Intermediate Work - Butcher’s Block and Knives

April 21 - 25th 2012

I had been looking on the net for a butcher’s block but, as I am discovering, the scale was a problem.  I can find some nice ones in 1:12 and some tiny ones in 1:24 but nothing in between.  Before I spent money on one that really wasn’t right in terms of scale, I looked into the actual dimensions of this block to see if I could make one.

One day walking with the dog I came across a small block of wood.  Seemed pretty good in size and upon checking it was.  Since I don’t have access to any real wood cutting tools (just a small handsaw) I figured it was fate that I had found this little block of wood.  So, I went to working on the dimensions and sizing.

I squared it off and cut some legs for it and went to work making the bottom shelving.  That I did just cutting some extra scraps of cane and some coffee sticks.  Fitting it and gluing it in place was a breeze actually (more so than spacing it - my hands are not so steady anymore). 

The most difficult part was finding away to simulate the different colored woods in the block.  I had to resort to some colored pencils and very tiny brush detail.  The wood was quite porous still so some areas were not quite as even in coloring as I liked but it’ll do.  I diluted some brown wash and gave it an overall aged look.  Also diluted some gloss varnish as I didn’t want it to be glossy - more matte in finish.

Simple instructions...tiny knives.

The knives I actually took from the house kit which includes lots of handy tips and instructions for some added details for the house.  I used the top of a soup can and transferred the knife forms onto the tin can lid.  Cutting was a bit difficult since I really didn’t have a pair of tin scissors but with a little patience and care, I managed nearly all of them (only the smallest was too small for me to cut).  I used a bamboo skewer for the handles and some regular masking tape to finish the top of the handles (so they wouldn’t slide down thru the knife holder).  The instruction says to paint the blades black with a white line along the cutting edge but when I did that, I really didn’t like it.  So I repainted them in a gun metal grey and glossed them to shine. 

Tiny Knives

 The knife holder was also a simple suggestion in the house kit - just a piece of cardboard cut into strips to make a holder.  Instead of attaching this to a wall, I attached it to the butcher’s block where I think it looks more realistic. 

Cardboard knife holder

I still have in mind to purchase some knives (even if they are larger scale) to be used on the block (like those giant butcher’s knives you see sometimes that chefs have for cutting large pieces of meat) along with some kind of food that will be put on the block for “quartering”. 

Original inspiration for the block

My butcher's block "finished"- 3.7cm x 3.7cm

Considering there was zero monetary investment in this piece, I’m pretty damn pleased.

Chapter 29 - The Ceiling to the Spa, The Inside Walls of the First Floor Room

March 3 - 5th 2012

The internal decorations for the room were pretty straight forward except that most needed sanding to fit.  Especially piece n.13 which was off by a good 3mm.  So I had to sand it down and then create another indent where the decorative slat would slide in.  But it seems pretty well fitted.  The final placement of the tatami was a challenge.  The pieces fit very tightly and consequently the front section (piece n. 14) had to be glued in again and clamped down for the nite.  The other problem seems to be that the fabric trimming on the tatami won’t stay down.  I tried the bi-adhesive tape, then regular glue and finally super UHU glue.  That seemed to do the trick.

Finished Spa room, with buckets and stools.

Ceiling detail.

The ceiling to the spa was pretty easy except as usual to fit everything perfectly seems to be impossible.  The ceiling detail was very nice actually but I feel it’ll be lost in the installation.  I decided to glue the small wall to the house as I can’t see taking it in and out during normal display so it’s been glued in.  I think the spa is quite successful. 

I purchased some small vases from a shop in Florence.  She doesn’t have much in the right scale but these vases were so pretty and so delicate! I just had to have them in my vestibule entrance area. 

You can see the tiny red glass vase.  So special!!

Chapter 25 - The Tatami for the First Floor Room, Sink for the Kitchen

February 25 - 26th 2012

I started straight off with the kitchen sink.  Figured it’d be easier.  Well, it was till I got to the insertion of the faucet.  The hole was soo much smaller I had to really ream it out.  The paint wasn’t quite dried but I wasn’t too concerned because keeping in theme with a beat up used kitchen, the porcelain sink would be beat up too.  I added a little brown staining around the drain and the back stop.  Looks pretty filthy.

I tried out Fimo today too.  That was an adventure.  I really have no idea how to use this stuff and have seen instructions on the internet and that’s about it.  I did mange to get my gas oven low enough to cook some “tomatoes” and a small plant vase.  I had looked into plants in small scale and they were so expensive I figured I’d have to make my own.  So I bought some plastic plants for fish aquariums - much cheaper.  After making my Fimo plant vase, I stuck a few pieces in the pot.  I think it looks pretty cute sitting in the kitchen window.

First attempt with Fimo...not bad really.

I think the plant looks pretty cute

Working on the tatami, which I guess is the floor of the next room that we are working on, I opened the bag and it was full of dried mold.  The tatami was pretty covered with it.  So I had to use these sheets and not the leftover from the other tatami construction because I was afraid there would be some color differences.  Even if the construction was pretty basic, these damn things are time consuming and believe it or not, back-breaking.  And with all that mold...it was not a pleasure. 

Chapter 22 - The Flooring and Left Wall of the Spa, Kitchen Window

February 21st 2012

Left is the Spa extension - right is the finished window to the kitchen

The last few chapters have gone very quickly because they are similar but also because most of the time is spent painting walls and just glueing things up and letting them dry.  This one was not different. 

Lots of clamping tho as these walls were very warped.  Did the best I could.  Once I get the roof on the spa extension, things should straighten out a bit more. 

Showing here two little baskets that my work colleague and another lover of all things miniature picked up for me in a shop in Milan.  They are a bit big but they should be fine for the kitchen and are so cute ! Will probably paint them with a little gloss just to protect them.