Holly the life model and a sozzled pirate!

Seems ages since I posted anything even though its not lol! We were away at the caravan this weekend and it was so nice to get back up there! The weather was not too bad at all and everything survived the winter which is always a relief! We are all counting down the days til we go back up especially the dogs they do love the beach so much!!

I had to wait til Monday to get my new dollies as they came on Friday so the postie just left a card! I couldn't wait to have a little play and get them in the village! Only me being me and not being able to resist leaving things alone disaster struck!!!

Holly my lovely model doll came with a sheet which was just fine but I had a lovely piece of dark red velvet which I thought might look better, at this point I should have just left things be!!! I removed the sheet and ended up pulling some of the hair off as it was stuck to it! Then I couldn't get the new piece of fabric to sit right and the I tried to move the dolls left arm so I could get her to lay on the chaise better and promptly broke it :-( I tried to make a replacement bit but ended up with glue everywhere trying to attach it and then that bit broke too. I had got glue in the hair which combined with the bit I'd pulled off with the sheet I had ruined that too! At this point she was bald and armless and I think I could possibly have cried....I had ruined her!!

I walked away for half an hour and then went back to see what I could do! I had some long blonde hair which I had picked up the DH shop for £1 a few weeks ago that that was handy! I redid her hair and that turned out ok so that was a good start! Then I had to tackle the arm. I ended up just cutting off the broken part and reattaching it as it was so she now has one arm  bit longer than the other but actually it doesn't notice really so unless you knew I don't think anyone would be able to tell!

She now looks just fine what a huge relief! Big lesson learned next time leave things alone lol!!

Here she is out in the street what an exhibitionist lol It was just easier to get a photo before putting her in place! She has a lovely face and body and after all her drama she looks very relaxed! I decided to give up with the sheet idea as I could not get it right and the new hair was long enough to cover what was needing covered!

Edwardo is more than happy with his new model!

I think she looks great draped across the chaise its as if it was made for her!

Of course they always come in pairs so I couldn't resist another drunken pirate!

He is so much fun with his tongue hanging out he looks properly sozzled lol!!

I decided my other pirate could be just a normal one as he looked so good and I don't really need two drunken ones so I painted him in an eye and now he looks just the part!

Just before we went away on Friday I managed to get all my new meat displayed on Franks cart. Bethany printed off the signs for me as always which really does add the finishing touch!

It looks so good I am so pleased. Its something I thought would cost me a fortune and would be an age before I got it done, so its great to see it all finished!

I am still really proud of Frank as I made him myself! he looks just how I hoped he would!

He's loving his new stall and waiting for lots of lovely lady customers I think!

Him and Stan can now keep each company! Just one more cart to do!

Lots of lovely meat and something to make you blush!

I've been trying so hard to be good lately but as I sold my Christmas house I allowed myself a couple of little treats on Ebay! I do miss the thrill of getting a bargain but when I am trying not to spend I can't look cos I simply cannot be trusted!!

My first purchase was some bits of meat!! Not very thrilling you might think but actually it was quite exciting....who knew!!! I bid on a large mixed lot of items for my butchers stall which I have been meaning to do for ages but between not wanting to pay £2 for every individual item and not being bothered to make it myself it just wasn't happening! It was one of those things that the picture wasn't that great (you couldn't see close up detail) so when it turned up it was either going to be just what I wanted or a huge disappointment. In all credit to the seller they are just great!!! I was quite nervous opening the parcel but was really pleased at how good it all looked, and just how much there was of it!! I would never have had the patience to have made all the different items and at under £10 including the postage the fimo would prob have cost me more!

I love that there are cold meats like salami and ham so I can use some in the grocery store too. The long salamis and strings of sausages will be great for hanging up around the stall. There are chickens normal and butter basted ones, lots of joints of beef and enough sausages to feed the whole village!

My favourites have to be the pork pie which even has the jelly! and the little legs of lamp with the bone inside they have been so well done.

I like the mince too. There really is every thing a butcher could ever need its a great selecetion and I am really chuffed! Frank will be very popular in the village with all his meaty wares!!

Next up is a nice chaise I originally bought for the artists studio. I decided he needed a life model for Edawrdo to paint just to make the scene a bit more interesting. Being a bit on the blonde side I forgot it needed to have the higher side on the left for the doll to lay on it! No problem though as as soon as I realised I decided it would go nicely in Staceys pad. Its prob even better as with all the red velvet and gold its prob much more suited to her room!

Stacey's showing it off she seems rather pleased with so that was a good mistake!

I love Staceys room its def one of my favourites it just makes me smile!!

Now he has a chaise he needed a model! Of course I called on Bernadette to make me a lovely life model for Edwardo. Shes just brilliant and I love the sheet covering most of her modesty! Shes called Holly and is a college student just earning some extra money for the summer! I can't wait for her to arrive and work on this little scene somehow the slightly naughty ones are the most fun!!

