Sunday, March 9, 2014

MISTER ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD TELEVISION HOUSE MINIATURE

THE MR ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD MINIATURE LIVING ROOM SET

  Thank you so much for checking out my Mr Rogers Miniature living room set!
This includes the living room and also part of the front porch! 
I created this model from scratch, including furniture, plants, carpets, etc. 



No blueprints...just hours of research and picture viewing. I also custom made the fabric for the couch and curtains. 
I tried to keep it as `TV Studio`As I could, including the quality of the lighting. 
The colors and fabrics are all authentic to the original.   
I made all the furniture from balsa wood and hardboard depending on the situation.
The fabrics are all fabrics and most of the furniture is functional as it would be in person.
I had to custom make these posts to match the original.
Even the 1960s wall pannelling
I had to custom make the fabric by hand.
I used brass jewelery rings for the curtains and custon made the brackets.
The doors are custom made, as well as the hardware.
This is made from plastic for durability
The coat closet is stocked with custom sweaters and boxes as seen in the series.
The sweaters are made from fabric and string, wrapped around a form so it was the right scale and hung correctly.
The vintage 60s hangers are hand made.
The boxes are made from vintage 60s cards for the right colors.
I used the same fabric for the curtains and the footstool
The trolley and window seat were the hardest to figure out...
...but I got it eventually.
The trolley was the smallest and most complicated thing Ive ever made and I am so happy with how it turned out!!
The track is made from thread sized copper wire.
It is not functional but the trolley is removable and holding it is magical.
The pillows are hand sewn and stuffed. The padding is also fabric but painted the custom blue color it is. The trolley controls are made from beads and metal jewelery bits.
The side cabinet is balsa wood and stained. The knobs are pin heads.
The plant is custom made from wire and paper and paint.
The books are scratch built as well as the video cassette and film reel tins to put into Picture Picture's magic player! (hole in wall)
"Picture Picture" was pretty diffucult to construct due to its recessed image. The original picture picture was a projector screen which had slides to change the image.
I printed a peice of art, covered it in a translucent film and then lit it from the rear with a reading light for the projected effect!!
The bricks on the planter are one of the only pre fab items in the model. It was also one of the most difficult things to paint to match the original. The plants are custom made from wire and paper and paint. The phone is carved from wood and the cord is twisted thread wire.
The stoplight is scratch built and the lighting was done with dollhouse lights and batteries.
The couch is a replica of the Simmons 1965 "Wood-Winged" Hide-a-bed. I was very lucky to find an old ad that showcased this very one since it is RARELY seen on the show.
The fabric was hand painted with professional markers to match the original pattern. 
This is the first couch I have ever upholstered in any size....it was very difficult.
The cushions come off of the couch to make a couch fort!!

The buttons are mini scrapbooking tacks. Sometimes wandering every isle of a craft store is useful as a miniatuist.....
This coblers bench is hand made and the drawers are operational.
The carpet is made from white kite string glued to a base and painted to match the orignal
The set is made to look like the original TV set, including the floor and wall flats.


THANKS FOR CHECKING THIS OUT!
If you wanna see the "Behind the Scenes" making of this miniature, click here:

MAKING OF MR ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD MINIATURE


17 comments:

Carmen said...

Lance,

This is awesome! I grew up watching Mr. Rogers too (early 70s). The Neighborhood of Make Believe inspired me so much that I tried to recreate in my bedroom using cereal boxes. My mother was forbidden to throw out any "good cardboard." Your miniature scale of Mr. Rogers' house is really detailed. I can't believe it only took you 4 weeks. Great job! :-)

Carmen

Steven Hall said...

At the CBC in Toronto they have (had) the "Friendly Giant" set on display complete with the model furniture he used in the closing sequence.

It would be fun to have a miniature Friendly set with miniature miniature furniture.

Steven Hall
--
cnc@ecuad.ca

LANCE CARDINAL said...

Hey Steven, I was just thinking about you! I am actually going to do Mr.Dressup next I think, then maybe Polka dot door.But miniature miniatures....AHHHH!!!!!

Lance Cardinal said...

Thanks so much for the kind words:) I still keep all my grocery boxes. Cereal boxes still rule but TASSIMO has great white cardboard boxes it comes in...my new fav! ( and I drink a lot of coffee)

Jenn's Yarn Addiction said...

This is so fantastic Lance, CONGRATS on completing it - it looks amazing! I can see how it's truly a labour of love, with your attention to detail to every single piece. Well done!!!

LANCE CARDINAL said...

Thanks Jenn :) XOXOXO

Anonymous said...

This is amazing!!! You should also build the kitchen and the Neighborhood of Make Believe!

Anonymous said...

This is so good!!! To be complete, you should build the kitchen

Anonymous said...

Lance,
Your ingenuity is awesome!!! It is an exact replica and it brings back so many fond memories! Thanks for your sharing your talent with the rest of us!

Child of the 60s :-)

Anonymous said...

This is awesome! You should add on the kitchen and you should also do the Neighborhood of Make Believe!

b said...

Absolutely and truly amazing.

Anonymous said...

Lance, This is Craig Picnot from New Orleans, Louisiana. This is awesome.

Anonymous said...

What a marvelous creation. Thanks for sharing!!!

jess said...

I was looking for the art that is on the walls in mr. rogers house and found your blog. This is amazing! I cant even decide which is the most amazing, the plants, the trolley!!, that couch, the cobbler table! its all amazing.

Anonymous said...

Have you ever heard of Frances Glessner Lee?

Michael Leddy said...

Uncanny and beautiful!

Rob said...

This is such a beautifully-crafted piece of work! Thank you for sharing it, and for taking us behind the scenes as well.