SUGAR N' SPICE PART 3 .....................PLUS KITS!

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I  almost "hear those sleigh bells jingling" and so in the "nick" of time,  here is the  

3rd and final segment of Sugar n' Spice which completes the project. 

THE DECORATING CENTER

                                                                 THE SCRUB TABLE

You will need: smooth white matboard + 4 legs, approx. 2-1/2”H. (these may

be something like Houseworks #7202 or #7025 balusters cut to size or an

assembly of 3/16” or ¼” sq stripwood and Tiny Turning bits similar to that

described for cabinet) + 1/16” or 3/32” sheet basswood + posterboard

(.030, approx. 1/32” thick) + paint and stain (Ceramcoat’s antique white

#2001 acrylic and Delta’s Brown Antiquing gel used here) + drawer handle of

your choice (may be the same as those on cabinet)

Instructions: 

-Prepare four, approx. 2 ½ “H legs with at least a ½” long square top section. 

Paint desired color and when dry antique with brown gel.  Wipe gel back off

while wet until desired look is achieved.  A damp cloth may be used to further

remove gel.  Set aside.

-From ½ “high matboard strips cut two side pieces 1 ½” long and a front and a

back piece 2 ⅝” long.  

-From posterboard cut a faux drawer 1⅜”L x ⅜" H.  A design may be tooled

into the drawer front as was described for cabinet, if desired.  Glue drawer to

front piece, 1⅛” from one side and centered top to bottom. 

-Paint and antique the front and side pieces to match the legs.

-From sheet basswood cut a table-top 4” x 2¼”.  Sand smooth and ever so

slightly round off the top edges and corners.  Divide the top into four equal

sections lengthwise with light pencil lines and then use a pointed stylus to scribe

in the faux board.  Hint: an easy way to divide the top into equal sections is to

cut a piece of paper the same size as the top and fold it into 4ths & use it as

a pattern.

- Glue the front, back, and side pieces and the legs to the bottom of the table top

with the front, back and side pieces between the legs, front edges of the pieces

set in 1/32” in from the front edges of the legs and the whole assembly centered

on the bottom. 

-When glue has set add a handle of your choice centered on the faux drawer.

-If desired the top may be treated with linseed or olive oil. 

COOLING RACK

Using old scissors cut a 1 ½” x 1” piece of screen door wire-mesh/

hardware cloth (hardware store purchase).  Seal cut edges with a thin

brushing of Liquid Solder or E-600.  Use 20 gauge wire to form a rectangle

1 ½” x 1”, starting and stopping on the center of a side, and two 2 shapes per

diagrams.  Using either of the afore mentioned adhesives, adhere the rectangle

to the underside of the mesh piece and then the other two pieces diagonally

from corner to corner, forming an X with the “feet” pointing down.

COPY AND PASTE DIAGRAM TO YOUR COMPUTER

SET PRINTER TO 3.13"W X 2.45"H

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GINGERBREAD COOKIES

The unbaked gingerbread boys, waiting to be frosted, are made the same as

explained in PART 1, by tracing around a metal-miniature cookie cutter onto

brown cardstock, cutting them out and slightly embossing them on the backside

for some dimension.  You may also choose to use a paper punch like the one

pictured here.  Looking online I see it is available thru eBay.  Punch out of brown

cardstock and trim fingers from hands. 

Boy paper punch approx. 5/8"H

The decorated gingerbread boys may be created by using the same method as

the undecorated ones and then adding "frosting" by using a pointed toothpick to
apply Scribbles Dimensional Paint. 

Or you may choose to use the decorated gingerbread cookies printies below.

Print these onto cardstock.  For ease in decorating, before cutting  out, use the
pointed end of a toothpick or a needle tool to carefully apply craft glue or
Diamond Glaze over the frosting on the cookies.  This will add dimension and
realism to the frosting.  Let dry thoroughly and then carefully cut out the cookies. 
Use a water colored pencil to color the back sides and edges of each to match
the front color as closely as possible.

Click on image and copy & paste to computer.

Set printer to print image at 4.30"W x 0.81"H

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FROSTING PIPING BAG

Draw a 1 ¼” circle on plain white paper.  Fold for four equal triangles and cut to separate.  Roll triangles into cones, holding with glue.  When glue has set fill each

cone halfway up with Scribbles dimensional paint and pinch to close.  Put a bit

of the paint on the tip of the cone and place on a place or tray with glue.  You can

also add a small smear of paint on the tray and/or the out side of the top of the cone.

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BOWLS OF FROSTING

I used inexpensive, unfinished wood bowls from Lara Crafts.  These come in a

package of 8 assorted sizes and can be found at craft stores such as Michaels.

These are filled with Scribbles Dimensional paint for frosting and applied to

disguise the out-of-scale thickness of the bowls.  Chrysnbon soup/serving spoons

were inserted in frosting before it dried.

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JARS OF SPRINKLES

The jars are the smaller half (approx. 7/16”H) of a #2 size (approx. 15/16”),

2 part pharmaceutical capsule.   These can be purchased at health food stores

and online. Note: These capsules have other interesting uses miniature-wise. 

