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Posted by DeeinNJ on September 18, 2007, 9:21 am
Administrator Dee
| Hi, everyone. Welcome to another Tuesday Diorama Discussion. My thanks to Robin, today's guest, for preparing this awesome Discussion for all of us.
DeeinNJ Now, let's go to Robin... Greetings Divas & Divos. Thank you for allowing me to share the making of my tearoom with you, and a special thank you to DeeinNJ for the invitation. LA TEA ROOM A tearoom generally caters to women. It is a small room or restaurant, having a sedate or subdued atmosphere, where tea and light meals are served. Welcome to La Tea Room (est. June 2007), located in a restored 1880 cottage on Country Lane Road. Shabby Chic décor with floral wallpaper in yellows and blues, white tablecloths, fresh flowers, and tea served in bone china teapots, provide an escape to tranquility.
To make the room box for my tea room, I chose a simple foam core structure.
I cut any openings and apply my decorative papers before gluing the walls together for ease of application. The white paper reminded me of white wood planks, so I used it on both the upper walls and the floor. It is regular wallpaper and can be found at Lowe’s. Although it is pre-pasted, craft glue and not water must be used to apply it. Water will warp foam core. Cutting strips and laying them horizontally gave me the appearance of crown molding, chair rail and baseboard. Floral wallpaper was used on the lower part of the walls. It is dollhouse wallpaper that I found on clearance. The flower pattern was unusually large for dollhouse scale and works well in 1:6 scale.
Because I wanted my room to be a permanent structure, I glued the walls and floor together with regular carpenter's glue.
Then I reinforced the back with tape to make it sturdy and stable.
Whether it is a tearoom or another venue you wish to build, often what helps the process is to set aside a box or container than you can place items you have collected that are going to be suitable for your project. Add printies that you make yourself. I used printies to decorate the walls, and provide menus and a business license. My girls are rather fond of being waited on by men, so a volunteer, willing to wear a bow tie and a pocket pen, takes his place at the reception desk. A Barbie cash register and miniature telephone for taking reservations (purchased from Motts many years ago) complete his work station.
I used a cabinet that actually consists of two miniature units formed together to make a taller unit. It adds to the Shabby Chic look I wanted. The door was similarly constructed from two wood windows to form a larger piece. They were found in the doll isle of a craft store. (Both of these pieces were beginner projects, which explains their strange shape and rough finish).
A mix of Rement Teapots and cups/saucers, repainted Gloria pieces, Imperial Vintage Silver Dish, and a Rement dessert fill the cabinet.
When using printies for wall photos/paintings, produce them in high resolution to reveal frame details. Glue them to thin foamcore and color the sides to match and add depth. Metallic pens work nicely with gold or silver frames.
A blue dollhouse rug was used on the floor. The tables are from the Barbie wedding set and were chosen for their existing white table cloths. I added paper placemats (printies), napkins from a couple of Barbie accessory sets, and flower vases. Fashion Fever chairs had their crystal beads removed and seat pads were added.
An F.A.O. Schwarz dollhouse chandelier, spayed white without completely covering its former gold and tarnish, add to the Shabby Chic elegance.
I'm not sure how the waiter is suppose to get behind the Rement counter to serve the cakes and pies, but I liked the look so left it. The lamp consists of a dollhouse floor lamp topped with a Barbie lampshade. Rement baskets hold the Rement cutlery and teabags. Other decorations include a Franklin Mint large urn, miniature silver pot, and a dollhouse mirror with a repainted frame. Flowers, too, of course.
Vintage Barbie pieces fit the bill for the waiter's station and tea wagon.
The wearing of a hat and gloves to tea is optional, but a pretty frock is de rigueur.
Anabel Fay arrives for afternoon tea wearing her pretty frock.
Anabel is joined by her dear friend Daphne Bliss.
The tradition of afternoon tea began in England in 1840 when Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, got into the habit of ordering a tray of tea with cakes and sandwiches delivered to her room between meals. She began inviting friends to join her and it soon became a widespread social practice, complete with rules of tea etiquette.
The girls make their afternoon tea selection.
Nearly two centuries after the Duchess of Bedford got into the habit of inviting friends to join her, afternoon tea is still bringing women together.
Thank you for allowing me to share La Tea Room with you.
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