Very Bad Habits

You're all familiar with the Building Inspector.  My adorable little calico Tali Zorah Vas'Normandy.

You've all seen pictures of her doing Things She Should Not.  I give you Exhibit A

By the way she was up there again last night when I got out of the shower.

Tali is older than Jack by a couple of years at least.  But Jack doesn't let that deter him from spending time with her.  He thinks she is very cool.

This can be a double edged sword.  She teaches him to hunt bugs and look out the windows and cuddle on the couch and chair. 

She's also (apparently) been teaching him some bad habits.

I was already at work this morning when I got a series of slightly blurry photos from my husband, taken on his phone.  The only explanation I got via text was 'Someone's been teaching him bad habits'.

You be the judge.

Here he's clearly trying to figure out how he's supposed to get to the roof of NOLA House.

And the retreat when he gets caught by my husband.

So.  I now have the Building Inspector and her Apprentice/assistant.

Thank God I've managed to make most of the builds enclosed so they can't crawl inside.

A Better Pictoral Review and Sources

Thanks to all of you who were so supportive with your comments and helping me figure out what to do with this house.

I took the house outside and took a few pictures.

Mr. Twitchy Tail the taunting squirrel is from tmd_art on Ebay.  The cardinal is from Hannah at Once Upon A Time Miniatures on Etsy. I made the birdfeeder out of a pencap and button with ground up pepper and sand as the seed.  As a cat owner/slave I've learned the value of visual catnip/entertainment for the resident felines.

And the robin came from Hannah as well.  I made the hyacinths with cotton swab heads drilled out so the wire stems would fit and used snipped embroidery thread for the blooms.  Since hyacinth stalks are thicker I used some of my black wire and wrapped it in florist tape.  The leaves are backed with the paper covered wire Keli sent me last year.

Here's the side of the house, with its scraggly grass, pretty bushes and flowers.  I made the rosebushes and sunflowers.  The bushes are some of the little squeeze me bushes from Miniatures.com.

I made the lobelia and tulips and the leaves of the to be iris in the back with paper, wire and reindeer moss.  I got the idea for the lobelia from a kit I saw on Etsy in The Miniature Garden and thought I could reproduce on my own since I didn't have time for the kit to arrive if I ordered it.

I got twigs from my front yard which has so many oak trees I have to look out the window to count them.  I made the lobelia and tulips.  The birdbath came from April Wright Pottery on Etsy and I can so tell that I'm going to have a shopping problem in her shop.  So many pretties!  But I fell in love with the blue and thought it echoed the house beautifully.

All of the dirt is three parts glue, one part coffee and spread over the base and some balsa to give it depth.  I mentioned that I made the flowers removable so that the Building Inspector couldn't steal them.  They'll live in a box inside the house when it's not being photographed.

Quinn came from the incomparable Maya Schippl and looks so much like my Quinn cat that I couldn't resist her.  Quinn loved my husband and was the most inquisitive cat I've met.  She would actually run into the room to see him if he started yelling at the TV.  Football season was her favorite because her Daddy was so much fun then.

You all suffered through making the columns and porch along with me.  But I got the porch light from Mainly Minis on Ebay. I can't remember where I got the cat welcome mat, it might have been Miniatures.com.  I made the Adirondack chair out of popsicle sticks with a tutorial I found on Pinterest.  The mailbox came off the Beach Bungalow and I got the door handle and knocker off of Ebay.

When we open the front door almost the first thing we see is the kitchen island.  The dishes and vase are from Jodi's Shapeways Shop.  The island and stools came from Miniatures.com but I replaced the brass knobs with bronze ones to match the rest of the kitchen.  The phone came from Etsy in a set of three that I bought for the NOLA House last year.  But I can't remember where I got it.

The keys came from Whimsy Cottage Minis and I stalked her store until a keychain became available because I saw one in someone else's blog and loved it so much.  I wish I could remember where.

