A miniature Spiral Stair Case - 1:12 scale DIY Tutorial

 I have long dreamed of creating the library of my dreams.  This library has to include the ladders on brass rails.  It has to be two floors with a balcony and it has to have a spiral staircase.  So a month ago when I decided to begin crafting my grand dollhouse, the library was the obvious pick in terms of what room to work on first.  

I built up my walls and then sat staring at my two floor library.  I needed to find a way to get my fictional characters up to the balcony.  I looked online and found a few kits.  I actually almost bought this one. But I had already spent so much money in recent weeks that I didn't want to spend the money.  Besides, how difficult could it be?  And wouldn't it be more fun to make my own?  So that is exactly what I set out to do.  I literally used random bits and pieces that I had laying around the house so technically this cost me nothing!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Materials  

These materials can be adjusted to match what supplies you have on hand.   

1 - 3/16th round dowel  at least 9 inches in length (the length needs to match the height of your ceiling)

3-4  - 1/16th round dowel by 12 inches (the amount you need will be determined by how high your ceiling     and the height of each step)

8-10-  3/4 inch wide by 6 inches  craft sticks (the number is determined by the height of your ceiling and any broken sticks during the building process)

Craft knife and/or Miter Shears 

Small Clamp  

Sand paper 

Glue - Super glue 

        - Aleene's Tacky Glue 

Yarn 

 Instructions

1.  Measure the height of your ceiling and mark the height on your 3/16th round dowel.  This will be the position of your top step.

2.  Measure 2.5 inches above the line you just drew and cut the excess off.   (For a 10 inch ceiling, my dowel was 12.5 inches)  Run the rough cut edge against a piece of sandpaper to smooth the end.

3. Using your miter shears (or craft knife) cut the 6 inch craft sticks (popsicle sticks) in half).  Lightly sand the cut ends. 

4.  Prepare the craft sticks to be adjoined with the 3/16th dowel.  Using a drill with an affixed 3/16th drill bit, drill a hole 1/2 inch from the flat cut end of your craft stick.  (I find that running the drill at the lowest speed when first starting will help eliminate the craft stick from cracking and breaking in two....but  don't be surprised when some crack and become unusable.       (I have shown an alternative below to avoid using the drill)  

5. Carefully slip the 3/16th dowel through the holes that you just drilled in the craft sticks. Set aside.

6.  Using your miter shears, cut the 1/16th dowel into 2 1/2 inch lengths.  Lightly sand the edges. Set aside.

7. Create a 1 inch block using any scrapes you have around your work desk. I used bits of foam board that I taped together.  You will be using this as a spacer between steps while you are gluing them into place

 8.   Glue the very end of your 3/16th dowel and position the bottom craft stick into place. I used super glue (This kind that has a brush for application works great)  for the speed at which it dries and the strength the dried bond has.  Allow to dry. Using a mini clamp attach this first step of your spiral stairs to your work bench.

9.  Slip the next step into position, using your prepared spacer block.  The spacer block will keep your steps a nice routine distance apart.  Using one of your 1/16th  cut dowels position the step in a spiral.   The bottom of the 1/16th dowel will be positioned about 1/4 of an inch from the rounded edge of your craft stick and at the very back of the bottom step, the front of the second step up will touch the side of this small dowel at the 1/4 inch mark.  

10.  Carefully slide the step up far enough to allow you to apply glue to the 3/16th dowel and then lower the dowel in place.  Glue the 1/16th dowel into place on the lower step and to the side of the second step. 

Reminder, super glue dries more quickly so you will need to glue the 1/16th dowels (rails) into place soon after gluing the step into place to allow you to adjust the spiral correctly so that the rail rests on the bottom step and touches the edge of the second step.   By doing this step together you can assure that you will have a nicely spaced and even spiral.

11. Once the step and the rails are in place, wait for a few minutes to allow the super glue to dry.

12.   Once the step is dry and firmly in place, repeat steps 9,10 and 11 to glue the second step into place.  The positioning will be the same for the rails the whole way to the top. 

13.  Repeat this process until you reach the mark that you made at the top of your dowel (2.5 inches from the top of your 3/16 dowel).

