A Quick Hello

Helloooo! I am still here. Been very busy or rather I think I am just slowing down!! Argh! I thought I would just take a couple of pics (poor light sorry!) of what I have been doing in between boring stuff. Think I am working on three houses at the moment. As I work on a house and get to a point where I get stuck I have found the best way for me to get unstuck is to work on something completely different. Once I get stuck on project 2 I have forgotten completely what the problem was with project 1 and I go and work on it. Does become a bit of a problem when I get stuck on projects 1 and 2. That is when project 3 happens. Half scale Fairfield, one of my own house designs and the Glencroft. Swore I would never do the Glencroft. It big. But it came up cheap on Ebay from an Aussie seller no less so I must haves it!! Also had the Beacon Hill!! Madness I know but what a challenge!!!! It is currently lurking under the lounge. The Glencroft has actually been quite a lot of fun and for me one of the eaiser Greenleaf houses to put together. Wish there were more pics in the instructions/destructions though. I didn't get any more pics of the Fairfield sorry. Rainy Spring weather doesn't offer much sunlight for good photos. I found an older one, I have done much more since. I only managed to get pretty grainy pics of the other two. I will get some more.

Longbourne. I got stuck on exterior colours here and lighting as well. What I was going to use turned out not to be quite what I thought or am I just overthinking (most likely to be the problem) and so I got stuck. Switch projects!

Fairfield. I have loved working on this house. Just love it. I only have one pic. I thought I had others sorry but I will get some more. Fireplace is a kit from RedCottageMiniatures. Shannon's kits are probably the best I have come across. Fantastic fit and detail. I love this fireplace! I have many other kits of hers, most I have made up and will take more pics when the sun comes back. This little house went through so many wallpapers. Most got ripped off which leaves an amahzing scruffy finish which I have for the most part left. Glad I print them out myself. $$$$$! Eek! I am pretty sure I have made all the right wall covering choices now. Maybe... It were I got stuck. Switching projects again.

Ah Glencroft, the house I was never going to do. I have gone for a lighter Tudor look. William Morris papers and fabric as well. Didn't know arsenic was used to make the green in wallpapers and made so many people ill! It very early days yet. Lots more to do. Am working on the staircase now and it went together way to easy. Got me worried. Will get some more pics too. Not stuck on this one....yet. Whohooo!!! I do want to make working windows and that may get me stuck.

Thought I would throw in a couple of photos from a quick school holiday weekend away at our favourite beach getaway. Talented local made the mandala. We got down there just in time to see it before the not so distant thunder made us realize the beach is not the best place to be during a storm. A mad dash back to camp to sit it out. Went back to the beach to see the storm head out to sea. Then in typical Aussie Spring fashion the sun came out and it was hot and humid. Enough time for a quick dip. Lovely day.

 Cheers and hooroo and don't behave yourselves too much!!! Carriexx

La Luce Attic

Hello!! 

The attic space! I divided this into three rooms and the super skinny hallway. All the wallpaper and floor tile I printed out and sealed the floor with a layer of PVA glue.

Chrysnbon bathroom kit. I lurve it. I painted the outside of the bath with black and then lots of dry brushing with rusty browns and slate greys.

White glossy painted furniture is readily available and cheap but for a different look I go over the whole piece lightly with sand paper and then hit it with stain. Let it soak in a bit and then buff off. Some areas I may do more than once. Sometimes a different colour stain which add depth.

This bed I made from balsa, table legs and paper punched leaf and flower shapes. I did a lot of sewing once upon a time. Don't anymore! Like with ironing I developed an allergy to it and just can't do it anymore. My excuse and I'm sticking with it. So for bedding I 'sew' using fusible hem tape and pva glue in a fine tip applicator bottle. For the mattress I use 3/4 inch thick styro foam. I fold the mattress fabric over it like wrapping a gift and just use pins to hold it into place underneath and then glue it onto the baseboard. I use heavy card like mat board for that. Most glues will melt the styrofoam. For the valance I glue lace to the baseboard edges or to a sheet. If I want a sheet I use cotton lawn. I add lace to the two long edges with the glue or a thin strip of hem tape, putting the lace on top of the fabric so you don't see the raw cut edges. The bed cover is a piece to fit and with a bit down the sides with an extra allowance on three sides which I fold over (not the top, it will be under the folded sheet piece) and hold in place with the tape. I hold it in place with double sided tape. The folded white sheet piece you see is just a piece of lawn folded over in thirds, ironed and held in place with double side tape. Just a neat cut edge at the sides, hemming it can make it too thick. For pillows I cut out rectangular shapes, run a thin line of glue a few mm inside on three sides. Let that dry. Fill it with what ever I have n hand, tissues even and then glue up the remaining edge. Beads can be great as they have the weight to make the pillow sit like a RL one. Use clear or white ones though and smaller the better.

This bed  I made from electrical cable and railing. Little eyelets for the 'feet'. Gorgeous hat is from Lea Frisoni.

I am currently working on the half scale Fairfield. Have spent the last year or two collecting the doors, windows, fancy wood bits etc and lights. Putting it together is so very different to what I am used to and while sometimes the challenge hurts my brain it does look so very cute.

Be well! Hooroo!

