Just a little time

I haven't had time to get started on my new big project so I've been satisfying the mini urge with little updates here and there. Today I hung Gaye's dollar store swap chandelier in the Willowcrest dining area. It's similar to what I had in mind for here anyway. When I can afford to start adding the battery powered lights I will replace this...or not. Maybe I will just hang a ceiling fixture in the living room area.
Rose's dress got a bit of a makeover today, too. The overskirt ends in a bustle with a small bow at the back. While I think the clothing from yesteryear is beautiful, I am so glad I can just pull on jeans and a tshirt and be good to go. ;)

It's a quiet Sunday afternoon after a lovely time of worship this morning. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend, too!

Adding the little touches

The Willowcrest does not yet have a permanent home. It currently sits on a card table in the middle of the sewing room. I can't get to my work area without squeezing past that table so I'm constantly getting new ideas for things to add to the house, lol. There's now a filled dish drainer (parts of a plastic curler on a ribbed cardboard mat) and the paper towels are now wall mounted rather than freestanding.
The bedroom bookshelf lamp got a shade - painted corrugated cardboard.
All the bottles behind the bar got actual labels cut from the Sunday paper ads. They make the makeshift bottles look much better.

The spider plant got reworked. I found a better pot, added stripes to the leaves and redid the top of the hanger to make it look better. It all looks much more realistic now. I never thought I'd enjoy making plants and flowers but I really do. :)

I've recently decided on some upcoming projects but i'm not going to be able to share details. They will be for gifts. It won't be long until I can share the Odds and Ends challenge photos, though.

Tomorrow I will be canning again. Today I harvested beets, onions, cucumbers, beans, zucchini, and eggplant. So I will can the beets, some dill zucchini relish and some sweet pickles. By Saturday I will have enough green beans to can. The pantry is looking so pretty and colorful.

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

Play time!

I made a spider plant for Baily and Josh's living room. Baily's enjoying a quiet afternoon reading.

Earlier today I made bread and butter pickles and a spicy sweet zucchini relish. The pantry is looking good. :)

Have a great weekend!

A few more details

Looks like Baily's just back from the grocery store. I added a few details to each of the dolls today. Baily now has silver hoop earrings, 2 silver bangle bracelets and a diamond engagement ring. Josh has a new watch and his jersey is now an Indianapolis Colts shirt with a horse shoe on the front and Peyton Manning's number on the back.
Rocky got a new bed today, too. I just cut down a store bought basket (after gluing around the edges so the basket wouldn't fall apart.) I used pieces of the handle I removed to trim the cut edges.

I've finally got something to share!

Please meet Baily and Josh - they live in the Willowcrest.
Here they are enjoying some cuddle time while looking through their wedding album.

I think my dolls are still improving. These two have smaller heads, hands and feet than some of my past ones do. I pulled George out of the boarding house so I'd have a store bought doll to compare with. Baily's hair gave me fits, though. She's on her third head of hair, lol. I think I'm finally satisfied. She has a contemporary graduated bob.

Don't forget to sign up for the giveaway. You'll find the rules and prize here. The drawing will be one week from tomorrow on July 15. Sign up at the link above if you've been a follower from June 22 or before. I love reading about your favorites. :)

giveaway reminder and dollhouse fun

First, please remember to sign up for my 300 follower give-away if you are one of my followers- http://delightfulminis.blogspot.com/2011/06/finally-giveaway.html

The dollhouse fun is in the photo above. I got the chair with cat from a forum round robin box I do with friends. The chair is slightly under scale and was dark brown. I gave it an aged finish and gave the cat a reason to be there. The plant does not appear to have survived the cat's leap on to the chair, lol. I used a piece of clear plastic to glue the pot, dirt and plant to. Now I can move the mess wherever I want.

Hope you all have a great weekend - the sun is finally shining again here! :)

Willowcrest update

Sinces I took this photo I put a black wash over the gray shingles. They look almost like slate now. I'm very happy with the color combination.
I made a fern for the living room. I've also button tufted all the throw pillows and the cushions on the chair since taking this pic.
I made a pretty nightie to hang on the bathroom door.
I don't have a photo but I used the bottom of a Michael's hutch to make an island style cabinet for the kitchen - although it doesn't sit in the middle like an island. I used the top of the hutch to make this window seat and...
...this bookcase. In the foreground you can see the leather ottoman. The wing chair needed an ottoman to make it a truly comfy reading spot, lol. The details are adding personality to the house. Eventually, I have to make the residents, too.

Thanks to all who've entered the giveaway so far and for your comments. It's fun to see what everyone's favorite project is. See the post below to enter if you are a follower.

Covering the windows

I haven't been out to get more veneer so I worked on window coverings. The living room ones are the most formal. I used flocked paper and added trim.
The bay window curtains are from the same paper but with different trim.
The kitchen got a pretty daisy print pull down shade and a new rug.
The bedroom got simple wood blinds cut from a placemat.

