Visitors and villagers make for a busy village!

Oh my goodness so much to share with you today!! I was dolly obsessed last week as I had the lovely ladies from the local DH club coming and really wanted to get the village looking its absolute best! I did all those odd jobs that have been putting off for ages and I was rarely out of the room all week lol. It was all very worth it, they were a lovely bunch of people and it was so nice to chat to people who really appreciated the time and effort that went into getting the village to how it looks today. I have to say I was very nervous and am sure I waffled away like a bumbling fool!!! The ghostie in the loft of the witches house was a particular favourite and Stacey was quite popular too lol They loved Debs quilts and mini knitting also. I am sure they will be back again and I can't wait :-)

So what did I do to prepare?? Well I started with the letters Bethany bought me for my Birthday that I hadn't got round to putting up. they look just great she picked the perfect colours to paint them in!

 

The tea room had a bit of a change as I had an oven my friend Carol was desperate for and I could easily manage with something else. I decided a fridge would probably look better so she ordered it and sent it to me which was so nice! It does look really good and I hope she's as pleased with her oven!!!

I added a small bulb through the top which makes it looks even better and shows off all the lovely desserts. I also put the small shelf unit up just to fill the gap!

The green house front has been bugging me for ages! It had an outside light upstairs but not in the upstairs window and it just bothered me!

I took off the outside one and moved it down to the door and then put a new one in the upstairs window. I added a climbing plant and lots of pots on the balcony and now it looks much cosier.

 

I had the lid of the nice chest still to be used so I turned that into a nautical headboard and it looks just the part

 

I got this little display unit from Ebay. I just had to have it for the Chinese takeaway it was so cute with the little pandas in! It looks wonky lol but its not! It really could do with ungluing and putting back together as its been glued together a bit squiffy!

Its made from bamboo so it just had to go in Bamboo Cottage didn't it!

Next up the little Dolls house and bears shop. The Sylvanian stuff I ordered came and as I thought it filled the shop up nicely.

It still needs more bears but for now its looking much fuller!

Its all very cute and the furniture is so tiny!!

Bernie was the next in line for some attention! I added a bike rack made from a little thing I got from a charity shop for 50p and sprayed it silver. It was just right to store a few spare tyres! I added a little sink with a greasy towel so he can at least make a cuppa.

He also fixes skateboard wheels!

There's even toothbrush for those nights he doesn't quite make it home from the pub!

He even has a little mad pad in the attic with a sleeping bag, a pizza and a Top gear mag just for those was too good in the pub nights!

Poor Bethany had a raft of signs to make for me!!! We kept putting it off and ended up sat in bed til 1am on Saturday getting them done! It was so worth it though they do make such a difference!

 

I had a little bit of a change around and discovered if I put the chip shop front into the corner I could just about squeeze one more little shop in!!!

 

It actually works much better here!

 

Of course it wouldn't be right without getting just a few new villagers!

First is a new young lady to work in the hairdressers. She is based on my Daughters friend who loves the village!

 

Next there's a new clown in Party Poppers party shop! I just thought he was cute!

And there's Kenny the janitor in the village hall.

He's having a quick sweep round before the wedding guests arrive.

Next up is Brenda a new hippie lady who has great hair! Shes trying on new shoes in the vintage shop.

And last but not least Angie who has now been dressed in some Bratz clothes.

So all in all its been a busy few weeks in the village and no sign of slowing down just yet! The new shop should arrive on Thursday and some new villagers will be on the way shortly so please pop back soon for an update!! :-)

Getting the village ready!!

Its been another busy couple of  busy days in the village!! Time is ticking by and  I only have a few days left now before the DH ladies come!!

I decided to be productive and go round each house and see what needed doing! First up was the doctors surgery. Its funny I did this just to fill a little space in an attic and now its been moved into Rose Cottage and spread out I have had so much fun with it!! There were no interior doors as I was trying to keep cost to a minimum at the time, but it really did need some. I got out the lolly sticks and some bits of stripwood. They turned out ok and are enough to imply there is a way upstairs!

 

I also got another matching chair from the DH shop on Saturday so I could have a row of 3. That meant there was room for an older patient lol!

I added a little table with the obligatory magazines and thought there should be something for the younger patients. there always seems to be one of these educational style toys in my doctors. I did look on Ebay in view of buying one, but couldn't find anything to decided to have a go at making one. It turned out not too bad and it was a few more pennies saved!

 

I finally decided what to do with the little pink shop. I had a few resin houses and lots of bears so thought why not a dolls house and teddy bear shop! I bought the display unit from The DH shop and trimmed off the edges so it didn't look quite so market like. I painted it the same shade of pink as the shop itself. It works well as the houses are tall so no normal style shelving unit would have worked. I alos made a couple of extra shelves from odd bits of wood. .

The little furniture is very slightly too big but it was really cheap as chips and in place gives the impression its DH size

I have just ordered a Sylvanian toyshop as they come with lots of little dolls houses and furniture. This will fill the shop up nicely! I also need some little bears to fill the top shelf!

I also purchased a new wood burner for the pub. The one I had in there was more of a stove so that's moved into Ocean View Cottage. This one looks perfect for a nice cosy pub!

I added an orange bulb as it really brings it to life!

