It's the little things

 I pried the mirror out of a broken makeup compact this morning. It was the perfect size for the dresser. I mounted it to the dresser so I can rearrange if I want - besides the fact that I haven't started the actual house renovations yet. The zebra carpet has to go.

I made a couple of adjustments to the chair and made a matching ottoman. With this layout I can fit another chair. I need more of the turquoise felt. I think the second chair should be the same style as the sofa. That's the current plan, anyway.

We are in the midst of the first winter storm of the season. We had seven inches of snow an hour or so ago and it's still falling steadily. Hubby and I are enjoying hot drinks and homemade donuts. Yum! We are snug and warm in our home while the beautiful snow falls outside. Life is good and we are blessed.

Progress, change, and a long week

 I've been making slow progress on the tile work. I finished the back a couple of days ago. Tonight I started on the last roof section. I've been alternating from side to side this time because it hasn't gone as smoothly as the other sides. Daughter #1 thinks maybe I just have selective memory and choose not to remember how frustrated I got on the other parts. Hmm. There may be some value in that theory, LOL.

 The change is in the porch post. I wasn't really happy with the square support I'd used but I do like this shortened and dressed up version.

And, finally, the long week: I had strep throat this week and even with antibiotics my voice disappeared. Trying to keep 1st graders interested in social studies when your voice is alternating between Mickey Mouse and Darth Vader's is a bit challenging. Just tonight, I'm able to speak without cracking. It's still not my normal voice but it's a huge improvement. Plus I feel better today. I'm really hoping to finish the French Country house this weekend. I've been researching ideas for the Westville. It's such a pretty house that I'm leaning toward something other than a home for Santa's elves (my original thought.) I haven't made any decisions yet but I'm leaning toward a period home - maybe in the 30s. Thoughts, anyone?

The iron and I both got a little older

 First, the iron - I added patina to the wrought iron on the French country railings and trim. I found a great close up photo on the internet, dug out bottles of sterling silver and burnt sienna paints, and a couple of stiff bristled paint brushes and slowly added minute amounts of paint dry brushed on. In this situation a little paint goes a long way. Fortunately, it was easy to stipple on some black to blend any areas that I got paint happy with. :-)

 I didn't have to add much paint to give the railings a much more realistic look that adds so much to the look of the whole house.

 I also added beams at each end of the bedroom ceiling. There was a significant gap at the back right roof joint. I'm pretty confident that Joe and Joy don't want holes in the ceiling. The new beams cured the gap problem and made the ceiling look more polished at the same time. Win, win.

I spent a couple more hours on the roof tonight, too. The finished roof is going to be perfect...but it won't be finished any time soon. Roofing is one of my least favorite parts of a build anyway and there are a few more steps involved with this roof. It's going to be worth it, though, based on the progress photos.

Oh, and I got a little older on Monday. I had a wonderful day with my family. Daughter #1 made dinner, Son made a surprise trip home, Daughter #2 and family sent a fun card and called - complete with a Happy Birthday serenade from my granddaughters. DH was home for the day after a few days in the hospital for a bronchial infection that just didn't want to clear up. He's on the mend and back at work. Two of my classes at the elementary school where I work sang to me, too. Year 52 is off to a great start.

Hubby and I get a weekend alone which doesn't happen all that often even with all the kids living on their own. We'll enjoy a dinner date tomorrow to celebrate Valentine's Day - our 37th one together. We started dating when I was fourteen and he was sixteen. I was blessed then and I still am.

Wishing all of you a Happy Valentine's Day and a wonderful weekend!

Proud Mama Moment

My son has a chronic health disorder that made conventional high school nearly impossible. He struggled with the decision but chose to withdraw and go for his GED (general equivalency diploma.) He got his scores back today and he passed with such high scores that they are considered equal to graduating in the top 2% of a regular high school class! I'm so proud of him. He also got accepted into his first choice college and will be studying video game design.

Middle daughter will be graduating from college next month and oldest will be finishing undergraduate work next semester and moving on to graduate school.

I love my children!

Birthdays and Fun

My two beautiful daughters have March birthdays. The oldest turned 24 on Friday and middle turns 22 today. I don't know where the years have gone! I am so proud of the young women my girls have become. God has truly blessed me. Happy Birthday girls!

Photo booth fun

Tonight was my husband's "Holiday Party." I still call it the Christmas party. Anyway, for the second year they had a photo booth. Here are this year's photos. I love the middle one.

