Posts Tagged ‘Miniature Stable’

Show Drapes (finally) in hand!

Posted in Breyer, Miniature Stable, Props, Special Projects, tagged , , , , on September 14, 2019| 8 Comments »

Last year Breyer had me design a prototype for a set of show drapes to fit their wood barns. It’s taken me the majority of the year, but now I finally have these in hand, and I’m so excited!!

I got two, one to keep in box and one to set up because I know I wouldn’t be able to stand it otherwise.

Here’s everything freed from the packaging. The drapes were actually sewn to the box, so I ended up using my seam ripper to carefully remove them. All the pieces were really anchored in there!

Here’s the tack trunk cover. I don’t have one of Breyer’s trunks but it fits my custom one, which is very close in size. I think I picked it up from Michael’s years and years ago, and I’ve seen similar for sale at Joann’s and Hobby Lobby.

I didn’t have any say in the other accessories, but they’re super cute. You get a wood bench, and two potted plants. I can see them being used with a jump too.

The ribbons are printed on cardboard cutouts, with a folded edge to hang over the drapes. I do have a tutorial on how to make custom show ribbons here, and I’m hoping to update it in the near future, so keep an eye out for that. 😉

And the drapes themselves, on the barn!

The set comes with three wood dowels and two metal tubes they can slide into. To fit the large barn, connect all three dowels with the tubes, and for the smaller two stall barn, only connect two. The drapes slide on like curtains. 🙂

Mine are slightly too long for the large barn, so there’s a bit of bowing in the middle. That’s an easy fix with some trimming or sanding though.

My overall opinion? I am super impressed. There were some things that were changed from my original design, but they make sense with mass production in mind. These are very, very close to the prototypes, and I’m so happy with how they came out in the end!

This is a limited edition for 2019, and will be retiring at the end of the year. If you’re interested in picking up a set, don’t wait too much longer! 🙂

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Tack Room Progress

Posted in Miniature Stable, Miniatures, Props, tagged , , on December 4, 2017| 17 Comments »

A while back I mentioned that I’m building a miniature tack room. I also mentioned that this is part of a larger, somewhat insane project, which will involve building multiple rooms that will (potentially) fit together to make a full stable set up. Or rather, the illusion of one.

This is something that I have been wanting to do for years, but wasn’t sure how to accomplish. The inspiration actually came from binge-watching behind the scenes footage of the Hobbit films last year.

One particular set (Erebor/Smaug’s lair) was created with multiple pieces that could be moved around to create the illusion of a much larger space when filmed from different angles. (well that and a whole lot of CGI!) I wondered if it would be possible to use a similar idea with this fantasy barn I’ve been dreaming about. I clearly do not have the space to build a massive barn set up, but multiple box rooms seem a lot more manageable.

Because I can never keep things simple, this project started out with a sketch of the entire barn layout. I really wanted things to make sense. Where are all the doors located? Windows? Stalls? Rooms? The arena? Once I was happy with the design I started to work on putting together the box rooms.

The first (and only I’ve tackled so far) is the tack room.

This is a 14in x 14in x 14in cardboard box cut down to size. Cardboard isn’t the sturdiest or nicest of materials to work with I know, but it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than wood and easier for me to cut.

The floor was made from large popsicle sticks, and the walls were covered with white poster board. I’ve posted tutorials on how I made the saddle and bridle racks, and since then I’ve added a utility sink…

…and a few more saddle racks. (got to have a place to store all those saddle pads, you know!)

Of course everything is lopsided. OF COURSE.

There’s also this crop/whip holder, which I threw together one night. Would there be an interest in a tutorial for it? The crops still need work… I have no idea what I’m doing.

The room isn’t totally complete, and it probably won’t be as I’m sure I’ll be going back to change, add or fix certain things later on.

To make as much use of the box as I could, I decorated two of the outside walls.

The first was made to look like the outside of the tack room:

It’s got a tiny bulletin board:

As well as a fire extinguisher, which was a dollhouse miniature I repainted with nail polish and added a proper label to.

The back wall with the window was made to look like the outside of the stable. It’s ugly because I messed up the siding and the window and, well, everything else…

Whoever is constructing this thing needs to be fired

But it’s not that noticeable in a background.

That’s all these are, really – elaborate backgrounds, haha!

But it’s fun and that’s what matters. The inner child is happy too. 😛

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Enterprise Props

Posted in finds, Miniature Stable, Miniatures, Props, tagged , , on August 26, 2017| 13 Comments »

A couple weeks ago I  stumbled across Enterprise Props. I had never heard of this prop maker, and going through their shop I felt like a kid in a candy store. I may have gone a little overboard with my order(s)! XD

On my PC, I have a folder full of real horse items I’d like to figure out how to make someday. But they’ve left me stumped, because the only way I could think of making them was either hope a manufacturer would, OR learn 3D modelling and get into 3D printing. (and after looking through it some I decided that nope, not going to tackle THAT!)

So I was really excited to see that everything I wanted in miniature was available on Enterprise Props’ website.

Literally, everything. o_o (and there are still more pieces I’d like to get… but I must resist for now…)

Anyway, I am so pleased with it all. I believe they are 3D printed, (not positive on that) and are both durable and lightweight. My second order included a few extra/surprise pieces as well – the red grooming box and set of salt licks. That was such a sweet surprise and I am so grateful! ^_^

Here are both grooming boxes:

I think these are my favorite because I’ve wanted a plastic grooming box forever.

They can be held by the dolls too, which is a huge bonus!

Here’s the small mounting block:

I made one many years ago from small jewelry boxes. It’s been needing an upgrade badly!

I really love the water trough…

… and the tiny feed scoop! It’s a little rough around the edges but it’s super cute.

I got really excited over the bucket. XD I made one a million years ago from a recycled medicine-dosage cup, but I’ve wanted one with a flat side and wasn’t sure how to accomplish that.

Here are the feed pans:

Got to get every… last… speck…

And last but not least, the salt licks:

Gahhh I love everything and it’s probably weird to get so excited over buckets and pans and things, but these are pieces I’ve been wanting for years. I’m so glad to add them to the mini stable!

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