Monday, February 5, 2018

Sunlight.....




Bolsters and Hinges.....

There was a brief moment of Sunlight on Saturday, Dear Readers, that illuminated all my work in such a way as to make it Clear to See.... even in the dark corners! Inviting us to come closer and spend some time in the window seat on a sunny morning! You might not notice, but I have sewn a matching pair of bolsters for the window seat.... tucked in behind the curtain.

Perhaps you can see it a little better from this angle? 
It is large and solid enough to lean against while reading.
And perhaps you will not mind seeing the Living room
 also bathed in morning sunshine....

Allowing a clear view of all those unfinished parts!
But we will not dwell on that... 
come have a look in the Kitchen too!

Nothing is finished or attached... 
but being tested for space and placement.
It always amazes me how much the sunlight reveals!
But we are getting ahead of ourselves.... 
the Attic is where I am working!

I only had enough time on Saturday
 to make the second of the pair of bolsters.
But by then it was too dark to get any pictures until Sunday morning,
 and even then it was no longer sunny but starting to snow...

Even with some artificial light added, it is difficult to see.

But you can see the bolsters tucked into the corners
 if I pull the curtains aside!
And you can also see one of the Tiny Dolls visiting....
 her name is Heather, and she hasn't yet caught up
 with her sisters Little Rose and Sweet Pea.... 
but more on that another time!
Because what I really want
 to show you, Dear Readers,
 is the Hinges!
You may have noticed that this Attic
 also has two smaller window alcoves on the side walls,
 and they also are Begging for window seats!
 
Here you can see one of the alcoves with the bench seat just begun.
These alcoves are much smaller than the one in the back of the room, 
and the windows are lower too. 
Which means the bench seat has to be lower as well.
I really wanted to make use of the area
 under the window seat for storage... 
and debated for the longest time
 whether to build a drawer under the seat,
 or hinge the seat to make a "storage chest" under the seat.
Well, if you know me, Dear Readers, 
you will know that the hinges won!
(I do love hinges!)


I needed to construct the framework that the lid hinges on,
 which needed to be fairly sturdy
 and also allow for the lid to swing up
 with out scraping against the side walls.
Above you can see I am attaching the hinges.... 
tiny nails and a dab of superglue.

Here I am testing it for fit in the alcove  prior to attaching it.
(I know, it is really dark again!)
These kits never go together squarely... 
so the fit was a little bit off....
But extra cracks in an old house are to be expected!
And the hinges work!!!
 
I know it is really dark.... 
I hope you can see that the seat is open!

And while I was building those hinged bench seats,
 I was also adding all the trim
 that covers all those horrid tabs
 and the cracks in all the corners.....

It is really challenging to get these tabbed sections to go together right...
 the gaps are really large in places!

If you are not papering the walls, 
all these corners need to be covered somehow!


Here you can see it with the spotlight on...
The trim on the facing wall will be added when the bookshelves are built.

See... it opens!

What a perfect place for storing extra blankets or cushions.... 
or hiding things you want to keep secret!

Because with the seat covered by a cushion.... 
you might never see there are hinges.....

But I will know they are there!
 
I have been Dreaming about these
 window benches for a Long Time Dear Readers!
And whether there is sunlight or not.... 
I will be playing with bolsters and Hinges!
(I can't tell you how much I Love Hinges!!!)


32 comments:

  1. I LOVE it when you're playing with bolsters and hinges, Betsy ;)! And I agree with you that it's so nice to have hidden places in our dollhouses for hiding things.... Your bolsters make these window seats such lovely places to relax, for reading a good book, or just like you say: for day dreaming ;)!
    And although it's the dark time of the year I hope you'll continue your lovely and challenging works at this attic, it's instructive for me (how to make those hinges) and I absolutely love to see your nice results!!
    Warm hugs, Ilona

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    1. Thank you, Ilona! I have to add hinges wherever I can! LOL! I love to have things that open and close! The window nooks are a long dreamed of place to hide and Daydream! I am so glad you like them!

