Sunday, June 02, 2019

A Summer Day - A Modern Urban Patio Scene with miniatures.com





Welcome to summer!  Working with Hobby Builders Supply (HBS) and miniatures.com, I was asked to put together a summer scene using an assortment of products from miniatures.com.  Given the lack of sunshine in my area at present, how could I say no to the prospect of making some mini summer sunshine?!

I didn't have a modern urban patio backdrop available, so I decided to start from scratch.  I made my own tile flooring and lay it in a herringbone pattern.  I then made concrete walls using wall spackle and paint.  And no summer is complete without a pool, so I made one of those too!  I will post in the near future about how I built this set.

I hope this inspires you to see what just a few items can look like if you want to make your own outdoor scene.  I made just a few modifications (paint, scissors and glue!) and created a few items to round out the scene.






If you're in the mood for even more summer outdoor fun, visit Kristine at Paper Doll Miniatures, who is also working with miniatures.com.  Her stunning Backyard Patio Retreat is gorgeous and a inspirational.  We've both had a long, cold, snowy winter, so making our summer retreats has been a lot of fun.



The Lounger


I can imagine a movie star lounging high above the city on this Wicker Lounger away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi.  The "Rattan" Table/Stool would be the ideal place for a wine spritzer (gotta watch the carbs!).

I sewed the linen pillows and the towels are made from baby wash clothes.

Behold the beautiful hedge!  I was so impressed with the "Squeeze Me" Evergreen Hedge 3" x 24" that I built a concrete-effect planter box and a trellis set to showcase it.  It provides lots of privacy.  And yes, since its foam based you can squeeze it kind of like a stress ball!













The Dining Table


The 5 pc Wicker High-Top Dining Set looks and feels like wicker, though its resin.  I went and added some linen cushions to make it softer to sit on.





No table awaiting a BBQ is without condiments!  I took elements from several miniatures.com sets and set my table (see the shopping list below).






The Fireplace


I know you've all seen the fireplace before!  I posted about how I transformed the plain MDF Outdoor Brick Fireplace into a painted brick and concrete beauty.  If you jump over to my Instagram page you can check out the flickering fire video using Battery Operated Flickering Fireplace LED Set.  

Sitting on the ledge of the fireplace are the packaged "Supermarket" Steaks waiting to go onto the Charcoal Grill and its "Start the Grill!" Set.  On the other side is the White Floral Watering Can that I painted gloss black.









The Bar


It ain't a party unless you have chilled drinks for all of your guests!  The bar features the Modern Ice Bucket and the Classic Cocktail Shaker.  Chilling, is some milk for the kids and some soda for the adults.

I added my own touches with the planters, the bar and the art.






The Landscape


I took one of the 6" Large Evergreen Tree and trimmed it!  Yup, just shaved it down with some scissors to make it a bit more narrow.  The great thing about these foam based trees and shrubs is that its green all the way through, so trimming doesn't result in bare, non-green spots!





I used some of the Autumn Foliage Mat to make the little yellow/orange flowers peeking out in my pot.  The mat can be used as a good sized sheet or cut down to meet your needs.









The pool is no more then 4mm of Magic Water.  I simply painted the base of the pool blue and poured 2 coats of Magic Water over top.  The result is a glossy water-like finish.






There you have it!  A fun, modern urban patio scene perched high above the city.  I'm thankful for the opportunity to work with Hobby Builders Supply and miniatures.com to place some of their beautiful pieces in my mini scenes and make them shine.  And if modern isn't your thing, they have lots of more traditional options for your patio or porch.









Your miniatures.com Shopping List



Patio Items





Landscape





Accessories





This post received support from Hobby Builders Supply and miniatures.com



13 comments :

  1. Simply Marvellous Kat! :D
    Your backyard scene has Everything an urban family would enjoy on a sunny summer's day. Your garden is private, with a Killer View of the downtown core and the enclosure is well organized and very relaxing.
    The outdoor fireplace and the wet bar, are just what the doctor ordered. Your guests can sit around the table as their food is cooking, swapping stories and sharing office antidotes, whilst still keeping a close eye on any kids in the pool.
    And I LOVE the pool with the swan inflatable, and l enjoyed learning how you've installed the water - Beautiful results!
    Each item including the brickwork and all of your paint finishes, is Spot On and immediately tells the story of a weekend BBQ with friends, which no doubt will continue long into the wee hours well after the sun has gone down!

    elizabeth

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  2. It really takes vision to take items from a catalog and put them together in such an inviting way. Beautiful job!

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    1. Thank you so much Sherrill! It was really nerve wracking having to pick these items out and highlight them rather sight unseen. I was thrilled they looked amazing when they arrived and made it easy to work with.

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  3. I love how it looks. I just want to dive in the pool and then relax on the lounger with a drink.

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  4. Sooo many things to love!! That concrete is just so impressive and life like. You always bring such style to your scenes with accessories and textiles and this patio is no exception. I think your choice of accessories is spot on and really makes the place seem lived in. The bar is a modern piece of art, what a standout! Amazing Kat!

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    1. Thanks Kristine! Side note, the art is actually birthday cards I got this year!! I immediately saw the mini potential in them

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  5. This is such an incredibly fun and inspiring scene, Kat, and the photographs are delightful! Results like this are why so many of us chase minis with all our hearts - in the hopes of creating something so amazing! I love all the brick work and the finishes, and as is ever your signature, the design is impeccable! Awesome job, and HBS should keep you on the payroll as a staff designer! So inspiring!

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  6. Wow! The patio and fireplace look absolutely incredible!! And I love seeing the terrific way you styled all these minis. I've been on the fence about trying to add water to a scene I am working on, I think I'll give the Magic Water a try after seeing this!

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    1. Thank you kindly Amber! The water is so much fun to work with too, endless items are floating through my head now.

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  7. Your miniatures are simply unique in every way lol I fall in love with it thanks for sharing I just learnt that miniature stuff has been going on from way back in the early 1800 and I never knew about it until now i just started making miniature stuff in 2016 and let me tell you its a lot of fun doing it and when you see the finish making it you can't believe that you just made that lol any way please check out my new video
    http://youtu.clickable.cards/73IRx

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