Well, progress has slowed somewhat, but that's to be expected, especially since I'm using popsickle sticks for tongue-and-groove siding . . . which means I have to cut off the ends. My hand aches, my back aches and I'm just about up-to-here with popsickle sticks. I will, however, perservere as I like the way it's turning out.
I cut two windows out on the sides to match up with the sides of the original house. They won't exactly match all the other windows on the house,
Today is Monday and it's cleaning and laundry day . . . blah, blah, blah! I got most everything done except for washing the floors, that can wait until tomorrow! I have a doll house screaming up at me from the dungeon!
I spent about an hour this afternoon figuring out the first bash. I figure this house is going to get at least 3 or 4 of them. I'll figure them out as I go. Scary . . . very scary!
This first bash involves creating a door from the tower that steps
I woke up Sunday morning determined that this was going to be the day that I started on the Rutherford. I climbed out of bed in anticipation of what was to come. I let out the dogs, woke the birds, fed the birds, played with the birds, preened Bijou and ate breakfast. Pretty much a normal morning around here! LOL!! Once everyone was ready for private time and with everyone situated, I headed down to the basement eagerly. There she was waiting for me . . . it's about bloody well time, she said! &
Well, this is the first entry for what I'm sure will be a long, long blog. I set up the basement on the weekend and am preparing to start building Villa Villekula (aka the Rutherford) in which Pippi and her gang will live in. Pippi herself should be arriving, I'm hoping, in May or June so she'll have to camp out at either Pennethorne Manor or Madame Riaboushka's for awhile. I don't think the mice have any room for her as they're cramped as it is. They would not be amused! I highly doubt Hyacinth
Thumper is all set to go out into the big wide world! Her Heidi Ott travel trunk arrived the other day and we've packed it full with some of her favorite things: her blankie, her favorite book (The Secret Garden), her carrot, chocolate bars, and of course her passport and boarding passes. We're going to the bank this week to get her some spending money too!
She will be heading out on Monday, September 17th to Steve's in Pennsylvania. Steve will do his magic and then send her
The wicker bedroom furniture arrived yesterday! Wendy did an awesome job . . . it's just beautiful!
Okay, so now I have to finish the mouldings and start acquiring accessories!
Today, however, I'm getting that paperclay done if it kills me!
As of April 7th the shingling is done! Yippee!! I was going to have Brian shingle the top of the roof as well, but we decided it would be better to paperclay it and give it an old asphalt/tar kind of look. So that's what I'll do. I'm also going to paperclay the chimney and foundation. Should have that done by the end of the week.
Front of house
Side
Back edges too!
I also finished wallpapering Mada
Ever have one of those days when everything is going just great . . . the priming went quicker than anticipated, the lighting went it smoothly, the wallpaper went in fairly easily and quickly . . . and then it happens . . . you run out of wallpaper!! Ughhhhhhh!!
Well, the wallpaper is on order and should be here this week . . . and then I can get the room done. I put the upholstry fabric in that I was planning to use as carpeting, but I'm not sure I like it for this room. I may
Well, not much progress has been made since my last entry . . . except for some furniture for the kitchen and parlor! I just love Reutter Porzellan and was so excited to get the kitchen cabinet vignette. It's a little long for the wall, but I'll solve that by putting in a smaller door.
Today I decided to work on getting Madame's boudoir done. So far I've got the priming done! Once it dries I'll put in the ceiling panel, lighting and wallpaper. Then I'll carpet the floor and
Well, shingling and paperclaying are on hold . . . Brian tried to shingle with the vinyl slate tiles I bought, but we both hated them . . . that and they kept sliding off! So, I've ordered some cedar hexagon shaped shingles. Once they get here Brian will get the shingling done, I can paperclay the foundation and the exterior will be a done deal! Finally!!
So, while I'm waiting for shingles I decided to move on back into the interior. Today I finished Madame Riaboushka's Ballet S
Today I finished the right side of the house. All the siding, painting and trim are done! The exterior is pretty much done except for the brackets and the front door. Brian is going to shingle on the weekend and then I can paperclay the foundation. I'm anxious to get it all done because I want to move back to the interior!
This is the finished dormer window.
The siding is complete.
All done! You'll notice I added an extra wi
This one's for you Roni!
Making a window box is relatively easy. You cut out rectangles in various sizes and glue them together!
