Tiny House Nation

This may seem like a dumb question but how do you feel about the “Tiny House” craze?  Funny thing to ask since this is a MINIATURES blog and almost everyone reading has a tiny house or two…but I mean a miniature version of a “Tiny House” – the kind everyone is building to downsize? 

This tiny house project was designed by my good friend, Wilhelmina Johnson for an event our club hosted in February for Society of American Miniaturists.  Our club made 84 tiny house kits for a day-long workshop.  The project included a loft bedroom, separate bathroom with shower and a kitchenette with modern appliances.

I have already given a few small tutorials from the Tiny House project (sink and faucet, coloring books and flat screen TV).  In the next few blog posts I will describe how I customized my particular Tiny House.  I won’t give all the instructions since the design really belongs to SAM, but I will just give some dimensions and my readers can figure out the particulars.  The finished "Tiny House" measures 15 inches long by 8 inches wide by 12 inches high at the back wall.  This would be only 120 square feet (excluding the loft) if it were full size!  Here is the original design (side view) finished by my dear friend, Harriet Turner.  Note the simple but functional wedge shape and sky-view window:

Over the next few posts I plan to cover these projects, all part of the Tiny House:

• Modifying roof line
• Exterior paneling, windows, and trim
• Electrical and wiring, hiding the battery
• Kitchenette
• Loft “built-in” bed
• Modified (and modernized) commercial door
• Some Fun Accessories - tall floor lamp - loft cushions and bolsters- planters

First Subject:
Changing the Roof Line (or How to join two pieces of Foam Core)
The roof line of the kit was designed to be angled and straight, going from 10” at the front wall to 12 inches at the back wall.  There is a loft (partial 2nd floor) at the back where the roof is higher.

I wanted my roof line to have more room above the loft bed so I decided to extend the height. Since I had already made the angled cut on the two sides for the roof line (and didn’t have enough foam core to re-cut both of the biggest pieces), I had to join foam core using a “butt” joint (two pieces just 'butted' up together and glued edge to edge).  In woodworking, this is the weakest type of joint.  It was tricky.  Basically I used the wasted triangle scrap and re-sized it a little then re-attached it near the back of the house to make the ceiling a little higher over the loft.

To join the pieces of foam core, have on hand a large very flat surface (counter or table), wax paper, some T-pins, blue tape and wood glue (because it can be sanded).  Cover your table/surface with wax paper.

Cut the T-Pins into about ½ or ¾ inch pieces.  Tape the two foam core pieces together then mark with a pencil across the crack where the pins are going to go.

 
Then insert the pins into the smaller piece where the pencil marks are.  Now with both pieces against the wax paper covered flat surface (no glue yet!!), push them together lining up the marks.  This is to make holes for the pins when glued in.  Now pull them apart again.

Time for glue (this will be messy).  Take each pin out and put glue in the hole then replace the pin in the same hole.  Then put lots of glue along the entire edge where the pins are poking out.  Line up the pencil lines and push the pieces together again keeping sides flush against the wax paper.  There will be lots of oozing glue (this is OK if you are using the wax paper to protect your surface).
 
Smooth some extra glue over the seam so it kind of fills in the crack.  Weight down overnight (use another piece of wax paper on top of the seam).

Depending on your final wall covering (internal or external) you may want to use some spackle or Gesso and very light sanding to smooth the seam a little.   I used poster board on the exterior wall and it covered the seam nicely.  The interior side was slightly smoother and I just used wallpaper there.

There!  You now know how to join two pieces of foam core (will you ever use that information or will you have enough to just cut a new piece?).  Anyway...

Planning location of windows, doors, etc.
When building with Foam Core (or really, any material), before cutting windows and before trying to glue the sides together I do some planning:

• Where will the furniture and kitchen go?  What do I want to be visible through the windows? 
• Will there be lights and where?  If so, how will I route and hide the wiring (later blog on that).
• Everyone is a little different in how they plan their project but before I cut any windows or doors, I have already decided what furniture I will have, what wall it will be placed on, where lighting will be and even some wall decorations (and colors to use!). 

To help with the planning phase – with walls temporarily taped together - I taped on possible window sizes and locations.   This helps to plan furniture arrangement, to see where windows might conflict with interior walls and envision where shelves will be, kitchen will be, etc. This is a tiny space so not a lot of room to change your mind after cutting openings.

