Garden corner view

Hi there.  Warmish temperature.  The cold is expected by this weekend.  However, that was predicted by the woolly worm.  What???  Never heard of it?  Well, when we were living in rural KY, the woolly worm was a weather predictor.  Depending upon its colors, it could be counted on to forecast the winter.  Any dark spot on the caterpillar was very very cold weather.  Medium brown was cold and light brown was mild.  There were "sightings" where people called each other and kept track of the colors.  For example, dark/med brown/light meant frigid/cold/mild.  Beware of the all black one!  There were even annual woolly worm festivals, complete with races where the caterpillars would climb up a rope.  Who could reach the top first??  This is true, I swear.  You just can't make this stuff up.  Anyway, what started this rant is the fact that I saw a woolly worm last week--here in NJ.  It was light brown, dark brown, light brown and then a little dark at the end.  So we are presently in the light brown stage. 

I now have my google back and the ability to add pictures.  It's really annoying when it gives fits.

 

I love the hat and the birdhouse on the top shelf.  The tote bag has gardening tools in it.  I think the whole project came out nice.

 



I am showing you what I've done so far on the garden corner.  I am going to put something in the empty corner to fill it and give it balance, either a table and benches or a birdbath, whatever is easiest to make.  What do you think so far?  Have I missed anything?

Since I can't decide what to do for the outside wall on the left, I will leave it open.  I would rather do that than to put up a fence that doesn't belong.

It needs to be mailed out by Monday. 

Then I am going to start my special project.  I think I can probably do some of it on this blog.  It will be lengthy and isn't due until July 2014 as a contest entry.  I've never done anything for a contest so I want to take my time.  I have the sketch made and things I need, plus a list of what's needed (most of the project has to be handmade) to make the dozens of items.  And I will be tackling some projects I've never done before.  Should be interesting.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Until then,
Pat

Hi again

Hi there.  Well, I tried to write yesterday but for some reason, Google blogger was giving me fits.  And it refused my photos.

So I'll be back tonight. 

I do wonder, though, how much have computers added to our stress levels?  I am old enough to remember the "old days" when things took longer but you didn't lose information after you spent the time to enter it.  Oh well, just my musings.  LOL

Until then,

Pat

New things and storage

Hi.  Didn't have a job today so I worked on my garden swap project.  And I'm still finishing the crates for the dragon eggs.  Then it was off to a friend's where we learned about our 4S phones and what they can do.  Then we stopped at Target to buy covers for them.  I was able to get a simple cover.  Hubby needed one more substantial, since he wears it on his belt and he's more likely to have it fall.  It protects his phone from all nasty things.  And then it was off to Applebee's for an early dinner.  I am tired.

So I decided to go through some of the boxes of dollhouse items I've received that are still in their makeshift boxes.  I keep my assorted and sundry items in plastic containers.  I am going to get a few more when they go on sale or I use my 40% off coupon in Joanns.  I like that the end cube is long to fit those crazy things that need more room.  (I also use these boxes for my dolls' shoes, purses and accessories.  They keep everything neat and tidy.  And clean!

As you can see, I keep my printies in here, too.  Otherwise, they get squashed. 

There's no rhyme or reason to this storage.  The cushions from the patio furniture set is stored in here.  As are other things.

I did find some things I forgot I had:  kitchen knives!  There is a cleaver and a knife.  And I was shocked to find they are sharp like real knives.  They were given to me by a friend and the first time I saw them close up.  Funny!




A week ago I ordered some little items from a company in Thailand and they came today.  Together they cost $9 and that included postage.  I do love bargains. 

These little purple ones are a great bargain for $4.50.  I love them.  They will probably find a home in Rowena's house.  Maybe not.  I guess I haven't decided.  Ha!

These are my favorites.  Just the loveliest yellow.  These are definites for the beach house.  There will be a lot of blues and greens in that house and these will be a welcome addition.









So this was my day.  Right now I'm looking for a tut to make a very basic birdbath at a nominal cost.  I work tomorrow and hope to have enough energy to do some more work on the egg crates.

Until then,

Pat

Wall on potting center done

Still cold here.  It's winter weather but still autumn.  I'm ready for spring.  Looking for a job for tomorrow.  Pretty slim chance since it's the day after a holiday but I may get lucky. 

Today did a little work outside with hubby.  We're cleaning up the yard for the winter.  We clean out pots, put away patio furniture and do a general clean up.  There are some definite spring projects we have found.  That's why it's nice to do an autumn cleaning, IMHO.

Still have not turned my phone on.  We are getting a library book called "iPhone 4s for Dummies."  I love the dummies books. 

So I wanted to finish the wall today and I did.  What took the most time is looking for braces for the small shelf and the tray.  I found both in a pile of stuff.  When I do house and furniture kits, I save all of the little parts, odds and ends and hope to make use of them in future projects. 

I found a half-round for the shelf.  It is not only a good brace because of its large gluing area but it's also cute.

 

Then I hunted some more and found 2 shapes that were perfect as braces for the work tray.  A little paint and sanding, they were glued up.  And there's a good gluing surface, too. 

