Insomnia Dreams

 It is some unholy hour of the night. Man and beast should be asleep! Yet I find myself wide awake....a frequent occurrence of late. I honestly try to go back to sleep and sometimes it works...but sometimes it doesn’t. And tonight is a ‘doesn’t work’ night. As I laid in bed trying to go to sleep....for HOURS, I found myself thinking of plans for my dollhouses! Ohhh those plans! Let me share them!

I started with plans and ideas for my dollhouse that I am renovating and completing in a 1920’s theme.. I am currently finishing up the front of the dollhouse and know that I will want to actually see the rooms again before I make my final plans for how each room will be renovated and decorated and even what each room will be used for. Without that access, my dreaming turned to other things. But no worries...it was still about miniatures!

I thought about my fun little experiences working on building a dollhouse for my dollhouse. And the follow up recreation of the house I lived in while living in Florida also on 1/144 scale. I thought about my lingering desire to recreate all of the houses that I have lived in over the years. A tiny village so to speak. . That only took a few minutes of my many hours of laying in bed wide awake...so off I went to my next Project in my insomnia planning session!

About a year or so ago, I was contemplating finishing the Greenleaf MckinleyDollhouse and starting my next project and I knew what that project was going to be! It all started when I bought a vintage style table for my 1950’s items for that McKinley Dollhouse. The table was too big for the kitchen but I love the 50’s...so what better to do...I will build a Diner! I started to lay out plans in my mind and on paper. I was going to build myself a diner as my next dollhouse project! Of course I ended up getting the ‘1920’s’ house....so the diner got pushed aside. But in my insomnia trying to sleep moments...I thought about those diner plans! Should I do that next?

Thinking about the diner plans brought me to another planned project. A few weeks ago, Jason and I had been talking about the Chesapeake and Ohio canal. And I off handed my remarked that I had always wanted to build a canal boat dollhouse. Why yes! That will be my next project I declared! Over the last few weeks I have collected. pictures, researched dimensions and generated different ideas. I contemplated a slight problem. A canal boat was 90 feet long. That is a 7.5 foot long project in 1/12 scale. No other option really. I will have to step out of my comfort zone of modeling in 1/12 scale and model the canal boat in 1/24 scale. Something new and unique for me! I have just been waiting until I get at least one more dollhouse to a state of completion. And I’m close...so close to saying that the 1950’s era Greenleaf Mckknley is done! The Stone house quilt shop isn’t too far behind! The 1920’s house though is ages away from being finished!

But here is where insomnia is dangerous. Up until that point I had been just reviewing my preexisting plans... it it soon took a whole new twist! Because in my thoughts about the 1920’s house and wanting to do a library...I realized that I want to do a double decker library...with ladders on little rails that slide to allow access to the upper shelves of books. That isn’t going to work in my 1920’s house though! (Although I contemplated removing a floor to make it work!). So maybe...just maybe ...wait! I will do a room box library!

Somehow the room box library turned into a complete antebellum 1800’s mansion. Double floored open library....conservatory/greenhouse, the music room I have always wanted, and a ballroom...yes a ball room! Oh the plans were going crazy! How to fit this all into one house! I laid in bed for hours as these thoughts and ideas floated into my head and I tried to work out the logistics.

*I need a floor plan! I want the house to be ‘real’. So I picked up my phone and researched vintage mansion floor plans and eventually the floor plan and how to implement it so I can see all the rooms came together (it will be viewed from the sides and the front.
*Pocket doors! It will need pocket doors! How can I build pocket doors!
*I want to build it in stages. One room box at a time...is it possible...what are the logistics. Can I manage to build it one room at a time?
*holy cow this plan is going to be huge! I have to build it so that it can be taken apart to be moved! That adds a whole new level. Well I wanted to build it in sections anyway..I just have to figure out how to only temporarily attach them together. Should I drop the scale...1/24 scale. Hmmmm. I would rather stick with 1/12, but I may have to.

I’m telling you, my mind went crazy! I am so excited about this idea Of a project that is way off down the road. Seriously. I have NO SPACE for anything like this. But, that isn’t going to keep me from dreaming...and it won’t keep me from planning. I brought out my notebook....time to lay out these floor plans that are floating in my head!!!

A house versus a home

I have been slowly working on some little things to turn my Greenleaf McKinley into a home.   I have the house.  I need to make it a home!   

I put a call out and got some suggestions and ideas and for that I am so thankful.  It kick started  my thought processes and I was able to get some projects started immediately!

First up, I made some rugs.  I made them in a ‘braided rug‘ style.  I had made some braided rugs for the Log Cabin  a few years ago and I was happy with how they turned out.  So I grabbed some supplies and got to work using the same techniques.  

