Now What?

So Hannah loved the dollhouse. It's still down by the tree, but Sara has been working with her diligently over the past couple days to purge the room to make space in her room. We've got a couple table options and I think I'm going to pick up a lazy Susan to put it on.

Hannah immediately went to work on setting up the house. We're trying to decide where to mount the deer head! ;)

The best moments where when she called me in there a few times in total giddiness to tell me where the cat was. First it was in the baby's bed...then it was in the sink.

...that naughty kitty.

She's also taken to setting plates on the dining room table!

So while I'm sure there's still going to be furniture to build and things to fix that break...and lots of playing to be done over the next few years...

...I'm now staring at my empty work table wondering what I'm going to work on next - I'm thinking maybe something for myself.

I'm not quite sure a 10ft trebuchet is gonna fit on the table ;)

...but that's for the next blog ;)

Under the Tree

...all set!

ITS DONE!!!!

5PM Christmas Eve...the finish line. My Dad is going to help me bring it into the house after Hannah goes to bed.

I wiped down all the furniture and cleaned up all the bits and pieces. Finished the chimney earlier today and put a coat of matte sealer over it this afternoon. I was a bit nervous about it at first, but I'm quite pleased with how it came out.

Can't wait till Hannah opens it tomorrow!!

One Day to the Finish Line

I'm exhausted. The front porch light kicked my ass. Took me almost an hour to get it in. I had hoped to be done before midnight...running a little late...but!!!!

All that's left is the chimney! Planning to knock that out tomorrow and then the house is done! ...at least enough for Christmas.

Time is a Tickin

So not much time left.

I managed to get the bathroom done!! Started putting in the trim...I may be a little short though. I needed at least 13 pieces of window/door trim but could only get 11. I'm carefully cutting to see if I can make it stretch...guess we'll see ;)

So as far as what's left:

- finish trim - including the big job in the living room: fireplace and chair rail
- finish lights - front door, kitchen, stairs, and living room
- stonework on the chimney
- clean up furniture

Trim a Little Off the Top

So...clock is tickin'

I've got the last of the wallpaper up and painted the trim. I had hoped to get the dollhouse store this weekend, but wasn't in the cards. I've got to get there next weekend to pick up the door and window trim and something for the floors in the two bedrooms. Also thinking of picking up a kitchen set. ;)

Style in the Eye of the Beholder

So wallpaper is going up! Finished up the "mom and dad" bedroom and papered the living room. Managed to get to a point where I could wire the fireplace back in!

I'm liking the addition of the "fire" ;)

I also got the bottom of the bathroom walls in - was going to try to finish it, but realized after laying out the cut pattern, no matter what I did, I didn't have the square footage to do the whole thing. My mom (a recently retired math teacher) would be so proud - calculated the sq. footage and even if I cut it all into individual tiles - didn't have enough.

...and now it's deer season! As I work on the house, there's a six point that Bud (a native OK family member up for the Thanksgiving week) got a couple days ago. Interesting backdrop as I work on a dollhouse! ;)

Clock is ticking!

...and let the record show - I did mention that the house color might be a bit "electric" blue but I like it. Wouldn't paint a real house this color, but Hannah unwittingly picked it herself and isn't this supposed to have a bit of a whimsical feel to it?

This thing is gonna look sharp inside and out!

Little by Little

So it's been a couple weeks since I've posted, but it's not for lack of progress!

With some weekend obligations and a nearly week long business trip in there, I've been doing quick hits here and there.

Made another trip to Happily Ever After down near Ashburn, VA - picked up the last of the lighting stuff, a few odds and ends and...wallpaper!

Oh...and also fixed up the fireplace - a little glue and paint. ;)

Stained the front porch and put in the light fixtures for three of the rooms in the past week or so. Tonight I painted the hallway - should be the last of the paint to put on! Pulled out some old art paint I had and mixed up a custom color that I hope matches the wallpaper in the rooms!

The Reveal

Couldn't wait to pull off the painters tape...

Dont Panic...

