Here is a tutorial for a mini kitchen – a kitchenette from the Tiny House project (subject of most of my blogs for 2020).  The Tiny House was a group project that my club sponsored as a day-long workshop for members.  The kitchenette was designed to be simple (so it could be taught to 85 people in about 2 hours), inexpensive and compact (it was for a tiny house, after all!).  It is basically a short wall of open shelves, lower “cabinets” from foam core and has all the necessary appliances. In that tiny space it has a 2-burner stove, microwave, refrig and dish drawer (dishwasher).  I think some of the techniques shared here could work for travel trailer (think Airstream!) and Gypsy wagon type miniature projects too.

The sink and faucet were the subject of my first post on this project back in March 2020 (click here for link to Sink Faucet Tutorial).  For Part 1 of the Kitchenette covering the cabinet base and appliance doors, most of the instructions and photos are available in this downloadable file and pattern sheet:

[click here for Kitchenette Part 1 Downloadable file and pattern sheet].

Since I had made up these instructions for the event it was just easier to modify them for this blog post rather than uploading all the photos to the blog.  Here’s a summary of the important points if you decide to try to make this kitchenette:

Lower “cabinets” – these are just open shelves of foam core.  Construction is basically just one long piece of foam core scored and folded.  Then the center dividers and bottom are glued in.  If you want, you can add your own cupboard doors but due to the simplicity and small size of our project, we didn’t include doors or drawers.  The front edges and area under the sink were trimmed (disguised) with thin wooden coffee stir sticks.

Appliance doors – For the frig and dish drawer – the doors are made from foam core and covered with a vinyl film that looks like stainless steel.  There are several different companies that make a product like this.  One is by ConTact brand.  The one I used for this project is made by Cricut.  See photos below.  It is not the "removable" kind that I see carried by Michael's.  I don't know if the "removable" product will work - I just haven't tried it.  Here is what I used: 

 Here are my very important tips for covering the doors with “stainless” film:

1. The narrow edges of the doors are covered in four separate strips of silver film.  You might think it will be a great short cut to just fold the film over the edges but this is a mistake.  Eventually it will bubble up.  Trust me I have done it many times.  The stuff doesn’t like to be folded (I even tried scoring the fold with the back of an X-Acto and it still won’t stay flat and square where it was folded).  
2. Glue film to the narrow edges of the doors but DON’T put any glue on the front of the doors.  Even though it has an adhesive back, it needs the extra glue for the edges to stay stuck down.  But glue will make lumps on the smooth front so use the film’s own adhesive there.
3. Any little spec of dust or dirt will be very visible as a lump when the film is laid on it.  Use scotch tape to remove any particles before applying the film to the door front.

 

Finished Refrig Door

For the handles of the appliances, I used some long curved silver tube beads.  Because I had about 300 of these to make, I ground down the ends to an angle using my husband’s grinding wheel so they would fit more flush against the front of the door.  But if you don’t have a grinder you can use low grit sandpaper (like 150) or just pinch the tube ends with pliers to make them flatter.  I ran a piece of wire through them and poked the wire into the foam door for a little more ‘grab’ than just glue alone.

Well that covers the hardest part of the kitchenette.  Next blog I will tell how the microwave and stove top were made.  Here is a photo of my finished kitchenette in the tiny house:

It’s getting late and close to Halloween but here is a Halloween tutorial!  Two little Halloween party tables.  Many years ago I used to make and sell miniature party tables.  These were small occasional-size tables with themed party items on the top.  I would sell them at a miniatures shop – “Through the Keyhole” in Dallas (before Ebay, before Etsy…).  The owners, Gayle and Dorothy Harrison (mother and daughter) owned the shop which was housed in a very unique rustic, even Hippie-type indoor craft mall called “Olla Podrida” (old rotten pot?) in Dallas.

I miss those days and that wonderful shop.  But before I get to the Halloween tables, here are a few of my original (1980s era) party tables.  Note that the first picture below was taken probably with an old camera with 110 type film (grainy and you can’t see details).  I loved putting lots of little details on the tables -- there are tiny rhinestone rings in the center of the birthday tables!  I also used a lot of glitter.  This was before we all had cameras in our phones – and actually before anyone had a cell phone!! (I’m showing my age!)