14.  Allow the spiral staircase to completely dry (overnight).

15. Pour some of your tacky glue onto a shallow plate.  Take a length of cotton yarn (cotton will have less loose fibers).  Dip your fingers into the glue and coat the yarn with the glue.  The yarn should be completely coated.  Carefully position the yarn on top of the first 1/16th dowel (rail).  Continuing to add glue the whole length of the piece of yarn, work your way up the rails, positioning the yarn on the top of each rail.  (Yes, you can run the yarn through the glue to coat and then position, but either way your fingers are going to get gluey!)

16.  Allow to completely dry. 

  

 17.  Voila!  You are ready to install your spiral stairs into your project!  Congrats!

Alternatives:

If you do not have a drill you can use your craft knife to notch out the flat end of the cut craft sticks to make a hole that will nestle around the 3/16th dowel rod.

 Let me know if you have made a spiral staircase!  I would love to see pictures!

 

 

A Return to the Miniature World

 It has been almost three years since I dabbled in the miniature world.  Three long years with no creation of any miniature.   I can't say there was nothing because I dusted my existing dollhouses!  But creation of a sweet little mini, nothing.   Three years without the thrill of seeing a miniature world from my mind come to life.  Three years without a giggle as I finish a piece and see the adorable lifelike piece.  Three long years.  But it is time to return!  And return I have........with a bang!

I want to start by saying that I didn't stop  because I stopped loving the miniature world.  It was a combination of three things.  It was a lack of money (my husband was off work for 6 months....and it took a while to recover from that financial blow and then just as we were recovering from that I got laid off from my job).    In the same time frame I was  dealing with my mom's failing health which created some time issues. .   Mom ended up in a nursing home about 30-40 minutes from me and I made the trip to see her multiple times a week. (I was working full time at that point).   Unsurprisingly, I sunk into a bit of a depressed state causing me to withdraw from life, including the miniature world.

Luckily for me, I never stopped dreaming about miniatures.  Specifically I never stopped dreaming about my grand dollhouse, my personal miniature world opus.  I started dreaming of my grand dollhouse about 5 years ago.  I actually wrote about it in May of 2021. (You can read about it here.)     In essence it is a historical mansion.  Opulent?  Why yes!   Big?   Well yeah!  Crazy?  Probably!

This mansion HAS to have an opulent library.  Not just any library.  I want a two story library.  I want a ladder that rolls on the brass rail.  I want my dream (real life dreams too) library.    If I am going opulent in this house shouldn't there be a ballroom? Shiny marble, gold finishes, soaring ceilings.  In fact, make that a double height room also with balconies!   Dining room?   Well if we have a dining room I have to have a butlers pantry, right?    You see how this project kept growing in my mind.  

About a month or two ago I was dreaming about my plans and I decided that it was time to stop dreaming and actually start doing.  I had dreamed and plotted and planned for so many years that it didn't take me long to dive in.  I drew up some plans. (multiple versions actually...but eventually I settled on a plan)

I have decided to create my dollhouse out of foam board for two reasons.  For starters, price and secondly weight.    Foam board is cost efficient which was a consideration.  But more importantly, this sucker is going to be HUGE.  Weight is a valid consideration.  I am doubling up my foam board and adding 'pillars' of wood' to add strength and stability.  I didn't dither and dally.  I got to creating! 

 I glued my layers together and set them under weights to dry (stacks of magazines worked)

 Once dry I started to build.  I am building this in sections.  I am not building the complete house at first.  I am building it one floor at a time.  (Well in the case of the ballroom and library two at a time since they are both double height!).    I have the first three rooms on the first floor built.  More will be coming soon.  (The back rooms will be viewable from the side. )

 I found some fabulous french doors which I have been painting.  

I am loving the gold trim and can't wait to see the doors installed!  Which may be soon, because I have managed to do a fair amount of shopping in the last few weeks and I have the flooring and wallpaper for the room in which all of the french doors will be installed (ballroom/grand entry).  I can't wait to see the doors installed, but still have the backside of the doors to stain and paint.

I have also of course started the massive project of books.  This is not the first library that I have created.  (You can see that library here.)  I know from experience that when you think you have a enough books you probably need more.   So I have started to make books.  I made about 50 but then worked on something else.  But then back to books.   I don't want to overdose and burn myself out on books.  So I'm just doing it slow.  But seriously, even though they don't have the writing and decorations on the spines they are so stinking cute!

I plan on posting more about my process and also go more into depth about the process to do some of my projects that I will be completing.  For example, exactly how am I making these books?   I also have some other ideas in my head...... did someone say snowshoes for the storage room, trunks in the storage room, fireplaces?  Yeah, so many things to make and add!  Stay tuned!

