The bay window

This bay window is going into the back wall of the ballroom so one can look into the ballroom without bothering the occupants inside and view what is going on. I cut the hole out so that it would fit as tight as it would without having it extend inside the ballroom.

  It will next have to be painted and then glued into the pumpkin back wall.

At present, I am working on the front door and the two windows for the anti-chamber. They have all had to be made smaller, and that is no easy task.

When I have the door trued up and glued together, I can mark off where it will be and cut the opening for it, and then the two windows, one on each side of the front door, in the anti-chamber.

Depending on what you have to work with {two pumpkins, or gourds} and the size of them, will determine the side of your doors and windows. I didn't want them to over-shadow anything else, so I have made mine a bit smaller.

{Just as a quick note, the back bay window will have to remain out for awhile so I can get at things through that opening, and you might want to do the same. I have a sub floor and then the parquet floor to put in before I close off my avenue of access. I am also going to have to open a hole for the wires for the chandelier and the scones. I am still working out the idea of how to put the front onto the back and make it so it opens, and I'll have access to the inside. A must if I need to change a light bulb.

Anyway, it's coming along again.

Sanding!

I'm back. Sorry it's been awhile, but lots to do outside to get ready for winter. Also, trying to clean the last of the stuff out of the house into the sheds, that needed to go back out.

  Now the next thing I will be doing is sanding out the inside of the gourd. I will measure the door, and the windows so I can cut an opening for them {and lets hope this time I don't set it on fire.}

  Then I will be varnishing the inside and measuring the floor area for the subfloor. I will also be measuring out {in the pumpkin} where the bay window in the back will go, and the measuring for the subfloor. I will also be marking off where that center circle will go on the floor in the ball room. Then I want to see and mark where the lights will all go, and make the holes to thread the wire though. I am also marking off where the two pieces will fit on the plywood, so I can plan the outside design.

  If I can I want to make the gourd stable and solid, and the pumpkin movable so I could be opened there. More then likely I'll have to get very creative with a vine going up the side and "knitted" onto both to make a hinge. But I think that will work.

Wait till you see what is coming from England for the ballroom, and what I am working on for the fairies. I hope this stirs up some creativity out there and there will be a whole pumpkin

 patch of these ball rooms come this Halloween?

pictures of the two.

So here they are the promised pictures of todays job. The pumpkin open shows a really nice wall to work with. The hole in the floor will be covered up by the subfloor when it goes in. The big picture of the gourd shows all the tiny burn marks. I'll have to do some sanding here, and some of them may be lost, but some I'll bet will stay. I will more then likely varnish the inside of the gourd to protect it and give it a better natural looking finish. The two together almost look like one is swallowing the other right now, but that will change when I start to finish the outside., with steps and mortar to "seal" the two together. I am going to try to find some kind of hinge that will allow me to open the back, at the seam when the to come together. That way I can get inside to change light bulbs etc. All in all it was a good days work so far. Now I need to spend some time thinking thought some things. I don't want to mess things up at this point from jumping in to quickly and ruining it all. I love the way the two colors come together and seem to be naturally there. I plan on leaving the gourd "natural", as it's such a pretty color.

Well onward, and lets hope the dark fairies like what they see,

Oh by the way, when I say "dark fairies" I don't mean the mean ones, I mean the ones that come out after dark, and after moon rise. Like fireflies, and moon moths.

Supplies, for "The Dark Fairies Promenade".

I have not given a list of supplies as you might decide to do things differently. For instance, you might want to use two pumpkins, or you might find a different item that will work best for you.

This tutorial is the idea and how to for what I am creating. You are welcome to change, add to, or delete any part you don't like or want to do.

  I have started with a large carve-able pumpkin from JoAnn's. I had a large gourd stored away, and decided to use it. I also have a large square piece of thick plywood, that I will be using for the ground/base to set this up on. To make it look nice I will be trimming out the edges with a nice decorative band of wood I got from Home Depot some time back. It will let me landscape the surrounding area, and keep it in one piece. {If the little black fur ball will leave it alone.}

  I also have some small rocks and cement, stored for another use and will be using some of it, to build up a base under the gourd, to bring it up level with the pumpkin base on the inside. I will have to get very crafty to fill in the crakes along the sides of the gourd where it fits against the pumpkin. But as fairies would have any number of things to use, I'm sure I will figure that out also.