Lastly another gorgeous patchwork quilt by the patchwork queen Deb! This one is in pink and cream for the top apartment. Its so pretty and matches the room perfectly! This is just to show you as it won't be staying on this bed as I am just waiting for a new barewood four poster bed so I can make a pretty shabby chic one.

Going back to the start! - Rose Cottage revamp!

Seems an age ago I got my first little pink shop, the shabby chic shop, and I have always fancied a bigger one but I have really only bought small ones since then, apart from some second hand ones which wouldn't have suited the colour! Yesterday I was l looking at Rose cottage and wondering what to do with it! I thought right back to when I first started my village and how I really wanted to make a sweet shop. I made a lovely counter full of sweets but its been hidden away at the back of the grocery store. This led me to thinking about shops in Newquay where I spent many happy times when my parents lived there. I remembered a shop called the Sugar Shack which sold every kind of sweet you could imagine. Its the place that first introduced me the wonderful Jelly Belly jelly beans!! I decided that would be my inspiration for the new sweet shop!

But there was a slight problem! The colour! I liked the dark rose colour but it really wasn't right for the new shop so after much deliberating about whether I would ruin it by repainting it I decided I would take a chance and do it!! Of course as soon as I did I realised I had no pink paint! I had a small pot of the one used for the shabby chic shop but there wouldn't have been enough! I found some white and some really bright pink that Scarlett gave me and mixed up my own batch! It turned out to be the perfect colour of candyfloss pink I was hoping for!

I was very good and really took my time to make sure it was a really neat job! I removed the acetates and all was fine until I got to the round windows and wondered how on earth I would do those! Luckily the frame on the inside came out quite easily allowing the acetate to be taken out and therefore ended up a much neater job!

This is how it looked before, perfectly fine and I will kind of miss the old Rose Cottage........

And here is the new revamped version!

Its funny how different it looks it seems to have changed the whole look of the building!

Bethany of course made my signs under much protest last night but this time I was not giving up!!

I have to say I am really pleased with it and so glad I decided to take a chance repainting it. The colour is really pretty and you can't help but notice it as you walk through the village!

Not much to show you on the inside yet although I did give it a fresh coat of paint. After I emptied it there were so many blue tac and tacky wax marks left from previous projects I decided to start again and make all nice and clean and new!

 I have moved Edwardo into the attic as working outside was becoming too difficult as he needed more space! He needs a smaller sink covered in paint and lots of jars with brushes etc and maybe some company so watch this space!! :-)

I couldn't decide what to put upstairs and again thinking way back I remembered the Cornish gift shop down in Newquay called Cornish Goodies. It was a few doors down from my Mum and Dads toy shop and I was always in there lol!  When I got my very first cottages my Mum and I made a similar style gift shop and I loved it and over time it got mixed into other projects so I will use this floor to bring it back!

Of course on the ground floor will be the Sugar Shack sweet shop. I have ordered a nice set of barewood shop furniture from Maple Street and plan to paint them all in different pastel colours so until that arrives I have just put the sweets as they are from Navids shop for now.

I actually made this unit I had forgotten all about it lol it will be nice to show off the sweets better as there are some really fab ones!  I have an idea to make a Jelly Belly display which will mean making hundreds of Beans so that will be fun!! (NOT!?)

I also found a nice pink and white door curtain thats been waiting for a new home and it fits perfectly in here!

I also have to tell you about a visitor I had to the village on Saturday as I know she reads my blog lol! I have been in email contact with a lovely lady called Audrey who wanted to buy my Franklin Mint Christmas house. The weather has been so bad it was the first weekend she has been able to come over to pick it up. We have been emailing back and forth and she is now well and truly hooked on Dolls Houses! She also bought Primrose Cottage from me. I was very sad to sell that but however I tried I couldn't fit it into the village! When I bought the apartments they fitted just right and I decided then I would have to lose one to get one that was right and sadly that was Primrose. I know she will treasure it and she has already bought another one of Julies little cottages to go with it so we may even have new village in the making lol! She is also in the process for building a tudor house for which she has bought some wonderful items so I am trying to persuade to start a blog so everyone can see!! It was so nice to show off my village in the flesh and even better to chat dolls houses with a real person lol! I must also give a quick mention that another lady who reads my blog was all set to come over on holiday from the Netherlands for the Xmas house as she desperately wanted it and I was sorry to have to let her down as I had already promised it to Audrey. I really hope one day she manages to find another one!

Pebble Walk apartments

Been busy working away on the apartments. I am so happy with them now and so glad I persevered with them! Last night I added the railings. I didn't want them to look too fancy or it would give it a French Maison look and I want to keep it looking seasidey! I think they really give it some character. Just deciding whether or not to add some shutters. I really have an urge too lol not think I prob will!