Another word about planning - I keep a lot of inspirational magazine clippings (and pinterest pins) and make a lot of sketches before I cut.  This helps to envision the finished space and not forget my ideas (since it takes so long to finish anything!).

A page from my Tiny House Sketch book:

 Well this was not the most glamorous subject, nor was it cute or even very fun.  I confess I really just suffer through the construction so I can get to the interior on most projects.  Next blog post – exterior covering and window trim (still not very fun but necessary).  You may be surprised at what the exterior paneling is made from!  Until next time!

Kitchen Project - Final Touches (and some mini tutorials)!

 

This is the last post on the Kitchen Project that began last March 2019.  I'm going to tell how I made the counter, hanging shelf and the little painted stool.  Then I will give resources for items that I didn't make and close up photos.  One thing I still want to do is give the frame some sort of finish but I haven't decided on that yet. 

Kitchen Counter
Below are photos of my paint colors and practice.  My goal was not realism but more 'fantasy' stone look in colors to go with the green cabinets.  I just layered the colors in the order listed and made streaks in the last two colors.

Close up of counter - right

Close up of counter - left

Wall shelf (right side of kitchen)
This was a vintage kit by The Kummerows (I think) purchased from Ebay.  The kit (called "Intricut") made two shelves, one larger (the one I finished) and a small one (you can see it still on the leftover kit sheet).  The instructions were to use a jewelers saw (2nd photo) to cut away the printed blue areas.  I must say I was a little intimidated to try to use this saw but it was a little easier than I thought it would be.  If you have a chance to find one of these kits my advice is to not be afraid to try.  It turned out really nice.  I used a teak oil finish because I wanted it to not be shiny (like polyurethane).

Finished shelf

Painted Stool
The hardest thing about this stool was how to glue the legs so they would be at an angle and sturdy enough to not fall apart.  The stool was made from a 1 inch wood disk, four porch spindles and some scrap wood.  I made two jigs from scrap wood.  One was glued to the bottom of the round disk to glue the legs against.  It was a thick square piece, about 1/8 inch thick.  I 'carved' a rounded area on all four corners using a rat tail file.  I also drilled holes into the disk so the legs would be slightly inset.  I used a second jig with holes drilled for the bottom of the legs.  The second jig was not glued to the legs - only used to hold them at the right angle while glue was drying.

After glue was dry I decoupaged a purple floral design to the top and painted the legs with acrylic paint.

Photo showing jig #1 glued to under side of stool

Photo showing jig #2 for legs (bottom)

Finished Stool

Other items in the photos:

Close Up - Mackenzie-Childs style canisters and Pitcher

 
Left side of kitchen
Upper cabinets - vintage purple transferware tea set by Jean Yingling (Ebay purchase)

Left Wall - fretwork tray by Gary and Carrol Elmer (GWE-CHE).

On countertop: Mackenzie-Childs style wicker canisters (made by me), Soap pump bottles by Wilhelmina Johnson (gift).

On stool  - lavender plant by Alice Guhl (show purchase).

 
Right Side of kitchen
Upper Cabinets - Purple Chrysnbon decanter and goblets (Ebay); grape pitcher by Valerie Casson (Ebay);  lavender rim plate by Ron Benson (Ebay); lavender platter by Janet Uyetake

On countertop: floral pitcher by Karen Haggard, meatloaf in progress with tiny readable recipe by Lyn Latimer (show purchase).

On shelf: Salt and Pepper grinders (click here for tutorial).

Close up of "meatloaf in progress"

This was another fun project and I am grateful to the S.A.M. organization and specifically the wonderful Houston area clubs that designed and made the kits for SAM.  Can't wait till the next one (February 2020 and my Austin club is in charge!!)  What theme will we pick?  (Here's a hint: there are a lot of these TINY things on TV shows!!)

Hope you liked this kitchen project.  Next time - (don't know yet!!).  Guess it will be a surprise!

Kitchen Hardware and Cheater Flooring

This is the last tutorial I have planned for the SAM (Society of American Miniaturists) Kitchen project.  I have saved the cabinet hardware and flooring for last.
 

