Monday 21 January 2013

"WHAT'S FOR DINNER?

I've always admired people who REALLY enjoy cooking.  I love to watch cooking shows and I think my current favorite is "CHOPPED" on the Food Network.  Those chefs can MOVE and get out an entire dish in 30 min. or less.  I can cook too, but trying to think of What to cook can take me all day and into the next.  I have no imagination that way. I therefore believe that that may be why I enjoy making miniature foods and kitchen ware because I can imagine that I am a Julia Child mixing up something sooo delicious that folks will come from miles around to sample my cooking!  When I decided that I needed some copper pots for the kitchen island that I finished ( see my very first posting, Nights before Christmas), I used 2 books that I've had stored in the garage.  "Making Doll's House Furniture"by Patricia King and "Easy to make, Doll's House Accessories" by Andrea Barham.  Both good reference material and both something from nothing approaches that I so enjoy.  I have used Andrea's book the most since hers has a couple of steps that are quite unique.  It all starts with copper end caps from the hardware store.  These came from the Home Depot.


The pots are perfect for kettles.  This is 3/4 inch but  I also used  1/2" for saucepans.  They are so nice and shiny!  I haven't shown it, but I painted the inside of the pot with silver nail polish.  It takes on the look of tinning; it keeps the copper from tainting the food.  I used from 2 to 4 coats of nail enamel to build up the color. Below is one of the polishes I used.



In my post "Thrift Scores" I show the hooks and eyes that I have been looking for specifically for this project.  These are large sized fasteners which I needed for the pot handles.  These are just one option, there are many others which I have tried out. Some work better than others.  These were pretty easy to use. 


The tricky part is getting the right bend in the eye part.   I bent mine  using  needle-nose  pliers.  Bending the handle, then slightly curving the eyes so that they conform to the shape of the pot, took more time than I thought it would. 

This is what the handle looks like once bent.

Hello, old friend!

This is the handle glued on with the Quick Grip.  The glue is all over but using a pair of tweezers or a toothpick, the glue can be cleaned off pretty cleanly.   That is one of the reasons that I like it; it grips well but gives you a bit of wiggle- room to re-position and to remove the excess without wrecking your work.  I've tried Crazy-glue and it travels and hazes up the copper.  It is also too brittle and doesn't fill the gaps like Quick-Grip does.  But WARNING, this glue is an OOOZER and the wasted glue that goes with the application is irritating, to say the least.

My other suggestion would be to use a 2 PART EPOXY.
There are Regular which take a long time to set up and then there is the 5 minute formulas that take- 5 Minutes!  
The hold will be much Stronger than with the Quick Grip and is advisable if you intend on handling the pots a lot after they have been assembled.

These are head pins that will be cut down to just HEADS.  I show only 2 here but you will need 4 for this project, not including all those which will ricochet off the walls onto the floor, that you will NEVER find again, and the ones that will fall onto your lap, in  between your fingers, down your boot, etc. etc.

LOOK OUT!!!! IT'S A PREHISTORIC MONSTER! 

Heads up!

This pot now has the handles attached and the heads of  the head pins are glued into the eyes of the handle to resemble rivets.  

I made a trip to Michael's craft store and found these in the clearance aisle.  They are for making covered buttons.  The package above are the right size for the 1/2" sauce pans, I used larger ones for the kettle.  I threw the package away before I knew I needed to keep it but they were by the same company.  

This is what they look like in the blister pack.

This will be the top of the pot.

This is the under-side, the shank needs to be removed.

LOOK OUT!!!! I'T'S  A PRE HISTORIC MONSTER'S MOTHER!!!!!

Shank removed.

This is one option that I tried out.  I used these beads that look like 3 seed beads stuck together.  I have tried different handles and some I liked, some I didn't.  This is not bad.

Here are the string of beads, I want to use some for the new perfume trays that I am planning as well.  

Using Quick-Grip glue, I placed the bead horizontally on top and centre of the lid.  Excess glue was later easily removed, with tweezers.  I used 2 heads of the head pins to plug the hole at both ends of the beads.

The final product....A lovely, shiny copper pot with a lid that fits!  Below is another covered button form with a loop shank that I think looks more authentic and  like something perhaps used in a chef's kitchen.


