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Friday, June 19, 2009

The Strangest Headboard Alive.......

It is alive!!!! I finished the pleat part. Last night I glued down the top of them, getting ready for the mattress. I am very pleased with my idea for the box pleats. It worked out rather well. I will loosen some of them up when I get to the rest of the dressing.

I had to go over and feed April and Seth's cats this morning, so I made the most of it. I stopped at Lowe's (home center) on the way home. I found a treasure trove of what kind of looks like cog wheels and other small washers. You can see one by the foot of the bed. I am pretty much out of watch parts now and am having to improvise. They aren't quite as good as the others, but they will work for a few things that I have in mind.

Here's a photo of what I found. I know that some people use these washers for mini stove burners. With what I got, I will never run out. They were dirt cheap and came in plastic bags with a bunch in each one.

Isn't it strange what different things amuse us. I am perfectly happy wandering around in a hardware store/home center for hours. I bought the washers and then found a couple of plants to buy. If one of them works out, I will have my morning coffee right off of the tree......It's an Arabica Coffee plant. Hey! I can kill that just as easy as anything else. It's worth a try. The other one is an aralia. Those I can keep alive longer.

Now about the headboard. When last you saw it, it was in pieces and all shiny and new looking. It rusted overnight. My excuse is that it is raining this morning and all of the dampness got to it.

I still need to do some more to it, but I thought you would like to see it so far. Katie's cogs are working out pretty well. I had to cut a couple more out of cardboard. The two in the back are the hand cut ones.

I took black and copper paint and just mixed them on the brush to get the rust. Looking at the photo, I can see some places that I need to do more pouncing. That's how I got the textured look. I went straight up and down with a dry brush. The silver one on the right needs more. I am not sure I like the shiny copper wire coils and the brass washers. I think that they need to be toned down a bit more.



Tessie announced that she is the official spokes model for the blog now......She seems to think that gives her the right to say anything she wants. She's the one that came up with the title for today's blog......The first thing she did was try to spin the wheels. She was not at all happy when they didn't move. She thinks they should be like Wheel of Fortune and she should get the prize when it lands on her number. She mentioned that there should be a certain Manor House on one of the sections. Not gonna happen, Tessie. Personally, I think that she has been passing a petition around for people to sign if they want her to have the mansion. It seems like there are a lot of people asking about it in her behalf......

I think that I will sit in the rain and rust for the rest of the day now. Tessie won't follow me out to the back patio. Somewhere she got the idea that if she gets wet she will melt......

I'm free at last!
See you tomorrow.

15 comments:

Debbie said...

Tessie has bewitched us all Casey. My day wouldn't be the same without Tessie's antic's. I can just imagine her in her very own Manor House, mind you knowing Tessie, she'd then want a castle! LOL
The bed and headboard look fabulous. Really looking forward to seeing the bed finished..Have a great weekend xx

MiniKat said...

The bed is looking great! I love the headboard, despite what Tessie says. I think it's a good one for Zar.

rosanna said...

Great bedhead. I totally agree with Debbie. I'm very fond of Tessie, I could even host her for a while in order to let her meet old Europe witches but as we say here "if you give her one finger, she will then want the whole arm!" Beware yourself!

Kim said...

The bed is looking great- does Zar like it? If you need some- I have about 7 watches from a grab bag from a garage sale that I could send to you. If you find you need more watch parts just email me and they are yours, I'll drop them in the mail. They are intact watches though- you would have to do a bit of dis-assembly.

Deb said...

The headboard looks great! I love wondering around building stores too!

Caseymini said...

Kim, they have to be the old wind up kind. The battery ones now have nothing inside that is usable. Can you tell which kind they are?

Tabitha Corsica said...

Love the headboard...very masculine. Zar should be pleased. And you know, in the end, Tessie will get what she wants. Now...where'd that petition go to...

Tabitha

Katie said...

I keep laughing when I think about Tessie trying to spins the clogs on the headboard. Too funny!! I showed the kids what you did with their Happy Meal Toys, and they were very inpressed!!! And so am I, That headboard is awesome!!! Love how you aged it!!

Kim said...

Casey- I had my hubby open them up and I have 4 smaller watches with cogs inside and one smaller travel size clock with cogs inside. If you would like them to play with just email me your address at flowerarts@gmail.com and I will ship them off to you- I would be glad they are being used as I was considering tossing them.

Caseymini said...

Kim, I will be thrilled to get them. I will e mail you privately. Thanks!

Caseymini said...

Kim, I will be thrilled to get them. I will e mail you privately. Thanks!

Tina said...

Casey,
Love the pleats, wow the Cog Headboard.. You may need to show that to some furniture designers.. They may like it enough to make it into RL size. I am with you on the copper.. It looks okay but needs the patina that aged copper would get. Either way, I have to keep this hid from my hubby...lol.. I can see him now collecting old gears/cogs any other machinery part to make one for our bed. Too Cool.
Tina

Caseymini said...

Tina, after he finishes making you a headboard will he come and make me one too? LOL

Mary said...

I am loving this Steampunk headboard! And Tessie would make a great Vanna II I think.

I totally get the wandering around Lowe's for hours thing--ever since starting with minis I've taken to wandering Home Depot, dollar stores, and Goodwill in hopes of finding things to mess with. Too bad I'm not able to drive on highways or else I'd have more places to investigate.

Jollie said...

What a beautiful bed!! :) I love it!

Warm hugs, Jollie