Door Knobs:
Glass head pins (pale blue - JoAnn's)
Glass Stain
Small domed bead cap
Filigree snowflake type bead cap
small gold seed beads
Bead glue
Wire Cutters

To make the door knobs, first I painted some pale blue glass head pins with purple glass stain and let them dry.  Then I cut off the glass knob with wire cutters leaving about 1/4 inch of pin below (just enough to go through the dome bead cap and through the cabinet door.
Flatten the snowflake shaped bead cap and cut off the spikes with wire cutters. Two of these will be glued above and below the knob.
Make a guide hole in the cabinet door between the spikes (using another un-cut pin).
Trial fit and glue cut pieces as in the photo with one spike above and one below the knob.  Thread the small gold seed bead onto the pin and glue up against the glass head of the pin.  This elevates the knob slightly.  Then glue the pin into the small bead cap and through the cabinet door. Use bead glue that doesn’t frost the metal and glass parts.

 

Drawer Handles:
Brass wire – 20 gauge
Glass tube beads
Small 4mm Filligree ball bead
Small gold seed beads
Bead Glue

Make a 90 degree bend in the wire with the pliers.  Glue the beads in order like the photo and make another bend at the other end of the handle.  Poke guide holes in the cabinet with a pin the glue the handles in.

Cheater Flooring
The inlay design in the floor is made by using inlay strips used for decorating furniture.  These inlay strips can be found at woodworking stores (such as Woodcraft and Rockler) and also on Etsy.   The remainder of the floor was cut from thin veneer sheets - very thin wood backed with paper that can be cut with scissors.  This veneer can also be found at woodworking stores.  First trace out on the floor where the inlay design will go then fill in the areas around it with veneer.  Use wood glue.

Next month I will show photos of the completed kitchen and provide sources for the purchased items.  Thinking about the next project...

Faux Carving (Method 2!) - Embellished Lower Kitchen Cabinets

This is the fourth in a series of blogs describing a kitchen project.  The first blog started in March (click the archive link at the side to go back). Two blogs ago, I shared a method of simulating carving using nail jewels, wood scraps and hand fan blades (for link click here). In this blog I will share my favorite technique for faux-finishing – using embossed gold foil shapes to simulate carving.

Before I get to the cabinet doors, I want to make mention of another (similar) embellishment technique – metal stampings (like jewelry findings).  The fluted posts shown with the lower cabinets are actually laser cut wood.  They were provided with the kitchen kits. Here is what they looked like before adding the jewelry finding and faux finish:

Brass finding for embellishment

I cut the metal finding apart then glued the pieces on then faux finished them in antique pine as was done for the upper cabinets in the previous blog.  You can find these by searching Ebay for "victorian brass stamping".  See the photo below for "after" faux finish.  This idea was inspired by Sandra Manring's kitchen (see her full kitchen photo in this blog post)

Now for the foil paper embellishment technique.  The lower cabinets are non-functional.  The project kit included a backing board which I painted a pale green (photo above).  The wooden trim pieces and finished doors were glued to the backing board.  The entire board was not glued in but I made it to fit tightly so it could be removed to hide the wiring (a later blog).

The laser cut doors and drawers had an etched center frame.  I removed a tiny sliver – a couple of layers of paper – from the inner frame to give it a little depth.

After removing the layers just in the etched crack, I burnished it with the edge of a cardboard – so it would be a little smoother when painted.

This is my favorite embellishment hint – foil applique’s!  The gold foil shapes are called “Dresden foil”.  I cut them apart and used small pieces to fit into the inner rectangle of the doors.  The very narrow foil trim strips (bottom of photo below) I mitered and used around the center rectangle.  On the narrow ‘drawers’ I just used the narrow trim.

Supplies Used:
Gold foil appliques - "Dresden Foil" (Ebay, Etsy)
Gesso base coat - white
Light base coat acrylic paint (Americana Hauser Green mixed with white)
Darker color for glaze (Americana Hauser Green)
Plaid/Folk Art (brand) Extender - allows mixing paints without drying out quickly
Small paintbrush, preferably the width of the door frames

After gluing on the foil, the next steps are shown in photo below, but to summarize:

• Base coat over the foil and cardboard with Gesso
• Base coat over the Gesso with light green (same color used for the base that the doors will be glued to)
• Glaze with a darker green mixed with “Extender” letting it puddle in the carved areas and wiping off the higher areas with a paper towel.

