DIY project number 12 started immediately upon the completion of DIY project number 11. And it has been slow, very slow. There were things to do in the office, and I was busy. As such, there wasn’t much time to devote to number 12.
The week before Chinese New Year, we were working late every day. I didn’t even have time to cook, what more to work on my miniature project?
Nonetheless, it is not a race to complete project number 12 but a time-filler to pass the time.
I did not know what to expect from DIY project number 11 as it was different from all the others that I have completed. The set was smaller, and the materials different. Although I had a good momentum working on it in the early stages, it got stalled because I veered off to do gardening.
Eventually, I completed the set in under two weeks, an achievement of sorts given the circumstances. Towards the end, I customized a lot of things, deviating from what the box showed.
The thing that I am most proud of is the little BBQ grill pit. I gave it a more sturdy set of legs, a handle to hang the tongs, and a side tray. To add more realism, I added two fat chorizos and a baked potato on the grill! It was fun working on this piece.
Other items that had makeovers were the chair, table, and kettle. The chair was accidental because I cut the wrong wires to make the legs. As I did not want to waste the material, I improvised the chair. So it ended up looking like this instead.
I changed the table shape and material from the original, and this worked out well. I even changed the items on it, replacing the lantern with a tall glass of lemonade. The kettle had a minor change in the materials used.
In the end, I simplified the roof rack and put all the bags on there, and I chose not to install the lights in the camper van because I did not think it was necessary. So far, all the other completed DIY sets sitting in the Ikea display cabinet have yet to see any lighting action.
I also did not install the plastic pieces on all the window panes and added hinges on the door. Having learned from my first DIY project number one, the bungalow, I decided to leave the plastic out. I had all the itty-bitties done up so painstakingly, only to have transparent plastic block a clear view of them when I tried to photograph the insides of the bungalow. So this time, the camper van interior is photographed better.
I felt putting hinges on the door was a good idea to open and close the door instead of having the door stuck in one position. It’s fun to play with this!
Overall, I am happy with the outcome of DIY project number 11. And with its completion, project number 12 is next to work on!
Last weekend I was very tired mentally. I didn’t have the energy to do anything. In fact, I didn’t want to do anything. Is cabin fever getting to me?
This round of lockdown is getting to me despite coming to an end by Thursday. But will the MCO be lifted come 4 February? We will find out soon.
The garden is almost complete with the landscaping effort, and project number eleven is at the tail-end. I needed a distraction to snap out of this negative mindset. So I created a distraction for myself by stacking stones collected from the garden.
The stones were left aside at the moment because of our efforts to redo the garden. And I was honestly having fun with them.
It was a good distraction as I discovered the act of stacking stones is similar to life. You have to find the right balance for things to work. It was an enlightening moment.
I guess my balance was off, hence, the unhealthy predicament. I am much better now, thank goodness.
DIY project number 11 started right after number ten was completed. This set is very different from the others that I have done. It is a camper van! A very cute one too.
The set is also different in terms of materials used. Typically, the DIY projects that I have worked on use wood, fabrics, wires, and paper. This one combines the usual and cardboard! The cardboard comes in two variations – an 800 gm (or thereabouts) white-based board and a 300 gm brown-based cardboard. Interesting.
So far, the project is coming along well. I decided to customize this set too. The main thing that received a makeover is the color of the van. The original pink color is now a turquoise blue. I think it looks fab. I am sure I will change a few more things along the way.
But the wiring work. Oh my goodness! So intricate and looks dreadful. I hope I can overcome this trepidation and get it right. We shall see.
I have been busy during this second MCO phase. I have been gardening! Unbelievable. For someone who does not even venture out into the garden, this is an improvement.
Seriously, the weather the last few days have been beautiful. Cloudy without a hint of sun, it is the perfect weather for golf. But alas, with the MCO in place, golf is a no-no. So hubby and I kept busy diversifying our daily activities. Instead of sitting at my little work station working on my DIY sets or him in the kitchen, baking, both of us have been outdoors.
First, we washed the moldy wall in the back garden. Then we relandscaped the front lawn, planting new grass and getting rid of old plants. Then came the big task – excavating the leftover roots of the red palm tree.
