Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Work commences on the Quilt Shop

I finally decided that it was time to start working on the dollhouse that I picked up about two years ago.  I found this house at a flea market/antique store and decided to buy it.  I knew it needed a bit of work when I got it, but I was undaunted. I sat and looked at it a while for the plans to take place in my mind.  This would become ‘The Stone House Quilt Shop’.  It has sat in storage since the plans were made.  This last weekend I decided it was time.  I pulled the house out of storage.

Now let me be clear, the McKinley is not complete.  I am still working on the nursery and have lots more to do before that dollhouse can be labeled as anything close to complete. But can’t a girl have two works in progress?

The Stone house quilt shop is actually a Greenleaf Laurel. It was built when it came into my possession. 

I immediately worked on fixing the porch...it was quite weak!  I also took off the loose trim.  This dollhouse was put together with a hot glue gun....and it shows!  Most of the joints needed to be reclined properly!  That was my first order of business!

While the porch and trim are going to remain white, I wanted to give the white a fresh coat of  paint.  Easy and quick!

The next thing I did was to paint the house light gray!  
This is to work as a back drop for the stones that would soon be placed on the house.  The gray would resemble the mortar as it peeka between the installed stones.

I chose to use cardboard egg cartoons as my stones.  I ripped the heavy paper into small ‘stones’ and placed them into a bowl.   

I then spread glue on a small area of the painted gray area on the dollhouse. Carefully I placed the stones in place on the glued area.  I took time to make sure that the stones looked like they fit together.  

Slow and steady progress.   Small sections of the house done but by bit.  But slowly the dollhouse actually became a stone house!  I was giddy with excitement!!!!

I have a pinched nerve...and ‘stoning’ the house was a tough painful job.  I made it half way around the house....and my arm decided that even doing a bit here and a bit there was too much.  So progress is halted....hopefully just for a day or two!!!