Here are a few more taken when I had a better camera (but still a camera, not a PHONE camera!)

But – on to the tutorial…
To make the basic skirted table, you can download these instructions.

For the Halloween decorations on each of the tables, see instructions below.

Table #1 (purple overskirt and orange underskirt)

Jack-o-lantern on a pedestal – this was a “Christmas Village / Halloween Village” resin Jack-o-lantern (not lit).  I added some details with paint and two seed bead eyes so they would “pop out”.  I added some leaves to the stem and moss to the base and a few candy sprinkle orange balls.  The pedestal is a metal miniatures item, #441 (fruit bowl and stand).  I painted it a tan color.

Cake – this was a purchased cake sitting on a pedestal made from a cardboard circle and a bead cap for the base.

Witch’s Hat – I don’t have a pattern for this.  I just rolled up a small square of giftwrap paper in a cone shape to the size I wanted and cut it off straight at the bottom.  I glued it to a circle of black painted index card then wrapped a piece of green silk ribbon around the base.  I topped it off with a silk ribbon bow and a gold oval doll buckle.  Don’t use construction paper – it does not age well and will fade in a year or two!!

Jar of eyes – this is a small vial (maybe a canning jar – Farrow Industries?).  The lid is a Halloween scrapbooking brad with the long tabs cut off.  The eyes are white seed beads with small black glass no-hole beads glued into the holes.

Candy cups and banner – see pdf file attached HERE – you can download and print the designs for the candy cups and flag banner.  The candy cups have thread handles (purple and orange thread twisted together) and are filled with Fimo lollipops, Fimo candy sticks and orange and yellow candy (cake decorating) sprinkles.  The sprinkles and Fimo candy are all sealed with a Fimo sealer but you can also use clear nail polish.  This protects the candy sprinkles from attracting insects.

Note that there is an extra pattern on the pdf file that was not used on either of these tables.  But it would make a cute bag of candy with a Halloween label – foldover type label.

Table #2 – Green top
Table Runner – instead of a square tablecloth I made a table runner for this one.  I cut a green fabric strip about 1-1/4 inch wide by about 4 inches long and cut it to a point at both ends.  I glued it on the tablecloth then trimmed the sides with silk ribbon and the front with some “buds and bows” type trim (sometimes called “rococo” ribbon trim) – look on Etsy or Ebay (see photo of trims below).  I put an orange silk ribbon bow at the bottom point.

Table #2 Trims

Jack-o-lantern on a pedestal – Same as above but I used some different looped ribbon trim (see photo above) and a silk ribbon bow inside the jack-o-lantern top and a pedestal made from beads and bead caps then painted black and white.  I also used the looped ribbon trim around the base of the pumpkin (with some added moss and punched paper leaves).

Witch’s Hat – This was the same as the one described for Table #1 above except for a small paper punched flower replacing the buckle.  I used some tiny red railroad fruit (Woodland Scenics is one brand) for the center of the flower.

Spider in Jar – this is a small glass vial (Hobby Lobby bottle earring?).  The lid is made from jewelry findings painted with green and purple metallic craft paint and topped with a seed bead and no-hole bead.  Inside the jar is a spider made from a tiny craft pom-pom with thread legs.  He is sitting on a paper-punched orange fall maple leaf.

Hope you can find something here to work on in case you (or your kiddies) can't Trick or Treat OR in case you need something to do because you HAVE no Trick-or-Treaters this year!  Keep Safe and Happy Halloween!

Here is a project that will take a couple of blogs to finish.  I will begin with how to remove paint from plastic baby bottles (party favors).  Then in the next blog I will tell how to make the grinders.

I thought these baby bottles from Hobby Lobby looked just like salt and pepper grinders.  Problem was the pink paint!  I had to make 100 sets for an event (that’s 200 total!) so I needed a way to remove the paint.

I probably wouldn’t have taken the time to research paint removal for just one pair but since I had to make so many it was worth the time.  I am documenting what I learned in hopes of saving someone else the research time.

I should start by saying that there are many different kinds of plastic and many different kinds of paint.  I don’t know what kind of paint they use on these favors but it must be some kind of spray enamel.  It is very hard to remove.  I wanted the bottles to be crystal clear.