"MR. ROBOTO"

This shot shows the handles that I made from  sock  "stickem together at the toes, thing 'm  bobs".  I also found a necklace at the thrift store that had a lot of little dangelly metal bits that looked like the metal labels on high end cookware.  I glued one onto the pot with Q-G.  You will also see what the pot looks like when the interior is 'tinned' with the silver nail polish.  I like the effect and this is what Andrea Barham suggested only she used silver model paint which I could have used but I like nail polish for the connivence of the brush and the drying time.  It works for me. So... 'WHAT'S FOR DINNER'?......

SPAGHETTI!
 
elizabeth

42 comments:

  1. Good Grief Elizabeth, Do you never go to bed! Right, I know, I am up too. These pots are great , the photos are good and so are the instructions! Now all I need to know is - what did you use for the pasta?
    We'll have to stop meeting like this!
    Janine

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  2. You know how it is Janine, Once you are on a roll.... I 'm glad that you like the tutorial. So you want to know what I used for the pasta, do you,hmmmmm????? PASTA! Oooohhhhh This is so exciting, I found this package of pasta at Wal-mart for 99 cents in the international food section. It is so fine that once in water the entire package would be one serving for one person. I had thought of trying to make a non-food version myself out of plastic but for 99 CENTS it was worth the price even though I only used a tiny bit of it. The pasta I used for the shoot, I mixed with Mod Podge and stirred into another container to see how it will dry down. It will take a while for it to cure but so far so good! Now, time for bed.
    elizabeth

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  3. Hello Elizabeth!
    You amaze me!! You are so creative!! Maybe you´ve seen that I´ve tried to make the fabric-foil thing on my blog, inspired by you =) You are such an inspiration! Keep up the good work! Love to see what´s next!
    Take care! Hugs
    Anna- annasminiatures.blogspot.com

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    1. Hello Again Anna, I just got back from visiting your blog and I have to say, YES!!!... I LOVE What You've Done with the FABRIC/ FOIL TUTORIAL!!!! I really enjoyed how you showed how versatile and authentic it can become by demonstrating the transitions in the photo series. Good job with that, and making it look as though some one is under the blanket, by mounding it up, was sooo well done. You've made me proud! So, if there is anyone out there wanting to see how Anna has used the Fabric/Foil and rocked it, Just check out her blog at the address above! Thanks Anna for that. I'm grinning from ear to ear.
      elizabeth

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  4. where have you been doing many wonderful things and thank you for sharing your knowledge.

    Hugs
    Wyrna

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    1. Hello and Welcome Wyrna! I had a chance to visit your blog and think that your ladies store is very feminine and full of interesting things! Have you been collecting a long time? I really like your black and white hatbox collection; Very 'MY Fair Lady'. Thank you for joining and I hope that we can share some more fun stuff.

      elizabeth

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  5. Good morning Elizabeth!
    That is just awsome. I just love, love, love the way you see miniature uses for store bought items! The pot looks terrific!
    I love cooking and went to cooking school for 2 years. I never have that "what to cook" problem: When I get home and tell my husband what I was thinking of making for supper I get "I'm not in the mood for that". Now, I just get home and ask him what he wants for supper...and I usually get "I don't know" as an answer! I wonder if Paul ever put Julia through that? Oh well, at least he's cute and gets me minis for my birthday and Christmas ;).
    Big hug my friend,
    Giac

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    1. Hello Giac...went looking for your Blog. Can't seem to find it. Help----talk soon.
      fatima
      PS: thank you for the lovely things you said about me, but Elizabeth is a real sweetheart and very generous with her kind words about me.

