I Seem To Be Missing Half a Month

There's something about this time of year that makes the days go by at light speed.  Insane right?

But somehow I've lost half of November.  Jodi mentioned this a few days ago, and she's so right.  Maybe it's because I work in accounting and when you're constantly on a deadline things seem to whip by.  Maybe it's that I've got several projects going simultaneously and there never seems to be enough time?

Yeah, Christmas shopping? What's that?  Thank God my niece and nephews love gift cards.  And my husband doesn't want anything.

The good news is I have made progress on the bookshop.  I have a few more things to do but the inside is pretty much finished.

I started out by getting curtains in the third floor windows and made a wrought iron trim piece for the roof.

I finished off the last of the book/magazine/newspaper displays on the first floor.  Changed a couple of books in the window displays with some fashion magazines.

And added a table with newspapers and more magazines on top of it.

I also made an insert to make the floor look finished when I don't have the front attached.

The table is the gold and black table I originally made for NOLA House and it ended up being too large so I went with something else.  I like that it's gold and black like the rest of the shop furniture. Seemed fortuitous.

I ran into the reason I hate using plug strips and transformers.  A twelve plug strip doesn't always support twelve lights.  So I've ordered another and another transformer in order to not have a ton of battery lights again.

I know in the UK they make something that goes off how many bulbs you're using rather than volts or watts or whatever.  I'm officially jealous since I can't find anything like that yet.  I'll keep looking.  In the mean time...

The lights work. Yay.

I need to make a sign for the shop too.  Add it to the list.

I wanted to put some paintings on the walls by the stairs.  I have some that will look appropriate.  The frames were this bright shiny gold though so I aged them with black paint and dull gold over it.

Much better.

So I started to work on the living quarters.  First was getting the furniture painted or stained.  And while that dried I worked on the pitcher and basin and the chamber pot.  It took me a bit but I got them painted out nicely.

I got some of my scrapbook paper and made a tile inlay for the washstand.

Then I added a few necessities.

I'm a little concerned that I've given the apartment/flat too modern of a look but I just couldn't stand anymore dark furniture.

The secretary was next.  Since every other piece of furniture had brass trim I added some to it in strategic places with dull gold paint on the knobs and columns.

I'll make an inkwell and some paperwork to sit on the pull out desk.

I also added canisters, dishes and some 'canned goods' to the hutch after I painted it white.

I put some groceries on the table.

Remember when I said I had a mirror for Cecelia Alyce?  That I couldn't find and had to order another one?  Well I found the original and it's a perfect topper to the bureau.

The glue has to dry still but so far so good.

So far I need to add the store sign.
Add shingles
Corner finishes
Plug in the rest of the lights
Finish the street with pavers
And make a coatrack maybe.

I'm really hopeful that I'll finish over Thanksgiving weekend.

Hope you're all having a wonderful week.

Bricks and Wiring

Much as I dislike wiring and dealing with it I decided it couldn't be put off any longer.  I routed out channels in the outer walls and tested all the lights afterwards.

Everything seems to be working.

Of course the transformer I had isn't the right type for my outlet strip so I've had to order one.  While I'm waiting for that to come in I'll reattach all the plugs for the lights.

But once the wires were set I could add the brick to the exterior.  I bought some brick stencils from Moonflower Minis and used drywall spackle as my brick.

Once it dried I added paint and coated it with ceramcoat then added mortar.

I added more ceramcoat once the mortar dried and I'll age the brick with some 'soot' as I did the wooden 'storefront' earlier.  I want to add my shingles and roof edging before I do that though, since the sooty rain would drip down the store front and brick.

Finishing the roof would be a good idea too. You think? LOL

My roof trim.  It'll look better once the glue has dried and I'm not taking a picture from a really awful angle.  I'm a little nervous about leaving the front flat and not closing in the rest of the shop.  The Building Inspector has been very interested in the entire endeavor.

My other little project is a birdhouse I'm messing around with.  I used some of my brick paper for the exterior and made stucco like the WQRC to give it a Tudor look.  The interior is scrapbook paper.  I'm waiting on a few pieces to come from Shapeways so I have something inside besides the Christmas tree.

I'm using some of my left over shingles from the WQRC for the roof and I'll do the same paint treatment to give them a slate look.

A few more weeks before the deadline.  I might actually make it.  Don't know for sure but I'm hopeful.

Filling the Shelves

October has been a crazy month.  Between getting sick, being tired, working on other projects I haven't posted weekly like I usually do.

But I've been telling myself that's okay.  This is for fun. Not a job. No rigid schedule.

I've gotten some things done.  Stained the table for the living quarters, wired the light on the bureau.  Made a 'crocheted' coverlet for the bed. Though I like it hung over the footrail better.

And I got all my books and started to fill my shelves.

 

 

I have more left, and I'm planning on having some window display books. (Need to make stands for them.)  And I want to have extra books stacked on top of the shelves as well.  But I'm almost at the point of being able to glue the book shelves in place and do the wiring.  I really can't wait for that. It'll be so much fun!

And by fun I mean involving a lot of cursing, bending, hollering at the cats to get away from me, and ultimate satisfaction of everything lighting up the way I want.

Oh, and here's the other pumpkin scene I did.

Right now my work place has both pumpkins on the side table in the lobby at my workplace.  Which is very cool of them.

Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary.  So hopefully work won't be too cray cray and I'll get to leave at a decent hour.

Hope you all had a great October!

Living Quarters Furniture Layout

I worked on the living quarters of the bookshop today.  Mostly trying to determine the furniture arrangement.

I'm trying to keep in mind that I need to take photographs of this so I don't want some furniture blocking the rest of it.

At first I thought of having the bed in the little alcove.  With a screen to block the sleeping quarters from the rest of the room.

The biggest issue I had with that was that the tall wall desk was very bulky at the front of the room.  So I tried something else.

I didn't care for the bed being in front of the door.  So I reversed some things.

I like the idea of a bookshelf but it takes over and pushes out from the wall too much.

Getting closer.

I like this best so far.  I really wanted the desk/cabinet because it's a very efficient piece of furniture.  So I built the Hepplewhite Serpentine chest.

It gives more storage for clothing without being too bulky.

I also spent part of the day wiring some Chrysnbon wall sconces with lights...

Then I tested them.  A wire crossed and promptly shorted them out.  Frustrating.  So I got some of my extra Housework sconces that match the shop shelves and put them in.  The glue is still drying.

I need to stain/paint the rest of the furniture and dress all of it with accessories but then the living quarters will be mostly done.

I've got a few more books made and the sconces are all attached to the bookshelves now. So that's a bit more progress.

Seasonal allergies have managed to drive me up a wall so I didn't do much last week. I felt okay most of the week and then started to feel sick on Friday again... Lovely right?  Sick again just in time for the weekend.

Lots of sleep seems to help.  But blech.  I hope the rest of you are doing better!