Newport study with fireplace, part 2

Though the Newport was sold eventually, I’ve compiled some of the posts I made when I first started building it.

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Continuing work on the study with fireplace. I cut the opening in the fireplace front and lined it with thin strips of wood. I’ll cut new egg carton bricks that are long enough to wrap around the edge made by these strips to give the illusion of solid bricks lining the opening. The sides and top of the fireplace structure were then glued in place.

I then built the firebox to fit behind the opening.

I will likely line this with egg carton bricks as well but in a different color than the outer brick.

I then measured the opening needed in the chimney breast to fit the firebox. After cutting that opening, I attached the sides.

The chimney breast will be permanently affixed to the wall and wallpapered, but the fireplace, firebox and lighting unit used to simulate flames will be removable.

Since I’ll need to paint and grout the bricks on the front surface a different color from the trim, I taped the trim pieces to cardboard and painted them separately. Touch-ups are easier than trying to mask off entire areas.

Here the egg carton bricks have been glued in place and are ready to be painted.

And, after painting, grouting and attaching the final trim, I have a finished fireplace mantel in the exact fashion I wanted.

The next step in the fireplace construction was the firebox. I used the same egg carton brick technique as I did for the mantel brick but in a slightly larger size and without rounding the edges. I wanted it to look like a different type of material. I didn’t line the upper inside edge with bricks. I had cut the firebox to be taller than the front opening to give the illusion of the firebox opening up into the flue above.

I’ve found the best way to get a realistic look to the bricks is to do multiple layers of color. It looks dark and mottled, but the grout will even out the color overall.

I used Andi Mini Brick and Stone Mortar Mix to finish off the look. I scored the lines between the bricks with an awl to add more definition.

I will blacken the logs and add other touches to lend to the realism when I install the fire lighting. I will also be adding a hearth, though I haven’t decided on a finish for that just yet.

After getting the firebox finished, all that was left was to use light to simulate fire. I bought a resin piece online that has clear portions to allow light to shine through. It came with an orange bulb, but I added a red bulb to give more depth of color to the fire. After darkening the bottom and back of the firebox with diluted black paint, I drilled a hole in the side of the firebox and fed the lights through.

The lights sit inside an opening in the resin log piece, and the wires run up the chimney breast and through the ceiling.

To finish off the fireplace, I made a marble-look hearth out of a piece of cardboard. I used the technique shown in the DVD by Master Miniaturists called Faux Finishes.

The cut cardboard before….

And, after….

We now have a warm, cozy fireplace.

Categories: The Newport
December 12, 2009 | 0 comments

Christmas wrap and presents, tree skirt

I made some wrapping paper for both presents and rolls. I found images of wrapping paper online and then used PhotoShop to replicate the design into larger sheets and then resize to an appropriate scale.

For the rolls, I cut the paper into 3″ wide strips of varying lengths, rolled the paper into tubes using a small dowel and glued the edge in place.

I bought a bag of random minis from craigslist, and this paper bag was part of the loot.

For the presents, I took scraps of wood and wrapped them in paper.

For some of the presents I added textured thread or ribbon; the bows are plastic beads (one is topped with a tiny pompom).

I used Word to create a circle 4.5″ in diameter and then added clipart trees around the edge. I printed it on fabric and adhered it to sticky-backed felt. I then sewed some silver trim around the edge.

It’s the perfect thing to cover the plastic snow mound of the Lemax tree.

Categories: Miniatures
December 11, 2009 | 0 comments

Photos from contact sheets

When I order regular size photos from Kodak Gallery online, they send a contact sheet of what is in the packet. These sheets have mini photos that are 9/16″ x 13/16″. I also have some from Sam’s Club that are roughly the same size, but those have numbers printed in the corners, which limits their usability depending on the photo’s composition and the size you need.

This first example was made using a Kodak contact sheet without the numbers printed in the corners. The mini frame has an acetate “glass” that I used to center over the part of the image I wanted. I cut out the image and glued into place with the backer.

The second example uses brass jewelry findings with 1/2″ photo openings. I first cut a template out of vellum paper, which is translucent enough to see through. This way you can center the template over the image without guessing if you’re centered over the portion you want.

I like these since the images are crisp and printed on quality photo paper and the frames already have holes to hang them on the wall.

Categories: Miniatures
November 26, 2009 | 0 comments

Elephant Ear Plant

I made an elephant ear plant following the instructions on a DVD called Master Miniaturists: Flowers & Plants. I love this whole series. There are a lot of great books out there, but there is nothing like watching someone demonstrating a technique.

I’m not going to post a tutorial on this plant since I made it based on someone else’s work, but here is the finished product. It is made with floral tape and covered wire. I bought the planter and used cinnamon plum tea for potting soil. :D

The plant was supposed to be made of light green tape (see the DVD cover above), but dark green was what I found at the craft store. I am very pleased with the result regardless of the difference in color. The one thing I will do that wasn’t mentioned on the DVD is use a sealer on the tape once the glue has completely dried. The surface of the leaves is still sticky, and I think sealing it might keep the dust from clinging to it. It will also enhance the waxy appearance of the leaves.

Categories: Flowers, plants, and trees
November 24, 2009 | 0 comments

Bird prints

I found these beautiful bird images online. They are vintage prints from A History of British Birds, published in the 1850s by Rev. Francis Orpen Morris. I resized them and added borders before printing them on bond paper.

I used Yes! paste to affix the mini prints to thin sheets of balsa wood. (Note: I no longer recommend Yes paste – I use Wallpaper Mucilage instead.)

I cut the images out using the borders as cutting guides. I constructed frames from picture frame moulding from Hobby Builders Supply. The pieces were thin and tiny, so it was a bit tedious. Here the assembled frame is taped to a cardboard scrap for painting.

I originally cut a mat for the image but liked it better with only the frame. One down, eight more to go.

I had a fair amount of waste wood left over, even with the use of an Easy Cutter, because the frames had to be as close in size as possible since I wanted to hang them as a set.

Here they are above the sideboard in the kitchen’s dining area. The box is a silver and Swarovski crystal charm by Jolee’s Jewels and it opens. The shell is real, but this is the only side I can display since there are holes drilled through it to string on a necklace.

The sideboard is from a Mayberry Street dining set.

After new coat of paint (before painting the hardware silver), it becomes instantly more modern.

Categories: Art and paintings
November 22, 2009 | 0 comments