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  6. Hello Giac, I think we are 2 bloggers passing in the night, as I just left your Finished Roombox and I left a comment along wiith the other 57 before me!!! I'm glad you like the pot(s) Do they remind you of cooking school? My daughter was at one time wanting to attend culinary school but has since changed her mind. When she was interested, I used to come home from work with enticing aromas filling the air.
    Now she is interested in computer programing and there is Nothing. Whaaa! I saw a cake that you made in one of your posts and it is incredible, so I'm assuming that you passed your course. Feel free to whip me up what ever you feel like making. I am always ready for dinner.
    Big hug back!
    elizabeth

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  7. Good morning all.....yes I'm just getting up and had a hunch there would be something new from Elizabeth this morning. Budda bing! There is was. Awesome! Amazing! Love love! I second Janine's comment. Went looking at Ana's bed. Great job Ana! Now I need to try it myself. Spending a lot of time researching everyone's Blogs. You are all so talented. I'm trying to get mine going, but feeling somewhat intimidated by all that everyone has been doing. Thank you for sharing...now I must be off to Janine's Blog as I took a peek and see there is something new....YIPPEE!

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  8. Hallo Elizabeth!

    What a great idea! Thank you for the detailed tutorial!
    I just discovered your blog and I love to follow you!

    Hugs, Lina

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    1. Hello to you too Lina, I am so happy to have you as a follower. I was just telling Katrina that this idea was thought up and published in the above mentioned Miniature Books so I can take no credit for the idea. I am really "Old School" as well as being , 'just old' and I love the many books on minis that I have amassed over the years. Books and magazines and Paper are all over my house and stored in my garage. I often now use them for referral and so this tutorial was because of them. All I can say that is mine is the 'Studio E" spin that I put on them. ( Man, was that corny or what!!!???) hahahaha Thanks for the comment and I look forward to more sharing.

      elizabeth

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  9. HI Fats, You are always on top of things as usual. We all seem to be criss-crossing each other, checking each other out and seeing what's new. I think Janine's Clematis is Smokin! She has done a spectacular job on it and I love the way she has draped it over the wall. I couldn't believe that those were plastic flowers that she hand-painted and added the stamens to. She has a good eye for details and this garden is going to be a showpiece! Glad to make contact again Fats and I'll be seeing you this week!

    elizabeth

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  10. Great! I am a new follower and I like very much your ideas. I put your link to my blog that I shall see everything what´s going on here. Thanks for shearing your tutorial too. Hugs Kati

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  11. Thank you so much Elizabeth, brilliant ideas! I can't wait to try it out.

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    1. Hello Alice! How is the linen and the bed dressing coming along? If you haven't already seen Anna's spin on the Fabric/Foil, you should check it out! She has taken it to the next level and it is very inspiring and shows a lot of new possibilities for application. This tutorial 'What's for dinner" is just as much fun as the fabric/ foil but it's quicker! Once I made one pot, I made another then another... so now I need a store. Just kidding, I need a kitchen! I ran out of steam but I was going to show the "glass" pot lid that is something I thought up and will post a little later, this week. Keep me posted on your projects, Alice.
      elizabeth

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  12. Thanks Katrina, I am happy to have the opportunity to know you. Just so you know, this tutorial was NOT an original idea of mine. It came from the books mentioned above. However, there is always some 'Artistic License"' involved and so some of the books ideas were modified and customized to suit me and what I had to work with. ( Credit where credit is due.) Anyway, I welcome you and hope that you and I can exchange ideas and create good minis, together. Thanks for your comment. I really appreciate it!
    elizabeth

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  13. As I think I said in one of your other posts Elizabeth, you are incredibly resourceful.

    I love these pots!!

    Fi x

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  14. Una idea fantástica, muchísimas gracias por compartirla:)

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    1. Thank you Rosa and Fi for your enthusiastic comments, everyone is very encouraging and I am grateful. Fi, I hope that you will be able to use some of these in your cool and lovely kitchen. And Rosamarie, I am delighted to have such a dedicated and talented miniaturist as you are involved in this venture. I hope that everyone will give this a try, because it is sooo easy. One, thing though you may get some funny looks from the store personnel when they see you buying lots of copper end caps. IMPORTANT NOTICE: I check to see if each one is smooth, level and shiny before I take it to the cash desk. NOT all end caps are created equal, so do look to see that they are flawless. I had an associate from the Home Depot ask me what ART Project I was doing, as I had a small basket full of copper caps. I was startled and asked HOW he knew it was for art? He said that He also was an artist, but he knew I wasn't a plumber! So there you go.
      elizabeth

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  15. Elisabeth, your pot is beautiful and seems easy to do! I wonder if I can find these pieces also in Italy... The quality of the photos has improved. BRAVA!
    Ersilia
    dadasdollhouse.wordpress.com