It's moving day

Today everything comes home from the library. It's raining this morning and turning to snow this afternoon. Could be an interesting trip. I have to have everything out by tomorrow, though, and I'm working Thursday and Friday and don't want to be exhausted before spending 2 days with 2nd graders, lol. So today's the day. Wish me luck!

Since I had to put a plexi front on Santa's house for the library display, I'm going to display it in the bay window here at home. The cat (and my daughter's cat who will be visiting over the holidays) likes to curl up in the bay to sleep. The interior will be cat proof and I think they will leave the elves and reindeer alone...I hope. :-)

Wishing all of you the best of days!

The transporting has begun

Today I emptied one display case at the library and also brought home the castle. That thing is heavy and something breaks every time it's moved. I'm not sure if it will travel again. But all is put back together and my new goodies have been moved in. I still have the other half of the wall display case, two floor cases, the cabin and the saloon to move back home. I will do that over the next two weeks.

While I was at the library, the head librarian (also named Dina just spelled differently than my Deana) asked me 1. to come back again next year with some new houses/rooms 2. to lead a workshop or program on dollhouses and miniatures in April and 3. to participate in a "meet the artist" program she's starting. I'd have a table set up and work on a project in the lounge area of the library. People could watch and ask questions but I wouldn't be doing any major speaking. Besides all of that, she told me that she gave my contact info to other area libraries in case they would be interested in a display. Wow! I'm going to have to work on better ways to transport these things.

Anyway, this is all very exciting stuff - I have lots to think about and plan. I'm thinking the workshop will be a sort of trash to treasure project since that's one of my personal favorite things to do. What do you all think?

Sometimes life is complicated

I am anxious to get back to blogging regularly. When I was almost all healed from my fall I got sick so I've been mostly out of commission this week. Next week will be filled with family and Thanksgiving preparations but I will get back to mini-making soon! I also have to move all of the houses and rooms back home from the library so it will be a little crazier than normal around here. I am taking time to check out your blogs. Please don't give up on me!

Life's a bit crazy

I'm sorry I haven't blogged this week. I'm working as a substitute teacher now and I had jury duty last week. To top off the week, I tripped rather spectacularly in a parking lot and had a face to concrete collision yesterday. I will have more to share soon, I promise.

I do want to tell you that the librarians tell me that my mini display is the most popular display they've ever had. That's cool!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Still not finished

I added another dollhouse to the top of the cabinet and there's a kit on the floor next to it. Leaning up against the wood bin is a steel yardstick. I had a gray yardstick printie that I glued onto a flat strip of metal hubby saved for me. I've got no idea what it came from but it worked perfectly.
I made 2 years worth of American Miniaturist magazines and filled the shelf. Now it looks more like my real book shelf. :) I also made a spool holder filled with mini spools of thread over the sewing machine.

I did these things yesterday afternoon before leaving with a group of friends for an Extraordinary Women's conference. There were some amazing speakers and musicians. I got to hear Jeremy Camp perform live for the first time. I had a wonderfully uplifting time with friends.

Getting ready

This evening I wrote short little descriptions to go with the various dollhouses and rooms that I'm taking to the library. I also got about half of them cleaned and ready to go. Since I'm taking smaller projects I think I can just tape newspaper over the open side of most of them and they will be ready to haul. Moving day is Thursday. My house is going to look so empty with so many items away for a month. :)

It's amazing what a little paint can do

I found a "honey brown" paint today and my deer is much improved. I really like the way he turned out.

I visited the library today to confirm that I will be doing a large display of dollhouses and room boxes for October - National Dollhouse and Miniatures Month in the US. It's going to be a lot of work to get everything moved but I'm very excited. There will even be a write up in our local newspaper. I'm mostly taking room boxes but I am going to take the castle and the pioneer log cabin. Later in October I will take Santa's house, Wanda the witch's kitchen and the Thanksgiving cornucopia to set up in the children's wing of the library. Santa will probably stay through December.

More fun stuff

I don't have photos yet but today I got stone paint and trim for the castle and a dog for the king and the coolest baby dragon hatching. Eventually, I'm going to have to landscape this project so the unicorn and dragon have someplace to be. :0)

I've been scouring every thrift store in the area looking for a chair or loveseat for my daughter. I found lots of castle goodies but not the right chair. However, I found a sale on dorm sized recliners at Menard's today. Yay! She's in an apartment but the living room is tiny so the chair will be perfect.

How does your garden grow?

