So I glued about 1/2 the wood strips to the balsa wood, and as it was drying I noticed it was starting to curl up – so I covered it with plastic wrap (I’ve had trouble with paper sticking to the glue that seeps out when wood is drying, only to have solidly glued on paper on my finished product), That seemed to work, so I proceeded to glue the remaining half. Weighed that down overnite to dry so it would be flat for the next day so I could glue it to the kitchen ceiling. In the morning, I realized I had to drill the holes for the chandeliers before I mounted the ceiling. I knew I needed one light in the heart of the kitchen, then decided I would also put a chandelier over the dining table, which will run half in the kitchen and half in the sunroom – so I drilled a hole for that one, too. I can run 3 lights on one switch, or opt to get a 6 light switch. But then I thought that it would be nice to be able to turn on some light in the house without everything coming on at the same time, so I’ll run two – 3 light switches. Six chandeliers should be just about right. You can also purchase individual battery operated sconces, lanterns, ceiling, and table lights.
Okay, so, before I install the ceiling (which is still warped by the way, just to make things difficult), I needed to finish the walls of the kitchen first. So, I put fake bead board wainscoting (corrugated cardboard) on the bottoms of the 2 walls, trimmed it out, and painted the top of the window wall Scallion green from Martha Stewart’s line of craft paint. Painted the wainscoting white (wiil finish that on the stove wall). The top of the stove wall (it’s only 4 inches because I cutout the rest of the wall to create the sunroom) is the checked wallpaper, which also goes on the 15 pane window wall in the sunroom. That leaves the screen door wall, which I will paint white.
When the walls are done, I can install the kitchen ceiling and the floor. Instead of popsicle sticks (for the floor), which will be throughout the rest of the house except for the bathroom, I bought a vinyl stick on 12×12 square in a brown that mimics the look of stone. My heart kept wanting to make it a wooden floor too, but my head wants to try something different. I think I’ll like it in the end. This floor can be built on a base of thin cardboard or balsa, too, so that if I ever want to change it out, it will be easier to remove – and, it will be easier to glue down. If I place them the tiniest space apart, it might mimic the look of real stone more than if I just threw the scored slab down. Decisions, decisions. This build is full of decisions.
I also glued the 3 pieces of the bay window together for the far wall in the salon, but realized when I went to install it that it wouldn’t fit – the angles of the side windows do not allow for attachment to the house, so today I will pry them off the main window and perform a redo.
That’s it so far – off to church in a little while, then back to work this afternoon.
Looks nice and finished, now for the burlap. I bought it at Hobby Lobby, I think in the scrapbook papers section, so it’s very nice quality and straight. Went on very easily.
Very happy with that – I left the one partial wall under the stairs just white. Next, I finally settled on a scrapbook paper for the big kitchen wall – so the room will be green! Used “Yes” paste as it’s recommended to use as wallpaper glue – doesn’t create bubbles or wrinkles – it’s a dream to use. Just paint it evenly on the wall.
From this…..
to this! Best time to do all this work is before I secure the wall into place. I see I haven’t trimmed out the door yet! I drew lines on the ceiling and floor of the kitchen where the wall will be, so I can work easier. I have to do the ceiling! I had filled in the hole in the ceiling where the kit says the stairway was supposed to go up to the 2nd floor, but it was still uneven and wouldn’t look good painted. So, I cut two pieces of balsa wood to fit the ceiling, which I will fill with slats of wood running side to side which I will then whitewash, then glue 4 beams to that running front to back and maybe leave natural. Don’t know yet. My project for tomorrow, although I started it tonite….
And that’s it for today. When I’m done with the ceiling, I’ll paint the walls, maybe try to make subway or square white pearl tiles for the wall behind the stove……hmmm
The first picture, from Pinterest, is the look I’m trying to achieve, except mine will be turned 90 degrees (and not as fancy, as this is Shabby Chic). I first determined where on the stair stringer I wanted to make the cut. I just wanted a short turn to the 2nd floor, so I cut it at 6 and 3. Here it is glued together with the stair treads. As construction progressed, I found I had to eliminate the top stair tread on the long section, and put that as the top step in the short section. After a lot of blue tape attempting to get a perspective on how it would fit, I finally had to bite the bullet and start gluing it to the dividing wall. The back wall, which is nonexistent in a doll house so you can work inside, ended up just being a half-high wall to support the first section of stairs. Then I had to cut a landing to make the turn and start the final section. I glued a support stick to the dividing wall to support the landing, then glued the final section. Spent a lot of time waiting for the Gorilla Wood Glue to dry in between steps. One word about the Gorilla glue – this stuff dries crazy hard – I had to pry one piece of moulding off, and it was a tough job. That staircase isn’t going anywhere! Here are pictures of the final product. My main issue was that I didn’t check the the treads weren’t skewed before it dried, and they were. So it’s a little cocksided, but not horrible. I also cut a door to the kitchen rather than just have the entrance to the immediate left of the front door. I wanted to create more kitchen wall space.
