Lots of work was done outside yesterday. I dug up a big outcropping of some wild plant that was taking over the area right in front of the big garden bed. I pruned, as best I could and there’s more to be done today, as well as mowing. Mowing has popped up on the to do list because I looked at the forecast and after today – it will be in the high 80s  to the mid 90s for about 4 days. Not the kind of weather for mowing. No rain for a while, so that’s good. I was so tired after yesterday’s work, but needs must!

It is a lovely, beautifully sunny day, so that will help.

My teeny little budget is keeping me from ordering more mini wallpaper at the moment, so I’m in an in-between stage in the renovation. Just dreaming up ideas at the moment. And I’m still determined to figure out how to tackle the wallpapering of the bedroom. What a glutton for punishment I am!

Here’s a little something that arrived in yesterday’s mail.

A painting (real) surrounded by a wooden mat and tramp art/victorian frame. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it on my Instagram mini feed. She has a few more tramp art frames and I covet them. Re-hanging our tramp art framed angel a few months back reminded me of how much I love this form of creative expression.

Also, sheep!!

Isn’t this exquisite?

It will most likely go in the Beacon Hill living room, but I’m holding off on hanging anything until the room is closer to being finished.

It took a long, long time, but my love of dollhouse miniatures has come back and for that I am grateful.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

I stayed in yesterday (except to water the zinnia seeds.) I mowed the lilac side of the lawn on Monday and, even wearing a mask and the goggles that I use for spraying the sealer I use on the dolls, I ended up feeling sick yesterday.

Yes, my friends, imagine how lovely I looked in that get up!

So, until the worst of the pollen is over, I’m going to have to limit my time outside. But that’s okay, I have my Beacon Hill project to work on. I’m about to start in on the bedroom wallpaper. I just finished painting the formerly brown ceiling in that room white.

I ordered a few more mini Roseville vases and they arrived on Monday. And then I had an idea: what if the ‘collection’ that I’m planning on displaying in the green cabinet was Roseville pottery? So I stole some of the Roseville from Hummingbird Cottage, and added the newer pieces that I had just received. The cubbies themselves are narrow, so any pottery that is rounder and wider than the opening won’t fit. Some of those pieces of mini Roseville went back to Hummingbird Cottage.

Anyway, this is what I ended up with.  (You can still see some of the tacky stuff I use in mini world to attach pieces to various surfaces. I’ll clean that up today.)

I need at least 2 more pieces of narrower Roseville, which I’ll attend to in the next couple of weeks.

What do you think?

By the way, this is a closeup of the cabinet and at the top you can see the diagonal lines from the 3D printing process. That’s okay with me because in real life, you really can’t see them when it’s in place in the dollhouse. But I thought you’d find that interesting.

Gosh, I took so many shots of this cabinet trying to get its actual color. I’ve never seen a color change so much depending on the light. It’s maddening! I finally had to place it on Don’s desk.

So. Wallpapering today. Flooring starting tomorrow or Friday.

Still pondering this, but it’s quite pricey. I’d have to sell some things first.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

It was a windy and cold day yesterday, so I delayed my plans to sow some zinnia seeds and work outdoors because of the dreaded pollen. Instead, I concentrated on finishing off the basics of the Beacon Hill living room. On Saturday, I had added all the baseboards, patching all the joins (they look good!) Yesterday, I rubbed some paste wax on the floor and then kept the window open the rest of the day. That stuff has a strong smell! I stained and painted the fireplace. And then I built a table from a kit that I had on hand. It’s the same style of table that I built for Hummingbird Cottage.

Anyway….I may add another layer of either stain or paint to the table but I’m holding off on that for now. For fun, I added the furniture that I have so far, placed the fireplace in its spot between the baseboards, and took some pictures.

I’m real happy with it so far.

The Knole sofa was made by Joanne Shimakawa. I won it a couple of years ago in an auction for a very good price. It is the inspiration piece for this room.

The fireplace came with the Beacon Hill kit. I used a pecan stain and painted the interior a mix of black and gray. That’s one of my mini Roseville pottery pieces on the mantel. I need to get a few more. There are quite a few in Hummingbird Cottage but I don’t want to steal them, though there is one I have my eye on.

The black chairs are vintage Bespaq, a sort of upscale line of dollhouse furniture. I won them in an eBay auction.

That’s the table I put together yesterday. It may need another coat of stain.

Whoops! I need to sweep the floor again. I want a large cabinet/wardrobe/china cabinet for the wall to the left. I have a table kit that I’m going to put together for the area next to the sofa. I need an easy chair. I have my eye on one, it’s a bit pricey – but, oh would it be perfect as a companion for the sofa!

And then, of course, the room needs all the little extras: rugs, plants, books, pottery. That will come later. I don’t have much left in my stash. Everything has been used in other dollhouses. I only buy specific items for the houses. (Budget, budget, fixed income, budget.)

I hope you like what I’ve done so far! I’m having fun and I’m so grateful to finally feel engaged and committed to this project. Now I have to figure out what room to start in on next. In the meantime, work outside today!

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.