Monday, June 20, 2016

On A Midsummer's Night....




 Whereof Do You Dream....?

It is that Magical Night, Dear Readers, the Longest day is slowly fading and a Full Moon is rising to cast it's silvery beams over all below. Fireflies are winking in the hedges and and birds are chirping their evensong as the breezes rustle in the trees. Is there time for sleep at all? Or do you find yourself gazing out the windows and Dreaming of all things Magical? Have the Fairies whispered in your ears or rubbed potions on your eyelids? Are you led down the paths of the Forest Mysterious by the calls of your Lover? Have you set out for the Midsummer's Eve Ball, prepared for an evening of Enchantment? Do you wish to Dance until dawn in the Gardens under a bower of Roses? Whereof do You Dream Dear Readers?

Yes, Magic is in the air and even the Tiny Lady Evelyn
 was not quite prepared to find herself and her Sisters 
wandering in a Strange Enchanted land!

Alas, Dear Readers, I cannot tell you
 whether they are on their way to the Midsummer's Ball.... 
Or whether they have strayed into another Enchanted World.....
the Night is still young.....!
 
But I can show you where My Dreams led me the other night....

It was probably because I had mentioned making all those bricks 
for the Foundation of Hardwick Hall 
along with mentioning that I was going to finish
 the Trims on the Porch Foundation.... 
that I Dreamed of that Porch. 
And  when I awoke I realized 
that there would have to be some serious changes.
The porch foundation was all wrong! 
In this part of the world where houses are made of wood 
and sit on a brick foundation, 
the porch is always built with wood not brick. 
And wooden foundations need "ventilation" 
to prevent them from rotting right away. 
And that is usually provided with inset panels 
of latticework between the supporting posts.
I was going to have to revise the porch structure!

I had intended to start making those egg carton bricks 
for the house foundation.... but the porch came first.
Here you can see I have cut away on both sides.

And then I painted the interior wall of the house foundation 
to look like brickwork 
(rather than make the egg carton bricks 
where they would not be visible...)
I also added back in a central "post"  
so that there would be two lattice panels 
on the front side and one on each end.

I made the lattice panels from small coffee stirrers...

Here you can see I am testing the fit of the first panel.... 
and you can see I have also finished painting the trim for the porch posts!

And while I was painting all that lattice work and waiting for it to dry,
 I also finished painting the bricks on the kitchen fireplace!

A Task which I should have done ages ago!

Here you can sort of see it in place... 
the hearth still needs painting.....

Here you can see the lattice on one end....
There will need to be trim added to cover the porch corners.

Both the front panels being tested for fit....

And the close-up view....!

Here is the other end of the porch.
I carefully carved away at the bottom trim board 
where it would be likely to rot a little...!

And I painted a hearth for the kitchen fireplace!

The kitchen side wall.... the porch just looks so much better now!

And who knows.....Something might even live under there!

As for Lady Evelyn and her Sisters, Dear Readers,
Their Stories are as yet untold!
Because Who knows What Adventures they encounter 
while we Mortals are sleeping... 
Straying down Strange Paths...
Dreaming of Tiny worlds.... ?

And in the Morning Light....
Who could say whether they had been anywhere at all?

Certainly This fellow would never tell...!


On A Midsummer's Night, Dear Readers,
Wherof do You Dream?

24 comments:

  1. Dear Betsy, It is a brilliant solution, so much more interesting than brick for that build. I think your ladies would have been dancing in the light of the full moon last night. It was so beautiful sending moonlit paths across the water and sand to our house.
    Now for summer!
    Regards Janine

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    1. Thank you Janine! Sometimes we don't "see" those obvious things that are staring at us! I am glad I thought of it before it was too difficult to cut it apart! Your moonlit night sounds as though it was truly magical!

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  2. This house is looking better and better - if it is possible that is. :D Can't wait to see the kitchen done!
    The tiny Ladies probably dream to be big as I am dreaming of cold...
    Hugs!

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    1. Hi Ewa! This is going to take longer and longer... the kitchen is pretty far down the list! LOL! But I also want to see more of it done! At least the hearth glued in!

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  3. It's looking great, Betsy! The fireplace and hearth are perfect, I love the brickwork.
    It's all coming together so well
    Hugs

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    1. Thanks Simon! I do love the way the fireplace is looking! But I still have some wiring to do before I can glue it in! It always seems to take longer than I think!