I trimmed out the sides of the stairs with “skinny sticks” because they just looked too “raw” for me (see 1st picture of the stairs rubber banded and drying. See how the sides are just ugly? I didn’t want the stair to look like a cut up ladder). I wanted to make it look like shiplap, but it looks a little more modern on the angle. I’ll see what I can do with paint, etc., to shabby chic it up more. I also backed the stair treads with pieces of wood so you can’t see thru the stairs. I kind of liked that look, but I have to figure out what to do with the space under the stairs now. I’ll trim out the walls, and I found a pic on (where else) Pinterest last nite (two, actually) that provides some ideas. First, this same pic of the stairs, but see the built in bookcase under the stairs?
And secondly, which I think I favor – 
They (?) created a little private nook with a desk and chair, or I could make it a reading nook with a padded chair and a floor lamp.
You can see how I’ve redesigned the front windows to match the purchased front door, enlarging them 100% and repeating the transom windows from over the door. Makes a nice cohesive front. Above is the right side of the house – the hole will be a bay window. The inside pic shows how the gabled roof will look when on – right now it’s just taped in place so I can figure out where to put the room divider on each level so it doesn’t mess with the gable windows.
This is a little 5 inch bump out I did on the left side to give more room to the kitchen so I can place a dining table. That’s a green screen door I made from the left over front door from the kit – just cut out the panels and sandwiched screening between identical doors. The 15 pane window is purchased – I thought it matched the panes on the upstairs windows .
Here is a look from the back at the little bump out. I had hoped to put an angled roof on, but there is only room for a flat roof because of the window directly above. I will be gluing this porch post in place to help support the 2nd floor since that part of the wall is now the window wall.
Above we are looking at the house with more of a realistic perspective as to it’s size. And the last pic above is my work room where the magic happens. It’s actually a 6 foot folding table set up in the sun room. I like working out here in the summer so I can keep an eye on all my neighbors. Har Har.
This little beauty is Katherine, a new bear from Shaz Bears created by Sharon Hale, direct from Australia. I ordered her because her name is the same as my Godmother Angel, and I wanted to build her a house. Aren’t her clothes gorgeous? She has the exact Shabby Chic look I wanted, and she’s in pink – Aunt Kay’s favorite color. However, the description of her size was incorrect and I ended up with a bear that is 6 1/4″ instead of 4.7″. She is too big for the 1:12 scale bear houses I build. I contacted Ms. Hale, her creator, and she generously sent me another bear which I just received today. 
Her name on her tag is Laduree, which is a French Pastry shop specializing in macaroons.
But Ms. Hale said I can call her Laura. I love the celedon color of the inside of the shop. Anyway, Laura looks very much like Katherine – so much so that Katherine could be Laura’s mother! Laura is 5″ tall, which is still larger than my other bears which come in at 3″ and 3.5″. I’ll have to make bigger furniture for Laura when I build her house.
or this:
Mine will be similar, and I like the idea of the built in bookcase under the stairs. Or a little closet….
I’m not crazy about the Victorian outside with all the trim, etc. But the “bones” are good. I drew new plans to enlarge the front windows, install a manufactured front door with a transom, changed the front gable window to an arched one like in Rosebud Cottage, and a 5 inch bump out on the side for the kitchen/dining area with a large window and a screen door out to a tiny fenced in garden with a fountain. I’ve done my calculations and hope to fire up the jigsaw tonite and start sawing away!
Next time, painting window trim and doors…..the excitement builds!
The finished upstairs chandelier ready to hang. Will collect all the wires and run them onto the roof and into the chimney where the battery and switch is hidden.
Had to glue shiplap onto the gabled portion of the roof before I could run the wires. Next pic is testing the system to make sure I don’t cover wires with plaster that don’t work….
We have lift off!! Oh! Surprising how one LED bulb can give off so much light!! I really love the chandelier now. Time to finish the inside of the other side of the roof with wallpaper and wooden beams… 
Looks nice with the wainscoting. Now to start on the front porch, and hang the front door and the screen door. These doors were no easy feat. They seemed to be sized right, but I had to do a heck of alot of shaving and cutting to them to get them to fit and to open! The hinges took up alot of room despite my trying to inset them. What a pain. Have to think of a solution the next time I make and hang doors!
Now starts the lengthy process of finishing the outside wall of the cottage. I hung heavy corrugated cardboard on the front and the right side (facing us) with concrete as a base to strengthen the structure. I did the same procedure around the back opening, as well as stucco finish concrete on the left side with all the windows. What a lot of fussing around, but worth the effort. Then I think I painted 4 layers of white house paint on all sides. I was surprised it took so much paint, but I finally achieved a good solid finish. Then, it was time to finish the porch with columns, brackets, and the custom made roof. I didn’t want just a flat roof, so I designed and made a slanted one and covered it with metal (fake – painted cardboard).