I made the sunflowers myself, my first paper flowers ever.  The dark seeds in the middle are actually coffee and glue.

Let's shut the door behind us so we don't let the chilly spring air in.

The name of the kit really inspired the whole look of the house and the door did the rest.  I had to reframe all the windows and the door inside and out but it was worth it to get a good cohesive look.  I added mullions to all the windows to give them the Craftsman style as well.  I didn't want to do any fancy window treatments because they'd hide all the trim I worked so hard on.  Brae suggested I make some blinds and it was a great idea.  The blinds are textured scrap book paper rolled over toothpicks.

I stained all the wood cherry or red oak or a combination of both just so that everything would end up similar shades.  All the wood is different but the same stain gives it some variation and unity at the same time.

The boots, and garbage can came from Dollhouses and More on Ebay.  I added a little plastic 'garbage bag' to the inside.  The heels are from YinYingO on Etsy. And the sweater coat is from SusanKlein, also on Etsy.  The backpack is from AudreSatelier on Ebay and I'm amazed at how detailed the work is.  The green vase/bowl is from SinnysMiniArt.  They're having a sale now by the way.

I made the coat rack, the beige suede jacket and the mittens, hat and scarf.  The hat is just the tip of a knit glove cut off and glued to keep it from unraveling.  Same for the scarf.  The mittens have a cardboard backing for shape since they're so small.

Pictures of the kitchen weren't going to be easy, even with the removable bathroom, so I made sure I could remove the picture window to get my shots.  Though having the bathroom be removable made it much easier to work on and when I did need to work on the kitchen that was a lot easier as well.

The kitchen is also handmade, with a bunch of Houseworks cabinets and some trim on the uppers to class them up.  The stove has a light in the vent hood so you can see what you're cooking.  The backsplash is made from ceramic beads and the countertop is a sample piece of vinyl tile.  I wanted a neutral so the backsplash, fridge and stove could really pop.  I made the overhead light fixture so I could have something Craftsman but slightly different from the lamps and wall sconces and bathroom lights.

I did the crown moldings from scratch as well, several pieces of wood stacked against corner trim to look like Craftsman crown molding.  And the ceiling is a plaster paper with a slight beige tint for some warmth.  Stark white doesn't lend itself well to Craftsman houses, they're usually wood and earth tones.  So I think I've succeeded there.

Uh oh, looks like someone is trying to get at the sunflowers.  Quinn, get down from the table.

The stove is from Minimum World.  They're having a clearance sale!  The fridge is a Houseworks kit too, I didn't use the hinges and sanded down the corners and edges to give it a retro look.  All the handles, knobs and pulls are from Dollhouses and More because they had that bronze finish in a bunch of different pieces, including the now hidden hooks on the hall tree.

The canisters are from Miniatures.com and the breadbox is from Pei Li's Miniatures/ miniaturepatisserie on Etsy.  I've had the desk chair for a long time, and I know I got it from Etsy but I can't remember where from.  (Ha Found it! It's Mini Models) But that's one of Anita's cushions padding the seat.  I have a serious shopping problem in her store too.  She's having a sale too guys, and some new furniture coming out soon so keep an eye out.

A lot of the things on the countertops are glued in place because I didn't want to lose anything.  The trivet came from  D's Miniatures and Collectibles and the utensil rack is from Kerbey Lane Miniatures.    That's also where I got the dishsoap near the sink.  I've had the cookie jar forever, since I did a dollhouse with my grandmother and it fits in perfectly here.

I made the wine rack with a couple of crate dividers from D's Miniatures and Collectibles and that's also where the wine wall art came from.  I used a Houseworks upper cabinet and cut it down to fit the dividers then added trim and a wine glass holder underneath it.  The wine mostly came from Miniatures.com and the wineglasses are Chrysnbon.  

The daffodils were a gift from Bee Tree Miniatures and I love how they fit on the window ledge.