My goal was to find something that would take the paint off without fogging or etching the plastic.  Even though I am a Chemist by training, I mostly relied on trial and error (not being familiar with the paint industry).  I read lots of blogs on car modeling, plane modeling, etc. and tried many products.  You can see from the photos all the things I tried:


Some things frosted the plastic.  Other things either didn’t dissolve the paint or took too long (meaning I gave up not wanting to wait more than a full day to see if it worked).  Here is a summary of what I tried.

These products did nothing even after soaking:

• Simple Green (full strength)
• Paint Thinner (kind of worked but would have to be scraped)
• Alcohol (70% Isopropyl)
• Testors Brush Cleaner

These products etched the plastic:

• Zip Strip paint remover (it DID remove paint too)
• Nail Polish Remover (non-acetone)
• Nail Polish Remover (acetone) -
• Model Master “Acryl” Dried Paint Solvent

Winners! These both worked removing paint with no fogging but required soaking overnight:

• Brake Fluid
• Easy Off Oven Cleaner (requires some scraping) 

A couple of notes:

1. All of these are solvents and require use of gloves (and maybe goggles!) and should be used only in well ventilated areas (like the garage with door open).
2. Since I was doing this for 200 bottles, I did it in batches.  I put 20 or 30 into a plastic bag and set the bag down into a disposable drink cup.  I poured the brake fluid into the bag and sealed it up and let it soak overnight.  It was kind of messy. 
3. The next day I drained off the used fluid (the pink-ish stuff in the baggie in the photo above).  Then I used paper towels to wipe off the fluid.  There was a pink film still on them so I gave them another quick rinse in clean fluid and swabbed the pink out of the inside of the bottles with a Q-tip.
4. Disposal - I was left with the problem of what to do with the used brake fluid.  It can’t be poured down the drain.  I drained it off the bottles after they soaked and poured it all back into a plastic container.  Thanks to O’Reilly Auto Parts I was able to take the used solvent back to the store and they disposed of it.  You might have to ask around.  One other auto parts store I bought some from would not accept it.
5. It takes a little scrubbing to remove all bits of the paint.  I had to sand the center tops of some of the bottles after clipping off the nipples. 
6. There is one more trick I learned to solve the problem of fogged or scratched plastic.   Some of the car modelers coat the fogged plastic with Pledge Floor Care (Wal Mart) (I think this used to be called “Future” floor polish some years ago).  This helped where the tops were sanded to make them clearer.  Car modelers use it for scratched windshields. (you see I have marked my bottle "Minis" because I am likely to forget why I bought it and might throw it out!!)

 That’s all for this blog.  Hope this was helpful to someone.  I know I am indebted to all those car and boat modelers who took the time to blog about their paint removal problems!  Next time how to make the grinders!

Almost done with the Dome project.  I have another group of related projects that I am excited to start when I have wrapped this up.   Below is a tutorial on making the silk bolster cushion on the couch.  Next blog I will describe how I made the 1/144 scale dollhouse in the window behind the loveseat.

This project involves a little hand sewing (but not much!).  You will need:

• Small piece of aquarium tube 1/4” diameter by 1-1/8” long.
• 2 Piece of flannel or white felt, about 1-1/2” by 2-1/2” long for padding
• Fabric scrap, about 2” by 4”
• Ribbon for bows, thread, needle
• Fine needle-type glue dispenser/applicator with Sobo fabric glue or Crafter’s Pick Ultimate.
• Scissors

1. Roll the flannel around the tube.  Overlap and secure with overcast stitches.  Trim off even with ends of tube.
   
   
   
   
2. Make a glued hem by folding up one short end of cover fabric and securing with a fine line of glue.  Roll the fabric around the tube starting with the raw edge (unhemmed) and ending with the hemmed edge on top.  Glue the hemmed edge down.
   
   
   
   
3. With needle and thread, run a gathering stitch around one end, just beyond the end of the tube.  Do the same on the other end.  Pull the thread gathering the excess fabric.  Poke it into the tube with the end of a paintbrush.  You can tie off the threads and secure with a little glue.  It shouldn’t show once you have covered the ends with a ribbon bow. 
   
