Grab Bags! The Dollhouse Saga

I am so excited! The $5 grab bag I ordered from Just Miniature Scale arrived! I bought four bags. They did an excellent job of mixing it all up. 

There are a few items that I am not keeping. I might do a giveaway. Let me know what you think!

Peldyn

More Harry Potter: The Dollhouse Saga

My Etsy order finally arrived! I ordered the cutest stuff from Shrinking Violet Creations to finish off the Cupboard Under the Stairs. She packaged it all so nicely.

The little stickers are so unbearably cute! I am going to make a placard with them. 

Here is a sneak peek at part of the room

I need to make a side table to hold the pot of tea and the issue of the Quibbler. Also thinking of making a tiny scarf and the stand for Hedwig still needs to be made too. At least I can make those at the dining room table so as not to bother the kittens.

Peldyn

Late Spring Garden

Today was a huge harvest from my garden. I started a garden subscription box to maybe add a little variety to what I grow. I saw leaf’d box  on Facebook and decided what the heck, it could be cool. had never grown endive or radicchio and was excited at how beautiful they grew

Radicchio 

Endive


I have so much of these so I searched for recipes. Here are two I plan on trying.

 

Quick Sauté with Chicken and Endive

Roasted Radicchio

I also harvested bunching onions, lettuce, fennel, cabbage, beets, bok choy, and kale. So. Much. Kale. Thank goodness I love it!

Almost forgot the beans and peas! I am making pickled beets and can’t wait to eat them.

Soon I will have tons of squash as the blossoms have started forming. Yum! The broccoli has also started making tiny florets. 

Happiness achieved.

Peldyn

A Mouse In The House: The Dollhouse Saga

I am not going to be able to do much work on the dollhouse as a feral cat had kittens so I moved her and her kittens into the office. She is hating me and all hissy so I am trying to give her peace and quiet. 

I did do a little bit of hand sewing though. I had purchased a mouse for the dollhouse and it had a really ugly purple sweater on that did not go with the gold hat it was wearing. So I used my fave Debbie Mumm bee fabric to make her a new outfit. 

I cute out a little bee from the fabric and glued it on her hat. I think she is so dang cute!

Now here is a gratuitous kitten pic

Momma was really unhappy that I took a picture. 

So I will let her be and in a couple weeks I can work on the dollhouse again. Wish me luck in taming her!

Peldyn

Keeping It Straight: The Dollhouse Saga

I am having a time of it trying to cut the jumbo popsicles thinner. Cracking, splintering. I only have so many of these little buggers so I decided to take the three straightest and make do. First I glued them end to end. You can see where one is definitely not straight when I put an uncut piece up against it.

I am going to try and fix that with some paper clay

After I filled in the edge with the clay, using the straight edge of the uncut stick as a guide, I am going to let it dry. I also filled in the joins.

Just a little bit of sanding and ready to paint!

The finished trim looks so good! Now on to the last little bit of board and batten. I will be done with that tonight and might take a small break, or not. Lol

Peldyn

Board and Batten and Bricks: The dollhouse Saga

Still waiting on electrical parts so I did more work on the outside of the house. I added board and batten cut from popsicle sticks in two sizes. The first try was rough. I didn’t space them well and didn’t sand enough. I may fix it later.

As you can see, I cut out the window hole. I should do a post on how crazy THAT was. Still, it looks pretty good.

Now on to the front!

Next I worked on the remaining brickwork. 

I am really loving how it is turning out.  I might make the white “panes” for the windows tomorrow. Ugh, I also need to cut out the “bricks” to put the first floor window back in. Peldyn

Gryffindor Fireplace: The Dollhouse Saga

A Harry Potter room has to have a fireplace. Something to sit in front of while reading The Dibbler. This was a challenge in many ways. It was my first completely from scratch item, it was my first time trying to do such tiny tiny painting. The violas are huge in comparison. Also the first time making a “fire” from the ground up. 

Here is how it began;

I cut those curves on the hearth by hand. I would not recommend it if you have hand issues

Filling in any gaps with paper clay, plus I used it to moulding the edge of the hearth.

A dry fit to see how it looks.

Checking to see how the brick looked for the back

Next up was sketching the crest and building the fire

The crest is so tiny I could barely see it. I can’t wait for my new glasses to get here.

I disassembled the tea light and decided how it will fit in the space.

I painted it black so it would be more hidden.

I dropped some alcohol paint on a piece of plastic to simulate flames/glowing coals.

I secured the tea light with a couple strips of brick paper.

I crinkled the plastic and tried to fit over the tea light. Next time I will used a thinner plastic like maybe from a bread bag. This was stiff and not easy to work with.

Building up the twigs around the fire.

The husband said “That is a big fire.” The better to keep you warm my dear.

The finished fireplace!  Because the tea light was so bulky, the fire built around it is a bit bulky too. It still looks amazing! Just the thing to keep Harry and Hedwig warm this winter.

Peldyn