Welcome to Quayside my town by the seaside!
WELCOME TO QUAYSIDE MY TOWN BY THE SEASIDE
Thank you for visiting my blog and thanks even more if you decide to follow :-) I really do enjoying doing it and love to share my projects with you all! In the village at last count I had 18 houses, 14 little roombox size shops, 3 half houses, and 1 half church (half being just a front!) there's also 1 quarter of a house (just half of a front lol) 2 market stalls, 3 market carts and beach huts on the beach although theres always seems to be room for just one more!
I also have a my 1st house a traditional Victorian manor which is very special as it was bought with money left to me by my beloved Nan. There's also my witches house and a witches shop. I also have a lovely Honeychurch house which is my Christmas shop and house and my latest venture a little vintage cottage. But the bulk of my property empire is Quayside, my little Cornish seaside village full of lovely individual cottages and all its wonderful residents. This has become a real labour of love and has turned me from a Dolls house fan into a complete and utter addict! The links below will take you to each of my houses and I especially hope you enjoy your visit to Quayside :-)
Links to pictures of all my Dolls houses and Cottages in one place!
- Sea View Cottage - Angelas House
- Lavender Cottage - Fisherman Bobs house
- Seashell Cottage - Shabby chic cottage
- The Old Rectory - Vicars House
- Boathouse cottage - Gallery / Seafood eaterie
- Daffodil Cottage - Nursery shop
- Appletree Cottage - Grocery shop / Doctors
- Honeysuckle cottage - Babs Boutique
- Barnacle Cottage - Holiday let / Sewing shop
- Coastguard Cottage - Bakery & Italian bistro
- Lifeboat Cottage - Village Hall
- The Porthole - The Porthole B & B
- Anchor Cottage- Fishermans house / Staceys Boudoir
- Forget me Not Cottage - Rest Home
- Wishes and Dishes - Bridal and china shop
- Captains Rest - Village Pub
- Beach Cottage - 50's Ice cream parlour
- Crabpot Cottage - Crabpot cafe
- Sweet Pea Cottage - Shabby chic shop
- Sea Thrift Cottage - Quayside Candy box
- Sea Thistle Cottage - The Cupcakery Bakery
- Rose Cottage - Flower shop
- Butterfly Cottage - Knitting Pretty wool shop
- Meadow Cottage -Quayside Cutz Hairdressers
- Crabpot Cottage - Seaside cafe
- Bamboo Cottage - Chinese Takeaway
- Celandine Cottage - Junk Shop
- The Village Toilets
- Bernies Bike Shop
- The fish and chip shop
- St Benets parish Church
- The Beach
- Quayside Village Pictures
- The village market - Stans Seafood/Franks mighty meat cart
- Christmas Cottage - Christmas shop and house
- Broomstick Cottage - Witches cottage
- Hocus Pocus - Witches shop
- Hardbroom Manor - Victorian house/My first house!
Friday, 11 May 2012
Decorated the lounge and I love my postman!
Finally got my wallpaper up and I am really pleased with it! Has a nice modern feel and looks great with the sofa and chair. I went for the modern tables, mirrors and the chrome lamp and think they are perfect and look as good as I hoped they would so I am really pleased! Just need the all important cushions and a blind and prob a tv! Its looking very neat but a little bare for me!
Got a hall table and some mirrors to liven the upstairs hallway up!
A mirror with hooks for the hallway......
I also got a few Ebay items. Some white bedroom furniture which is ok I did think the tall unit was a mirrored wardrobe but can easy make it into that but I do quite like the glass. I recovered a little ottoman I had just to fill the space at the end of the bed.
I couldn't resist the little pink tutu and its very cute!
I got some kitchen accessories like the HOME letters and remembered a little pan of baked beans I got from the DH fair.
I also got some fab things for the kitchen! I always think kitchen white goods are the hardest thing to get looking fairly realistic but I found these Miele mini toy ones and they look fab! I could only get the dishwasher and oven from one seller and I ordered a washing machine elsewhere today so hopefully that will come shortly. There is also a fridge but I had one I could use so for now I resisted!
The dishwasher makes a gurgling watery noise..........
I already had the microwave..............
And the cooker lights up inside and on the hobs. They are so cool I love them!!!
Finished front door and lots oif Ebay goodies!
I had a few deliveries from Ebay yesterday unfortunately Bethany is now on study leave for her exams and beat me to the door when the postie came and I got a bit of a lecture when she handed me 6 parcels ha ha!! Anyway had to show you my goodies as I am so pleased with them all! I got the wall unit, stools, computer desk and filing cabinet, which I will customise to make it look better, plus the little bin bowl and drainer set all from one seller which makes a nice saving on postage. Its sometimes the littlest of things we love the most and thats so true. The bin set was £1.20 for all 3 and I just love it!!!
