| Author | Content |
melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
 December 23, 2008
11:59 PM Post #5923843
| Well, it was a year late due to the untimely auto accident that sidelined me, but the Oz toybox is finished in time for this Christmas.
For those who don't know, there were 14 Oz books by L Frank Baum, written at the beginning of the 20th century. The illustrations are by John R Neil. This is the Oz of my childhood...the Judy Garland movie, while it was nice, is not 'my' Oz.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
December 24, 2008
12:00 AM Post #5923847
| My sister's little girl will get the box this year. It was supposed to be for her 1st Christmas and the books given to her by her cousin, who has now graduated to other reading material. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
December 24, 2008
12:04 AM Post #5923856
| My other niece also has a box...which is put away for safe keeping.
This is the Gnome King. He's Dorothy's only 'villain' and she's always trying to get him to reform and be nice. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
December 24, 2008
12:07 AM Post #5923866
| Jack Pumpkinhead and the Sawhorse 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
December 24, 2008
12:14 AM Post #5923883
| Here is the top with the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Ozma, Dorothy, Glenda and the Cowardly Lion
Ozma is the girl ruler of Oz and was discovered and rescued by the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman in one of the books.
I hope you enjoy the images, they were a joy to do. The box is ash. I put a light cherry stain on it. The characters were painted on with very thin acrylic. It was more of a wash that soaked in. the woodgrain shows through for a vintage look. I sprayed a couple of coats of a semi gloss poly urethane over it all and gave it a light go-over with some extra fine steel wool.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Sharran
Calvert City, KY
(Zone 6b)
December 24, 2008
12:45 AM Post #5923975
| Perfect, Melody...a perfect labor of love.
(I have been afraid to ask if it was done yet!!)
Congrats you did a great job. |
GrammysGardenAZ
Cochise, AZ
(Zone 8b)
December 24, 2008
12:48 AM Post #5923986
| What a neat treasure you have made! Your niece will treasure it and so will her children! |
ge1836
Pittsford, NY
(Zone 6a)
December 24, 2008
06:38 AM Post #5924225
| Very nice job.She'll love it. |
Kathleen
Panama, NY
(Zone 5a)
December 24, 2008
07:26 AM Post #5924264
| Gorgeous! (Sharon, o ye of little faith LOL!) |
justmeLisa
Brewers, KY
(Zone 6b)
December 24, 2008
09:40 AM Post #5924438
| It is gorgeous! I was fortunate enough to see it in person. Beautiful job Mel..! |
melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
December 24, 2008
09:57 AM Post #5924472
| The characters have been done about a week. I was waiting for the urethane to dry completely before taking the steel wool to it...and last night, we put it together.
Whew! I decided that everything else that wasn't a matter of life and death could wait.
This is more for my sister than Audrey...Audrey won't care (she's 18 months old) |
Zanymuse
Scotia, CA
(Zone 9b)
December 24, 2008
03:00 PM Post #5925349
| I love the box. The old illustrations have such a delightful charm to them and you reproduced them wonderfully. |
Trish
Jacksonville, TX
(Zone 8b)
December 24, 2008
03:51 PM Post #5925458
| That's incredible, Mel!!!
Good job!! She'll be thrilled when she's older- what an heirloom! |
melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
December 24, 2008
03:57 PM Post #5925468
| The stories are quite unique for the time. The little girls are spunky, resourceful and brave. The majority of the books were written before women got the right to vote.
Kindness and truth are the themes that run through the whole series...and acceptance of others who may not look like everyone else. Very visionary. |
melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
December 24, 2008
04:18 PM Post #5925515
| Tic-Tok the machine man and Billena the yellow hen are on the front, as well as the Hungry Tiger. He's a pal of the cowardly lion and has a 'conscience' so although he is always hungry and contemplating on what someone would taste like, his conscience makes him quite loveable. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Dea
Frederick, MD
(Zone 6a)
December 24, 2008
04:20 PM Post #5925523
| Fine, fine work Mel - it's amazing. She'll treasure this box :)
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YoYo1
Paducah, KY
December 25, 2008
02:42 AM Post #5926586
| The box in reality is quite wonderful. I know it will be a joy for Audrey in
years to come. A doting grandmother -- Yo Yo 1 |
gardenwife
Newark, OH
(Zone 5b)
December 26, 2008
08:46 PM Post #5931065
| Oh, Mel...Talk about an heirloom! That is beautiful! |
Jazzpunkin
Springfield, OH
(Zone 5b)
December 26, 2008
11:21 PM Post #5931547
| Awesome! I have those books too, What great memories! Hee hee don't want Billena getting too close to the gnome king |
melody
Benton, KY
(Zone 7a)
December 29, 2008
04:28 PM Post #5940548
| Are yours the 'white covers' from the 60's? That's what ours are...(well, they're not extremely white anymore..) and yes, after I had everything painted and urethaned, I regretted not putting Billena on the Gnome King's panel. It would have been a nice tribute to her.
Audrey likes the fact that the lid opens and closes...the characters took a back seat once she discovered that. |
Jazzpunkin
Springfield, OH
(Zone 5b)
December 29, 2008
11:12 PM Post #5942128
| Yes it's the set with the white covers. I have reread them many times |
roadrunner
Hereford, AZ
(Zone 8a)
January 05, 2009
10:33 PM Post #5971464
| Melody...another great piece of art work you have managed to amaze me with. Jo |
