A Summer Christmas
I started this roombox many years ago, when I was building Sharon's roombox. The boxes were supposed to look the same, but I've changed my mind many times, moving walls and adding different levels.
I've worked on it on and off, but I wanted to complete it for the 2009 Cape Town Miniaturia Guild fair. I need deadlines! The box measures 30 cm high x 60 cm wide, and 30 cm deep (12x23x12 inches). I had a frame made to fit the box.
Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere is very different from what we see on Christmas cards. No snow, sleighs or roaring fires. While I can see why a white Christmas would be special, I wanted to depict a South African Christmas as we know it. All that snow on the cards and decorations always look so fake in the summer heat. In this scene it is Christmas Eve. The sun is setting, the gifts are ready to be opened, and the table is ready for the food the next day.
Traditionally we open our gifts on Christmas Eve, with the big Christmas lunch the next day, on the 25th of December. I didn't want to make a Christmas roombox with holly wallpaper and everything in traditional colours, but rather an ordinary living room that has been decorated for Christmas. I wanted lots of shelves, a window with a view to the outside, and of course a beautiful tree.
I took a picture through my real living room window, and enlarged it for the outside scene. The picture can slide out, so it can be replaced with a different picture if needed. The Hydrangeas outside the window are also called "Christmas Roses" in South Africa, as they always bloom at about that time. I just had to include them. It was made from a lasercut kit by Bonnie Lavish. The curtains are plain cheese cloth; I love this woven texture for miniature curtains. The wreath above the window is by Marianne Colijn.
I've worked on it on and off, but I wanted to complete it for the 2009 Cape Town Miniaturia Guild fair. I need deadlines! The box measures 30 cm high x 60 cm wide, and 30 cm deep (12x23x12 inches). I had a frame made to fit the box.
Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere is very different from what we see on Christmas cards. No snow, sleighs or roaring fires. While I can see why a white Christmas would be special, I wanted to depict a South African Christmas as we know it. All that snow on the cards and decorations always look so fake in the summer heat. In this scene it is Christmas Eve. The sun is setting, the gifts are ready to be opened, and the table is ready for the food the next day.
Traditionally we open our gifts on Christmas Eve, with the big Christmas lunch the next day, on the 25th of December. I didn't want to make a Christmas roombox with holly wallpaper and everything in traditional colours, but rather an ordinary living room that has been decorated for Christmas. I wanted lots of shelves, a window with a view to the outside, and of course a beautiful tree.
I took a picture through my real living room window, and enlarged it for the outside scene. The picture can slide out, so it can be replaced with a different picture if needed. The Hydrangeas outside the window are also called "Christmas Roses" in South Africa, as they always bloom at about that time. I just had to include them. It was made from a lasercut kit by Bonnie Lavish. The curtains are plain cheese cloth; I love this woven texture for miniature curtains. The wreath above the window is by Marianne Colijn.
I embroidered the nativity scenes on evenweave fabric with one strand of DMC cotton. The pattern is by Mary van der Stel, and was published in issue 32 (Dec 2005) of American Miniaturist Magazine.
The runner on the sideboard was made with gold-coloured textured ribbon. The tassels were made from the unraveled ends of gold-coloured satin ribbon. There is a smaller runner on the mantelpiece. I made it using instructions by Alice Zinn.
The Pointsettia plant was made in a workshop with Erika Gross. I made the candle arrangement on the sideboard on a brooch
frame, with lycopodium, beads and miniature pine cones and seeds, decorated with gold paint and glitter.
The runner on the sideboard was made with gold-coloured textured ribbon. The tassels were made from the unraveled ends of gold-coloured satin ribbon. There is a smaller runner on the mantelpiece. I made it using instructions by Alice Zinn.
The Pointsettia plant was made in a workshop with Erika Gross. I made the candle arrangement on the sideboard on a brooch
frame, with lycopodium, beads and miniature pine cones and seeds, decorated with gold paint and glitter.
The right-hand side of the roombox. The chairs are Chrysnbon plastic kits, painted to match the table and the rest of the room.
I made the tablecloth with a aluminium foil lining, for a natural drape. The oil painting to the left of the window, is by
Cindy Lotter. I've bought it a long time ago, and was so glad to finally have a setting in which to display it. The embroidered
handbag on the chair back was a gift from Elizabeth (New Zealand).