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  2. Wow, I've missed so much of your project, the rooms look amazing. I love to find unexpected hidden treasures in a dollshouse. It makes it all the more magical :0)

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    1. Hi Pepper! It's great to see you here again!!! I have not done very much on this house in a long time... But much of what you see hasn't been shown on the blog for a while... so it looks new...! And adding secret place to the house is one of my favorite things to do! I have so much fun opening and closing those bench lids! LOL!

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  3. it's fantastic with the light!
    the alcoves are really beautiful and give depth to the room
    hugs

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    1. Hi Claude! I love window seats in RL... even more so in Mini! And the way the sun comes to play is one of my favorite things to see! Thank you for commenting!

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  4. Hello Betsy,
    How magnificent to see these amazing rooms flooded with natural light. The living room looks so cozy! What a lovely place to sit and enjoy afternoon tea. I love your layout of the kitchen and the colors throughout the house, not to mention all the architectural details you added, are magnificent. The benches in the attic are wonderful and the opening lid is a fantastic idea. What a great use of space. I am really loving this house.
    Big hug
    Giac

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    1. Hi Giac! I do love to see the sunlight shining in the windows... any windows large or small! LOL! This house is "smaller" than it seems from the exterior "grandeur".... so all the spaces are really difficult to fit furnishings in! Especially when I need to have trees... LOL! But I think I am figuring out what will fit... and it is turning into a cozy dwelling! And the colors are copied from my RL house... which has such a similar layout of rooms that it was a bit "eerie" when I first realized it! My RL house doesn't have an attic... so that is entirely imaginary! LOL! I am so glad you like it!

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  5. Oh I do love me some hinges, I do... You are an incredible artist, as well as a marvel of technique! While I stumble through my first build, I draw so much inspiration from blogs like yours and so many others. Thanks for sharing, and have a safe and warm week!

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    1. Hi Martha! I am glad to be able to pass along anything I have learned from reading and following so many bloggers out there! I feel as though I am a novice in so many things....! But I do love to paint and sew... so those things come easily to me. Hinges have been a "love affair" since I was little and wanted to build a stable for my little toy horses and nobody would help me make hinged stable doors! Lol! Now I add hinged doors to everything... including the doors in my 1:48 Tree House project (which is still unfinished!) Thank you for commenting! :)

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  6. It looks beautiful. Hooray for sunny days. They really bring out all the details you've put into the house.

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    1. Hi Sheila! I do love the way sunshine makes things look! :)

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  7. Hooray!!! You're back into hinges!!! Great! You love hinges - and I love it to see you being occupied with adding hinges! *LOL* And even more - not only hinges but also my most favorite Betsy saying in one post - what more can I ask for? Hmmm... maybe some beautiful photos of Hardwick Hall kissed by sunshine and on top photos of your newest progress? Looks like I'm the lucky one! I like the additional reading nooks and that you're making them so cozy and convenient with bolsters and (of course) hinges. And I must say that especially the photo of the living room made my day - it was so good to see it again, ah, it's simply beautiful. And before I leave for this time a small riddle: Guess where it also started to snow on Sunday forcing somebody to date her snow shovel... ;O)

    Hugs
    Birgit

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    1. Dear Birgit, I am so glad you like it when I am in the "hinges" mood! LOL! I don't know why I even had to debate with myself ... but the Hinges did win and I am ever so happy to make those bench seats open and close! LOL! And the sunshine coming to play is a True Joy in my mini worlds... it just seems to make everything come to life! :) I am sorry you had to "date your snow shovel"..... we have been having an annoying spate of freezing rain and ice and rain again.... it makes one almost wish for plain ol' Snow! LOl! :):):)

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  8. Hello, Betsy - The attic is looking wonderful! The bolsters and pillows on the window seat are beautiful - I could spend a LOT of time right there, whether in a puddle of sunshine or watching snowflakes fall. I'd forgotten how lovely the living room ceiling is; what a pleasure to see it again. Same thing for the kitchen stove alcove - you did such a good job on that - it's one of my favorite kitchen things. I also admire your work on the hinged window seat. (I love storage space as much as you love hinges!) You're making great progress - I can't wait to see more.
    Marjorie

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    1. Hi Marjorie! I have always loved Window-seat-nooks.... and adding them to my mini worlds is such fun! The living room is such a difficult space to photograph... it's moods are extreme! The sun shining in shows it so well... I love it! The kitchen is also finally making some progress.... I still have not attached the hearth wall... because all the wiring runs behind it! I am adding a light or two to the attic and the wires need to get all the way to the basement somehow! This house is a bit like a Chinese puzzle where everything has to go in just the right order in order to work.... and the order is tricky! LOL! :):)

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  9. Fantastic Betsy! It is a lot of work but things like hinged bench seats make it so much more fun. I think all the rooms look great and I can’t see all the unfinished parts you write of, but I guess you know what is what! Have a great week.