I also put all the acetates back in and had to replace the bottom 2 as they cracked when removing them. What a nightmare of a job that was!! However hard I tried I couldn't stop getting glue on my nice clean windows! Its jobs like this that remind me why I will never build a house lol!!

Now its all finished it looks great and def has the seasidey look I was hoping for! It does look lovely all lit up too!

It was nice to finally make use one of Julie Lawtons lovely little sign I had. As its not really a cottage it was perfect for this building.

I've started to fill up the inside.

I have just put a few bits in the top flat but it wont be staying there. I want this room to be a real pretty romantic shabby chic room with a gorgeous four poster bed. Only the lovely pink wicker chair will stay in here.

My good friend Deb the patchwork Queen has made me a lovely pink and cream quilt which will be the start of my bed! (this is her photo I sure she won't mind me stealing it!!)

I moved Stacey out of the fishermans house into her own apartment so shes happy!

The bottom floor is a modern style apartment. I've mostly used the things from the homewares shop in here as I have decided I didn't like it anymore, so thats now empty waiting for a new idea!

I took Debbie and Dave out of the B & B and popped them outside the pub having a nice seafood pub lunch. I also added a couple of hanging baskets as all pubs have those outside!

Added some kitchen units to the staff room in Wishes and Dishes.

 Also a really cute hanging rack made my a lady called Jill on Facebook

She also made the this gorgeous chaise in the bridal shop! (The fab red one in Staceys pad was made by her too!)

That all my news for now! Getting ready for a visitor to the village tomorrow so making sure everything is just perfect! :-)

Repainting and making things for the pub!

I've been a busy bee the past few days! Sometime you are just inspired and others you don't have a clue so you have to work with the inspiration when it strikes!

First up are a few bits I have made for the pub. It seems to taking forever to fill I keep putting stuff in and it still looks bare too me lol Its great though having so much space to play with and I am so glad I moved it into the larger premises.

First of it now has its signage courtesy of Bethany! Not quite what I would do without her signs skills lol! I also printed off a couple for the side to make it look a bit more pubby.

Next I was going to buy a dartboard but I am really trying to be good as I've had a bit of a spend on dolls lately so decided to have a go at making one instead. Quite pleased how it turned out and anything that saves a few pennies is good!

I also needed a small table and chairs in the downstairs bar. I did look for something suitable in the DH shop but there wasn't anything small enough so I just bought a couple of barrels and made one myself. Kicking myself though as I meant to pick up some empty beer glasses when I was there and totally forgot! 

I did manage to get a table and chairs for the upstairs although I need to take off the varnish and make them darker so thats my next job! Still maybe needs a couple more pirates but theres enough for now to make it look nice and busy.

Its filling up quite nicely now the downstairs just needs either nice fire or a log burner although will prob go with the log burner idea as you can always add some extra details to that.

Next is the apartment building. I have to say I have not been feeling this property :-( I don't know whether its cos in my mind as it wasn't a proper one of Julies just one she had refurbished. Whatever the reason I didn't really LOVE it the same as I did all my others. Its so silly as it looks no different and it really is the perfect size for where it is I couldn't get any better if I tried so I decided I needed to have another look at what I didn't like about it. I came to the conclusion it was the door and the colour!

For where it sits it opened the wrong way and I couldn't access it very easily. I decided to rehang the door. OMG easier said than done. Teddy was properly out of the pram at one point as it was too low and I had spent ages screwing in 18 screws! So off it all came and I refilled all the holes and started again! I am glad I didn't just live with it as the gap at the top would seriously have bugged me and thats not what I needed I needed to love it! It also had a large crack at the side of the door so I refilled that too. At that point I left it all to dry and we took the dogs up the forest for a nice walk!

When we came back and looked at it again I decided I didn't like the colour. I love it on Wishes and Dishes but somehow it didn't look right on this building. I wanted them to be seaside apartments and they just didn't look at all seasidey, the purple seemed a bit dark and gloomy looking. I decided to go with a nice blue instead! This time I took all the acetate out and rubbed it down between coats to give it a nice finish. I also touched up the inside so now its good as new. Then it was time to redo the door. I measured it and measured it again about 3 times and this time it went on perfectly first time! PHEW!!

I am so pleased I took a little extra time to have a good look at it and decide what it needed to make it right as now I really do feel so much happier with it. I couldn't get inspired to do the inside as the outside wasn't right now I have lots of ideas and am really happy its part of the village. I am thinking I will add some shutters and iron railings as my next job!

It will be called Pebble walk apartments and for now it will have 3 gorgeous bedrooms that are an extension of  of the B & B. I was going to do individual flats and maybe I will one day as I may decide to add kitchens at a later date :-)

Lastly I had to share this pic of my daft little dog! I was just having a little browse on Ebay yesterday and Bethany plonked her in front of me and she wasn't in a hurry to move lol!!