where I ramble on about what's happening in my little world
and hopefully you have some enjoyment reading about it!



I made doors & I've still got all my fingers :o) or just - 'how to make doors' !

As you would expect from anything thats mine, nothing is 'normal' and all my mini doors are an odd shape &/or size! so I've had no choice but to make my own. I had been collecting coffee stirrers believing they would do the trick but they were just the wrong scale, so following much inspiration from Nina (the tudor dollshouse project), Michelle (Michelles Mad World), and Janice (on being a mini mum) & their wonderful blogs offering advice, I took the plunge, ordered some 1/4" x 1/2" balsa and set to work :o)
Firstly, I drew around the door hole to get a guide, and then started cutting the balsa to size, using a razor saw as recommended by Janice. I had no idea what a 'razor saw' actually was but was given an assortment of blades a few xmas's ago so made full use of it, experimented with all the ones with teeth, and found the perfect tool to cut with! I then scored the balsa with my modelling tool to get some deep weather grains into the 'wood' as I don't want them looking all new.
When all the pieces were cut to fit the pattern, I used Michelles tip of adding some brown paint to the PVA to colour it, as an added ageing thing; and glued all the pieces together. I had to add a coffee stirrer to each side as it wasnt quite wide enough to fit the door hole but its provided a 'frame' for the door so it worked out ok for me. The balsa didnt stick too easily so I taped it tight with lowtack tape and left it for a few hours for the PVA to dry.

I wanted my doors to look like they had iron studs on the door braces so made pilot holes using my 2mm drill bit and cut small bits of cocktail stick to dowel them together (I also glued them at the back just to be sure!) this sounded much less time consuming than cutting down real nails like Nina did!!!

Hinges.... here I nearly lost my sanity completely!!! the TINY screw/rivetty things they supply with hinges I swear are meant to drive you crazy trying to insert into the holes! LOL the balsa was simple to get them in but getting them into a coffee stirrer type strength of wood..... NO!
So, my 'Tip of the Day' is the same as yesterday's.... double sided tape again! worn over the finger tip worked a treat at keeping them where I wanted them ... which wasnt on the floor :o)

next, the brace studs got painted with black acrylic

After staining with a coat of satin walnut woodstain, I added a wash of grey acrylic and then dry brushed a bit of sap green on the edges of the doors to make it look a little mossy/mouldy like I imagine old doors to look.

Here are the finished doors for the front & upstairs back door.


adding mock strap hinges ... and a little moss to hide where the superglue leaked! and painting a little black acrylic over the TINY brass 'rivets' that I have learnt to despise more than I thought possible!

The finished door in place ... at last! & the upstairs of The Skool of Majick is now a little safer from the invasion of the dust monster.


I cannot do anymore to finish them properly yet, as I cant find my door knobs. I really, really want to finish it all :o( but I seem to have mislaid the smaller hinges that I bought as well and as you can see, the ones I have used on the other doors are just too big!!! (typical of me to now be officially un-hinged LOL) methinks I have put them in the same 'safe place' and lost them! if I cant find them, I may have to get the clay out and attempt to make some. I have the most amazing dragon door knocker to put on the front door too and cant wait to show it off :o)

right ... off to have another rummage for my sanity.

P.S. I also have to think up what to do with a bagful of spare wooden coffee stirrers!!! LOL

Photobucket

29 comments:

The Old Maid said...

Great doors! Good work Wendie!:)

Tabitha Corsica said...

Your doors look mahvelous!

Whittaker's Miniatures said...

WOW wendie those doors are fantastic, and the absolute perfect colour, you did an ace job! cant wait to do my doors for Emilys castle, again following wonderful Michelles tips, she should write a book eh Cant wait to see your knocker he he!! Kate xxx

Creepy Creations by Jamie Moore said...

Great job on the doors! They look awesome!!

Jamie

TreeFeathers said...

I'm laughing about your lost hinges - in my family, whenever someone can't find something, someone else is sure to say, "You must have put it in a safe place!" I guess we're not the only ones, lol!

Great job on the doors, the detailing is fantastic! That upstairs door looks like it's been there forever. :)

- Grace

Michelle said...

Wendie, you doors look so amazing! Great colour and styles. I like the idea of using the little pins...I didn't think to use them, though they are a real pain in the bum to try and pick up and and insert! lol

You have attached your hinges the professional way, I must make my doors a bit narrower next time to accommodate the hinges being affixed that way!

Michelle xx

onbeingaminimum said...

Great doors Wendie. It was really interesting to read how you tackled the same task I have been working on. I never even thought of nails, something for me to add next time. Thank you for sharing your methods.

Love the use of sticky tape on the finger. That is a really useful tip for dealing with horrible tiny screws.

