My project for today

15 years ago

I bought this unfinished dollhouse in a silent auction at our Goodwill several months ago. Today I started transforming it into a large fairy house. This kept me out of trouble the ENTIRE day and night. I still have the inside to figure out and furniture to make. Here's a few before and after photos. I'm exhausted - but it was fun!

P.S. DH finally got my new computer set up to upload photos! Hooray!

Arlene

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Comments (31)

toomuchglass
15 years ago
OMG !!!!!!! I bet you had fun !! I never knew how much fun it was to make a house till I started my little town . It's addicting - the ideas are endless !!!

I L-O-V-E your finished houses !!
smickerdoodle
15 years ago
Oh my gosh! That is adorable! You have done a wonderful job on it. The Fairies are going to love it! I can't wait to see pictures after you get all of your furniture and stuff done. It is the perfect fairie house.

~Micki~
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It doesn't sound silly when it takes what you think is a super long time to accomplish a sewing task - no matter how small (and lining up squares isn't easy)...give yourself the time and remember it's better to do it right once then have to rip and re-rip. I have ripped miles and miles of seams and such over the years...all because I'd just whip through a job and discover I'd done something wrong and have to start again. Good thing I learned patience.....my one SIL who USED to sew...(has now sold her fancy serger and machine due to lack of use) ..well as soon as she made one small error (like the time she sewed a sleeve on a nightie inside out) she ditched the whole project. I ended up fixing so many things over the years and completeing them ...all because of minor mistakes she was too lazy to fix herself. so hang in there...your pillows sound wonderful and I'm sure your mom and grandma will love them all the more because of the effort you took to make them . Keep on sewing!
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Why I love this forum, just can't get enough fun in my life without it!!! Anj, don't let anyone smack you for using a small brush. Just stop using them. I'm still cracking up over that. Just try to use larger brushes. ha ha Luvs to answer a few of your questions. I did paint the plaid in one coat. Find your paints that give you the best coverage and use them for projects like this. I used Folkart - Thicket for the stripes I'm pretty sure. You want to do this in one coat so that the cross over lines end up darker. My favorite brushes are Loew Cornell and I use the flat ones to base unless there is some little spot I can't get into. When you first load your brush be sure to work the paint in and this will keep you from doing more than 2 base coats to cover. I never start without my brush being loaded. I always use the shader brushes to shade with. Wet your brush good and just touch the side of your water container to get rid of some. Pick up paint and work it back and forth on your paper to make sure the color is blended. Don't want any major color hanging on the edge of brush. Make sure the paint doesn't go to the furthest side of your brush. If it does, do a quick rinse through your water and reload. If I want a real smooth look I load my brush with the base color and then into the shading color. If you haven't tried this do and let me know what you think. This comes with practice, practice and more practice. I love to shade unless my project is not smooth. For an example of this look at my snowman I just posted. The wood wasn't real good and I couldn't get my right cheek where I wanted it. I hate it when I have to pick my work apart. ha ha I love to help others and as good as you two are I can't imagine any problems once you get the loading process down. Oh I base the whole project before doing any shading. I'm self taught so it's not that I know to much. I just started with Chris Thornton and she explains her projects to the max for dummies. lol I really like Between The Vines but if a new self taught painter tried it I bet they would give up for sure. I'm working on stockings and I had to figure out the rest of the pattern so DH could cut them out for me. That's why I painted the last snowman without the stocking. Best get back to painting! Hope this helps and thanks again for all the help you've given me. FYI, I covered this with Triple Thick that you brush on and it looks like glass and I washed the brush out with soap and water.
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luna_llena_feliz
15 years ago
That is adorable! I have a penchant for miniatures and your fairy houses are so magical! One of these days I will make one for myself. A big thanks to your DH for setting you up so we can see your magnificent projects!
susiewantsroses
15 years ago
Arlene, Very, very, perfect for Fairies. Charming and tastefully done!!! Susie
sunnyca_gw
15 years ago
Beautiful!! Jan
use2bcapecodr
15 years ago
That is absolutely adorable! What fairy wouldn't love it?!

I can hardly wait to see it furnished!

~Sandy~
Purplemoon
15 years ago
You make the most amazing Fairy houses!

{{gwi:77274}}
katishooked
15 years ago
Just love the transformation from plain to adorable. Love what you did.
Marlene Kindred
15 years ago
Can I live there???? My goodness...what a wonderful job you did!! It doesn't even look like the same little house! I LOVE all the details, etc....even a tiny mailbox! How cute is that! Thanks SO much for sharing it with us!
cait1
15 years ago
That is AMAZING!!! Where on earth did you find that adorable little mailbox?! And how did you make the mushroom awnings? Fantastic job!!! I'm gobsmacked!!
msmitoagain
15 years ago
Wow, very creative. Love it.