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  16. Hello Ersilia, The pot IS easy to do! I hope, that if you can't find the pieces that I showed, that something similar will present itself. In the book that I took this information from, they used old brass buttons for the pot lids. I tried that too, and they looked pretty good. I just happened to find the covered button parts at the craft store and tried them out and that is what I went with for the blog, but I am sure that there are other alternatives. I am happy that you noticed that the photos are improving; I had a good coach in Bruce! I went to your site and I want to try your basket tutorial with the cord- wrapped cap. It looks easy and the end result ,very authentic! Hey! We can try each others!!!!

    elizabeth

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  17. Replies
    1. Thank you, Alejandra ! I hope you make lots!!!
      elizabeth

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  18. Un tutorial estupendo!!! Gracias por compartir. Besos

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    1. Hi Eva! Wow am I ever tardy in responding..... so sorry! I am glad that you have enjoyed this tutorial and thank you for leaving such a nice comment, too! :D

      elizabeth

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  19. Thanks for this wonderful share! Can you tell me please, the hook eyes and loops... are they size #0, 1, 2, or 3 ? I believe it should say the number on the package. Thank you !!!

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    1. Hi Deborah! Thank you for the wonderful comment, it is much appreciated! I had a look at the hooks and eyes that I still have and I believe it is a 2 count but I also have some that are 6 count and they could also be used. I would suggest that you try anywhere from 2 to 6 depending on the size of the copper cap that you are using. For those with a 7/8th diameter opening, use a large size hook for the smaller pots use a proportionately smaller hook. If you are not sure, then try to imagine how you would hold the pot given the size of handle that it has. If it seems too small to hold comfortably, as a mini person, then move up a size. Remember that it has to make sense! Have fun with it... cause I did! :D

      elizabeth

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  20. Wonderful, thanks so much for the excellent tips.

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    1. You are Most Welcomed Marilyn :))

      elizabeth

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  21. Wow, that pot looks amazing. I am so impressed that you made it from copper end caps. And I think it's funny that the pasta is real pasta - so thin!

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    1. Hi Penelope! I am So Glad that you liked this tutorial, Thank You! I have made several of these pots and the only thing that I would recommend that you use the 2 Part Epoxy glue.
      The pasta is Incredibly thin and was Perfect for this project- when it is cooked it's as if you are eating thread! :D

      elizabeth

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  22. So making this pot as you did ( with the nail polish and all that) it is safe to make mini meals with and eat them? I have been scouring Pinterest trying to find a link to a tutorial or shopping link to mini cookware so I can try and make some mini meals.

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  23. Hi Aly :D
    Thanks for your question but the answer is NO!
    Don't use this tutorial if you intend to use these pots for REAL LIFE cooking, it is for a Dollhouse Use Only for Fake Food.
    Nail polish is not made for human consumption and the glue is flammable as well as poison.
    Have you made any inquiries on the youtube sites where they are making REAL mini foods, because if anyone would know where to direct your search, some of those channels would.

    Good luck! :D

    elizabeth

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  24. That is such a cool workshop. Thanks for sharing

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    1. I am very glad that you've enjoyed this tutorial and THank You too! :D

      elizabeth

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  25. Nice pots and kettles! It´s fun to cook with good looking pans.

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    1. I agree Merja, preparing meals with nice cookware makes the experience far more enjoyable whether in Real Life or in Miniature! :D

      elizabeth

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  26. This is great - more items for my copper shop room box!

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    1. Yes indeed- this will give you an economical way to fill up your FAB copper shop, with Even More merchandise, Troy; but let me suggest soldering on the handles for more stability.
      Have Fun! :D

      Elizabeth

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  27. It's so funny that when you are into miniatures you see everything as Something that can used ! The other day I found one of those plastic rods that come attached to kids baloons in fast food places and its ribbed finish gave me an idea to use it in a piece of furniture so I clambered Under the tables finding more to the astonishment of the fast fooders !

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    1. I HEAR you loud and clear Mrs. M! I have found "garbage" on the ground whilst walking the dog but I do a quick look around before I pick it up then carry it home grinning as if I won a trophy!

      elizabeth

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