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!

Waiting For Supplies....

Lacking Focus....

I Thought I would be starting on grouting the Castle floor, Dear Readers, but when I looked at my grout supplies, I began to worry that one package of the material would not quite be enough for the entire floor! And what if I got most of the way done and ran out? I didn't even want to think of that, so I decided to order more and while I was ordering some grout, I could get a few other little things too! So I made up a little list and called in my order to Hobby Builders Supply. But imagine my dismay when I discovered that of all the things on my list, the Grout was on back-order...! Time of arrival unknown! It was to come from China as so many things do. So I have to wait. And while casting around for what to focus on instead, I realized that I also needed a small project that I could work on during my regular "commuting hours"... my drive is normally about 45 minutes each way which adds up to a lot every day. I was finding myself turning on the computer and "getting to work" too early and wasting time. So I pulled out the many kits I have for petit-point... and chose another one by Janet Granger, and started the design. At this point in the project it doesn't look like much! And then I remembered that I never showed you the completed Santa Stocking I was stitching in the Winter....

I don't recall exactly what I showed you last, 

but I was working on the background.

The kit design would have you stitch the

 entire background with the blue....

But I thought Santa needed to be 

a little more "Grounded" than that!

I wanted him walking through the cold snow... 

not drifting in the sky!

So I made the bottom of the stocking white

 with pale blue shadows...

And here it is with the stitching done.

Of course, I have not stitched it

 to the back of the stocking yet!

 

 

Just for reference, here is the stocking next to the design chart.

But that was already months ago!

 

And I am sure some of you are wondering

 what has happened with The Dollmaker's Studio Project 

while I have been busy in the Castle Council Chamber....

 Well, not much! 

 

I spent a good bit of time testing out different pieces of furniture...

 to get a feel for what would Fit in this small space... 

you will recognize some of the "visiting" pieces... 

just being borrowed to test the ideas.

The idea is that this little building is a converted carriage house... 

or a "sleigh house" if we are to think of it as a "Northern Themed" project.

(See how I got around using the "C"word?!)

The ground floor was made into living space

 with sleeping space upstairs.

 The stairs will be in the tower.

And now that it is a "Workshop" or "Studio"... 

the living space has to have a worktable

 as well as the minimal cooking facilities...

This is not the stove that will be here... 

but just here for size and position....

There has to be seating by the big door 

so needlework can be done in good lighting.

The upstairs will also have worktables and sewing supplies...

The original purpose of this project was an expansion

 on the "Atelier de Poupee" kit from

 Sandra Morris of Tower House Dolls.

The beginnings of her kit are tucked into 

the alcove at the back of the upstairs room.

And the attic... not shown here 

will have a sleeping nook for weary creative types.

A Smaller table fits better... but doesn't allow much surface space...

A Larger table dominates the space....

And some carpeting samples.... 

old ragged pieces.... nothing fancy....

But setting the tone...

So where is the problem? I hear you ask..?

The problem is that I never expected to

 keep the paneling that sienna color!

I was intending to paint it a rich dark green... 

in keeping with an over-all red and green color scheme....

Like this.....!

But I am having a terrible time giving up the paneling as it is!

Even the door frame is supposed to be painted!

I just can't decide....

So I wandered off to the Attic of Hardwick Hall... 

because you will remember I had "borrowed" the fire

from the unfinished fireplace to use it in 

testing the fire in the Castle Council Chamber...

The fireplace needs to be fit very snugly beside the Spiral Stairs...

And there is a "Tree" growing up the stairs... 

it's branches supporting the stairs...

 I was just getting going on this when 

the Lilac Mania took over... two years ago!

I had to clear everything out of the attic....

There is so much that is unfinished in this House...

  and most of it is waiting for the electrical work in the attic to be finished....

And a closer view of one of my favorite reading nooks....

(Sorry... the lighting is poor...)

I spent some time wrestling with the tree and the stairs

 and carving off pieces of the chimney...

Because until we get the fire wired in place... 

all the rooms below must remain unfinished...

And the stairs have to end up landing at the cupola....

Which also is not part of the original kit structure... 

and has to be constructed from scratch...!

 So, There you have it, Dear Readers, 

I am not sure I accomplished anything at all....

While waiting for supplies....

and Lacking Focus!

I hope you all are keeping well and staying safe!

And making minis too!