Glitter Houses 2017

This is the design that I came up with a design for our glitter house get-together this year with the family.

I put the design in AutoCAD and optimized it to fit as many pieces as I could on a sheet.

The over several days, cut out the pieces with a sharp xacto knife and assembles kits.

Here are the door and window frames waiting to be cut out

 We invited the family over to have treats and assemble the houses!

Our first step and the hardest decision was to choose a color scheme. The next step was to fold the roof pieces and paint them.  Then we painted and folded the walls and window trim pieces and glued them together with craft glue.  It was neat to see everyone's personality come through in their design.

After the houses were dry, we coated with watered down glue and glitter, then glued to a base and added bottle brush trees and decorations.

To see the glitter houses at our last get-together and more thorough tutorial, click HERE

Christmas Village 2017

We put out Christmas Village up this past weekend.  Each year things go a little different and this year was no exception.  We got a new couch this year and it is not the same shape as our last one, and not quite as large.  

  

 The village went up mostly the same as in previous years and here is finished version.

Here is the "before" shot of our living room

Here is an in-between shot after gathering all of the buildings out of their boxes.

As in previous years, I built a platform from empty plastic tubs and placed a piece of plywood on top for stability.  The new couch is not as large as our old one but it still worked out just fine.

I like to use the styrofoam inserts the come in the boxes of the village pieces to add height and variety to the landscape.  I had to re-cut the big piece of foam core that I use on the lower level since the old piece fit around the curved section of our old sofa.

To see complete instructions on how I set up the village, click the links below:

To see the previous year's village set up, click HERE

To see how I set up the village, click HERE

Probably the biggest change in the village this year was the Angel Moroni statue on top of one of the larger churches.  

Quick Strombecker Repair

I picked up a old wooden kitchen stool at an estate sale.  

I assume that the stool is probably Strombecker brand.  

The stool is missing some paint and one of it's legs. 

I picked up a wooden dowel at a local hobby store and cut it to the proper length.

I removed one of the existing legs to get the exact length.

After some light sanding, the stool was ready to paint.  

I had a container of paint that looked close to the same color.

Time for some glue.

After I applied a little of the paint, I knew from experience that this was not going to be quite the same color or sheen.

No, thats not a fried egg, its me adding a little bit of yellow paint to the mix.  I also added some varnish to give the paint a little gloss like the original.

 

I had quite a bit of paint left over, so I looked through my box of projects and found this Strombecker sink that I have had for a while and gave it a fresh coat of paint with the remainder.

Strombecker came in different scales and finishes.  To see my collections, click the links below:

Strombecker-walnut-1inch-scale

Strombecker-1-inch-collection

My 3/4" Strombecker collection can be seen here:

3/4" Strombecker collection 

My Sonia Messer Blockhouse Collection

In Dian Zillner's book, she says, "It is hard to believe a dollhouse furniture line could continue to be sold over 50 years.  That is the case with the 1" to one foot furniture know as Lynnfield, them H.M Miniatures, later Andi Imports, and finally Sonia Messer.  Throughout most of these years, the furniture was markets by Block House Inc."
The company started in the 1930's by Chester H Waite in Lynnfield Massachusetts and after changing names and owners stopped production in the early 1980's.

I have posted pictures of the Sonia Messer Pieces in my collection below:

Empire Vanity Bench c. 1970's

Empire twin bed c.1960's

Queen Anne Chaise Lounge c. 1970's

Empire vanity with mirror c. 1950's

Federal Breakfront c. 1950's

Federal Secretary c. 1950's

Chippendale Rocker c. 1970's

Queen Anne Footstool c.1970's

Queen Anne Wingback Chair c.1970's

Queen Anne Low Back Chair c. 1970's

Queen Anne Sofa c. 1970's

Queen Anne Corner Chairs c. 1970's

Duncan Phyfe Corner Cabinet c. 1940's

Queen Anne Half Round Table c. 1970's

Queen Anne Chair c. 1970's

Empire Dresser c.1960's

Empire Dresser c. 1960's

Empire Nightstand c. 1970's

Queen Anne End Tables and Coffee Table c. 1970's

Duncan Phyfe Dining Table c. 1950's

Duncan Phyfe Dining Room Chairs c. 1950's

Empire chairs c. 1960's

Queen Anne Bedroom or Library Steps c. 1980's

Serving Tray c 1980's

Wood Trunk c. 1970's

Queen Anne English Deluxe Love Seat c. 1970's

Queen Anne English Deluxe High Back Chair c. 1970's

Queen Anne English Deluxe Bookcase c. 1980's

Queen Anne English Deluxe China Cabinet c. 1980's

Queen Anne English Deluxe Chest of Drawers c. 1980's