Because I can't easily buy any miniature supplies I printed the wallpaper myself and, after breaking my heart over it fading within weeks and having to be replaced 3 times, each time trying more desperate measures to prevent the fading, I gave in and threw the laundry box away. The contents now live in a clear plastic chocolate box and the printie dryer and washer have been replaced with 'real' ones!
Apart from the sad story, the reason for showing the laundry is to show the sink unit. It's made from balsa, earring oddments and a cheese spread container.
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Great job!!
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to print your own wallpaper it's imperative to spray it with an archive spray (eg Krylon 'Preserve It'), especially if your printer doesn't use UV resistant inks. I specifically chose the printer I have because it takes an ink that is water resistant and supposedly will withstand 99 years of normal light exposure but since I won't be around to check I guess their 99 year claims are pretty safe ;) You should be able to buy an archive spray/sealer at places like Spotlight and some art supply and stationary stores.
That is a great laundry sink Susan.
ReplyDeleteToo bad about your wallpaper, the whole scene is wonderful. I did not even notice the machines were printies until you mentioned it. Thanks for sharing the how to.
Thanks for the tutorial, the sink looks great :) And sorry that the roombox is gone :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tutorial Susan!!!
ReplyDeleteI like how the sink looks is very real!!
Meli
The sink looks wonderful Susan. Did you make your laundry basket too? I was going to say spray a sealant over after printing but someone beat me to it!
ReplyDeleteSusan, Thank you for the tutorial! The sink is wonderful!! And Thank you Norma for the information about homemade wallpaper and how to keep it from fading! Great information!
ReplyDeleteSusan I'm sorry for the sad story ...
ReplyDeletecontainer of cheese lends itself well to this scene, it's brilliant! You have given me a great idea! thanks!
Caterina
PS I am sending you a mail ..
Crikey, so many comments! Thankyou all!!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for caring about the loss of this roombox, a learning experience believe me!!
Thanks for caring Norma. Believe me, everything that could be done was done with that wallpaper, I had help from all corners of the world from miniatures groups members. With the ink and paper I used and heroic preservation techniques the printing should have lasted a good few years rather than a few weeks. In the end the consensus was that some remnant component of the washing powder must have been caustically bleaching the colour. Heheh, I gave up using that powder after that!
The wash basket was made from embroidery canvas wetted and stretched over a mould then painted. It's not wonderful but ok for a modern laundry. I have one of Lidi's gorgeous vintage style washing baskets in my dollhouse!
I hadn't realised that you were using a detergent box as your container, and it certainly makes sense that your paper was being contaminated. I saw in Harvey Norman recently that they now have packs of archive quality printer paper, of course it's possibe to use photo paper too but this stuff is probably finer. I haven't actually bought any yet but will do when I start printing papers for the French place. Mind you, as it's going to be in a state of advanced decay and papers will be printed already 'faded' maybe it doesn't matter - in fact have you got any of those detergent boxes still around? - maybe I should use them to line my walls ;)
ReplyDeleteWow! this is a great one, very good.
ReplyDeleteI had to chuckle at this tutorial! I lunched out with my children recently and saved my cream cheese container because it was just too good to throw out. There was much eye rolling from the offspring... and now I am vindicated!!!! Thank you and thank you for the idea too, I love it. :D
ReplyDeleteOnly too happy to assist in your vindication Christine! Show what you make with your cream cheese container when you make it please!!
ReplyDeleteSadly I can see it sitting in the 'useful thing' box for a long time, but I could show them what you had done with yours :)
ReplyDeleteI love it too. You always find the best photos:) I am going to be on the look out for a different kind of sink for our kitchen after my 'dream hutch' (see my blog) is put in. I think I would either like a large stainless sink with legs instead of cabinets or a farm sink. I will know it when I see it:)
ReplyDeletesmall laundry sink
I'm glad you like it monkeyDluffy but this sink is a 1/12th dollhouse scale miniature, not a real life sink.
ReplyDeleteAll the photos on my blog are my own.
This is fantastic! The whole concept, and the fact you put it in a soap box! I love that. I don't have a lot of access to minis myself, and try to make as much as possible to save money anyways. Re: making your own wallpaper and having it fade, did you try and "seal" it? I was given the advice on an online mini group that I should seal all homemade printies. For smaller items I just go cheap and dollar store nail polish does the trick, but I've been told for larger items, say if you want to seal a whole page of plate printes, it's worth using this spray sealer that you can by at craft stores.
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth, thanks so much for taking time to comment! I'm glad you like this idea :)
DeleteI had help from all of my online groups with regard to the fading of that wallpaper!! The last time I repapered I not only sealed the box but lined it with plain paper, sealed the wallpaper with Krylon printie spray and over the top of that I used photographic spray. The consensus was that something really nasty from the so called "low allergy" washing powder was leaching out of the box and actively bleaching the paper. Heheh, I stopped using that laundry powder after that ;) If it could beat all the miniature experts around the world I'm sure it wasn't a good thing to be washing clothes!