All Work And No Play...

Makes me a very cranky miniaturist! Therefore, this time in my bi-monthly work overload, I instituted staggered deadlines! It's been brilliant! Every 9 days or so I get 1 or 2 days off! I am at the end of the second day of play time, and while I will be back at the grindstone tomorrow, I managed to finish up quite a few items on the Creatin' Contest To-Do List!

First up, it felt like the kitchen area needed some more detail. I decided to reconfigure another Michael's hutch to make a small shelf for under the window. This involved popping the piece in the microwave for about 30 seconds. After each time in the micro, I would pull the parts off that I didn't want or that I wanted to reconfigure. For anyone who's new to softening glue with this technique, please make sure to remove any and all hinge pins before placing in the microwave. Also, only handle the hot piece using potholders or in my case an Ove-Glove. They work great!

Original hutch - removing the doors and metal hinge pins.

After the first 30 seconds in the micro, I separated the top and bottom.

I had to use a variety tools to saw off some curvy bits to make the bottom flush.

I popped it in the micro again to remove the shelves - there was not enough space between them to display what I had in mind.

I wanted to use the scrolly piece, but needed to cut it down a bit.

Scrolly bit and first shelf were ready for painting, gluing, filling and sanding.

I decided to stain the shelves and top, and use Georgia Clay on the rest to tie the piece to the other furniture in the build.

Once everything for the shelf was finished, I glued it together. Now I could work on the shelf fillers. I believe the last time I worked with polymer clay was when I was working on Starbucks back in 2013. The last time I made canning jars was way back in 2003! I made some basic fruit and vegetable shapes, and a couple loaves of bread. I had a couple adorable, wonderful loaves that I purchased for this project, but they completely disappeared someplace and I was forced to just make my own. I do hope I find them one day - they were so stinkin' cute!!!

Rolling balls for peach slices. I like to bake the balls, then cut the slices while the clay is still warm.

I made apples, peaches, choke cherries, green beans and potatoes.

Here the canning jars are getting ready for filling. I like to use food coloring, alcohol ink or chalk pastels for coloring the resin.

Chalk gives the loaves the perfect just baked look!

I also needed to fill the kettle with wolf meat and vegetables in wine sauce.

Now I needed to make some groceries for the shelf. I cut 1/4" dowels into 1/2" lengths. These were going to become canned goods. Instead of painting the tops, I decided to try out the aluminum tape that I have. I used a paper punch to punch the tape then affixed one to the top and bottom of the cans.

I thought that food labels from the 40's seemed kind of appropriate for the piggies. I found some really great labels googling, then adapted them in my graphice program to fit some wooden shapes I cut.

Here is the filled up little shelf in it's new home. I was careful not to block the view out the window of poor Sam's straw house still being blown about in the wind. I added a few other details I had in my stash, unused from past projects.

These little piggies won't be going hungry!

I made some napkins, added some silverware and painted plates and bowls for the table. Since they're celebrating their freedom from that terrorizing wolf, they'll even partake in some wine with dinner.

Musical instruments are always close at hand for these merry fellows!

Joe likes to display his daily epicurean genius on the menu board. Today's menu is truly an inspired culinary experience!

Kettle braised wolf tenderloin, harvest root vegetables in red wine bordelaise.

Mmmm... Looks delicious!

Ooohhh and crusty french loaves, too!

Nothing beats a home cooked meal shared with the piggies you love!

This was just the relaxing break I needed to fill up my happy tank again! I'm ready for more hard work, and soon after I'll be back to my beloved mini world! This time, to begin adding final details to this fun little build!  See you in about 10 days or so!

Jodi