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  4. The porch of your house looks indeed better now, Betsy, you were so right. But I had no idea since I don't know this type of house and also not in RL ;)!
    The hearth looks wonderful, I'm glad you've found some time to finish more work at this house, it looks already so very beautiful.
    I think that your tiny ladies will never tell us where they have been to this last night ;). But over here the moon looked very special, last evening it was possible for me to get a glimpse of her after sunset.
    Hope you'll have a good summer!
    Hugs, Ilona

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    1. Hi Ilona! I am glad you enjoyed the Midsummer Moon! It was very special even in Mini land! But yes, the Tiny Ladies are not talking! LOL! The porch lattice is so "normal" over here... I am surprised I didn't notice sooner that it would need to be changed. But I am glad I thought of it in time! I hope it is not too hot where you are... we are having cooler than average time over here.

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  5. Dear Betsy, The porch foundation and lattice are wonderful! They remind me of the porches of many of the Victorian houses of my childhood- and yes, most often something did live under there! Your attention to detail and pursuit of perfection is an inspiration, as is the Summer Solstice Spell you have woven! I am so enjoying seeing this house come to life.
    Philip

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    1. Thank you Philip! I know it sounds silly that I didn't think of the lattice sooner... it is so common that I was just over-looking it! There will Have to be something living under there....! LOL! I am glad you enjoyed the Midsummer Spell!

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  6. Enchanting post for Midsummer Night. Love the work you are doing on Hardwick Hall. Those lattices would come in very handy for my own build!!!

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    1. Thank you Carol! I picture big porches with Lots of lattice for your Cottage! LOL! It is really common over here, especially on older houses.

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  7. Everything looks so beautiful and cozy. Wonderful work. :)

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  8. Well, you truly are a poet! Even tho you said it all in prose - and you deserved lots of raves over that blog. You are so right about ventilating the porch! What attention to detail! I look forward to the adventures of the tiny ones, tho right now they look as tho they're standing in a frying pan!
    Lots of love,
    Mom

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  9. Your house is so beautiful and the ventilation vents make it look so real. Fantastic details. I love the fireplace. I am sure your tiny ladies had some very special adventures :)
    Hugs Maria

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    1. Thank you Maria! The ventilation lattice is really a major improvement over the solid foundation! And the Ladies are not letting on about where they went! LOL!

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  10. So good that the days are so long around Midsummer... so you had plenty of time to work your miracles and to weave new dreams, some of them being changed into lovely stories on your blog never failing to make me happy. The porch's ventilation turned out gorgeous - and makes it even more realistic (Although I'm really hoping that there might be some creature living down there... What about some creepy glooming eyes... or maybe a cave for Slitherwing if he should ever start being nasty to Tiny Bear again?) As usual your brickwork is stunning and about the tiny ladies... who knows if sometime their stories will be added to your storyteller's list... ;O)

    Hugs
    Birgit

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    1. Dear Birgit... you KNOW there will have to be something living under the porch! LOL! Once those ideas happen... there is no turning back! I just have to figure out WHAT is under there! (Or maybe it is a mystery!) I am so glad you can be patient about the ever growing list of incomplete stories... I am really dealing with a backlog here! LOL! Thank you for your wonderful comments! :)

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  11. What an AMAZING TRANSFORMATION adding those lattice inserts has made Betsy! It completely changes the house and I would agree that it makes perfect sense! It visually lightens up the the base of the porch and now it looks like it should ALWAYS have been this way, WELL DONE!
    I also have to commend you on a lovely line up of all of your teeny tiny beauties. Posing them on a velvet bedspread the color of a night sky was truly Inspired! I'm sure that they are all miniscule Queen Mabs, ready to whisper sweet dreams into someone's tiny ear. :D

    elizabeth

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    1. Hi Elizabeth! Isn't it amazing what a difference it makes? Even I was surprised at how much it changed the feeling of the whole house! And the Tiny Ladies are bound to get into mischief sooner or later... I just wish they would wait until I have them all finished! LOL! Too much to do! I am so glad you appreciated the velvet spread... I love that cloth! (LOL!)

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  12. Hi, Betsy - I'm a bit late reading your blogpost, but I enjoyed it tremendously, as usual. The Hardwick Hall porch looks wonderful with the new latticework. That was a perfect solution, and you made a perfect job of it. The kitchen fireplace, as well, has turned out beautifully with its new bricks and hearth. I'm hoping that the true tale of how Lady Evelyn and her Sisters spent Midsummer Night will eventually be told - if mere Mortals are allowed to learn those secrets!
    Marjorie

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  13. Hello Betsy,
    The changes to the exterior foundation are both beautiful and make more sense. Well done...However I must say that fireplace in the kitchen is just amazing. It looks perfect with the lovey hood. It is so unique, so well done, so Betsy!
    Big hug
    Giac

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