A little helpful hint.

  If you have ever tried the wallpaper one can download for free off the web, and print out on their computer, then you know you have to spray it, after you printed it out and the ink dried, so they won't run when you apply glue. Well, I didn't have $10 for a can of spray fixative. So, I tried what I did have and want to share the results with you. I used Mod-Podge, mat finish, with a rubber sponge applicator.  I learned some things really quickly.

1] you stroke in one direction when applying the mod-podge.

2] use a thin coat, and you only need one. Apply like you would icing on a cake.

3] plain solid color sheets, will look streaked. So they won't work.

4] red ink does bleed, so try to get it done quickly, and a very thin coat.

5] it dried fast, with a light bit of gloss. The patterned wall paper looks really good.

6] some colors will be a bit darker.

7] the pages curl so after it's dried, you can iron it flat.

  

Following info on ironing it.

A]place a sheet of plain paper like unprinted newsprint paper, on your ironing board.

B] Heat the iron to less then the cotton setting. Just hot enough to work but not to hot.

C] Lay the dried wall paper with the printed side down on the newsprint paper.

D] it's best to use a quick stroke across the page. Don't sit and hold it in one place or do the round swirly thing with the iron. Just quickly across the page.

E] after each swipe of the iron across the back of the page, gently pull up the page off the newsprint. It will stick a little, but if you didn't get it to hot, it will peel right up. The page will start to be flat. You may have to iron the page more then once, but always pull it up after each swipe, and don't get any mod-podge on the back of your page, as it will stick to your iron.

  Once it's flat, turn it over and look at it. It's really quite nice. It's flat, and semi- glossy, and ready to glue to your wall, safely. The inks will have set.

So remember, not to hot an iron, and quick strokes on the back side. Store with the printed side down, weighted down by something to keep it really flat.

  You may not want to use this in every room, but.... when you don't have money.... "necessity is the mother of invention."

A bearded Iris

This is a 1/12 scale doll holding a single bearded iris. I did it.... lol.... I didn't know if it would work, but it does, and thats a real fuzzy beard on that iris. Now to make some more.

Deirdre

flowers

So what kind of flowers do these look like? I can tell you they are miniature.

I'm thinking hollyhocks,sunflowers,pussywillows, and the other two the yellow stock and the orange flower I'm not to sure what they are. So tell me what you think they are?

  They are not made of fimo clay, so they are more realistic and more delicate.

New colors for the house

It has taken me awhile to decide what new colors to paint the house. I am certainly not keeping the yellow/blue thing. lol. So it will be painted Leaf green , a soft light green for the main body of the house. Accents with be in Hunter green {a nice dark green} with the trim painted white.

  For that top fancy molding, I will have to add another color. Like maybe a mustard gold yellow, or a nice sunset rust color. Or perhaps a peach? Well, you will be surprised at the colors I did find, I know I was.

  I didn't have any of the above, but when I got to matching. I found a nice coral, that looks good. I decided against any shade of red {to Christmasy}. And surprise... a lavender, that looks very good with the shades of green. Even more of a surprise.... the coral and the lavender with the 2 shades of green, actually go together.

  I think you have to see it to believe it. But thats what I shall use for colors. Now after it glued back together, and the cracks filled in, I can paint. The windows and door trim will be white, so I think they need to be painted before they are glued in. Anyone know???

  Well back to the drawing board. I need to decide where the inner walls will be.

Trish

The old Homestead

Left is second floor, below is first floor. Last is the third floor.



  My first doll house one made by Woodline products. It was called the Homestead. Of course I did some kit bashing, and made it into something else. I was going for Victorian. I'm not to sure what it was. In the last move it got destroyed. But I saved the pieces anyway, thinking it might be salvageable.

  Well, it looks like this today because I've been gutting it and opening up the windows and doors, etc. Second and third floors had to go, so I replaced them with a really nice piece of plywood. It wasn't that easy working with a mini hack saw and a Dermal tool.

  Yesterday I worked all day sanding and getting it ready to glue back together. The first floor can go back together, but I'm waiting on the second floor double french doors, and some clapboard siding for that section that is missing. I think I got the curved staircase right this time, as it is right in-front of the front door.. {I cut a hole in the floor so one could ascend the stairs to the second floor.}

  Here are some pictures. It will be painted of course, and new wall paper inside.

  Sometime today I will glue the first floor back together, with windows and door. I have to decide floor plan now.

This house has another whole section on one end. that allows for 3 more rooms, or as it went, 2 rooms and a balcony. With the plywood floors, all one piece {not cobbled together masonite} it should hold up better. I'm deciding color now as well. The outside will be painted 2 shades of green and a clear white. I think that will look better.

Well, back down the rabbit hole.