Things are heating up!

 And the fire is burning nicely, too. Louise and John are looking quite cuddly by the fire.

The flames were made with hot glue then painted with glass paint. I made the flames on a sheet of aluminum foil. The glue would not peel off the foil so I had to cut them out. They still look good, though.

Ready for winter

 While I still need to make some sort of fire guard, John and Louise now have a fireplace in addition to their cook stove. They should stay cozy once the temperature begins to drop. I carved the fireplace from a block of balsa and then added trim. The simple brick style suits the farmhouse.

 In the overview of the downstairs you can see that I couldn't live with the thumbtack curtain tie backs. I just used bits of ribbon instead.

John's pocketwatch is in a bowl on the nightstand. At this point it is the only clock in the house. Maybe I should make one for the mantel...

It's time for the little things!

 The bedroom is essentially finished. I added artwork and a few personal items and I am so pleased with the results. The curtains here, as in the lower level, are the ones that came with the house. I used dowel curtain rods here, though, as there weren't enough intact panels to cross them as they originally did.

 I looked at countless linoleum ads from the 20s and 30s before deciding on the art for the bedroom.

 Louise's hair brush used to be a My Little Pony brush. I cut off the bristles, gave it a coat of gold paint, and added Velcro bristles.

The dining area got a framed print and some silverware. I want to add more to the hutch shelves as well as the kitchen shelves. The sitting area needs a fireplace. That will mostly finish the interior. I need to paint the exterior trim dark green and shingle the roof. I don't think I will do much more than that as I want to keep the simple charm from the original builder.

I think I like the slower pace of my projects now. When I was younger I would power through a project with lots of late nights. The slower pace leads to fewer changes of plan. Whether fast or slow, mini projects are the best therapy I know!

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

A place to lay my head

Well, for Louise and John, anyway. Between rounds of canning mountains of carrots and sweet potatoes yesterday I finally got the bedroom put together.

 I need to add finishing details like art and personal items but the room is finished.

 I added a few details downstairs, too. I moved the rocking chair up to Louise's sewing corner which gets the most natural light in the house. I need opinions on whether I need more furniture in the downstairs sitting room area.

And here's the proof on the canning. The garden was very productive this year. I will appreciate these more this winter when my hands no longer hurt from peeling and cutting, lol.

Have a wonderful, blessing filled day!

It's all in the details

 First, hubby helped me remove a wall on the upper story so that the house is fully open. I glued the roof down and it will eventually be shingled.

 Since my last post I have fixed the ceiling, added trim and finished up most of the lower level down to the details. I really like how cozy the downstairs is.

 I added a sturdier table beside the rocker and put a plant on the candlestick table.

The kitchen and dining areas are pretty much complete. There is a pot of stew on the stove and the pantry shelves are stocked with home canned goodies. A canning jar of mums adds a bit of color to the white table which is set for dinner. There are two loaves of bread rising on top of the icebox.

I will get started in earnest on the upper level the next chance I have to play. I am really enjoying this project.

A rainy day is a play day

 The old 3 door ice box was just too wide for the tiny kitchen so I reused 2 of the doors and made a tall 2 door version instead. I also added "pantry" shelves to the wall over the icebox and sink.

 I changed the chimneys on the wall sconces. I am still not completely satisfied.

Hubby took out the upstairs wall on the same side as the removed lower wall. Now I can work on and view the house much more easily.

The old icebox cabinet became a dresser for the bedroom. I didn't have a long stretch of time to play but I enjoyed the time I did have.

Shedding a little light on the subject

 My son came for dinner and I had to take care of bills this evening so there wasn't much time to play. I did spend a bit of time making oil lamps for the sitting room. I made 2 sconces and a table lamp. I am especially happy with the table lamp. It is time to restock my bead supply, though. I need clear beads in multiple sizes and shapes before I make any more lamps.