The Visalian - Part Two

Hi everyone.
I hope you all had a great Christmas and I want to wish you all a Happy New Year.
You are probably all wondering why I had Kinsey's house upside down the other week.

I was doing some paper mache on the walls. Why am I doing that?
Well, the wood in this house is delaminating in some areas and it is very uneven.

See the naughty wall with the arrows down below?
Well this piece gave me an armful of splinters, 31 to be exact.
I was removing the wall when it suddenly gave way, and my right arm slid right across it.

All I could say was "Silly wall, now you look ugly with half your wood missing," when all of a sudden I felt searing pain in my wrist and forearm.

I then noticed I had a million slivers of wood in the area below the wrist where the tender, delicate piece of skin that barely covers the veins is.

Shaking like crazy, I got one of my kids to hold a magnifying glass while I very carefully pulled them all out - and with my left hand too!

Let me tell you that this is the absolute WORST place on your body to get a splinter.
I wish I had a photograph, but at the time I was just too preoccupied with surviving.

I am also toying around with some LED lights I have from IKEA.
No, these are not silver snakes but maybe the beginnings of a tree-like ceiling texture.

Cheerio,
Sam

Apple Blossom - Part Three

Hi everyone,
I attached the extension and I covered the house in the first layer of paper mache.
Yes, this is the embarrassing stage. It looks like a kindergarten project - not something a grown up would make.
I do have a rough vision of what this should look like one day.

This house will now sit up above my desk for a few weeks to make sure it is completely dry before I add anymore layers.

I think I will make a back for this dollhouse. The new windows are rather large and you can see too much background. Anyway, it will help keep out dust (and inquisitive little kitty cats!).
Speaking of whom, here is a quick pic of my boys.

Cheerio,
Sam

Apple Blossom - Part Two

Tree work continues. . . .

Cheerio,
Sam

Apple Blossom - Part One

Hi everyone.
Although work continues on Kinsey's, Hazel's and Dr Zoe's houses, I am also working on Luka's old house. For me, working on multiple houses is how I operate.
Here is the before picture.

And here it is "in progress".

I totally demolished the right side extension and rebuilt it. The original was made from cheap Balsa wood that was completely caving in on itself.
As for the tower, I was considering adding brick or stone to it when Luka stepped in. He said that he wanted it to look like Hazel's house, as he thought the tree-like texture was very interesting.

I must say, it is kind of difficult renovating a house as it is turning into a tree before your very eyes!

I enlarged the windows and moved the front door to the tower. I also cut out the wall to the extension for a more open concept.

Finally, here are the finished "bones" and the new second floor balcony. (I still need to attach the extension.)

And on a final note - I was in the thrift store when I came across this dollhouse for only $18.

You may notice this picture was taken inside my office – yes, I had to have it! I know it is another Apple Blossom, but for a solid wood dollhouse, the price was too good to leave behind. However, when I got it home, one of my kids claimed it for their own.
(Apparently, I am not allowed to have two dollhouses that are the same!)
Cheerio,
Sam

Thanksgiving

Hi all.
I hope everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving had a good one. I had to host it for the first time EVER. (It is kind of weird that the only Australian in our group of relatives is the one who prepared an American Thanksgiving meal!)
We had a total of twenty-five relatives over for dinner. Even though I am not a cook, I managed to get the main meal together. Of course the highlight was dessert. Thankfully my sister-in-law and her kids are expert pie makers and came to my house early in the day to make them. We had various pies including pumpkin, peanut butter, mince-meat, and my two utmost favorites - apple and pecan. They were totally delicious!

We spent three days celebrating together and playing many rounds of Bananagrams. (If you have never played this game I highly recommend it. It is faster and easier than Scrabble and everyone can join in.)
The visitors have gone now and we are getting back to normal.
I know Kinsey is about to be homeless so I am working as fast as I can on her house.

YES, I KNOW KINSEY'S HOUSE IS UPSIDE-DOWN. (I am working on the interior.)

Cheerio,
Sam