Insert a dowel or unsharpened pencil into the capsule and press down lightly to

slightly flatten the rounded end.  For the lid punch a 3/16” round from posterboard

and glue to the now flattened end. 

Set the capsule on the lid and fill as desired with colored craft sand (this sand has

other uses in miniatures, esp. baking) Note: Melissa and Doug off kits with asst.

color sands and can be order thru Amazon.  But also look to dollar stores and

the dollar bins at Target, Michaels, and Joann’s for very inexpensive little kits

with a nice variety of colors, and some come with funnels.  You can also use

fine glitter if desired. 

For bottom, run a very thin line of E-600 glue around the capsule edges and then

cover it with a piece of clear packing tape.  When glue has set, trim tape to size.

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BOWL OF CANDY CANES

The thinner candy canes in the purchased glass bowl (a quick look on eBay

shows a nice selection) are made follow directions in part 1.  The larger ones

are made using packaged ones from Darcie.  These are out of scale but can be

reworked.  First add a dab of craft glue to each end to prevent fraying.  Using

pliers (two pair work best) twist the canes, one hand going one way and the

other hand the opposite way until a desired pattern is achieved.  Cut with wire

cutters; leave as is for candy sticks or bend one end for canes.  Seal each cut
with a dab of glue.  For a shiny finish use clear nail enamel or acrylic gloss.

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GINGERBREAD TREE COOKIE

Print out two mirror images of the trees and glue back to back; repeat.  Cut one

tree in half lengthwise and glue the cut side of one half to the face of the uncut

tree; repeat for other side.

                                               Click on image and save to computer. 

                                               Set printer to print at 1.62"W x 1.16"H

EXTRA

 For a bit of whimsy add a gingerbread man escaping his fate….

” Run, run as fast as you can!  You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!"

Click on image and save to computer.

Set printer to 0.75W x 0.95H

Print on cardstock.

Cut out and color edges and back with brown water color

pencil.  Slighty. bend arms and legs to a

running position.

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THE END

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Now on to “real life” for me for a bit…decorating the tree, baking some real

cookies, finishing the shopping and getting the house ready for a two week

holiday visit from 2 year old granddaughter Malene and parents.  Do check

back here from time to time to see what new little bits I might have for you and

then a new project for January decorating.

A huge thank-you to all of you who have helped to make my blog so successful,

it is really gratifying. Have a wonderful holiday season and please  take time to

“smell the spices of the season”, that is what it is all about!

Joann

Sugar n' Spice PART 2

By now you have your flooring down, the kitchen cabiniet assembled and 
trimmed with holly.  You have filled the shelves with an array of gingerbread
treats and are now ready to work on the baking prep section of Sugar n' Spice.
Enjoy!



BAKING PREP

Flour Bag:  Print on bright white paper.  Cut out and fold on lines and between

bag sections.  Glue side over tab.  Fold the bottom section in from the sides until

the edges meet and then fold the peaks formed on the front and back of the

bottom, in and glue in place.  Fill the bag about ¾ full with soft tissue or tp. 

Crease the top section of the bag as was done with the bottom section but do

not glue it shut.  Open it up and slightly distress the top edges for a used look.

Brown Sugar:  Fold in tabs and glue the front over them.  Cover whole bag

with packing tape, trimming off excess evenly.  Stuff lightly with soft facial tissue

or tp and then glue the top edge shut.

Spices:  The spices are best printed on semi-gloss photo paper.  Score on all

lines.  Glue side over tab.  Glue top and bottom tabs to inside.

Baking Powder:  Cut a 7/16”W x 11”L strip of paper and roll up tightly until it

has a ¼” diam.; cut off excess paper and glue to hold.  Glue label around roll,

cutting off excess so ends meet in back.  Punch ¼” round of poster board and

another of silver cardstock.  Glue the two together and then glue to top of roll,

silver side up.

Molasses:  Lite Brite pegs (as pictured) are plastic pegs from a child’s game

that come in assort. translucent colors.  They can be purchased as replacement

parts (check online or in toy stores) and are often found bagged in 2^nd hand

stores.  Using them is a fun and fairly easy way to make a wide assortment of

bottles and jars.  Simply insert the fat end of one into a variable speed drill or

Moto Tool and setting the tool to a medium speed use files, craft knife, and

sandpaper to reshape the peg as desired.  Use a razor saw to cut it to size

desired.  For this project create the bottle shape pictured.  The finished shapes

may be buffed to a sheen or coated with clear nail polish.  For the molasses

bottle chose a yellow peg and when it is done use a brown, permanent-marker

pen or glass stain to color.  Glue label  around bottle.  Punch a 1/8” round lid

from gold cardstock and glue in place on bottle top.

Shortening:  Print label on bright white paper.  Cut three strips of paper

½”W x11”L.  Roll one paper strip up tightly and hold with glue.  Add a 2^nd strip

where the first ended and continue with roll; repeat with the third strip.  Trace

the top of the roll, twice onto white cardstock and twice onto metallic silver

cardstock.  Cut out the circles.  Glue a plain and a silver circle together to

form two double thickness circles.  Glue one each to the top and bottom of the

paper roll, silver sides showing.  Paint the label with one coat of clear nail enamel. 

