Gardening Vs. Dollhouse

Yes, I really have been spending a lot of time in the garden and it does show. I've cut back those plants that will do no more and are showing signs of nighty-night. I've transplanted a good many plants and planted bulbs, especially on my poor lost kitty, Tweedles, grave, who died last year ago Monday of a heart attack while she was at the vet's getting a haircut. Tweedles got new daffodils.

I've taken down the humming bird feeders and sterilized them and put them away, as the hummers have left for their winter vacation in Buenos Aires, lucky birds. I've cleaned out the garden shed and prepared the tools for next year's use.

My husband, Ed, and I have put out an Autumn display of straw, pumpkins, scarecrows, witches, and black cats. The neighborhood children love to see what's new and we add something everyday for them to find.

There is still much to do, including restocking soil on the stepping stones so they won't stick up so much we'll trip over them.

But, of course, you know, I've not ignored the Garfield completely. My new French doors for the 2nd floor balcony has arrived and I've prepped that and it's ready to paint. I need to cut it's interior trim myself. I've been working on a landing for the library. Initially, you'd enter from the bedroom in front of it and walk down 2 dinky steps. I'm still using the steps, but am fashioning a small landing with rails and banisters to look a bit grander. Right now, I have spindles stuck in some florist foam to hold them straight and am painting them. I have the newel posts stained and varnished. Once I finish the spindles, I will cut the banisters and stain them and put them all together.

The door that comes from the bedroom into the library is a standard Houseworks door, but was too tall to fit the spot. I had to take 3/4 inch off the door and the trimwork That was pretty tricky, having to cut a bit off the top and the bottom because of the panels inside the door, but it made it. Then, I stained one side and painted the other...the line that separates the paint and varnish was tricky to keep straight, but was managed with a lot of work.

I am trying to sell my little 4 room farmhouse and The Alison, Jr, so I am cleaning them, packing up the furniture and making them ready for Open House. The ad came out in today's paper. I hate to see them go, but, since I live in a birdhouse, I have no room for them all.

I'll get back to you again later this week to tell you of my progress. In the meantime, may you have a happy day.

A Week Off

This will be a tough one, but I've decided I need to take a week off from the Garfield Manor to do some work around the house and garden. This is the perfect time for me to cut back some plants, divide and transplant, and to purchase and plant new things. I need to amend the soil from the good compost pile and remove completely some things that just don't work. The garden centers are having sales and good deals are everywhere, plus, my buddy, Melissa, has a bundle of things to pass on to me. I can't play house and happy gardener at the same time....either one, I'll get carried away and will ignore the other. I don't understand or practice "moderation". As Annie Oakley says, " With me, it's all or nuttin' ".

Oh, I know, I'll sneak in here at night and diddle around with something about the dollhouse, but, it won't be worth discussing. I won't say that I'll avoid posting anything here either, but don't expect too much.

It's going to be difficult for me, I know, as I so love working on this beauty and don't want her to feel neglected. But, I love my garden and it DOES feel neglected, so I need to make up for that.

Bear with me, please, it won't be long.

The Steps in the Library

Wow, I forgot to post yesterday. Oh, well, there wasn't much done anyway.

Today, I'm working on another adaption to the original plans. In the library, there are to be two steps coming from the room in front of it...two dinky little things that don't have much class and don't look all that pretty or safe. I want to change that. What I'd like to do is to have you come through that door to a platform with railing on two sides of it and then step down the two steps into the library. I've drawn a picture of what I want it to look like and I'm pretty sure I understand what it is I'm going to do, but there's going to be some playing around with it. I haven't decided if I want it to be a straight walk down the stairs into the room, or if I want to turn left on the platform to go down the stairs. If I turn it, I'll need to reposition a fireplace that I wanted on the inner wall to across the room to the outer wall. That is probably what I'll end up doing. I like the fireplace on the inner wall best, but I like the turn of the platform better. Confused yet? Maybe by tomorrow, I can show you.

Nothing Done, But I Bought a Few Things

I had a dentist appointment this morning, first thing. UGH!!! They're prepping for a crown and it ruined my whole morning. All I managed to get done was clean up my worktable, so I can mess it up again.

This afternoon, I spent some time at my friend, Mary Jo's. She has an old Beacon Hill for sale. She started building it many years ago and life made her stop. It sits in her garage half finished, has all the pieces neatly stored in bags, and she doesn't want to continue with it. If you seriously would like to discuss it, I'll have her get in touch with you.

She had a trunk full of furniture and accessories too. I picked out a lot of them and bought some really nice things...a bed, lamps, chandeliers, knick knack and vases, tons of picture frames, carpet, fireplace accessories, and I can't remember what all.

It was a lovely afternoon, productive for my collection, and I got some great cookies to munch on. Tomorrow, I'll get back to the Garfield.

I've Been Lazy Today

I've not spent much time with Garfield today. Just taking a small break. I was able to install the window seat with no trouble and I did get on the third side to the Dining Room bay window and spackled inside and out at the joints. The spackling has been sanded and painted and it all looks great. I still have the fabric trim to put on the crown area...will probably do that tonight. It was even more difficult getting my hand inside to spackle, sand, and paint. Again, I was doing tricks with mirrors backwards.

