too big for comfort?

Hey there! I've been making little steps of progress the past year with the working blender and the scene to present it in when finished: I só look forward to be able to make a real miniature smoothie!! 😋 It's just a simple (scrapbook+printed on cardboard) mock-up type scene (see all the way down for some overview shots), since it's just to showcase a miniature. Because we'll need a bit more patience for the blender, I thought it'd be fun to show one of my kitchen miniatures I really like, while I always enjoy having a little photo-shoot. And any excuse to take out awesome miniatures from my stash and see them in a scene ;).

But although the scene is sure to not pass any building regulations (please don't report me to the 12th scale building commission 😉), I think it still looks pretty cool and fine for its purpose. The espresso machine though? Well, turns out that's a ...

6th scale model, sold as 12th / dollhouse scale... Yeah, and I hadn't even realized until I put it on the counter and noticed it was almost as wide as the fridge, hahaha 😁😅 (and I've had it for a couple of years already, I think b/c I know espresso machines can be quite large and probably just thought that was why it's the size it is).

But I have to say, it oddly enough doesn't seem as far off to me as it actually is scale-wise; however, with the real life measurements it really should have been almost half. What do you think?

And either way: still a really cool espresso machine to me ―a 'real' DeLonghi and I may make a 6th scale corner for it some day. Here's an image from a real-life one next to mine, the 6th scale version.  Pretty awesome right?

It's made of heavy metal (steel?) and a great quality miniature; no longer available unfortunately... You can even put water in the reservoir that is detachable. Not that that will go anywhere or do anything, but I love that kind of detail.

the dripping tray can also be taken out so it can be put in the 6th scale dishwasher ―or be washed by hand of course ―how convenient ;)

Oh, ánd the buttons can even be pushed slightly. It's not much at all, but I can feel it go in a little and I was so delighted by it.

Although the scene is mostly a cardboard mock-up, there are a few things 'real' and I think worthy of a closer look.

Like the shelves ―pieces left from, if I'm correct, the cupboard ―(not exactly matching nor the same length, but that's okay for their use here) with chains from a necklace with some black paint and jewelry eye-pins to attach them.

One of the houses I've lived in had that type of shelving and I absolutely loved it!

And then a small tip to make your own vintage canister, if you'd like, it's super simple. For mine I used a small thingy from my parts-stash once used for keeping some kind of product dry (what is usually the tiny bags with kernels, in bags and supplements and such).

the lid is a brad / split pin with a tray for a cabochon I have several sizes of. I simply cut of the pins after giving it a coat of black paint
(to be able to hold it while painting) and it happened to fit this canister perfectly. These types of brads are sold in (online) craft-stores.

It's the perfect size for a 12th scale canister, but you can use anything cylindrical. Because canisters can be different sizes it doesn't really matter, as long as it looks realistic enough to you to fit your scene.

For those who are not yet familiar with this website ―b/c I think a lot of miniature enthusiasts have already discovered it or were linked to it by others ―check out The Graphics Fairy for the original Cacao Payraud label I used for this canister and many more (free to use) images, all copyright free. There's also all kinds of ideas and projects on there.

And here's the image I used, adjusted with sides so it wraps all around (the lazy version, ie just extended with the mirrored ends, since I just made / needed it as a quick prop for this scene), that is to scale. Although you may need to adjust to the size of your canister/shape; mine was slightly too big for my cylinder b/c I always forget if I should print with or without margins; I guessed wrong and forgot to check (and need to go somewhere to print these days and didn't want to wait until next time I could go, lol).

To finish of the bottom of the canister I pulled the metal wire from the closing strips some brands of sandwhichbags come with (see the image with the parts), also painted black. It just gives it that little extra bit of realism and depth, but can be omitted of course and looks perfectly fine without it.