Now do I have a little box with "Door Knobs".....? Of course I do!! But where is it?

MiniKat said...

Love the doors 'kins! I hope you find your missing knobs and hinges soon. xxx

Glenda said...

Wow!! These are excellent!! Doors specially made to fit interesting and fun doorway shapes - opens up a wonderful world of funky doorways :D

Great tip about the double sided sellotape :) With liddle bits that roll around I work on a tray with sides now :)

Dark Squirrel Victoria said...

Your doors came out perfect :) I can't wait to see the dragon door knocker.

Victoria ♥

Bea (Fiona) Broadwood said...

You have done a fabulous job Wendie x

Crafts From The Stash said...

cripes kins ANOTHER blog post LOL

I love those doors they are really great.

Lorra Luffies

Debie xxxxxxxxx

Wendie-kins said...

WOW, such a lot of lovely comments already! :o) you've all made me smile that you like my efforts that much :o)
still no sign of the missing bits n bobs though :o(
Michelle, you dont need to make your doors narrower, 'just' remove a 1mm oblong bit off the side to rebate where the hinge sits, like you see on real doors. Hope you understand what I mean, if not I'll do a post to show you how.

and Debiekins... cheeky moo LOL I might even do another before the end of the week!!!

Wendiekins xxx

Debbie said...

Wow!! Are you feeling OK Wendie-Kins another blog post, so soon after the other one..
Your Doors look fabulous. Will we be getting another blog post this week, when you are no longer Un-hinged...LOL

Wendie-kins said...

LOL Debbie... IF I can find those blasted missing bits yeh :o)x

Linda said...

omg!! fabulous love them i must try it...on what house i dont know but they look sooooooo good!!! :D Linda x

Wendie-kins said...

Linda, they are SO easy to make, I dont know why I was so worried about starting them! LOL @ not having anywhere to put them if you made any, what about a garden shed? theyd be perfect for a shed door :o)

Michelle said...

Wendie,

I'm very dense! lol lol Please can you show me what you mean about removing the oblong bit? As I'd like the get the next lot of doors I make fitted 'professionally'!! lol

I'm doing walls and floors now....just such an expanse of them to do too! lol

Michelle xxx

Wendie-kins said...

LOL Michelle... am happy to help,I will photograph the missing step for you and post it on here after the weekend.
I have the floor of the Majick Skool still to do too, 3ft x 16" of paperclay!! and I have an awful feeling I'm gonna run out before its done :o( I know this would have been easier BEFORE I assembled the house but.... I do love a challenge :o)x

Michelle said...

Well I don't its such a bad idea to lay the paperclay after everything else. From experience I've repeatedly had to touch up the paint on my coblestones as the paperclay chipped AND I sealed it with PVA. I would have done the front last if I had known and don't plan on repairing the damage till Hogwarts is finished!

I will look out for the missing link for the hinges! lol Many thanks. :o)

Michelle xxx

Erica said...

wow these are great doors, very realistic finish

Snow White Archive said...

Just stumbled upon your blog. Read the title of your post and almost moved on, but wow! I'm glad I didn't. You do NICE WORK! Brilliant really!

Ever dabble with any Snow White miniatures?

Nina said...

Hello Wendie,

Thanks for visiting my blog and left a message, I'm happy to came here and see your wonderful work! Wow, this is amazing :)
Have a nice weekend,
Nina

Chris said...

Thank you for the tutorial Wendy, what a clever idea to make doors like that and they look great!

Alisa said...

I so enjoyed reading your post. I love the work. The door looks wonderful. Alisa

petitemoonbeams.blogspot.com said...

I love the door you made. I'm making a fairy village and plan to make my doors quirky also but have to bash the kit doors that came with the building.

I understand those hinges. I made a 1:12 dollhouse and they drove me bonkers, too.

And I still have things in a "safe place" that I cannot find.

Come visit my blog, if you wish. I would love some suggestions.

Pat
petitemoonbeams.blogspot.com

jotell said...

All I can say is that I love the way you think! Your work is beautiful & so well thought out. Thank you for the wonderful inspiration!

lian said...

Hello Wendie:
I loved your blog !!
too beautiful !!!!
It is really beautiful and charming ..
really enjoyed this little door and how to do it
I am following your blog and also invite you to visit my blog too ...
I want to learn a lot here ...
a kiss and good week ...
eliane
: 0))
http://elianeapkroker.blogspot.com.br/

Unknown said...

I used coffee stirrer sticks as slats in an attic's walls. I cut off the rounded ends and glued them onto a piece of artist's canvas (from Dollarama) which I regularly use as the base for walls. I stained the sticks with a coffee stain (made from coffee). I left space between the horizontal levels and used a tube of caulking (roughed up) to represent plaster between the slats. Looks very real.