Speaking of Lists...

It seems that a lot of us participating in this year's HBS Creatin' Contest are beginning to realize that the December 16th entry deadline is coming up rather quickly! Several of us have been posting and chatting about our To Do lists. In my case, it seems that as soon as I check something off, I realize I need to add several more things. Talk about lighting a fire under your butt!

The highest priority item on my list was addressing the fireplace's flame lighting. It was the age old story of how everything was working just perfectly until I lost access to the connections, and then it just stopped working. It took me a good while to sit and think about a Plan B. But I finally just got out all the parts and made myself sit there until I came up with a solution.

The first thing was to remove the grate with logs from the fireplace. I had to cut the original wires in order to free it. Then I removed the non working bulbs and saved them for another project some day. Rather than trying to connect the new lights to the 12 volt system, my only option seemed to be running them using a 9 volt battery system.

I debated for a long time about having access to the switch while still camouflaging the battery and wires. In the end, I remembered Brae's hidden battery in her firewood box and that gave me an idea. If I loosened the firewood from the fireplace cubby and made it so that it could slide in and out that would solve all my issues.

I inserted the new lights into the fire grate, drilled a hole into the side wall of the fireplace, strung the light wires through, met them up with the switch wires in the firewood cubby, attached all wires together then and heat shrink tubed them securely. Now I only needed to come up with the camouflaged log system.

I grabbed some quick wood scrap and Woodsies and came up with a sort of log/battery box toboggan. When it's inserted into the cubby, you (almost) can't see a thing!

To celebrate after the resolved lighting issue, I decided it was time to mount the head of that Big Old Bad Woolf! It will serve as a reminder that no matter how big the bullies are in your life, just look them right in the eye and you'll persevere in the end!

Now that one important item was finally crossed off the list, it was time to move onto some of the fun details for the project! The oldest piggy, Bob, knew that it would be important and inspirational to chronicle the events that took place with The Big Bad Wolf. He's been typing up a novel about it since very near the beginning. He used to have his typewriter sitting on the kitchen table, but now that his brothers were sharing the space he needed a dedicated writing desk. I took one of the HOM kits in my stash and gave it some new legs that would fit better into our cartoony scene, For the seating, I added a bigger seat, padding and fabric to a little milking stool.

It was also important for Bob to have everyday supplies like pencils, paper pad, stamps, envelopes, tape, twine and a ruler. I'll have to hunt for some scissors to add in the drawer soon.

Here's the extra large but somehow perfect typewriter with the last page of the story being written. I think Bob's publisher is going to be pleased!

I'll leave you with a few up to date progress shots. There are still many items on my list that I'd like to include on the project. We'll see how many I end up with time for.

I am always looking to the next mini projects in the queue. It's embarrassing to admit, but in my daily gratitude conversations with the universe, I often express just how lovely my life is, and that when it's my time to leave this Earth I will do so with no regrets. I always include an asterisk at the end of the conversation, though, asking if I can please stay until such and such mini projects are finished. I bet I get some head shaking with that request. What can I say - I really love miniatures.

I'd love some wisdom and feedback on a particular decision that I am struggling to make. After the contest build is completed, do I start on the Beachside Bungalow, or finish the Shabby Chic Soap Shop first? I am leaning toward finishing the soap shop. What do you all think???

Thanks for your two cents...

Jodi