Monday, August 21, 2017

A Long Way From Complete....




Eclipse.....

It has been very hard to ignore, Dear Readers, that on This side of the Atlantic we have been presented with a Solar Eclipse that was a Total Eclipse for the entire path across the United States! If you were lucky enough to be near the path of totality, then I hope you had great viewing. Here in Northern New England, the eclipse was nowhere near a complete one, but still, it caused a few moments of complete focused attention, even in the Doll Worlds! Arthur and Pollyanna joined Will on the Terrace of the Folly which has a wonderfully unobstructed southern view!

With the special glasses, one could stare directly at the sun 
and view the moon's shadow as it covered the sun!

I stepped outside at work for a few minutes myself....

And took a picture through the glasses with my camera!
I know, it's tiny and far away, and terribly amateur....
But that is pretty much what we could see from here!
(Poke the pictures to see if it is better close-up!)
And while I was sharing my glasses with co-workers who didn't have any, 
I was noticing the shadows on the ground!

The sun cast crescent shadows through the leaves of the tree!
So even though it was not a complete eclipse in this neck of the woods...
it was a complete blast to get out and have a look!

And because it has been that kind of a week here, 
Dear Readers, I only have a couple of other 
small incomplete things to share with you!
As you might imagine, while I was painting the mural for the Tinker's wagon, 
I was also starting the kits for the final room of The Secret Christmas House. 
This room is the Parlor, and it will hold the Christmas Tree 
along with a decorated fireplace, clock, sofa, and two candle stands.

I started by assembling the fireplace, which has a lovely mantle 
and a hearth which I thought should be painted to look like bricks.

And then I decided that the top of the mantle 
should be painted to resemble black marble
 because the plain white seemed to disappear
 against the ornate walls of the room.

The fireplace has a lovely profile which you can sort of see here.

Here I have glued the mantle to the hearth.
 And then I realized that in order to create a more realistic fire 
than the one that is printed on the wall...
 I would need to attach the fireplace to the room, 
and I needed to "decorate it before I did that!
So instead, I assembled the rest of the furniture for this room.

A lovely Swedish style clock, 
a Victorian sofa and two candle stands or side tables.

You really do need another project to work on
 while you are assembling these kits, Dear Readers, 
because they take only a tiny amount of work gluing pieces 
and then long stretches of waiting while they dry completely!

And then you paint them..... and let them dry....
And then you varnish them.... and let them dry....


And finally you can add the printed art for the clock face!

And the lace doilies on the tables.....

And the upholstery for the sofa.....

And you will be relieved to know 
I did not try to paint my own cloth upholstery for this sofa!

I even glued the carpet into the parlor, in readiness for the furniture. 
And that's as far as I got, Dear Readers...
it's all still a Long Way from Complete... 
 
But like many things in life..... 
it's not really about how complete it is, 
it's about how much Fun you have with what you've got!
I hope you all have had safe and fun viewing of the eclipse....
However much you could see!
And if you are overseas and not near the path.... 
I hope you can enjoy the view from here just a little bit too!
Happy Eclipse!

29 comments:

  1. What a great first picture, it made me smile!

    An awful lot of time is spent waiting for paint and glue to dry in the mini world and I definitely agree with having another project on the go.

    I'm enjoying what you're doing with this little project and I've sent the link to your blog to my sister, who is venturing into the smaller world, for inspiration.

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    1. Thanks Irene! I hope your sister enjoys the link and finds useful tips in all my lengthy posts!
      I had fun bringing the eclipse to the little world too! I'm really glad it made you smile!:)

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  2. Good eclipse to you :-), it's a charming scene!
    hugs

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  3. Hello Betsy,
    I am glad you got to enjoy the eclipse! It was so beautiful! I still cannot grasp that something as small as that furniture can be so incredibly well assembled and so beautifully finished. It just amazes me!
    Big hug
    Giac

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    1. Hi Giac! These kits are really well made! I am continually amazed at the delicacy they achieve with the laser cutting! It is such an awesome technique! All I am doing is making them a little different!

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  4. Love your tiny room! Can't wait to see it 'staged' with the furniture you've built.

    We had the crescent moon shadows down in TX as well. I stayed inside and looked at them through my window at work. Too hot to go outside! Still is!

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    1. Hi Sheila! I had a lot of fun taking "shadow" pictures!
      As for "finishing" the rooms... that takes a while! LOL! I still have to finish all the wing-back chairs and the curtains!

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  5. So fun! We had a great eclipse view here in Chicago, other than the clouds rolling in right at the peak. But, it was still lovely to experience.

    I think my favorite micro of yours so far is the clock, with the fireplace being a close second. :D

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    1. Hi Brae! I'm glad you had a great view of the eclipse! The next one is supposed to be 100% much closer to home here in New England... I'm aiming for that one.... weather permitting!
      Yes, that clock is one of the amazing little pieces they have designed!