This lovely batch of beans is now cooling in the pressure canner - the second planting of green beans is really taking off.
The tomatoes are just beginning to ripen. I'm hoping to can whole tomatoes, salsa and soup. The zucchini is nearly finished. I've had no trouble using all of them this year. In fact, I was hoping for more.

How are your gardens doing? - vegetable or floral - I'd love to see photos. :)

Busy, busy, busy

Monday and Tuesday were spent moving daughter #2 into her new apartment. She will have a roommate but my daughter had to move in early for some pre-student teaching activities. The living room will eventually have a futon/sofa instead of the butterfly chair. The denim slipcovered chair was one of our garage sale finds as were the plant stand, TV table and end table. The plant (Spike, lol) is a start from the plant my hubby and I received as a wedding gift 29 years ago. Daughter #1 also got a start (Harry.) The window treatments throughout the apartment were done with the many yards of tulle I had purchased for the canceled wedding. It made perfect fuss-free window toppers and added punches of color against the white walls.
The apartment is the top floor of an Arts and Crafts style turn of the century home. There's lots of great woodwork and cute little cubby storage areas everywhere. I didn't get photos of the hall - it has a floor to ceiling four door storage area. The kitchen cabinets aren't as old as the house but they are definitely vintage. The little green stand next to the fridge was one of our garage sale purchases after a makeover. She has small appliances, kitchen wraps and cookbooks stored there.
The kitchen isn't big enough for the dining table so that's in the living room. You've seen this set in an earlier post. The rose painting and the pasta one in the kitchen were both painted by my mom. This is daughter #2 BTW. :)
I love how her bedroom turned out. The nightstand was a garage sale makeover as are the bunk bed and lamp. K recovered a comforter with a pretty flannel print and made the throw pillows you see in several of the photos.
The chest of drawers is her old one from home but repainted. The glossy white with chrome hardware is a huge improvement over the old oak laminate and brass hardware. I love paint. :D

The apartment is three bedroom so one room has been turned into an office/study area and roomie will have the third room with the large walk-in closet. K chose the room with the smaller closet that's closest to the bathroom.

Next time I visit daughter #1 I will get photos of her apartment, too. It's fun to show how all the miscellaneous garage sale/consignment shop purchases have come together to make cute starter homes for my girls.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

All in a day's work

No minis today but I canned three pints of beets, 4 pints of sweet pickle spears, and 11 half pints of dill relish.
I also made zucchini banana bread and did the laundry. The "Happy Housewife" is now exhausted and sitting with her feet up. ;)

BTW, the bread tastes great!

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!

Making shopping easier

I've added several new items to both of my zibbet shops. To make it easier to shop I've added direct links in the left sidebar. If you click on the DeLightful Minis by MiniDe banner you will go to my mini zibbet shop. If you click on the Designs by De banner you will go to my earring shop. At this point you still need to register to shop at zibbet but I hope you will do so. With all the changes in the online shopping sites I think zibbet will grow quickly and you can find many beautifully crafted items there. The zibbet administration has been working hard to roll out some wonderful improvements to the site that will benefit shoppers and sellers alike but it is taking longer than anticipated. That's why it's still necessary to register. Please do!

The pink and brown china cabinet is now listed at DeLightful Minis as well as several items that used to be in the etsy shop. A teammids friend gave me some great ideas for new dolls so be watching for those to be coming soon.

End of commercial. ;)

Yesterday my wonderful husband and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary. Church, dinner, movie and dessert made for a full but great day. We saw "Cowboys and Aliens." It wasn't the best movie I've ever seen but we enjoyed it. And really, can a movie starring Harrison Ford ever be bad? LOL

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Keeping Busy

The only minis I've done lately are for an odds and ends challenge but the deadline for showing our projects isn't until September 1st. So I can't share my project until then. In the meantime I've been busy with "life." My middle is moving into her first real apartment in a week and a half. As you can see, we've been packing. As the apartment is unfurnished, this is only a tiny bit of what we'll be moving but this lot is in my sewing/craft room so I will be thrilled to have it out of my way. :D There will be more mini-ing when I can actually get to everything again.
The garden has been productive and I've added dill pickles to the pantry. Tomorrow I need to do another harvest - sweet pickles are coming soon.
You may remember that last summer we took a family vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida. I still had not gotten the photos printed and scrapbooked. We ended up with a couple of poster frames that were too small for DD's posters so I printed the best photos on my printer and made collages. I still have the option to scrapbook later but we can enjoy the memories now this way.

So I am keeping busy. I have a few ideas for new projects so maybe I will have something to share in the near future.

Have a beautiful day wherever you are!