I made a big rug for the nursery and two small rugs to go beside the bed in the master bathroom.  I also made a rug for the kitchen. 

I didn’t stop at rugs.  No way!  I printed up some book covers and made a few ‘Little Golden Book’ and some Beatrix Potter books for the nursery.  

Now to figure out a book shelf for the nursery.....hmmmmm.

I was sorting through my supplies and stash this past week and I stumbled upon a little round wooden table.  It was unfinished wood but I wasn’t worried about that!  I was more concerned with the size.  Would it fit in the kitchen bay window?  Would it be too big?  I had purchased a perfect table a year or so ago and it was too big for the space....I guess it wasn’t perfect afterall!  (But it did make me dream of another project that WILL be perfect for that table!).   Could the perfect sized table have been in my stash all  along???  I put it into place and it seemed to work.  Could a girl get so lucky?   I didn’t want a wood table though.  But that’s not a problem!  I pulled out my paint!

First up the whole paint got a few coats of white paint!

Next up was some red paint for trim!   I just love red!!!!

The table looks adorable in the kitchen!   But now I need items for on top of the table.  So one problem solved but a new problem created!    Does this ever end?   (I hope not, I’m having too much fun!)

Help Needed

 A week or so ago I posted a wee short video showing my Greenleaf Mckinley  on my Youtube Channel.  The house is 'mostly' done.  It is fully furnished but while I am thrilled with it, I know that it is missing something!!!!!  I have learned something about myself.....somehow my eye for making the houses look lived in and 'real' has disappeared.   And I'm struggling with that!!!!  I asked for help on that youtube channel.....and I'm going to ask for help here too!!!  I am showing the rooms and adding in the ideas that I was given and that I already have or have come up with.....but HELP!!!!

So here goes......

The kitchen

The kitchen definitely needs something also!  It was suggested a tea towel, a rug and a table.  I had resisted the idea of a table simple because of space.  But I am planning on adding one (I have a wooden one I can paint).    Throw your ideas at me!!!!

The Living Room 

The suggestions:  A teacup, books or vases in the cabinet, logs in the fireplace, a rug.   I have added a pack of cigarettes beside the ashtray (hey, I don't smoke but it IS a 1950's era house!)  What else????

The Nursery

The nursery...probably my favorite room!  It was suggested mess it up with some toys on the floor, someone suggested a rocking horse.  (which I happened to have one).  I am in the process of adding books and a rug....the rocking horse and a rocking chair.   But I don't want a 'sterile' nursery....I want a lived in nursery....help!  

The Bathroom

I actually think that I have this room pretty well done.  I need something on the wall behind the toilet.  Someone suggested a fish or something...but I'm open to ideas!

The Master bedroom

I have added some small rugs beside the bed.....and someone suggested a full length mirror (which will replace the rocking chair that I moved to the nursery) and a trunk at the end of the bed.   

So that seems to be my weakness......turning the dollhouse from a sterile neat home to a lived in house.  I am looking for inspiration to help get my creative juices flowing.

I know that once the ideas start flying at me that my brain will kick in with all sorts of things.  I have also come up with an umbrella /cane stand by the front door, radiators, pillows for the couch and window seats, light switches, and lights around the house.     SO if you have any other suggestions.....

If you want to see the short video......

The Greenleaf Mckinley: Nursery

I have finally finished the nursery for the Mckinley!   It was a long time coming!!!!  

I wanted to make my own crib, but struggled.  My first attempt wasn't perfect and that annoyed me! 

 And then I ran out of patience and time. It was on the agenda for quite some time, but then I saw this little gem of a crib in an antique store.  I was in love!

I would have preferred pink....or rather a green...but I knew that I could make blue work.  (Mainly I just ignore the blue!)

Once I got the crib, I was ready to sail....or so I thought!  But I just kinda sat and stared at the room....until I went to a dollhouse store and found a few more pieces of furniture!   THEN I was ready to get this room completed!  So without further ado, let me give to you.....the Nuresery!

It was a joy to complete this rom.....Everything, from the toys in the toy chest to the pictures on the wall was fun!  I know that I will continue to add bits and pieces to this room as time, money and opportunity allow.  But I am in love with my nursery!

Building the Greenleaf McKinley

I have written about my experiences of putting together my very first dollhouse as I was working on the house.   It was a daunting task.   It was scary.  It was overwhelming.  It was a task that taught me incredible patience.   It was a joy and a pleasure to watch it come to life.  I will definitely be creating and building more in the future.   But right now, I want to reflect on the build!   So I have created a short video!