Filling the Bookshelves

This week, I mostly worked on filling those bookshelves (seven still to go on the big bookcase, plus most of the smaller bookcase), so this post will be an explanation of how I make all those books.

I start with my pre-made template for half-scale book covers.  I set this up years ago when I was making books for the bookcase in the half scale bungalow.  The default size for each cover (front or back) is .25" x .4".  Depending on the size of the book image I find, these measurements may be adjusted slightly.  For this project, I am mostly finding images of spines, so the only adjustments will be to the width of the spine and the height of the covers.  Cover height can vary from .26 to .4".  I have been going through the list of books in the library and trying to find images of those books, so that I can snag images of their spines.  In the instance below, I actually took a screen shot of a couple of shelves in the library and started cropping it to each book spine.  I then placed each spine in my template.  Because the spine is the only image I have, the remainder of the book cover is simply a rectangular shape with no border; fill color is matched as closely as possible to the spine, using Microsoft Office's "eye dropper" tool.

I was originally printing with a high-resolution printer that I had access to, but I found that when I started folding the paper, the high-resolution ink "cracked" and white showed through on the folds!  I've since started printing with my regular HP inkjet printer, using its "best" setting.  The resolution is not as high, but the overall quality of the book covers is better.  Once I've printed a batch and given the ink a chance to dry, I go over the book covers with matte Mod Podge for Paper and allow it to dry thoroughly.

The covers are then roughly cut out and folded firmly along the lines that extend beyond the colored rectangles.  Once they've been folded, I trim the edges down to about 1/8" from the outside folds.

I then use glue stick to glue the book boards to the inside covers.  The boards are cut from cardstock.  I cut (or my spouse cuts—thanks, honey!) dozens of them at a time.  They are all originally .25 x .4", but I trim them as needed for the individual books.  I then lop off the corners of the covers at a diagonal and glue down the inside edges, again with glue stick.  I used to do a more complicated process that involved leaving a little diamond on the tip of each corner and folding that in first.  That ensured full color coverage around the inside edges of the book.  However, that was simply taking too long and wasn't really necessary once the books were on the shelves, so I streamlined the process.  I also no longer put a strip of paper along the inside of the spine, as I do when I am making a readable book.  It isn't necessary if you're not going to be opening the book.

I have several strips of mat board and/or cardstock that I use for the book insides, depending on the width of the book spine.  Here you can see one that is 3 layers of card stock, one that is one layer of mat board, one that is one layer of mat board and one layer of card stock, and one that is one layer of mat board and two layers of card stock.  I find that I rarely need anything thicker than that.  The strips are all a bit narrow than .25", because I want a little bit of border around the inside of the book.

I then cut pieces of the strips to a bit less than the height of each book and glue them inside, using glue stick. Finally, I glue my books together using tacky glue, until I get a set that is long enough to fill a shelf.

Here you can see the books on the shelves.  Note the difference between the left-and right-hand shelves.  You can clearly tell those printed on my current printer from those printed on the high-res printer.  I have left those books because I figure it just gives them a well-read appearance, but I definitely prefer my current printing method.  By the way, those reddish books on the bottom of the far right-hand shelf (the middle section when you look at the bookcase as a whole) are all from a set of the complete works of Theodore Roosevelt.

Here you can see the shelves that were done from a screen shot.  The books are a little thicker than they would probably be in real life, so I can't fit as many on a shelf, but I think it gives the general idea.

I've made 326 books to date!  It's a tedious process, but I think provides a greater sense of realism on the shelves.

I was going to put brass wire "bars" across the shelves on the far-left side as I've seen in some current pictures of the library.  Then it occurred to me that those might have been added to prevent damage/theft by tourists, and, sure enough, when I checked those shelves in old black-and-white photos of the library, the bars aren't there.  So—no bars on my bookshelves!

Have a great mini week and, as always, thanks for your support and encouragement!

Orange Chair, Take Two

Well, the original front legs on my orange chair were never going to make me happy, so I ended up pulling them off and trying again.  I think what really bothered me is that they weren't truly cabriole legs; they were squiggly legs.  On my first couple of efforts, I just couldn't wrap my brain around the geometry for making cabriole legs.  You're really starting with a square bit of wood (width x depth) and carving away good-sized chunks of it, but your pattern lines up along the diagonal.  I kept getting confused by how to apply the pattern to the other two sides. 

Plus, you're applying this two-dimensional pattern to a three-dimensional object—bits of wood get carved away on all four sides.  One site told me that, in cutting a full-sized cabriole leg blank, I would be making nine cuts to make one leg, and all I could think was "where?"  It didn't help that my first piece of wood was 1/8" x 1/8", which didn't leave me much room for carving.