Let dry – extender takes a while and stays tacky for a while.

Finished cupboard doors.

Across the bottom of the cabinet base I put a narrow strip for a “toe kick” painted the same light green base coat.

Below is a photo of the finished doors with the wood trim pieces mentioned before. The area below the sink would later be covered with a skirt.  Green may not be everyone’s cup of tea for a kitchen but I happen to love the green/lavender combination!

Next month  I will cover some of the lighting I used in this project.  You can't see it in the photo but the entire lower front cabinet section is a removable panel (one piece).  Behind this panel I hid the wiring and 9 volt battery for the lights.  See you next month!

Faux Antique Pine Kitchen Cabinets - Paint Technique

Continued from the previous blog where we left off having primed the embellished cabinet doors with Gesso...Above is a photo of what the cabinets will look like at the end of this post.

The antique pine finish is made with acrylic paint and an "antiquing glaze" product which is usually sold in the same type/size bottles as the acrylic bottled paint.  Look for antiquing glaze products in the same aisle (with the paint) in Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

Here is another look at the finish I was trying to mimic.  This is a clipping from a magazine of an antique pine dish cupboard.  At the bottom of the photo are my trials in paint base coats.  At the bottom right is a laser cut decorative piece that was provided in the kit for embellishing the lower cabinets (future blog post):

So to continue with the faux paint technique, you will need:

400 grit sandpaper
Base Coat acrylic paint (I used a mixture of Maple Sugar and Desert Sand)
Plaid (brand) "Antiquing Medium" - Cocoa Bean (or any of the dark browns)
Ceramcoat (brand) Burnt Sienna
Plaid/Folk Art (brand) "Extender" - allows mixing paints without drying out quickly
Small, flat paintbrush, preferably the width of the door frames

Sanding - After the gesso was dry (last blog post), sand just a little on the flat areas using 400 grit sandpaper.

Pine Base Coat - I needed a base ‘pine’ color, like a yellow or tan.  I experimented with both Maple Sugar and Desert Sand and both seemed good.  I ended up using a little of both – not entirely blending them together but using a little of each here and there as a base coat.  Base coat the entire cupboard door.

Glaze – I practiced a lot on scraps of wood.  See photo below.  This was a lot of trial and error mixing the glaze product with a dark reddish brown (Burnt Sienna) and "extender", trying to get it so it was thin enough to flow and easily wipe off.  The practice piece with 'carving' (actually a scrap of laser cut fan blade) has dark splotches where I was trying to make 'knot holes'.  You can kind of see the different base coat colors under the glaze streaks.  Practice on a paper plate then something similar to your doors.

On the actual cupboard doors, I glazed sections at a time.  First one of the vertical frame sections then the other vertical then the horizontal. I dipped my paintbrush in a tiny amount of each of antiquing glaze and burnt sienna.  I then dipped the brush in a little of the extender and brushed back and forth on a palette (actually the flat area between the little dips in the plastic paint pan).

This diluted glaze mixture I brushed over the faux carved area and the flat areas of the mat board in long strokes with the “grain” (vertically on the cabinet door).  After lightly covering one side of the cupboard door, I then dragged the brush up and down (flat area only) making sort of a wood grain.  Then I just touched the end of the brush bristles sort of making a dotted design (like a knot or branch) here and there.  The extender makes it easier to go over it a few times until it looks like wood. 

When finished with one area of the cabinet door, move to the other vertical surface then do the horizontal frames.

It’s hard to explain the technique but I practiced a lot on paper plates before actually doing the cabinet doors to get a look I liked.  Here is an up close look at the doors.

When the cabinet faces were done, I did the edges of the doors and the edges of the window openings.  Then do the cabinet sides, bottom and tops trying again to use the brush to make streaks like wood look and knot holes (if you are ambitious!)
Here is a photo of the bottom of one of the cabinets (where I was cutting a hole for the wiring).  You can see the streaks of the wood grain. You can also see two different base coat colors where I changed my mind (but it was under the cabinet so I didn't attempt to fix it!)

I didn’t use any kind of top coat or varnish after painting and glazing because I wanted a sort of ‘dry wood’ look like the unfinished pine antiques I have seen.

That's it for the faux pine look.  Next blog we will embellish the lower cabinets using one of my favorite 'faux carving' techniques - to be revealed soon!