Delightful

The Christmas rush is finally over. I can't say that I was bah humbug this year, but I sure didn't have much enthusiasm for the holiday season. For nearly twenty years Santa has paid a special visit to our house the Sunday before Christmas. Over the years, I've invited neighbor children, relatives, and friends; the party has always been a big deal and so stressful because there were gifts to buy for the children and invitations to send out--real mail letters, baking the Christmas goodies, and making sure that everything was perfect for the children, Now, the most of the children have grown up. The oldest of my grandchildren is 16 and not into Santa, but he has a little brother who is. The party fell on Dec 23 this year--poor planning on my part, so I was doubly stressed. In the end Santa's visit went off without a hitch, well, almost. My sweet little grandson, Nathan, was not able to come. He was very sick at home, so it was just the three girls, and I think the older two know the secret, but Little Lily does not, so we invite Santa for the youngest children and the young at heart (me). 

Once the Santa party was over, I felt like I could finally relax, even though I had a Christmas dinner to prepare on the 24th. And then my daughter and I both have birthdays. Mine on the 20th and hers on the 24th. 

I fell behind on all of holiday preparations because I was trying to get a dollhouse finished. I was really nervous, worried that Lily wouldn't like it, but she did. So here is the Grand Reveal. 

I have a bird cage about the size of this  package and I kept wanting to uncover the birds! I put the house on a little child's tea table; it belonged to Lily's great grandmother (my husband's mother). Lily was just a tiny baby when we lost Great Grandma, but she is always here in spirit.

Today I called Lily and asked her if she had people to live in her house, and she does--an entire family, including grandparents, so I will finish the third floor for the children and grandparents. I told her the house needs another bedroom. 

Second floor bedroom: bed: pre-made, purchased from my favorite miniature retail store in Denver that is now closed😞. Dresser: junk dealer, curtains store bought, chandelier--I made, and Pop the pony's portrait. She loved that.  Bathroom all stash--things that I have collect for various junk dealers. 

Fire place came with another house, but can be purchased at Hobby Lobby. Coffee table stash. The Crash on the mantle is an old Hobby Lobby decoration. I don't know if you even buy them anymore. I didn't put out all of the pieces because they took up too much room. Same for the little nut crackers that came in a package of six. I bought them last year and couldn't find them this year. The train came from Hobby Lobby mini section, the other toys are hot glue on a tree skirt that was attached to another tree that came from the junk dealer. The white furniture and care are another Hobby Lobby buy. I had bought the furniture for the Bellingham to go with a brown leather for the more rustic look.

Everything from my stash in the kitchen. The light in the kitchen came from Hobby Lobby that has a new line of white fixtures. I ruined the chandelier that I had placed in the living room, or else it was a bum one, but the light bulb blew out. I was just as glad because it put out way too much white light, washing out the other muted soft lights. I think I can replace the bulb and use it anyway. I didn't want expensive chandeliers because little hands are not always careful.

Lily who asked who the little guy in red by the stairs was. I have a package of little cake toppers that my had way back when--a long time ago. I am pretty frugal with them, but dole them out for very special occasions to a wee bit of my mom.  She would have adored these grandchildren and loved the dollhouses.

Lily does love all of the bits and pieces that finish the rooms, but I want her to use her own imagination to make the little things and perhaps her sisters will help. Ellie, the 12 year old is very good at using sculpting clay. Perhaps she will help Lily.

The wall paper came from Hobby Lobby except for the living room, which I ordered from Itsybitsy.com

I made the chandelier from stash beads and findings. It's the second one that I've made and is inspired from a pair of chandelier earrings that my mom used to wear. Now looking at it the, the bottom beads could be smaller.

Lily loves to go fishing with her dad, so from my stash I added a pail with fish and a fishing pool. She loved that and walked around showing off her fish, saying that she was a good fisher.

The Christmas tree inside adds the warmth of the holidays.

I have a bit more work to do to finish up, but I think it turned out so nice. I made the planter boxes from balsa wood. I started out with wide craft sticks, but they were hard to cut, had knots, and some were crooked, so I bought tow nice pieces of balsa strips and made the boxes. I filled them moss and lots of Hobby Lobby silk flowers. 

 Lily loves her house, but left it here so that I finish it. I have some painting touch up and two bedrooms to wall paper.

Children are so smart; they are logical thinkers by nature and look at life literally, so I should not have been surprised when she asked me  why there were flowers in the flower boxes when it is winter with  Christmas decorations. I didn't have much of an answer. 

With the Cranberry Cove finished, I still have plenty to do in the workshop. I have to shingle the Bellingham--that will be a big job and finish Jen's San Franciscan and, of course, Lily's house final touches. I want to work on the little toy store, too. So I'll have plenty to keep me busy.

And here is my newest project. You may recognize a Robin Betterly kit, a Christmas gift from my husband. I stayed up until after 11 last night making tiny things. Really tiny. things I know for myself some of the things that I add to my houses aren't true 1:12 scale, but they work and sometimes I like the wee bit larger items because they show up better; now I am working with this lovely kit that is true to scale. I have to be thankful that my eyes are still good, even tough I have implants for cataracts and wear bifocal glasses. My, hands, too, not strong enough to screw off a sealed lid from a jar, they can still handle the tiny things and I count my blessings because I don't have arthritis in them.

The entire collection is packed with such cute Easter things, all that have to be assembled and painted. I stayed up last night painting tiny little chocolate rabbits and assembling the bunny pull toy. It was so relaxing and peaceful to just play.

The kit comes nicely packaged with the laser wood pieces marked. 

The photographs are very helpful along with nicely written assembly instructions.

I love the bunny. Instructions said to use a craft knife to removed the excess product from molding, but I used a small emery board to sand the lumps and bumps from the ears. Worked nicely.

I don't like the hinges for the doors since they are cardboard, so I dug in my stash for metal hinges and of course I have three of four. I'll have to order what I need.

This little pull toy originally caught my eye and I could have just ordered it alone, but I sent out a text to my family suggesting the entire pricey kit.

Sadly the hutch doesn't fit in the toy store--unless I move a light on the wall behind the hutch.

I've made own pull toy from scratch and now I have good idea as to how to make more. 

Several coats of acrylic craft ivory paint.

Those beads are so tiny. The glue will dry clear, thankfully.

               Mine is almost as nice as the professional one. I did okay.

Next, I decided to do the chocolate bunnies:

I thought it would be impossible to paint these tiny Easter bunnies, but I did it.

Next I decided to do the chocolate bunnies.

Close. I need to do some touch up since I painted them on the card before I punched them out, so I have to paint the edges.

More touch up work and then on the cupcakes and the cake plate, though I might use my glass one instead. 

Thanks for stopping by. I know that you have some great projects, so I'll be visiting to see what magic you all are working. 

As the new year begins, I send my good wishes for a Happy New Year, for a year of good fortune, good health, and good mini projects. I know--or at least hope--that there those who visit but don't leave a comment and that is okay, but in the last year I have made some new friends and I am so appreciative of the interest that you have shown, along with the kind, encouraging, and sweet words that you leave after your visit. Thank you, thank you.