Deb Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Ever have one of those moments where you just have to do something mini and you have to do it *right now*? Oh wait. Look who I'm asking! Those aren't moments around here.........it's a way of life. I had a mini-moment tonight and I knew I didn't have much more than 10 minutes while dinner was cooking, so I decided to make a pair of geta. (wooden japanese sandals) A shingle, some toothpick tips and a bit of red thread and here's what I got: I'm waiting on some supplies to get here before I can start building the Coventry so I've been amusing myself by making some of the decor while I wait. Little tatami mats and wooden pillows for the sleeping area........cushions for the dining area.......a bamboo front door. I didn't get a picture of the front door, but here's a few of the other pieces I've been playing with. The round pillow will go up on a black lacquer stand. (it's a back rest) <giggling> I get so delighted over the littlest things. Literally. So I had to share. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anya Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 What time is it where you are now? I love that pillow. It would look great on my futon bed. Did you make it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted March 11, 2006 Author Share Posted March 11, 2006 Um, <squinting at the clock> It's 5:12 am. I go to bed somewhere around 5 or 6 since we get off work at midnight. Yep, I made everything in the pictures, even the tassles on the pillows. I'm going to make most of the furniture and the decor for this house. I've got some wood blocks and boxes that I'm going to cover with brocade and make into kimono chests. I'm going to do a formal japanese garden for the house too. I have the plan on the sketch pad and will start on it as soon as I finish the house. I have a Buddha shrine partially built for it already. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anya Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 So you work nights? Oh I can't imagine soing that. It's 12:19pm here and I've got baby's lunch cooking on the stove. I love the things you have made Do you sell those pillows? Um, <squinting at the clock> It's 5:12 am. I go to bed somewhere around 5 or 6 since we get off work at midnight. Yep, I made everything in the pictures, even the tassles on the pillows. I'm going to make most of the furniture and the decor for this house. I've got some wood blocks and boxes that I'm going to cover with brocade and make into kimono chests. I'm going to do a formal japanese garden for the house too. I have the plan on the sketch pad and will start on it as soon as I finish the house. I have a Buddha shrine partially built for it already. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wenlaine Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Deb, such a creative mind you have!! I love all the little things you've made and I really am looking forward to seeing your Japanese home all done. It's going to be amazing. Those little sandals are the cutest. When I have those moments, I can never think of anything to do so I just sit and get angry at myself but that usually only lasts for a few minutes. Good luck with building your Coventry. Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyn Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Deb, Those are sooo cute I love the sandals. WOW going to bed at 5 or 6am that is around the time we get up during the week lol. I use to work 2 shift and I loved working nights.Your pillow is adorable you should make a tutorial on how to make the pillows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakyshaky Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 It looks like your are really in the spirit. I bet you have lots of insperation around you too. Everything looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hydroped Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Wow Deb Awesome!! I love the getas! And the pillows are perfect. Great designs. Your house is gonna rock. Can't wait to see it!! <hug> David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Deb sharing how is just as important as sharing! love all the stuff you are doing. a tutorial on the mats and pillows would be the bomb! its looking great. cant wait to see it all come together! nutti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted March 11, 2006 Author Share Posted March 11, 2006 It looks like your are really in the spirit. I bet you have lots of insperation around you too. Everything looks great. <grinning> There's a full size suit of samuari armor in the den that is a replica of Oda Nobunaga and the japanese house is going in that room, so of course, I'm going to use his family crest in the house. Deb sharing how is just as important as sharing! a tutorial on the mats and pillows would be the bomb! I'll try to do a tutorial on the cushions and mats this weekend. They're just reeeeeeeeeeally easy to make. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 Deb: Your japanese items are great, who'd thought to use shingles to make shoes? Only you. With the great silk pillows, why would anyone use a block of wood for a pillow? (umm, wonder how big a crick they get in their neck, or maybe not!) Keep feeding us the eye candy! Peggi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted March 12, 2006 Author Share Posted March 12, 2006 who'd thought to use shingles to make shoes? Only you. Now that I've seen Darrell and Melissa's new fashion look, making shoes out of shingles seems perfectly logical. We'll get a whole line of mini looks going this year! We can make jackets out of siding!! With a little sawdust in our hair and paint on our hands and glue drips on our pants, we'll look mahvaleous dahling! Simply mahvaleous! B) With the great silk pillows, why would anyone use a block of wood for a pillow? (umm, wonder how big a crick they get in their neck, or maybe not!) The wooden pillows were popular with women of the japanese aristocracy to preserve their elaborate hairstyles. They also had a little drawer in them to hold a lady's pillow book. