Monday, June 1, 2015

So Many Steps....




So Little Time....

I Left you last week, Dear Readers, with a partially painted first floor of the Guard Tower for the Cloud Palace. And even though I need to complete the painting of All those egg carton "stones" on the interior of the Guard Tower Entry before I can attach the floor for the Bunk Room and build the next level with the beds for the Fairy Beary Guys, it was such a busy week that I had no Time for painting! But that did not stop me from starting to build the structure for the upper part of the Guard Tower, in particular the Steps needed to get to the Top of the Tower, which must run up the outside of the structure! (I apologize for the dark pictures, it has been raining heavily here for the past two days and the light is positively dismal, making it difficult to photograph anything.)

Here above you can (sort of) see 
the interior of the Tower Bunk Room area,
 with the exit to the steps on the right side...


And here you can see the Tower with most of the steps attached.
(The Tower has been removed to the work table)

And a different angle showing the steps going around the corners.
(I still need to build the buttresses that will support the stairs at the corners.)

Here you can see I have marked where there will be a window....
(and changed my mind and lowered the location...!)

And here you can see I have cut the openings!
(Foamcore makes it so easy!)

Here you can see the window placement from the interior.
There will be a window at each bed level....

Here you can see the temporary placement of the stair wall and the loft floor.
There will be two bunks below the loft, 
and one bed in the loft itself.


 I have not put the divider between the lower beds yet.


The loft will be Brother Beorn's area 
and will have places for him to store dried plants 
and keep his plant records.

Once again, here is the Tower with the Cloud Palace.
(Sorry it is so dark...)
I will try not to think about how many MORE egg carton "stones" 
I am going to have to make!
And paint!
So Many many steps!

I hope I have not Bored you, Dear Readers, with all those Steps...
 when I know that you Really want to learn more 
about the Travels of Buttercup and Marmalade
as they try to find their way to the Cloud Palace!
Well, when we saw them last, they had just arrived in the Year 1852
and were visiting with Beatrice.
Beatrice had no idea where the Cloud Palace was.... 
or even that there Was a Cloud Palace...
but she thought her brother Tommy might know,
and was trying to think of how to ask him without alarming him.
(Her family didn't like it when she said she was talking with animals!)

But before she could think of anything to say 
there was a sudden loud noise outside the door....

"What is That?" demanded Marmalade.

"Uh oh," said Beatrice...
"Here comes Snowy..."

It sounded like a loud scratching and growling noise....


"What is a 'Snowy'?" asked Buttercup...
(she was only a Little bit alarmed...)

"'Snowy' is our dog" said Beatrice, sounding worried...
"Maybe you should....."
But before she could even finish her sentence....
Buttercup and Marmalade disappeared!

Beatrice blinked, a little confused...
but then Snowy rushed through the door....

He was barking and growling!

Beatrice almost thought she had "imagined" the two Fairy Bearys...
but then Snowy stopped right where they had been sitting 
and snufffled around and whined and scratched at the rug....

Before he jumped up onto the bed and looked at Beatrice....
as if to say "I saved you from them, didn't I...!"

But Beatrice just stared into the distance.....
wondering if she would Ever see the Cloud Palace...
and wondering if she would see the Fairy Bearys ever again.

Well, Dear Readers, I am sure you must be wondering 
where they went To in such a hurry?
Well, I can assure you that Buttercup and Marmalade 
had no idea where they were going, 
just that it was a good idea to Go!
And so they found themselves landing at the nearest dollhouse...
 at Rose Thorne Cottage on Distant Briar Moor!


A Place that is neither Here nor There,
In a Time that is neither Now nor Then....


Where every Lost Traveler is Found....
and every Weary Voyager can find comfort...


It only took them a moment to realize they were not alone!

"Who are you?" asked Beth. 
(She had never seen Fairy Bearys before!)

Well, Dear Readers, I hope you will Bear with me while I leave you here...
Once again hanging on a cliff..... with no end of questions!
It's just that  there are still so many Steps to this Journey...
And I have run out of Time!

28 comments:

  1. une belle structure pour ce palais féerique : quel beau projet
    Snowy est adorable et j'aime beaucoup la couverture lumineuse

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    1. Thank you Claude! I made the coverlet when I was a young girl in my teens... I still have it and it is dear to me!
      Snowy also was made a few years ago... in a hurry so I could finish telling my Story! I am learning not to make creatures "in a hurry" because then I cannot go change them later... they are already in the Story "as is"!

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  2. Hello Betsy,
    I love the staircase. The steps look fantastic and give the tower a great look and character. I can't wait to see more progress on it. I also can't wait to see what happens to Buttercup and Marmalade...I'm not sure how I'd feel if I woke up with 2 Bears in my room ;)
    Big hug,
    Giac

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    1. Hi Giac! The Tower is evolving... it will take a lot of stone making! And the Story of Buttercup and Marmalade is evolving too.... it will take a while as usual, so I hope you can be patient!

