Intermediate Work : Additions to the Buddhist Shrine in the Bamboo Room

Toothpick and text. Wood held by clamps in the background for bending.

August 13 - 16th 2012

Been on vacation but not much motivation yet to attack the build.  So...adding in a few things in the house. 

I decided the shrine needed an incense burner and maybe a little scroll.  I managed to find some pics of the Heart Sutra and made one into a scroll and another into a book form.  I managed to print them out on calligraphy paper without tearing so I can now make some wall hangings too.  Just a toothpic and some ribbon and the scroll was pretty much done.

Incense is used during prayer time in front of the Gohonzon (or mandala or whatever a person uses in their shrine) to purify the air.  It was the last element that needed to be added to my shrine which includes a living plant, fruit, water bowl and a bell which is chimed during the prayer ceremony.  I used leftover wood, soaked and bent it into shape then added the incense stick and painted it.  Lots of people like to “pile up” their burnt incense on the holder to show how much they have been praying (or for some other reason I don’t know) so I simulated that using some glue and some sand. 

Small leftover pieces to make the burner.

Ribbon to close the scroll and sand to simulate burned incense.

I plan on making another small Buddhist shrine in another room but one that would have a statue instead of a scroll.  There are lots of schools of thought and manner of worship in Buddhism (probably more than there are forms of Christian worship) but I still prefer that my Ryokan favors Buddhist sects than Shinto.  If you are interested in finding out more, click on the hyperlinks.

Intermediate Work - Decorating the Bamboo Bedroom Shrine, Filling the Kitchen Shelves and Decorating the Kitchen

June 4th - 5th 2012

I decided to take a break and use some of the objects that had been arriving over the last few weeks to decorate the kitchen and the shrine in the bedroom.  I had been surfing the web and managed to find a few sites with some nice objects which, if displayed properly, would work out fine in the 1:20 dollhouse even if the objects are mostly 1:12.

I purchased some bowls and such from I Love Miniatures site and used one for the shrine (to contain water) and the rest I put in the kitchen hutch. There are two hutches to store things so one I have put the bowls and a bento box and the other I put some copper pots.  I purchased those and some measuring cups that, once hung on the wall, just look like normal pots for cooking.  I also purchased a wok and wok utensil from the same site - I just trimmed the handle on the utensil, hung a hook in the house then distressed the wok so it looked used.  My free gift from this seller was a page of kitchy 50/60's Japanese prints including a calandar.  So that went on the wall too.

Wok and fish being prepared.

 I purchased a series of fruit and veg plus some fish on a platter from the Superminiatures site.  This one was the fastest purchase to arrive.  Less than two weeks altho one or two objects had been switched out.  I am still wondering where my pears and knives are.  Oh well, they gave me other stuff by mistake so not like I was robbed or anything.  I made some wood crates from leftover wood and filled them with the veg.  The wooden shelving was then filled with the crates.  I used my “Mini-Hold” waxlike holding substance to fix everything.  Also this I found at a discount on the Love Miniatures site.  It works perfectly and since it’s not glue, you can easily remove the objects even if the stuff really does hold well.  I updated my butcher’s block by sticking a knife in it and sticking a fish ready to be filleted. 

Bamboo bedroom, just few more things to add.

I added some oranges, a “ceramic bell” (really a mortar and pestle) to ring to start the chanting, and a plant.  I’m just missing an incense dish.  I attached the lights for this room and the kitchen and I think they look very nice.  The kitchen light I printed off a lampshade and glued it to the ceiling to tone down the intensity of the light.  Very effective I must say.

I made a small kitchen table from scraps and aged it a bit.  I think I am going to have to make a few stools now to go with it.  Slowly, things will be added but I think that there are quite a few objects which look good even if the scale is not perfect.

Table and basket of apples. Just missing an ice box...

UPDATE :  Superminiatures already contacted me and they are sending my missing items! I so recommend this site!

