Sorry, I’ve Been Quiet Lately

Well, I went back to work Monday, so I was extremely exhausted and half sick by the time I got home every day.  Didn’t leave a lot of time to blog. 

Last Sunday, I worked on this:

 

Just an old dollhouse (The Laurel) that I’ve had for close to 7 years now.  I ripped the porch off and was going to turn it into a shop/residence and “pave” the base.  Since I’ve got so much going on, I decided to sell it.  However, there is not much of a market for dollhouses where I live.

I placed it on CraigsList, but so far, all I have received is spam.  Now the shingles you see are fresh.  It only took two days to get them done.  I also painted the sides

in a nice barn red color.  The eaves need another coat of white paint along with the trim around the window and door.  It also needs doors.  The front needs another coat of both blue and white paint.  I had special mixed the blue, so I’m going to have to come up with another color there.  I do have the white AND a piece of trim where the white and blue meet.  It will be painted the barn red color to tie all three colors together (did you know the eye finds odd numbers more pleasing?).  I also have the window boxes that go under each window that will be painted white. 

As for the blue color, I may go to Lowes or Home Depot and pick out a color that’s close and have them mix me a sample pot.  If I hadn’t been so sloppy with the white at the bottom, I wouldn’t even need the blue, but I was, the damage is done, now I just have to fix it.  Plus, find doors!  The doors that go with it don’t fit.  So, either I have to make some or sand down the ones I have.  UGH.  Now where is that handy-dandy sander hubby got me one year that I never used.  HMMMMM

What I thought I would do is continue working on it, updating the listing on CraigsList as I go.  It’s only marked at $30 (though I would take less just to get rid of it) and would really make a cool shop.  Plus, I was going to throw in the can of white paint! 

Well, I’ll mess around with it more and see what I get done.  It’s supposed to be blustery and chilly here tomorrow, so a day spent in a warm studio would be great.  At the very least, I’ll hone some of my somewhat rusty dollhouse skills before I tackle The Victorian some more or one of my other projects.

Speaking of projects, look what I’m thinking of doing:

Yep, the Greenleaf Spring Challenge with the optional addition.

I MUST BE OUT OF MY MIND!!!!

Until Later…………………………….

Postcard Friday

My offering today is another French postcard.  I hope you enjoy.

 

Sorry, it’s been a rough week and I haven’t blogged much.  Maybe once I get used to working again (5 weeks off was NOT long enough LOL) I’ll be back to blogging.  I’ve done nothing when I get off work but sit on the couch with a heating pad on my neck until bedtime.  Oh yeah, and watching way too many episodes of Bones and NCIS.

Until later……………….

Smiles~

And the Winner Is……

So, today I took a few minutes away from work and had a draw for my Flea Market Style magazine giveaway.  Let me apologize for the quality of the following photos.  They were taken with my camera phone.

First, I wrote everyone’s name down on pieces of paper,

put them in a basket,

asked my assistant to draw a name (sorry, she’s picture shy),

 

And the winner is……………………………..

So Esme, I’ll be contacting you for your mailing address.

If anyone is interested, I still have Flea Market Style magazines for sale.  Just email me at mcgoo4(at)gmail.com.

Thank you to all who entered.  Stay tuned, there will be another giveaway shortly.

Smiles~

Postcard Friday

Guess what?  I have more French postcards!!!!

Just couldn’t let my followers down, so I found another supplier AND my favorite one had more too.  So, I’m good to go for a while.

Without further ado, here is today’s very old French postcard.

And, as you can see, I even have the back to share with you!  I hope you enjoy this one.

Until later…………………………………

Last Chance for my Giveaway – Time is Winding Down

Remember, you have until Friday the 12th at Midnight CST to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Flea Market Style.

All you need to do is go HERE and leave a comment.  Remember, if you also post it on your sidebar, leave another comment letting me know for an extra entry.  You DO NOT have to be a follower (but you’re always welcome to be).

As always, I am also selling copies, so if you want to get yours now, they are $9.95 plus shipping ($2.33 media mail in US) and I do ship INTERNATIONALLY ($3.83 to ship to Canada, $8.84 to ship to Rest of World).

Until Later……………………

The Victorian

Sadly, this has been neglected for years.  It is close to 30 years old and I have had it for about 5 of those years.  In all that time, I have never touched it other than to place it in my living room.

If you look closely, you’ll see there are shingles missing, trim missing, and dust everywhere (though I did blow / brush some of the dust off). 

