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Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Connie's Hickory Dickory Dock Clock Shop

Connie's Hickory Dickory Dock Clock Shop
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/564105437wOMYfX


Connie wrote on the Roomboxes Group:
I went to a miniature flea market last year and saw the grandfather clock bonnet-top sitting on a dealers table. It was very dirty, dusty, broken and sad looking. I asked her how much it was, and she said free. Well, who can resist free? I thought I would give it to a friend of mine thinking he would like to do something with it. I had no intention of keeping it when I brought it home as I
already have a ton of unfinished projects. I thought I would just wipe it off a bit before giving it to my friend, then I saw the color of the burl wood. It was beautiful! I wiped the whole thing off and decided to keep it. I've always liked clocks and thought a mini clock shop would be perfect in the grandfather clock bonnet top. It's like it was made for a mini scene. It even had side viewing
windows to see the clock gears, which turned out to be perfect shop windows. My friend that I was going to give it to originally has been helping me fix the missing pieces and helped me make a new door. The original door was not salvageable and the one we made looks great and original to the piece. I didn't do much to the outside of the shop, as I wanted to keep it as original as
possible.

The interior is where I have put the most work. I had to add walls to all three inside walls so they were all flat. That also served as the base for the paneling. I like to learn something new with each project and the stained glass windows, veneering and stripping a couple of Bespaq pieces, were my learning experiences for this project.

I decided on Hickory Dickory Clock Shoppe for the name and will incorporate some fun and unusual things associated with the name (which you will have to wait and see until it's finished!) I wanted to make the clock really funky and fun and loved the idea of using real clock gears and parts inside and out. I also found a wonderful real clock mechanism so the clock in the center front actually works and it sounds like a real grandfather clock. I also have a wonderful hanging sign that will be on the outside of the door (you will have to wait and see that too!).

When I started this project, I didn't own any mini clocks. So while I've been working on the shop I've been collecting clocks and clock kits. I have quite a collection now. Finishing all the kits will take a while. I purchased quit a lot of clock kits from Cynthia Howe http://cynthiahoweminiatures.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=40_47 The clock shop was meant to be, as she had just designed and uploaded 17 new clock kits a couple months ago.

All in all, the project has gone very well so far, and is turning out exactly as I envisioned it. Although it is also costing a lot more than I ever planned, but what project doesn't? Part of the process of making miniatures that I enjoy is figuring out how to solve all the little problems that arise when converting a found object into a work of art.

Connie Sauve
The China Doll
http://www.thechinadoll.com/
http://community.webshots.com/user/thechinadoll22 Miniature Projects
http://community.webshots.com/user/Mauriceasauve1 Crates and Mini Turnings
for sale