Back to normal after a busy week!

Not posted for a while as I have been busy with visitors. My Mum and Dad plus niece and Nephew have been here for almost 2 weeks and for once we had some glorious weather so there has been no dollies as we have been out in the garden and up at the caravan. We had a lovely time and they went home on Tuesday so today we are back to normal! This picture is in the forest where our caravan is in Burghead.

Love this pic of Lydia and Maya although not sure my little dog is quite so impressed lol!!

Saturday night was Eurovsion my favourite night of the year lol it drives me insane but I still love it. In fact we all do apart from Lindsay and my Dad!! We had a bbq Henry wasn't too impressed by his Englebert sideburns and tache! When we were fully stuffed we all settled down with our scorecards. Have to say the winner was not bad although we could not understand how the bizarre women with the rat tail round her neck got any votes at all!!

Shame poor Englebert did so badly even Henry's ginge power couldn't help him! I love this photo of Bethany my gorgeous daughter! She finally had her braces off last week and is now more beautiful than ever!!

We only really went out one day as it was so hot but did manage a quick trip to the Dolls house shop Little Treasures in Kemnay as my Dad fancied a look round the toy museum. We all ran a family toy and model shop for many years before the internet started to take over and we couldn't compete anymore. Such a shame it was a great shop and I have fond memories of working there we had great fun and it never felt like work I still miss it!

The lady who runs it Emily is so lovely she was so nice to the kids and gave them a colouring set each. She has retired but opens the shop by appointment. I managed to get some nice little goodies so it was def worth a trip.

I spotted a Delph modern till which is always handy having so many shops! I love the little metal steps which were only a £1, a bag of carrots for Rudolph, a modern tea set for Fairbanks and a cute little bag. I love the little metal swords which were 70p each and will go in the Manor house study.

I got a couple of cheap dolls the lady will get new hair and I just liked than gentleman so he will be going in the Manor.

Lastly a few packs of fabric which are so cheap at 50p so I always pick up a couple when I am there. All the other items are from a goody box of free bits so I always have a root and find some things that will come in handy!

Off to the DH shop in Inverness on Saturday as a Birthday treat and can't wait I haven't been for ages!!. Its great timing for a Birthday as everyone is off for the Jubilee long weekend just a shame the weather isn't quite as nice don't think it will be a BBQ day this year!

Let there be light!

It seems funny posting about my manor house as its so different to my cottages and more modern houses! But I finally took the plunge at added some lights!! I look back and remember how terrified at the thought of doing it but having the smaller houses and changing odd lights here and there really helped!

 I bought a few lights cheap from Ebay, like the candelabra in the dining room and had enough other odd spare wall lights and lamps to do the rest. I won a socket strip on Ebay for couple of pounds  and I suddenly realised a few days ago I actually had everything I needed so do it I took the plunge! It was a fab moment turning them on after 5 years the house just came to life  I stuck to wall lights and lamps as it just seemed the easiest option. Thought I would share some updated photos as its been ages since I took any! This house will always be a little bit special to me as it was my very first!

A very quick makeover!

Well I was up at 8 this morning (not obsessed at all!!) sorting the cottage all out for my niece! She comes this weekend so really just wanted to get it nice enough for her to be able to play with when she gets here!

Its had a very quick makeover!! I took off the broken trim and used it above the windows instead so it still looks pretty without looking broken! I gave the front a quick coat of paint to cover where it had been and just to freshen it up. I added some lights as it looked so sad without any! Finally put lots of bits and pieces in to make it a home. I included the baby stuff as I know she will love it!! I am sure she will change it all around but its a lovely little cottage and I hope she will love it too!!

