1/2" Scale Victorian

The very last thing I need right now is another project, but I came across this 1/2" scale Victorian house the other day at an antique mall and like Ado Annie in the musical Oklahoma, I couldn't say no.  They were practically giving it away.  I asked if the price tag was correct. 

 The colors are a little bold for me.  The first order of business will be to tone down the red roof and probably select a more suitable color palette for the exterior instead of the stark white.  I think I can turn this into a true Victorian Painted Lady!

 The interior is pretty much a clean slate.  The previous owner had started wiring it with copper tape.  I had seen 1/2" scale projects here and there but had not really paid much attention to them.  I had no idea there were so many components for this scale on the market.

 The package came with so many little things - doors, door hardware, wood flooring, wallpaper, and a stair kit with railings.

 It also has interior walls that can be placed and a wiring kit.  There were also a few furniture kits tucked inside.

The other pieces that caught my eye in the bag of goodies that came with this, are some pretty great fireplaces, a canopy crib, and a Bespaq plant stand and an ornate carved piece of wood - possibly a cornice piece for window coverings or over a door.  I had never really thought about tackling a 1/2" scale project, other than my antique pieces.  Maybe I can use it for my Tootsie Toy collection?  

Getty Museum - oui!

 I have not had a chance to work on miniatures in quite a while, but I have been able to get in a little "research" while on the road.  My wife and kids and I, just finished a multi-state road trip before the start of school last week.  My wife and I were able to visit the Getty museum just outside of Los Angeles.  It was truly amazing and it was free!

This French room dates from the mid 1700's and was taken apart, numbered and installed in the French wing.  The floors, wall panels, and ceiling were beautiful - and yes, so was the chandelier and the period furniture.

 This French room had a chandelier that dates from the early 1800's.  The inspiration for the light was a hot air balloon and the crystal bowl on the lower section was designed to hold live gold fish!

 My wife and I joked about which bed we should buy for our home back in Oklahoma.  This pink room also had some great asymmetrical wall sconces dating from the mid 1700's.

 We settled on the blue bedroom set from the 1780's.  Complete with ostrich plumes.  It reminded me a bit of the Queen's bedroom in the Queen Mary's Dollhouse.  I also liked the woodwork that housed the curtains in the room.  They let the furniture take center stage.

For those of you who are not familiar with the museum, I found this photo online.  It is a great piece of modern architecture atop a hill, overlooking Hollywood and Los Angeles.  Visitors park below ground in a parking structure and take a tram ride up the hill to the museum complex.  Each building houses different periods of art.

 This was me next to a piece of modern art with the main courtyard in the background.

There was a model of the museum for the blind there.  It was pretty impressive.  It was constructed of sturdy metal so that one could feel the architecture of the museum and get a little taste of what they may not be able to see.  If you look close you can see braille on the buildings.