Wednesday 6 January 2016

WOYWW #344

Ah, the pure bliss of getting back to normality with a weekly peruse of desks, hosted by the ever multi-talented Ms Julia at The Stamping Ground.
I'll quickly get to my desk before a quick round-up of the seasons events...
I shall be number... 47 for this weeks "What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday?"
My desk - as of the very early hours of Wednesday - is actually organised. It's still a mess - but it's an organised mess :)
After finishing the floor of the dolls house kitchen (made with card... I am forever the paper crafter at heart), I decided to make a start on the walls - high wooden tongue-in-groove type walls with a whitewashed top half (or quarter... whatever it turns out to be). The pine had to go - I just wood-dyed everything in a dark oak. The wall panelling is made from lolly sticks - though between me and Ms Lizzie, I think we've bought up all popsicle sticks in Southampton - there seems to be a shortage!
 Originally, this wood was going to be the flooring - but seeing as I didn't have enough lolly sticks to do a whole floor, I changed my mind :) I will have lots of utensils hanging off the narrow shelf, and hopefully, a mish-mash of plates and crockery too. Even the poor stove didn't get away with being left as is... I tore off the backing shelf and the stove pipe to be replaced with a longer pipe straight to the ceiling - the plan is that the fixings to the ceiling will be made from buttons from my stash.
 
Behind the oven, a 'tiled' background - with wood surround - those are leftovers from my 1:24th scale house build - waste not, want not!
And so onto the past few weeks...
A busy Christmas season last year, with my  oven conking out on me Christmas Day, with a final flourish of "Nah, can't be bothered" kaputedness on Boxing Day... I had a meal to cook for 11 on the first day, and 7 on the following. I then had my grandchildren visit on the 27th with my mum-in-law and brother-in-law... What a mess! But I did it - I succeeded without my oven.
My son named me "The Shaven Grinch" (which makes a change from Alzheimer's McGee I suppose)... Why? ... you may ask. Well the tradition in my home is that the Christmas tree goes up on the 1st of November... and it is down by 26th December. Come Christmas Day evening, those decorations came down quicker than My Aunt at the Boxing Day Sales. My son was spending Christmas with us, and he had a little nap early evening... when he went to bed the tree was up, two hours later, my son woke up and the house was back to normal with no signs of Christmas anywhere. "You stole Christmas, Mum!" my son cried - and then came up with the new nickname. Apparently nobody can destroy Christmas as quickly as me - though my oven did try :D
 
My new cooker was installed on Sunday with an impromptu roast at 7.30pm to celebrate being able to cook again :)
 
Apart from that, I have done very little - apart from think a lot about the dolls house. What I am enjoying more than anything right now, is using paper-crafting to make a lot of the little things - like rusty enamel jugs, books and furniture.
 ... and those floor tiles for the dolls house kitchen, of course :)
 
 

15 comments:

Giac said...

Hello Shaven Grinch,
I am sorry you had so much trouble over the holidays...but you got through it. the kitchen is looking fantastic and I love the stone floor. Great work!
Big hug
Giac

Zsuzsa Karoly-Smith said...

I thought that was your real floor! Amazing bits of miniature furniture and accessories! I especially like the old books! If you hadn't put the penny there for size reference - I would have thought they are real! That will be one heck of a doll's house when finished! Make sure you come back and post! Would hate to miss it! Happy WOYWW! zsuzsa #39

CraftygasheadZo said...

Wow your dolls house is going to look amazing. Glad you coped without the oven and I had a chuckle over you stealing Christmas!! Take care Zo xx 42

Barb said...

Wow you dolls house is amazing. I don't think I've ever seen such beautiful work. I also thought the floor was real.

Well it sounds as if you managed really well without an oven. I had a glitch with my Christmas dinner although it was just the two of us and one friend.

My new oven cooks quicker than the old one plus I'd put it 20 degrees higher by mistake. The goose was already cooked an hour ahead of time so - I poured a big g&t for myself wrapped the steaming bird in loads of foil and rested him then turned everything else up higher and put the veggies on the stove. Mine turned out ok too. phew! The g&t helped I'm sure. Have a very happy 2016. Barbxx #28

Sue Jones said...

What beautiful, amazing work! I had a cooker die on Christmas day - twice ( about 10 years apart- but I couldn't believe it!) Thankfully at the time , I had family close by to cook my turkey etc. I now have all sorts of "back up" appliances - just in case!
Happy New Year! and thank you for the visit earlier xxSue 16

misteejay said...

Things are really coming together for your beautiful dolls house. The pieces for the kitchen are fabulous.
Toni xx

PaperOcotilloStudio said...

Oh such amazing patience to make the tiny things for the doll house. I applaud you even if you are apparently a grinch..haha. It seems with appliances and cars..they want to act up at the worst of times. Glad you made it through. Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier :) Shel/PaperOcotilloStudio #14

Tilly Tea Dance said...

All of your dolls house things are TOTALLY wonderful. I find I'm at my most happiest working in miniature with my needle-felting and I'm sure this is because I used to make tiny things like books, food and clothes for my sylvanian families as a youngster. Thanks for sharing, this has really made me smile. Happy crafting, Max #46 :-)

Sharon said...

I like the furniture. Very detailed.

pearshapedcrafting said...

I love your dolls house - must be fun decorating! I am a late Christmas decorator - always after my birthday on the 12th of December...usually in Christmas week..but nothing comes down until 12th night so they are all away now! I did get my camera but nothing crafty! The clothing dept was very obliging in taking my money from me though! Chrisx #38

Sandra said...

Oh my gosh, so gorgeous. I'm hoping to get my dolls house started this year

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

Wow! My girls had a doll house when they were little, but it wasn't anywhere near as detailed as yours. I can't imagine being without an oven on Christmas day, so I feel for you. I laughed at your son's remark after you "stole Christmas." Thanks for your visit and happy WOYWW!

Stacy Sheldon said...

the attention to details in your house is so cool :)
and I am grinning because, this is the first time I have made it to the 12th day of Christmas with my tree still up. ( I almost always took it all down on New years Day)

but, truth be told I believe its going to stay up until next weekend. :)
thanks for the earlier visit,
~Stacy #55

Robyn Oliver said...

What incredible, intricate work...love the dolls house pieces. Seems like you're all on top of everything if you can manage Christmas plus more meals with no oven..well done, have a great week and thanks for visiting RobynO#21

Marit said...

Oh my goodness... I'm stunned by your talent, look at all those little objects... and the 'tiles' with the windmills (and even the furniture and all) look like it comes from an old Dutch house, love it! Happy (belated) woyww, have a great weekend. Love from the Netherlands, Marit #29 P.S. I'm so in ooh and awe that I almost forget to wish you a Happy New Year!!!