 

Tomorrow I plan to attach the wall to the base.  I still don't know what kind of wall to do on the one side.  The original photo has a 3/4 length wall but it's lattice, which I don't have nor do I feel like making.  LOL  If you have any suggestions that will work, without doing a great deal of work, I'd be interested.

So what do you think???  I am also gathering things for the scene.  I hope to have something to show you tomorrow.

Until then,

Pat

Garden center begins

First of all, I hope everyone had a great turkey day.  It is said that Ben Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird but it was voted down for the eagle.  Imagine having the turkey on our money and eagle meat for dinner.  Of course, I've never tried eagle (and it's on the protected species list) but I think ick is the word I would use.

Yesterday was a run-around-for-100-errands day.  One of those errands was to get new phones.  It began when hubby's flip phone kept losing juice.  I had a 3G.  Went to the AT&T store and found that neither of our phones were in existence any longer.  Hubby's went out with the Model T.  Ha.  But since our contract was up, we both got new phones.  The iPhone 4s.  I haven't even looked at mine.  Hubby is better because he's playing with his to see what it can do. 

So, what did I do today?  I am in a swap with another lady.  I already have her gift.  This is a Christmas swap so it has to be to our swap partner by Dec. 15 and we can't open it until then.  I looked all over what to make her.  I saw a little potting garden center somewhere on Pinterest.  I decided to make something like it. 

I used Woodsies in the shape of popsicle sticks and thin sticks, a base, basswood, paint and glue.  I racked my brain for a suitable patio base because I haven't the time to make bricks.  So I stumbled across an extra vinyl tile that we have in our home.  It resembles slate.  And two great things: it was free and it has a sticky back.

 

I put an edge on it and put it in the gluing jig to dry square. 

 

 

I took basswood and attached it to the bottom of the base.

 

 

Then I began the back fence.  The original picture used 14 sticks so I did, too.  As I glued them together, I put them in the jig to keep them square and even. 

 



 

After I finished them, I put two thin pieces of wood on the top and bottom.  Then I painted them dove gray.  I noticed a slight bend so I put clamps on them and clamped them to the extra piece of vinyl.  Hope it works.

 



 

 

The original photo showed a very fancy table for potting.  Since I've never tackled something like that and time is of the essence, I decided to make a table top that would be attached to the back fence.  I used two pieces of basswood, gluing them together for strength.  I also had to clamp them.  Then used two skinny wood pieces for the three sides.  It's also painted dove gray. I love how it came out.

 

 

 

Tomorrow I will attach it to the back of the fence.  There is also a top shelf for the fence.  I have a few more things to finish.  All will be glued down.  Then I can find items to put in it. 

 

 

Until then,

 

Pat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving Eve

No minis today because I worked.  Did make it to and from work with no mishaps.  Yay!

Doing some preparing for our visit to stepson and d-i-l's house.

See you tomorrow!

Until then,

Pat

HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!  IF YOU  EAT TURKEY, ENJOY!  IF YOU ARE A VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN, ENJOY YOUR TOFU BIRD!  HA HA

Treasures for future beach house

We are getting the storm that was predicted.  It is starting to rain hard now.  By the time I go to work tomorrow, there will be high winds and the rain should be coming down in sheets and will continue until about noon.  All will be well by tomorrow afternoon, but there will still be winds. Parade people in NYC are wondering if there will be floats in the parade.  I wouldn't want to be in the parade!

I am going to start building my beach house in a few weeks.  I have been gathering things for it.  However, the items out there are few and far between.  I plan to make the "sea glass" and the tiles for the bathrooms.  I have so many ideas it's fun to begin putting them together.  I hope to make a design storyboard for each room like I did for Rowena's house.

However, several weeks ago, I was looking at items in an Internet miniature dollhouse show.  Up popped a business owned by Lindsay Pastore, Small Scale Living, that did laser cut items.  And there were beach items!  And all reasonably priced.  I ordered some that I wanted right away.  I plan to finish them. 

I photographed every one of them.  I'll tell you my plans for them as the house goes along.  I am excited!

I think this anchor is just darling.  I have photos  of what I want to do with it.

This beach sign is something I wanted but certainly didn't know where I would find it.  Here it is!

This crab will probably be on the back porch.  I'm not sure but it will have a prominent place in the new house.

This paddle is just perfect.  I think I have to get a few more. 

 

   

 
 

 

 

 

 

 



Isn't this ship wheel the greatest? 













See these two items?  I wanted a seahorse and a starfish.  I got both! 

These will be integral parts of the house décor.

I asked for these and she made them for me.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lindsay has a great site at www.smallscaleliving.com and at the present time, she is adding more laser cut items.  She has 1:12 scale in Shabby Chic and Beach/Cottage décor.  She also works in 1:48 scale.

 

Take a look at her site.  Keep it as a bookmark.  Visit often.  Her prices are fabulously affordable.  And she takes commissions for a nominal fee.

 

So, I'm out of breath.

 

Until tomorrow,

 

Pat