Finishing

Summer always seems to just slip away, doesn't it. Here we spend a lot of time in the garden doing battle with the weeds, a losing one. It has been so hot that I have retreated to the basement to work on the Blue Farmhouse, trying very hard to get it finished. The carpet needs to be cleaned, but first I have to clear away the dollhouse clutter and in order to do that I have to get this house finished. So here is the progress so far along with the disasters.



If I remember, I posted about planking the ceiling on the 3rd level with craft sticks. I sorta liked the look, and then I didn't like it at all. The sticks didn't lay flat and weren't cut evenly, though the seams would be covered with beams. Still I was not happy with the look.

Even with the wall paper installed, I wasn't happy.

                     

I was having a hard time envisioning the final look. Take note of the tape wiring, for it will be the second disaster.

I decided to cover the mess with paper. I used a heavy craft paper that I purchase at Hobby Lobby. The ceilings looks so much cleaner and prettier. I am really happy with them now. Now all finished, this den looks clean, warm, and a nice place to chill.

Here is the tease for what the room will eventually look like. At first it was was going to be a music room in the attic, but it has evolved into a horsey themed room. I had a very hard time selecting wallpaper, settling on this hunter/jumper theme. I am going to love it. So will you. Remember my visit with Mike the Junk man and how sent me home with 6 boxes of the good, bad, ugly in dollhouse furniture and accessories?  This fire place was in the mess. I love it. It is rustic and old. Handmade out of plaster, dated on the back with the artist's initials. I needed to drill a hole for the light cord to go through the back, but I was too afraid that I'd crack the plaster, so I will paint the cord brown to conceal it more. 

The stairs have been particularly difficult to install on both floors. First I purchased the stair kit at Hobby Lobby, stained all of the pieces, assembled the staircase, and then began to fit them into place. I posted months ago how the hubby using his Real Special Saw enlarged the stair opening. The ceilings in this house are higher than kits houses, so these stairs don't quite fit, especially the hand rail; thus an extra newel post.

While not perfect, some of the imperfections don't actually show all that much,  such as the gap here at the top of the stairs, visible here because of the camera angle. All in all, after all of the struggle, this second stair went in much nice and easier the the lower level.

One of my favorite pieces that I have made is this little chandelier for the bathroom. Lighted, it looks so elegant, giving the bathroom a touch of class. The chandelier on the floor was remade with a light for the nursery--another tale. The wiring for the bathroom runs from the back wall down to the floor and across to the center of floor where the light from the floor is attached, as shown in the previous photo. Here the light works. 

I had the wall papered, added my plug in for the chandelier in the nursery and the lights worked. 

Do you notice the difference in wallpaper? Once The paper set, the light quite working. I didn't know if the was the plug-in or the connection. Long story short, the photos tell the story. I tore off the striped piece, re did the tape wiring and replaced the wallpaper with the plaid because I had only one sheet of the striped. The light worked. And then it didn't.

                           

I cut a patch for the hole that I had cut out for the plug-in. Removed all of the tape wiring on the floor, and

glued down the floor, giving up the the pretty, little blue chandelier.

A another peak at the personal touches that I am adding to the house. In the bedroom, I have placed a wedding photo of my grandparents, Harry and Abby Duston. They looked so happy and so much in love standing on a bridge. They were married in a double ceremony along with Harry's brother Renny and his bride Goldie. Even as a child, I thought how romantic. There are other photos of both couples and one of Harry feeding Abby wedding cake on the bridge. I think they were married in 1922 somewhere in Kansas.

On the far back wall on the second floor in the alcove below the window, I have placed a photo of my mother. She was probably 12, wearing her hair in long ringlet curls that had been rolled in rags. I found the picture frames at Hobby Lobby. After measuring their back side, I scanned photos into Microsoft word where I sized them to fit the frames. Some trimming was required. For best results, print the photos on photo paper. I used the free 4x6 glossy photo paper that comes free with my HP ink.

The last few evenings I have been cutting and installing the trim to cover the rough cut edges of the old plywood used to build the house. While not perfect, the edge trim has cleaned up the edges very nicely. I will need to some touch-up with stain. There are still some problems that need solving, but I working on them. Now I am painting the outside, beginning with white trim on the front porch. 

Despite the challenge of renovating this old house, I am loving it--imperfections and all. I certainly have leaned a lot about construction. I'll be back with the house all painted and finished. 

Thanks so very much for stopping by. It is always such a pleasure to share my house with you.