Think Outside the Box

Many of us would like to have a room in the perfect scale to suit all our dolls, but not many of us have homes large enough to house them all. Personally I find dioramas in the 1:6 scale work best for me. But no matter what size you want to create, here are a few things that I have found make creating a room a bit easier.

Before beginning a diorama, I like to browse interior decorating magazines, paint booklets and home furnishing catalogues like IKEA publishes. I cut pictures out of the rooms I'd like to make and keep them in a folder to use for future reference. These help figure out furniture layouts and suitable colour combinations for my dioramas.

I've been working on a new diorama using a kit from Fairy Meadows, where the walls can be reversed and also separated for easy storage. I'm creating two rooms using different colour palettes, one cool, one warm. 

I've painted a faux marble floor, it's a neutral colour and compliments my two palettes, but contact paper is another simple option . . . there are some great patterns available which are suitable for both hardwood floors or tiles, the final choice will depend on which room needs decorating.

As my kit room came with a rear wall and two sides, I'm decorating all three walls in individual colours, then by placing alternate pieces of furniture and taking photos from two separate angles, I am able to make my photos look like they were taken in two different rooms.

For cutting the skirting boards at a 45° angle, I use my hubby's mitre box, but you can find reasonably priced small ones at Bunnings and Hobby Tools has a great little mitre set here. It's also useful when making architraves, cornices and picture frames. This tool helps achieve a more profession finish on all the corners. 

When attaching wall art and other items like mirrors, I use a low tack painter's tape which can be removed without damaging wall surfaces (also available at Bunnings).

Suggestions:

Think about simple things that will create an interesting interior design i.e. I found some perspex jewellery risers which I previously used as tables in an earlier mid century diorama. Train yourself to look at things you find in your daily life, to see how they could be used in a way other than for what was intended, i.e. place-mats can be used as rugs, an egg cup could be up turned to create a table base. The $2 shops are a great place to look for items that which can easily be utilised in this way.

When it comes to soft furnishings like curtains, bed linen or pillows, Spotlight has fat quarters of quilting fabric for a couple of dollars each. Many of these have tiny prints and they are usually arranged in blocks of colour, which makes it easy to select co-ordinating fabrics for each room.

When pulling it all together, make the room appear lived in and select items which compliment the story you are trying to tell with your dolls i.e. a small child's room may have toys on the floor, a bean bag in a corner, stuffed animals on the bed, a colourful bunting hanging on the wall or all four. Depending on the child your portraying, the room could be ultra tidy or completely messy.

The room above is a good example of a lived in lounge room, see the cardigan on the back of the chair, items on the coffee table, goblets on the side table and throw on the sofa.

And don't forget lighting, it plays an important roll when it comes to photographing your room/s. IKEA and Bunnings sell all kinds of LED lights that put off very little heat and can be used to great effect as concealed ceiling lights.

I'm, still working on mine, but I will show photos when it's completed. In the meantime, I hope this post helps when and if you want to make a diorama of your own. 

Zombie Prom

Zombie Prom Amber is a doll from the Ellowyne Wilde line. She was produced by Wilde Imagination in 2013 as a limited edition of 150 for the Wilde Halloween Convention and retailed at US$199.

This doll features the Amber Stanhope head with an Ellowyne body in a pale skin tone. She has inset hazel eyes with applied eyelashes, wigged raven hair, articulated elbows, wrists and knees.

Her outfit comprises a tiara (which is attached to the wig), a dress with a glittery black bodice, ruffled black and grey chiffon skirt, black net gauntlets and a “Prom Queen” sash. Underneath she wears tights and black glittery platform shoes.

She's not from the USA this time round, nor Australia, but from New Zealand. Her parcel shipped to day so hopefully the trip won't take too long, but knowing how impatient I become, it will still not be quick enough.

TONNER STOCK PHOTOS

Something about her beautiful face reminds me of Snow White, but hubby sees her as an Evil Queen. :) How do you see her?

Reminiscing

Going through my old photos recently, I came across these photos of my "Silver Screen" series of whimsical bears. At the time (long ago, in another creative world ) I fully intended to design and sew a couple more . . . I had even done rough sketches and selected the fabrics. But, as is often the case, circumstances led me down another path and so they were put aside.

All three were purchased by a collector in Florida.

I never did finish Zsa Zsa Gabear and Carmen Bearanda . . . maybe one day I'll be compelled to conjure up these two colourful critters.

“You don't know what can happen tomorrow. Life is like a novel, isn't it? It's filled with suspense. You never know what's going to happen until you turn the page.”  Sidney Sheldon