It all started with this rocking chair.
My sister found this chair and a teddy very like mine and sent it to me a few years back.
She likes to make shadowboxes related to the things in family members’ lives. She decided to make one for me, incorporating the rocker and teddy.
The impetus for making one was triggered by this picture she found. I like fairies and particularly Flower Fairies. But even the offer on this said the quality was poor, just dots making the photo. I knew I could make a nicer one.
That got us started on finding things to go into a shadowbox.
But first she needed a box, so she picked this one. It measured 10.75” x 8.75” x 4.25”. It was wide enough to hold the rocking chair.
One of the first things I found was this fireplace. I’d actually wanted a small wood stove, but could not find one I liked.
With the bookcase, I’d need lots of books….
There should be a table by the rocker to hold a plant and a book….
I had a very hard time finding a floor lamp to sit behind the rocker.
I wanted one like this or something similar.
This was all I could find.
I found frames and made my own pictures. The 3 Little Girls is a picture I got from my grandmother. She liked it because she had 3 granddaughters.
I have lots of oil lamps in my house and this one looked nice in the photo. But I didn’t realize it was made of plastic, and not so nice really.
So I found this little brass one. I needed a table to put it on. I did not have the box, my sister did. So I measured as well as I could and it seemed like this table would fit.
But it was too big. The fireplace arrived damaged and I was returning it for replacement so I included this table in the return.
This table replaced it. It would hold the oil lamp, a plant, and some more books.
Bookends for the books.
And a succulent.
I’d gotten a hanging plant and a hanger.
On the wall over the fireplace I wanted these sconces.
We looked at LOTS of wallpaper, and I ordered some. The pattern was far too big for the 1:12 we were using.
This was the photo of it. So I ordered new wallpaper.
This pattern is just right. It came from the UK.
So that was the walls, furniture, and furnishings so far. We’ve not talked about the ceiling much. She had flooring leftover from previous boxes. I wanted a braided rug, but could not find a nice enough one that fit the small space.
I found this real woven one (mostly they are printed) but it would have to be cut down. My sister thought she could do it, and seal the edges. We’d use the center section. If it failed, it hadn’t been expensive. She’d try to make a braided one.
She had baseboards also. I didn’t find any molding I liked so I think we won’t use it.
Trying to sort of set it up, using the first wallpaper (still rolled) this is what she came up with:
I’d forgotten to send the rocker out with the stuff I’d gotten, so it’s not in the photo. The wallpaper takes up a LOT of room rolled up and the pattern is far too big.
She just received the new wallpaper this week, so has not started on the box. It will take her a long time to get it finished, perhaps as long as September. But she does beautiful work, and likes things just right, so I will wait (im)patiently.
Sources:
Iron lamp: http://www.room5lounge.com/antique-bridge-arm-floor-lamp/antique-bridge-arm-floor-lamp-fascinating-vtg-early-s-antique-art-deco-bridge-arm-cast-iron-floor-lamp-photograph/
Shadowbox Items: https://dollhousesandmore.com/
