Book Nook And Fireplace Updates

A Gift From Nina!

As some of you Dear Readers may be aware, Nina of "The Tudor-Medieval -Jacobean- Queen Anne Dollhouse "Blog, (http://tudordollhouse.blogspot.com/) upon reading about the VAST Emptiness of my New Book Nook Shelves in my second to last post, decided from the Goodness of her Heart, to send me a selection of her own hand made Books! Her blog is one of the first ones I discovered as I began my adventures in Mini Blogland and DIRECTLY inspired my Construction of my Own Castle Dollhouse, so I am Doubly touched and Honored by this Gift! And of course, you must understand that WITHOUT the awareness of the immanent arrival of these volumes, my New shelves and the rest of the reading nook Probably would have remained unadorned for weeks, if not months! But Just LOOK at how many lovely books she sent!!!


They are not opening books..... but some of them are even covered in gorgeous leather bindings! And they are an assortment of colors and sizes as well! I truly am touched by this gift!

And while I have not yet made any BOOKS myself, I did manage to make some cushions to soften the nook! I started by making a mattress out of some very old and worn sea-green velveteen..... so soft and faded looking...... please excuse the roughness of my stitching... I am out of practice!

And added some round bolsters for each end, tucked into the corners......

And while I was decorating....
I found the right color blue paint and re-painted the shelves to match the rest of the trim.......

And then I made a couple of cushions out of some sparkly Paisley inspired fabric.....

isn't the pattern just Gorgeous?!

And I FINALLY finished the tiny piece of needlepoint I had started almost TWO years ago.... making a cushion out of the little rabbit......

And added a cup of tea on the window ledge....

and a Pear for snacking........

And the books...... Isn't it Cozy?

Nina's books look SO At HOME with the rest of the books I have!

I am going to have to make some more......

Thank you, Nina! I LOVE them!



And now I must show you Another little detail that I have FINALLY completed......
You have seen the ceiling for my Dining Room in the Cupboard House a number of times.... but ever since I started painting it, I have wanted to add some tiny Heavenly Figures looking down from the Clouds.... as though the Gods of Olympus are feasting up above the clouds and happen to look down on the Dining Room below........

Here is a closer view.....

it was a bit tricky to approximate the correct foreshortening......

And here is the view in situ in the Dining Room....

it is such a tiny detail.... they are hardly noticeable at all...

but I just didn't want to leave them out!

And Finally..... you want to see what I have done with the fireplace.....

I have painted the Initial coat of black....

very loosely .... to resemble Marble....

just so I can decide whether black marble is what I want.......

Here you can see it in place.......

And closer..... to see the details...
it is SO difficult to photograph black......

Then I decided I needed to paint the bricks of the firebox in order to really see how it would look.... so I cut some cardboard to the shape and quickly painted the bricks.......

That looks MUCH better!

But I REALLY wanted to see it with the Mirror in place too...
And because I haven't found any mirrors like what I am looking for.....

I started to build the mirror frame...
Using some of that small molding stock from Home Depot.....

Because my cut piece of mirror is a little uneven.....

I built up the back of the frame to surround the glass.....

I am leaving the bottom edge of the glass with no frame....

because I want that sense of the Mirror rising straight out of the marble mantlepiece......

And I have painted it antique gold .......
Here you see it with the glass in place...........

And giving it a try on the Mantlepiece.......

(Oh boy, is it ever difficult to photograph mirrors!!!)

You get the wackiest junk in the reflection.....

or the glaring lightbulbs!

And while we're at it..... I thought I would give a try to the Lighting.......

Gas lamps were the NEWEST technology at the Time of this House......

And another view......

I might need to get the lamp with more arms......
And forgive the still un-repaired ceiling.....

And THEN upon further reflection.....

I decided that Maybe the mirror DID need a bottom frame piece....

just a slim edge.... not the same as the rest......
So I added one temporarily......

Here's a closer view......

But now I'm not so sure.......

THIS is the first way........

And THIS is the second way.....

Such a Subtle difference.......

And I CAN'T Decide!

Sorry to leave you hanging......
but that's as far as I've gotten!

Book Nook and Fireplace Updates

Dashing Through The Snow!

Oh, What a Ride!

It all began MANY years ago, Dear Readers, when I came across this little Santa Sleigh Christmas Decoration (pictured below) and Could NOT resist purchasing it! It didn't come with a Santa or Elves or even a Reindeer...... but it looked like Just the right size for a Dollhouse family to use for Sleigh rides! At the time I wasn't even building any Dollhouses..... and I wouldn't admit I was Collecting bits and pieces for my Someday Dollhouse.....and I was even a little Embarrassed that I had bought such a Useless little trinket that wasn't even a good Christmas Decoration..... so I hid it away in the Cupboard... for Someday. And every now and then I would think about how much Fun it would be to find a way to use it!

It is really rather excessive in it's ornate impracticality......

but, Hey, this is the mini world.... so I held onto it and kept on Dreaming...!

Then, much more recently, I came across this little sleigh.... (Another Christmas ornament!...)
at the local store that specializes in Baskets of all kinds...... and I could NOT resist buying it! (You see it here already altered by the wooden harness block I lashed to the front runners....) It is only about four inches long and is Ever so Sweet! Perfect for little Children to be pulled around in.... um, Doll children that is...!

So Really, all we were missing was the Perfect Snow....

Because here in the North, Sleigh Riding is an old and necessary means of travel in the Winter. When I was little we had an insurance Company that gave Calendars with pictures of the engravings by Currier and Ives, those Artists of the Quintessential American Life of the mid-Nineteenth Century, and I always loved the ones with horses the best... such as this Winter scene... a VERY New England farmhouse and the horse-drawn sleigh.

And even Better these Sleighing Parties.......

Or the ones showing the Breakneck Racing Sleighs.......!
Just so you can see what my Daydreams were inspired by... all those years ago!

So is it any wonder that when we Finally got some snow...

not just Any snow, but some PERFECT Snow......

not too deep...... soft and fluffy........ no wind....
(AND on a Weekend!)

It was TIME to go for a Sleigh Ride!
Are You Ready?
Beatrice and Caroline have put on their NEW Matching Red Riding Hoods.........

Even Tommy is wearing his New Winter Cloak AND his Hat........

But ONLY because Papa is wearing his Stylish new Many-caped Driving Cloak.....!

The Hitches have been carefully checked for Security.....

And the Pony Prince has been Harnessed to the Little Sleigh......

While the Mare, Dancer, is being harnessed for the Christmas Sleigh......

She really is Such a Sweet Goer... she pulls like a Dream.....!

Prince is Eager to be going too, in his Lovely New black leather harness......

Clarence is overseeing the arrangements....

it takes an amazing amount of work to get Everyone Ready!

At LAST, they are all prepared....

just like in the Currier and Ives Print.......
Are YOU Ready?

Off we go!
Out into the SNOW!

In the Crisp Clear air.......

Oh WHAT FUN it Is....!

To Ride.....

In a one-horse open Sleigh...!

O'er the fields we go.....

Laughing All the way!

Okay,..... no bells or Bob-tails......

But, Oh the Spirits are BRIGHT!

Beatrice has never been Sleighing before.....

The afternoon is fading quickly......

as it does at this time of year........

Their shadows long upon the snow...

they head for home....

An afternoon they will Long Remember.......

Oh, WHAT a Ride!

Dashing Through The Snow!