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! 

 

Curtains, Window Seat Lights, Gilded Trim Etc....

 

 

Details And Distractions...

I Hope you won't mind, Dear Readers, that I have a Lot of details to show you this week! And even though I am now Retired and (in theory) have all the time in the World for minis, it hasn't exactly worked out that way! My younger son came East for two weeks and has been back and forth between my house and his Dad's (an hour away) so there has been more than a usual amount of distraction! It was absolutely Wonderful to have such a long visit with him, the first here since covid shut travel down in 2020! We talked and talked and ate and ate and consumed pots of tea (me) and coffee (him) and he helped me get some necessary projects accomplished too. Tonight he is headed back to Alaska. So here I am trying to put a sense of organization into the many little things I did during the past two weeks. For starters, I decided to grapple with the "difficulties" I was having with the Gilded trim for the ceiling of The Doll Maker's Studio. You can see a lovely picture of one section partly painted in the above picture.

Here you can see it really really close up, 

and if you look carefully you will see all the "white" spots

 where the gold paint has not quite covered over the primer.

And even where it has covered, it still needs several more coats of paint.

I did lots and lots of painting!

This section is the long side that you don't ever see

 unless you are looking in the windows.

And if you look carefully on the left end you will see a little cherub...

One of the troubles I had with this trim, from the very beginning,

 was that I wanted cherubs in the trim and couldn't find any that would work!

So I decided (at least two years ago)

 that I would have to try to make my own from sculpey.

This little guy was among the first of my attempts,

 but I thought he was too small.

So I made some others, and I didn't exactly like them either!

But if you know me, you will understand that I couldn't just throw them away!

(These guys take on a life of their own!)

I dithered and debated forever.... 

and eventually decided I had to try to make them work.

 

But here I must show you that I did get the second curtain made

 and here I am testing it with the first one.

And if you look closely at the gilded trim right above it

 you will see some very "blobby" parts amongst the swags.

I'm sorry I don't have better pictures....

 but there is a cherub sort of wrapped in the ribbon swag...

 he has a rather homely face 

and his wings had to not bump into the ceiling... 

(which is removed here).

And on the other side of this trim is the other fellow...

 but he is facing toward the wall so his fanny is what you see...

 along with his wings and the back of his head.

I decided that people would probably be too busy

 looking at the window seat to notice them up above.

They also needed lots of touch up with the painting.

I will try to get better shots of them...

 they are kind of cute in their own way... 

But first I have to show you the corner piece of trim

 that needed to be adjusted....

Here you can see I am trying to make the final piece of  "corner trim"

 fit into the corner properly and meet up at all the other sections correctly.

And you might recall me mentioning that 

the curtain rod needs to lift out of one of the hook eyes

 so the curtains can be removed.

But this corner trim was preventing the rod from lifting out!

Darn!

Here the corner piece has been pulled out 

(none of the trim pieces are glued in place so far!)

and I have taken my pliers to the pieces at the bottom and pulled them apart!

There is the evidence of my destruction!

With a great deal of taking it out and putting it back again,

 I was able to figure out where exactly the trim needed to stop.

 

And meanwhile, Dear Readers, between visits with my son,

 I had also decided to add the electrical outlet to the back corner of this room....

Here I have run the outlet through the wall

 and need to get it hooked up to test the wires before I glue it down.

I have been endlessly debating the lighting for this room.

The chief light source is the chandelier in the middle of the room.

 There is also the battery operated lamp that came with

 the original kit and will sit on the work table.

I have always thought the front window would look lovely

 with a string of Christmas lights 

rather than anything as bright as sconces.

I needed to test my theory!

Outlet works! Check!

But in order to hang the lights there would need to be hooks....

Made out of wire and poked into the wood frame.

And testing the lights in the window....

And with the curtains.... I think it will look just lovely!

And meanwhile, I have repaired the corner trim....

And repainted it....

I don't know why I sweated so much over this corner...

 it is absolutely Not visible!

But, yes, I will know it is there!

And more layers of paint.... 

you have to look from every angle....

 and I'm sure there will still be "missed spots" 

when it is too late to fix it.

Okay, so maybe here is a better view of the cherub...

can you see him there sort of swathed in the ribbon? 

He is supposed to be trying to hang the garland on the ceiling....

And the other one... carrying the other end of the garland... 

can you see his wings and fanny?

Well, never mind.... 

 I will know they are there 

and I am glad I included them after all!

There was still more painting to do...

And here's the first little cherub...

I'm glad there was room for him too!

Here's the last view of all the trim sections together....

And the last view of the walls without the trim.....!

Yes, I started to glue it in place!

One side at a time, but adding the next section 

before the glue was dry so it could be adjusted if necessary...

And with the ceiling in place (temporarily)

the morning sun is reflecting off the floor 

(protected by a sheet of paper)...

And with the paper out of the way....

I just have one small adjustment to make

 on the trim for the opening side wall....

 the piece you will hardly ever see...

so it has not yet been glued down.

And the ceiling is still removable....

 but not for long!

So, In spite of a lot of Distraction, Dear Readers,

 I have managed to complete a lot of little details

 and made a whole lot of Progress!