Ann's Dollhouse Dreams

 The journey with the Manchester Country Home began with a vision: a perfect build. Really? More easily dreamed than accomplished. I made three rules: Use from my stash before purchasing new; make as much as my talents and knowledge would allow (somewhat limited there), and purchase items that are handmade or come from what I perceive as a small business or a cottage business--a home based business. You know what I mean. While the perfect build didn't happen, I have learned how to cover up errors--most of them--and I have supported independent artists, which I think is the most important. 

In the beginning, too, I thought about creating one of those modern, chic, clean farmhouses, all white and black and gray, trendy, cool, modern--but that just isn't me. I like color and tradition and I wanted the project to reflect me.

I am now happy to announce that I'm very close to finishing the Manchester, having worked obsessively the last several days to get major projects done on the house, and today, I checked off some major accomplishment. While the house is not finished, the main parts are in place: electrical wiring, floors, and wallpaper on the first 2 floors. 

One room that I'm not happy about is the kitchen. I went way overboard making cabinets, including a center island and coffee bar, but the kitchen just isn't big enough for all that furniture, so I think I will be remaking it on down the road. 

I decided to attach the upper cabinets using that very strong double sticky carpet tape to allow access to the light that light the behind the exhaust vent. Still not really happy with, but I'll install it for now.

I love the pendant lights and so easy to make, all items from stash--well I did have to purchase the clear globes.

Jodi Hipler at My Miniature Madness 3-D printed the cooktop and offered them for sale last year. The oven, microwave, and dishwasher came from Elf miniatures int the UK. Great kits, but non-opening. I still need to add drawer pulls to the little drawers and the cabinet doors, but then I'll be rebuilding this unit--again.

The bathroom is pretty much done, except for the wainscoting that is made but needs installing and I have to finish the shower and the vanity and glue the flooring in place. I sourced the wallpaper and the flooring in the last post: printable by Jessica Cloe. 

You can see how crowded the kitchen is. What was I thinking?  I did try out a variety of cabinet arrangements, but the refrigerator and the built in over and microwave just over power the room and take up too much room.

The bathroom turned out just like I envisioned.  I could add a ceiling light since the room seems a little dark. The wainscoting breaks up the wallpaper and perhaps a hint at an older bathroom. 

The bedroom is nearly finished. The wall is paper and the light fixture  works. It's nice, warm comfortable room, but very crowded with the stairs in the middle.

I think my favorite room is the dining room. The dinning set comes from Hobby Lobby and I think I'll paint it white and distress it, but I do love the natural look. The clock needs to be finished. I dug it out of the stash the other day. 

One major change is the wall. I build a stair surround that I spent so much time on, but it just not fit well and I decided to forget enclosing the stairs. That whole project has frustrated me.  At this point the rug is paper, but I'll print it on printable fabric.

This week's project was to finish the second floor room on the addition.

Good grief, whatever possessed me to do an addition. It has been trouble from the beginning. It just never really fit properly.  It's prefect for its companion Real Good Toys houses, but not so much for this older kit.  I finally it managed to get it installed and trim will cover the ugly joining of the two kits. The arch between the rooms has been a challenge to trim out, too. 

Now time for the electrical. I was up early Sunday determined to paper the upstairs room, but first I had to install the lights. It didn't go well.

 Took me all day to install the electrical. What a mess. I thought I had power in all the room, but apparently I didn't. Getting the power to the tape wire in that last room proved quite challenging since all the other rooms were papered and I couldn't access the lines.  In the end, I connected the upstairs addition room using round wire and plug-in to power the room. I like that because I can unplug the room if I want. The connection will be hidden behind a rear roof.

 Not very pretty, but it works.

My light works. That's a good thing, taking all day Sunday. I unwound with working on the afghan I'm crocheting while watching Yellowstone --now that'll get your mind off your troubles.

The wall paper is in. Downloaded from an Etsy store and printed. I didn't take the trouble to match the pattern since it will be hidden underneath to roof.

I still don't know exactly what this room be, but it's another favorite in the house. 

This morning I installed the 2 piece roof.  I had one chance to get it glued in correctly. After applying the glue and placing each section, I taped them in place then added weight--my microwaveable, birdseed  filled heat pads. 

 

The moment that I've waited for and worked toward for a very long time.

  

I am very happy how nicely the room fit into place.

The floor will go soon as well as trim.

I had great hope for the lighting in this room, creating large glass globes that will hang from the vaulted ceiling, but I've not been able to get them placed. I am thinking maybe can lights since despite the large sky light, the room is still dark. 

The desk lamp is the only light that works so far.

OH NO! 

No big deal that the tape didn't hold. At least the cupboards were empty. I'm redoing that wall any way. I added wall paper to heavy yard stock and used the double tape to install it. During one my sleepless hours in the middle of the night, I decided to redo that wall. I'll remove the faux wall, repaper, and glue the cabinet in place. I may even rebuild it since it is just a little long for the space.

So the house isn't done, but the major projects are done. I still have the 3rd flood to complete, but I don't know what I'll do with it yet--a 3rd bedroom with bathroom? A library? I don't know.

There's still a lot of blue tape holing things in place, trim and molding have to be installed, and the stairs have to glued in place, but the house is nearly done. 

I've cleaned up the work space, put tools away, and swept the floor. I'll leave my mini world to make few things for Christmas, do my baking, shopping, decorating the big house, and all the other things that we do during this holiday season.

I'll be checking in again soon.

Thanks for visiting. 

Ann