A view of the fireplace wall.  Seeing this on the inside of the house is only an option if I take a picture through the window.  I'm still glad I did it though.  When I look in the windows it looks like a real house to me, three dimensional, complete with crown moldings and trim on the loft.

I built the fireplace and all the built in shelves around it from scratch.  I did a post about where I got  most of the décor on the fireplace here.  But the matches in their adorable box by the wood cubby are new.  I got them off of Etsy from Miniature Cabin Décor and they're perfect.  The painting is from Megan Balli and I love the soft colors.

Isabella is lounging by the fireplace with her duckie toy, enjoying the warmth.  She's a Ragdoll kitty from Maya Schippl and of the two cats in the house she's more well behaved, for a given value of behaved.  She likes to steal your seat because you've warmed it up nicely for her.

A bowl of gumdrops, bowl from one of the online miniature shows, I think this was a yard sale type of one? And the gumdrops are from Blake's shop on Etsy.  He had these awesome grab bags and I got lots of candy.  The only drawback is it all looks so real I get hungry staring at it.  The side table is from Miniatures.com.

I made the chairs from one of Kris's kits and I'm really pleased with how they turned out.

I made the sliding barn door to the bathroom out of a narrow door from Houseworks taken out of its frame, scrap wood and Lego wheels.  I had to redo it twice to make it work right.

The pillows on the chairs that match on the window seat are from Brae's shop, and the knit pillows and polka dots are from Anita as is the throw over the back of the chair.  Someone's obviously been jumping around because the pillows are all messed up.  Quinn, I'm looking at you.

Isabella swiped Quinn's spot on the window seat but Quinn has her duckie toy.

I bought three lamps in the Craftsman style and took them apart to make the sconces and entryway ceiling fixture.  Some wood beads give them a more polished finish against the wall and ceiling.

The window seat is mostly from scratch. I got a couple of Houseworks cabinet hutches and microwaved them to take the bottoms off then used the upper cabinets to start off the window seat shelves.  I made the seat cushion and the stereo speakers.  The record player is from Tomy and I got it off Ebay.

All of the records are from Martins Mini Mart and they feature mostly eighties artists and every David Bowie album. Because David Bowie.

The lipstick and mascara are from ViliaMiniature the toothbrush and toothpaste are off of Ebay and the glass jars are from SinnysMiniArt.

All the towel holders, shower hooks, faucet, showerhead and sink are from Jodi's Shapeways shop.  I highly recommend!  Marion's Shapeways shop is another place I can't stay away from, all the lightswitches in the house are from her shop.  She's also the one I got the wall toilet from.

The sink base is a Houseworks cabinet again, adjusted slightly to accommodate the width of the sink.  The shampoo and conditioner bottles are from ScottsMiniatures and I made the loofah, washcloth and towels.

I made the shower curtain out of some plastic and a flat iron to give it realistic creases and crumples.  The tub is from Miniatures.com and so are the lights.  The wood look tile is a flooring sample cut into strips.  The striped rug is from Manor House Miniatures.  I have one in the entryway as well though its not as easy to see.

A pull down ladder leads up to the loft and when you use it you need to move the chairs out of the way a bit.  But that's okay, the chairs aren't heavy and the ladder is easy to use. Just pull on the cord towards the fireplace wall and let it unfold as it comes down.  Brace it well against the lip of the loft and the floor before you climb up.

Another Craftsman style lamp, this time with blue on the shade for a relaxing feeling before bed.  I made the bureau, murphy bed and ladder.  The bureau is a House of Miniatures kit with ebony stain and glass beads for drawer pulls.  The nail polish is from ViliaMiniature and the watch is from SinnysMiniArt.   I made the Converse high tops from Pepper's tutorial and printies and the purse is from AudreSatelier.

The bedding cabinet is another hutch I microwaved to take the upper shelves off and then finished with paint, new knobs and casters to make it moveable.  That's a feature all of the furniture in the loft share with the exception of the murphy bed which is fastened to the wall.  Safety first after all.

