Orcara Miniatures

Hello friends!  I couldn't help it. I bought another Orcara set off eBay called Cooking with the Master. It took forever to get here from Hong Kong. It was so slow, I think someone swam across the ocean with it instead of putting it on a ship.

But it was here! I was super excited to open it. I didn't have a chance to open each little thing, just enough time before bed one night to make sure it was the right set.

Then, the next night, without my knowledge, Haley got out the scissors and opened everything herself.

I was really disappointed. The little kid in me wanted the joy of opening everything. You don't get that much as an adult. So, it's not the end of the world. She didn't mess up anything, but jeez I waited a MONTH and didn't get to open it. Boo.

So I did the next best thing crazy busy people do. I set it aside in the closet until I forgot what was in it. And THEN I opened it up to see what I had!

The set is cute, lots of kitchen goodies. A toaster oven. Bread. Pasta. A blue Le Creuset style pot of spaghetti sauce. Coffee. Salad. Mucho Cuteness! Haley and I played together with some dolls and the new goodies in the Barbie kitchen.

I'm starting to think about reclaiming my old Barbie kitchen set and getting Haley a different kitchen. I really like my old Barbie kitchen. (That's why I kept it!)   I can picture all this cuteness together in a room box, a playscale kitchen full of baking. I certainly don't need another project, but the kitchen minis are calling me!

Another Change Midstream

Hi Friends!

I think I must have a touch of Spring Fever. I've been excited to go outside, until I get too hot in the sun.  Then I'm back inside staring at Haley's house. I've had another idea to change things up.

I've been thinking about the bathroom. Where I wanted it and how big it should be.  I taped up the house so I could see how the rooms look with wallpaper. I had some wood scraps I used to help identify the bathroom's location.

Eric is the one that had the best idea.  The house has an access bay that opens up on the house's side. He pointed out that the bathroom would fit perfectly there.  I had to show Haley and get her input. She liked his idea, so that's my new direction.

 
I will need to make the two walls and another door now, but we will have a real bathroom! I think the other side will make a great reading nook for the rest of the bedroom.

Now, I can mark these new walls, and get back to work!

Farmhouse Wallpaper Pt.2

Hello again, my friends. I've been making more progress on wallpapering Haley's house. It's so nice to see something accomplished.

We decided that the kitchen and bathroom need extra windows on the side wall, so no wallpaper on those walls until the window holes have been cut. I did start papering the left side of the kitchen. I used some of the green stripe Itsy Bitsy paper. This was the paper that irked me when I bought it online. They sent me two pieces from two different batches and the colors were slightly off. But, I'm putting them on opposite walls in the kitchen so the color variation won't be noticeable at all.

I also glued together the wall for the dining room where it joins the kitchen. I had to sand it smooth before I applied the next piece of wallpaper. Justin helped me hold the walls in place and outline where they go on the floor so I can also start to plan the flooring.

I started to go around the dining room with the hummingbird paper. I like it.  I was originally thinking of using it in the living room, but I think the swag stripe paper looked so much better there.

The room above the living room now has paper. It's pink of course, but not the pattern I originally picked out.  I was disappointed that the sheets of paper from Itsy Bitsy are smaller than Brodnax or Minigraphics. The sheet was too short to fit the entire wall without needing a strip from another, and the pattern would have been a bear to match up and make a clean seam. Even though a sheet of paper is "yay-big", you have to subtract the printing bleed area. So, that plan got scrapped and I used something else! It looks really good though, so I'm happy with the result.

I've also decided to change the door to the upper deck, again!  I originally wanted an oval light door, but now I'm thinking of a single French door. Details, details!

Haley has also requested a sewing room.  I think the attic will be a good place for that. If the wall spans are smaller, I will use the cast off Itsy Bitsy pink damask wallpaper from the first bedroom here. I think I will need to get something else as a back-up plan, just in case. Or possibly use wainscoting, if it looks better that way.

By the way, the decoupage glue isn't perfect, but I'm getting better results as I work through the house. I think my glue-brushing and paper-laying techniques are getting better. Also, if the paper starts to bubble or buckle, I use the blow drier to help it dry and shrink back while gently rubbing the bubbles out.

Now, before I go let me just say a quick hello to my new followers. Thanks for joining me and it's so nice to see what you all are creating too!

See you again real soon!