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  6. This is so typically you: making eclipse glasses for your dolls in your miniature world ;)! I've enjoyed reading your post, Betsy, and because the eclipse wasn't to be seen here, it was nice to get an idea about it by reading your post, thank you!
    I fully agree with you that it's all about how much fun you have with what you've got, like many things in life. Therefore, I'm also happy to be back into the miniature blog world, and of course making my miniatures ;O!
    Hope you're doing fine...?
    Hugs, Ilona

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    1. Hi Ilona! I couldn't leave the mini people out of all the eclipse excitement! LOL!
      Yes, I am doing well and as you can see, the minis are once again making me happy! LOL! I am glad you are back!!!

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  7. Silly me: I forgot to tell you that your teeny tiny miniatures are made beautiful, the house will be so lovely after it will be ready!

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    1. It will be a while... there are so many extra details to add....!!!

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  8. Your tiny things are just amazing!

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    1. Thank you Ingi! These kits are wonderful! They are very inspiring and a great way to start in the tiny scale!

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  9. Glad you got to enjoy some of the eclipse along with the mini residents! It was pretty incredible here in the northwest, too!
    The amount of furnishings and details in this kit are wonderful, and you are really making the most of them. I expect that we are going to enjoy quite a few magical holiday posts from you in the months to come!

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    1. Hi Jodi! I heard from people who went to see the eclipse at 100% and they called it "Magical"!
      This kit has already taken much of this year... I am Hoping I will get it done by Christmas! LOL! (If I don't keep getting off track......!)

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  10. The tiny furniture is amazing. Looking forward to seeing it all come together. Keep up the good work- Troy

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    1. Thanks Troy! These kits are amazing! I am having a lot of fun adding the extra stuff too!

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  11. Wow, many crescents through the tree leaves!
    And your little Christmas parlor is going to be special. I love that clock!
    Lots of love - sorry I'm late,
    Mom

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    1. Hi Mom! It posted.... sometimes it is just S...l...o...w...!!!
      I love that clock too!
      :)

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  12. I don't think my previous comment got published - probably hit the wrong key. Anyway - amazed & delighted with the crescents produced by tree leaves! And the little tiny parlor is going to be delightful -
    Lots of love, sorry I'm late,
    Mom

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    1. The crescent shadows fascinated me .... almost more than the sun itself! LOL!

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  13. Hi, Betsy - How thoughtful of you to provide eclipse glasses for Arthur, Pollyanna, and Will. And how amazing that you could make the glasses! Lincoln, Nebraska, was directly in the path of totality, so we had to venture only to the back yard for a wonderful Total Eclipse Experience. I'm so glad that we saw this eclipse, because my seven-year old granddaughter informed me that there won't be another one for two million years! That's a long time to wait.........The parlor of your Secret Christmas House is going to be beautiful. I'm just as fascinated by the parlor furniture as I have been by the furnishings in the other rooms. I love the sofa with its lovely upholstery - even if you didn't hand paint the pattern! The fireplace is going to be grand, with the black marble mantle and the brick hearth. I'm excited to see the finished room, especially with the Christmas tree. I'm glad that I won't have to wait two million years to see your final results!
    Marjorie

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    1. Hi Marjorie! I'm glad you were able to experience the eclipse with your granddaughter! They say such wonderful things! A Million years is a long time to wait! LOL!
      You won't have to wait a million years to see the finished house.... but....I am hoping by Christmas! :)

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  14. It's great to see that even the little persons had their chance to experience this very special once-in-a-lifetime-event... wearing very stylish "eclipse-view-glasses" ;O) As always it was stunning to follow your progress on this fantastic kit (although I was a bit disappointed... no coats of pain needed to finish this sofa... tssss... *showsdevilishgrin*) Looks as if this will be finished long ago before Christmas time begins, well, this will leave you enough time to start with this year's Christmas card... *LOL*

    Hugs
    Birgit

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    1. Hi Birgit! You know I just couldn't leave the little people out of such a momentous occasion! I would have included the Beary Gang, but the Cloud Palace had floated far from here where there were no clouds....! I am assuming they got a great view from the Palace Towers! :)
      As for the time-table to be finished with this project by Christmas-card-drawing-season.... I am beginning to worry...! The additional items that need to be created keep popping onto the list....I still have not put the "snow" on the house, or the curtains on the windows..... or the Santa and his reindeer on the roof... or the garden at the side yard.... or the snowmen on the steps..... not to mention the dollhouse for the dolls.....! You can see the problem I am having! LOL!!!

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  15. I'm glad that I won't have to wait two million years to see your final results!


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