I start with a piece of 1/8" balsa or bass wood (usually whichever one is lying on my table at the time). I start by cutting out all the pieces I'm going to need for a window box. You need three pieces that are 3/4" wide by however long you want the window box to be. The window boxes that I'm making here measure 3/4" x 6" and I've cut out
Progress has been slow but steady. Siding is very time consuming, but so worth the effort! I started on the front of the house under the porch. Painted it and added the door casing and French door. Then I moved above the porch adding the siding, painting it, and then adding the window trim and balcony. It's turning out pretty nice. Kinda reminds me of a chocolate mint!
Work in progress!
As you can see . . . I am going to singlehandedly keep the masking tape c
I received the rest of the flooring for the ballet studio in the Willowcrest and just yesterday, I put it together. It is finished! It was a lot of fun fitting all the pieces together, just like a jigsaw puzzle. I have varnished it and it is drying in the basement. I'll show you the finished floor once it's installed in the room.
Here I'm installing the first of the floor tiles.
Working my way around . . .
Finished .
This floor was very intimidating sitting in its little plastic case, but in the end it wasn't difficult and it was a lot of fun watching it come together. Just follow the instructions and presto, in about 30 - 45 minutes you have a parquet floor!
I started by cutting a piece of cardstock to the size of my room and finding the center point. Then I started with the first four pieces.
Then came the largest of the sunburst sections.
I've been doing little bits here and there, but took the whole of last Friday to spend working on my Willowcrest. I made quite a lot of progress!
I finished carpeting the staircase and installed it.
Then I installed the right wall and kitchen bump out.
After that was done I was able to move up to the roof. I installed the main roof cornices and the barrel vault at the front sides and the mansard roof supports. Then I installed
While I was waiting for my wallpaper and electrical supplies to arrive I decided it was time to bite the bullet and prime the interior. It's like cleaning bathrooms . . . once you start it really isn't quite so bad!
Finally, my supplies have arrived and I can proceed!
I started by running my tape wire and inserting all of my lighting. Once that was done and working, I sautered my connections.
After the adrenaline rush of
I've been working steadily on the Willowcrest for several days now, but am at the point where I NEED the lighting and wallpaper. In the meantime, I'm painting and staining trim . . . it needs to be done sooner or later anyway! I also need to get some primer on the walls. I've already papered the ceilings with textured anaglypta paper. I'm deciding whether or not to paint it though.
I've finished the main staircase. I'm going to paint some kind of mural on the white parts (Br
I received my 'Willowcrest' on November 4, 2005. For you enquiring minds . . . that's just over a year ago . . . my how time flies! I ordered it from 'Tracy' and was I ever excited when the box came!
Today I cleared away space in the kitchen . . . that's where I like to work because the sun comes in so nicely through the windows. I was going to work in the basement and save myself clean up every night, but this is going to be a very long process, so who wants to be
~December 25, 2006~
After two full days of working on the micro BH . . . it's finished! I admit I was very apprehensive about building this house, but in the end it was fun and well worth the effort.
The hardest part of the whole project was painting and gluing all the teeny tiny pieces . . . thank goodness for tweezers and instructions!
I started by gluing together the interior walls and painting the walls and floors. I'm SO glad I did this because there
~Friday, December 15, 2006~
Well, today I pulled out my little treasure thinking how easy and quick it was going to be to build this pretty little house. However, it has turned out to be a much larger project than I imagined. What were they thinking when they made these teeny tiny kits? And why did they not include a pair of tweezers? (and why do we call them a PAIR of tweezers anyway?)
As you can see, this house has driven me to the edge of insanity! While there,
Today I spent about 8 hours in total working on the house . . . and guess what? It's finished! Yep, you read it right . . . it's finished!! :whistle:
I started today by putting the porch, porch roof, rails and post trim on.
I then put the gable together and attached it to the house above the porch.
I was then ready for some REAL excitement, so I went ahead and added all the gingerbread trim. It took me forever to get all the pieces punch
Well, as you all know I won this house during 'Greenleaf's Halloween Madness' month. I was going to wait awhile to build it because I suffered burn-out finishing up 'Hyacinth's', the BH conservatory addition and renovations and of course, Mother Goose's Cottage. However, as with most things in life . . . some things just can't wait!!
I received the house last Friday (October 20th) and one week later, here I am in the midst of building. I have to tell you, I LOVE the stuff this
I thought I would blog how I made my mini-towels because it was so simple and will save you a ton of money if you're so inclined! :angry:
I started with a Microfiber cloth that I bought at WalMart for $1. You can use whatever fabric you like as long as it is thin enough so that your towel will lay relatively flat. For example you can use felt or muslin.
I then cut the cloth into strips measuring 70 X 130 cm for the bath towels and 50 X 70 cm for the h