  I will be cutting a thin piece of bass wood to fit on the floor of the ballroom and the anti-chamber gourd. There may be a small step down into the ballroom, but that I'm not sure about yet. This will make up the sub floor as I have a wonderful parquet circle that will go under the center stem of the pumpkin ballroom. I also have a 14 arm chandelier coming that will hang right above this, and light the ballroom. I plan on having drapes that will also hang from the center of the stem, down and outwards to the walls. There will also be two sconces on the wall of the anti-chamber.

  On the back wall will be a bay window so you may look in on the grand promenade without disturbing anyone. The main entrance will be through the front of the gourd. I will have to make steps to accommodate the higher level of the floor, and I see wide curved ones, kind of curving around the front, and a wide area one would walk across to entry though the door.

The door and the windows in the anti-chamber as well as the bay window, were contributed by a dear friend, who has a wonderful shop on ebay.

  Go and take a look. He has just about everything you will ever need, and if he doesn't carry it.  he will get it for you. Look him up on ebay under The DIY Dollhouse Center. Ken is great to work with. You can't find better people.

  I am trying to decide if the fairies transported the pumpkin and gourd to fairyland, or they are using it in our space and time. I guess it really doesn't matter, except for ones own personal thoughts and ideas. A little input would be nice here. Any ideas, anyone?

 I'll add to what you might need as I go along and things evolve. I will also be posting pictures as this will help you to understand better what I'm doing, how it's done, and what you will need to do it.

More later, I'm waiting on the batteries to charge.

Deirdre

  

  

It did what?

Well, today I decided to open up both the pumpkin and the gourd. I pulled out my trusty Dremel tool and was going at it on the gourd. {This is not for kids, and if you use one be very, very careful,  as they tend to jerk off in a direction other then you indented.} Well, I finally got it cut all the way around., and pried it open, only to see something rising in the air. I had been warned about mold inside, So I stuffed into a garbage bag and took it outside.

 Then I pulled it out and opened it up, to find..... it was on fire! Smoking away like a bad cigar. I'm trying to pry out the soft stuff that was burning but the fire started to move faster then I could. So I grabbed the cats water dish and dosed the inside. It went out, and then I took a garden tool and started to scrape out the mess. 

  Well, long story short, I'm sure the fairies will come up with a suitable story as to why there are little burn marks up the wall. And I'd like to hear it.

  So... you are welcome to post your ideas as to why, and the best will be added to this blog's story and tutorial.

  I need to charge the batteries to my camera, but pictures will follow.

Have fun,

Deirdre

I found something...

I found a gourd, that would be large enough to make an anti-room to the pumpkin ballroom.

The gourd would be sealed against the pumpkin, and french doors would open into the ballroom, from the gourd. The front door would be in the gourd, with a pathway of gray paver stones leading up to it. There would be enough room around them to landscape.

  I received some wonderful treasures for this project from a friend. Now my mind is jumping in so many directions, and I need to settle on one, and dig in. I have so many ideas. But first, now will be to open up the back of the pumpkin and the gourd, so I can get inside them and see what I will have to work with on the walls.

  I need to locate some fabric as well.{a trip out to the sheds}. Anyone know how to make tiny black feathered crows?

Just for fun!

I was at JoAnn's the other day with my trusty coupon in hand, and came home with one of those large carve-able pumpkins they come out with at this time of year. I have had plans for one of these big ones, since last year, and they were out before I could get one.

  Where did all these mice come from? I don't have any ashes to clean. Hay, she went that away.

  I will be posting a How-To on what I'm about to create. Come and join me as I work my way through this project. I hope you try one as well. One- twelve th scale here we come.

  Funny how that "drink me" bottle is never empty, but it's fast acting, so as I shrink in size take a look at this pumpkin.