Now hold on....

This is just the undercoat.... I did 2 coats of brown..one lighter than the other. Then I did about 5 coats of Apricot. Apple Barrel paint just doesn't go on as well as the Folk Art brand. And yes! You need all these undercoats...

...next came a layer of crackle medium... I didn't paint it everywhere, just here and there.

And then I painted it, in sections, with the Coastal Blue color. And I hit it with a heat gun. The heat gun made the paint bubble up- and I kinda liked it:) Never tried it before, now I know:)

Then I sanded for hours! Once you start sanded it, you can see why I need all those layers.... I LOVE this color combo!!

See where all the 'spots' of orange is- that was after I sanded down where I had hit it with the heat gun.

I also painted the knobs white. I then went around each knob with a black pen, and a few coats of high gloss sealer. I really, really like how this cabinet turned out:)

....now I just need to fill it..... lol

Easier said then done.... And besides, I gotta wait to get a bigger roombox.... ... Until Next Time.....

I put this together today...

A few months ago, I found this kit at our local dollhouse shop..... And I just had to have it! Eventually it will go into The Painted Lady.... and will house some beautiful plates.

It was a really easy kit to put together... and has a lot of potential when it comes to painting it:) Thinking I might paint it orange, then do a top coat of that Coastal blue- sounds terrible, but I've tried it before and I really like how it looks. Or it might become pink? I'm just not sure yet.

Yesterday afternoon, I was going trough my blog list, and somehow deleted everyone! Still not to sure what I did..... but it was not a happy moment! That's how I keep track of everyone. The whole followers thing came out after I started blogging, and I at the time just didn't want to mess with that function. Now I could kick myself in the tush! Not to mention all the wonderful blog giveaways that I miss out on because I don't think its fair to play if I don't follow the rules. But It would probably be easier to have a back up list of who's blogs I like to read. So... I'm trying to get everyone back.... I had almost 300 people in my list..... So if you read my blog, or you know that I read yours and if you don't see your name on my new blog list, Can you drop me a comment and tell me so. I'd appreciate it soooo much. :)

OK, I'm off to nap for a little bit, I have a killer headache, and surfing the net is just not going to work for me right now.

So Until Next Time.....

Wanna see what I've been working on.....

First, if you haven't read about our vacation, you should! There's lots of pictures, and I tried not to talk too much!

So......
I made a slip cover for one of the chairs in Marshmallow Manor. Well, actually I made 2. The first one didn't work, so I had to make another one. And I'm quite proud of myself, I did the whole thing by hand....and Yes, I know I used tan colored tread to sew it up, but it was what I had. And it makes it look old.....At least I think it does. I just love this chair now!! And that's one of the pillows that Mercedes sent me a long time ago.....I've been saving it for something special....

And this was the perfect place:) Looks good in it's new home!!

I made a bookcase using some old drawers......

Just glued them together, painted them, and then sanded it. I'm thinking I need bottles of sand to fill it with. Had the bright idea that I'd love to collect some sand from my friends from around the world and display it. So, If anyone has any sand they want to send me, I'd be most delighted:) I still need to find bottles, so I'm in no hurry here:)

Then the other day, I rewarded myself after a doctor appt., and treated my self to some mini hardware! I just love how this dresser turned out. And the funny thing is, Is that my real life dresser looks just the same. **And, for the record, I used the Dremel, All by myself, to drill the holes for the knobs to go in, and I didn't screw it up, lol! Believe me, this is impressive! Hahaa

I love the age and character this dresser has now:)

Sorry, gotta share one more picture...just loved the shadows from the handles!

AND......

I've been painting everything red! Most of this stuff was plastic pieces that came with the Calico Corner sets. And a few were some of those cheap blue with white spots, metal pans. The jugs in the back was made with a big bead.....And the plates were just some random plastic ones. Everything got a coat of red paint, And I used nail stickers to decorate! I lucked out finding strawberries, huh!! Oh, I also went over all the edges of things with a gold paint marker...Just gives it that special little touch.

Here's a close up of the berries...they, too, have gold outlining them.... The color of everything is more true in the picture above...the flash tends to change things.....

Still have a hundred unfinished projects laying around.........LOL, Oh well, keeps me busy huh!!

