Autumn's Pantry: Structure & Lighting

Once again, I didn't intend to create such a long post! But fair warning: what follows is the chronicle of a full and productive mini week nonetheless! I'll start with a photo of the end in case you have better things to do!

I began by cutting the Lexan (polycarbonate) for all seven of the windows, as well as the shop's top. You see, Carlson kits do not come with acetate (except for the door). I have used this material in the past and just love the 1/16" thickness and the ease in cutting it, provided you have the scoring tool. It takes me about 44 passes with the scoring tool, and then I can snap at the score line and finish off the last couple passes with my Xacto knife.

Here I am testing the fit. In this type of window, a pretty perfect fit is the best outcome. The second photo shows me sanding down the really snug areas.

All cut!

Now for the trim. I used 1/8" x 1/16" basswood, painted on all sides. I created a frame around the outside of the windows and affixed them with regular Tacky Glue. Tacky Glue isn't always reliable on acetate, but on Lexan, it attaches securely.

Next I installed the windows using wood glue (because of it's runny constancy) as caulking where the frames met. I have a small glue applicator bottle with a 1/32" tip. This allows me to apply a bead of glue to the seam, then run my finger along to smooth and remove excess just as you do when caulking a real life sink. Once the exterior was dry, I cut and installed the interior trim pieces in the same manner. A coat of careful painting did the rest.

I was really looking forward to the next step - making the stained glass windows for the small upper windows on the front of the shop. Once I had sample pieces taped in place, though, I didn't like them! They only served to block one of my favorite features looking in through the front - the arched upper shelves! Because I was so prepared (bought supplies) and so excited about doing them, I did go ahead and play with some techniques. I will share all of that in a later post.

Now, with that decision behind me, it was time to regroup. I turned my attention to finishing up the structural elements. I made up and installed the wall that attaches the bay window section to the main section. This is just two pieces, wall and header, of 1/8" basswood sheet ripped down to size then glued in.

I kept thinking that in a completely enclosed project like this, the windows had to look really interesting from the outside. This niggled at me for a couple days and then I realized: I needed a shelf to create window displays in the bay! So, I traced the dimensions onto some more 1/8" basswood sheet and cut out an inch wide  shelf. I attached 1/8" x 1/8" basswood strips to recess into the window wells so there wouldn't be any gap.

From the outside

I really wanted the front door to actually function in this build, so I got out my hinges and said some prayers. The stars were smiling on me, and I've never had an easier or more successful time installing hinges! Can you guess what the first entry in my gratitude journal was that day? :O) In a later photo you'll get to see it opened. I just can't stop testing (playing with) it!

The next task was not as friendly. You see, I wanted the windows to have awnings, but I wasn't really sure how to make them. I Googled but couldn't find an actual awning pattern. I settled for some patterns that had the scalloped edging, then used my PC to edit them a bit. Then I imported the best image into the Cricut Design Space and made not only the awnings, but the valences for the interior of the shop, too. It took me four tries, six sheets of nice scrapbook paper and a new blade to get them right. I used a polka dot pattern for the interior/underside and a striped paper for the exposed side. I left them on the sticky mat to help hold them in place while I Mod Podged the two sides together. Once dry, I applied the Mod Podge to each of the sides, letting them dry in between.

I wanted to see if something really simple would work, and it did! In design space, I took the original scalloped edge image and welded a rectangle to the back. For those that have no idea about Cricut terms, I'll just leave it that I adjusted the size so that there would be a .75 inch scallop, a 1.25 inch awning, and a .25 inch strip to adhere to the structure. I made each awning fit the windows with a .25 inch overhang on each side. I used basswood strips in matching sizes to help me fold them evenly, then I attached above each of the windows using Fast Grab Tacky glue. 

The valences inside just show at the top of the windows.

And the exterior awnings. Look Ma! No hands or bracing!

Oh, and here is the Lexan installed in the roof.

I had to make a final decision on how the front of the shop would not fall over. #$%& Gravity! The blue tape just doesn't complement the aesthetic I'm trying for here! Not being able to find my pack of magnets was all I needed to push me in the direction of option two: Having a lip on the ceiling piece to keep the front in place. But that had me thinking about what kind of things were going to be in front of the wall, as in landscaping. In order to get a good visual on that, I had to decide on and make the landscape board. I just happened to have some 12" x 24" x 1/4" birch plywood. Since I decided on a base of 13-1/2" x 18", I simply had to cut down my piece of plywood and laminate a 1-1/2" strip to it. No matter what I put in front of the front wall, as long as I leave a space for it to slide to the right for removal (which won't be often), I'll be okay.

The next goal I wanted to achieve for the week was to get the lighting completed. I went through my stash of lights and found some I thought could work. There will be a total of 7 interior lights, 2 exterior lights by the front door, and space to add at least two additional landscape lights. These were all purchased for other projects back in the days when I did not plan my spaces so well. Lucky for me, now I have them to use in the shop! Somebody up there has my back!

Shiny gold fixtures just weren't going to do, so using two coats of burnt sienna, a glaze/real brown pouncing, then another burnt sienna/glaze pouncing I made them rusty.

Great way to hold drying light fixtures.

I had to find a way to run the wiring for the chandelier, A beam seemed like the obvious choice for a structure with a clear ceiling. I used some leftover channel molding to run the wire through to the right side wall, then capped it off with a piece of 1/16" trim. To accommodate the chandelier's ceiling cap, I laminated 3 round Woodsies to each other (for thickness), cut them in half, then added a half to each side of the beam. To balance the feeling in the store, I added sister beams on either side with support beams attached to the walls underneath.

