Whisky Galore

I know I know I know , two posts in one day well suck it up!

Last night I decided to patinate the wonderful Georgian fireplace from Sue Cook, yes I know more painting at night, never a good idea. I darkened the area in the middle where the smoke would have make some stains and made the bottom base darker also. I then gave it a coat of mat varnish which never seems really mat but with some wire wool it should dull a bit.

Sue Cooks fireplaces are wonderful, makes you want one in every room.

This is the back door of the drawing room at the dining end leading across the back hallway to the kitchen. You have to think practically even in a dollhouse. I cheated and used base board for the architrave and some plain wood behind the door which no one on earth will ever see. You can also see that I managed to insert the electrical socket in the corner leaving a little hole to be filled.

Last night I had an epiphany and thought that it would be a good idea to really differentiate in the dining end decor instead of using the same panelling and pink colour. 

I love the murals of Alison Davies so I chose this one and another to see what goes best with the colour scheme. I chose the 8 inch high version which should fit exactly between the baseboard and the cornicing.

This is where the WHISKY comes in. I once read that to put in hinges you have to have a couple of stiff drinks and then when you have finished have a couple more. For a reason that goes beyond my friends comprehension I do not drink, not a drop ! I really take no pleasure in it all and no I am not a recovering addict. Joking over, I decided to set the hinges into the door frame and then glue it against the opening, the opposite to what I did on the other door. It went 'quite ' well, Nothing that I couldn't spackle into shape.

I used some picture rail moldings from Houseworks topped with a shelf of coffee stirrer wood. I made a jig on my fret saw to cut the angles.

The fireplace is not yet glued on place, I will do so after painting the wall and wodwork. I will hide the cable on the left of the fire with some logs one day. From the angle of the room no one will actually see Inside this fireplace. There is just room for a nice log basket to the left.

I stopped the detailing against the wall opening that I consolidated visually with a strip of an old wine box which was the right thickness although really difficult to cut even with my Proxxon.

Here you can see the effect. When I think that I am not even half way through one room when there are six in all plus three bathrooms and a kitchen ! Crazy, mad lady ! 

As you can see there are more 'notes to myself', I stroke off what I do as I go. I am really looking forward to the flooring. I will mix two parquet patterns, one different on the dining end. 

As I have to wait for the wallpaper to arrive I will make the china display cabinet for the dining end. It will be nice and relaxing to make a piece of furniture again. 

The clip on spotlight bought for 5 euros is a life saver!

Ending on a piece of fun. I saw this miniature painting on Ebay and at first didn't even bid so sure I was that I could never afford it then one night I saw that the bidding was still low so I bid and what do you know, I won it ! It was about 45 euros.  It is the perfect size for the house and is a real 1920's painting. I also bought three others for small sums which I will show later, I will do a post only on wall art. 

Isn't it just perfect?