The sofa and chair were also Ebay saving over £7 on a new set which all helps! I walked through my real house this morning and noticed the sofa and footstool in the snug are almost the same as this and the shelving I have ordered from DHE is also similar very to all the bookshelves in there, Its funny how our miniature worlds sometimes mirror our real ones without us even realising!
The little shelf unit was from Hong Kong and has taken an age to arrive but it was worth the wait.
I also got a high chair to match my wicker nursery furniture and as always its lovely she also sent me the little dog bed as a gift and its just fab what a lovely lady!
I decided to take my nursery furniture out of the baby shop and put them in this house. They were a bit hidden and I wanted to show them off a bit better. Ideally I would have done a complete nursery but theres not an extra room and the other rooms are big enough that the items fit into them anyway. The gorgeous little patchwork cushion was also Ebay. they are £2 each and so beautifully made. I have a few now and thought this one matched the decor just right!
This was my first wicker purchase the ones that got me hooked! Such wonderful attention to detail in the seat cushion and the little basket on the side. I'm so glad they will be on show better now!
The changing unit goes well in the bathroom as it was lemon and it makes a bit of a boring room a bit more interesting! I love my wicker things they really are so beautifully made!!
I finally finished the front door! I gave it a couple of coats so it was really nice and glossy. I did do it red to start with but it didn't look right so it was rubbed down and done again! I really like the blue I think it looks much better than just white and makes it a lot brighter. I also added some flooring tile paper in the porch which finishes it off. The pots are just some I already had I will try and get some more realistic and lighter ones so I can glue them in place as these have been on the floor twice already I keep forgetting to take them out when I open it! duh me!!!
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Wallpapering is actually quite good fun!
I seemed to get loads done on the house yesterday! I think its because its in the lounge rather than upstairs. So where I would normally go up to Dollyland for a couple of hours then come down I can work on it all night as I'm just in the room with everyone else!
Last night I decided to paper the door. After seeing a pic one one that had been done it looked so much nicer than just painted. It took me hours lol it was soooo fiddly! It does make such a difference though it really makes the outside part of the inside. Its still not perfect which bugs me no end! :-D I didn't have enough of the dining room paper left to cover such a big area so used a very similar pattern and colour. It actually doesn't really notice that much I bet anyone looking would spot it if I didn't say lol. I just wanted to use the paper I had that came with the house rather than spend money on more sheets. But how great I got all the spare bits though or I could never have done it! It was the kitchen one giving me the most nitemares! Whatever I do I can't hide the joins in the wood effect part, (although seeing a close up pic it looks not quite matched so that will be done again today!!) I may end up redoing the whole room at some point but for now its ok. Its a shame as the green goes really well with the units so may do a full wall in that instead. But not now as my Mums here next Sunday and cant wait for her to see it. I know my Dad will really like it too he likes the REAL style houses!
I actually really enjoy doing the papering I have never done any before and it is quite good fun! Just need to get my order now so I can door the flagstone bit round the edge, the garden wall and the lounge. I am on a roll lol!!!
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Painting, painting and more painting!
I also put some paving stone paper in the garden area. I decided just to go with just a patio with lots of pots and a nice patio set and will have a go at making a rotary dryer. Quite pleased at the effect it gives. Todays jobs were to give the front door another coat of paint I went with a nice bright blue to brighten it up a bit and I also got some tester pots for 50p yesterday for the outside which I have painted today although you prob wouldn't even notice but I do lol.
I did it in a similar colour as I liked the yellow I thought it suited it just did it a shade or 2 darker to brighten it up a little. I took a pic when I had done half the front so you can see the difference! Really pleased its really made a difference as the were a few little tears in the paper and white paint round the windows and its covered all of that. It was a very satisfying job although did panic at the end I might run out of paint as I just mixed 2 tester pots but I just about had enough!
Also got a nice little patio set from Ebay today. Wasn't overly cheap but its the only one I have found with a brolly and thought it looked nice. Added the little base at the bottom as it was a bit wobbly with just the pole but I think it looks like a nice family dining area! Just needs some nice comfy cushions and a bbq! I see them all the time on Ebay but now I want one can I find one on there!
Monday, 7 May 2012
Working on Fairbanks
It really didn't need to much doing to it so I have just tidied it up a bit for now and will maybe redo some of the rooms to my own taste in the future. It just seemed a shame to strip walls that were nicely done and that looked fine anyway! I will def need to add skirting boards at some point. Its funny how bare it looks without them!
