Tuesday, March 5, 2013

End of Winter Crafty Blues

Sometimes I get an overwhelming urge to do crafts. No point in lying down until it goes away, I just need to make something. (Note: Mindolton Manor tour will continue soon. I've got to get this craft craziness over first.) This past weekend I had the late winter blues and while I was organizing (read playing in) my dollhouse room I came across a cardboard box marked "Unfinished Kits".


What treasures lay inside! I dug up some paints and tiny paintbrushes and set about finishing a few of the pieces.
First I mixed a green colour that I liked and I painted the wooden pieces.

Then with small brushes and a vague memory of a tole paining class I took decades ago. I decorated the pieces after Tynietoy.

I have never been able to perfect the stain on these wonderful kits so that they look like the picture. Painting them seemed like the perfect solution.
I still need to find a complementary fabric for the chair seats and the bed covers, but that is a project for later.


I am very pleased with how the set turned out.
Who knew I could paint? Certainly not I.
This project was so much fun I am encouraged to try again.

I built these from kits too, but used pieces of a chinese fan as the chair backs, I am thinking of painting the set an off white, maybe with flowers, maybe not. What do you think?

Hugs,
Susan

19 comments:

  1. Dude! You are good. How fantastic. How did you get the curve over the Chinese chippendale chair backs? C

    ReplyDelete
  2. The curved part was in the kit. I love these chairs with the chinese fan backs instead of the unimaginative ones that came with the kit. Remember the fan we got at the consignment shop on the way to Napa? I put it to good use.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The kit sets look fabulous painted. Love the set. I also love the fan pieces as chair backs - an awesome idea. I've been playing with ideas for using fans but didn't think of that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you don't mind. I have made a referral to your post on my blog as I have done a couple of posts lately on using fans in miniatures.

      Delete
    2. I don't mind at all! Thanks for sharing my blog.

      Delete
  4. Thanks! I have also made a victorian plant stand out of fan blades and left over wood pieces from these kits. I've seem fan blades inserted into furniture as fancy grill work too. There are so many possibilities.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I LOVE your painted kits!!! They look so cheerful... and like the furniture they sold when I was little! That Dining table and chairs are Gorgeous with the fans for backs!!! Very clever! I would go with a Chinoiserie effect in red or black... but that's just because I am on that kick right now! LOL! I look forward to seeing what you do with them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I didn't think of Chinoiserie. I love the red enamel furniture with the asian designs painted on them. Hmm ... I wonder if I can paint anything but flowers...

      Delete
  6. Wow, you're good at this. I never would of thought to use a fan like that.

    My vote is that you don't paint flowers on those chairs, it would just take away from all the detail that the fan adds.

    The table needs something though. Maybe try to incorporate the fan design onto it somehow?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Kyle! That's a brilliant idea. I will look around for some pictures to inspire me. I am not sure my artistic abilities will be up to it though. lol
      Susan

      Delete
  7. I like your painted kits and the decoration. Wonderful work.
    Bye Faby

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love them! I thought immediately of Tynietoy :-) I think the fan back chairs could look good with a solid colour on the sides, top and legs, the fretwork detail picked out in colours and upholstery or petitpoint seats echoing the colours & designs in the fretwork ... Look forward to seeing more of them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Rebecca! I wish I could do petit point for the seats, but I can probably find some online. I like your idea too. I am going to have to think about which idea I want to go with. It will probably boil down to how confident I am in my artistic skills.

      Delete
  9. Great job on the kits. Your painted flowers are beautiful. I like what you did with the fans as well. Keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Troy! I want to make another bedroom and paint it yellow or blue while I am trying to decide how to paint the dining room set.

      Delete
  10. I love your painted set, it is such a perfect vintage green and the flowers give it a real wow factor. Well done - painting AND remembering how to. :D

    Your chairs look wonderful too, I think 'normal' people (ie not miniaturists) would never guess that you have used a fan, they are so perfectly scaled and look just right. I like the idea of white - fresh spring gardeny, but love Betsy's idea of chinoiserie too.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Well, you are back from the winter dolrums and in full force! Your green set is lovely and using fan pieces was really clever!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, there's nothing like being creative to raise one's spirits. Thanks for the nice words.

      Delete