spottedcat83 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Hi folks! In my fear of building the actual dollhouse, I've been playing around with a bunch of smaller stuff (yeah, well, it's a bad pun, but what can I say? ) including a cheap little wooden trinket box, which I am attempting to turn into a Hogwarts trunk. So I painted it black on the outside. Don't worry about the inside; I'm going to line it with some fabric, so it's okay. But the outside--I took some gold paint and put "brass" corners on it. The brass corners aren't perfect, and it's never going to be an exact trunk, because let's face it--it's a cheap wooden trinket box. But I'm trying for an approximation here, because I'm a beginner and not worrying too much about exactness at this point. So. Wow, that was a long explanation, wasn't it? Does anybody have any suggestions that are fairly easy that might make it look more like a Hogwarts trunk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzy Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 You could add some straps using leather shoe laces, maybe some travel stickers? do you have any pictures? sounds cute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris P. Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Kitty, can you post a photo? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamom Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 How about going online and printing out one of the "house" logos and gluing that to the trunk. Sounds to me like you have done a good job already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottedcat83 Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 I'll put a sticker or two on it, so it'll look kinda Hogwarts-ish. I just can't figure out what to do to make it look like a trunk! The leather shoelace idea is good--the only problem is that the shoelaces are so thick, they would have a 3-d effect that might confuse people. I wonder if there are any other leather, or leather-like, strap-like things I could use. A picture... *sigh* I have a camera. I even found the cord. My problem is my stupid computer. It's old, and all the hookups are on the back. Kinda makes you wonder what computer makers were thinking about back then. I suppose they were thinking that we'd always want to just plug things in and that would be it. No. What am I thinking? They were thinking that they'd invent new things, like USB drives, and they'd change the USB ports around, and all that... so we'd all have to buy NEW COMPUTERS! Mmm. I haven't done that yet! But I will try to wrestle the computer around sometime soon and find the plug-in thingies for the camera. Note my really technical terms... plug-in thingies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris P. Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 You should be able to purchase a small piece of sewing leather at JoAnn's or a craft shop, or even cut a small strip from an old purse and use the soft leather instead of a shoelace. It would lie flatter. If it was from an old purse, it would even look aged. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaC Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 A picture... *sigh* I have a camera. I even found the cord. My problem is my stupid computer. It's old, and all the hookups are on the back. Kinda makes you wonder what computer makers were thinking about back then. I suppose they were thinking that we'd always want to just plug things in and that would be it. No. What am I thinking? They were thinking that they'd invent new things, like USB drives, and they'd change the USB ports around, and all that... so we'd all have to buy NEW COMPUTERS! But I will try to wrestle the computer around sometime soon and find the plug-in thingies for the camera. Note my really technical terms... plug-in thingies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerriMagic Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Make sure it looks slightly dusty and old. You can add a bit of dust by using pastels shaved with a razor blade..then lightly spray your surface with a spray fixative so the dust doesn't get all smeary. Seems like the whole of Harry's wizarding world was a trifle dusty, with everything looking slightly worn. But since that was before our modern megavaccuums, and dusters, it makes sense to me. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 You might want to glue very thin leather or leather-look vinyl over the wooden exterior of your trunk. You can make wee "brass" fittings from foil painted brass color (Testor's makes a lovely breass paint that sticks to most everything) and straps from the same or a different color leather source. You'll want to line the interior with floral paper or fabric in a tiny design (Stained with old used teabags for that aged, splotchy effect). If you glue bits of toothpick to the sides of the interior and below the top a bit you can make a tray from cardboard or chipboard, covered to match, to go in the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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