The stairwell window and the third floor windows will all remain uncovered to let in as much light as possible. My daughter and I are heading into town this afternoon so I will get the veneer to finish the siding. The Willowcrest is fast approaching completion!

Why do you always run out of a crucial item ...

...when you're almost finished?I got one side wall completely sided and the front is sided as far as the porch. The door is new as of last night. I used pieces of a fruit crate to create 2 doors and the replacement piece for the roof.
This wall is completely sided. The rough siding was already on the house. I'm using iron on birch veneer. Rather than use an iron I am using my heat gun and a putty knife to apply the pieces. It's working really well...or it was until I ran out of veneer. ;)
This is the foyer side of the front door.
The bathroom also got a door. Neither door is actually hinged. I would have used cloth hinges if I'd been able to remove at least one side of the door trim without breaking it. But the trim was stuck fast on both doors. So they are just glued into position.

Hopefully, tomorrow I can get out to get more veneer. I love living out in the middle of nowhere - except for those times when you need something now, lol. At least I'm being forced to take a bit of a break. That's a good thing cuz I've been up past 2 am several nights in a row working on the Willowcrest. I get a little focused when I'm working on a project, ;)

A productive afternoon

The exterior trim finally got some attention. I want the house to look a bit worn - in need of a coat of paint. The young couple who are renovating the inside haven't gotten to the outside yet. I cut a paper pattern for the piece I need to replace in the roof. I wish I had better wood cutting tools. I've been putting this job off because I don't.
As promised the dining set has had a small makeover. I rubbed a coat of ivy green glaze over the chairs (cushions and all) and over the table base and rim. It's better but the chairs still may not be permanent. I think I'd rather have a pair of Chrysnbon chairs.

I'm heading out to Bible study soon. Hope I have all the paint cleaned off, lol.

The last of the furniture...I think

I made chairs to go with the table - I'm not certain these will stay as they are. I don't hate them but I don't love them either, lol. Stay tuned for a possible makeover on these.
I do like the bar stools, though. I finally found a use for all of those warped square woodsies. ;)
A view of the entire third floor. I really need to get the roof repaired now. The gaping hole is fine for sunny summer days but the residents are not gonna be happy with me if it rains. :-D

Sectional sofa makeover

The more I looked at the navy vinyl I used for the sectional the more I hated it. It just didn't lay right. I recovered it and changed the back piece to a chaise rather than a full back. Just what I wanted - yay!

It's all in the details

The dining area will be in the living room bay window. I made this "glass" topped table last night with 2 turned spindles, a square woodsie and a Pringles potato chip can lid. Since the area is so tiny I think the clear top on the table will keep the table from looking too big for the space.
I moved the white wing chair to the bedroom and I'm using a black wooden armchair with gold upholstery in the living room now. The new pillows are in the same gold fabric. It picks up the gold color in the wallpaper and ties the furniture pieces together.
I also made pillows for the sectional as well as a lap quilt for those snuggle up and read days. :) I am very happy with the layout of the sectional but not so much with how the vinyl I used to upholster it. I may disassemble it and use a different fabric. I'm still considering...

Well, I need to go pay bills...I'd much rather make minis or blog about them but real life has a way of intruding. :) I hope you all have a lovely week!

A place to relax with friends

But first let me share the lamp I made. I had an ivory looking "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" figurine that I got from a friend. I didn't realize at the time that it was actually a bead. I was able to turn it into a lamp for the living room.
The top floor of the Willowcrest has become "the" place to hang out with friends, lol. At least those over 21. ;) I made the bar and the shelves with mini fridge were made from the top of a Michael's hutch. The glassware and liquor bottles on the shelves are made from various beads and findings. The bar holds some wonderful items made by Small World friends. Gaye made the jars of beef jerky and olives and the liquor bottle. Sandy made the box with fruit garnishes. The liquor license was made by Brenda.
I made the navy "leather' sectional sofa. I used more of the extra wooden stamp blocks for the seats and backs and some foam stamps to form the base. The bell and the sign over the sofa on the back wall were made by Brenda. Gaye made the one on the right wall. I made the "carpet" from a real life wallpaper sample.

