Miniature Canvas for Paintings

 Hiya Mini friends!  So, the person who has leased the Loft above my Apothecary is apparently somewhat of a painter.  lol.  I needed some canvas style pieces to paint on although I don't have any actual canvas.  So, I made my own and it worked!  

I used scraps of balsa wood and also some of the really long match sticks.  I liked the match sticks better because they are sturdier than balsa wood.  I just randomly cut pieces for each canvas so I would have different sized paintings.  

Next, I glued the pieces onto a piece of white card stock and when they dried, I cut them out.  I then used spray glue on the top of the cardstock and stuck pieces of thin white fabric to the front.  

When that dried, I trimmed the white fabric, leaving enough fabric to go up the sides and a little on the back.  I used E6000 to glue the sides and back.  

Then, it is just on to the painting!  They have the look of canvas from the front and the look of canvas from the back.  

So simple and easy to make.  I made several at once and wound up making more.  I haven't decided what kind of painter the tenant is yet.  So, I just painted several different styles.  The paint doesn't bleed through to the back which I like.  If I had just used fabric the paint definitely would have bled through. 

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO ~Laurie  

Miniature Swivel Office Chair

 Hello to all my sweet mini friends!  So, I needed a chair for my loft.  I've already made an easel for her paintings and also a desk (which I thought was too tall until I made the chair).  I did not plan on making a tutorial for this chair so I didn't take many pictures along the way... or measurements as usual.  But I took enough pictures so that I could share it with you.  I was mainly nervous about making the feet and thought I would make it from balsa wood or something like that.  I wound up using chipboard as it has become my favorite to work with.  

Full honesty about the chipboard though... the only thing I don't like about using it is the finish.  I like to use either a gloss or matte Mod Podge finish on my pieces and, once the clear coat is on, it doesn't always appear to have a perfect flat finish.  I am very OK with it but just thought I would put that out there.  I'm sure I am the only one this slightly bothers.  Not going to keep me from using it.  It's just so easy to work with.

At first, I made the feet way too big and wound up getting my Dremel out to do the sanding down to the proper size for me.  I picked out the wire, which came from my husband's shop, two matching jewelry pieces, a rolled up piece of cardstock for the middle of the legs, and a few cardstock hole punches glued together for the bottom of the legs.  I also kicked around about the wheels.  I wound up just gluing the gold beads to the feet and I am happy with it.

I cut out eight pieces and glued two together for each foot.

You can see my inspiration chair picture here.

I also used chipboard for the seat and top of the back of the chair.  I used premade spindles for the arms and two for back on each end and fancy toothpicks for the three spindles on the back.  I used wood glue for these pieces and E6000 for the base where I used the wire and jewelry pieces.

I pulled out my farmhouse chair just to measure for size.  You can CLICK HERE for the tutorial on my farmhouse chair if you'd like.

I decided to use a new paint color that I got at Walmart.  It is Apple Barrel Spiced Berry.

For the cushioned seat I just used a piece of my favorite rose fabric.  I don't have very much of it.  I glued the back and sides of the fabric down first then put a little bit of pillow stuffing inside and glued the front.  Then I glued tiny black rhinestones all around to look like tacks.

The adjustable control thing is a piece of wire and a bead that I painted gold to match the wheels.

And this is her!  I and pleased with how she turned out.  I don't know why I get nervous when creating a new piece.  I rarely am dissatisfied with the results.  I just keep going until it's finished.

I didn't realize that the left arm was slightly tilted until I took pictures.  I guess it moved while the glue was drying.  But it's an old chair and I call that "wear and tear" from all the years of use.  

.

I think she turned out just precious.  What do you think??

Thanks for visiting!  Please feel free to share!

XOXO ~Laurie

Miniature Easel Tutorial

 Hello Mini Friends!  Welp.. I still haven't settled on the occupant of the Loft.  I'm still sticking with a painter.  So today I made an inspirational easel to hold paintings.  I was so nervous thinking of how to make this.  I just had to sit down and do it.  I used premade spindles that I buy from Etsy.  I also used chipboard and a filagree piece for decoration.

I glued little strips of cardstock to the backs just for stability.

Pretty fancy!  I love it!  Do you??

Thanks for stopping by!  

XOXO ~Laurie

 

Miniature Binoculars Tutorial

 Hello Mini Friends!  Are you ready for the cutest, tiniest pair of binoculars?  I pictured in my head adding a stool with a bird watching book and a pair of binoculars for the loft patio.  These were so easy to make and you most likely have everything you need right now!

The supplies that I used are cardstock, two jump rings, two beads and two rhinestones.  

I used a hole punch to get twelve circles and glued them together six in a stack, making two stacks. Then I glued the jump rings to the top of each stack.  Next, the trapezoid shape is probably an inch and a half long and I used a paint brush handle to round them out, then rolled them up as slanted as I could and glued the end down.  

I glued the rolled up pieces to the circle stack and placed a tiny amount of glue between them and pressed them together.

I used a thin strip of card stock and glued it to the top of the cylinders then trimmed off the access leaving enough to glue the strap to.

I glued the two beads or eye pieces on top of the strip.

I used the rhinestones between the eye pieces as the focus dials, one on top and one underneath.

I curled the thinnest piece of cardstock to use as the strap.  Then I painted the whole set black.  The strap I painted brown.  Then I gave it a clear coat of gloss Mod Podge.

I also used a bit of dimensional magic to make the ends look like glass.

I didn't take pictures while making the first set, then decided to make a tutorial for you.  I like the first set better than the second.  But both are precious.

Aren't they just the cutest??  

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO ~Laurie