2016 Build: Messing Around

2015/12/262015/12/269 Comments

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Enjoying sketching and roughing out little idea models for the lamentable 2016 HBS contest base kit. The concept above is very similar to 2012’s MiniTown Loft, my first-ever build, which became Loft No. 1961. For visualizing ideas I work in points and picas (six picas = one inch), because I am a graphic designer and picas are our native measurement system. And, one pica = one foot translates very handily for working in 1:12.

After building — and subsequently giving away, but not before I crated it and moved it across the US — one monster A-frame, I now confine my projects to 20 x 26-inch (51 x 66 cm) hollow core birch-ply drawing boards, with a turntable attached to the underside. They’re sturdy, lightweight, have a nice finished edge, and are reasonably priced. The size restriction helps me plan the site landscaping, which I enjoy as much as building the structure and furniture.

Another thing I’ve realized is that I like to keep a representative amount of recognizable original elements from the base kit. Not sure why. The contest rules are deliciously wide open, so maybe that allows me the freedom to embrace some pre-defined design limitations, and parameters of practicality. Plus, it’s just so amazing to see what everyone comes up with :)

As a wonderful kickoff for this project, a dear family member, who is a custom cabinetmaker, asked me if I wanted any of this stuff that his shop was tossing out:

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These four-foot lengths of oak (cut to 1/4 x 3/8- and 9/16-inch, quite near standard dimensional scale lumber sizes :)

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and all these veneer scraps, if you can call three- and four-foot lengths scrap. Only one is labeled (upper left, teak) but they look to be perhaps alder, koa, purple heart?, mahogany?, red oak, birch, spruce… I have a labeled sample kit somewhere, I’ll have to cross-reference to identify. Then he casually mentioned he’d be glad to look out for and save me miniature-suitable wood scraps! I see a yummy wood giveaway in the future to share this bounty. Many, many thanks, T. Happy boxing day.

What We’ll Be Seeing in 2016

2015/12/172015/12/1719 Comments

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Well. HBS/miniatures.com has announced the base kit for the 2016 Creatin’ Contest build: the Backyard Bungalow.

I’m not swooning.

The description reads “Small in size but big in style, this little building can be used for about anything you can imagine!”

And that’s good to remember. Dimensions are 12.5 inches wide x 11 inches high x 20 inches deep, with 8 of those inches being the front porch. Not shipping yet, but we can pre-order.

Ready, set, go, miniaturist citizens! We have big magics to do!

Sea House Warming Hut: Post-Production

2015/12/142015/12/1728 Comments

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Too windy to take the finished build down to the beach, so I’m hoping to add the ocean in post-production. We’ll see if that happens :)

Earlier in the month, I took various shots from the cliffs down the road for backgrounds.

Looking north towards the Marin headlands and the Golden Gate

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After printing out the various Sea House insignia on vellum, I sanded the inkjet out of them before gluing to the hut siding, to get a weather-beaten painted signage look.

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The banners announcing the Winter Fair are new, so they get to be crisp, like the oft-painted outdoor furniture.

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The tree photo above the couch is of a Monterey Cypress near Mori Point that I am very fond of. Oh dear. There must have been a temblor; I just noticed some of the wool bolsters from the top shelf are on the floor!

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Here’s a better view of the Argo Wool Works stuff (and the Peacocks rug).

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Cheval Noir (shhh, we’re pretending they’re local) is pouring some of their wine, and later there’s going to be fish chowder and persimmon pudding.

And all the bustling seems to have awoken the tiny Rancor, oh noes!

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We’re going dark for now.

Coming Real Soon

2015/12/135 Comments

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Wee wool pillows, bolsters, rugs, throws, yarn, roving… :)

Also hoping the power stays on!

Chop wood

2015/12/122015/12/124 Comments

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What is the sound of a digital clock ticking away the minutes to a deadline? Like the buzz of tinnitus? Or water drops in a still, clear pool? Here’s what it looks like: total bedhead me chopping tiny firewood and kindling and stacking it in place. I’m not freaking out. Well maybe just a little, for how weird the back of my hair looks. Onward!

My First Ever Venn Diagram Ever

2015/12/098 Comments

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Sea House Warming Hut: Interior This & That

2015/12/092015/12/0910 Comments

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Working on a wee Gotland sheep using, you guessed it: Gotland fleece and dyed black wool roving. The fleece is from Big Sky Fiber Arts in Montana; check out their wonderful selection of fibers, silk and prefelts. The wee (1.5 inches/38 mm) sheep will be an ambassador for Argo Wool Works :)

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It’s overcast, foggy and damp here in Nancyland today and the light is low. I wanted to used vintage photography as wall art in the hut, and have found some good imagery that sets the historical background of the area (real and imagined).

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This undated shot from before 1950 shows some of the headlands and other parts of the Sea House Pleasure Pier empire (now demolished).

I found this postcard of an old view south of the Warming Hut

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and decided to tint it

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but didn’t like how it looked on the wall. I’m showing it here anyway because I like the handwritten greeting from George to Tom.

And of course there will be this map from Cavallini & Company.

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It’s the same one that is on the ceiling of the Sea House Pavilion (2013), and the source of the color palette. The green, anyway.

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Merrily, merrily, merrily…
and with love to all.

Sea House Warming Hut: Farmer’s Market Setup

2015/10/2410 Comments

Setting up for the local farmer’s market. The pumpkins (smaller this year because of the drought) have arrived, and the apples, pears, potatoes and more herbs and flowers will be coming soon. There’ll be cider, honey, goat cheese and the first press of this year’s olive oil to sample inside. And there’s been great white shark sitings from the cliffs. If you’re out and about, come on by!

Sea House Warming Hut: Chairs Again

2015/10/202015/10/208 Comments

After looking at the photos, the chairs looked a bit leggy to me, so I added front and back stretchers to square out the bottoms. Much better, yes?

I also decided I didn’t care for the shiny exposed pin heads. I tried dabbing on a tiny dot of black paint, but my hand is not nearly steady enough to deliver consistently. I’ve gone with 1/16-inch punched dots. Countersinking the pin heads would have been ideal, but instead I’ll wait for the glue to dry and then smush the dots down with a pencil eraser, conforming the paper around the wee tiny stupid pin heads.

I call done again no really.

Sea House Warming Hut: Side Tables

2015/10/192015/10/1910 Comments

The woodworker elves came during the night and finished the other two chairs, and added a poppy-hued piping made from three strands of cotton floss (DMC 720). That inspired me to sketch a design for two side tables, as well as think out what else might be going on.

Same materials and similar construction as the chairs. The table tops are cut from 1/4- and 1/2-inch x 1/16-inch basswood, and edged with 1/16-inch square trim.