Second Step and a Bit of a Tumble

I was feeling pleased with myself until today when I started tweaking of few things on my blog and managed to destroy the second post, so I am not feeling quite so pleased with myself as I am slowly learning my way around Blogger and adding bits and pieces. Unfortunately this does mean that the mini projects are neglected. Rather ironic that the thing I have started as an incentive is actually eating up the time I would be spending doing work on the actual project. However I did go out today and purchase the tags I plan to use as slate tiles when I redo the roof. I took my inspiration from a house built by HD (Husband Dearest).

It has been created by pasting on hundreds of those tiny cardboard tags used to attach price labels on items in shops. So this morning I set out to OfficeWorks for supplies. Luckily I found a wide selection available and came home with 2 cartons. Mine are smaller than those HD used so it will take a lot more pasting on my part. I have a total of 2000 so I hope that is enough. I am planning on asking his help when it comes to the painting as I think that is the tricky bit. Time will tell.

Here's a shot of the supplies I got there. I got myself a new craft knife and a hot glue gun to use when I have to repair all the stair case which is falling apart. So soon it will all begin in earnest. I plan on starting with the roof and then doing the rooms for which I already have furnishings and rugs ready to put in. I must say I am not really looking forward to the papering but I must just grit my teeth and just get on with it.




Don't think for one moment that I will not come back and tweak some more. I'm not cured yet and hopefully I won't destroy the entire thing. If I do I shall just start all over again. It's all a perverse kind of fun. I have just carried out a little repair job by cutting and pasting some HTML which may or may not work. Wish I hadn't discarded that book HTML for Dummies.

First step of all the Small Steps.

This is the Diary of a dollhouse renovation and is created as an incentive to keep me on track. Past experience has shown that project tend to stagnate and die a natural death without some incentives so this is the carrot to urge this particular donkey to the completion of the project. Not as exciting as Grand Designs but it  probably will not be without it's dramas either.

 Dad  built the house over 40 years ago when I returned from my first visit to the States with a collection of miniatures I had collected there. He and I spent many happy hours working on it, adding to it and as a result becoming totally immersed in the world of miniatures and were both there it the start of BMEA here in Brisbane. 

The house has been looking a little sad lately and it never was completely finished off. It was looking extremely sad and neglected and had been given some attention (with bad results) from a couple of Tonkinese cats. The first step was the gut it completely and get it ready for a new look. So at present it looks even sadder.

While I am working out a work schedule and purchasing and/or locating the necessary supplies I am getting myself in the correct frame of mind by returning to my favourite mini skills and knitting some clothes for the family and doing some new rugs to go in the refurbished house.

One of the twin girls, Allegra with the sailor outfit being made for her sister, Alexandra

The start of the rug for the twin's bedroom

I am looking forward to receiving the father of the house from the supplier in the UK. It is very hard to get male dollhouse dolls so I am hoping he will look as good as his pictures and then I can get to work making him some clothes. I need to seek out some material to make him a nice pair of jeans. So plenty to keep me going until I get myself into the right frame of mind to begin the actual renovations.

It has been fun so far and rather like Christmas as I have found I had some lovely wall papers stashed away and am having to make some choices among all on offer. I have also located many forgotten treasures and  lovely pieces of furniture for the refurbished house. I do have to make the beds for the twin's room and also one for the eldest boy. Still wavering on my options and I will keep you posted. For now back to the knitting.