Fast Days.... Slow Progress....

Vacation..... Time.....

I had a Vacation Week, Dear Readers, and in my Imagination I was going to make Great Progress on all sorts of parts of my too many projects. I can tell you now, that I did make great progress on a few little things! The Three Kings stocking being one of them. It was so lovely to be able to sit and stitch every morning beside the open windows with the birds singing and soft breezes blowing. That is one of my favorite parts of Summer! I also made some good progress on adding "stones" to the many windows of the opening sides of the Castle. But those pictures are a little boring.... and the process is very time consuming. I didn't want it to be the only thing I accomplished on my week off! And the Dollmaker's Studio was calling to me.... and had been for months! In case you have forgotten, this was started as a "Quick Little Project" Dreamed up while I was in the endless weeks of only making Lilac blossoms..... but the minute I started it last summer there were suddenly a whole bunch of reasons to make it into an entire house... three stories tall... and using up many "stray" parts that had no homes. It got Complicated!

Here you can see the basic structure with the fronts open. 

I will confess, Nothing about this has been "quick" or "little"!

 And once I had built all the lovely paneling in the bottom room.... 

I could not bring myself to paint it!

But after debating with myself for Months and Months, 

I decided I really needed to go forward with

 my original inspiration and paint the paneling.

Here I have added the "stones" around the door and window frames.

And taped off the edges of the wood paneling.

It was going to take courage to slather on the primer... 

but I knew that the orange of the paneling

 would never look "right" to me..... 

Meanwhile, the three kings were progressing just beautifully!

Following that Amazing Star!

I had to close my eyes and just start painting.....!

And at first it just looks awful.... 

one coat of primer is not enough.....

(I know it is dark.... the shades are closed against the heat of the sun....)

And I had to knuckle down and tackle the windowpanes of the arched door.....

because I was going to need to paint the framework.....

 and every pane had to be carefully taped off!

It took hours!

On Both sides of the door!

After three coats of the primer.... 

 on the opening panels too...

I thought it was good enough to start on the color...

 (You must Promise not to panic when you see the next picture....!)

(Sorry... the picture is dark.... and I did not take many at this point!)

And on the doors too.... 

Clearly it was going to take several coats of paint!

(But this did not surprise me....)

And in the humid weather I had to wait

 for the paint to dry thoroughly before painting another coat.

Here in the bright light you can see the difference

 between the first and second coats of paint.

(I am finally feeling encouraged...!)

And with the Three Kings, 

the desert is done

 and the Night Sky is started....

 bringing the stars into focus!

Are three coats of green enough?

I think it is!

I have removed the painters tape....

And painted the "stones" around the windows....!

Funny how much these look like the castle Windows......

Where the stones and shutters have been added 

to the opening Wall of the Kitchen...!

And in the bright light of the morning....

I am feeling very glad I followed my Dreams

 and painted the paneling!

And the Kings are still following their Star....

 hoping for the Sky to fill in the gaps

 and bring the Stars into focus!

So That was my Vacation, Dear Readers,

The Days went quickly....

The Progress is Slow......

But sometimes it is better that way... 

We have more Journey to Enjoy in Time!