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    1. Hi Shannon! Isn't it wonderful how others can't see our "mistakes" and "unfinished" pieces ! LOL! I could make a long list... but you see what is done and can appreciate it! And I always love the parts of a build that actually work! Hinges are my friends! LOL! Thank you so much for commenting! :)

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  10. Beautiful Work Betsy! I think that your window seat with its new bolsters will be a Marvelous place to curl up in, draw the drapes and just watch the world go by; snow or no snow! I also love your new hinged and working window seat because only YOU would do something like that so I say HOORAY for HINGES! :D

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    1. Dear Elizabeth, I love window seat nooks....They are such evocative spaces... places to be quiet and Dream! I wish I had this in RL! LOL! And the hidden storage spaces are necessary in this house... not enough space for anything! LOL! It is a lot like my RL house.... only 3 closets in the entire house! And I will always love hinges.... because they make things open and close! LOL! :):)

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  11. Oh I can see myself laying there on that window seat enjoying a good book or just daydreaming :) Loving what you are doing with this house especially the ceiling on the dinning room, and the kitchen... and all!

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    1. Thank you Alexandra! You are welcome to come daydream in the window nook any time! LOL!
      I love to decorate my ceilings.... most of my projects end up with very elaborate ones... (you should check out my "Tree House" -still unfinished - for decorated ceilings)! I am still a long way from done... but the kitchen is also starting to take shape! I am glad you are enjoying this! :)

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  12. Betsy, your work is amazing. I love most the trees in theliving room ! they are to die for ! Hinges are a problem for me, I cannot find proper mini ones. Next Sunday there will be Miniaturitalia, the Italian miniature fair, and maybe I shall be lucky, if I can go and this flu leaves me :o(

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    1. Dear Rosanna, I am so glad you like the trees in the Living room! (They are a bit unusual...! LOL!) I order most of my hinges from Hobby Builders Supply here in USA. I buy tiny ones whenever I can find them... no matter what! LOL! I hope you find some at the Miniaturitalia!!! I hope you Feel better quickly! :):)

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  13. Oh how the sunlight makes what is already beautiful absolutely radiant! I love this house more and more, and I love the little window seats! The hinged storage is such a special touch! Here's to sunshine through windows to illuminate our dreams and warm our frozen fingers!

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    1. Hi Jodi! Yes! See what I mean? It is why I complain so much about the dark pictures... I know what it is I can't show you! LOL! the sunlight makes such a difference! I try to catch it when I can.... which is rarely right now! And I do love to add functional details like hinged window seats! (Hmmm... that reminds me that I really need to get back to building my Cupboard House... it has a working dumb waiter.....!) LOL!

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  14. Le soleil illumine votre maison et nous permet d'admirer ses couleurs et ses peintures si originales. J'adore le rouge des murs de la cuisine.

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    1. Hi Jean-Claude! I am so glad you like the colors I am using... they are copied from my RL House... which this kit resembles a lot! (The kitchen is a red-orange... with silver appliances!) I do love the way the sunlight makes everything look so real! Thank you for commenting! :)

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  15. So late! Sorry. And I had to whiz through the entry - I am so busy. I have moved out of my comfort zone. While I'm not sure I would like to live in that spooky house, I would sure like to visit!
    Love,
    Mom

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    1. Dear Mom, Late is always better than never! I am sure you would get into the "mood" of this house if you were here.... it is only a little different from my RL House! LOL! :):)

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  16. it's fantastic with the light!
    the alcoves are really beautiful and give depth to the room
    hugs

    หนังตลก Comedy

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    1. Thank you, Vaiybora! Welcome to my blog! I am so glad you like it!

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