Another view of the table. The plates are by Else de Jong, and the cutlery by Bodo Hennig. I made the two smaller wreaths on the table with jewellery findings, beads and lycopodium. I also made the Christmas crackers.
The left side of the roombox. I built the fireplace into the corner, which makes it a bit more interesting. The fireplace surround is made of plaster, which I've aged a bit. I made the floor from Walnut veneer strips. The shelves are edged with lasercut trim. Most of the books were made using printables, or faux books made with covered pieces of wood. The plate on the top shelf is by Erika Gross. The ornaments were originally on the backs of cocktail sticks.
The teddy bear scene in a box was a gift from Elke Skinner. The silver deer sculpture to the left, is by Scott Kerkoski.
The big red Santa originally had a cork stuck to his bottom, and is sitting on a carved wooden Santa thread spool, which was a gift from Sharon Kerkoski.
I was looking for a big tree, as the ceiling is quite high. I found a fibre-optic tree with red flickering lights, removed the out-of-scale decorations, and glued lycopodium in between the bottlebrush bits. I cut a hole in the floor of the box, so that I can reach the switch and battery box from the bottom, without having to upset the tree and decorations every time. Instead of putting more Christmas lights on the tree, I added it to the railing between the lounge and dining area. The crystal beads on the tree came from my mother's wedding dress. I thought it was a great way to use something that was falling apart in an old suitcase. The gifts are just little blocks of wood covered with paper, and decorated with ribbon.
The teddy bear scene in a box was a gift from Elke Skinner. The silver deer sculpture to the left, is by Scott Kerkoski.
The big red Santa originally had a cork stuck to his bottom, and is sitting on a carved wooden Santa thread spool, which was a gift from Sharon Kerkoski.
I was looking for a big tree, as the ceiling is quite high. I found a fibre-optic tree with red flickering lights, removed the out-of-scale decorations, and glued lycopodium in between the bottlebrush bits. I cut a hole in the floor of the box, so that I can reach the switch and battery box from the bottom, without having to upset the tree and decorations every time. Instead of putting more Christmas lights on the tree, I added it to the railing between the lounge and dining area. The crystal beads on the tree came from my mother's wedding dress. I thought it was a great way to use something that was falling apart in an old suitcase. The gifts are just little blocks of wood covered with paper, and decorated with ribbon.
The shelves on the left.
The clay teddy with candy cane is by Manda Theart. I made the plates on the top shelf with two-part clay, and decorated it with decals.
The clay teddy with candy cane is by Manda Theart. I made the plates on the top shelf with two-part clay, and decorated it with decals.
The couch and chair were gifts from Heather Bryson when she visited me from Australia in 2004. (Heatherbee Miniatures). I was planning to make furniture for this scene, when I discovered how perfectly this fabric matched the wallpaper. (Always check your stash. You just never know....) The throw on the couch was a gift from Elke Skinner.
Gingerbread house by Elana Ross.
I made the braided rug on the floor, with 100% wool.
The jointed teddy bear on the chair is by Anna Braun. Joyce van der Wolk gave me the two knitted Christmas stockings. The Christmas cushions are by Connie Page. The Christmas basket in the fireplace, was a gift from Nan, New Zealand.
Gingerbread house by Elana Ross.
I made the braided rug on the floor, with 100% wool.
The jointed teddy bear on the chair is by Anna Braun. Joyce van der Wolk gave me the two knitted Christmas stockings. The Christmas cushions are by Connie Page. The Christmas basket in the fireplace, was a gift from Nan, New Zealand.
Open book with Nativity scene by Barbara Brear.
I made the lilies in a workshop with Erika Gross. The stocking hangers with picture frames are by Sandy van Gysen of Balgove Miniatures. I added pictures of my 2 children when they were about 5 and 9 years old.
The mirror frame is one of two frames I bought many years ago, before I even knew of the miniatures hobby. Now I wish I've bought more, as they were cheap and really lovely.
The mirror frame is one of two frames I bought many years ago, before I even knew of the miniatures hobby. Now I wish I've bought more, as they were cheap and really lovely.