Just an update...

The caravan is a slow project lol, between pram orders, other mini makes, waiting for materials to arrive and sorting out pictures of giveaways it’s not getting much of a look in.  Here is what I’ve done since last update. 

I gathered a few prints up to see how they would work with the colours I have chosen.  I plan to make lots of cushions, curtains and rugs. Speaking of curtains, I attempted the bead curtain and decided it will take an age threading all my tiny beads but I’m getting on with it anyway, it will be completed, even if I fall asleep several times doing it lol.  For the bead curtain I’m using some tiny beads that are larger than seed beads but not too big, they are just from the local cheap shop and cost around £1 for all of them, I’m also using a very fine nylon cord that I can hardly see.  I think I may have a problem with the weight of the curtain so I may need to add some heavy metal beads to the ends of each one to make it hang straight.  This is all trial and error so we’ll see what happens.

After painting some decoration on the caravan I decided I needed to print some flowers off to see how transfers would work and if they would look any better, I left a document open with all my pictures in so I could re-size them as I tested them out and somehow managed to close the program and loose the document, so disastrous results there lol.  However I think transfers will look better so I’ll get back on the case as soon as I have another day free because it takes that long to do.

I finally managed to get paint for the stove and I’m now faced with the dilemma of how to light it up from behind to look real with only a tiny space behind it.  I have some clear water that I can add colour to and maybe even paint up something to look like burnt wood and set in into the clear water to look like a lit stove.  My plan is to make it quite thin so a light will sit behind it and glow.  Of course this could all go to put because I need to research the effect of a small amount of heat on set clear water.  I could just end up using some gel like that used in filming for the lights instead.  I recon I can just use a tiny bulb and attach it to a battery; I have to think of a way to remove the battery and bulb easily for when it needs changing.  Such a high percentage of mini making is research and working out.   

Looking good!

I also glued in place one wall, sanded lots of things down and ironed on some floor.  Instead of paying a fortune for special dolls house wooden flooring cheated and went to the local DIY shop where it’s a lot cheaper, it is wider so it’s not to scale but it looks fine to me and if you wanted it thinner you could cut it down. 

This pic makes the van look really small.

Lastly I changed the shape of the door... I wanted it to be a three-way opening door with a curved top, so I set about making a curve in the front panel and then made two thin wooden doors to fit it.  

So that’s my caravan update for now, hopefully I’ll get some time this weekend to do more work and it may even start to actually look like a caravan lol

See you soon xx

More painting

Hello again,

Well I managed to get the exterior colour correct, it is now a lovely shade of turquoise and I’ve chosen colours for the inside which will be a sort of rich buttermilk yellow but oh dear... I had this huge dilemma with the furniture that comes with the caravan, I don’t want it lol. I have swapped it about and changed it and toyed with how I wanted the inside to look and have settled for the stove unit modified, the bed unit also modified and the benches that I will make top cushions for but the other big wall unit had to go because it just took over the place.  

At last a colout I'm happy with :)

Needs another coat of paint but I like it.

A longer shelf is needed.

I have decided that I will bring the shelf above the stove forward and have a wider edge so that I can properly tile around the stove.  On top I want a little metal guard so I can place ornaments there etc.  I need the cupboard to open and I want to be sure that the chimney reaches the roof when it is in place, I don’t want any gaps.  All these changes are down to my both personal taste and of course my research, I love to see how the real thing looks and take away ideas to use in miniature.

Still not made it to the shops to buy paint for the stove, I’ve been poorly-sick so had to stay in for a bit :(  still I’m getting on with orders and updates etc between headaches and feeling ‘ugh’ lol.

I got all my beads out last night so I could make a curtain and didn’t get any further haha, I wanted to make a pattern in the curtain but i may be pushing my luck here, perhaps stripes is a little easier because a pattersn would mean purchasing more beads, we shall see.  I had another thought too, I wondered if I should weave my own blankets and rugs... I’m surely getting ahead of myself but that’s me, a brain full of ideas that my hands may never get the time to make into tangible objects.  

  

Did some hand painting of the chicken cages and the rack for the back, it’s got a proper name but I can’t remember it, begins with a C I think, oh well... I used a sort of 'burgundy-red meets purple-dusk' colour, quite nice and then I tried my hand at the decoration with the thinnest brush on hand.  I gave that up and used a cocktail stick instead lol.  It looks fine but I also thought I might see how some printed images look too.  I still need them to look hand painted though, I’ll print some off and cut them out later and see if they look any better to me.  It could all still change into something else if I change my mind... hence I’ve used all matt colours so far as these are easier to sand down and paint over if need be, I’ll add varnish to the whole thing once I’m happy.

Look how the flash changes the colours in these pictures, will have to take the whole thing outside for proper pictures once its complete. 

With luck, next week will see me making some of the furnishings for the caravan so things will liven up then.  I also have a giveaway planned... well about four actually so I’ll get up details as soon as I can.

Big hugs

Gill xx