Faux Stain Glass Using Paintable Clings

I found these paintable clings made by Martha Stewart in the clearance aisle at Michaels. I used Sharpie Markers instead of paint because I was impatient and wanted to see the results more quickly. Twenty clings came in the kit and they have a raised edge like lead. I plan to use them on the front and balcony doors. I have not trimmed them yet just placed them to get an idea of how they will look.

I need to cut a piece of acrylic to fit the front door, so I have a piece of plastic temporary in place.

I don't like how they interfere with looking inside the regular windows, except the bathroom. 

From Suction Cup to Ceiling Light

I wanted to try to make customized ceiling lights for the bedroom. I bought the bare bulbs that come two in a pack from Hobby Lobby $3.99 and then I started looking for things that might work in the store. I found these suction cups in a pack of 24 and they come in various sizes for $3.99.

I removed the wire hook and used my mini drill to punch a hole in the top and removed the plug from the light and inserted the cord in through the hole. 

You could draw a design with sharpies to create the look of stain glass on the bare suction cup or cover with paper/fabric. I wanted to tie the light into the decor of the room and look more victorian. I was watching one of my favorite movies, "My Fair Lady" and the wonderful hats and flowers, so it may be a little over the top:) I used a circle template to create a cone big enough to match the diameter of the suction cup which is going to become the light's shade.

I covered the suction cup with scrap paper and paper flowers and glued on some trim/fringe. 

I covered the cord later to look more finished

Interior Lights Are On In The Painted Lady

I have installed all the interior lights except a few in the basement that cannot be seen from the outside.

Candy Corn Punch!

Candy corns are my life-long favorite Halloween candy, but I do eat them year round:) Beverly who makes the amazing food at CuteinMiniature created this beautiful beverage set I'm going to use for the kid's Halloween party. I know it will be a hit with the kids and adults too. I wish I could taste a sip, it looks delicious!

Not So Scary Halloween Party

CuteinMiniature has done it again! When I saw these mini creations, I just knew I had to create a kid's Halloween party. I never went out trick-o-treating as a child and I have always wanted to host a Halloween party. I'm not a fan of horror movies or anything too gruesome but I like to dress in costumes and eat candy. So the Mid-town Bungalow Dollhouse is going to be the host spot for the neighborhood kids party and with that great porch...this is going to be so cool! So many ideas in my head, I hope I can get it done before Halloween:0

Painted Lady Basement Layout

I added the basement because I wanted to give it the profile of the row houses in San Francisco. I'd been saving the steps from the La Chateau Dollhouse kit and really wanted a project to make good use of them. The height of the steps determined the height of the basement ceiling. I really like this image of a miniature bathroom I found on Pinterest which lead me to a wonderful blog. I used it as my inspiration for the small powder room and staircase in the basement.

I like a mix of real and fantasy in my dollhouse. It bothered me that you would have to go though the entire house, especially as a guest to the top floor to use the bathroom. I originally planned to add stairs leading down from the main floor to the basement, but it was too congested on the main floor to add the hole for the stairs. So I'm creating two faux doors on the walls of the living room and dinning room that suggest how you access the basement. Then I added a set of stairs to nowhere that would in real life lead to the main floor. I moved the kitchen down stairs, added an exterior door and pantry. The brown wall is temporary until I can cut permanent one and attached it to the stairs. This will create a utility room underneath the stairs.

The bathroom is a there-sided box pushed flush against the left wall to keep it removable.

I going to attach the stairs to the right wall to create a removable  unit.

At the rear of the room is a door that leads to the empty space behind the bathroom and creates another room.

We'll Leave the Lights On for Ya

I have begun to run my hybrid tape and round wire system for the lights. Only the porches lights are connected right now. When I stepped back to look at them it reminded me of the Motel 6 commercial and I decided to make a quick post.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!!!

"Wind's in the east, mist comin' in, like something is brewin'... about to begin. Can't put my finger on what lies in store. But I feel what's to happen, all happened before "

Have you ever wondered where Mary Poppins went after she left Jane and Michael Banks' house on the west winds? Well...I happen to know that she is on her way to live with Charlotte and Christopher in the my "Painted Lady" at 40 Birch Tree Lane!

Mary Poppins is my favorite childhood (and adulthood) movie. I didn't know it at the time but its Debbie Dixon-Paver's favorite movie too! We've both seen the stage production and own Mary Poppins souvenirs. I bought a miniature parrot umbrella and just out of curiosity asked her if she had ever made a Mary Poppins doll and as luck would have it, she was in the process of making one on her worktable! The doll became my motivation for cutting a hole in the roof of the Painted Lady, after all its Mary Poppins for goodness sakes. I was too excited to wait on her to arrive to share my news, so I'm posting pictures from Debbie until she "blows" in.