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 12, 2006 Share Posted March 12, 2006 I also like the geta. Did you use toothpick sections for the soles? Have you made any of the kimono stands yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted March 13, 2006 Author Share Posted March 13, 2006 I also like the geta. Did you use toothpick sections for the soles? Have you made any of the kimono stands yet? Yep, the platforms on the soles are tips from toothpicks. My tweezers got quite a work out with placing those too! The kimono stand is waiting for the glue to dry so I can paint it and then it will be done. That took all of three minutes to make. (I do love instant gratification) I've got the paint drying on two kimono chests now too. As soon as they're dry, I'll spray them with lacquer and put on the drawer pulls. Wanna see the kimono I made today? <giggling> I'm having *SO* much fun with this stuff! The fabric is black fairy frost (which works really well in mini scale) with 4mm silk ribbon for the trim. I'll use a matching 7mm silk ribbon for the obi. The mons (crests of the house) on the shoulders are fussy cut from another piece of fabric. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Very, very nice. I will be looking forward to the total package. I have not seen too many Japanese projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted March 13, 2006 Author Share Posted March 13, 2006 Very, very nice. I will be looking forward to the total package. I have not seen too many Japanese projects. Apparently oriental minis are really hard to find except for the heavy victorian oriental and even those are few and far between. (believe me, I've searched ) That's why I'm making so much of the decor for this house. I did win an auction last week with 11 pieces of black lacquer.......low tables, vase tables, a couch, five panel screen, etc. I can't really tell from the picture, but they may be either Bespaq or something in that league. <crossing fingers> Whatever they may be, I'll be delighted to have them! They're a little large for this house so I'll probably just use the tables in this one and save the other pieces for my Beacon Hill. Hey Holly, here's the kimono stand: And here's the kimono chests I made today. I'm not real thrilled with them. They're kind of "90mph pieces"---they look good if you see 'em when you drive past at 90mph. Am I bugging ya'll with these pictures? I'm just all excited coz it's the first time I've ventured into this realm of mini-making. Can you tell I'm excited? Does it show? Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Great job, Deb, and showing your creativity to a bunch of fellow miniers is sharing & growing the idea pool. Great job on the kimono. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfire Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 No You are not bugging, You are sharing and it helps us all grow. I especially like it when it is for projects other then those I am familiar with. The stretch is good for all of us and the eye candy is delightful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wenlaine Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Deb, I can't get enough pictures of all of your work. You do such a tremendous job and you have every right to be excited. Those chests are adorable, btw. Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 I like it! I love it! I want to see more of it! Im soo looking forward to seeing all your lovlie things inside the house! the fabrics are wonderful also! nutti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 Am I bugging ya'll with these pictures? I'm just all excited coz it's the first time I've ventured into this realm of mini-making. Can you tell I'm excited? Does it show? Deb Of course not, how else can we learn if we don't see. I'm so excited for you, wish I was half as creative. So please keep on sharing, we of little creative juices need the extra kick. Peggi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted March 14, 2006 Author Share Posted March 14, 2006 <group hug> It's so wonderful to be able to hang out with people of like-mind who understand the excitement of mini-ing. I get so much inspiration from everyone here and to be able to share new ideas and techniques with each other. Everyone has their own "golden" time when they do what they really want to do. For me, it's being able to discuss common interests and share ideas. Besides, ya'll are fun. No mini-ing today tho. We had a plumbing crisis with drains backing up from their own places into other places and well, let's just say it wasn't pretty at all. Every room with a drain required serious cleaning. The plumbers were here.............twice. They didn't do it right the first time so they got called back to finish it correctly. But the all three bathrooms are nice and clean and the laundry room is sparkling and functional again and as long as I had everything pulled out of the kitchen cupboard under the sink, I rearranged it. Now to do the laundry. I'm resisting the urge to go find the plumber and teach him a new use for his roto rooter after he left tire tracks across my carpet. I wasn't much in the mood for steam cleaning today. On the bright side, I'm ahead on my spring cleaning now. I'm gonna go pet the Coventry now and tell it I missed it today. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 and teach him a new use for his roto rooter after he left tire tracks across my carpet. Actually I think it's the usual use for a roto-rooter, just a slightly different set of plumbing When we lived in OH we had to have a plumber to deal with a laundryroom problem, but thank God it was in the basement! The first time I heard Tim Allen's routine about "butt-spackle" I thought of that plumber . The plumber we have now may track up my floors (no carpeting, though), but at least his trousers don't ride down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 Oh Deb you poor thing! But you're looking at it in a positive light--early spring cleaning. Boy do I ever need to do that. My closets, are starting to scream at me. But so far I've managed to just shut the door and ignore it Butt Cracks--thought it was in the job description. Heavy tool belt + baggy pants = butt crack. Visual--Dang, it is enough to give you nightmares- stuff bubbling up where thing should be going down, and colors you don't even want to think about. Peggi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Deb, I got my April DHM and there is part 2 of a series of articles on making a mini Japanese garden, also aking "Airborne" caps into lacquered tables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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