And the other signs (one I forgot to put in the scene, lol) are also from there. Not 100% sure about the coffee one though, maybe too, but maybe not...

the left one is printed and then glued to a thin wooden plate I painted black; the large coffee sign
and the lobster one are prints on a thin mdf piece, stained either black or white

And how about a natural slate plateau? I just filled the hole of a slate label I once got from a stationery webshop. I don't remember what I used for it, it's been like this for many years sitting pretty for an opportunity, and here it is! I can imagine it was black Milliput, since I love that stuff; here's a link to a webshop a quick search came back with. And although it's not perfect, with ―as you can see ―the filled hole quite visible, it has things on there anyway 😊.

I guess you could top it off (or fill it) with some scraped off slate, as in dust or very tiny particles using a sharp knife or box-cutter, on a thin layer of glue. So that's a finishing tip for you if you'd like to have one yourself and for the hole to be invisible or as close to that as possible.

I looked some up online and these come from a garden center I think

Then, the lamp: its shade is a full size / real life washer of some sort, that I probably 'confiscated' from a toolbox from my former household, or maybe even my ex-father-in-law 😉 ―in that case I'm sure I would have asked and got permission btw. It has some natural rust on the inside that adds a bit of that 'industrial'-ness to it. I really like its simple but realistic look.

why is the metal ring lying apart from the lamp you may ask? I have no idea, lol: it should have been on the bottom of the top part
(ie the 'screw thread'? Seems a weird word, but Google translates it into what I know it to be in Dutch, so I guess it's correct)

 

And just some close ups for fun:

unfortunately I can't tell you where I got the coffeepot or wooden spoons and potato masher, I've had them for so many years I forgot... ;). The coffeepot is
quite regular I think and could be found in several dollhouse webshops. I once made the kitchenroll with holder, as well as the sugar shaker you may recognize

the earthenware (small milkjug and the base for that and the sugarpot) as well as the plate are by Elisabeth Causeret, that's an easy one to remember, I got those on a miniature fair once. The amazingly delicious looking sandwhich I got from Etsy, also several years ago but that can be looked up and it's from Tristatin. Unfortunately he doesn't sell on Etsy, anymore or for the time being. The butter is made by me and you may remember from my refrigerator post

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As a sidenote: I know I seem all over the place with what I work on and post, but there's actually a good reason for that: it makes a lot more sense if you'd know the (very long) back story of how I need to do things and what I can choose to do or work on. Won't bore you with that, but just so you know I'm not as scattered as I can imagine I come across 😁.

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'Setting the scene':

For the 'bars' to support the back of the shelves, I figured the squared wood of XL matches (for BBQ's and fireplaces) would work best while being the perfect size, as well as the easiest to get for me. And that's another building-code violation, a huge one I can imagine, aiaiai 🙈, so I've photo-shopped a fire hazard-sign in 😜

the flooring is the half of a flooring-sheet I've had for ages, I think it fits very well here.

I hope you enjoyed this post and for anyone who could use a positive outlook on humanity, or just some positive vibes with all that's going on in the world (very long story short: making it seem we're much more divided than I believe we are) I'd like to share the video below. It's my compilation of 'Faith In Humanity Restored'/'(Random) Acts Of Kindness'-videos I created quite some time ago for something and decided to post not too long ago.

I've added a powerful song from my fellow countrywoman Elske De Wall: 'Too Much To Sing For'; as well as a cover from U-Neeq 'When We Stand Together', a tribute to Nickelback. If you watch it, I challenge you to keep it dry (I've seen it often during and after editing-rounds and never can 😇: it always goes straight to my heart)

Maybe you've discovered these types of videos yourself and already know, but if not, this is just a fraction of thousands out there, and that's only what's been caught on video ánd put online. There's so much more to all we're seeing (and more important: nót seeing). Also, this is what we already have and is what is and has been happening all around the world, it's not rare nor anything new. Not to deny any darkness, but to remind us of the light that is all around, yet too often unseen or much less focused on, if at all.

This too is just a tiny fraction of an abundance of good, heartwarming and even amazing things that are done by everyday people like you and me, as well as groups and larger collectives. 'Kindness is our true nature, anything else is just fear speaking its mind' (one of my quotes).

Take care beautiful souls, keep shining your beautiful lights in any way you can, the world needs it more than ever 💖,

www.moniquedekoning.com