I read a hint from Larry Marshall about diluting wood filler with denatured alcohol, so I practiced that, making it into a paintable substance and using it to fill in those tiny holes and notches that are left from punching pieces out of plywood. What a wonderful trick!!! and I plan on going all around Garfield and cleaning up those window edges and repainting. Thanks, again, Larry.

That's where I've stopped. I'm tired, the back is hurting, the meds aren't working, and there's no sense working on it if I'm not up to par, so I'm watching old movies and living in the past. Back to life tomorrow.

Tons of Garfield Fun and Photos

Wow, how 'bout some pictures, folks ! I'm trying to cover 3 subjects here..

First is working on the Dining Room Bay Window. I have 2 of the walls to the bay up, spackled, and sanded. I'm going to paint them in a little while. After the paint is dried, I'll start the crown moulding trim, which is fabric, and leave extra just hanging there for when I get that last wall up . Talk about a pain sanding, I had to do the interior sanding with a mirror sitting in the middle of the room, reflecting backwards and my hand stuck in the empty wall space. NOT fun, but, certainly entertaining. I have the window seat ready to install. I used the seat platform intended for the tower window seat and trimmed it down some to fit this bay. It's painted green, the same as the walls in the bay. Instead of using the same side wall panels provided, I just made some new ones, plain wood, nothing fancy, painted green. It dry fits like a glove. I've made a pattern of it's shape and, later, I'll put a cushion on it...or, leave it to "grow" plants inside. I think a hanging fern in the window would be pretty. It's not time to worry about that right now.

The next few photos are by request of the different sides of the house. I repeated one photo, but can't figure out how to delete it, so am just leaving it. Looking at these photos, I am overwhelmed by what a big baby this house really is!!!

And the last 2 photos are of the color project board for the 2nd story hallway. I misled some people with the blue color, making it sound like a lighter blue than it is. I'd thought I'd tested more colors, but ????? So, what's here is a darker, richer ( complimentary ) tint of the blue downstairs in the Parlor on the far left. Next is a tan, then terra cotta, and last, on the far right, bronze. I'm still leaning towards the blue. In real life, I think it looks much better than the other choices used. Te terra cotta's not bad, but the carpet is where the baby blue will be, so blue it will probably be.

I thank every one of you for answering and caring about helping me. Bless your hearts, the response to my cry for help was tremendous and so very useful. Ideas galore and none taken lightly, I assure you. It humbles me that you are following the progress of my Garfield. Proud? That too, I confess. ( It also made me realize that, if I were ill, you'd have sent a casserole too. ;) )

It's early yet and I don't know what I'm getting into today yet. I will try to finish up the Dining Room bay and then move back upstairs to the hallway. It's time to stop talking about it and getting to work. Thanks, ya'll.

The Dining Room Bay Plus Stuff

This is the printie wallpaper I am tossing around in my head to use for the 2nd floor hallway. I'm considering having it cover the bottom half of the wall with the fairly dark tone of the baby blue used in the Parlor tower on the top half of the wall. There would be a 1/2 " wide chair rail between it and the paint line. Remember that I have a baby blue carpet runner on the staircase and it will run the 2nd floor hallway, too. PLEASE tell me what you think. I want it, I really, really do, but I have still not convinced myself that it'll work. You won't make me mad if you don't like it.


No need for other photos...nothing exciting to see. I have one side and the center of the bay window glued in and spackled. I'll sand and paint those after the spackle dries well, inside and out, and will start a bit of the fabric trim. I'm working on the pieces for the window seat that I'll install and then add the final side piece to the bay. Not putting that last side in until last will give me some room to maneuver around in there. The space is smaller than my hand and, as I've said before, quite awkward.





While I had the spackling out, I also filled in the holes where the floors meet the walls on the exterior to assure a smooth outside wall. It's not necessary inside, as the trim pieces will cover those gaps. And, while I am waiting for the spackle to dry...I wait longer than I think necessary sometimes to be sure... I'm working on those never ending pieces of trim in the Dining Room and Library.





The library has 2 steps down from the room before it. In the company's master plan, they are simple steps. Since I've not let anything be simple up to this point and am always changing something, I've decided that these steps need to be a bit more elaborate that provided. I'm going to fashion a small landing with railing and banister, so when you come from that front room, you'll take 1 small step down onto the landing, hang a short left and come down another step. I think it'll add a bit of grace to the entrance into the room and won't look as hazardous as the simple steps appear.

Not much else going on in there. I have some new plants I must get it that I bought on my day with Melissa and some bulbs to plant on a kitty grave. There are some other outdoor chores that must!!! be done now. Autumn is moving in and there's no time left to procrastinate. Today is "Color Sunday" in the mountains of Colorado. While not in full color yet, the aspens are turning their golden yellow and it's something to be marveled over, even if by only a photo.