Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Prototypes

As I mentioned in a previous post, I will be designing new furniture pieces for the store.  Redesigning new chairs and sofas has been on my list for over a year.  It's not the most fun thing to do, because it takes time.  It's always easier to continue making what you've already designed.  I decided to start with a chair.  

This is the prototype and as such, there are mistakes.  How is this chair different than my other arm chair?  First of all it has an attached seat back.  Secondly, I added piping.  The piping is too large, so for the production chair, I will make the piping smaller.  The seat cushion is a tad too big which is why there is buckling on the bottom of the cushion.  In this fabric is looks very country.  I imagine with a solid fabric it could look quite chic.  This would make a great nursery chair.



Next up is the base design I did for my new boy's kid bed.  I would like to do a number of kid beds for both boys and girls.  

I'm not sure what other colors I will use.  But it will be nice and shiny when it's all done.

The best thing about prototypes is that my dolls get to keep them.  Julian was first in line to receive the car bed.  Maybe he will give me some advice about the colors.  No, I am not turning it into a Batmobile.  I did consider it, but changed my mind.  

He's daydreaming about the finished product.  So am I.

I'll be working on a new sofa on Friday.  All the new items will be additions, not replacements.

41 comments:

  1. I like the piping on the chair and the country fabric. I like the buckled cushion too. It looks like a comfy shabby chic chair. Lots of good books were read there.

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    1. Teva - Hello and welcome to my blog. Glad you like the chair. It does have that worn look, now that you mention it.

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  2. Vanessa I love the chair even with the country fabric and the bed. Mrs Mcdade (Happpy Family Grandama) would love that piece, it would go nicely with her piano. Please put me on the waitlist for the car bed. I already know I want/need/got to have it. I will be saving up my duckies. I still want my crib too.

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    1. AG Lanc - I guess I should have had one of my grandmothers model that chair. Maybe I need to put a basket of yarn next to it. I will definitely put you on the list for car beds. Shouldn't take me long to finish this prototype and then do one for the store. By the way, I have another crib in the works. You may have to wait for the next one because there is someone waiting for this one to hit the store. One of the new pieces I will be adding is a matching changing table. I can't wait to find some cool bedding for the car bed.

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  3. Both of the pieces look so real and intricate! I can't imagine how long it takes to make them. Super cool!

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    1. Fefe Mae - Thanks! Making them the first time definitely takes more time. It will get easier the more I make them.

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  4. I wish you'd told me you would be in Philly, Vanessa. That's my Mom's comfy chair scaled down, lol. OMG, never thought to see it miniaturized ;-)

    Very cool - as Teva Joseph writes, you can imagine someone read LOTS of good books there.

    The car bed is cute, and Julian modeling it is even cuter. Love his black jeans and pullover.

    I agree with your comment about needing a slightly thinner piping on the cozy chair, but it looks winner to me. Congrats on the new design. I bet it flies off your shelves.

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    1. D7ana - I totally forgot to let you know I was sneaking into your mom's place and recreating her chair. lol. Glad that it evokes such emotions. It will be interesting to see it with smaller piping. I'll be starting on a new one by the weekend.

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  5. Lovely prototypes! I think Julian will be thrilled to have a red car bed? Or maybe a silver one! :)

    That chair reminds me of my grandma's chair. R.I.P. Grandma.

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    1. Kenyadoll - Thanks! Maybe I will add red accents to the black car. Red or yellow were the options I was considering. That chair seems to be reminding quite a few people of their grandmas. That's a good thing.

      The model is just an older Christie doll and she's wearing a Limbedolls wig, that I just love.

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    2. KenyaDoll - Limbedolls is currently out of the country for an assignment. Maybe when she returns you can get her to make you one. They are very reasonably priced.

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  6. BTW, the Barbie in the chair is absolutely gorgeous! I want her! ^_^ LOL!

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  7. I love them both, you are so talented! I wish I could come and help with production because I know there will be many orders for your products, I could be like a scrub tech lol.

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    1. Doll Crazy - Thanks! I could use a good assistant. lol.
      I will put your name on the list.

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  8. hi Vanessa. the chair is wonderful! i' m crazy about contry fabrics....and the bed is so lovely. looking forward for the finished work. you're extremely talented!!!

