Thursday, January 19, 2012

Two Steps Sideways!

Dithering Again.... Or Doing The Dual Dollhouse Dance!

It is Difficult to decide sometimes, Dear Readers, whether it is a Boon or a Bane that I have SO MANY Dollhouses that I am working on all at the same time! There is just SO MUCH that needs doing and the lists just go on getting longer! My Ideas jump from one project to the next ... to the NEXT without settling on anything for long enough to get it Finished! As frustrating as it seems to Jump around from one project to another.... I am realizing that it CAN be a Good thing .... especially when I am held up from progress due to lack of materials or Indecision about a certain step I need to make. Maybe my Motto should be "When in Doubt..... Go work on an Other dollhouse!" This seems to be what I have been doing at any rate! I have been held up on the Cupboard House for a number of reasons.... I need to get some stronger glue... (Go Shopping!)... I am not happy with the paper I started to use for the Hallway mural on the Curved wall... it is watercolor paper and is much too absorbent and has a heavy textured surface which doesn't match the rest of the wooden walls. So I need to get some new paper... or poster board large enough and start that part over again.... (Need to GO Shopping...!) And while I have made a start on the fireplace for the Dining Room, I am not sure I like my workmanship well enough..... at least it still needs a lot of work and I haven't been able to make up my mind about the Color that it wants to be...... And then there is the ceiling Trim for the Hallway.... I have started with this molding.... but it is too PLAIN for the Victorian era.... so I am thinking I need to add a border.....

Like this one... just below the molding at the top of the mural....
but I'm not sure whether it hides too much of the sky......

So I'm Dithering!
DARN!
So I found myself working on some really unrelated small projects for the Folly! "The Folly?" you ask? It's been SO long since I have done ANYTHING for the Folly (other than drag it around outside for Photo shoots!)... that you can be forgiven for not really Remembering the Folly at all! It's the little kit house...... and the upstairs has been divided so there is a SMALL area at the top of the stairs where I have built a small window seat tucked behind the stairs. I picture it as a great place to curl up and READ on rainy days... or snowy ones.... and all that is needed are some soft cushions and some bookshelves filled with books..... along the wall....
This is what it looks like before the shelves...... (just in case you couldn't remember!)

And just because we are JUMPING around from project to project..... this is a view of the Kitchen in the Folly.... actually a very early picture from before I papered the back wall.... but it shows a good shot of the Kitchen stove... an old fashioned sort of range..... which looks really sweet until you stand one of the dolls next to it.... and then it is Obviously TOO low to the ground! It Must have longer legs!

So here is an AFTER shot of the bookshelves .....
(nearly completed before I thought to take pictures!)

And a closer... better lit shot.....

And will you believe me when I tell you that the piece of molding trimming the top of the shelves was a scrap left from another project...... and it was EXACTLY the right size and shape for this bookshelf... requiring NO cutting or trimming of ANY kind! I LOVE it when that happens!

And here is a shot of the stove getting some longer leg "extensions"......

They are really very crudely made.....
but they serve the purpose!

And here is a shot showing the slow progress on the fireplace......
I added the trimming at the top to match the bottom......
and added some Sculpey to trim around the opening.....

And then I started to sculpt some "caryatids" to fit in the angled sides....

Like so........

One for each side.... and of course,
they are Similar but NOT identical......

And now I just need to decide what kind of Glue to use to attach them.......

And decide on the shape of the mantlepiece.....
and decide on the color to paint it...
and decide whether the design should be more complex and ornamental........


Here's a closer view of my funny looking Caryatid.....
so difficult to photograph details in the black.....

And to jump around again..... here is a view of the shelves painted...
I couldn't find the right color blue....
I might have run out and will need to GO SHOPPING....! ......
And there will need to be SO MANY books!
These are just a few that I bought quite a while ago!
I really need to learn to make my Own!

And of course, I need to make a seat cushion......
and a whole pile of soft pillows......
and figure out the lighting........

I can't Tell you how long I've been picturing this little reading corner!

And as for the range....
well, Daphne has come to show you how much easier it is to use now!

I painted the legs black to match the originals.....
it makes them hard to see in the evening light...

Maybe if we get even closer......

Nice Legs!

So in spite of everything...
I DID get some tiny things done.....
But I REALLY do need to GO SHOPPING!

Dithering Again!

20 comments:

  1. Well, the nice thing about your going in all different directions is seeing the diversity of your projects. :D I love the reading nook especially.

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    1. Thanks, Brae! It is Such a Tiny space.... almost too small to really BE a reading nook... but the idea is So Appealing... I Love little nooks!

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  2. I sometimes get overwhelmed by my ONE house, so I can imagine having several houses underway must be particularly trying! But remember: it's not a race to finish and it's supposed to be an enjoyable hobby that adds to your quality of life and most definitely NOT be a vexing tribulation, right? (I have to keep telling myself this)!

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    1. SO Right, John! And I tell myself that every time I START another house, too... ! It is ALL about the fun on the way... or mostly about the fun and SOME about the mess and Dithering! I Couldn't stay with just one house.... but I DO have to remind myself that Finishing projects is a GOOD thing too!