I thought it might be fun to add the sconces to Deb's favorite wall shelves (how adorable is her half scale garden!!!). That meant I had to stop and make up some leafy plants to fill them. Hello 1:00 AM! Can somebody please explain to Woodson that when you go to bed at 1:00 AM you get to sleep until 9:00 AM? Not 6:22 AM!!!

The next challenge was: How To Conceal The Wiring Coming Out The Side Of The Shop? The answer: More channel molding done in a way that looks intentional. I may add produce posters to the upper boxed frames.

And how about the wiring coming from the front exterior lights? To keep the ceiling/roof/top removable, these have to be attached to the ceiling/roof/top and be unplugged from the power strip as needed. Another channel for wires, this time with stripwood.

And what does all this look like from the back? Additional "Final Tidying" is on "The List". Kind of looks like a spooky tree. Hey! There's an idea!

And after all this work, do they work?

Yeah!!! They Work!!!

And I hope everything is working right for all of you, too!

xo xo,
Jodi

Autumn's Pantry: Fitting The Fittings

I thought that I'd be working on some new (to me) techniques for making stained glass this week, but the more research I did on ways to do stained glass on dollhouse acetate. the more options there were. I decided to order a few more supplies and jump eagerly into the experimental rabbit hole, but until the supplies came, I had to address other questions. Such as... How was I going to display all the neat fall/harvest stuff I was constantly brainstorming? How was I going to make, build, bash or remodel the fixtures and furnishings? What would be the best layout for this small shop? I had plenty to keep me busy! I'd like to get to the stained glass segment next week, and hopefully, have some fun and successful results to share!

I'd always envisioned a wall of shelves for the back wall, so like the Storybook Cottage kitchen cabinets, I employed the help of the Cricut Design Space program to help me. I love being able to draw precise measurements for things like the depth and height of shelf supports, and there is no cleaner way for me to cut through chipboard sheets like the deep cut blade does on the Cricut. I made the upper arched front shelf piece, a lower drawer front panel, drawers, top support, bottom support and side supports with the Cricut.

I usually have to run my Xacto blade through the cuts afterwards because the 1/16" chipboard material is just slightly more than the Cricut likes to handle. I only like to program one pass with the blade, as well, because more passes can sometimes lead to really rough results. The nice thing is that the chipboard can be gesso'd and sanded, so even sheets that come out looking like this can be salvaged.

The horizontal shelf boards themselves were made from 1/8" basswood sheet ripped down to a depth of 1-5/16" wide by the length of the wall space which is 9-7/8". A nice amount of shelving in spite of the small space!

Here, the lower drawer unit supports are going in.

Here I have added 3D sticker detail to the drawer fronts and am testing the fit of the first shelf. It is 1/4" wider than the other shelves because the upper shelf unit uses it as support.

Another test fit after the first coat of paint, then adding the handles (which are actually door knobs) using a paper jig to ensure identical placement of the handles.

Then shelf supports made of 1/8" x 1/8" basswood strip go in, then shelves, then a light bulb for each upper arched shelf opening, then the front panel and the top piece.

Next, I had to decide on furnishings. I had a Town Square Miniatures hutch that I bought in an eBay estate lot. I got a hutch, matching table and chairs for $20. It was all a bit rough, but nothing a little TLC, sanding, painting and remodeling couldn't fix. I removed the hardware and one of the center shelves from the upper portion to have a larger display area. I removed the gold hardware then painted it Georgia Clay, a burnt orange. I removed the yellowed "glass" and will replace it with some chicken wire after I'm finished giving it more wear and grunge in the form of some antiquing wax.

The next big fixture was the counter. I wanted this piece to be the central fixture in the store, and once I had the hutch space figured out I knew what floor space I had left to work with. I made an "L" shaped counter which is 4" x 4-1/8" out of 1/8" basswood sheet. It's got two shelves to store bags and gift wrap type stuff. The countertop is about 3/8" wider and overhangs all sides. I am still playing around with the orientation and position in the shop, and imagine that its final place will be determined by accessory placement later on.

For the countertop finish, I wanted a dyed concrete type of look. For this, I chose some warm complementary colors to the fall palette and used my typical paint and glaze sponge method. I used the Camel color as the base layer, then used the other three colors below mixed with glaze and dabbed it on with a slightly damp sponge. Once it was dry, I added a couple more glaze only top coats sponged on to keep the slight texture.

Once the large pieces were in place, I began making kits for crates, tiered plant tables, shelving and wall decor - whatever I had in my stash that looked useful. This gets me pretty close to knowing what fixtures I have to use as displays so that I'll have a better idea what I'm going to make to display in them. Hopefully, I have most of the supplies and materials I need on hand to make them. Some of the fixtures still need paint and aging, but if I'm not sure yet on the color or finish, I've left it unfinished in order to continue to contemplate.

Here are some photos to give you a feel for what the space will be like with the walls on. I definitely need to work on my lighting plan, as even with the open roof over the main part it's still really dark and shadowy. And I can't install the upper wall section that joins the main room to the bay area until the windows have been installed, so some things are still waiting on others which are waiting on others. You know - normal dollhouse construction operating procedure!

I've got a couple more drawers to go through to scout out useful stuff for the project, so things are still subject to change. The next major hurtles will be the windows, lighting and final structure details. Then, the fun filling up part can begin! I see a lot of food and flowers in store for this project, so I've got some challenges ahead. And if August goes by as quickly as July did, fall will be showing up fast! Maybe I should have started this project in May?

Here's to our remaining Lazy Days of Summer in the the Northern Hemisphere! Hope you're enjoying your days, wherever you are, too!

xo xo,
Jodi