Playing in the Scrap Pile Again

Today, Marilyn, Louise and I managed to have a miniature get-together via Skype; we had tried on Wednesday, but something didn't work. I was very disappointed by that, let me tell you! Electronics and I just don't get along. However, the Carpenter-in-Chief decided to un-install and then re-install the Skype program, and everything went just peachy. We "played minis" together for more than 3 hours, each in our own work area.

The small item is a working pulley, from the scrap pile; a slice of dowel, a couple of small wood rounds, and a framework, along with a jewelry loop pin. The loop became the hanger, the remains of the pin the axle of the pulley. Why a pulley? Well, I saw a photo of a miniature one and thought it would be fun to try....

The pulley is lying in the bed of a garden barrow; I have no pattern for this, just a photo I am attempting to reproduce, by guess work. The bed is done, the wheel is in place, and it actually turns. It is made of two larger wood rounds glued together, with a cereal box "iron" tire, and a toothpick axle. The handles aren't fixed yet, I need everything else to really dry overnight, as I will have to spread the timbers holding the wheel and fit the whole to suit a scale figure. Once it fits, I can cut down the handles and shape them, and provide a stand for the barrow. Then it will all be painted in raw umber, with a top coat of whitewash, and the whole will then be rubbed down to make it look aged and shabby. It is intended to help move garden supplies in Boutique Pulchinella.