Here is a link that might be useful: MY BLOG
akup_a
15 years ago
I'm in awe of your creations. This is beautiful! Love the tiny shovel & hoe on the front porch.
If only I was a Fairie. But I ain't that tiny! lol
Vickie
tennesseetrash
15 years ago
"This kept me out of trouble the ENTIRE day and night." HAH!!! I understand! Time well spent!

Love it right down to the last detail and look forward to seeing what wonderful things you do with the inside! ~tenderlee
luvs2click
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks all - it's been really challenging, but fun. Cait - I got the mailbox at our local craft store - Pat Catans - love that place! I found a link for the same item online that I will post below.

As far as the awnings, I gathered the fungus off trees in our woods last winter and dried it. These particular ones are bright orange - most are white.

Well, break is over - back to work now!
Arlene

Here is a link that might be useful: Rusty Mailbox
medontdo
15 years ago
that is so georgous!! ok, don't think i'm nutz!! but I want to live in that house!! **big smile** its so........home!!! LOL i like that!! LOL ~Medo
TwoMonths
15 years ago
Now one of the sites I saw, said to not finish your fairy house completely...cause fairies are lazy and give up easy and do not finish projects. (now do you think it was really the builder who did not finish, lol) That is adorable.
jeannespines
15 years ago
I "luv" how your fairy houses always look so "natural"...love the materials you gather and use...this is really, really unique! (the awning fungus is great!)

I do not think you even need to build furniture or such for the inside...it is so beautiful on the outside...can you bring that "in?" As far as faieries (which I know little about)...how 'bout using just beautiful fairy butterflies!! How big is the house? Ok, I'm rattling when you didn't even ask! Anyway, luvstoclick, I enjoy lookin' at your detailed, time-consuming work...this is wonderful! Jeanne S.
luvs2click
Original Author
15 years ago
The house is about 16" tall and the base measures 23" X 15". It's pretty big compared to most I've made. I don't know much about fairies either, except that there are a lot of people that believe in them - so I decided to capitalize on that! (my bad) This and most of my other fairy houses are for inside or a covered porch because of using the dried materials on them. This one is covered with wallpaper. After I ripped off the porch and other gingerbread trim (too frufru for me) there were a lot of little holes left - the wallpaper worked great to cover them. Also, at past shows, I have had people want them for their children with working doors, etc. So hopefully this will go to some little girl (or big girl) with a big imagination. I'm not going to do a lot of detail inside, but do want to furnish it a little, so the recipient will have things to "play" with and move around. The watering can, tools and basket on the front porch are not attached either, so they can be moved around. I have a twig chair and bench I will include, and a slab of wood for a table top. I want to build a bed and possibly a bath tub (using a seashell). I'm having too much fun to quit now! I have no idea what to charge for something like this.....

If you'd like to see some of the other stuff I've been working on, click the link below.
Arlene

Here is a link that might be useful: My flickr photo site
leveta
15 years ago
That is TOOOO cute for words....
debby_md_z7
15 years ago
NICE

debby
laurastheme
15 years ago
This is awesome!! You have such a great imagination.
Barbara Kelly
15 years ago
Awsome, thats darling, and very creative. Great, now I have to look for little doll houses too, to add to my garden.. Always something with you people..lol
concretenprimroses
15 years ago
Arlene, I want to live there too! There is such a lovely magic but homey feeling about it.
I had fun looking at your other things again too.
kathy
luvstocraft
15 years ago
I thought it was a darling little house before you did a thing to it--then I saw the after pic and realized you had made it so adorable. Love all the detail you put into it, you did a fantastic job. Luvs
dkline_2008
15 years ago
That is awesome!! I love it. I am thinking of making a fairy garden this summer. Now I will be looking for a doll house to transform. You did a wonderful job!
Deb
msjay2u
15 years ago
okay check this out. If I would have brought that house I would have thought of putting the bark on the roof. That's a given. I would not have taken all that gingerbread trim off the original though. My imagination does not run that far. You clearly did a great thing by removing . I had to keep going back and forth because my eyes did not believe these were the same house at first.

YOU ROCK!!!
Kathryn Botard
15 years ago
wow, how'd you do that? It's stunning!
goldenpond
15 years ago
HOLY Faerie Dust!
That is a home fit for the Queen of Faeries!!!!!!
jitterbug4756
15 years ago
WOW... amazing job. You are one talented lady.You're right goldenpond, it is truely a home for Queen of Faeries.
cindee11461
15 years ago
Totally awesome!!!! I love all your beautiful houses!!!!
kudzukween
15 years ago
I love it! Every time we go to Hobby Lobby, my husband has to walk us over to the dollhouse kits and furniture,lol. He wants to put together one of those dollhouse kits so bad! I think the kits are almost $200 for the ones he drools on :D
I just love the way you used natural materials, and the vine and flowers look perfect..
Kudzu

My project for today

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My project for today

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