Front Door:

Good Morning All,

I've rough painted the front door. I have decided to use this door even though I will have to block out the side lites so that they will not be noticed when the surround is attached.

The photos show you my process in deciding what hardware to use on the door. I had always thought I would use the lion's head knocker but in my supplies I have findings that change the character of the door. Once I decided that the brass knob would be in the centre I needed something to help strengthen the appearance of the knob to counterbalance the knocker. The photos show you few of the jewellery findings that I have considered. Yes, I will verdigris them when I decide.

The surround of the door began as a resin photo frame. Bruce sawed off portion of the bottom of the frame. He then painted it - no, that did not look good. Finally sprayed it with a sand-like grit and painted it to match the corner coynes. We will settle for this at the moment. On the house it looks good.

The photos of the exterior of the house always look much brighter and more contrasted than it does in situ. Considering giving it a whitewash to tone it down.

Now, you wonder, what are these bits and pieces you are showing. In my search for something appropriate for a balcony balustrade - I found a gate from a Christmas village, a wire pet cage, a plastic doily and a Christmas bell (not shown) and portion of a stand that cake decorators use. What do these have in common... yes, filigree.

I did love the gate. I could saw off the star and gold support and take off the side uprights that have the balls on top..... no!!! I only had one and I needed two.... great rushing around to anywhere that might have those Town House, I think they are called, Christmas villages..... no luck in any case that gate may have been discontinued someone said.

Back to the drawing board. Yes, perhaps I could take apart the pet cage. It has two sides and I could fiddle and make it fit. Rather delicate and I could paint rust etc on it. Actually it looked too delicate in the window. Next! mm mm, plastic doily. I had used the centre of it to make an impression in the paint in the living room ceiling of my mini house - surely this could be used somehow. No, the pattern cannot be reversed to match on each side because it is flat on the underneath and rounded on the top.

So back to the plastic cake decorating support. It was round originally and I thought it would make a nice fire guard so I had cut it up and painted it. It was a bit too big for the fireplace I wanted to use it on. I did accidentally break it in two as it is quite brittle plastic and just did not want to bend as far as I would like it to. My husband is quite surprised I cannot bend everything to my will. I also cut off some little feet it was standing on. I looked in Michael's (a local craft store) but could not find any more of them.

Mini friends, never throw anything away! I know you all know that already!

I think it looks good. I have settled for it and it will soon appear glued in the window.

Photos:

Final Choice....perhaps?

Filigree possibilities for window balustrade.

Variations of possibilities for hardware.

Surround and hardware on door.

Decorated for Christmas

The entry is complete. The tree has been raised and the lights strung.

Hope you enjoy this "small" view of this space prepared for Christmas.

Hope everyone had a wonderful day!

Janine

Photos:

Entry viewed from dining room. Mirror reflects the lighted tree. Faux animal print on stool with small parcels on top. Cleo the cat examines the three small trees and the Architectural prints stacked on the floor. Under the stairs - chair covered with embroidered linen. You can see the Chinese-style ginger jar and the walking stick with the dog's head. On the floor a small tree with wrapped parcel. Wreath on the front door.

Viewed from the living room. The table has a mirror (formerly a Christmas decoration), Eiffel tower, ginger jar, books, orchid plant and coloured balls to match those on the door wreath and balcony rail.

Coming through the front door. Carved wooden angels guard the tree.

Looking through the window on the second floor you can see the enamelled decorations hanging from the hallway rail. These are the wine glass identifiers. We took them with us on our sailing trip to decorate small trees on the boat. You can also see the light covers I made from cutting a cow bell in half and the portrait made from an old earring.

Closer view of the arrangement under the mirror that also reflects the tree.

Working with the roof section off we have glued the stairs into place in the two-level entry:

This has been a bit of a challenge. The wooden stairwell has been marbled.

The hand rail made from electrical sheathing from the hardware store. Bamboo skewers create the spindles and brass beads create dimension.

I decided I wanted to use the space under the stairwell so I spray mounted more wallpaper to card stock then cut the shapes of the steps into this to create a curved wall. I glued the false wall on to the stairwell then installed the stairs. Fancy unnecessarily exposing myself to a craft store when I went to pick up card stock. I tried to wear blinkers and go directly to the department I needed ..... I was almost successful! You may not even be able to see this curved wall in the photographs but it will eventually have a mirror on it to reflect the opposite wall. I love the wallpaper. It is full scale wallpaper not miniature - a grape cluster pattern, very subdued, but so perfect for the large entry. The stairwell must be finished before I can put the roof into place. Perhaps it would be better if it could be removable..... something else to think about. No! thought about it and it would not work so you can see in the photos it has been glued and held in place with clamps till it dried properly. There are a lot of lights in the wall. To create sconces over the lights, I cut a small cow-bell xmas decorations in half and glued braid around the top edge. Yet to glue a small decorative circle at the base to finish. Today's work is done because of or despite my small assistants. Any questions? I would be happy to answer. Thanks Janine Photos: Stairwell through the empty dining room. Looking down into entry - Empire bedroom on left Down into entry. Doorway into bathroom on upper level. Lower level into living room. Can you see wallpaper better? Mini Helpers looking into kitchen - 2 & 5 years old. Labels:

MiniHelper

We are preparing the Children's room and the attic for photographing. I have an expert and willing helper. My Granddaughter is four and declares that the finished result is "truly adorable Grandma!".