   
   
   
4. Make a bow with multiple loops.  I use myBitty Bow bowmaker (see link in the sidebar) to make a 6 loop bow.
   
   
   The ribbon used here is hand dyed, from “Trenway Silks” which I purchased at a local Austin needlework store (or maybe it was Dallas?).  The color is “Pink Peony”.   I love the hand dyed ribbons - they give a nice, variegated color. 
   
5. In this last photo you can see how I assure my ribbon tails don’t fray. 
   
   I put a little glue on my finger and just brush the forked tails across it.  If using Crafter’s Pick Ultimate glue, I rarely see any discoloration or staining of the ribbon with glue spots.  To shape the bows so the tails face down I just pinch the loops in the direction of "gravity", so they all "fall" nicely toward one direction.  Do this while the glue is damp.  You might have to hold them in place for a minute or two.

Here is part 2 of the Slipper Chair tutorial.  Seat back with faux pleat and seat cushion.

Supplies for Part 2:

• Sewing machine, matching thread
• Fray-Check (sewing seam sealer)
• Shirt cardboard, index card
• Small blob of polyester fiberfill (or fluff from an old pillow)
• VERY FINE glue applicator filled with craft glue (I used Sobo in my applicator)
• Pattern sheet (link here)

1. For the seat back slip cover, cut the two pattern pieces “C” and “B” from fabric. (note that in photos my piece “C” is not straight across the bottom because I was using a scrap piece).
   
2. Down the center back of the chair is a faux pleat.  To make this, “draw” down the centerline of the back piece (wrong side of fabric) with a THIN line of glue.  Make it wide enough so that when you cut on it, it will be sealed on both sides of the cut.  The glue line is hard to see in the photo. Don’t cut this yet.
   
3. Using a sewing machine and very small stitches (I used a stitch length of 2mm long), sew the back to the front RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER on the seam line (see photo).
   
   
4. Put a line of “Fray Check” seam sealant all around the raw edges on both sides. Don’t let the solution spread past the line of sewing.
   
   
5. Clip into the center of the heart where marked on the pattern but be sure NOT to clip through the stitching line.  Trim the seam to about 1/8 inch.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Turn inside out.  Cut a piece of shirt cardboard to pattern “A”.  Slip the cardboard piece “A” up into the back and make sure it fits.  Remove cardboard piece and set aside (link to pattern - see supplies).
7. If the glue on center back cut line is dry, cut on the line almost to the top (about ¼ inch from the top seam).
   
8. Cut a “gusset” or faux pleat of a contrasting fabric using pattern piece “D”.  Glue the gusset inside the split.  Before it was dry I pinched the split together a little near the top, so it would look like it was bulging (and bows added later were holding it together).
   
   
   
   
9. Place cardboard “A” piece up into the slipcover.  Stuff the FRONT of the seat (side opposite of the gusset) with a little fiberfill.
   
10. Glue down the open seams below the sewing line as needed to keep the sides together.  You can see where this needs to be done when you have the cardboard inserted.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Glue the back cover to the cardboard down both sides, covering the cardboard.  Glue the raw edge of the cover against the cardboard just to seal in the stuffing (it should just touch the base when the back is glued on).
    
12. Trim off any extending gusset.  Fold up a ‘hem’ on the bottom edge of the slip cover and the gusset.  I allowed mine to extend slightly past the bottom of the chair to look sort of like a train.
    
    
    
    
13. Glue the back against the base covering the raw edges of the ruffled fabric skirt on the base.
    
14. Cushion – (sorry I didn’t take many photos of these steps).  Cut pattern piece “E” out of shirt cardboard or index card.  Trim to fit your seat (a tiny bit smaller). Glue a small blob (size of a grape?) of stuffing to the middle of this cardboard seat.  Cut fabric about ½ inch larger than seat on all sides.  Fabric was wrapped over the stuffing and glued to the bottom of the cardboard.  To do a neat job on rounded corners, first glue down the center of each side.  Then when that is dry enough to handle, clip little tabs of fabric at the corners to try to minimize thick folds.  Glue down the tabs on all corners neatly as possible, smoothing out any wrinkles.  After covering with fabric, I ‘tufted’ two small dents using a needle and thread tying it at the bottom of the cardboard.
    
15. Glue seat in place.  Finished!
    
16. To decorate the back, I tied three bows using my BittyBow bowmaker (you can buy it from the link at the right side of my blog!).