and for my next trick

Get ready... you are about to get as tired as my sister Mary Evelyn is of hearing about my dollhouse stuff!!!  But it is for sure what is going on right now.  I have thought about redoing the dollhouse that my Dad and I built together in 1988 for some time.  I was simply lacking the inspiration.  But now the time is here.  Things like part of the roof coming off, not enough shingles to finish the job, clunky door hinges and the fact that I gave most of my furniture to my neighbor when I moved, aren't really a big deal.  I reckon it's because I feel creative enough to make provisions and simply "make something" that will work. 

So Saturday I got my dollhouse down and started the clean up.  I want a total overhaul from top to bottom.  And apparently the previous attic renters left a mess when they moved out.  Why do mice have to poo everywhere?  It's rude.  I was glad to find that I had only taped the carpet down so it came up easily.  The wallpaper was a different story.  I started out my wetting it and while it worked it didn't come off like I wanted it to.  So Sunday I remember that I already had Downy fabric softener mixed up with water in a spray bottle so I got it out and went to spraying.  This worked a lot better!  I had to scrape and vacuum up the bits but it got things to a more comfortable and workable level. 

I have also been working with clay making things for the inside and for the Barbie house.  I'll show you that stuff a different day.

Oopsie!  Part of the roof let go.  It's actually a good thing because it allows me to access that part of the attic easier.  My hands are a lot bigger than they used to be!

All stripped down to a good canvas to work with.  I am going to plank the upstairs ceiling with small craft sticks.  Shaun suggested that I use corrugated cardboard to cover the roof to look like a tin roof.  Those wooden shingles aren't budging so I will build up and rest of the roof line to match with cardboard.  I plan to make everything that I can and get out of this renovation as cheaply as possible while still making it look the way I want it to. 

I did order a set of lights to finally light up this little dwelling.  I always wanted to do that when I used to play in it.  Another thing that excites me about making the furniture and things is that it won't get "played with".  When I put it there it will stay there.  Unlike the Barbie house which is meant to be played with.  This is meant to be looked at and I will know how gentle to be.



a kitchen island

I have recently been really inspired by a blog about dollhouses.  I have a dollhouse that my Dad and I built years ago and am seriously considering a remodel job for it.  But for now I am knee-high in the Barbie house at the day care.  WARNING This particular blog will captivate you as it did me.  She offers some tutorials too which is where I found the directions and inspiration for my creation at the day care. 

 

The blog is called CinderellaMoments.  You can click the name there to be directed to her.  Her houses are amazing and she hand makes the majority of them all from inside to out.

 

HERE is a link to the tutorial I followed to make the following island/bar for the kitchen in the Barbie house.  Mine turned out better than I expected.  What I have learned is to not expect perfection.  I do the best I can and don't look at the flaws when I am finished.  It is the entire view and aspect in the end that matters.  Here is my process and mess.  I used cardboard instead of wood for the sides and shelves.  I used purchased Balsa wood for the countertop along with scrapbook paper to line the shelves, corrugated scrapbook paper for the outside, white cardstock, craft paint and hot glue to bind it all together.  It took me about an hour or a tad longer to make this during naptime last week at the day care.  I knew when I got up that morning that I was going to make something cool that day.  I think I succeeded at that!

 

I didn't start taking pictures until I felt the project was going to work well.  Plus I was a bit too excited to stop for photo shoots.

Mine is quite a bit bigger than the ones that she makes for the dollhouses.  I wanted it taller for my Barbies too.

 

 

I painted the inside white so it wouldn't be so dark.

Antiqued and rusty looking.  She explains how to do all this in detail.  Super easy.

I covered the edges with strips of cardstock.

The shelves offer lots of storage space for the fake breads and food I intend to make!

She uses a brown ink pad to get the worn wood effect.  I don't have one so I watered down paint and applied it with a paper towel by rubbing it on.

El Fin!  I haven't added the towel racks or towels yet.  I also didn't add the scalloped edge underneath the counter top.  



suncatchers

I saw this little craft somewhere in the wide world of the web a year or two ago and a recent picture on pinterest reminded me of the simple craft for kids... or adults.  You cut a circle out of the middle of a paper plate and also two circles a tad larger from clear contact paper.  You will also need scrap pieces of colored tissue paper and markers or crayons to decorate the plate. 

 

Decorate the plate and place one of the contact paper circles on the back of the plate with the sticky side showing through the open circle in the plate.  Arrange the tissue paper every which-a-way then cover with the second piece of contact paper.  Punch a hole and string yarn through to hang. 

 

The kids loved making these and as I was taking pictures of their wonderful works with the sun shining through them in the window I realized that they would be taking them home.  Booooooo.  So I had to make more.  I had two extra plates already cut and I used the center cut outs to make more... and more.  I think they look so pretty with the winter sunlight illuminating through them.

 

 

Why this silly thing turns my pictures and won't let me turn them back I will never know.

And this is me... the big kid... coloring. 



windrocks

Our four wheeling trip to the mountains last week was fantastic.  We rode over three hundred miles.  Our longest day was about one hundred miles through the mountains.  We went all the way to an area called "The Flats" which is exactly what it was.  Flat mesa type hilltops with no trees and green grass.  I didn't take my camera four wheeling this time at all, sad to say.  But in this area we saw six wild elks along with some white tailed deer, multiple fantastic views of Tennessee and I found shiny rocks everywhere around there which I really like!  I stuck a few in my pocket to bring home.

 

I wish you could really tell how brilliant these are and how they catch the light.  Amazing.

 

 

These came from a different area of the mountain where my little friend and I were playing in the creek.  Not as pretty as the others but I will not forget where they came from.