Sweet Christmas Cottage - The Bathroom

The bathroom is nearly completed and it was fun to go back through the photos and remember it's humble (and inexpensive) beginnings!

You may remember how I took the Greenleaf die cut kit and gave it a few upgrades...

Using trims made on the Cricut, some wooden legs, and some "real" hardware.

They've come a long way baby!

I had fun making the kit "upgrades", so that's exactly what I did for the wall shelf. Starting out with a Lost Creek Station seed shelf kit, I added more display space and a place to hang the towels. And I exchanged the seed poster with something more befitting a Christmas themed bathroom.

I made up some resin bottles with water slide decal labels, made tiny cotton balls, q-tips and "bath beads" (no hole beads), then gave some misc. items a little more bling with a gold leafing marker. Later I added a Kleenex box (square bead painted with red nail enamel and a tissue peeking out) and a box printie.

To fill in the bathroom, I needed to get into the "accessory making business". I found and printed artwork for painted plastic and metal frames.

I love that Santa in the tub and in the outhouse, and how about little elves warming their frozen toes in tubs of hot water?

I even made a clock (printed clock face) inside a cabochon frame, but you can't see that in place yet - the Glossy Accents is not quite dry and clear yet.

Why two? Well, it wouldn't be a very nice Christmas without gifts... :O)

I used some of the broken off branches from the fragile Christmas tree and some twigs from my stash to make a holiday swag.

And a laser cut sheet of holly leaves, more no hole beads and more twigs for a floor display. The vase is plastic and comes in a set of four from HBS. Really cheap. I just painted it with the gold leaf marker to make it look pricey! ;OP

Oh! And a Squeeze Me tree with a star wand jewelry finding in a Silver Cup Box Feet planter.

Need a sea sponge for the little folk to scrub with? All you need is some Creative Paperclay, a sewing pin and some spongy colored paint...

To fill up some floor space, I thought a little table with a lamp might be cute. I had a Chrysnbon non working hurricane lamp, so I made it a working one. Drill hole, insert candle flame bulb with wires and viola!

Except that the candle flame bulb was too fat to fit inside the chimney. But I just so happened to have a larger chimney which was slated for a future candle/centerpiece so I was back in business!

Hi ho, on we go to make the lamp table...

And then it was too big for the space...

But us miniaturists always have a back up plan...

HOM Candle stand to the rescue! Perfect fit! And then, when it was in and wired to the main wiring, the light stopped working...

A few magic words later, I resigned myself to the idea that sometimes lights just stop working. Usually after having been tested properly all through the process so that you feel confident and glue them in.

I can hear the words from my son's very wise friend Janin now. "Sounds like a Western problem". Meaning: be grateful. It's only a dollhouse light. :O)


All the other lights still work! :OD

Some printed rugs helped to warm up the space and hide the floor paper warp.

Good books to pass the time...

Yep! I'd say I really love it!

Now, I am on to the outside where I need to pick the perfect paint color and experiment with textures. Think Gingerbread...

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

xo,
Jodi

Sweet Christmas Cottage - Living Room

The Sweet Christmas Cottage living room is complete at last! And I am so excited, not because I was anxious to get it done, but because now I can just look at it! I am so happy because it captures exactly the mood I wanted!

Photo with old fashion-y effect.

As with any dollhouse endeavor, it had it's share of challenges from the wiring to the space restrictions to the tree. Oh yes! Let's talk about the tree!

As I mentioned in my pity party post, I had purchased what I thought was going to be the perfect realistic looking tree. And it was! Until I touched it. All of the little beautiful branches crumbled off in my hands.

There was just no hope after I began trying to string the lights on. Even trying to re-attach the branches was fruitless. For every one I attached, several more would fall off. It simply was not meant to be...

Doug Fir as it comes.

Because we have no mini shops within two hours of me, I am forced to buy online. I was not willing to spend more of my mini budget to roll the dice. So, I looked through my stash to see what I could come up with. It just so happened that I had a couple Douglas Firs which were intended for the barn. Since I never made it to the landscaping, here they were, waiting for their moment in the sun!

I printed the skirt, from an online photo, onto fabric paper.

Using the branches from one, I hot glued branches to fill out the other. I really liked the effect, so I kept going. Some of the clump stuff came off as I handled it, so I just took time to apply glue liberally and sprinkle the crumbs back onto the plastic branches. I printed the skirt, from an online photo, onto fabric paper.

Front of tree

Right side of tree

Back of tree

Left side of tree

I did this several times before and after installing lights and ornaments, and it was worth the trouble for what it turned into. I LOVE it, and would recommend this method and those trees, especially if you have little money to spend on a mini Christmas tree! Adding the mini gifts underneath made me squeal with delight!
 

Here it is in the room before adding the other furniture.

I showed you the cards made from the digital art in last week's post. Here they are added to the stair stringer.

I made up some rolls of extra wrapping paper and bows, and put them into an aged (resin) basket.


I love the way the fireplace turned out, and couldn't decide which were my favorite photos, so here are several! :O)

Lights on

Lights on old fashion-y effect

Lights off

From the front door, lights off

From the front door old fashion-y

From the front door different effect

 

From the front door lights on

Here it is filled up! Giac, I know it is crowded, but I still hope you love it! :O)

And more angles and effects. I think I might use one of these on our Christmas cards this year!

And a couple of the kitchen, just to remind you of the mood...

And a shot of the bottom floor...

And the whole back to remind me that I am still only 2/5 of the way, including the exterior finishes, done. And Thanksgiving is only eight weeks away!

Yikes! Gotta go now! Much to do! TTYS!

xo xo
Jodi