I love my hippies on the beach and I made them a little portable bbq so they can eat drink and be merry! It started out as the top of a 35mm film pot! I filled it with sparkly red thread so when you look close it looks like its really burning! I then added bit of gauze painted silver then dabbed with black and a couple of kebabs to finish it off! Really pleased with it! Its such a little thing that cost nothing but I love it!

I also had a fiddle around in the bistro and filled Luigis shelves with bread! I also added the fridge I bought from Deb I was so determined to find a home for!!

I thought I better add a bit to the wedding scene in the church hall seeing as the summer is almost over!!

All the food is ready, Timmy is ready with his tunes and the Mother of the Bride makes a last minute check!!

My friend Carol has just been on holiday to Devon and sent me this lovely little box as a pressie. Its so cute but sadly was a teeny bit big to use as it was. I got my thinking cap on to find a way to make it fit into the village as it was too nice not to use.

I took off the lid turned it over and added some acetate to make it look like it has a glass top. Now its a funky nautical coffee table and I love it!!

The buoys were really cute too and look great with Bobs boat!

New peoples!!

I am still busy beavering away trying to get as much as possible done for next weekend!! I decided I needed a few more characters for the village. I had sold some stuff on Ebay and decided to reinvest it in dollies! Its getting harder to think od people I don't already have!!

So these are the new arrivals!

First up Sarah the new receptionist in the doctors surgery.

Next Martin the milkman. You will prob notice his bottles say Milch! Its because its a Reutter set but its so nice I decided to use it anyway!

There's also a new pirate at the fancy dress party. His nickname is Shakespeare after a character in my favourite movie Stardust. He loves to dress up and the pirate frills are def his cup of tea!

I couldn't resist another member for the WI. I just loved her slippers and stockings and she looks just like my Nan!

And last but not least is Stu. He's a surfer dude who would rather be on the beach than working! He earns enough to get him by renting out scooters to holiday makers and will be back on the beach as soon as it hits 6pm!

Today I was also thinking what should be my next job! I was looking at my clown and although I love him he didn't really fit into the village. I had an idea to make the empty blue front into a party come fancy dress shop! That meant the clown could then be outside trying to drum up business. I was looking on Ebay for ideas for the window but didn't really want to spend any money so raided my Bratz stuff! I found a dress that could pass for a sexy pirate and a little babygro that would do as a bunny outfit. The ears aren't exactly how I hoped as the pipe cleaner was a little thick but I had run out of white ones! There are also some wings a tutu and an Indiana Jones hat along with some balloons. Enough to get any party started. I knew exactly what I wanted for the back drop some silver fringing. I found an old happy Birthday banner that was plain holographic silver on the back and cut it into strips and it was perfect! really pleased with it and that's another business added to the list in Quayside!!!

Here is a better pic of the fronts. I do love them they add so much interest to the Upper Quayside shelf! The best thing about them is they don't need access so I can put loads of things outside and I don't have to keep moving everything!!! I almost put them up for sale at one point so I could get some more little shops instead, but really glad I didn't as the village wouldn't be the same without them!!!

A little Christmas in August!!

I know you will all groan and think not Christmas already but I do have a reason for doing this project so early!!! Next Sunday I have 15 ladies coming from a local dolls house club to see my houses so I wanted them to all be ready! I had my little Christmas shop but have been wanting to do a whole house so I could use all my Christmassy things in one place. I first had to decide on the house and after many hours of trawling Ebay and changing my mind on what I wanted I decided to go with one I already had!! When the new cottage arrived last week I didn't actually have a space for it so I decided if I used one of my existing houses it would save me buying one and make a space. It came down to between this one and Seaview. I decided to go with this as firstly it will be upstairs most of the year and I didn't want to not be able to see my sea view cottage all year round as its one of my favourites. I also thought this one with its lovely bay windows had a bit of a Victorian feel to it and would suit the Christmas theme a bit better.

First thing I had to do was repaint it as although the lilac was very pretty it wasn't very Christmassy! I chose a nice fir green paint from B and Q and with much trepidation I started! It turned out a bit darker than it looked in the jar but I do think the green suits it. The darker colour shows of its features more I think.

So here it is before its makeover................

And here it is after!!!

 

 

 

The inside needs lots more done I literally just put in everything I already had!

No idea I had so many little things to fill that big shelving unit!

And all my lovely cakes from Small Portions!

Still lots to do in here! I need a coffee table, the sink needs dressed and I need to make a fireplace to surround the aga or there's no where to hang the stockings! I also need to make some paper chains but I remember how long it took me to make though in my old house!!!

The tree is lit up but its hard to see with the flash!

The bedroom is very bare with just a few spare bits I had for now but it needs a new suite! I think I have found the one I like but not 100% yet!! I want a nice bed to show of Debs gorgeous patchwork!

I also had a little play with my Grinch! Bethany got him for me for Xmas last year but I thought he needed a longer coat. I had some nice fleecy red fabric and decided to have a go!

Here he is before!.............

And here he is after in his lovely new hat and coat!

I have to say I am super chuffed at how it turned out as I haven't made any clothes before so I was really pleased with it!

This house has a back entrance perfect for a sneaky Grinch to steal the presents!