Oh Blogger, how you vex me so

Hi all. A VERY quick post to let you know what when Blogger decides to let me post replies to comments, I will reply to your comments. Sigh. In the meantime, thanks for reading and posting your lovely comments! Xx

The monumental disasters of doll housing

Hi all. As you can tell from the post title, things haven't gone well of late. I had set this very tenuous goal of finishing the Coxwolds by the end of the year. Two weeks ago, I finally got some weekends at home, plus Christmas and Boxing Day, so spent a good deal of time finishing stuff off. I am excited to say that I DID get stuff finished off. Many stuffs. But for every three steps forward, I had at least one back. There are two things I think are highly over-rated in dollhouses:
1) hinged doors (with proper hinges of the metal kind)
2) working lights.

After countless attempts, I finally got one of my Coxwolds exterior doors attached, only to find the other door had come loose. I was going to properly hinge the shop doors (which are currently hinged with model aircraft hinge tape) but am rethinking that idea. It will wait whilst I stew.

And also after countless attempts, I got some lights installed. I am even more excited to say that some of their globes work! Wheee! But here are some photos of (one of) my monumental lighting disaster (this is aside from OTHER lighting disasters).

Photo 1: bedroom floorboards ripped up to access wiring which I had broken off:

Photo 2: A big hole dug into the MDF to accommodate a little bundle of wires:

Photo 3: The offending light installed at last (those other two wires were removed. I had intended hanging three smaller lights, but due to more lighting disasters, those lights were dumped):

Photo 4: the other offending disaster light installed. A little crooked. And too long for the ceiling height, but it is installed. Again, wiring issues and having to use heat shrink tube that was a little too thick for this application.

The fireplaces in the bedroom and shop both have glowing red globes installed, but they have VERY thick wires and are gonna be hard to hide. Anyway, beggars can't be choosers. I was going to make some pretty, fancy lights for upstairs but rethinking that strategy now. I can't fix the roof on until I have lights up there so a very large portion of what needs to be done is done, other than some accessories (such as bathroom fixtures) and furnishings. Also need some supplies I can't currently find, like door handles, but this is so close to being done, I am giddy! Haha! The end is nigh, it just won't be 2018 nigh. Sigh.

The upside is I successfully installed Cirkit ceiling canopies (go me!) despite MUCH swearing, and I came up with plenty of ideas for making lights from findings and beads. so all was not in vain.

Will leave it there. I think the vodka bottle is calling. Hope you are also having some mini wins right now. All the best for 2019 if I don't get to post before the end of the year! xx

PS will try to get some more photos soon, when things are even closer to being DONE. Loving how things are looking!!!!!

Baby steps

Hi all. We are in December - can you believe it?? I last posted in July... heck. I guess I have some catching up to do. First I'll show you some little bits and pieces and maybe over the next week or two, I will post some photos of some pretty stuff from our September holiday in France and Italy (sigh, feels so long ago).

A couple of years ago, I missed out on a very pretty dress made by a Melbourne lady whose stuff is sold by another Melbourne lady at the Sydney miniatures fair. Ergo, I commissioned one. It finally arrived a few weeks ago, and it is stunning. Here are the front and back views:

(it even has a petticoat lining)

And completely unnecessarily, she also sent a tiny pair of adorable shoes:

Instead of paying Dianne (the lady who made the dress), I actually made a rose vine for Di, who paid Dianne the cost of the dress (love the barter system):

This is the vine on my Black Walnut cottage:

(it needs some shaping but it is just propped there)

I have worked on my Coxwolds as it is soooo close to being done structurally. I made the sink unit, based on a real life picture:

(Weirdly my taps look much lighter than their real life antique brass look)

Please excuse the crappy photo but we have had rain and cloud and heat and wind and, well, everything. So hopefully will get better shots when the flooring arrives and I can install everything.

I have also done a little more work on my chateau. Here is the rear courtyard entry. Again, terrible photos as it is an enclosed, small space. I will get some photos when  I have finished painting the panels. This is the litmus test to see how I go with painting an aged stone effect. Wish me luck.

 I have used a Sue Cook wall fountain and overdoor ornament. I have to finish the door for the opening. It will have a light behind it so light will shine through the little windows in the door.

In related news, we had our upstairs windows replaced, which meant some touching up of plaster and repainting my sewing room. I am not overly fond of pale walls but it makes my studio much lighter. And whilst everything was in disarray, I took the opportunity to put in some vinyl floor (it had always been painted chipboard which was peeling and was noisy). Looks so much better.

Lastly, some photos of the few minis I managed to find in Italy and France. Well, only Italy actually.

An adorable Pinocchio made of ceramic (although not really a mini, he's probably about 20cm tall). One day I will dress him. And a little puppet theatre:

My Murano glass minis (I'm not sure whether they are from Murano in Italy or Murano in China but that is OK)

 (this shows them with one of my 1:24 chairs, so they are quite tiny)

(Puffer fish!!! Hehehe!)

 OK, I will leave it there for now. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season. It is a difficult time for many I know, so extra hugs to those of you in that boat. We will be having a quiet one. xxx