House No. 128: Little Red House

 

House No. 128: Little Red House

polymer clay and acrylic paint

.5 in. x 1 in. x .5 in.
128/365; 05/08/11


I like the simplicity of this tiny house and its wavy sides. It has a lot of spirit.

House No. 105: Dutch Colonial

House No. 105: Dutch Colonial

ink and watercolor pencil on repurposed card stock
2.5 in. x 1.75 in.
105/365; 04/15/11

I didn’t mean for my Dutch colonial revival house to look like it was on acid. It just happened. It's all dayglo and listing to one side, and I took a lot of liberties with the architecture because, hey, I can make it way more fun and also slightly cage-y looking.

I think that if I lived in a Dutch colonial revival house, I would feel trapped, though that barred appearance was really more of an accident than a statement. I have never been a fan of the style, and I am not entirely sure why I decided to draw it.

I think that I had Dutch things in my head because I was reading A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg, and she gives a recipe for Dutch Baby Pancakes, and I have sort of been obsessed with the thought. Although, I think that Dutch Babies are really German. I have had pannekoek when I was in the Netherlands, and those are also amazing. I think that I really need pancakes. Stat.

House No. 86: Brick Row House

House No. 86: Brick Row House
repurposed box, cardstock, ink, glue
7.5 in. x 4.5 in. x 2.5 in.
086/365; 03/27/11

This little Georgian Revival row house is completely repurposed. The upcycled red paper-covered box had held stationary or soap, I can't remember which, and the paper is all from sample books from paper vendors and printers. The red just happened to nearly match that of the box, even. What luck!

I really enjoyed making this house. I especially loved drawing the mortar lines delineating the bricks and assembling the architectural details. I like that the house is useful, too, though I am not sure what one would use it for. I feel like it needs to have a tableau in it rather than being used for storage. I will have to revisit it.

House No. 85: Nut House

House No. 85: Nut House
walnut shell, polymer clay, glue, paper, ink, acrylic paint
1.5 in. x 2 in. x 1.5 in.
085/365; 03/26/11

Welcome to the nut house. 

The werepanda was my photographer for this house. He said the bee in the last photo was necessary to show scale.

I think that the fact that the house is a walnut is pretty indicative, but the werepanda argues that the walnut could be freakishly huge. Well, the bee could be africanized and also freakishly huge, but it's not. It's a deceased honey bee from our hive, and it's a pretty standard three-stripe Italian hybrid.

House No. 84: Tomte Hüs

House No. 84: Tomte Hüs*

card stock and glue

10 in. x 10 in.

084/365; 03/25/11

I continue to be inspired by Scandinavian design this week. Behold, a little box! Another container for holding goodies!  The door opens for filling and emptying. Or for entry for a wee gnome (in Swedish, tomte).

I think that this house would be a sweet party favor. A village of these would make an adorable count-down calendar for your favorite holiday. Please send me photos if you try out the template!

I plan on revisiting this house in fabric as well. How cute would this be with a button closure on the door? When I do, I'll post a pattern for you.

*Yes, the umlaut is superfluous. I can't help myself. Maybe it's exposure to eighties hair bands. I also have the urge to give this house a first name.

House No. 34: House of the Rabbit

House No. 34: House of the Rabbit
drawing in the style of a Chinese papercut
6 in. x 4.5 in.
034/365; 02/03/11, Chinese New Year

Kung hei fat choi!

House No. 15: Easy Bake House

House No. 15: Easy Bake House

repurposed chipboard, packing tape

4 in. x 3 in. x 2.5 in.
015/365; 01/15/11

Today, when cleaning out a closet in an old house, I found two boxes of Easy Bake frosting from the eighties and made this house out of them. In essence, Easy Bake ovens are the training toys for homemaking, modern day little girl hearths.

It's funny to think that these boxes are from the time when I was coveting them. Though I had always wanted an Easy Bake oven, I never had one as a child, but as an adult I have a couple antique ones. People have differing views of the gender role-playing that homemaking toys encourage. What are yours?

House No. 14: Pizza House

House No. 14: Pizza House

pizza and broccoli
approx. 9 in. x 9 in.
014/365; 01/14/11

It seems that I am on a food-house kick. I made today's house while having dinner with my hub and his mom, Carol, and we all got involved. The broccoli foliage was Carol's idea.