Princess Gets Her Dollhouse!

Pictures in this post....videos to follow when I get a faster connection!

The dollhouse as it looked when delivered to Princess Lauren....
Lauren showing off her upholstered couch, courtesy of friend Lesley. The color scheme of pink-purple-silver-gold was carried out in the furniture upholstery.
The house looking much smaller once the massive collection of furniture was added.
& Looking at this picture I am sure anyone can see why Lauren (Lo Lo to us) is our Princess. She picks out all her own outfits and wanted this regal look for Christmas morning.
The dollhouse has now been moved upstairs in the log home to Lo Lo's room where she is playing with it.

I managed to get the furniture mostly done during the few days here prior to Christmas. I have a few odds and ends to complete now and I am done with "The Princess House!"....

I'll publish more detailed pics of individual rooms of furniture, including the grand piano in the next few days.

For now we are in full celebrate Danish-style mode as "Bedstemore" (the kids grandmother on son-in-law's side, and as pronounced in Danish) celebrates her heritage. Lots of special pastries all the way from a Georgia bakery. Monday we celebrate, a day early, the birthday of Daughter Teri and then Tuesday morn bright and early Roadhouse towing SiderRoad Suzie will begin the trek home. We have a New Year's Party at the Elks and then New Years Day is football and my birthday as I turn a pleasant 67!

Hope one and all enjoyed the holiday as much as we.

Duke

Excuses....YesIt Was Delivered, and Yes I have Pics/vids

I have the complete crud for the third time since October....I am really not well!

Dollhouse was a giant success. Granddaughter "Princess" was dumb-founded! She is busy arranging furniture, and I still have more to go.

I will post pics/vids soon as i can....and as soon as I feel well enough to edit and learn more about the vid cam which will post direct to YouTube.

Duke

Near The End.....Tomorrow is The Last Day!

DEADLINE.....N-O-W!!!!! Tomorrow Duchess will be reactivating her surgical nurse career...no, not in surgerybutin a support role as Daughter Noelle has an operation. I'll be doing final things on "The Princess House".

The usual reaction I get when someone sees it for the 1st time up-close-and-personal is "It's Huge!"
The house, built as a castle for our 6 year old grandchild has rows of what seem to be small crowns atop the roof...all painted in antique gold.
A closer look shows the chimney with its silver and gold bands and the roof of real cedar shingles (each placed lovingly by "Papa")...all 1300 of them!
The front of the home (depending upon your point of view) has this view of a small picture of our "Princess" Lauren Marie from her red dress of last Christmas in place of one of the oval windows of the castle, plus the embroidered trim I found to accent the house.
Later tonight I'll post a pic of the metal plaque which I ordered and has the declaration of:

"The Princess House
Built for Lauren Marie Little
By "Papa" Paul DeLand, II
Delivered, Christmas 2009"

I should have all done when we leave here in "Roadhouse", our motorhome...towing SideRoad Suzie, our little Suzuki Jeep, with the Princess House in the back of the Suzuki....it will not fit through the door of the motorhome!

I still have furniture to build, but will do some in Texas this coming week...the rest to be finished in the next few weeks and sent to our "Princess"!!!

I placed the lighted Christmas tree on the dash of "Roadhouse" tonight and it is cheerily greeting all who drive by our home.

Duke

Gingerbread Preparation

I went searching for a crown/tiara for the silver oval on the front entry gable...& found this! Love it! It is embroidered material with adhesive.
Here is the actual crown that was part of the set. Now "The Princess House" has it's title on the front wall below the picture of my princess.
Lots of painting in antique gold and silver as I begin to place the gingerbread which comes with the house.
The doors will be double-layered and with windows in place. These are the front door frames.
Closer and closer, but lots still to do including the main roof (one side), ladder to the attic, front porch railings and trim.

Going to be a busy weekend as I try to finish....Cooking tonight at Elks Lodge; party tomorrow night; cooking at the Lodge Sunday where I am "the egg man" doing eggs, omelets and such.

Tired, but the end is in sight!

Duke

Porch On & Roofing Being Applied!

We Have Porch!...Installed it in a remarkably short time. Of course, there were a few hours of pre-assembly stuff.
Part (the major part) of the pre-assembly was this porch gable located over the main entrance to the "castle". The color scheme follows the castle motif with gold and silver. Trying to locate a small crown to use on the silver disk.
The shingling I am getting much better at than when I began this. However today I have already burned two fingers and one thumb when hot glue hit them as I either fumbled on the way from glue gun to roof, or the shingle buckled in the middle which leaves you with hot liquid plastic on both finger and thumb. OUCH! It is quite apparent my huge "meat hooks" are not too balanced for such small things as shingles with hot glue attached.
However, with perseverance, and at-this-point a beer, one achieves the goal of a completed roof section. I still have another large section of the porch roof, and the gable to complete. They will be done today.
Time is slipping by, but I am convinced i will prevail and get it done.

Oh, and another first today....a blister on my right pointer finger from the hot glue. That was fun peeling the still-hot, but setting up glue off the blistered area. Ah to be more coordinated....In fact i believe I was much more so at age 20-30 than I am at 66!

Duke

S-H-I-N-G-L-E-S !!!!!

Today was "International Shingle Day" at the DeLand household. I managed to cover all the remaining roof except half the main roof where the large tower is located. That is for tomorrow. Here is a partial picture of the old guy himself setting the individual roof shingles with a hot glue gun.

Only burned about five of my ten fingers and thumbs so far when shingles, freshly-glued flipped in my hand. Nothing like a little melted plastic to get your attention. Then pulling plastic off burned skin is a secondary joy!

