Mantleshelf Room

Why I like old boxes

I collect boxes and storage containers generally and choose items (mostly with some age) that ‘speak’ to me about their use. Some do get filled and shelved as storage but others seem to demand to be made into a scene that echoes a certain historical period.

This oak 1950s box demanded an interwar kitchen, containing the bare necessities to which – having carefully saved up – the inhabitants are beginning to add the ‘new’.

I finished off the window wall with a little more half-boarding, as that section runs next to the sink, and on the remaining width added a few nails to hang a useful cloth and a much needed shopping basket (containing the inevitable head-scarf).

The head-scarf is obviously new to the household as the print is in a very jazzy design

Both sides together, awaiting a box of vegetables, I think. But for the moment the small scene sits comforably in its new home.

I’ve written this using the new editor on WordPress, but I haven’t managed to spot the spell-checker anywhere. What have I missed?

Things are getting small

It’s been hard on the finger tips handling some of these items but tweezers and particularly a pair of cocktail sticks saved the day when firmly seating some of them on their blob of wax.  There’s not enough room in there for my hands.

Some post, some printing

Calendar, clock and the neighbours across the street

Started on the fourth wall and used a small print of the 1:12 Nostalgia Close as the view to be seen from the window beside the sink.  Rinso on the drainer and a drum of Ajax underneath.

The view assumes you’re able to squeeze inside this 1:24 kitchen with the fourth wall shut, of course.  Am still pondering whether to use a little more half boarding across the bottom half of the wall or a little something else?

A very small (golden?) ladle on the drainer along with two plates and a badly used tea towel

And through the post, cup, milk jug, a pie dish and useful cupboard stores 🙂

Hoping to buy some veg and strew them around a little – but we’ll see.

Tea, anyone?

Bring your own cup

Working on with the two Jane Harrop 1:24 kitchen kits, still not stuck cupboard doors in place as waiting on some packaging etc to possibly display there, and have been struggling with the framework for the Belfast sink.  Took the laser-cut sink supports and their extra bits apart twice as couldn’t quite get the loose side braces square in three dimensions, which meant that the sink would not fit, of course.  My hands/sleeves, wrists seemed to be in the way of viewing what I was doing(?)  Finally achieved something closer to square and added the finished off sink unit 🙂

First run at rounding off the edges of the square-edged wooden sink.

Popped the sink, taps and tiles in place along with a swift decoration job.

The sink and drainer kit comes with two draining board supports, depending on which side you want to place the drainer.  I’ve used the second one to support a very short length of extra work surface between the draining board and the cupboard unit and added extra tiling.

The cup of tea? Well, have you seen the size of that 1:24 teapot? Enough there for one-and-all!

The large plate with the giant jam tarts has to go, (far too big and hiding the bread bin) but the other set dressing items seem OK so far – I’ll see what happens when the other bits and bobs turn up.

Not sure about the ‘ultra-modern’ mid to late 1950s space ship light but will stick with it for the moment.  Its colour cheers up the place and the low ceiling needs something fairly flush fitting.

Think I’ll work on the fourth wall, perhaps add a window and clock there.  Would like a window cill there but can’t make the scene too deep as a good half of the box lid edge is needed for closure over the lip of the wooden liner.

Off to rummage in my many boxes and tins of bits for items to throw together for the lid and then I’m planning to put a chair next to the letter box, where I might sit, warmly wrapped and hands spread, ready to catch any arriving supplies.

 

Working it out as it goes along

For this box scene, there’s a fairly firm image in my mind of the finished item, but I’m finding there are a number of variables for the positioning of the bits before anything can really be settled.

The cupboard

With that in mind, I’ve continued with the cupboard but only up to a point.

The carcass is complete and the minute door handles have been added

but the doors are only balanced in place until some goodies for the shelves and cupboards arrive

Once the post brings the every-day things for the room then it might be interesting to leave a cupboard door or two open.

Next kit up – the sink

This is a Belfast style sink, made of wood with a support frame, taps and draining board.

Jane Harrop 1:24 laser cut sink kit

The sink needs to sit and dry till tomorrow when some rounding off of edges can be done before painting

Heavy-handed me and delicate laser cut items. Have lightly smeared them using sponge

So far so good 🙂

Next up there’s one of the first main decisions; exactly which way round do the cupboard and sink look at their most inviting?