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  3. I feel your pain LOL. I love the reading nook and the fire place is going to be great. I love E6000 glue, it holds really good and have used it to glue clay to wood. I hate shopping too, Thank goodness for the internet.

    Hugs,
    Victoria

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    1. Thanks for the tip, Victoria! I WENT shopping and got some E6000..... giving it a try! I LOVE the internet for shopping... but sometimes I like to SEE what I buying first, and don't like to wait on the vagaries of the Mail!

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  4. This is going to turn out really great! :)

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    1. Thank you Mijbil! Welcome to my blog! I am glad you like it! Thank you for commenting!

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  5. It's nice to have more than one project on the go, especially if you're feeling stale with one of them. I love the reading nook. I can't think of anything better you could have done with that little space - it's ideal!

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    1. Thanks, Irene! It is Such a small space.... but I think I am going to be able to make it work...
      And I LOVE Your newest project!

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  6. Betsy! It is Fantastic to see your different projects progresing! And boy, how much I admire your sculpts! I wish I could sculpt!
    And I can easly imagine me sitting near that charming window with a book and a cup of tea!

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    1. Thank you, Ewa! You are welcome to come sit with your tea!

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  7. Hi, Daydreamer! So good to see how your projects are progressing! I love the reading nook so very much. I'd love to send you some books for your shelves -- if you send me your address I'll get a little package out to you! mco@ns.sympatico.ca Best, Nina

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    1. Hi Nina! It's Great to see you again! I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE some books! You are Amazing to even think of it! Wow!
      Thank you!

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  8. I was once blogging about how much I wanted a room to call the library, but now that I see your reading nook, I think I've changed my mind. A window seat, a cozy space with a wall of books like yours, that's all I would need. Look up and out the window to remind myself of the real world, and then right back into the imaginary world, perfect.

    I always want better glue, better paper, more time, more time, (and more time)-running two small houses was hard, I don't know how you manage all your worlds. But they are coming together, even if it seems slow, later on the time will blur together and you'll have the beautiful results do all the remembering for you. Sometimes, when I look back at my work I think, why was I nuts enough to sew that many beads, didn't I long for a real life, etc etc. But the results, hopefully, have more strength than the stress from the constructing. And with your creations, I get all the joy, from the results of all your decisions and designs and art and hard work.

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    1. You are SO right, Amy! What I hate the Most about Dithering is the wasted Time! Time is so precious...I want to make the Best use of it... to immerse myself in the Creative Flow....it Almost doesn't matter Which project.... But I have to make the Focus happen... which is where I get annoyed when I just can't make up my mind WHICH of my 2001 possible projects to work on!!! But the progress is there and the cumulative achievements are Endlessly satisfying!
      As for Libraries and Reading nooks.... As you know, being a Book Lover... ANY place that will fit a few books BECOMES a Library for me! When my dollhouses are done there are going to be LOTS of books! But Really.... all we need is the cozy place to sit, a few books and a warm beverage..... My idea of Paradise!

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  9. Hi Betsy,
    I'm always so excited when I see you've added a post. I love all your work, but that fireplace is wonderful. I love the caryatides, the proportion of the fireplace are perfect. I can't wait to see it finished. I glued my caryatides with "The Ultimate" from crafters pick and a little gel super glue, if that might help.
    I'd love to have more then one project going at a time, but my manor takes up a little too much room .
    Can't wait to see more, you never fail to impress me.
    All the best,
    Giac

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    1. Thank you, Giac! I admire your Manor for it's Amazing Scale and Your Amazing skills in building it! I can understand not having Room for another house! If my real house was just a Little bit bigger... I Might have talked myself into making my Castle a little bigger.... it is already Huge.... but... there are always More pieces that couldn't be included at this size. I'm glad you think my fireplace is going to be wonderful.... I'm gradually thinking it will be okay... as I fix all the rough details! I am learning a Lot at any rate!
      I'm thrilled to know you enjoy my posts so much! Thank you!

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  10. I am always amazed when you show the Folly's kitchen (who can forget your Folly, darling?) , it looks just like a real one especially with the light through that window.

    And that reading corner..just heavenly! One of my top 3 favourite coffee table books is still "At Home With Books" of the long long ago :). Like you , there will always be books in all my houses. Making mini ones is a pain though and it is so sweet of Nina to offer you some.

    I wish I can work on different projects at the same time but my head just won't let me function that way where minis are concerned. Strange as I am a fairly good multi-tasker. But completion is a goooooooood thing. Quite the ultimate satisfaction. The Folly will probably be the easiest to finish?

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  11. Hi Sans! I think I am SLOWLY trying to get "The Folly" to a more complete stage... (Dare I say Finished.... NAH....!) and the Kitchen has been SOOOO neglected! I think it is because it is SO tiny that actually fitting all the necessary parts in will be a challenge! I am spoiled for space with my larger Lovely Old Dollhouse! And the Cupboard House kitchen is even bigger than this one... and doesn't have the stairs in the way!
    But as with the reading nook... the charm of the space is evident and irresistible...!
    As for working on more than one at a time... I can only do it that way because I let them take over my whole house... my whole life almost! It would be neater if I concentrated only on one... but I can't imagine waiting for one to be done before starting the next...

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