                                 Click on photo to enlage and then save to your computer.
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Bowl of Dough:  Just about any bowl will do.  I used half of a hollow plastic ball
(just as an aside, every 5^th of July I walk our beach picking up a dozen or so of

these half balls in various bright colors that are some sort of detritus from

fireworks.  And I also find a handful of square bass stripwood…always looking

with miniatures in mind).  Cut a 2” to 2-1/2” circle of gingerbread brown

cardstock.  Lay it in the palm of your hand and “draw” over it, again and again,

in a circular motion with the rounded end of a paintbrush until the paper is

softened, embossed, and malleable.   Gently turn the edges of the paper to

the back side until it is puffed in the middle and will fit into your bowl.  Glue in

place.  Of course you may also choose to fill the bowl with clay of some sort. 

For the wooden spoon, sand the end of a wooden sandwich pick to about half

its thickness and cut it off to a ¾” length.  Make room for it in your dough and

glue in place.

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Rolling Pin: Cut a 7/8” length of 3/16” diam. dowel.  Sand smooth with

finishing sandpaper.  Drill or ream a 1/8” deep hole in the center of each

end of the dowel.  Nip off a bit from the pointed end of a round toothpick

and insert the toothpick into the hole.  Mark on the toothpick where it meets

the dowel.  Remove the toothpick and measure up ¼” from the mark. 

Cut the toothpick at the mark and round off the end with sandpaper. 

Repeat for other side of dowel.  Glue more pointed ends of handles into

prepared holes.  Handles may be painted; red or green being good choices

or the handles along with the roller may be oiled with linseed or olive oil.

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Rolled Dough:  Cut a piece of your gingerbread colored cardstock into an

irregular oval shape of a size that will fit on your bread board.  Lay it, back side

up, on the palm of your hand and “draw” around the edges with the end of a

paint brush or some such tool, until the edges turn up just a bit…this will give

the paper some dimension.  Glue to breadboard.  If desired you may “flour”

the breadboard first by finely stippling some white paint on to it.   Glue a

gingerbread cookie cutter atop the dough.  The 9/16”H x 7/16”W cookie cutter

used here is a classic metal miniature.  It is available thru an online search or

thru brick and mortar stores.

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Baking Sheet:  Cut a piece of matboard or chipboard 1 ½” x 1”.  Slightly

round off the corners.  This piece will be your form to shape the baking sheet. 

Using pewter color embossing metal (this product is extra soft metal sheets

that usually comes in a roll and can be cut with scissors and has many uses in

miniature work. Art Emboss is one brand found in craft shops.  If you can’t find

it you can substitute a disposable aluminum baking pans etc. Cut a piece

1 ¾” x 1 ¼”.  Slightly round off the corners.  Working on a flat surface, center

your form over the metal rectangle.  Pressing down on the form, use a knife

blade or plastic credit card (great way to put to use junk mail) or such, to lift up

the sides of metal around the form, crimping the rounded corners as you work. 

Don’t bring the sides all the way up; let them flare out just a bit. Remove form

and check baking sheet for even flare of sides etc. and make any corrections. 

Do be careful in the project not to cut your self on the metal.  Add your cookies.

Gingerbread Boys:  The gingerbread boys on the baking sheet were made by tracing the aforementioned metal miniature cookie cutter onto gingerbread

color cardstock and then cutting them out.  Lay the cutouts on the palm of your

hand and with a small ball stylus trace around their outer edge to give them a bit

of dimension.  The tooled side is the down side.  Glue to baking sheet.

                                           Metal Miniature Gingerbread Cookie Cutter

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Spatula: For the handle, nip the tip off of a round toothpick and sand the new

tip smooth.  Measure from the new tip down 3/8” and cut off at this point. 
Sand the cut end smooth.  Paint the handle either red or green and glaze
with an acrylic gloss.  Cut a ½” length of a straight pin, from the head down. 
Glue the head of the pin to the fatter end of the handle using cyanoacrylate
glue…super, crazy, etc.; set aside.    Click on spatula pattern to enlarge;
copy and paste to your computer. Set printer to print image out at .90” x .90”
and then print onto lightweight paper.  Rough cut image from paper and use
glue stick to adhere it  to a piece of thin aluminum, as from a piece of
disposable roaster pan or pull-out inner lids from peanut cans etc.
Use a pointed stylus to make the nine indentations and then carefully cut it out. 
Remove paper from metal.  Use liquid solder to adhere 1/16” of the pin to the
back of the spatula, centered side to side.

                                          Click on photo and copy and save to your computer. 
                                             Set printer to print image at 0.90"H x 0.90"W

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Part 2 of Sugar n’ Spice should keep you busy for a few days, and then I will have

the final segment, Part 3, the table and its contents ready for you. 

If you are working on this project please let us know how it is going for you….

it is fun and interesting to share progress with one another, especially if you have

little hints that made things go smoother for you or have added your own “spice”.

Joann

PS 

“Stay-tuned” because some items from my projects may soon be offered as

kits to make your creating a bit easier.