  This project may well be my life opus.  My grand project.  It may well take me the rest of my life to complete.  Who knows though, maybe it will go a lot faster!  Either way, I'm so glad to be back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hanging Baskets

 I found the easiest way to make hanging baskets!  And even better, they look fabulous!  It only takes three things.  Small floral bouquets, floral clay and an egg carton.

YOu want to start with the egg carton .  THe part that you will be using and wanting is the section that goes up into a point between the eggs.  

YOu  will be cutting that end off.  It will create a small little pot/bucket shape.  These are the actual flower pots

Simply take a brown sharpie and color it brown.  (or whatever color you want.

Get some floral bouquets.  Search for the ones with the smallest of flowers.

Cut the flowers off of the bouquet, leaving a stem on them.

Take a small amount of floral clay and press it into your flower pots.  

Insert a variety of your small cut flowers into the floral clay, arranging the flowers to suit your tastes and needs.

Insert three pieces of embroidery floss through the tops of the flower pots and bring them up to form a tripod shape.   Hang them from the porch roof.

I told you this was easy?    I think they look fabulous also!!!!

Look how far I've come

 I sometimes get discouraged.  I want my miniature scenes to be picture perfect.  I get upset though because my skill level is not perfect.   I'm a perfectionist that can't reach perfection!  How annoying is that?

Just recently, I was sitting back and creating books for the Library in the 1920's era house.   I was being my giddy self because while I saw the issues, I was really liking my new books.  And that is when I realized how far I have come from those first creations!   We will use the books as an example of how my skill has progressed!

When I was creating the Mini Mansion Dollhouse, I created a bookshelf for under the steps. Naturally, I needed books to fill my bookshelf.  So I thought about it.  I did a little research and I set about making books.  I was so tickled with my books.  I absolutely loved them!

I actually posted about my awesome books and included a mini tutorial in a post way back in 2016. 

When I decided to start the library in the 1920's era house, I knew I needed books.  So I researched again because silly me forgot that I had a mini tutorial.  I started to make books out of magazines.

I was in love!  They looked so much better than the original ones.  Actually lifelike....or at least closer!

I kept working and making books because I had a full library to fill.  I made some books out of foam board.  I made some books out of wood.  I was a book making machine. 

And eventually, my library was ready to be filled with books.  I was so tickled with the outcome.  But you know what?  Those original books, they did NOT make it to the shelves!  I didn't have the heart to throw them out though.  I put them back in my boxes of extra stuff because when I feel discouraged about something not being perfect, I can look at those books and say, "Give it time Maryfran, progress comes with time"

The Library

It's been a long process!  I got the large dollhouse that I have planned to do in the era of 1920's years ago!  I actually wrote about it in March of 2021!  I had purchased it months before that!    

My work on this dollhouse came and went almost as if with the passing winds.  I worked on the outside and then paused.  I decided to create a library in the one room.  I worked on the floor and then I paused.  I worked on the paneled walls.  And then I paused.    I even made books for the library.  But then I paused again!  And when I say paused, I mean PAUSED.  Paused for months at a time!  But that's ok!  I eventually get back to it!  And that is exactly what I did at the end of 2022.    

I finished my entry into the Creatin' Contest at the end of November.   I continued to ignore the 1920's era dollhouse and instead dove into my miniature memory boxes.   I eventually did turn to that library.  

I began by creating the bookshelves.  I made the shelves out of foam board.  I added a swirl of yarn for decorative purposes and then painted the whole thing white.  

After I made the bookshelves, I realized that what I thought was a huge pile of books that I had made agest ago was not that big afterall!   I had to make more books.  And then I had to make some more!  I made books until I felt them oozing from my pores!

Finally I had enough books to fill the shevles!

Finally, it was time to put it all together!   I Placed the shelves and then started playing with the furniture.  I used a rolltop desk, phone, a side table and a chair that I had found at antique stores over the years.  The lamps, are battery powered and I purchased them here and here from Amazon.    The cookies and the mug were swap items I received.  Everything else was made by myself.

Link to youtube Video: 

Committed

 I am committed now!    I have gone ahead and done it!  I'm in for the count!