Ok...Off to catch up on my blog reading, and I have a few trades to finish.......I haven't forgotten ladies, I'm just slooow.


Until Next Time.....

Keeping me busy!

My mind has been on over load, so I've been trying to keep it busy making things......

The images were stickers, and I just painted the inside black to stand it. I did them in white first, but they didn't make the bold statement I wanted them to..... and now the do.


I made some 'Nikki' inspired mushroom jugs for Marshmallow Manor....


.....and what would a collection be without a dragonfly jug?? Mercedes sent me this sticker a long, long time ago.....glad to finally be able to use it.


I made some silver ones. These would be perfect for Ara's Addams Family, or Kate's Sweeney Todd room, and would even look good in one of Sans dolls' hands!


Here's to show you how little the little ones are. I have a real collection of jugs in my own home.....I have big colored ones.....and a bunch of white creamers. There's just something about pottery that I Love! So it would only be natural to have some in my miniatures, too. The base of this jug was made from a bead.


Very girlie, don't you think??


So lets talk about the hutch that it's sitting on. It's another gift that Mercedes sent me some time ago. This past weekend, I sanded it down, painted it this baby teal color, white-washed it, then sealed it.......and somewhere during the drying cycle......it ate the paint back off. The bf says it make it look older like this, but I was really wanted to get rid of that red!


And this is the other project I worked on this weekend. It was a dresser that once lived in Cora's first house..... Over the years we lost a drawer, so I decided I'd take all but the top drawer out and paint it. I sanded it first, then painted it, then sanded it down again. I haven't sealed it yet, because I didn't want it to run like the other one did. I think with this one, I will use a spray sealer, and hopefully it will look the same when I'm done.

I really like how this one turned out!

And another view........

So, that's about it for now......

I'll be back some time soon with a new tutorial. Just have to get it right first!

Until Next Time..........

A New Paint Finish

I found this paint finish in a book, and I just can't get enough of it. There's lots of different ways to do it, depending on what you like! Here are two examples:

This one was originally painted black......then I painted it Apple Barrel Apricot. (You don't have to use these exact colors, I'm just telling you what they were in case you wanted to know.....any peachy color will work!!) Then I painted it Coastal Blue (by Color Traditions). I also painted the trim with Craft Smart brand Ocean Breeze. After it was dry, I sanded and sanded some more. I wanted it to look worn down!!! You can also try this with out the black underneath.....

This one was done without the black undertones.......But when I was done I stained it with Gunstock Miniwax. I love how the stain filled in all the cracks....it just adds a lot of character to it.

But I do have to admit....My favorite is without the black and without the stain.....It has a real country beach feel to it:)

Until next time:)

I have a tutorial to write about something else you can do with those index prints.......

In the land of the Lego

This weekend, my living room has been over taken by Legos! Yes, Legos! See the trunk in the back left corner of the picture? It's an old army trunk that my son got from his Grandfather. It's great to hold our Legos! Haha, yeah, I said 'ours'.........1/3 of those Legos were mine when I was younger. Did I ever tell you I was a pack rat?? LOL.....I had a castle and everything!!
But these guys were, and still are, my favorites! They were some of my first Legos......I got them from Hamley's Toy Store in London when I was little. I'd give anything to take my kids......of course that's after I win the lottery....LOL.....7 floors of toys, isn't that crazy!!

So I've just done a little research and these critters came form the Fabuland Lego set, first introduced in 1979. I wish Lego would come back with some sets like these......they were so much fun to have!.............and my next project. Again, these were mine when I had my first doll house. As you can see they have seen a lot of love over the years! Well, I have decided to recover them.....or should I say, I'm going to try and make slip-covers for them. We shall see what comes of it, but for now, I will continue to sit and stare at it..................I guess the rest of the afternoon will be spent trying to find some 'How to make a slip cover' articles.
..well, that's no good.........a missing foot? Whatever will I do about that???

Is anything ever perfect?