Time for a hot shower

The bathroom was obviously high on the list for remodeling for the young couple who live in the Willowcrest. They put in a very modern shower. (The base is part of an instant coffee lid and the "glass" surround is cut from overhead transparencies. The hardware was made from miscellaneous bits and bobs from my stash.) The handpainted rug and the towel butler were painted by my friend Gary in New Hampshire. I really need to make a door for this room.
The beautiful vanity was put together by Gaye of My Small Obsession. I changed the clear sink basin to this orange bowl made by our blogger friend, Katie. It's perfect and pulls out the orange in the wallpaper. The toilet was made from a broken 1:16 scale Renwal. I built up a graduated platform to raise it up and then repainted it. I didn't think the pink would look too good with the orange, lol. The hamper in the photo above was part of the same set. The woven trash can next to the vanity was made by Brenda.
Here's a little reminder of what the house looked like when I bought it. I'd almost forgotten how bad it looked. ;)

Time got away from me

...and I was up until 2:30 am working on the Willowcrest. But I accomplished a lot yesterday. The bedroom is wallpapered and I finished the dresser I've been working on. I also made a bed. The dresser was made from the bottom half of two different Michael's hutches with some additional trim pieces added. The bottom of the dresser was the 2 door with an open center style hutch. I removed the doors, added craft stick drawer dividers and made non opening drawers from some wood trim. I added crown molding at the joint of the two pieces and a carved back piece at the top. The drawer/door pulls are made with beads and pins. I really like this piece.

I also added baseboard to the lower level and the master bedroom last night. I used my favorite discovery for the baseboard. The plastic guards that come with new windshield wiper blades look like two pieces of baseboard joined at the top. Cut them apart with scissors, paint the inside and glue into place. I'll show a picture later.

My last big project for yesterday was the bathroom. I altered a broken 1:16 scale toilet and made a shower from scratch. They weren't dry enough for pics last night so I will post photos later.

Off to clean up and start my day. Hope yours is wonderful, wherever you are!

I really need to work on the exterior

...but working on the interior is so much fun!This room will be the bathroom. The beautiful vanity cabinet was made by Gaye of My Small Obsession. I think it will be on the opposite wall and the toilet and a small shower will be on the left wall.
I couldn't get the window plastic in the bay to pop out so I went ahead and installed the interior trim after wallpapering.
The living room is papered with an authentic Victorian print. It's supposed to be ferns and flowers but the 5 leaves on the ferns make me think of marijuana everytime I see it, lol. The red and greens look good with my furniture, though.
I love the way the wallpaper looks in the panels in the foyer.
I've spent a lot of time over the past two days working on the kitchen. The wall cabinet is part of a Michael's hutch but everything else was made from recycled containers. The sink is a sauce container from McDonald's with a paper clip faucet and earring back knobs. The sink cabinet was made from the wash stand that used to be in the Victorian Cottage. The sink is supposed to look original to the house when the current owners purchased it. The deep farmhouse sink is lightly rust stained. Looks like it's time to get the cleanser out again. ;)The corner cabinet, range and fridge are all hard plastic containers. I used real metal sheeting to cover the refrigerator and range. The fridge door handles are Sharpie marker pocket clips and the range handles are made from strips of balsa wood. The food was made by several mini friends - Brenda and Rosie made the baked potoatoes and Gaye made the strawberry shortcake. The wall cabinet is filled with a mix of dinnerware and food.

Walnut and Cream

Walnut and cream were the colors my hands were when I finished working on the Willowcrest today. I stained the living room, kitchen and master bedroom floors. The larger rooms will have rugs covering large areas of the floors so I'm not worrying about laying floors or scribing planks.
I finished painting window frames and both sets of stairs. The main staircase was an interesting challenge. I did not completely tear the house apart as some areas are very securely glued. The main staircase is one of those areas. I modified a paint brush so it would fit better in small area and turned the house sideways and pretty much every way but upside down. Removing two windows gave me better access so I got it painted. I want the feel of an old, well-loved house so some imperfections are fine. I'm going to put wallpaper into the panels in the foyer. Two walls will also be papered to break up the sea of antique white and I'm using a real sized wallpaper that resembles tile for the floor in the foyer and on the landing.

I'm excited about doing some interior work. I am really trying to pace myself and make this a beautiful house. There will be a bit of a shabby feel to the finished house. Not so much purposeful shabby chic but more of a well-loved and well-used old house that's comfortably worn. A house that looks lived in. That way the rough around the edges exterior will make sense, too. :)

Brackets and wood putty

I am quickly going through my bottle of glue as I repair joints and cracks. I've also used a fair amount of wood putty. I don't have any extra money in the budget for anything but the siding and shingles so I'm making replacement parts from what I have on hand. Pieces that can be salvaged are. While I was cutting the pieces for the balcony rail I noticed that my scraps looked a bit like corner brackets - and the ones on the house are either crumbling or gone. So I made new brackets for the roof and the porch and got them all glued in place.

I found a scrap piece left from another house that's large enough to make the missing roof piece. I need to make half a roof for one of the small dormers and replace the missing front of the porch foundation. There are also a few broken trim strips to replace. I've already made new windowsills for all that needed them.

Inside I'm working on painting the trim that won't come off and I've added bits and bobs to the rather boring fireplace surrounds. I also made an interesting handrail and surround for the stairs in the second floor bedroom.

My Willowcrest will definitely be unique. The builder had made some modifications to the kit - like moving the upper staircase - and I'm happy with them.

I hope to get some more time on the house today. Have a great weekend everyone!