Inspiration in Dry Times

It have really missed being able to write about my mini projects! With all the hush-hush of preparing for the Greenleaf contest, I've had to take pics and restrain myself but I promise it won't be too much longer! The contest deadline is Memorial Day (at the end of May) and then I'll have a flooring tutorial, lots of pics and other tuts that I can't mention yet (sigh). In the meantime, how about a little inspiration pics for you? These are all real life pics I've found online or in magazines and tucked away for those dry times when I need a little idea boost...

My son would LOVE this bed! Love the colors and plan on recreating this for my Beacon Hill: Just beautiful, clean lines. I love corners that would make good book nooks :) This is also going be part of my Beacon Hill:

I don't even love pink but this pic could win me over! I adore this set up and am really inspired by the Swedish design styles. I love settings like this that just make you feel peaceful.

Hope that holds you all over for a little longer! LOL Remember to click on the pics for more detail.

Secrets and Shabby Habits

I don't know if you've noticed, but I haven't been posting any of my own work recently. The reason is that I just finished my last class for my masters (YES!!!!) but I've also been working on a top secret house for the Greenleaf Dollhouse Spring Fling. I promise that I've been taking loads of pictures and have a couple of tutorials all ready to go but it's been so hard not to share with you all!

In the meantime, have you ever thought of making the outside of your dollhouse shabby? I happen to love the look of antiques and making new things look old so why not with one of my houses? My Beacon Hill has been giving me fits when it comes to the paint color so I'm willing to try new things! Here's an example of a technique I used on a mini cabinet that I love:

Take a look at these antique houses I found on the web (warm colors):

My Beacon Hill right now...

A beautiful antique church from Country Living magazine....I love the weathered look of antique dollhouses and the shabby look is in style after all. I am seriously considering it! Picture patches of paint showing through, layers and years of colors, worn edges, muted colors, etc. a lot like the cabinet at the top of the post. What do you think?

Just Because It's Beautiful...

My first roses are blooming! I have no idea what variety this rose is, but it has the sweetest scent of any I've ever known. It smells like a child's sweet tart candy! (If any of you know the kind. please tell me.) Don't forget to click the pictures for a close up. I love the way it fades to yellow and cream at the base. God is an artist...

Mini Circus!

These pictures are from the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida. They have a giant exhibition of what a production it was when the Ringling Circus came to town. You can view it from above and by walking around all sides. The lighting would even change to show it in the daytime and at night. Please click on the pictures and see the some of the wonderful details. These pictures don't do it justice!

First Etsy Sale!

Just this week I sent out my first sold item from my Etsy store to a lady in North Carolina! Very exciting for me! Since she was my very first sale, I decided to send out a couple extra items as a thank you. She ordered the shabby shelf but the framed quilt squares, mini ladder and framed picture are the surprises! I can't do that every time of course, but this was a special occasion. Now I'm hoping for positive feedback. I'll just keep my fingers crossed and check my email often!

Tiny Treasure

A family friend was at a garage sale and spotted this precious little room. Imagine my surprise when I got home and found this treasure in my mailbox! The outside is covered with bark and the windows give a perfect view of this dainty meets rustic, retreat. Scroll down to the last picture to find what really makes it special....

Isn't that amazing! What a lovely little inspiration piece! Thanks again, friends!

A Contest & an Excuse to Buy One More House!

Greenleaf Dollhouses has come up with a wonderful new kit for their annual Spring Fling contest! Isn't it great? I love how multi-purpose this kit is. Click here if you'd like to go to their site and see more views or even order one. It's laser cut and fits together beautifully so far. Last year I chickened out and did not enter the contest, but this year I challenged myself and took the plunge. I'm a nervous wreck! So silly of me, I guess, but there's time constraints (as I'm teaching full time, tutoring, finishing my masters and being a wife and mom!). Then there's people judging my work too. All very nerve racking but I'm choosing to have fun with it. Unfortunately, I have to keep the project a secret for now, but as soon as the contest is over, I'll go back and blog it all. Good luck to any of you who are entering the contest too.

For those of you who are looking for an excuse to buy one more dollhouse or kit, here's one my husband came up with. My husband practically insisted that I order this kit even though I have 3 already that I'm still working on (one is just finishing details). His reasoning: The reason I don't completely finish my houses (which drives him nuts) is because I love the process more than the end product. Therefore if I have a new kit, I'm more likely to completely finish one of my old ones because I have a current project to work on. How's that for logic? Let me know if that excuse works for you!