Saturday, December 26, 2015

Itty Bitty Tiny Cabinet of Cute

So seriously, how wonderful is this micro china cabinet from Alpha Stamps?! It's the cutest thing ever after a Samoyed puppy. The cabinet has a functioning door, is "glass" fronted, and look at those curvy legs! The kit comes unassembled, but never fear! It's a cinch to put together. Don't let all those minuscule parts deter you from making a beautiful 1:12 scale piece to add to a room box or a fancy Greenleaf house. My china cabinet was together in just eight pictures. Did I mention there is also a plant stand in the kit? Let's put this thing together, shall we?



Materials: (this pic doesn't count as one of the eight, for the record)

China Cabinet and plant stand kit
Stain (included in kit)
Testors non-toxic Liquid Cement with precision tip
Xacto knife
Sandpaper
Paintbrush




That is the kit out of the box. In the center are pieces for the wee plant stand and the stain is in the white packet. See the bit of plastic that is covering the 12 on my cutting mat? Those are actually essential parts to your cabinet, so no throwing those away! We'll take a peek at those later. 

Step One:

Leave all small pieces attached to "trees" while you stain. It was easier for me to remove the larger pieces from their trees before staining, but whatever works for you. Remove pieces with an xacto knife, sand the small spot where it was attached, stain one side and then the other. The stain dries pretty quick so no waiting and waiting and waiting before staining the other side.





Step Two:

Carefully remove the small pieces with the craft knife and then sand that spot smooth. You may have to touch up the color in those areas but it sure beats trying to hang on to those little pieces while attempting to stain them. 

Step Three:

Using your xacto, cut out the panes for the cabinet. I cut just on the outside edge of the black line and found it to be the perfect fit. Run a very thin line of glue along inside edges of the cabinet front pieces and place panels inside.






Step Four:

Glue bottom of cabinet to back piece.



Step Five:

Glue sides of cabinet to back and bottom. Ooo, legs!



Step Six:

Apply a thin line of cement to ledge on cabinet back. Insert bottom shelf at an angle from the open top, and then pull the front edge the shelf toward you to set in place. That may sound confusing until you actually do it. Repeat for next shelf. Place dots of glue where the shelves meet the front panels (there are designated spots for this) and hold shelf in place for a few minutes.




Step Seven:

Nearly there! Run a line of cement along edge of back piece and along the tops of the side pieces. Insert the small peg on the bottom of the door into the hole on the cabinet's bottom piece. Place the final piece on the top of cabinet, aligning the top door peg with the coordinating hole. Hold, hold, hold...




And finally, Step Eight:

Remember that impossibly small bit that could've passed as scrap? The thing that was so puny I had to push my eyeglasses up onto my forehead so I could see it bit? This piece right here? Yeah, you need to paint that gold. Or whatever you fancy.




After the key is dry, trim it away from plastic....don't drop it, don't drop it, whew!...and using tweezers, adhere it to the front of cabinet. All done!














This is the plant stand that is included in the kit, along with a really nice rocking chair (also a kit, and just as simple to put together).





Quarter for Scale


Here is a link to the china cabinet and plant stand kit, plus the miniatures used to decorate it. Don't forget to get enough stuff to fill up those shelves!