When I was dreaming and planning the Shabby Chic Soap Shop I looked for ideas everywhere. When I saw something I liked and wanted to replicate, I saved the photos and links in folders both on my computer and in my Google Favorites. I looked at all sorts of things, and while browsing on Pintrest, saw many chandeliers made with old teacups. I knew I had to make something like them for the shop.
My ideas always seem to start out very grandiose. That is until I hit a road block and have to alter my plans. I wanted to use copper tubing as the chandelier arms, conceal the wiring, and hold the teacups and saucers. Then, I'd paint it black, then white, then sand in spots and apply aging washes until it looked perfectly shabby. Great idea, right?!?
Let's digress into copper tubing for a moment. Specifically, cutting it without crimping and mucking it up. I made several attempts with the affordable "tubing bender" that the manufacturer of the tubing also manufactures. It was a miserable and costly disaster. It did not bend the copper tubing into a perfect J. It just barely bent it before it BROKE COMPLETELY AND GOT STUCK IN THE BENDER APPARATUS. Is it me? Really?
The instructions say that you can heat it up first. What? Then melt the skin right off of your hands while trying to bend the HOT METAL in the now conducted HOT METAL of the bendy thing? AND! Don't you think that they should let you in on this before you purchase?
Pretty copper tubing will not be in my immediate future. Until I can afford the MicroMark tubing bender for real hobbyists, I'm not going to try this again. Humph...
PLAN B
Beads, precious!
Gathered all of the possible Plan B materials...
Drilled wiring holes into the tiny plastic teacups and saucers...
Starting parts...
Strung wire through the parts... Did not realize that these cups and saucers were so tiny. Otherwise I could have used smaller candle bulbs... Oh well, still cute...
Made 10, 5 for each chandelier...
Played and played with bead arrangement. Liked it, then didn't...
Too small?
Not sure... I'll keep working at it and post again once I figure it out...
Meanwhile... Started working on more trim. This time for the roof soffit/facia in anticipation of the diamond speed shingles that I hope to receive this week.
Trimming out that curve on the back roof was going to be a bitch real challenge. I could not come up with any creative remedy, so, I just got out a big box cutter and made it square.
I am out of molding in that size, so that means I am also waiting on package #2 this week.
I finished up all of the roof edge moldings (that I had material for).
On the bay roof: Should I wait to roof it in the diamond, or make a faux metal roof?
I have more sanding, filling, painting, repeat to come, so I can keep working while I wait for packages......
Have a great Real Life week my Mini Life friends!