More expansion, a new front and Quayside Cutz!

It only seems 5 minutes since I last posted but things move fast in Dollyland lol! First new thing to show is a new shelf for Upper Quayside so it now goes round the whole room. There really is now where else to go unless I move under the tables lol! I moved 3 of my little shops onto the new shelf and had just enough room to add one more!.

By moving them round to the side left me a nice big space on the middle of the back shelf. I moved the fronts I already had and asked Julie to make me one more just so it looked more like a row of shops.

I have to say adding the fronts has really added another dimension to the village and make it look really quite different.

Having the fronts on the shelf is great as it means I can display things like the market stalls and the postbox and postman without having to keep moving them as the fronts don't need accessed one they are in place, although I do have to fill them up yet!

I bought the market carts cheap from Ebay and they were all originally red and white. I have redone the blue one as the seafood stall and repainted the pink one ready for some sweets. I might keep one red for a butchers cart as I had intended to do a butchers shop but meat really doesn't do it for me so I couldn't get inspired by that!

The new front is such a pretty colour and fits in perfectly with the other 2. The French windows weren't glued so I have added a plywood back to it so I could leave them slightly open. I have printed off a lovely picture of a shabby chic sofa and put that just behind and it just needs a light. Adding the back gave a nice back to the window area too.

I decided it was such a nice display area it needed something special in the window so I stole the gorgeous crystal chandelier from Knitting Pretty. I was looking for a suitable lovely dress to display but hadn't found anything that was anywhere near nice enough. Then yesterday morning I received a lovely email from Alennka to say I hadn't won her giveaway for a handmade dress but my good friend Christine has and had asked her to pass it onto me. I am still smiling about it and cant believe her generosity its something I don't think I will ever forget. I had originally said I would have a wedding dress had I won so after a couple of emails to Christine asking what she would like me to get, after all it was her prize, we decided on a dress for the new window. That way it would have its own special place rather than in amongst other dresses in my bridal shop.

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be getting such a wonderful gift and I really can't thank CHRISTINE or ALENNKA enough, you have both made my week!!! How fab will it look in this window :-)

By adding the extra shelf created a nice little corner area just right for a lamppost, tree and bag lady with her trolley! Something else I now won't have to keep moving every time I open a house lol!

Next up is the new little shop from Julie. As the front was being posted anyway it made sense to get it at the same time to save on the postage (good excuse anyway!) I was just going to leave it empty til I had an idea for it but I decided to move the hairdressers in!

Bethany of course made the signs and for a bit of fun we added her picture to the outside! She was a bridesmaid last year and had had all her hair all done lovely so we thought it would be good advertising lol

I am quite proud to say that expanding it didn't cost me a bean!! I moved all the things I already had and then made another stylists station to match the existing one. I also made the large mirror at the back and the shelving unit. It too me ages to stick all those little crystals on but it does add a nice bit of bling! I made some bottles of product and the towels are just cut up facecloths.

I am quite chuffed with this little shop as I made so much of this myself. theres not much available to buy and what you can is very expensive so it was great fun to make all my own!

The wall unit was just made from stripwood and painted black and the stylists trolley was a little butchers block that I made some drawers for and added the accessories.

The modern blinds were just cheap sushi mats cut to size but they do look just the part and add to the modern feel.

I also had a lovely little cardigan in the post today made by my good friend Deb. It really is gorgeous I love the little dolphins on it and so much work has gone into so I think its def one that needs to be worn to show it off!!

Finally one more little piece of exciting news! I had an email from Dolls and Miniatures magazine saying they have a contributor in Scotland and although she is no where near me she has some business in Aberdeen in September and will come to see and photograph the village! I am really chuffed they are actually sending someone in the flesh rather than me just sending photos as you really don't get the feel of it without seeing it for real!! Lots of time to add a bit more and finish things off lol!!