Several weeks ago, hubby asked the gardener to remove the old red palms. But he did not do a good job. After chopping down the tree, he left the buried roots still buried. And then, MCO hit and hired hands are not allowed to come into our guarded community.
As we have been working on our garden, hubby wanted to plant something in that particular spot. But with the roots still in there, this is not possible. So we found ourselves doing the excavating task. I felt as though I was either digging for gold or excavating a fossil.
For several days, we took turns hacking at the blob. The rotation was in between the landscaping and wall washing chores. Eventually, the massive root blob was reduced to a manageable size and removed. Now, this is just one of three! There are two more blobs to remove. And with the MCO until 4 February, I am sure we can get the job done.
At the end of the task, both of us will have a super strong hacking swing and skills!
Last week, DIY project number ten was somewhat complete. But one cannot tell the difference if I did not say anything. In terms of decoration, I left some accessories out, and I did not glue everything down.
I like the idea of moving the furniture pieces around. There’s interaction involved rather than merely admiring the craftsmanship. I also did not complete a couple of canvases because I wanted to customize using my painting and art collection instead of the art pieces provided.
However, with the MCO in place, customizing was out of the question. There was insufficient time to print (at the office) the pictures that I wanted to include as the home printer ran out of ink. That’s why I left the canvases blank. Well, when the opportunity presents itself, I will complete this final step.
Soon after I finished the set, I started on project number 11 the next day. And two days later, the latest online DIY purchases arrived! With so many DIY projects waiting for me, being restricted under the MCO is not that bad after all.
Before I could finish DIY project number ten, I had a sudden itch to acquire more DIY sets. The stash of three unopened sets does not seem enough for me!
So what did I buy from my favorite online site? Well, I bought not one but two sets this time – an Oriental restaurant and a bookstore.
I certainly enjoy working on these types of DIY sets more compared to bedroom studios or house sets because there are fewer fabrics to deal with. Fabrics are not so fun to handle, at least for me.
Both parcels arrived yesterday, and I’m giddy again. So many sets to work on!
It’s coming to a week already that we are under lockdown in the MCO 2.0 phase. I must say this time we are better prepared. There was no panic-buying for grocery on our part because it feels normal, like what we have been going through. The only difference being no golf outing and no need to be in the office.
We have been good staying home this time because there are things to keep us busy. Hubby baked while I worked on my DIY project. There is also much to catch up on as far as house chores are concerned. I even washed all my golf shoes to the point of removing all the laces to bleach them white.
Before this latest MCO, I did not have time to clean my golf shoes. I just rotated them because I was playing so much. Now, with this two-week break, the shoes are getting a makeover. Other than this effort, I am, of course, working on DIY project number ten. It’s coming along swell. I reckon I can complete it before the end of the week! Yay.
We were all expecting it, another lockdown. True enough, on Monday, the announcement came that MCO (Movement Control Order) 2.0 will be enforced from January 13 to 16, 2021. However, not the whole nation will be under MCO, only states with a high number of positive Covid cases. And where I live, we are affected, and thus, we have to follow the MCO rules. States that are faring better will be under either the CMCO or RMCO phases.
This lockdown is inevitable as the public healthcare sector cannot cope already with the surge of positive cases in four-digits for several days now. During this MCO phase, SOPs are more strict going out and being out in public areas. If possible, don’t go out.
So for the next two weeks, golf outings are out of the question. Maybe this is for the best. I can rest and focus on DIY project number ten that has stalled.
Design work in the office picked up a little during the last two weeks. As such, I couldn’t devote too much of my time to my whimsical project because I was tired-out when I got home. But now, with this forced break and no golf, I can focus on it. Perhaps I can complete DIY project number ten before the two weeks are up? We shall see.
With the dawn of the new year, DIY project number ten kicked in. It’s been 11 days already that I have been working on it, albeit slowly. After the big disappointment of project number nine, this was a welcome change. I am taking my time on this project because I want to customize certain things.
I learned from my Facebook DIY group about customizing miniatures. These die-hard fans changed colors, materials, and props in all the projects that they did. Spurred by their creativity, I experimented on project number eight. But it was only a color change on the wall, nothing too elaborate or drastic. That was as far as I went, and no other changes or additions in terms of materials and props.
So this time, I want to push further to see how much I can customize. We shall see as I progress along for DIY project number ten!
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