I have been working on my 1920's house.  Previously, I have worked on the outside and shared that.  A few months before we bought our house I started working on the library in this house.  Yes, I knew that I wanted a formal library!  I worked on the floors and painted the walls  But I then we bought a house and moved.  This big beautiful dollhouse sat wrapped in shrinkwrap for months!   In December I pulled it out and started to work on the library.  I've got one or two more finishing touches and that room will be done! I am actually having fun with the finishing touches and even made my own pencils.  

So the library is going splendidly!   I am determined to work on this beautiful house!  I'm excited about it (even if I'm not sure I am going to keep it!)  

 But what does "I'm committed now" mean?    Well, last year I decided in about March to work on a submission for the creatin' contest that is through Miniatures.com.  I had a lot of fun and worked well under the time constraints and entry deadline.  I loved my final project (once again, not sure what I"m going to do with it though....these creations take space!_ But regardless, I finished the porch scene for the 2022 creatin' contest and submitted my entry!     Of course I'm on the mailing list for Miniatures.com!  So of course I got the email about the base for the 2023 creatin' contest!   It is a market stall.  

  I pondered.  I thought.  And of course, I caved!  I did it!   I bought the kit and I am committed to completing it and submitting another entry!

The example of a finished scene with this kit was of a market theater.  

I have thought about a beach cabana....or a beach vendor....maybe selling drinks, renting umbrellas, etc.  But the thing that keeps coming back to me is an actual vender at the Green Dragon Farmers Market in Lancaster, PA.   In a corner of one of the buildings at that farmers market is a bakery.  They have their display cases and all of that, but nestled in the corner of their area is a enclosed little room where they have ovens, racks of half prepared baked goods, baked goods cooling, work tables ...etc.  Basically, you have a window into a small bakery.   I remember going to The Green Dragon as a young kid and loving to look in the window to watch them working.  It was one of my favorite things as a kid (well and the handicapped guy that sold pencils).   As an adult, I still have to stop and peer into the bakery area!       Yeah, I am thinking a bakery may be in order!

One of my hold ups?    Food!  I have not had much experience making food!  Ok, next to none!  I've dabbled a very small amount with polymer clay.   Recently, I pulled out my clay and made a cake.  I was feeling pretty good abou tit...until I noticed the smell  while I baked it!   Smell.....chemical smells to be exact are NOT good for our parrot!   Yes, we have a conure!   We researched....it is 50-50 on polymer clay.  Is it bad for birds to breath those fumes?   Not sure. The work around is to get a toaster oven and put it in the basement or to work with air dry clay.   We shall see what happens! 

So I am totally committed!    Totally committed to completing this project!   And 80% committed to it being a bakery!  

 Ohhh and if I do a bakery...I may have to break from tradition.  What tradition is that?   Well I alwayys put a cat into my scene.  Not exactly sure how to do that in a bakery scene. I have a few random thoughts and ideas though! The second tradition is that I don't include people! BUT, this scene just may need a little girl peering into the windo!  

Another Addition

 Yes, I am adding another addition to my already busy life and office!  Ok, maybe I'm not adding, but I am reviving it!   No, I'm not talking about another new dollhouse....although there may be something in the works for that very soon also.  But no.  I'm talking about my long forgotten youtube channel that I started for my dollhouses!

A while back...like in April of 2020, I created a youtube channel for my dollhouses.  I actually created an intro video and everything.  I was gung ho!  But then I just started posting my dollhouse videos on my weight loss/life youtube channel.  Which was ok.  It's my channel, I can do whatever I want.  Right?

But lately, I have been doing a whole lot more dollhouse stuff.  I'm feeling more confident with what I am making and creating and I want to get back into my dollhouse videos.  I want to film my completed creations for myself and I want to film the how to's for what I am doing.  I don't want to flood my weight loss youtube channel with dollhouse videos...so I decided to revive my long forgotten youtube channel.   It is taste of tiny over on youtube. 

I spent quite a few hours revamping some of my videos that I had posted on the first channel and have reposted them on my taste of tiny channel.  I will be very soon starting to create new content for the taste of tiny channel. Or rather, I have new content galore, I just need to edit and put it into video form!   Some of my first videos out will include a lot of pictures as that is what I have the most of.  But I will be adding more video as much as I can and as soon as I can!  

My work office doubles as my craft room and thus I have a dedicated work space for dollhouse projects!  This makes it awesome because I should be able to set up a filming area to film projects as I work on them!  

Can you tell I'm excited???????  I will definitely still be posting here.  But want to round out my collection of information!

Come visit me on the youtube channel if you want!