In the bathroom I just tidied up a few rough edges and laid the floor properly.
The bedroom had a fresh coat of paint on the ceiling, doors and the window. The wallpaper was just tidied a little and the carpet was relayed a little neater. It probably wouldn't be my first choice of colour but it looks nice and clean and fresh so seems a shame to change it just yet! I have some nice white furniture to come from Ebay to go with the bed which will fill the room up nicely.
In the kitchen I lay some wooden flooring I already had and that was all really as the walls are fine and match the units nicely but I may change the wallpaper at a later date.
The hallway just needed a little trimming and tidying up I will leave that as it is for now.
The lounge was a bit old fashioned so I removed the pink carpet and the wallpaper and will be redoing it in browns and creams just need to wait for the new carpet and paper to arrive so I can finish it.
The dining room had plain cream walls which just looked like lining paper to me! So I stripped that off and re-papered with some of the spare paper that came with the house. I gave the windows and door a coat of white paint. I then fixed the light up properly and laid a parquet effect floor tile from Poundland! It was my 1st attempt at papering so I was really chuffed with how it turned out.
The children's room is so sweet I love it! In here I re-papered the back wall as it had lots of glue marks the rest was fine so again will leave that as it is for now. I also found some blue carpet I had left over from doing the stairs in Barnacle cottage so that saved a bit of money. I was going to put cream carpet in but actually like the blue and much more practical in a kids room! The furniture came with another house I had and decided to go with twins with one being a tomboy that likes blue just like Bethany used to be!!!
I still can't believe I was so lucky to find this house I really do love it so much and I can't wait for my niece to see it when shes up in 2 weeks! I know she will have a ball with it. It won't be a show home this one it will be one to be loved rather than just looked at!
Thursday, 3 May 2012
I must be mad!! just bought Fairbanks and its huge!
The wallpaper is not bad at all and most of the carpets aren't stuck down just placed in which is great so I can choose my own. I was a bit worried there were no chimney pots or door handles but they were all in the box with the furniture so that was a bonus!
Its about 12 years old the man selling thought, it belonged to his MIL and his FIL was a joiner who built it and his son was an electrician who did the lighting. It is the copper tape method which I'm not familiar with but theres not even so much as a bulb out so not something I have to worry about just yet! The lights are all really nice too all quite fancy ones! There are also extra sockets dotted around and they and the lights just need sticking properly as we all know the sticky pads don't last 5 mins anyway!
It came with a huge stack of floor and wallpapers there must be 30 there at least!
It also came with quite a lot of furniture some will def get used like the green DHE kitchen I have always loved that, although I will need to find the matching cooker lol! There are a few other quite good bits, the dining set is very nice.
He also had the turntable which I def wasn't expecting so that was great!
This is going to be a huge project and is going to take me years to finish and fill but that is why I went for it. I love Julies cottages but they are perfect when they arrive so it will be nice to have something I can make perfect over time! My OH was shocked by the size but he really likes it! I still can't believe I got all this for less that half the price of just the bare kit!! I would have been rude not to buy it!
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Winnie and Hectors garden
Next to the accessories my favourite part and where all the ideas stem from! In this case it was a a wonderful witches garden hat by KAT THE HAT LADY. It gave me the idea to have a toadstool theme. I asked Kat to make me a matching apron which is just perfect and she also very kindly sent me the broom as a gift and its perfect for Winnie's hat propped up on the top while she takes a break!
Next is Winnie's little cat Hector. Made by a lovely lady I met through buying things from her on Ebay. I have so many of her lovely little items including Fangus and Beans the dog! Fergus the rabbit was an Xmas pressie from Bethany he is so sweet and he has popped round to see his friend Hector.
She also makes lovely Fimo things and I asked if she could make me a little tea set for Winnie. I cant believe how cute it is! The cup is an upside down toadstool and she even has toadstool cupcakes! she is one lucky Witch!!!!
I made a welcome sign for the gate but Bethany says it looks like an umbrella so don't be surprised it that gets redone!!
I did make some things myself like the basket of toadstools and the various ones planted around the garden. I also made a little hen house but it felt a bit too big so will need to make a smaller one. The well is from Broomstick cottage and was hidden at the back and the tree was from Ebay, I thought it had a spooky feel to it! I'm so pleased at how its turned out its was so much fun to do and the wonderful little pieces made by such clever people really bring it to life. So glad I bought it from Ebay! As an last minute impulse buy it def turned out to be one of my better ones lol!!!