iseecerulean

What a nice day it was, yesterday.  I had planned on getting a lot of work done on the dollhouse, so I went out as soon as shops opened up to get my errands and shopping done...then when I got home Matt said he missed me and wanted to spend time with me, so I went out with him while he ran his errands and did his shopping.  I picked up this lovely 5x7 watercolor in one of the downtown art galleries I was browsing while he was in the record store (there's only so long I can stand there watching him flip through record bins that I know damn well he's flipped through a dozen times before).  After he finished his other shopping we went out to lunch/dinner, then went to an antique store. 

I don't think we're going to go to that antique store again, what a total bust...they sold all the good stuff a couple of years ago and now they just have the leftover crap.  Plus, they sell 'antiques and collectibles', so some of the stuff is younger that I am.  Yesterday I saw a flat metal pink flamingo garden poker exactly like the one I bought a flock of as a gag gift at the dollar store three or four years ago...she had it priced at $28.50.  Really.  To top it off, they've got it so jam packed and arranged so stupidly that I have to skinny sideways into booths and duck my head to get around lamps and stuff.  I'm short and thin, what do average sized people have to do to navigate the place?

Anyway...

I picked up the package of goodies I ordered from a dollhouse shop in England that was being held at the Post Office.  I love it all, I got some very cool stuff that I've been patiently waiting almost a month for. 

I'll show you what I got tomorrow, because each little item came it's own little plastic bag, so I have to "unpack" each thing to set them all up for a picture.  I understand that has to be done to make the pieces big enough to keep track of, and so they don't get scratched, but it's a pain to open those little bags.  I think I'll use scissors.

I will show you what little bit of work I did get done yesterday...

Can't you see it?  Look closer...

It's a house, inside a house, inside a house...hee hee hee...and if you count the house I live in, add on another 'inside a house'.

I followed links this morning, during my Saturday morning miniature blog reading, that led me to artist Helen Musselwhite's website. 

I love her work!

Do you remember the story of the shoemaker and the elves?  How the shoemaker left work on his table at night, then when he got up in the morning his work was done?  I need some elves.  

Remind me, if I ever build another dollhouse, not to buy twelve pane windows...what a pain in the butt to paint.

A song for you today, since I haven't worked on the house since the weekend.

I had an idea for a necklace pop into my head yesterday while I was thinking of a friend. Now I'm not going to be able to concentrate on the house until I make it for her. This one will feature a set of lampwork beads, so Susan, I need links to your favorite lampwork artist's shops, please.  I'm looking for something similar to this set, only already made and ready to ship.

I painted the door three times before I liked the layout of colors.  It's not done yet, I have to give it another coat of paint and clean up the white edges around the door frame, but it's done enough to show you how the accent colors will work with the blue.

I think the accent colors will work just fine.

It needs some house numbers in the middle of the green triangle, doesn't it?

This is what two coats of the parchment color paint looks like.  Blah.  It looks blah.  I know it will be a little different with the windows in and the accent colors on, but still...

Audio Slideshow: The Work of William R. Robertson - Fine Woodworking Article

I figured out why I haven't been wanting to work on the house...not knowing how to paint the styrene siding and trim has me stuck.  I'll do a little research, then do some experimentation...once I get over that stumbling block I'll be back on track.

Susan, do you have your latest issue of Where Women Create yet?  I'm in total love with the studio featured on the cover.

The artist has the WWC article in her blog if you want to take a peek.

Whether you sneak peek at the article or not, you need to go the main page of her blog, then scroll down to the February 8th entry to lust after the pictures of her Atlanta showroom...then just keep scrolling, because there's goodness, after goodness, after goodness.

I want to go to Atlanta.  Should I stop to pick you up on the way down?  How about you Melinda, are you in?  Road Trip!

I want it bad...but I don't want it $34.00 bad. 

Sigh...