Base cabinet is finished!

The kitchen is starting to look like a kitchen now. The base cabinet is finished and I couldn't resist accessorizing for the photo. There are a lot of gifts from some very talented friends on display.

I made the "stone" countertop with scrapbook paper and Mod Podge (what did the world do before Mod Podge?). I used a silver paint pen to make my sink "stainless steel" and I had to repaint the faucet, too. It had discolored over the years. Parts of this kitchen kit are going to be very challenging because pieces have fallen out of their numbered wood sheets and are lying loose in the box. Took me forever just to find one cabinet door today. There's also some warping which adds to the challenge but what is life without challenges?!

So here's what I did with the steps

This is a spackle/glue/paint mixture. Once it is dry I will highlight the grout lines and dry brush color onto the bricks.

I decided to name my little house, or at least give it an address. Magnolia Way is for the magnolias in the bathroom and 509 is for May 2009 when I received the gift.

I decided not to use any of the lacey gingerbread. It just doesn't seem to suit this house. Instead I used the flat trim in the peaks and I did use the little peak trim pieces. I just didn't punch the hearts out. I also added more of the flat trim in patterns around the house. I really like how it turned out. I just have shingles and painting the steps to do then the exterior is finished!

I put a piece of paper inside the window so you can see the "stained glass" detail. The other upstairs windows have half of this design in a half circle pattern.

I need a couple of opinions

The exterior is nearly finished but I need some opionions. First, should I use the shutters and, if so, what color should they be? I'm leaning towards leaving them off and just using the window boxes. Also, what color should the porch steps be? I've considered concrete (gray with sand mixed in), brick or just stained like the trim (but that seems like too much of a good thing, lol). The shingles will be stained the same color as the trim, I think. There is also some gingerbread trim with the kit. I'm not using the ridge trim but I will probably use the dormer edging.

I need to make some sort of surround so that the mini people don't fall down the stairs on their way to the bathroom at night. I'm also debating whether to do curtains (from the stained glass line down) or roman shades in here. The "carpet" is made from a wallpaper scrap.

All that's left to do in here are the little finishing details - toilet paper holder, towel rack, trash can, etc. And I need to make some sort of shade for the big window in here, too.

The glue isn't dry on the stair rail yet but I love how this turned out. One of those ugly open-backed stair kits came with the house. I did use that but I turned it upside down and used those steps as risers and made my own treads. The spindles are fancy toothpicks painted gold and pinched together at the top. I put a cardboard back on the staircase and covered it with the striped wallpaper. It looks so much nicer than the way it was meant to look.

There was enough of the exterior trim left over to use as baseboard, too, with some to spare. I haven't put any in the kitchen yet - not until I get the cabinets assembled and installed.

Windows in and exterior started

I made my own stained glass windows instead of the toy looking ones that came with the kit. The upstairs arches coordinate with the rectangular bathroom window and the downstairs arches coordinate with the door window. I downloaded pictures from a catalog website and sized them in Adobe Photoshop before printing them on overhead transparencies.

The exterior is painted a creamy yellow with sand mixed into the paint to give it a nice texture. I'm obviously not yet finished with the exterior beams but I'm making progress. I just need one more on the lower part of each end and then I'll finish the front steps before putting the front trim on. I'm hoping to have enough of the wood left over to use for baseboards, at least on the lower level.

One of today's projects has got to be to finish the bedroom floor. I think I'll look through my wallpaper samples again. Maybe I can make a carpet sized tissue rug...

I was up way too late (early?) working on this...

I think the bed turned out really well. I used the punch out kit that came with the house and dressed it up with some embossed stickers. I made the bedding from some scraps in my fabric drawer. Under the bedspread is full set of sheets.

I decided to add the glazes to the kitchen walls - I like it. Once the cabinets are in place, much of the walls will be hidden and there will be just the right amount showing. I think it looks more like plaster walls now with a sort of "Old World" feel. Fits with the French style furniture in the living room.

Got some more done today

My friends from Small World tease me about how quickly I work when I start a new project. I get a bit single minded once I start something and can't wait to get it all finished. I made a lot of progress on the Brookfield today. I'm not bashing the kit at all so it's going very quickly. I really need to decide what I am doing with the exterior. I have some ideas but I'm just not sure yet.

I love the living room! I need to build the staircase and trim the windows, etc. but it's coming along very nicely.

I think there's enough room in the kitchen for the cabinets along the left wall, the appliances on the right wall and the dining table in front of the windows. I haven't decided if I'm leaving the walls as they are right now or if I want to stipple some darker and lighter shades of olive over the top of the paper.

I think the bedroom is very elegant. I'm going to use the dresser from Brenda and pretend the owner of the house set up her still life there for painting. I plan to use the bed kit that came with the house. I'll stain it to match Brenda's dresser and dress it up somehow. I'm still thinking about what to do with this floor, too. The wood has a fairly deep gouge that goes the whole length of it so I don't want to just paint or stain it.

There's not quite enough room on either side of the mirror for both sconces so I'm going to use one over the mirror and the other over the tub. I'll put the crystal chandelier in the bedroom. I really like the way the bath and bedrooms coordinate. The marble floor in here is a wallpaper sample.

More progress on the house

Wallpaper and floors are finished in the kitchen and living room. I do still need to varnish the kitchen floor. The back edge trim is also in place in this photo.

Living room border in place. I went with the pointing up option. The discoloration in the middle of the wall is not there in real life.

Light olive kitchen walls with the fruit border.

A dry fit of the roof.