dollhouse — Page 116

A Mini Re-do and a Garden Surprise

October 25, 2011 at 10:07 am by Claudia

The unfinished cabinet in the above photo has undergone a transformation. It now looks like this:

I would like a real-sized one for my home. This transformation, of course, is much easier and much less time consuming.

Just as in real life, I had to move the furniture around for my photo shoot. And yes, I did a little staging. I originally had many more pieces of pottery on the shelves, but as any good stager would, I pared back so that you could see the wallpaper that covers the area behind the shelves. It’s the same pattern I used in the room.

I love it.

Is there just too much blue in the house? I can’t help it. I’m so drawn to those colors. Case in point: look at my header. I’ll try my best to mix it up in other parts of the house.

A dash of garden surprise:

I’ve been discovering these little patches of impatiens in our little patio area where we have them planted in big barrels. They’ve reseeded. That’s never happened before. How lovely to come across this little autumn surprise.

I hope the first frost holds off for a few weeks.

Changing, Playing & Cleaning Up

October 24, 2011 at 10:42 am by Claudia

Doesn’t Fall seem to be a time for nesting? For changing things around, cleaning things up? My theory is that memories of “back-to-school-new-shoes-new-notebooks-and-pencils” are bred in our bones and once that cooler air hits, we want to renew and start fresh. That, and a need to nest in preparation for the coming Winter.

I’m definitely feeling it. Unfortunately, I’m not feeling it for the cottage. I’m feeling it for the dollhouse and this blog.

The blog has changed a bit lately, as you no doubt have noticed. A new header, a new background and now… a new font. Like an idiot, I stayed up until the wee hours last night because I suddenly got the urge to play with fonts. Lately, I’ve been wanting a cleaner, fresher looking blog and all these changes are being made with that in mind. Brenda will be happy – she had trouble reading the Papyrus font I’ve been using. We good-naturedly (spell check doesn’t like my word choice) argued about it. What do you think? Is this new font clear enough for you?

While Don was working late last night, I was watching the World Series and playing with the dollhouse. Two chairs have been painted and added to the kitchen.

This bookcase/armoire was a gift from Rizzi. I’m going to paint it a pale, pale aqua and put wallpaper backing behind the shelves.

Honestly, I was like a little girl last night. I pulled out my box of furniture and accessories and played house. I don’t have very much at the moment and I have a wish list a mile long, but it was such fun. (I love the way the sunlight pours into the room.)

I’d share the other things I did this weekend with you, but do you really want to see the enormous pile of tree limbs (courtesy of Hurricane Irene) that I dragged one by one into the woods?

Or the window air conditioners that were finally taken out of their summer homes and stored in the shed?

I thought not.

Unofficial Bed Maker vs Non-Bed Maker poll results:

Bed Makers: 29
Non-Bed Makers: 5
Hit-and-Miss: 6

Have a great Monday.

Okay, now I’ve changed the font again. This time to Century Gothic. I’m not sure which one I like better!

Now you will officially think I’m insane. I’ve changed it back to my original ‘new’ font.

Dollhouse: Kitchen & A Shabby Sofa

October 22, 2011 at 10:41 am by Claudia

I found the sweetest wallpaper for the dollhouse kitchen. It arrived yesterday. So what was I doing last night when it was really too late to be doing it? You guessed it.

Not the best lighting this morning, but I’ll take more photos later in the afternoon. The pattern is of pink roses with a light robins egg blue on a creamy background. Sweet and old-fashioned – just the way I wanted it. This is the first room in which I’ve also used beadboard. There will be more. I started to add a chair rail, but until I decide where cupboards and appliances will be, that’s all I can do for now. Don’s reaction last night? “I want to live there!” Sorry, Don, no boys allowed.

It’s not perfect. Despite my best intentions, sometimes the trim is a bit crooked, sometimes a bit of glue gets on the wallpaper (rather like our for-real house.)

But, gosh darn it, I’m having such fun with it all.

The reality of my life lately is one of sadness, worries and tears. That’s just the way it is at this point in my life. My parents consume my thoughts. My mother will never be able go home again. She is getting weaker by the day. My father cries when he speaks to me on the phone, all the while trying to cope with his new reality. I need to find a job as there are no coaching jobs on the horizon. These are the facts. So I try to snatch some joy wherever I can find it. My little dollhouse provides a wonderful, magical escape where I can imagine and create and play. Surely that is good for the soul.

Isn’t this gorgeous? It arrived in the mail yesterday – all the way from Italy. Flora, who is a talented miniaturist and has an Etsy shop and a blog, made it for me. I had discovered it on Etsy but it was reserved for another customer. When I asked Flora if she would make one for me, she answered with a resounding yes and here it is. Since the living room will be a bit more formal, in a shabby sort of way, I thought this sofa fit the bill.

Etsy is a wonderful source for handmade miniatures. There is so much talent out there! Thank you, Flora.

I plan on searching eBay for another one of these chests because I want to put it in two places and we all know that is impossible. I want it here, under the stairs. I also want it in the bedroom. So, I simply have to find one more. I’m not crazy about the fabric on the chair, so I will be recovering it when I find just the right look.

Anyone want to join me for a cup of tea on a Saturday morning?

A Mini Re-do and a Garden Surprise

Changing, Playing & Cleaning Up

Dollhouse: Kitchen & A Shabby Sofa

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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