Monday, August 22, 2011

Bits And Pieces

Summer Visitors

It was not too long ago on a beautiful Midsummer Morning that I awoke and saw the early Sun shining deep into the Castle Great Hall. If I framed the Picture Just So, I could PRETEND that the floor tiles were completed.... and that the Gallery Beams had all the carved heads completed. But Never mind, it is Summer and we are supposed to be RELAXED and NOT worry about the little details Too much! So you will forgive me, Dear Readers, if I show you (And all the other Visitors) around this still incomplete Castle! For there have been quite a few Visitors recently!
To Begin with, Clarence has brought Charlotte and the Children for a sight-seeing Tour while their New House is being built.

Visiting Romantic Castle Ruins was a practice the Victorians enjoyed when they went on Holidays. Charlotte and Clarence and the Children had a fine time and were quite impressed with the Great Hall!

And another day found Pollyanna visiting the Castle too. She is considering it as the venue for her Wedding celebration..... really, she MUST make some FIRM plans soon!

The Great Hall would be perfect for the Reception..... there is plenty of room after all, for Dancing and Dining too..... and it has SUCH Atmosphere!

And the Chapel is lovely and Intimate.... even though it is STILL undergoing restoration...... it could be a Beautiful place to say their Vows.....

And while Pollyanna is Deciding what she will do...... I have had Visitors too! A Friend of Many Years came to visit, bringing her Grandchildren so they could see the Dollhouses! While the Daughter Leila quietly absorbed Everything, her younger brother Sebastian asked a million questions! And when they left, I noticed that he had taken the time to re-arrange the Guardroom so that the Warriors are busy with their Training!

Things have been BUSY!
So you may be surprised to see that I have managed to make a few more of the Carved Heads on the Gallery beams..... there is this Devilish or Puckish fellow on the end......

And here is a Huntsman blowing his horn...... I apologize for the poor lighting........

There are more to come...... I must get good photos before I can show them!
And speaking of details.......The last time I showed you the Monk's Cell interior, I realized that EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT VISIBLE FROM OUTSIDE......
the Vaulted Ceiling needed to be made anyway!

So I have added the DETAIL of a ceiling that cannot be seen once the Inner Wall is permanently attached! WHY do we need to do these things? Here you can see it with the wall out of the way.

And here you see the way it fits in the corner of the Chapel.....
with the Chapel ceiling also removed. Just a Little bit that would BOTHER me if I never did it!

Another tiny little detail that is being SLOWLY worked on is Pollyanna's Garden!
First of all, she found a MINIATURE ROSE Plant at the Super Market...... it is NOT true 1:12 scale.....BUT for someone who Loves ROSES and Miniatures..... it was Irresistible!

And behind Pollyanna you can see the BONSAI plant is growing.....
a little out of control at the moment while we figure out about the Pruning that is needed!

And of course, once there was ONE miniature Rose...... when we spotted a SALE of Three plants for the price of ONE....... the Garden was well and truly under way! Now if only I can figure out the right Planter to hold them all.... and have it fit in my Tiny house........

At the moment they are a lovely hedge in front of the Folly!

Maybe a long window box would work best?

Can you believe how TINY these REAL LIVING ROSES are?

And Last but NOT least..... there are lots of Bits and Pieces adding to the Cupboard House..... but as is the way with Little things..... they don't add up to look like very much!
For starters, I am adding detail to the outside of the Cupboard that will be painted to look like the Carved Brownstone the building is made from. There will be a Top floor added which will have a mansard roof and the eaves will overhang the front with a decorative cornice.

And around the front door there will be an elaborate Portico made from the carved brownstone. And there will be steps to the door and decorative banding at each floor ......

And here you can see I have started the hearth in the kitchen...
and the decorative mantelpiece......

Stained the same walnut stain as the rest of the woodwork.....

Oh, and I started on the old fashioned Soapstone sink that will be in the kitchen....

I painted the first coat very dark gray......

And then a lighter gray stippled over that.......

Here they are positioned in the kitchen...... with the cast iron range

And another view......

And the flooring has been started........ oh SO MANY Bits and Pieces!

Here is another view of the Portico....
it took quite a few Bits and Pieces to put together....

So many details!
Just Bits and Pieces

8 comments:

  1. Your bits and pieces are adding up :)

    The miniature roses are amazing Betsy and I sure enjoyed my visit to the castle.
    I can't wait to see more of the cupboard house.

    Hugs
    Victoria

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  2. So much progress in so little time, Bets. You are doing well.Your carved heads are truly superb. One day, when I build my palace, I may commission you, oh master crafts-lady, to carve a little something :). But that's a long long way away.

    And as I look at the progress of the Brownstone, I am more convinced that it will be my favourite. Ask me again tomorrow when you show another amazing room in your castle and I may change my mind :)

    Bets, about photography, I had the same problem with bad lighting. Do you use a photo editing programme? There are many free ones online and they are really effective for adding brightness, or giving greater contrast. I find my photos improve a great deal after that. Let me know if you want links to these photo editing tools. Picasa has a fairly decent one but I use XNView. It is a shame not to be able to see all your wonderful details (like your gorgeous floor tiles or your painting) clearly because of the lighting. Your chapel is like a gallery of your art and I'll always want to see more. :)

    Lastly, I totally approve of you doing the things that people cannot see. With blogs, people can see! :)

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  3. Betsy, You have been busy! I love the chapel and the detail on the ceiling of the small annex to the left. It would drive me crazy not to do that too to a space that only I could see. It really finishes everything off perfectly. I love the mantle that you have made and the sink came out wonderful!

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  4. Betsy, I have to run to work, it's 8.10 am here but I couldn't help writing. You are doing such a GREAT job. I love your details and you are not nut because of the ceiling, you'd have always known that there was something missing...although not visible.Keep going, I'l look forward new details. Rosanna

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  5. I haven't got words to explain that I like so much all!!!! congrats! are really great work!

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  6. So many changes to admire! I love the sink and the Portico and the carved heads. The mini roses are charming and you bonsai is growing so fast:)
    And the first photo is just superb!:)

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  7. :-D
    Luckily Pollyanna dont met Charlotte and her family, or her plan to use the castle as a location for her wedding, would be blurred because of: haunting by ghosts!
    I am reminded of a possible history of type "The Others", where the Victorian family is between houses and castles, waiting to finally live in their own... :-)
    Very interesting news about it: I love this cabinet :-)
    Mini lovely hugs, Flora

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  8. Well, I guess I didn't see the whole of the cupboard house post. Somehow I started it, then something intervened... It's a truly wonderful idea, and I eagerly await the continuing story of the family who will be living there.
    Can't wait to see Polyanna's wedding!
    Who would guess you have a full-time job!
    Lots of love,
    Mom

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