Finally, it’s time for the roof. Just sucked it up (fear, that is) and plugged in the glue gun and went for it. Turned out better than I thought, but I spent hours beforehand trying everything I could think of for it to sit as flat and seated correctly as possible. Next was the meticulous task of handpainting every individual roof slate (balsa wood). I mixed several paint colors together gradually to get variegated tiles. Then drew lines on the roof and hot glued each tile by hand. Oh, also made a concrete chimney and used a torn up cardboard egg carton the make the stones. I’m very happy with the way it turned out. All the light wires are run under the roofing into the chimney where the battery and on/off switch are located. 
Rosebud Cottage is complete!! After I’m done making quilled monograms, turtles, and baskets for my Market last days, I’ll start a new cottage – the two bears on the front porch are my new arrivals, Sky and Squeaky, from Australia by Shaz Bears, crafted by Sharon Hale. They are homeless, but not for long!
Here are those two characters sitting nicely in their chairs staring at a non-functioning fireplace. The thrill of climbing up and down the ladder has stopped for now. The only thing upstairs now is the chandelier I’m working on for their bedroom.
I was attempting to piece together a roof that was “cobbled” together from some of the other wood left over from the kit – a gable is not in the original plans. I swear I followed the instructions in the book very carefully, but the pieces just wouldn’t fit together properly – the angles were all wrong, the cutouts were all wrong. So I sat and stared at it most of the day while trying to figure out how to do it right. In the end, I tossed that roof and window gabled wall and started over by cutting new pieces of wood and making cardboard templates to play with the roof angles and shapes. I finally figured it out and cut all new wood last night.
I finally got up the courage to fire up the hot glue gun and go for it. The top picture shows the house as it will look with the side roof on and the gabled roof. Bottom pic is that unit glued together and removed for finishing. The roof sections will be glued on after finishing work on the outside of the cottage.
See how darling this is? Two stories, wrap around porch, flowers and vines, and made yourself chandeliers. The style is called Shabby Chic, and according to Wikipedia, this is the definition: “Shabby chic (
So, this is the published manual by Cinderella Moments that I’m using for a guide. I had to gather quite a few supplies so that I’d have everything I need. Here’s the list from the book.
I now have a dollhouse tool kit (scaled for size), a Black & Decker jigsaw, my Dremel, plywood from Home Depot and other sources, etc. The floors are made from popsicle sticks, plaster will be used on some of the walls, and concrete patch for creating brick, stone and adobe on the outside walls.
The kit as it comes in the box.
Reconfiguring the door and windows.
And the walls are going up, attached to the floor with hot glue, then gone back over with Gorilla wood glue for strength. You can see the 2″ strip at the top of the wall which I used to raise the roof for the second floor.
Laying the popsicle stick floor. Had to buy a special tool called the Easy Cutter Ultimate to cut the rounded ends off the popsicle sticks. It took about 75 sticks to cover the floor. I also used corrugated cardboard from Hobby Lobby as wainscoting on 3 of the walls. The wall with 3 windows was plastered, then wavy lines drawn thru the wet plaster for decoration.
I hot glued full width popsicle sticks as baseboards around the floor, then painted two coats of satin interior house paint on the floor, baseboards and the plaster window wall.
I’m now working on what will be the ceiling of the first floor, which is attached to the underside of the 2nd floor. I divided it into 2 1/2″ squares that I’m stamping with Martha Stewart acrylic paint called “Wet Cement”. These will simulate a tin ceiling when I’m done. The other side of the ceiling (the 2nd floor) will be covered in – WAIT FOR IT – popsicle sticks!
My last effort for the day was to paint the window wall a light pink. There will be floor to ceiling white filmy curtains on this wall, so I just wanted a hint of color to show through the fabric. Rosebud convinced me that this would accent her fur and hat, so I thought, okay, fine. I actually like her idea now that I see it. There can be too much white!
It’s a beast, buy it beats trying to cut with a box cutter or Exacto knife!
I adopted Rosebud from warmheartbears.com shortly after I made Charleen part of my family to be a companion and best friend. They were both so excited, and hit it off right away. Rosebud is most impressed that the cottage they will be living in will be called Rosebud Cottage in her honor. Charleen thought that would be the best surprise for her best friend and a gesture that would make her feel most welcome. Of course, Charleen prevailed on me to make Rosebud a matching chair as well. Softie that I am, I gave in and created a pink one with rosebud print with fluffy pillows. Now they can sit side by side in front of the fireplace and exchange gossip. See how pretty they are?
Oh, I almost forgot, I made Rosebud a fancy hat because she said she loved Charleen’s. Well, despite the fact that Charleen’s hat came with her, I thought I could make a similar one for Rosebud. It’s hard sewing a hat for a 1″ diameter bear head, I’ll tell ya! BUT, I did it and also put roses on it! It actually matches her chair! She is so happy! Look at those pictures, aren’t they the sweetest little things?