So just put on the second coat of house paint. I'm liking color after the second coat. The original dull blue/green/grey was showing through much more than I anticipated, but it's looking like a second coat is going to do the trick.

That is - unless it's oil paint under there.

I'm not an expert painter by any means, but I'm not a novice either. There was just something about putting on that first coat - the way it went on...it's got me nervous. I didn't even think that it could be oil...but then - I didn't even think about it.

Guess I'll find out in a year or two...or sooner...should the paint start to chip off.

A Little Whitewash

...makes anything look sharp!

I decided to start some work on the outside. Going with white trim and a blue that's a little more bright than what's on there now. It might be a little "electric" in fact...wouldn't put it on a real house but I think it'll add something to this one ;)

Seems I need to pick up the pace too...apparently armageddon is upon us so I may not have until Christmas. Yes - that's snow on the ground in Northern VA...in October!

As Mr Miyagi says "Sand the Floor"

Managed to squeeze out an hour of time to sand and stain the floor.

Trip 2 to the Dollhouse Store

So made my second trip to the dollhouse store -
http://happily-ever-after.biz

Picked up the wire tape I needed and some lighting fixtures. I was directed over to the "standard" lighting section...found stuff for most of the rooms - was debating a chandelier for the living room so took a look at the "pro stuff" - dear lord!! $145 for a chandelier!? The thing is like an inch big!?

...so I settled on the $20 one :)

I'll need to go back for wallpaper, etc. They've got a bigger selection than most home improvement stores. I wanted "white tile" for the bathroom - which of about a 1/2 dozen different ones did I want? So it seems I need to think through this a bit first.

Got the last of the wiring done tonight including the tricky spot around the front door I was worried about. Also repaired the floor and shaved down the fireplace so it fits. Next it's sand and stain the floor I think...

Need More Tape

So finally started the tape work. Would have finished, but I ran out :(

I thought I might. I managed to wrap around the house, but I'll need to pick some more up to ring the rooms. I did manage to get a "test plug" in and started testing the 25 year old fixtures...amazingly every one worked so far! I was especially pleased that that candles for the fireplace still work.

Lets Call it "Preplanning"...

So I didn't have the time last night to get out and work on the dollhouse. Tonight I only had about an hour or so which didn't give me enough time to start the actual wiring...but I've got my diagram in my head now.

I was trying to decide wether to cut through the floors to run the tape or take the "wrap around" approach. My first instinct was to cut away. (see pics below - one shows sawing through the floor and the other shows how you can wrap the tape around the floors) I have one of those vibrating saws that my parents got me for my birthday, but the more I thought about it, the more nervous I got - even if I scrapped that idea and went with the exacto saw that I actual have from art school!

I'm going to wrap around.

I also picked up this sweet little miter box! I can't believe my luck - $20 at Woodcraft. It's going to be perfect for cutting all of the trim.

I also took stock of the furniture...I'm going to need to dedicate some time to getting it all back into shape too.

Anticipation

So here we are on a Sat afternoon. I'm about to head out to volunteer for PTO fundraiser cooking hotdogs for Lincoln School where Hannah goes to half day Kindergarden.

Hoping I can get into the barn to start the electricity work this afternoon before we go next door to my mother-in-laws for a birthday party for a neighbor. Perhaps I'll head out there afterwards after a few glasses of wine!

I'm rattling my brain for a solution to wiring the dollhouse. Might pull out a new tool! Regardless of what I end up doing, I'm sure someone who knows more than I do would have a better solution! ;)

Prime time

So now we're real time ;)

I've done another wipe down and started priming the whole interior. Figure I'd focus on the inside and then work on the outside.

...took about 4 to 5 hours with a second coat...next task - electricity!

The Tear Out

So I've pulled down the wallpaper and started gutting it. I don't know what they're actually called, but I've always called them "mud dobbers" and there about a dozen mud nests in it (along with the wasp nest!).

Chiseled all that out, pulled out the fireplace and peeled out the old wiring. Thought of reusing it, but there were too many shorts. Sanded the whole things down and wiped out about 20+ years of dirt and grime.

It's starting to look like I might actually be able to revive this thing.