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    1. billa's dolls - Thanks! Glad you like the new pieces. Hopefully by this weekend, I will have the car all done.

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  9. El sillón es una maravilla,tanto en la forma como en el tapizado!!! Y ese coche cama es fantástico,muy original!!!
    Besos.

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    1. PILAR - Gracias! Es agradable ver la respuesta positiva a las nuevas piezas. Muchos abrazos.

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  10. The chair is nice.

    I love Julian's bed. I think red, yellow, or bright green will make it pop.

    dbg

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    1. DBG - Thanks and thanks for the color advice. I think I'm leaning towards the red for the car accents.

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  11. Hello from Spain: the car bed is perfect for a child. Great job. I also like the chair. Fabric is very elegant .. We keep in touch

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    1. Marta - Thanks. It will be nice to try that chair out in different fabrics.

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  12. Love the chair and the bed! I hope to be building some more furniture myself for a future blog post. What did you use to build the chair -- wood or foam board? And how did you do the rounded arms? And the piping? Too many questions I know. LOL Maybe you should do a video tutorial. :-)

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    1. Cindi - The chair and the car are both made out of wood. Now you should know by now that I don't do tutorials. Not that I wouldn't want to, but finding time to do something I don't enjoy doing, is just not likely to happen. I can't find enough time to do the things I really enjoy.

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  13. These are fantastic! If the prototypes look this good, I can't wait to see the final versions! :)

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    1. jSarie - Thanks! I plan to start a production chair this weekend. I just found some cool fabric for the car sheets, so I will be working on that this weekend, too.

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  14. Vanessa, don't worry too much about the seat wrinkles. It makes the chair look real. One of my pet peeves about miniature couches and chairs is that they don't squash and look realistic when you put a doll in them. I make mine squashy on purpose, but that's just me. I've been thinking about trying to make a car bed for a couple of years too, but my woodworking skills leave a lot to be desired! I could never have cut those tires! Are you sure you don't want to turn Julian's into a Batman bed...

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    1. Tam - You are so right about most furniture being too stiff and too hard. I've always tried to make the cushions softer. Those wheels are completely rounded, but I still need to sand them. This first bed needs to be a little less specific. I may make him a Batman bed in the future.

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  15. The arm chair is really beautiful, I think it looks perfect and very relistic. Looks in shabby chic or country style, I really like that.

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    1. jewel snake - Thanks! This style is perfect for shabby chic. I may do one with the skirt on the bottom.

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  16. I like the prototype. I have couch over here that still needs to be completed so your doing good.

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    1. Brini - Thanks. I slept with this chair so when I would wake in the middle of the night, I could work on it without leaving the warmth of my bed. Otherwise it would probably still be sitting in my cold work room.

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  17. El sillón es fantástico, me encanta.
    Un abrazo.
    Yolanda
    Villa Pulgarcito.
    http://arteyolandamoranminiaturas.blogspot.com.es

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    1. Yolanda - Hola y bienvenidos a mi blog. Me alegra que te guste la silla. Me encanta tu blog. Usted tiene creaciones maravillosas allí. Soy un nuevo seguidor. Por cierto, ¿cómo puedo desactivar la música mientras estoy leyendo sus mensajes?

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  18. Bonjour Vanessa,
    It's a very nice chair. But how many time it take you to do it ? Do you think to make one day a tutorial for us ??? (if you have time of course !)

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    1. Shasarignis - Thanks. Most of the people who are doing tutorials regularly on line are making a lot of money through Google Adsense. Unfortunately Adsense has blocked me from ever making money on my videos. They won't even tell me why. So that's another reason I don't have any motivation to do tutorials. I don't like the fact they are making money from my videos and aren't sharing any with me. Right now everything I do needs to bring in income. So I'm spending all my time designing and producing new products.

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  19. Oh, Vanessa, I felt in love with this chair! I think it is simply perfect :) You are so talented making realistic mini furnitures! Once I tried to make a sofa for my Barbie dolls (the green one from my stories) but I am not really satisfied with it... And don't want to try again because (I am afraid) the second result will be the same :)))

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    1. Rosemary - Thanks! You have to keep trying. It took me a long time to design and make furniture that I felt was good enough to sell. You will get better each time you try it.

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    2. Thank You for the encouragement! Maybe I'll try... But sure I would like to order from You once, too :)

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