Ah well, it is worth it. Of course, just three days ago I ordered 2 more bags of shingles which will now, it turns out, be unneeded. The plans called for 8 bags. I thought that a bit much, and ordered 3 then 2 more. I probably spaced my shingle rows more widely than some would.

Here is a view of the various roofs, except the undone side. Even managed to finish the tower top roof for the kitchen tower.

It now seems I may actually get the house done by my planned date of Sunday. However...That being said I still have the three-section porch roof to install and shingle. It goes around two sides of the house, and has a large gable decoration which I have already completed as a sub-assembly. The porch has a LOT of railings and posts also. Then I still have to build and install the doors (two sets of double doors for front and dining room), and also assemble the ladder which allows attic access, and actually is supposed to be set to fold up into the attic for storage.

The not-likely-to-get-completely-done is the remaining furniture. I plan to do what I can next week, however gassing, loading and setting up the motor home for the trip will take a lot of time and our daughter has a surgery next Thursday, the day before we leave. Mom will be there with her. I will take the furniture with me as I have 5 days in Texas to build in the motor home.

Spent a lot of hours on the house today and now going for a great Glenlivet on-the-rocks so I can relax!

Chim-Chiminey, Chim-Chim-Cheroo!

The chimney...a 16-piece construction is added. Now the main rear roof can be shingled....the rest of the way....part of it was involved in the front middle roof shingles.

Now on to fireplaces which are done except for mantle painting. They will be permanently installed as will some pics/clocks/etc.

Moving rapidly as time dwindles down. Tonight the roof around the chimney!

Duke

More Roof!

I today completed the rear middle roof shingles. The work was tedious as is much of what is involved here, but productive in that I love the result.
The kitchen tower top is under construction also. It will soon be ready for shingles.
I also completed the form for the chimney, and painted the bands around the chimney (the chimney has 16 pieces!) Tomorrow the completion of the kitchen tower top and the chimney and then the roof for the rest of the house will be ready.

In addition I will be adding the porch and glue will be used to make it permanent. I love this thing, and really hope I am ready for the trip West to Texas for Christmas.

Duke

Roof/Chimney/Etc.

The roof gable is in place and glued....



















I have completed the shingles on the 1st major portion of the roof...Consumption of singles indicates I may be short....2 more bags ordered!
















The process of shingling....two piles; the complete shingles for the easy part, and the pieces and shorts which I use for corners, etc.











A chimney is a chimney...except when it is comprised of 16 pieces! I am painting, and about ready to assemble the huge chimney for the two fireplaces which are also ready to be painted and assembled. The steps now are smaller, except for the remaining construction of the porch and all the railings, trim etc.












I began at "A" and am now at "L" enroute to "V", however the last steps, as I have noted, are shorter and faster.

Lots of roof still to shingle, and then the touch-ups....and I am certain some of the furniture will not be done in time, but will be an add-on later!

Duke

Shingles.....Not A Disease, but Close!

Shingles...in this case 1 1/2 by 1 inch shingles...are now one of my priorities as time dwindles down. We depart the morning of December 18th for Texas, and the house must be complete. This shot shows somw shingles installed, and the guide lines drawn on a section of roof for more.
The shingles which remain whole go on quickly with a hot glue gun. The edges, and particularly the corners where roof sections join, provide much more opportunity for cutting (with scissors, thankfully) and filling.

Here is picture from the open rear of the house showing all the roof sections in place...well, except for the large gable, and the tower top for the Kitchen two-story tower.
Duchess is sick today...some form of flu, so I am dedicated to the dollhouse and taking care of her. We will most likely not be going to the Elks Lodge for dinner. I hope she is better tomorrow as we are slated for a Christmas party with The Krewe of Sir Henry Morgan...one of our Gasparilla Krewes. One of the 800 vessels that invade Tampa each year!
For those who don't know Gasparilla, you have never been in Tampa in late January to March when we are annually invaded and subjected to drunkeness, revelry, and rampant parades, bead-throwing, etc. Think Mardi Gras in Tampa...complete with pirate ships and thousands of pirates. The large ship above is the pirates primary ship, the Hose Gaspar....It is actually a barge with masts. The thing is towed by one tug and pushed by another. It is home to hundreds of pirates with miniature cannons which fire frequently. The entire thing is a hoot!

Duke

As The Dog Said......Roof, Roof!

As anyone who has ever done a dollhouse will tell you, the project is like having 8 or 10 projects running simultaneously! Here are a few as i race toward departure for Texas December 18th....1st, the initial fitting of the "Main roof"...this house has three roof sections, plus lots of added peaks and gingerbread trim.
A side shot of the full tower in place...minus the roof singles. The tower top, I believe I mentioned before, will remain removable so little hands can play with furniture in the tower room.
In true fashion, the attic is floored in sections using up the flooring I had. The flooring is now complete on all three floors.
A friend of ours, Miss Lesley, developed an interest in my project and came over to do the cushions, pillows, bedspread, etc. Here are some in-process chair, bench, and couch cushions. I'll post the final product when they are completed.
I currently have the small roof painted and in place, but not glued (pics to follow), and am painting the middle roof. Next we move on to dormers, etc and begin the tedious process of shingling.....each measures 1.5 by 1 inches and they have to be cut to fit and then hot glued in place using pencil lines drawn earlier to keep them straight.

Still to come....chimney, porch roof, doors, all trim for porch, roof, etc.

Busy, busy!

Duke