Kitchen and basement update

Before the summer I added a couple of things in the kitchen and scullery but didn't get around to putting the photos on here.
This little housekeeper's desk and chair are barewood ones stained and waxed.

A few accessories added.

The little shelf unit above the desk with keyrack. I need to add a few more little bits to this. I'm hoping to find some things which might be suitable at Pudsey Fair next week.

 

In the scullery the meat safe now has some provisions!

 

 

A few little additions in the bedroom.

It has been awhile since I've been here and updated having spent much of my spare time over the summer months busy in the garden. Now Autumn is very much upon us and the days are shorter and colder, it's not quite as pleasant being out there so the minis and blogs are getting some attention.
Here are a few little things I've been up to.

In the bedroom the lady's dressing table has had a few accessories added.
The photo is my Mum when she was three years old.
Whoops I should have dusted before I took this photo....!
 

This next photos shows the fireplace with a beautiful clock from Halls Clocks and two tiny painted figurines,

It took ages to get the clock central and then I don't know if it still is at that in this photo! Difficult when you're fiddling about adding things when the fireplace is already glued in position.

A little more centrally placed on this shot I think!

Bedroom Doors

Having shown you the bed linen it reminded me that I haven't really talked about the lady's bedroom...

This room is on the right hand side of the house, above the parlour and adjacent to the bathroom with a door leading into that.

Because I have taken out the stairs to make the bathroom and taken away the landing, I felt I needed to add another door leading out onto an imaginary landing as I have done in the study, to give a more realistic feel to the room.

The additional door is the one at the back of the room. I've left it ajar and fixed a light behind it so that it looks like it's leading somewhere...

A little project - a lot of time!

It always amazes me just how the time passes so quickly when making miniatures...I certainly would never make a living from it at the speed I go as I love trying to get things as neat and realistic as I possibly can and that can't be rushed as far as I'm concerned anyway. That's the joy of this hobby to me though.....

Here is yesterday's 'make' - a lady's nightdress case. Now there's a thing you don't see often these days...

A 'onesie case' doesn't quite have the same ring to it does it?

Bed linens...

I've really got back into my mini work again in this last few weeks and I keep seeing lots of things that need doing in this house still. I know I'm jumping about from room to room too so forgive me for that! 

I will sometimes be looking for something and I'll come across an item that I've not used yet which sends me off on a tangent and so the creativity continues....

Over this weekend I made some bed linen.

Bolster and bottom sheet

Pillowcases edged in lace

Top sheet

I made all these from one of my dear Dad's handkerchiefs of pure cotton....

Next I made the top cover. This is a lovely cotton fabric which has a satin look to it because of the pattern - really pretty. 

I wanted something feminine without going down the 'over frilled and lacy'

route so opted for this colour which picks out the floral tones in the wallpaper.

I think my late Victorian mini people would be appalled at seeing the cat on there - all those germs!

!

Furnishing the attic landing

After thinking for awhile I've finally got a few things gathered together to furnish this space. Again, because of the sloping ceiling it was a challenge finding items to fit but this little dresser sits snugly at the side of the maids bedroom door.

This is how it started out.

I stained it in a light pine colour and filled it with a few bits and pieces, linens etc.

As you can see it fits the space quite well

At the  front part of the landing I've made a sewing area.

 My children bought me the Bodo Henig sewing machine quite some time ago so it's nice to be able to have it displayed here as it's a lovely miniature. The handle turns and the needle actually goes up and down! 

The trunk in this photo needs a little work as it's only had a coat of paint up to now.

 ...so that's the progress so far here at the top of the house. I still have a few more things to add but I think it's beginning to take shape - it's certainly looking better than it was before....

Onwards and upwards!

To the attic landing!

Now this has long been waiting to be furnished - but with what..? Just what do you use a landing for...? Well in a dollshouse it's another room really....Another area to fill! I must admit though, to feeling quite confused as to what to put into  this space and what it's real use would have been in a real house in the late Victorian/early Edwardian period....

Here is the space. Now it's just a question of having a think......

A few more photos

Onto the bathroom furnishings

As bathrooms in Victorian houses were more or less treated like any other room in the house - cluttered and overfilled,  I was quite looking forward to choosing what to put in there. So with the extra few inches I had gleaned from the makeover, I set upon looking....

The suite I already had which was made by Bodo Henig. I fell in love with this little piece quite soon after I had bought Jubilee.

I love the shaped splash back on the washbasin and the flower detailing on it is very pretty. It's really well made and quite heavy too. The little taps even turn!

The bath has a rolled edge and claw feet, an overflow and like the basin a plug complete with chain....

The pipes and taps are moveable so the bath can be positioned against a wall or in the centre of the room.

Finally the little loo...

The high cistern toilet again is very realistic with a real wooden seat.

I may just paint the pull handle I think...

With my extra space I was able to have a cupboard. I added lace edging to the shelves and dressed it with 'linens' and various toiletries made from beads. Though one is made from a plug taken from a light fitting!

I also have room for a chair now aswell

I've added a wall shelf with a few little accessories on, some again made from beads.

Not forgetting the towel rail, toilet roll holder and plunger!

I'm about finished in here now apart from maybe a picture or two on the walls and a radiator...and I'm also toying with the idea of perhaps putting in a small table with a lamp on..

Lighting the bathroom

I did some research on Victorian bathrooms with regards to lighting and from the images I found it looked as if most of them used to be wall lights which were often set at either side of a mirror.

I decided this might be an attractive feature on the back wall in the alcove under the 'stairs'.

Getting them in position was a job and half, making sure they were level and equidistant. I hope they stay put as wall lights are notorious for not sticking - I did use extra glue so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I just need to connect them up now, I think that will be a comparatively easy task.....(famous last words.....😊)

The start of the new bathroom

I began by replacing the floor and ceiling. I'd forgotten that I'd put a false wall in the back of the room in an attempt to cover up the floor and ceiling holes left from this originally being a landing area so that was removed too. Doing that has given me extra inches! Very important!

Next the old wallpaper had to come off...and then I rebuilt the 'mock staircase' shaped piece to give the illusion of stairs behind this room.

This is how it looked at this stage..

Next I filled in all the gaps and gave it all a coat of emulsion....(forgot to take a photo of that)

Wallpapering proved abit of a challenge because of the awkward shape but I managed by making paper templates of all the walls first.