calm before the storm

hi dear mini-friends from all over the world ;) One of my caretakers was quite impressed with having followers all over the world, but I explained this sounds more special than it may seem. Just being a logical consequence of being online AND miniatures being a small world as it is. Making it a 'big-world'-thing because of it!

not being able to proceed on other things, I started two simple/doable but nice things shortly after the books, which were almost ready to show not too long after. But a bit much Ripley's-believe-it-or-not (unnecessary and beyond my control, read: people/doctors not listening etc) in RL got in the way of things again, so they too have been lying still altogether for a while now.

so for the time being I thought it'd be nice to give a heads-up of what's coming.

like some posts I was able to write on from time to time and I will post in the hopefully near future. And I can show you how far I got with the new piece before things went haywire, as well as a sneak peak of 2 little scenes. So you have an idea what you're waiting around for. In a matter of speaking ;).

and I seem all over the place, but trust me: I'm not and for as far as it comes across like that - which I totally get - it has a very good reason.

so, a summary of what's almost finished and to come:

- a TUTORIAL FOR WORKING ROMAN BLINDS
making those is so much easier than you'll probably think!

- a TUTORIAL FOR A SNACKBAG
because I hadn't forgotten about that and in itself it's dead-easy (to make and the tutorial as well), I just wanted to make it for different materials and haven't been able to get my head around yet how to make it clear enough with those options  'Cause I know most - or at least many - don't have or can get the materials I used and I just like a tutorial to be for as many of you out there as possible. It's just more fun that way! :D But when I was working on it last year, it only became an enormously long post and not clear enough, so that will take some figuring out.

 - an (I hope) INSPIRATIONAL POST WITH TIPS
that I got inspired to do because of some of you and I really enjoyed writing. Only needs some minor things I had no photo's of yet, that I hope to be able to do soon.

- a DIGITAL SKETCH FLOORPLAN & SIDEVIEW OF THE FRONT THE OLDTIQUE STORE TO BE.
with some surprise changes/additions that I'm very excited about, because make it even better. And all because of one unexpected something thrown in my lap - or better said: rare opportunity I decided to take with both hands and was lucky enough to get. That I have wanted for quite some time, but A) ususally way too expensive and B) never thought it be possible to incorporate in the Oldtique Store. So I had decided to either make or order that when - in the far future - I would have a house to actually be able to use if for. But this was too good a chance to pass by when it came along (read: very cheap!), so with some adjustments to the original plan, I don't even have to wait for a house. I will now be able to fit it in my store and it will make it awesome! It will also make it possible to use things/mini's that I really wouldn't have had room for otherwise. So win-win-win and THRILLED!

- a TWO-PIECE SCENE
yes really. Sounds boring maybe, but I think it's not. And I mean no accessories either, just 2 pieces, that's it. No, even no little flower ;). And they're quite simple pieces too, a (big) metal old (decalled)sign and a chair, from a kit. I did put veneer on the back of the kitparts to hide the mdf-look making a huge difference, but that was easy enough. Why still not ready then? Well, it's been that way for many months because I once tried to finish one of the pieces (the kit) which didn't work paintcolor/finishwise because of a material-issue making it not useful to just try again before a solution first. Long story ;)

- a little FRIDGE SCENE
out of the blue right? Believe me, it was for me too :D. I already had the minifridge, ordered it a few years ago for the kitchen of the Oldtique Store. But hadn't even thought about it for ages and would not have been necessary for a loooong time either. And usually when an idea for no apparent reason suddenly pops in my head, like with this fridge that I'm eager to see if it works and I also can, I can control myself pretty well. Surprisingly enough and despite the screaming urges and raging enthousiasm that come with it. But this time I had been consiously - and completely - sidetracked from what I was actually doing at that time :D. Which was the cupboard below that I would normally just have finished first. But I did have much fun with the fridge and that's what counts right?!

yes, I know, it's blurry but had no other photo's of it not showing more than I want to in this preview. So this is what you'll get for now :)

and since this was always meant for the Oldtique Store, like with nearly everything else I do, it's still within the scope of what I want/need to do in the longer run. And it will all come together in one overall project, that the Oldtique Store will be after all :D. It would be possible to show the little scene as far as I got - I had all kinds of stuff already in my stash I can use for it, had printed a floor and backdrop and what I did make for it so far were just some supersimple but convincing props to complete the scene.

which would be absolutely fine and I've considered. But for one I've been in no shape for quite a while again to sit up long enough to photograph it, which is quite essential to showing something in a blog :D. And two: I think one of the two things I was still making as the only two serious 'props', is too much fun for me to have in it. They don't need much work and would be ashame to show apart some time later.

- a CUPBOARD
the new piece I mentioned and showed the start of in 'to read or not to read'. For the Oldtique Store of course ;), it will go behind the counter with the cashregister. I much enjoyed doing something this big for a change! This is how far I got and the pictures I made along the way. With a big THANKS to my oldest brother who was so sweet to cut the wood for me to be able to make this!

which he had to do with what happened to be a blunt miter-saw - aiai, sorry.... - on top of that he had to saw through what turned out to be hardwood paintstirrers I had for years, oops. That were different in width and look, but each of them perfect for different parts of this cupboard. Not so perfect for sawing with poor tools though... and he already is no diy-fan, poor fella.. ;) But I'm even more happy and grateful that he did!

the cupboard is after a model with doors at the bottompart. I decided to not make it that way but open at the front with just two shelves. I'll paint the wood behind those two bottomshelves black.

I'm going to stain the topshelves to match the colour of the wood behind it. I actually like the lighter shade of the shelves and the contrast they give to the back, but it will distract from the items I want to display in the cupboard, so they will have to blend in

there will be way more black paint than there is now. Like the inside of the sides, the midsection etc. The only things not black will be the vertical woodstrips behind the shelves in the upper part and all the shelves. The horizontal midsection will also have 2 small (as in 'not high') drawers.




this cupboard is and will be largely assembled with regular in-house items: paintstirrers, coffeestirrers, tonguespatula's. The rest is woodstrips of damaged wooden Roman blinds and some veneer I had (back of the cupboard and the top- and underlayer of the midsection (while the base of that section is also from tonguespatula's and coffeestirrers, but to get a nice even surface I topped it off with veneer)) It doesn't need much work anymore, the drawers being the most of it, but not difficult.

how lucky am I with those bottomplanks?? They are just woodstirrers, but a very nice kind. I've had them for I don't know how many years getting the perfect destination in this cupboard I think. And I don't think you'll find paintstirrers this modestly/naturally rustic or pretty very often! The vertical woodstrips behind them will be black, because I already liked that anyway, but will be doing the planks a bit more justice too I think.

at first I wanted to stain these shelves the colour of the woodstrips, just like I will the topshelves, but I think that would be a shame with the beautiful rustic appearance, so I'll leave these just as they are. Which is their perfect little s(h)elves, haha.

there's some more stuff from longer ago not being able to do the type of thing necessary so far, but will at some point be ready too. Hence the 'calm before the storm', 'cause once I can do something again, I can finish several things/scene's with just minor effort and in a relatively short time and it will seem like a storm of accomplishments!

it's so funny with not that much to tell, I'll find a way to make a very long post of it. It's a gift I guess :D. An annoying gift to some maybe, but a gift nonetheless, hahahahaha :)

take care and till next time :)