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  3. Time travel! Love it.
    All those "stones" to make remind me of a long patch of boring knitting...
    Love,
    Mom

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    1. Yes, a looooong patch of boring knitting... a good thing to do while waiting for paint to dry...! :)

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  4. Oh my, so many more stones still left to make :-) Poor Marmalade and Buttercup, still not at the Cloud palace!!! What will happen to them next???

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    1. Hi Margriet! Why is it so quick to think of these ideas, and so slow to make them real? LOL! I will have to plug away at it!
      And Buttercup and Marmalade are Really getting involved in one of my Stories... so you Know it won't be over soon! LOL! I hope you can be patient!

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  5. Nice progress!!! I'm sure the bears are looking forward to move in!!!

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    1. Hi Simona! The Bears are Flying all around and excited... I better hurry up with those "Rocks"! LOL!

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  6. Nice progress!!! I'm sure the bears are looking forward to move in!!!

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  7. Nice progress!!! I'm sure the bears are looking forward to move in!!!

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  8. Dear Betsy,
    You are making steady progress. Very interested to see you manipulate the foam core. It looks very easy to make adjustments and the end build will be so much lighter.
    The egg carton steps are fantastic. Once every miniaturist discovers them we will be paying for the cartons not the eggs.
    I am busy trying to finish (yes, you read that correctly) my French Country house to show it at the Miniature Show being held inBurnaby BC on Sunday.
    Elizabeth will be showing Green Dolphin Street as well.
    Take care.
    Regards JANINE

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    1. Hi Janine! I am thinking of you at the Show as I reply here! I hope it all goes well and you have Loads of fun! I hope you will give us a "Grand Tour" of all the tweaks you have made to your Fabulous House!!! I am sure it looks just incredibly mouth-wateringly Beautiful! I envy all those who get to go to that show and see yours and Elizabeths House in person!
      And yes, I have a LOT of rock making to do!

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  9. Hi Betsy! I can't believe the amount of construction that you willingly take on with each project that you do! The wrap-around tower staircase is yet another great project in what began life as a quiet little cottage in the clouds. :)) Nothing daunts you and we are all Very Happy about that! :D

    elizabeth

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    1. Hi Elizabeth! I really love the construction part of making minis! I just LOVE to make things... and I love interesting arrangements and yes, I Love the stairs too!!! And yes, I was Trying to keep it small..... HaHaHa....!

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  10. Lol those fairy bearys sure are getting around and meeting all sorts of people. Your steps are very impressive. After using egg cartons for the first time I know how much time they take and my project is small compared to yours :D good luck with them. Looking forward to more interesting funny posts.
    Hugs Maria

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    1. Hi Maria! I have always wanted to do the "egg carton rock" thing... so now is my big chance! (I passed on using them for the Castle dollhouse.... way too big! LOL!) And the Fairy Bearys are starting to lead me on a Merry chase!

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  11. Betsy, how can you manage to make always some progress on your dollshouses ;)?! I have just one dollshouse, my canal house, and I'm always sidetracked to other things, how come....;O?
    I always admire your patience for making so many bricks, or stones you need for your houses. I loved to see the pictures of your progress, the staircase you've created looks wonderful :)!
    Poor Marmalade and Buttercup, they don't know what happened and the next thing they see is someone else, how will their story end...????
    Hugs, Ilona

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    1. Hi Ilona! The Progress happens because I am not trying to make it perfect.... these are all my "practice" projects!I realized years ago that I couldn't get anything done if I tried to be perfect... Someday, when I have learned enough skills on all my "practice" houses... Then I will build my "Perfect House" !!! You will see!

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  12. Estupendo progreso y las escaleras fabulosas.
    UN abrazo
    Maite

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  13. Beautiful progress. The staircase is amazing.

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  14. Never was a headline so right... so many steps... but you're taking one step after the other and the result will be fantastic (and already is), no doubt about it. You never stop to amaze me and the Cloud Palace is such an awesome project... and when saying this I'm not even having its inhabitants in mind... ;O) Speaking of bearies... I'm kind of sorry that Snowy's appearance prevented the fairy bearies from meeting Tommy - but on the other hand... having them wandering through your houses adds to the fun! And what could be more fun than meeting the little dreamer herself and a certain sister... ;O)

    Hugs
    Birgit

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    1. Even I have no idea how many steps will be needed... the story is getting wilder and wilder.... I wonder whose fault that is? LOL! I am only discovering what will happen as it happens.... my Sister is going to have to wait a little while before the Bearys reach her cottage! LOL!
      And I am sorry to disappoint you that they didn't see Tommy... but I think you are confusing him with Perry.... (I know... too many Stories all tangled up with too many Time problems!!! LOL!)... Perry is the little Dreamers' brother who went to the Cloud Palace with Sir Orion.... and now when he is needed.... where has he wandered off to? I wish I knew...! This might take a while.... but we will have fun along the way... and a Grand Tour!!!

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  15. Oh, so many interesting steps to see, many lovely tails to read, great project to follow.. :)
    The result will be wonderful. Have a fun!
    I already enjoyed. <3

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    1. Hi Pikko! I hope you will come back often to read all the many parts to the Story! And maybe I will even get the Tower finished along the way!

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