Friday, March 8, 2013

Park Benches

I took advantage of the 40% off sale that Michael's is having on the Ashland Garden Collection.  I do, of course, have foliage from Dollar Tree but the Ashland stuff is a denser, higher quality and so much of it lends to 1/6 scale.  I'm trying to make a nice little park or commons area for my new exterior housing project and I need some benches.  I have the one [wooden bench] I made but wanted to try crafting some with cardboard since it would be quicker.






I took the top off a banker's box and cut two 5½ inch strips off it.  Then I marked down 2¼ inches five times and folded three of the sections.  I could have left it alone, but I had to get all fancy and cut an opening out of the lower panel.  This then required two side panels to keep the legs stationary.  I totally created more work for myself than necessary but I do prefer the design I achieved.

I always intended to add the embellishments and use them to secure the benches, but in the end I felt they were too big for such a small bench.  I also thought I could get away with not covering them with anything since the top of the box was white.  However, it just looked like a folded cardboard box so I decided to cover them with tape and not put on any embellishments.

Spacious for one

Comfy for two

Eh, they are okay.  Better than no benches, lol.  They are fairly sturdy and if I poke the side panels out I can store them flat and flat storage is always a goal for me.  They really could stand some glamming up or maybe an advertisement on them. We'll see.

30 comments:

  1. When painted, they look really nice. Are they solid? I think that with some grass and plants around them, your bench will look even more realistic.
    OT:
    Weee, you always have some good-looking guys, its an action figure, right? Need to take close look to these boys, Barbie Kens aren't that interesting.
    Talking about male species...I got an interesting package yesterday...Your repaint is really cute (love, love LOVE eyes!!!) and I want to say, how happy you made me :D
    I cannot show him right now, need to find something to cover that body, but Im sure he will have his fame soon. Kudos.

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    1. Hi, MM! I'm glad you finally got the Bieber. Wow, when the post office said a few weeks for delivery, they weren't kidding. I made the package box myself so I hope he didn't get squished.

      The bench is just regular thin cardboard but the way I've folded it, it's pretty solid, especially since they are now covered in duct tape.

      That guy is a Power Team action figure. They are very articulated and have some very interesting faces to choose from.

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  2. these benches are a great idea i realy like it.when you puted black duct tape it looked better.keep going!!

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    1. Thanks, Jassica joe! ^__^ I do like it when I can make furniture in simple ways.

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  3. Muff, I love them! I even liked them white with the tacks....as maybe a sofa or chair. Initially, I thought you painted them until I saw the duct tape (I went to the bottom pics first). That is also great that they can be folded for storage. Great job and thanks for sharing!

    P.S. That PT guy is hot!!!

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    1. Georgia Girl, the tacks would really work better on a larger piece of furniture. I've already added white paint dots to the black benches and now they look too fancy to place outside, lol.

      PT guy got it going on.

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  4. Those turned out really well. I'd like to see them with grass and plants around them. Think that will make them rock.

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    1. Thanks, Roville. Once I recyle some more cardboard, I'm acutally going to try to make benches using "wooded" contact paper to cover them instead. The black is looking more interior than exterior, but you're right, foliage will make a huge difference.

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  5. Those benches are very creative! I admire you, you can make something from nothing ! I think I will make some inspired by yours for cinema or airport maybe?

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    1. Jewel snake, you are making a cinema or airport? I have seen some airport dioramas, but never a cinema. That's a good idea!

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  6. These look great Muff! It was a good decision to cover them in tape. They're quite stylish, more for in a park where they have entrence prices, lol xD

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    1. Thanks, Tali. The tape was messy but I do like the look.

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  7. Hello from Spain: these two banks are awesome. I like a lot. They look like wood and I see that they are made ​​of cardboard. I love black. Nice photo of the couple. Barbie wears a very nice jacket. As always your work is perfect. Keep in touch

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    1. Hiya, Marta and thanks! I like that jacket too. It was from the first fashion pack I ever bought.

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  8. Great job Muff! I think I have enough patience to create a sofa using your park benches as a model. I love the fact they can store flat too!

    dbg

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    1. Thanks, DBG! The design could certainly be improved and you could premark some side panels before you cut your pattern out, but yeah, a sofa definitely can be made this way - a padded one even.

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  9. Hi Muff :) Those benches are superb. I like it. It's very good your job :)
    Greetings from Poland

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  10. Just two days ago I bought wome wood pieces to try your wooden bench, but this one is nice too, and easier to do! I definitely need more furniture, most of times I can't do dios because of that. Thanks for sharing your idea, I guess it can be applied to other types of furniture!

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    1. Hi, Rossetti! Yes, it is easier, but in the end I probably spent more time figuring out how to complete this than the wood bench, lol.

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  11. Thanks for sharing this accessory idea, Muff. I look forward to seeing your park scene. SuperCoolDollhouse took doll park photos. Robin's got a lovely snowy scene in one of her new stories.

    There was another collector who did jungle scenes, but I forgot that person's URL. Darn.

    Best luck and much joy with your project. I'll check back to see what you produce ;-D

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    1. Thanks for the compliment, Dana and for those cool links! My little park pales in comparison to those but I sure am enjoying it.

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    2. D7ana - Thanks for the links. I keep forgetting to read Roville's web regularly. Such great stories and dios there.

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    3. My pleasure, ladies. Love to share great blogs and sites ;-D

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  12. Your benches look great and very sturdy. They certainly don't look like they are made from cardboard once they are covered with tape. And with the shape you've given them, if you added side and back walls and a small roof, they would look like bus shelter seats (Australian ones, anyway).

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    1. Hi, Carrickters! We have a few bus shelters made like that in downtown areas. All the others are uncovered and you just get wet waiting on the bus I guess.

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  13. I look both outcomes keep up the good work!

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    1. Hiya, Mustiwait and thanks for stopping by!

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  14. I like both as well. I like your idea of trying the wooded contact paper. It will definitely give it more of an outdoor feel. I'm anxious to see the finished park. I know it will be awesome.

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    1. Vanessa, soon as I get my hands on some thinner compressed corrugated board I'm gonna be all on that. The thicker packing boxes just dont fold as neatly.

      The park, tiny though it is, is finished! I'll be posting pics in a little bit, but gotta feed my tummy first. Muff is hungry!

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