North Shore Miniatures Club Retreat
18 - 20 January 2008: The Workshops

This was my third consecutive year at the North Shore Miniatures Club Retreat. To keep the weekend as relaxing as possible the number of workshops was reduced and you were encouraged to use this retreat to finish previous unfinished retreat workshops.  Here's a picture of the inside of the hall all set up.

On the Friday night there was a surprise workshop for everyone to do. It turned out to be a small Kauri tilting occasional table. We had to use a scroll saw to cut out the three feet and the table top. An ingenious metal hinge enabled the table top to tilt. Pictured are the tutor's oval top table and round top table. We also received a printout of four cardboard boxes to make from Jewel.

  

Saturday and Sunday we had a choice of:

(1) Rubber mould making and pouring a resin copy

This was a demo only class. An MDF box was made to fit around the item being copied. The two-part rubber compound was mixed together, brushed on to and then poured over the item. A good 24 hours was needed for the rubber to harden. The next day the box sides were pulled off and the rubber mould removed ready for a resin copy to be poured.

(2) Pond

This workshop was about learning to use clear resin correctly and safely. We were instructed on how to mix and pour clear resin into a pond, layer by layer, adding fish, rocks and plants along the way. For the pond we were supplied with a cream-coloured resin pond which we painted with acrylic paint. While the paint dried we shaped Fimo goldfish and anything else we wished to add to our pond. Pictured is my painted pond with orange, white and black Fimo waiting to be transformed into goldfish. I wasn't so sure I could make fish but they turned out okay. The next picture is after the first layer of clear resin has been poured. Two fish and the rocks are in position.

   

This is my finished pond. After the second layer of resin was poured in I added two more fish and a moss-type plant I acquired from the side of a full-size tree trunk. After this layer of resin was dry I poured in a third layer. I may still add water lilies and more resin to this.

(3) Otterman with optional inlay/marquetry

This was a half day workshop held on Sunday afternoon. A lovely basic Kauri otterman and instructions on how to add inlay on the lid. I never did this workshop and the only photo I have is of the participants being shown what to do at the start of the workshop.

(4) Miniaturist's Sanctuary

This was the BIG workshop for the weekend and was intended as a lesson on using Paperclay. I was keen on this as I'd heard so much about Paperclay but had never used it before. We were going to make a two-sided room with distressed outside featuring peeling stucco and exposed brick, a door, a window, exposed beams and a vine. Pictured below is the tutor's project. To view my version of this workshop more >>>

    

 

    

(5) 1/24th scale Hutch Dresser

This workshop was held on Sunday morning. The hutch was made of Kauri and Cedar with drawers and cupboard doors that were "imitation opening" so no hinges etc to worry about. Sorry no picture for this at all.

(6) Beachwear Collection

This was my kitset which required a lot of R&D before I was happy with the results. When made up you would have an Hawaiian Aloha shirt, a matching bikini, 2 pairs of jandals, and a baseball cap. There was no sewing involved just a lot of gluing. Hopefully all six people who did this were happy with the results.

The Venue : : : The Workshops