The Creative Process...

I'm sure it's no surprise when I tell you that getting to the decorating part of a project is not only exciting, it is also chaotic, messy and leads to all manor of rabbit holes! I had planned on completing the exterior of the New Orleans, but while I waited for the weekend to arrive and for Russ to come home with my perfectly cut piece of plywood, I still had momentum and wanted to keep going. I thought I might as well make up the sofa kit, a decision which opened Pandora's box. Before I could argue with myself, I had opened the "New Orleans furniture and decor" drawers and had bags and boxes everywhere! It was delightful, as many of the things I saved were purchased over three years ago when I bought the kit and began planning. It was like a shopping spree in my own stash! And after all this time and faded memory, I still love the colors and themes I'd dreamed of so long ago! What you see below could be called a mess, but I like to think of it as The Creative Process.

Since I started with the sofa, I had to get out the living room chairs and the coffee table for a test arrangement. I am so happy that the pillows I purchased two years apart from the sofa fabric (which reminds me of Hubble telescope photos) are a match made in the heavens! I still have to make the sofa pillows, probably navy blue and gold, and decide on one of four test rugs to print on fabric. I also have to put another two coats of the metallic paint on the unfinished coffee table. Then I can make and load in all the decor items for this room.

I was really excited to begin working on the kitchen. I had all kinds of neat stuff saved to go in it for so long and couldn't wait to see it come together. But because the dining room can only be accessed through the kitchen, I figured I'd better get that room's large furnishings decorated and put into place first. I still have to test some rugs for under the table, raise the chandelier a bit, then make a floral arrangement centerpiece for the table. I did make up three plants for the bay window sill.

With the dining room well on it's way, it was finally Kitchen Time! I wanted to have a center island, but the original piece I'd planned turned out to be too big. So instead, I dug through my kit drawer and found a wine table kit I'd picked up a long time ago from Menutmon on Etsy. Again, bummer he's not still in business as he had some really unique pieces. I was able to add square silver beads to the legs and make a larger butcher block top from 1/4" x 1/8" strip wood. That made the perfect height and length so that my fleur-de-lis stools could be utilized. I am so happy to have discovered using alcohol ink on fabric, as I was able to just dye the stool cushions indigo to match the island base and the main theme color of the kitchen decor. I also adjusted the shelf height to accommodate the stand mixer, leaving just enough space for the wine bottle rack.

I had a large chinoiserie tea set as well as a navy blue set and some cobalt glass pieces to mix and match for the kitchen. I also had a square dinner set from my Shapeways store and some unfinished bisque pieces to add to the lot. I painted them in the same blue acrylic paint as the island - a cheap basic Joann's brand I've had on hand since 2008!!!

I picked out some delft fabric online and then used it to print out towels, apron, rugs and a roman blind for the kitchen window. I know some of you have mentioned on your blogs that you do not like things to match, but I find myself most at home where there is symmetry, and prints and patterns in the same color just make me feel happy! I'm sorry though if it just isn't your cup of tea!!! :O) I made up some plants and herbs, some Louisiana cookbooks, a knife magnet, some utensil crocks and a chalk board sign. I will save some space for future food scene and wall art inspirations.

I always have trouble with my camera and lighting situation, so I've taken photos both with the lights on and off. My camera tends to read the lights as intensely yellow, but with the naked eye they just look like warm household light. I have made some editing adjustments using the computer's software to try to compensate for that a bit.

Stove Side

Sink Side

Entire Kitchen

It is so fulfilling to finally see this kitchen as I had dreamed it so long ago. That feeling is intensified by the fact that I had let this poor kit languish, half done, on the shelf for so long. But gleefully, inspiration has returned and it feels like I am keeping a promise. I can almost feel the forgiveness and gratitude radiating from the New Orleans with each piece I add.

Are you waiting for inspiration to return? Do not fret, for I have learned that waiting can be The Creative Process, too!

xo xo,
Jodi

Summer In New Orleans

As I begin to put this post together, I am realizing that it may end up a little long. There were a lot of little things to do, none of them post worthy on their own, but now that they're done, they've really added up! I skipped around on the tasks, too, so I'll try to make sense of the potentially disjointed photos. Hopefully, you won't get too board or overwhelmed before the end!

This was the electrical tangle coming from under the house that needed to be camouflaged into something that looked like it belonged there. In addition, the second floor wires had to somehow join up with them. A shed and drainpipe seemed the best way to organize the mess and make a convenient electrical hub.

I used 1/8" basswood to construct a basic shed.

I had some really old and stiff hinges for the top of the shed. The outlet strip fits just inside. I mad an access hole in the floor to feed the first floor wires into.

The second floor wires are fed down from the roof and hidden in "copper downspout". You can see in the second photo below that I also added braces to the pipe and the roof crown molding is installed. The front doors are completely removable for wide access, and slide into a groove on the lid.

I began working on the finishing details for the front of the house, too. I needed to make a couple flower boxes for the dormers. I added some molding and trims to basic boxes to jazz them up a little, then decided to paint them copper to match the dormer roofs and balcony railing. I was torn for a bit about the flower colors. It was between yellow or red, but I am glad I went with the red and white combo.  It just pops against the teal.

I tend to get carried away with landscaping (remember the Storybook Cottage?) so I have tried extremely hard to keep it minimal on this build. The footprint on this house is already imposing, so when I do add the landscape board, I'll be keeping it restricted to some shrubs and lots of mulch.

For the flat roof, I went with a roll of skateboard grip tape. Here's the Amazon Link so you can get a better look at what it is, but it's too pricey on Amazon. You can go into your local skate shop and pick up a 12" x 46" roll for under $4.00. It has an adhesive backing on it, which makes it easy to install. It also peels up easily if you later need to track down wiring issues. It's a nice thickness and also makes great asphalt road if you're making a neighborhood diorama. Just add lane stripes!

The window boxes are filled with red Dahlias and white Geraniums. I made red Begonias, white Azaleas, red and white Fuchsias and red/green Echeveria, too. That was me being conservative. Now you see why I am not allowed to garden any longer in real life. At least it's harder to kill the miniature varieties! I didn't end up using the yellow Pansies, but now I've got them ready for some future endeavor!

I kept staring at the front of the house, trying to figure out what was missing. I decided that the lower porch railing needed to be copper, too, otherwise it just felt as if it disappeared.

Before in teal instead of copper.

After painted copper.

Keeping the balcony simple, each side of the door got a topiary in a fleur-de-lis copper pot and a pot of red and white flowers.

I;m still debating about a flower box for the lower floor bay window. I may just do shrubs but will decide once I get the house on the landscape board.

The landscape board won't stick out farther than the front steps.

The Fuchsia basket took two Bonnie Lavish kits of twelve each plus an additional 12 bud stems that I made using painted glue bulbs and extra leaves. I had planned on two additional hanging baskets for the porch, but ran out of Fuchsia kits!

I think it looks just interesting enough, though I could fill it completely if I didn't reign myself in! This is my compromise and what I'll call Summer In New Orleans.

The landscape board and the back opening trim are all that is left before I can finally get inside to furnish and decorate. I haven't officially finished a dollhouse since the Sweet Christmas Cottage in November of 2017, but with a little luck and perseverance I may just finish the New Orleans and the Storybook Cottage this year!!!