The clothing rack is made from some wood lengths and brass tubing.  All the hangers and clothing are of my own manufacturing but the two sweaters are from Dragonfly Knit Designs.   One of them is hanging up and the other is thrown over the cabinet where the pillows and extra blanket are kept when the murphy bed is closed.

The pillows Isabella is so happy to lounge against are from Brae's shop.  I made the bedding out of some fabric I got at Hobby Lobby

The window shelf so enjoyed by Quinn and Isabella is a copy in miniature of a shelf I made for my cats at home.  A length of wood, foam padding and braces with a fabric to cover it all makes for very happy cats.

You can barely see it here, but the ceiling has about ten lights (pot lights?) so the whole place is illuminated.

I think that's everything.  If I've forgotten anything let me know and I'll be happy to look up where I found the piece you're interested in.

One last look at the yard.

Submission Pictures

Finally narrowed down the pictures to four.

I hate having to do that.  But here they are.

I actually am planning a post where I give you a more coherent tour and source all the bits and bobs I found for the dollhouse.  I did that last year and folks seemed to find it helpful.

Plus I generally like my posts to be more of what I consider readable even if I do go off on tangents and add crazy asides.

Thank you all so much for your support, advice and help.  I really couldn't have done this without all of you.  You guys are awesome and I can't wait to see how we all do.

Finally Finished!

Picture taking is a bit hit or miss for me.  I haven't been well this week.  It turns out my illness was a kidney stone.

Yeah, I didn't know what it was until my doctor told me.  So that was a brand new type of pain I got to experience.

We won't go into the work situation, except to say we're shorthanded, the controller has been replaced but that left us doing our period close without one.  This has been an exhausting December.

But I have tons of pictures for you all to see.  In no particular order.

 A squirrel scrounging at the birdfeeder...

Providing Quinn the cat with some entertainment as she fantasizes about catching the twitchy tailed thing.

Isabella is more laid back. As long as she has her duckie toy and a soft place to lie down she's pretty happy.  Of course her sister has enough energy for both of them.

A view from a window

The front door opens and you can see where our homeowner has dropped her phone and keys on the island.

Birdseed is scrumptious!

The kitchen desk from the window.  The daffodils are blooming.

We can see Quinn in the window still eying that squirrel.

Another look through the front door.

The front porch.  I was really excited when the doorknocker finally arrived.

Hmm...candy...

Another view from the front window.

Isabella really likes the warm fire.

Quinn is still watching that squirrel while we see the sliding door and into the bathroom.

Some of the kitchen.  Canisters and a breadbox.  We do not leave bread in the open with Quinn around.  Quinn likes bread. She'll tear through plastic to get at it.

A nice view of the fireplace wall

 The wine rack.

Someone is lucky the cats aren't interested in lipstick.

Isabella got the windowseat but her duckie is on the floor.  Quinn might start to play with it.

The bathroom, and I managed to rumple the rug again.  I'm going to stick it down.

A hat, mittens and scarf.  I made them out of some old gloves.

Wasn't sure if I'd shown you the bathroom window.

Quinn also loves the view from the loft.

When the murphy bed is up the clothes rack goes in front of it.

When birds peck at the sunflower seeds Quinn sits in the window and chirps through the glass trying to make them come to her.

The cats have their own windowseat.  It's soft and padded with foam.  Quinn likes to hog it and ignore us.

Isabella brought her duckie toy up to bed.  The cats are actually quite adept at using the ladder.

This ledge was originally intended for artwork or objects d'art.  That lasted five minutes with the cats.  And yes, there has been leaping from the ledge down to the windowseat on the main floor.

Isabella finally got her turn on the window seat.

 The plants from outside are all removable so my Building Inspector doesn't try to steal them. (She's been pulling vines off NOLA House since they were glued on.)  They'll live in the box in the living room.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

I'm going to go and take more antibiotics now.