Monday, September 29, 2025

Windows.....

 


And Doorknobs.....

I Found myself recently, Dear Readers, staring at The Dollmaker's Studio project and wondering what it was that was preventing me from just gluing the second floor ceiling in place and moving on with the next level. So I pulled the building onto my kitchen table... the only place where there was room to work on it... and started to make a list. The reason for not gluing the ceiling in place has to do with a whole bunch of small details to finish on the inside of that room that would be much trickier or impossible once the ceiling is glued down. Little things like attaching the oval mirror over the fireplace, attaching the chandelier to the ceiling and spicing those wires, adding doorknobs to the doors, putting a few more curtain rings on the lace window curtain so it would fold more naturally, and so I could finally glue the window frame into the alcove extension, even though that could not be attached until after the ceiling was glued down..! (You can even see the thread that has been tying the window in place to keep it from falling out!) It gets complicated! But I could at least make a start!

 
 The mirror is now attached to the wall above the fireplace.
I used a small hook on each end to "grab" the mirror frame. 
The mirror is originally a Christmas tree ornament and is made of resin. 
(There is a matching one in The Folly Dollhouse.) 
 
I added six more curtain rings to the curtain... 
the original seven just left too much space between the gathers.
 

I spliced the wires for the chandelier
 and the window alcove Christmas light string
 and added shrink tubing to the joins.
I still need to "bury" the wires in the walls... 
but not until the alcove and ceiling are in place!
 
 
And I did glue the window frame into the alcove frame...
 

 Here you can see the building with out the Window alcove.
 
And while I was working on the windows, 
I decided to figure out how to attach the smaller window
 in the front opening door wall.
I had a couple of the small windows from Houseworks,
 but they are built for walls that are 3/8 inch thick,
 and these walls are only 1/4 inch thick.
I needed to decide how to pad the opening 
and support the window frame sturdily in the opening.
I decided to have the frame sit on a 5/8 inch square wood block
 which would attach it firmly to the door.
 
 
 Like so. 
The frame could be built around it easily
 with standard stock wood strips.
 

Here you can see the framework built around the window.
And if you look carefully, 
you will see the glint of a shining doorknob 
on the balcony door and at the top of the tower stairs.... 
 

 Which you can see slightly better here!
 
And while I was pondering those windows and doorknobs, Dear Readers,
 I was also doing the same for the Tree House! 
 
Waaay back when I had last worked on the
 Tree House Bath Dressing Room,
 adding the light to it's ceiling,
 I knew just what kind of window it needed...
 but I didn't ever get around to making it.
 And it had been so long... 
I wasn't sure I knew where the materials all were....!
 I needed some of that gold mesh I paint gray or black
 and I found a scrap partly painted 
(I thought I had more!)... 
but this was enough to get started!
This window wants the "Georgian" treatment
 with a vertical grid of window panes, like I used in the Salon.
You can see the beginnings on the above photo.

 
Here the window panes are being glued to the outer wall of the Dressing room...
 being weighted down by the glue bottle!
 
And here it is with the outer frame glued over the window pane.

 

And here is the interior view!
 
 
And the Nanny's room windows also needed to be constructed.
 Here I have added a knob to the shutter over the smaller window.


The Nanny's Room windows wanted to be
 the old fashioned "diamond pane" glass.
 
 
They always need a spacer frame and 
an outer frame to secure the pane to the wall.
 
Here the larger window has been glued to the wall.

 
 
Here are both of the Nanny's Room's windows
 with the knobs on the shutters!
 (Just look at all those beautiful tiny hinges!!!)
 
The interior view with the shutter open...
 

 And the larger window in the opening door wall.
 
And The upper side of the Tree House....
The Nanny's walls are still not glued in place.

 

And the side view with the doors open... and no flash....
(when will I ever learn!)

 Yes, Dear Readers, I have been 
wandering from project to Project, 
chasing Tiny details like
 window frames and doorknobs...
and making Progress! 

 

4 comments:

  1. Muy bonita la cortina.
    Has conseguido un buen ajuste de las ventanas.

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  2. That's amazing progress Betsy! It always feels so good to pull out an old project that's stalled and get it moving again. And it's perfectly fine to jump around to different projects - it's following the inspiration!

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  3. Windows, doorknobs... as a special bonus a déjà-vu with those beautiful tiny hinges and best of all so much progress! It was a lovely thing to learn that you also went back to the Dollmaker's Studio. So great that you finally fixed some things which needed to be fixed before you'd be able to continue. And working on the windows was for sure a big step for this project... I really hope that you will show us some lovely pictures from this special little house during the You-know-what-season.

    And also so much progress on the Tree House once again! Regarding their tiny size it's always amazing how detailed your windows are... even with different patterns for the window glass in different rooms/floors. I also enjoyed to get a better impression of the wood colour of your paneling which you made with this stain pen... it's such a lovely light wood colour. It's really great to watch you switch from project to project... not that I ever needed a reminder for it but it truly shows again how much talent you have as this is absolutely obvious in all your different projects.

    Hugs
    Birgit

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  4. Hi Betsy! I enjoyed admiring your beautiful windows. They're all so charming and detailed. Making a mirror from a Christmas ornament was so clever! Adding more rings to the curtain made it look even better! I can see how leaving the ceiling off would make it easier to access everything. Thank you for sharing your progress!

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