I will continue when my helper returns to Mum and Dad, but in a few days you will see full coverage of these rooms! I'm very happy to be back working on the interior!

BirdRoom:
The wallpaper lent its name to this quiet country-styled room. The wallpaper is quite busy but very cheerful and finding complimentary patterns has been a challenge. Not over yet as I have a yen to change it completely.
The rooms are deep - 21"x12". When the house is finished one will view the contents from the open back or through limited view lines from the windows. Therefore I must plan not to block the sight lines and yet make the layout seem natural.


I know, it takes a while to realize that not everything is as it looks. When I first began doing miniatures I tried to actually make the bed with the usual layers of bedding. I had not come to terms with the fact that glue would have a big part in creating a better image of how fabric falls.
I have a wonderful collection of fine lawn handkerchiefs that I use for sheets. I do hate to cut them up but I cannot continue to collect them without putting them to good use. I love piles of crisp linens so have made piles of edge trimmed linens tied with bows part of my display. I imagine the lady of the house has bought in the sun-dried sheets and pillowcases ready to change the bed.

The desk is treated as a vanity. The mirror is made using a small picture frame, the vanity trays are jewellery bases and the bead bottles made from jewellery findings. Frames were made and stained to fit the pictures taken from catalogues and magazines.

NapoleonicRoom

I have called this room the Napoleonic room as once I found the picture of Josephine that is above the fireplace the room began to take on a life of its own. I painted water colour paper the colour I desired and drew double gold lines around the ceiling and trim on doors and baseboard are also gold. I could have called it the Josephine room but it seems more masculine in the strength of colours in the furniture and walls.



The French went crazy over anything Egyptian - note the leopard skin sphinx chair at the desk and the sphinx supported mirror on the top of the desk. Crystal ball is made of a crystal bead mounted on the base of a large snap. The lamps are lead candlesticks painted gold. The lampshades are electrical caps covered with Napoleonic battle scenes. There are so many to chose from!




I dressed the sleigh bed with cushions of yellow fleur de lise and striped gold as well as a couple of fine lace ones to soften the bedding. The sheets are made of an old fine-lawn handkerchief. Note the Napoleonic bee cushion.
The curtains are temporarily strung as I have not decided if these will be used. I tried the gold striped fabric but it does not fall correctly.



I made the breakfast tray and most of the items on it - this includes the teapot, bread and boiled egg and fruit cup and rose in a bud vase.. also the milk jug and sugar bowl made of beads.
I had a weekend once doing nothing but making frames for all the prints and pictures I thought suitable for the house. I really got a lot of use out of the little mitre box I had bought.



Above is a photo of the Bespac cupboard that I painted in the Biedermeier style and decopaged prints of the Battle of the Nile on the doors. They need little tassels on the knobs I think.

Below we can see the whole room. The chaise lounge with an old-fashioned telephone on the little side table behind it. Vignette includes a bowl of chocolates, clock and framed photograph. A LV style purse and a bunch of roses are on the chaise. Shoes are kicked off and will be found at the end of the weekend still underneath.
To the right is a bombe cupboard that displays a tray of ivory bead bottles. The frame (with photo) was made from a decorative button, silver candlesticks and a couple of old postcards finish the scene.






Perhaps you can see inside the suitcase that contains a blue sweater with a small leather purse on top, stockings in their package and speciality underwear in a Paris box. There are also delicate undies almost concealed under the box of chocolates.

This room is occupied by the youngest daughter, who returns to the home most weekends. Much of the furniture has been in the family for decades but Josephine changes nothing.
She loves to come home, kick off her shoes and relax.

Bathroom:

The tiles on the floors and walls were made by measuring and scoring white laminate. When you score the laminate the backing shows through and it looks like mortar. You need a steady hand with mat knife.
The cabinet is Bespaq. The display is a combination of items made by Elizabeth and I when we were making and selling miniatures prior to 2002. These items include the tray on the toilet and the one in the bath. Note that the soaps on the lower shelf of the cabinet are displayed in a suction cup! The drawer (unopened) is filled with toilet rolls. Items are all glued to clear plastic sheeting to save the wood. Picture is in a button frame.
The wall display unit was "bashed" - do people still use this expression? It means you take something and turn it into something else. It was some kind of wire thing that I used snips to trim of excess decoration to simplify for a wall unit. Items are mainly bead bottles, towels made from baby velour wash cloths tied with a silk ribbon and bow.

Living Room:

This photo to give you an idea of the floor. I will take close ups soon.

Kitchen Stove:

I'm thinking of painting the stove a gloss black, leaving the copper detailing. Not sure yet.

Kitchen sink counter:

This will be leveled and attached permanently when I finish the sink. I imagine it will be filled with cut flowers ready to be arranged in vases. I do have a set of glass-fronted cupboards to fill and place above the counter to the left of the window. Windows will be open multi-paned windows with window boxes.