My bargain of the week - DHE Woodcutters Cottage

Browsing Gumtree yesterday I spotted an add that simply said Dolls Emporium cottage and to be honest when I emailed the seller to ask did they knew which one it was I was fully expecting the reply to be that is was one of the younger range of houses so I was very surprised to get a reply saying it was a DHE Woodcutters Cottage they had bought about 19 years ago! As you know I was after a little house for my niece, whos coming on Sunday, to play with and after the disaster that was the last one one I thought it would be perfect. It also came with furniture although I had no idea what! There were no photos so there was an element of hoping for the best but expecting the worst lol and figured if it was a complete disaster at least it was a nice house and small enough I could renovate it.

Well I persuaded Bethany to take me to pick it up today which was a bid deal for her as it was a 3 hour round trip and would be the longest drive shes done since passing her test. We actually had a really lovely day just chatting as it was country roads all the way and the sun was shining. We stopped for some lunch as we were a bit early. Picked up the house no problem and wow what a bargain! I think as it was fairly old I was expecting the furniture to not really be any good and its all quite new and really good and the dolls are just lovely!! (OH has already named him Winston!)

 The house itself is in need of a little tlc some of the pretty gingerbread trim is broken and not sure how I will fix that and one window pane is broken. Other that that the outside maybe just needs a fresh coat of paint and some cleaning off of some old paint on the chimneys etc and the inside of the door needs painting and papering. I have some nice red roof tile paper that came with Fairbanks so might redo the roof with that. The inside itself is fine for now but will maybe have a bit of new carpet and some new wallpaper but will leave that til Lydies here so we can pick the stuff together.

I was also looking on Gumtree for a small kitchen table to keep my Fairbanks on as it was on an old gateleg one I found in the shed which wasn't very pretty lol! I got this last night for £10 including 4 chairs and it couldn't be a more perfect size! The chairs need recovered but will come in handy next week when all my family is here! I love Gumtree lol I find so many good bargains and great when they are all local!!

Updated Fairbanks photos

Thought I would put some updated pics of the house and what I have done so far. Its all been repainted including all the outside walls, the ceilings, the doors and all the windows. The windows then all had a good clean as there was lots of paint smudges, that was my least favourite job and took hours lol!! I have tided up the paper where it was a little tatty in places. I papered both the doors and re-papered the dining room and the lounge and they also had new flooring put down as did the kitchen, and girls bedroom. All the lights were glued up and the sticky pads that were there removed.

The front door was painted blue and had a new handle some tiled flooring and some flowers. The garden was papered in a flagstone effect and the wall was papered in brick as was the chimney. The last job was to paper all the way around with the flagstone paper which really made a difference!

Its been a very busy week and a half but I have had the time of my life its been so much fun learning new skills like papering etc who knew that was so much fun lol!! It still needs lots of things doing, all the finishing touches like curtains and cushions, pictures and a new dining suite but just wanted to get it to a point that when my Mum and Dad come at the weekend it looked nice and I think it does I LOVE it!!!!!!!

A little more wallpapering! flowers and ovens!

Didn't do a huge amount yesterday as we are always out an about and at the weekend but Bethany was watching the Voice last night so couldn't resist a little fiddle!! I wallpapered the other door and quite pleased with it apart from one little bit at the bottom that doesn't match but I ran out of paper really didn't want to buy a whole other sheet just for that tiny bit so will live with it for now! I have had the Laura Ashely fabric curtains for ages and finally found somewhere to put them. The colour matched the paper just right so decided they would look nice and give the door a bit of interest!

I also papered the garden wall which tidies the yard up. I love the fuschia from DHE they are one of my favourite flowers!

I also added some roses at the side of the front door. The paper there was not great and it drove me mad! I was hoping I could redo it with the new sheet I ordered but the colour didn't match at all so decided to add the flowers so now you can't see it! I actually quite like it, it adds a little bit of colour. I also added the door handle which is lovely also from DHE, now I just need the letter box!!

I managed to get some batteries yesterday for the little Miele oven. The oven light comes on when you open the door and if you press the button the light comes on and it makes a fan oven sound.

The hob also lights up and make a bubbling pan sound. They are so cool lol I love them they are just great fun can't wait to see the washing machine!