It’s laid out really strange – first, it’s two room deep with access to those room only through the windows and doorways.  Hard to really see inside much less decorate.

This room leads into this:

Sorry for the poor picture, the flash didn’t go off.  It the turret room and octagonal in shape.

Then we have these rooms:

One deep in the middle, one small and partially unfinished.  Notice the white.  It’s supposed to be papered like the rest.  I’m playing around with making this a bathroom but it’s very awkward.

Now, going down to the second floor.

 

Maybe a small bedroom?

This is in the middle room and leads into this:

I’m trying to clean as well as I can, but with my neck I am unable to contort myself right now.  Not unless I want to put myself back into the hospital!

This then leads into this:

Another small octagonal room – AARRGGHH!

Okay, now for the tour of the first floor. It is a little easier to at least get to.

Bottom left (looking inward from back).  Notice the door on the left and the doorway on your right?  What you can’t see is another doorway just out of camera range – I was too close.  This could almost be set up as a small attached shop with it’s configuration.  Not really sure.

  

Middle room where you can see the second doorway there on the left leading out of the far left room.  There is also a doorway on the right you can’t see and a set of stairs that aren’t installed yet.  I want to place a runner on them first.

Far right room, unfinished.  The pink wall is very rough and loose.  I need to glue it down and figure out how to finish it.  Also, if  you haven’t noticed, there are no doors nor doorframes.  Just windows. 

The floors are in good shape.  I wiped down the wood flooring with baby wipes, let it dry, and then covered with gloss Modge Podge.  The change was wonderful.  I know how wonderful, slightly glossy, deep colored wood flooring that LOOKS like true wood floors would.  I may do one more coat to seal it really good or I may just go over it with wax or leave as it.  I’m not sure yet.  I’m going to let the floor cure overnight and then decide.

  Lastly, this is the main entry.  Double french doors with nice floors.

So, any ideas as to what the rooms should be?  I am at a total loss!  I am having to “renovate” the outside, doing a lot of repair since you could consider I was a “slum lord of dollhouses” for a while. 

Tomorrow, I’ll continue gluing pieces back onto the outside and cleaning up the two dollhouses that reside in my bedroom.  I have boxes of furniture in my shop that need to be placed in them.  It dawned on my last night that I would have MORE room in my studio if I got the furniture out of the boxes (4 or 5 paper boxes) and into the houses where it should be.  That way, I could see what rooms were missing what.  Oh yeah, I have accessories too.  Once I get these done, I have several more that I need to focus on.  That doesn’t mean I’m forgetting about the dolls, the antique-ing, junkin’, thrifting, altered art, collaging, ATCs etc. 

Getting my dollhouses set up gives me more room to do all of this!  That’s why I have three worktables, one corner computer table, and one jewelers table in my shop.  I can have different projects going on on each of them and just roll from one to another!  Isn’t that a great idea?  Now, if I could only be off work a little longer now that I’m feeling so good.  Well, back surgery is coming up soon………

Oh yeah, I still haven’t faced my bead stash yet!  UGH

Until later……………………………

Recent Blog Giveaway Wins

I’ve been lucky lately.  I’ve won a few giveaways, going back to the OWOH giveaway event and I thought I would share them with you.

I am extremely grateful for all the people that post giveaways; that’s why I’m having one now with at least two more planned for the very near future.

Two wins from OWOH – Don’t you just love the Monkey Earrings?????

The earrings are from The Purple Lady's Art and Life & the felt tea bag came from My Mommy Makes It.

These are from Sweet Jeanette and are awesome.  I just love the heart and the bookmark is perfect.  Hope got me through several years of uncertainty in my life. Jeanette makes the most awesome things & also has some wonderful recipes on her blog.

  From Zig Zags This and That.  Isn’t it AWESOME!  It will fit perfect with some of my spring outfits!  I love it so much I want more!

 

Then I won this awesome Victorian-look pendulum wall clock from Aged Vintage Papier.  It was sponsored by CSN, the same company that will be sponsoring my next giveaway (to be announced soon).

  And how about this awesome vintage picture w/frame and the cute little rug (perfect for one of my dollhouses) .  I’ve looked and looked and cannot find the link to the blog I won this from!  I feel horrible because it was such an awesomely generous giveaway and the little rug was an extra surprise that was thrown in!

Well, that’s it for now.  Thank you for letting me share my awesome wins.  Again, I’m grateful for all the generosity showed by all my fellow bloggers out there.  And of course I’m grateful for all my wonderful followers.

Until later…………………………………………