Good Finds

So. I wrote a lovely post this morning and posted it to my other blog by mistake. Not thinking, I deleted it and lost everything, so here I am trying to recreate what I wrote earlier, and it not going well, so I am going to upload my photos and go from there. Hang on a second.

My husband's grandfather in the early years farmed back in the day when he used a six hitch of draft horses to pull the thresher to harvest wheat. Later he turned the farming over to his son-in-law and worked construction building and remodeling everything from sheds to houses. He always said that it was easier to start over than it was to renovate. That pretty much sums up my make-over of the Storybook cottage. It would have been easier to buy a new kit and build from scratch, but here I am deep in the project.

Wallpapering over the current cute little bears is my first task. I decided not to try to strip it off down to the bare wood because I don't know what sort of glue was used, nor do I know where the tape wire is. Since the house is assembled, I have to make templates of the walls to cut wallpaper, so I use computer paper to shape the pattern. Sounds pretty easy, but the walls have angles and windows that make it difficult to make a good pattern. It takes several fittings to get the pattern accurate. This wall gave me problems because I had cut around the the window frame. I had a very hard time getting it the cuts accurate.

I have done a lot of cutting and recutting. Finally I decided to fold a 12x12 sheet of card stock in half and folded my crude computer paper template in half and cut the shape that way to get both sides the same--like when we were in elementary school and the art teacher taught us how to cut shapes, especially hearts for Valentine's Day on the fold to get a uniform heart or Christmas tree.

What a mess.

Here is bad photo of a bad template.

Out of desperation I took a photo of the wall so see if I could use  it to cut the notches for the window sill. Didn't work.  

I worked most of the morning trying to get that last wall covered. Finally I cut an accurate template. Now I wait for wallpaper from ItsyBitsy.com to arrive. I bought really pink scrapbook paper with cute little unicorns on it for the wallpaper, but it was too pink and too busy. I searched for hours looking for just the right color and pattern. I decided that I wanted a neutral color that with a vague pattern that would not compete with the toys. I chose a beige damask that will give the little store a nice Victorian feeling.

Now to find cool toys. Previously the store sold teddy bears. A lot of bears. So while the husband visited a sporting goods store, I went to Tuesday Morning, the kind of store that you don't go in with a list of things to look for--things that you need or want-- you just go in to see what you can find. Along with a stack of wash clothes and coffee syrup for my husband I found things for me.

How many of your mothers stood in line outside of Target in the '80s to get your first cabbage patch doll? This mom didn't. When I saw this little one with a cute little baby and dog, I knew that they had to go in the store and right next to the cabbage patch doll was American Girl doll. She is comes apart and the pieces are interchangeable. They are sort of like Legos.

I also found these little cacti that are perfect for the Bellingham Farmhouse that is a Texas farmhouse. They are a little out of scale, but Texas grows big things. 

Love these

I have been playing with the layout. I have a lot of things to put in the store and it is a small space. The little girls look cute and fit in nicely.

Instead of the arched wall, I am thinking that a nice railing will give the allusion of two rooms. Originally I wanted this bay window area to be a reading room. Maybe not.

I don't often get to go shopping with my daughters. The older one lives in Denver while the younger one is closer, both are busy moms, but Jennifer and I and two of the three girls, the 12 year old and the 6 year old spent Saturday shopping. We ended the day at our favorite antique flea market.

Flea markets often don't lend good results, but this time I had good luck.

I have thing for chairs, even in my real house. I could not resist these two. I found them at the end of our tour of the junk store. They were in cabinet with other very nice pieces. I also bought a dresser for Lily's house.

                    

I also like pianos. Most of my houses have a piano. This one reminds me one that my mother had; it's out in barn now, but has been so badly neglected over the years, it will end up in the landfill one day. My mother played the piano and sang when I was little. I can still hear her voice filling the house with her opera music.

                   

And a fairy god mother. Every toy store needs one.

My daughter found these pieces, a sink and stove along with the pots and pans and dishes and toaster.

These are nice pieces. I am not sure just where they will be used, but they will find a place.

                      

The last item at the flea market was this little handmade Christmas tea kettle. I want to do a Christmas house one day, so I am collecting things. 

I've also been looking for miniature toys on eBay. This little girl arrived in the mail Saturday. She is just so cute--old but dear, and she needs a new dress. I've emailed Dragonfly to see if one of their little dresses will fit her.

 

Hobby Lobby is adding new minis, too. At first I thought I found some cute little Jello molds. Do people still mold Jello? Anyway they are fancy cake pans along with the pink rolling pin and storage container. I'll do a pink kitchen someday. 

                     

 Lily has a family for her house now. It is a large family. Mom and dad are relaxing, deciding if they should put away the Christmas decorations.



 The five kids are up stairs listening to sister play the piano. It is little one that might be Renwal or a cheap imitation of the 1950s metal dollhouse furnishings. I picked it out of a grab bag and didn't notice that it is warped, but it will be fine for Lily. She's taking piano lessons along with her sisters.



The bunk beds arrived from Miniatures. com last week, too. I was so excited to get them. The crib set came from Hobby Lobby. The toy box was in my stash.

Here is the dresser that I bought for the grandparents. I hope Lily takes good care of it. It is very nice.  Um. It looks like Grandpa and Grandpa might have an issue. Maybe it's the noisy kids next door.

I'll be wallpapering the upstairs this week then Lily can take it home. I'll miss the family. 

I've been playing in the store. I purchased crayons, colored pencils, and a coloring book and an Easy Back from Miniatures. com along with a type of Play Dough.

I had a brilliant brainstorm to put a mural on the wall instead of wallpaper. I will print it on card stock and paint the chair rail shelf to match other surfaces that I paint.

I like this arrangement.

With the flash on, things look bright. I've decided to use the tile floor instead of wood to keep it bright and I will paint the wood that isn't covered with wallpaper, white? maybe. I will leave the dark wood dark. 

I am finally beginning to feel like I can make the renovation look nice. I just have to take my time and not get in a hurry.

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

Oh. I have finally taken the big leap over to Instagram. You can find me by searching for annrasmussen72. Join me there, too.