Sheraton Side Table

Last summer I ordered a small marquetry side table from Chris Malcolmson. Despite the fact it is a Sheraton table, I thought would be a nice compliment in a room with the William and Mary chest of drawers he made for me.

I want things to be harmonious but not matching. I am keeping my eye out for a taller piece of furniture for the same room, a beautiful secretary perhaps. 

PS.... 

You might have caught a glimpse of my vanished post which was a help question . I got a fast answer, so I deleted the post so as not to trouble you with it.

I have been struggling with the NEW polymer clay formula imposed on clay companies like  Fimo and Sculpy by the Environmental Protection Agency. The clay now is much too soft, sticky and sort of greasy. I HATE IT! It is impossible to work with.

I have been told that Kato polymer clay is the better option now for its working qualities. I am hoping this is true because I have ordered it to finish a project I have been struggling with. Most of which is finished, except for the hands and face. Surely there has to be an answer if it is not Kato. I could never make an animal with the new formula clays. 

Thanks a lot EPA.... You *&^%$#   &^%$. Grrrr

1: 12 scale Fine Light Fixtures

I have noticed many people seem to have collections within their collections. Some people love beautiful sterling silver, some fine china and so on. I used to collect Barbara J. Raheb's miniature books (Penny Weight Press). I also collected quite a bit of Frank Whittemore's glass. We made several special order things together, like the glass pitchers with the sterling silver tops you have seen here in my blog.

But what I really have a weakness for is fine miniature light fixtures. They are like jewelry to me. This is a new (solid brass) lamp by Scott Hughes (with a hand blown melon shaped glass shade by Frank Whittemore). There is a black bottom on this student lamp Scott turned in teflon. I still have another fixture coming from him. I hope over time there will be many more..

I have several other colored glass shades that will fit this lamp if I need to change it.

1: 144 Scale Cottage 'The Whispers'

 I am finally finished.... I bet you're glad too. I am VERY happy to get on with a new project!

Braxton Payne made the terracotta flower pots next to the front door. They even have a hole in the bottom of the pot. I am not happy with those flowers. They are not glued in so at some point I will re-do them.

Too bad the color of the 'lavender' garden on the right isn't true. It is the perfect color in RL.

Linda Master made me the beautiful cherry wood frame molding that surrounds the garden. THANK YOU Linda!

 

1: 144 Scale Interior

Here are some new pictures of the (nearly) finished interior of The Whispers. 

I was making the last chair for the blue bedroom when it shot out of my tweezers and flew across the room. It must have been intercepted by invisible aliens because I have never found it. I looked for it for over an hour. Do gremlins steal things from your work space? Sometimes things disappear when I haven't even moved!!

I thought I should take a picture before I added the ceiling. I knew it would be very hard to see inside the room once I added it. The beads for the 'oil lamp' are only 2 mm. They are too big but it was all I had.

I cut up one of the 1: 12 scale doilies I had to make curtains, a dust ruffle, valances and 'crocheted blankets for the bedrooms.

The candle sconces where made by cutting elements of a N scale brass weathervane and a antique French brass bead. The candles are 24 gauge wire painted white with a 30 gauge wire for a wick. The over head ceiling light fixtures were made using a tiny brass bead end cap and a half round opal. When light catches the opals it looks like they are turned on. haha

Now onto the small garden around the house.

Progress On 'The Whispers'

 August 22. 2013

I finished the living room today and glued in the ceiling.I would like to add some flowers to the coffee table but I have to find the right sort of  'vase' first.

I am still working on "The Whispers'. It has been slow going because I am waiting for materials to arrive. I can't start the second floor until I have finished the living room.

I wish my camera photographed colors accurately. The curtains are not as orange as they appear, but rather a subtle peach color and soft green. Actually it was the only paper I had I that could use. My printer will not print anything fine and the ink isn't water proof. Grrrrr

I made the rugs with my Crazy Cords machine by twisting two threads and winding it into a rug on top of double stick tape. Then I painted on tacky glue (on the back side). Once that dried I was able to peel the rug off the tape.

The brass fender for the fireplace was made by cutting a strip out of the N scale brass fence I had for the Georgian Townhouse. I also used that for the brass basket.

I made both lamps out of beads and some altered brass jewelry findings I cut apart for lamp shades.

I have several more things for I want to make to put on my tables. Candlesticks for the mantle would be fun.

Then I can start working on the second floor bedrooms.

Welcome to 'The Whispers'

For three hundred years the people who have lived at the Whispers have reported they heard and felt someone whispering in their ear. Though no one has ever reported they have seen a thing! Just that they heard a woman's voice.

It usually happens at night when people are asleep. They wake to hearing a soft spoken message. "Is the baby alright"? That was heard by a guest who had come to visit with her two year old boy recently. The child had gotten up from his bed and was stabbing the banked coals in the fireplace with an iron poker. As he had seen his mother do before they went to bed.

Sometimes while I am working, I amuse myself with stories. Do you make up stories about the people that live in your dollhouse? Do you know what those people like to collect, what their interests/passions are or what they do for a living? Do you know where or what country they live in, the name of the town or village or street? Feel free to tell a little of your dollhouse story here. After all, isn't this all about having fun.

Still in progress..... A 1: 144 Scale half timbered cottage.

The roof is not glued in place yet. I can't add any weathering to it until it is attached.

I am working on the rooms and furniture now. I am wondering if I will want to do any landscaping in a small area around the house. Maybe add a over the door small roof.  

1: 144 Scale Half Timbered Cottage

I have been side tracked by a new project. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time. Ever since I added half timbered additions to the nutshell houses  I have wanted to do a 1: 144 scale cottage.

I wanted to use twigs  because I thought they looked great on the other pieces I made. (I buy twigs at Michaels in the floral dept. They are six feet long, all I can use are the tips.) And.... I wanted to fill between those "timbers" with a super fine sand & glue mixture I make. I thought it looked much more realistic/ interesting then just having a flat painted background. It is a bit tedious... more than a bit actually. You have to be so careful not to get the thick sandy glue on the "timbers".  I push it around with the point of a toothpick and pat it all into place between the twigs with a damp finger.

The end of the pin is black from burning off the Zap-a-Gap glue off it. If it gets up your  nose it can make your eyeballs CROSS!

It is not going to be finished for a week or more. I am waiting for shingles and some more windows. I want to operate on those so the inside will have a finished look around the windows.

I was going to paint the double front doors white but now I am leaning toward a sort of barn red. Which might compliment the roof if I try to simulate a reddish tile look.

Where is everyone??? Taking the summer off from blogging I suppose. :-)