Ode To Scrapbook Paper Pad Designers

Someone mentioned in the comments before about the brave use of color and pattern in my projects. I can't take credit for that with the trailer project because all I really did was to pick a scrapbook paper pad. It's the Flower Garden paper pad by Carta Bella. I ordered both the 12" x 12" paper pad and the 6" x 6" paper pad so I'd have various scales of patterns to use. 

I've done that many times over the years with various projects and the hardest part is always finding fabrics to coordinate with the wallpapers. But because I replaced my horrible entry level Canon printer with an Epson Eco Tank last October, I was able to scan in the papers and print them onto inkjet printable cotton fabric sheets. I used these to make all the material I needed for the project. The only hard part was figuring out what fabric pattern to use where! Oh, and my opinion... The printer is fabulous after nearly a year of use and, like the name suggests, I have hardly even touched the maiden ink! Eco yes!

I made simple no sew blinds for the bedroom and bathroom windows (I'd already made them for the kitchen when I made the pop out).

I made a fabric privacy curtain for the bedroom. It is all Tacky glue and jump rings. Simple but effective. 

The bedroom also got a coordinating rug. Even trailer dwellers don't like to put their warm toes on a cold floor in the morning!

And the bed looks so inviting and comfortable with its coordinating sheets and comforter.

To finish off the furnishings in the bedroom I enlisted my trusty Cricut Maker and Design Space to create the frame for a 70's inspired cane chair. I stained the frame with the same oak gel stain as all the other "wood" in the project, then sandwiched Penelope Canvas between the seat and chair back frames. It gives the chair a nice looking mini cane effect. We had similar chairs for our oak and glass hexagonal dining table growing up. Who knew they'd ever come back into style??? Now Roxanne will have someplace to throw her clothes at the end of a long day.

The kitchen got a few essentials that I had leftover from all my 3D printing experimentation. Shelf, canisters, coffee mugs, coffee maker, toaster, napkin holder, hand soap pump, spice rack, dutch oven, spoon and saucer. Another victory for hoarders everywhere! And it is so much fun to paint things to go perfectly with my color palette. 

Just a shameless reminder that all of these  stl files and more can be found in my Etsy shop. 😊

The kitchen needed a rug, of course, and the Flower Garden paper pad came with some great artwork to use! 

And the banquet needed comfy covered seat cushions...

And coordinating throw cushions...

Looks like a great spot for good meals with great friends! Or is it great meals with good friends?

I hope Roxanne and her friends don't sit all the way back just yet... I have some bracing to add once I decide if there will be a removable fourth trailer wall or not.

I heard someone ask how the progress goes on the bathroom? It's nearly done! Just a few essential accessories to make and install. And to everyone's delight the 70's diagonal siding style door (also courtesy of the Cricut) has been installed. No more embarrassing moments!

From inside the bathroom.

From the trailer's future front door.

Looking from the "main cabin".

In spite of it taking me three times as long as usual, Roxanne is delighted with the progress! She also asked me to share her excitement about a new set of clothing that is being made for her by Ola at Rainbow Daisies! She wants to model for you as soon as they arrive.

I am just grateful to be finding any mini (or me) time at all. My next opportunity will be all about making some of the details that will give Roxanne a lovely life in 1/12th scale. There's also the small matter of a roof but that's still several steps away.

One last thing before I go. I am always just amazed and inspired at the folks I have met and become friends with on this mini journey. You have all enriched my life in ways I will never be able to express or show sufficient gratitude for. You fill my heart and set my creativity on fire!

One such talented and wonderful friend is Aina in British Columbia, Canada. She has made and sent me the most incredible gifts for Roz, Goldie and Alice. I am gobstopped at her tiny, perfect crochet, and even more touched by the amazing friendship (and patience) that she has shown to me. Roz, the girls and I just love these darling jointed bears! We are so happy to have them be a part of the treehouse project!!!

Thank you, Aina! Your gift came just when I needed to remember that the world and most of the people in it are still good! 

xo xo,

Jodi

Fe Fi Faux Fun

These days it seems to take me twice as long to accomplish half as much. Probably because I have less than half as much mini time as I used to. Sadly, this means I just don't have the time to engage with your encouraging comments (though it fills my heart to read them 💗). I have little time to enjoy your blog posts or post as often to mine. 😥 Please forgive me, bear with me, and I promise - one day things will be back they way they were once again. That's enough with my lamenting. Let's just enjoy some progress, shall we?

As soon as I got the chance I continued with the trailer's tiny bathroom, applying wallpaper and a "Formica" countertop to the lower half of the curved front wall. I also took the opportunity to add a TP roll holder and a couple towel bars while I could still get my hands in to hold things while glue set. Like typical trailers, there's only room enough for small folks to move in here.

Bathroom Bird's Eye

A cozy place to poop.

I installed the banquet in the main cabin - here's a look from the front door and one looking into the bedroom..

When deciding on the finishes for the countertops in the bedroom, I wanted to bring in a bit of a wood element to tie in with the floor. Like so many vintage trailers from this era, what better homage could I pay than with a faux wood finish? That's when I set out to attempt a faux wood look on chipboard.

Painted faux wood on chipboard.

Here is a tutorial with the steps and products I used to achieve the faux wood look.