I ended up using a flat alternative, but it just didn’t look right.  Blergh.

This past weekend I gave it another shot, and as I began carving away, something finally snapped into place and it all made sense.  I started with a piece of ¼" x ¼" bass stripwood this time and used various small files and sanding twigs (which have to be some of the best things ever invented for miniature work) to make two actual cabriole legs!  You can see the difference below.  (After taking this picture, I ended up removing more of the back of the legs at the top.)  Once I got the hang of it, it was actually kind of fun, and the second leg took about half the time of the first leg.

Here they are on the chair.  They're still not exactly dainty, but I am much, much happier with them because the shape is right.

Here is the chair in the room.  I have put another printie rug under the two chairs, so that you can see them against the floor.  This will also get replaced with a cross-stitch rug.

And that's it for another week.  Not sure what I'm going to work on next.  I've ordered the textured paper for the ceiling, but I really need to finish the books first.  Getting the things on the mantel was surprisingly hard just with the valance wall in. Once the ceiling is on, getting my hands in there to the back (while still trying to see what I'm doing) will be difficult.

Have a wonderful mini week, everyone!

The Orange Chair, Take One, and the Candlesticks

Thank you all for your suggestions for things to watch.  I have been having a lot of fun checking them out, and they certainly helped get me through some of the more tedious part of swap assembly.  While I still have many books to make, the swaps are finally done and arrived at their destination yesterday.  Yay!  I can now get back to working on the library.  😊

I’ve finished my first attempt at the orange chair.  There are parts of it I like, but also parts of it with which I’m just not happy.  For the back, I used the engraving tool I got for Christmas.  I really like this tool.  It is incredibly easy to use, just like using a pen.  I did find that it was better to go over a line lightly a few times, rather than pressing harder on the first pass.  The more I pressed down, the wavier the lines got.  And, even though the engraving head is quite small, it still made fairly thick lines for half scale.  I greatly simplified the carving for the back of the chair to make it something that would accommodate the thicker lines.  The other thing is that engraving into bass wood, which is a soft wood, left the engraving area a bit fuzzy.  I would love to give it another try with some harder wood.  I believe I have some cherry in my stash on which I can experiment.  Anyway, below you can (kind of) see the engraving on the unstained wood.  I darkened the picture somewhat in an effort make the engraving show more, but it's still a bit hard to see.  I did the engraving before shaping the back around a glue stick.

I stained and varnished before applying the upholstery.  For some reason, this wood stained quite dark.  It’s the same red mahogany stain I’ve been using, but it penetrated very deep.  For the cushions, I got a swatch of burnt orange suede, and I do like the color.  What I’m not happy with is the cabriole legs.  They seem a bit thick and chunky to me, and I think the bends are too exaggerated.  I cut the legs from some fairly thick bass wood and then sanded them to try to make them rounder.  The wood I originally tried was too thin.  I think I need to find something in between, as well as a different pattern for the shape of the legs.  Anyway, I do like the way the carving on the back and the upholstery turned out, but the legs really bother me, so my next entry may be “Orange Chair, Take Two.”  *sigh*

I do like the pop of color the chair gives the room.

While working on the swaps (from which I occasionally needed a small break), I also finally made the candle holders for the mantel.  The originals (seen below) were likely purchased for Theodore Roosevelt's parents' home on West 57^th Street in Manhattan.  The description says they depict birds, mice and snails, but, I admit, I don't see the mice, unless they are the earless things hanging off the flower stems.

To make mine, I used wire for the stems, heavy tissue paper for the flowers, a round of mat board (cut with my leather punch) for the base, and strips of tin foil and microbeads for the birds and snails (and hanging mice things).  The nests are made from silk thread.  I put some glue on my fingertips, ran the thread through my fingers and wrapped it around the pointy end of a knitting needle.  I then pulled it off and let it dry.  There are more microbeads inside the nests.  

Here they have been given a coat of black spray paint. I stick them to blue tack on the top of a golf tee for spraying, so the bottoms didn't quite get covered along the edges.  I went over them with a little flat black Testor's after this picture was taken.

I think they give a decent approximation of those very unique pieces.

To finish the mantel, I also added a picture behind the right-hand vase.  I don’t know what it is in real life, but in one shot, I swear I could make out a ship.  It’s not inconceivable that he’d have a nautical painting, since Roosevelt was Under Secretary of the Navy for a while.  So I chose “Circle of Sailing Ships” by Jacob Adriaensz Bellevois, which has the right dimensions.  For the scarf/stole thing on the right, I used some ombré silk ribbon, a bit of jacquard ribbon, and some miniature fringe.

Here is a close-up of the mantel.

This, at least, I’m happy with.   😊

Hope you all have a great mini week, and, as always, thanks for stopping by!