I got a little bit of a lot done yesterday! Let's see.......I got the carpet cut out for the daughter's room, still need to glue it down. (And fix the paint job on the stairs!)I got the floor cut out for the parents' room. I used a vinyl sticky tile, well, I used 4, had to have them match up the way I wanted it. The front part of this room is going to be the bathroom, I'd like to 'tile' the walls in there. But first, I gotta find a tiny square hole puncher to cut out those tiles with!
Then, I figured out how I wanted to do the end tables. I decoupaged the shaving cream lids with brown tissue paper and Mod Podge. Then I mixed up some colors for the top, using my polymer clay. I wanted to try a technique that I normally use, but this time I used copper paint. This next picture is after it's been baked, but before I sanded it. Here, they have been sanded, using wet-dry sand paper. I'd still like to see them a little glossier, so I'll have to think on that. I never have much luck with sealers and clay.
Here's a idea of what they will look like when I'm done. I still want to add a second layer of tissue paper and I have to work on the 'glossy' issue. But do you see what I see.......Someones been in here, and knocked down the wall, and if you look a little closer....you will see that both the ladies on the couch have been pushed over, one is even on the floor! Poor girls! Wonder who woulda done such a thing??
oh........And they best part! They both don't fit! LOL.....doesn't it always work this way? So I think she'll have one table here, and I'll find a home for the other. Maybe in the front bay window between 2 chairs?
And not that I'm pointing out my flaws or anything, but I've really got to fill in the line behind the couch! It's needs some putty and some paint! Then I gotta fix that gap in between the 2 floors, you see it? On the left. But, then again, if I keep looking for imperfections, I'm never going to finish this house!

The Canopy Bed

I almost finished the canopy bed last night. All I have left to do is make some pillows that match. So far, I have managed to glue the whole thing.....Yup, no sewing involved!! First, I added the lace trim around the bottom. Then, I ironed the hem line and the pleats for the outside material. (LOL, I spent most of the day, 'thinking' about how to do this........) If you'd like further directions, just ask...and I'll explain. Once the material was glued into place, I went back and added the trim. I also tied back the 'curtains' and glued the bottom of the ribbon to the bottom of the curtains. It was the only way to get the ribbon to flow with the curtains~ otherwise the ribbon would of stuck straight out...understand?? Notice I painted the room a very light purple??? A very, very, light purple. Pretty, huh?!?!
And last night I was thinking????..... Do you think Cora would give up her kitchen for an Otis room? He looks very cozy in there. Everyday, he curls up in there and takes a nap......
Oh...notice I painted the nursery? The top, left room is painted the same color of the house.

2 Beds for Cora's House

I started another kit the other night, actually, I started 2 kits, both are the same.

First I started by laying out all the pieces, and

I skimmed the directions. Another one of my flaws.....not taking the time to read all the directions.

Hey, at least I looked at them.

To the right is the first bed. In this picture I am trying to attach the top, but it didn't line up....lol~ It wasn't even close. So I had to glue on one leg, and wait for it to dry.....then I glued and pinned the next one.....and waited for it to dry, and so on. I left the pins in there over night to add the extra support. (**Thanks Casey for suggesting we use pins to keep things in place!!)
With the second bed, I decided I did not want to make 2 beds that looked exactly the same. So I cut down the legs and glued on wooden beads to add character to the posts. ~Poor ole' JD is watching me watch the glue dry....not much fun is it buddie???
And here they are.......Just waiting for my daughter to pick out some material, and I can make the beds. Oh, and I have to paint them....

The Red Chest of Drawers

Yesterday, I showed you a picture of some furniture that had been built from a kit. Remember the chest of drawers that I said I had started to paint? It's the one in the lower right corner of the picture....The box the kit came in is pictured in the background~ You know these kits have got to be at least 20+ years old!!! And here is a picture out of a Pottery Barn catalogue. I love the finish on this piece and as soon as I saw the new chest of drawers, I had to try it.

So, What do you think? I started with a coat of black paint, then a coat of crackle medium. Then I painted it red......oh, before I forget~ don't forget to let it dry in between coats! I am really bad about not waiting, lol. After the red was dry, I sanded the whole thing. Then I went back over it with some oak stain, to age the parts I had just sanded. I had to wait till today to finish it, the humidity here makes everything dry R*E*A*L slow. I did start to glue on the handles, but I have NO clue how they get the draw pulls in there. Ugggg.....I was on such a roll!

Thought I show you a close up of the finish......