Vintage Faux Wood Finish

I wanted to tie the trailer's wood vibe into every room, so set about making a magazine holder, shelves, a letter holder, mirror/coat hangers, chair and banquet table all in Design Space. As always I used chipboard for everything except the dowel for the table base and the tiny 1/16' x 1/8" shelf slats.

 I applied the same faux wood technique to everything.

The magazine holder adorns the bathroom. Before cell phones, having a variety of interesting bathroom reading was essential!

Mirrors always help to make a small space feel roomier and I guess that's why so many vintage trailers had them. Mine also have handy hanging pegs because there is no such thing as too many storage options!

Bedroom

Entry Way

The storage hutch needed a little wood trim, too.

A handy mail and letter holder. Remember those?

The banquet table

These shelves are going to hold fresh herb pots. How will they get sunlight, you ask?
Stay tuned and you'll see!

If you followed my Beachside Bungalow project then you may remember Roxanne (read to the blog post's post script to learn more). Her dream has always been to live a sustainable life, growing her own food, selling produce and flowers at the local farmer's market and enjoying a very simple life. The travel trailer is a big part of her dream and I am so happy to finally be working on it for her. In light of that she has been working with me in the background so I can make sure everything is a perfect fit both literally and stylistically. I am thrilled to report that she is thrilled!

Her wardrobe needs some serious attention. Anybody know where to get Heidi Ott sized overalls and garden boots? I think I have a cute sun hat around here someplace!

One more thing before I sign off... I Haven't discussed the lighting plan with you yet, but the trailer will definitely have lighting. For the bedroom, I installed puck lights in the cupboard above the bed cubby. To tie into the wood element here I cut trim circles from wood printed scrapbook paper. Roxanne appreciates the attention to details that only she will see.

Hopefully I'll be back in a couple weeks with progress that makes the trailer seem more livable.

Take care, my friends!

xo xo,

Jodi

Tardy Traveler

If there's anyone still coming by here, HELLO! I know, I know. It's been a long time and it seems as though I'd fallen off the face of the Earth. Nothing quite that dramatic, though many unexpected life changes left me not feeling much like making minis. I haven't got the heart to talk about all of it today, so I'll just keep this post about a new mini project that I started a few weeks ago...

A trailer?!? I know. When I last posted I was still working on the treehouse. What can I say? The long hiatus caused me to lose my inspiration for it. Seasoned miniaturists know that if you want to have fun with minis, you have to follow your inspiration. No matter how many unfinished projects you have giving you the evil eye. So yes... as the photos above suggest, I got down the dusty Travel Trailer Kit. It seemed bite sized enough to encourage me gently into my mini groove again.

As ever, I'm unable to leave well enough alone. Straight away I was cutting holes into the walls. Actually, all I did was make the concession window opening a bit longer in order to add a "slide out" feature. Gotta maximize the space, especially in a dinky travel trailer! Mine won't actually slide in and out, it just looks as though it can. I boxed in the cut out wall by adding 2" deep walls/floor/ceiling with 1/8" basswood sheet.

Added 2" deep side walls, floor and ceiling.

Affixed to the trailer.

The exterior looks a little more interesting, too!

The "slide out" was the perfect place to install a compact but cute kitchenette. Just enough space for a stove/oven, microwave, sink, mini fridge and a small bit of counter space.

Cabinets courtesy of chipboard cut with the Cricut Maker.

Finally! A use for all those leftover 3D printed knobs and burners!

The kitchenette installed in the "slide out".

With the kitchenette, dining table/seating and storage assigned to the "main cabin", all the trailer needed to be livable on the road was a bedroom and bathroom on either end. I cut a floor template out of graph paper in order to have a better visual and get the measurements just right. With those rooms figured out I could add the rest of the wallpapers.

I used scrapbook paper with a wood pattern to cover the trailer's floor piece. I was so careful to install the center of the design in the middle of the drawers in the kitchen. Then when I glued it to the wall I somehow managed to glue the trailer floor in the wrong direction! now it's off center. Out of practice, I guess. I am going to work hard to ignore my mistake so that it won't bother me, much.

Time to make the interior walls. To be able to have a decent sized bathroom I made the wall jog enough to fit a sink and shower on one side and a trailer sized toilet on the other.

Walls are 1/8" basswood.

Bird's eye view.

Bedroom

Bathroom

All the pretty wallpapers added...

The advantage to making all the furniture is that I can make it to fit exactly to my space. Everything below was designed and cut with the Cricut Maker using chipboard. 

Even the toilet is made from chipboard. It is 19 layers of 2 mm chipboard in graduating sizes, glued one on top of the other. I sanded the seams then filled in the really noticeable areas with joint compound. Then a final sanding and a couple coats of craft paint brushed on. It needs a final sanding and a good spray coat of Krylon Triple Thick. Then, being in the back of the viewing area, it will pass for a trailer toilet.

Peek-a-boo toilet, shower and a peek into the bathroom cabinet.

Built in cabinets and drawers make trailer living a little easier.

Banquet cushions and table coming soon...

Bird's eye view.

Progress!

Thanks for coming by in spite of my unexplained absence. I have missed you and being so inspired by your projects. I hope to catch up on blog posts and to keep making progress on the trailer as I have time.

xo xo,

Jodi