actual chronology of assembly, but I’ve tried to group portions together in a way that makes sense.

Even though I mostly relied on my own photos from my Bodie, CA ghost town visit, I did do some minor research through the library on wagons and rural life of the late 1800s/early 1900s. I highly recommend the book I See by Your Outfit: Historic Cowboy Gear of the Northern Plains by Tom Lindmier and Steve Mount. It has an amazing collection of old photographs that are an excellent source of study as well as being just plain interesting to look at. Some of the photographs are so clear you can see the texture of the fabrics and the individual hairs of the horses.

Some other notable books I looked at had schematic drawings of wagons and carts. I reduced a couple of the vintage advertisements in one of the books and printed them for inclusion in the barn. I don’t recall which book exactly, but all of the ones I viewed were by John Thompson.

Categories: Baslow Ranch
May 28, 2010 | 0 comments

Italian shoes and matching handbag

I now own three things from Italy, though I have never been there. First is a Venetian mask I bought online about ten years ago. And, now…these beautiful shoes with a matching handbag from the wonderfully talented Patrizia Santi.  :D  I just love them!

I originally saw the shoes at the Bishop Show in Chicago back in April.  I hesitated about buying them and lost out.  The price was reasonable considering the outstanding workmanship and time involved; I just hadn’t wanted to go overboard with shopping on my first night at the show.  When I went back later, however, the ones I wanted were gone.

After looking at the photo I took at the show over and over, I decided to write to the artist to find out what I had to do to get those shoes! She made a pair for me and (as a complete surprise to me) included a matching handbag. It was so thoughtful of her. I think the shoe box and shopping bag are so awesome, too.  :D

I don’t typically carry handbags in real life, but I would carry this one and I would definitely wear those shoes!  :D

Categories: Miniatures
May 22, 2010 | 0 comments

Newport – guest bed, part 1

One of my favorite dollhouse furniture books is Thirties & Forties Miniatures in 1:12 Scale by Jane Harrop. There are a lot of great projects in this book that are both classic in design and usable in a more modern setting. I plan to make several of the items, but I decided to start with one of the more straightforward designs listed as “beginner” level: the single bed.

I used balsa wood for the build since I am not sure where I would find the obechi wood the book indicates. Balsa can damage easily, but I love the way it looks once stained. It’s also very easy to cut. (Note from the future – I would no longer use balsa to build, and this bed has suffered damage over the years.)

I love the look of the bed with the high headboard. I used antique pine stain from IKEA.

The most difficult part of the whole process was making sure the slats on the headboard and footboard were measured exactly.

The bed has two flat boards (shown above) that I left unattached. Once I figure out the bedding, I’ll decide if I need them or not.

Categories: Furniture, The Newport
April 10, 2010 | 0 comments

Rya rugs and clover pitcher

I’ve received a few minis from a two international miniaturists. First, two rya rugs made by the talented Glenda at Peppercorn Minis in New Zealand. They’re so soft and pretty I wish I were mini so I could run my toes through the pile! :D

The second is a tiny pitcher with flowers from the gifted Sylvia at lotjesdollshouse in The Netherlands. I love the color and the clovers!

Categories: Miniatures
April 5, 2010 | 0 comments