Carriexx

La Luce

Good evening! I hope you are all well. I had quite forgotten that I never did a post on La Luce which I did finish (well mostly, is an house ever finished?) some time ago now. I really thought I had. So here it goes...

I bought this house from Ebay some time ago I cannot remember at all when. As per usual I promptly forgot I had it (and two others like it...oops) but rediscovered it (and those two others) when I moved last year. Which is now two moves ago when I think about it, argh. Anyways only weeks after having moved in I really felt the needs to start a new project but everything was still in boxes in the garage. Which was bursting at the seems with boxes, camping gear, garden tools and all sorts of gadgets boys throw at each other. But brave/desperate I was and off I went to see if I could find anything to make. Well the universe was smiling on me that day as all my mini house making bits were in the first row of boxes! Yay! Next trick was the rubiks cube like game I had to play to move stuff around so I could get them down. They were on top of course and very heavy. Eventually got them out and went to work. I have an old student desk on castors which is great for a house project to sit on. I can wheel it away when I'm not working on it.

The railings and verandah had to go. I changed the door and added 'stone' pieces under the windows. Added trim along the roof line. Left overs from Livre. I covered the outside with fine grade spak and gave it a light sand when it was dry. I knew the colour would be hard to get right but I found an old bottle of Apple Barrel terracotta. It was dried up and gluggy but the colour was just right. I like to do washes in white after it has all dried as it helps to get that sun bleached look. I sanded some of the terracotta back to the spak and original house colour as well. I added trim to the dormer windows. The tiles are left over shingles cut in half lengthwise from a Greenleaf kit. They took the colour wash very well. I like to use house interior paints when I can. Sample pots are marvelous. Only one coat needed and easy to wipe clean if need be. I used more Livre leftovers here on the base. This is a swinging front opening house and would take some wear. So I wanted a paint that could handle it. This colour is Kidskin in Taubmans which I don't think they make anymore. Lots of dirty washes to finish off. I went with battery lights for this house. Hiding wires etc would be a bit of a challenge and no where to have the power board. I like to tuck them underneath, bit tricky with this house as there was no underneath.

 It had no walls just the staircase.  Downstairs I used 3mm MDF for two walls, I now had a entrance and two rooms. I left the staircase were it was and walled it off. Upstairs I made another hallway along the back and three rooms. 

That hallway in crazy narrow around the top of the stairs but if I were to make it as it should be then I would lose a lot of  space in the front rooms. You can't tell though when you look at the house from the front though. Only my iphone can! I added a window to the back wall. Adds interest and light.

 As I usually do I started with the kitchen first. Helps me to find the character for the rest of the house. I was drawn to the idea of a Tuscan style house in summer. Rustic and provincial. I printed out the tile floor and painted a layer of PVA over it to seal it.

The kitchen wall cupboard is more Livre bits, a bookcase base upside down. I made a door with a toggle latch.

I found an oven in my stash. I hit it with a couple coats of black gloss. Added a variety of gold findings to make it more like a La Cornue one. Made a bench to sit along side it.

The hallway tiles I made from scoring mat board and peeling away the top layer of paper to give the grooves for grout lines. Then a few layers of different colours and sealed again with PVA glue.

I love Chinoirserie! I found a print and printed out a variety of them to use on the walls. I love the soft creamy yellow of this one. I made the chimney breast out of balsa, cornice and mat board for the fireplace. I did add a window to the side here and added shutters.

 I did add a window to the side here and added shutters.

Rest of the day turned rainy so there wasn't enough light to take more photos. I'll see how the weather is tomorrow and get some pics of the upstairs rooms. Thanks for stopping by and having a look!

Cheers!

Carriexx

Little Lumiere House

       

    Good day everyone!

Having survived the Furnace of Hell that was our summer I have another house finished! Temperature records were broken in my little town not once but three times. We had a weeks worth of days well over 40'C, that's nuts!! Our highest temp being a heat index of 60'C!!! I stepped outside briefly from my comfortable temp set house to experience such extremes and I instantly desiccated. I had thought such temps were possible only if you were perched on a camel in the desert. Now just two weeks later it is cold with leaves falling of trees already and I'm looking for my long sleeves. After having spent the entire school summer holidays inside with the ac it is nice to throw open the windows and get outside though! The weather is definitely broken. 

I received a bit of interest after my first house which was very nice. If only I could make them faster! It is a very dark, wet day here along the Waterfall Way and so it was hard to get good clear photos. I made this house out of gatorboard which was a bit hard to find here in Australia and also not cheap!!! Ply and cardboard for the roof. I used a Jamestown fireplace on the lower floor. Added bits to it and it worked out better than I thought it would. It does have a red bulb inside it. I used electric lights this time and they can all be replaced if need be. I haven't glued any of the wiring into place. The lamp in the attic space can be lengthened or shortened. I've never had to replace a light before but there is always a first time for everything. I had a lamppost among my lighting stash and had to use it. I added creeping ivy to the outside walls and a vintage french advertising poster. All worn and shabby. I found an image of vintage carpet and loved the rich colours in it. So I used it in the attic space and painted the fire place there a red marble finish. Feels good to finish a project, for a variety of reasons but mostly so I can start another one!!! Off to spend an entire soggy afternoon on Pinterest!!!!

It is a little bit bigger than Vieilles.

Have a great day and be well!!!

Carriexx