Chapter 43 - The Telephone Booth, the Kakejiku (Gohnzon)

Cutting up a freebie calander

May 9 - 12th 2012

First thing I had to cut up a paper calendar which had the slats I wanted for the wall hanging (Kakejiku).  I also printed off the Gohnzon (there are many versions and I will probably make another one for another room) in smaller scale to fit the hanging.  I think it looks very cute.  Once I have some oranges, a bowl with fake water, a bonsai tree, an incense dish and a ceramic “bell” to sit on a small pillow, then the alter will be complete.  But one thing at a time.

Just need to install the light source and finish the alter

I toned down the LED by painting it a bit. Here it's too bright.

The phone booth is on the first floor landing.  Staining and glossing and glueing were straight forward.  I was thinking of putting some paper in there where people would write when they are on the phone or better, on the wall, but I can’t write kanji.  I also was puttubg a LED in there so I had to mark out where the hole would go because there is also a small phone that needs to be installed in there.  I ended up dimming it down a bit because it was too bright.  Looks better dimmed and "seedier".  Like a real boarding house phone booth.

Once I completed the phone booth I realized that it would be easier to install the mini phone now before I put on the roof rather than after.  Also because the LED is now installed so I figured I’d use the bi-adhesive tape to put the roof on the booth.  That way, if/when the LED needs to be replaced it won’t be so risky pulling off the roof.  So, I jumped to Chapter 47 to grab all the phone parts.  That was no big deal and after resealing the blister pack to Chapter 47, I started putting the little phone together.

Again, like the geta shoes, this one was a real test in patience  There were lots of tiny pieces but the worse were the golden nail tips that would double as phone bells.  I had to cut off the tips from nails.  Got the whole phone put together and was in the phase of putting the finishing deals including the nail tips and thought “crap, if I drop this thing I’ll never find it...”  So, of course, I promptly dropped it.  Frustrated by the fact that I couldn’t find it, I had to figure out a new way to simulate the bells.  I took a break (had to make a small necklace for a communion present for a friend’s daughter) and by the time I came back I was ready to finish the phone.  One last look around and “eureka”! On the floor was the lost nail head.  So, finishing glueing it together and mounted it into the phone booth.  I added a little Hokusai picture in the booth too.  Like postcards or something on the wall.  Anyway, the door swings no problem and the LED looks good.

Chapter 42 - The Tokonoma for the Right Hand First Floor Room

May 4 - 8th 2012

First thing was to wrap the “trunk” section of the Tokonoma with some bamboo paper to match the wallpaper.  I managed to match up fairly well the bamboo to somewhat simulate a bamboo trunk. 

Simulating the bamboo trunk

Working on the pieces for the rest of the Tokonoma required a little planning because the room is full of shades of green and wallpaper.  So I wallpapered the left side wall piece and painted green the internal wall and upper right side wall piece. 
Fitting was tricky and I had to actually assemble the wall dividers in pieces rather than inserting them into place.  They never really match up as the concave areas that were pre-made in the kit just can’t ever match up.  But some sanding and coaxing and the sections fit in.  Glueing and leaving to stand for a while always does the trick.

Doors to cabinet

The shelving and the final chest in the room were pretty straight forward but I had decided to make the chest into some kind of gilded special container in the room.  So, that’s exactly what I did.  I used the usual gold foil and special glue and just covered the areas where the cabinet would show.  I just love the glow of gold.  I’ve decided to have the light hang inside the area where the bamboo wallpaper is because I wanted also a Gohnzon (buddhist mandala) hanging there and I figure the filtered light from that area would fall nicely onto the gilded cabinet.

Cabinet and sliding doors

Standing up on end....

 After checking the upcoming chapters, I figured at this point it was ok to attached the final room of the first floor to the upstairs landing.  So again, standing it up on end and using a series of clamps, I glued it and left it overnite.  I am still not going to glue it to the ground floor yet as the lighting needs to be finalized.  I added the bedroom set and other objects to give an idea of what the room space will be like.

Lighted area to give an idea of cozy comfort. And Godzilla.