Wednesday 12 May 2010

My mini Summer House...for mini making.

As some of you may know I am having my octagonal greenhouse converted into a small summer house. I thought I’d show you a little preview of the progress so far! It will be where I will doing most of my mini’s and dolls house projects. We’ve just had the glass taken out of the roof, so that it could be felted and tiled. The finials on the top have already been painted the new ‘willow’ colour, it’s a grey/green.
We had to take out the shelves etc so that the men could get in to do the roof etc so I will also be able to have small dolls houses and room boxes on these shelves.. It’s not huge by any means, about 8.8 feet by 6.6 feet, but it‘s big enough for me and my needs. It already has electricity with a hot and cool fan. I will have a main light fitted so I can see better in poor light and I am having some more plug sockets fitted too, for a lamp, lights for my dolls houses and power tools! It will have cream roller blinds to help keep the strong sunlight out and the heat down etc., although it should be cooler now the roof is no longer glass.

It’s not that old, and it wasn’t that hideous colour on the outside either when we first bought it! It was a lovely warm natural wood colour (like it still is on the inside), I came home from work one day and erm it had been re-stained to this truly awful poo/mud colour! I was very angry and not in the least bit impressed and was told at the time it would fade, has it heck!l lol ! Thank goodness THAT will be going and I will have the colour I like! :o))

It now needs a really good clean on the outside and inside, the staging re done, they will be made a bit deeper and will be solid wood (not slates). I am having the interior painted the same willow colour. I am having pink and white flowers in the hanging baskets that hang on the end of the summer house outside and two little wooden boxes full of pink flowering plants with some green foliage plants too! lol

Once the above is done, I will move my Witch’s House out there and my Gingerbread Cottage kit and start to prepare it. I’m also going to move a lot of my craft materials and tools out there and a lot of my mini’s too. Hogwarts will stay in the spare room, but I will do some of the work for it in the mini summer house. :o)

As I have company tomorrow night I have been busy preparing for Kensington a bit earlier! I have my shopping bag all ready, my money, the camera, food and snacks including my Soya milk (I have one very sick tummy so I can’t eat much that you buy off the shelf sadly!) my KDF floor plans and one or two lists. I was going to take my little note book, but I couldn’t be arsed to flip between the pages, just too much hassle! lol ;o)

Will give you an update on KDF when I get back, as will all the other bloggers who are going too! :o)

Michelle xxx

26 comments:

  1. Hi Michelle this will be a great den when you have finished with it. I am sure you will be inspired by the peace and view.
    Don't forget a mini fridge just for treats!

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  2. I love the summer house Michelle, it so pretty and light and airy. WIll look lovely with hanging baskets. You wont want to come out of it! Great tip re the KDF floor plans hadnt thought of that one. I MUST remeber to put my tickets in my purse, I can just see dozy me getting there without them! Im abit worried about taking cash. Like you I only use a debit card but doubt many will take cards . Maybe some will take cheques with a card, I hope so! I hate to carry cash, would be great if there was a cashpoint machine in the hall but I doubt that either! ! Safe journey. Kate xxxx

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  3. Janice,

    I have a mini fridge what a fab idea! lol Although I should really just keep the spare space for minis and materials! :o))

    It will be great to be uninterrupted and have the peace and quiet. I will take my radio with me for some noise to drown my swearing out when I make a boo boo! lol ;o)

    Michelle xx

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  4. Hi Kate,

    I'm really looking forward to having more natural light to work in! :o)) It will be great to be able to work on something knowing I can just leave it in situ if we have company, and also we won't get any nasty paint, etc smells in the house anymore, not to mention wood dust! lol

    There is an ATM there, that's what I read. I have found fairs to be very hit and miss when it comes to using ones cards. It's entirely down to the artisans, some do and some don't. Most don't. However, with Kensington there are some high profile sellers whose work sells for thousands, so I would think they would take cards. I'm taking both, but I have made a vow not to use my cards! :o)

    Pack your handbag the night before that way you shouldn't forget a thing! :o))

    Only one more day to go! lol It feels like Christmas Eve when I was a child! :o)

    Michelle xxxx

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  5. Michelle,
    What a great place to sit or work on your miniatures! I love it!!!!!! No distractions!

    I don't like working in my house. I am always sidetracked by the dryer buzzing (laundry needs folding)or a clump of cat hair rolling by me that I have to clean up. Some things I just can't do in the metal shop and have to do at home.
    What a perfect spot you have there.

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  6. Best of luck with your new work space! I smiled when I read about the "unrequested" stain job it got. My Father used to do things like that. It drove my Mom nuts :) .

    PS Its nice to meet another artist that admits to swearing while they work!

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  7. Michelle, you are so lucky to have the summer house. It is beautiful and will be more so when you finish....I is like having a life sized dolls house to play with. Can't wait to see it finished!

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  8. That is going to be the most wonderful work space Michelle, it looks fab already even in that shade LOL
    My hubs has a habit of creosoting everything wooden in sight......he has been banned from ever going anywhere near my shed with his brush !
    julie, heading off to london in a couple of hours , see you there :0) xxx

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  9. Thanks Michelle feel better knowing I can use an ATM there instead of carrying it all on me. Not that I have as much as Id like :-( I have a mini fridge in my workroom, and a mini oven for the fimo from argos! Oh and a biscuit/choccie tim of course!!!!! It IS like Christmas Eve isnt it, I wont sleep and I know Lola will be up at the crack of dawn! Arnt I sad! xxxx

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  10. Its going to make a lovely work space Michelle. Bet your have hours of fun in there. Great choice of colour for the outside, Willow Green it will certainly set off the Pink Flowers.
    Have a wonderful time at KDF, can't wait to see what Treasures you bring back. xxx

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  11. Such a nice summerresidens for mini-ing... I love the colour Willow on the roof and the finishing with the two perky tops (Don´t know the term in english) I actually like the 'unrequested' stainwork. It looks naturally weathered to me. But I guess my husband would have been badly injured if he did that kind of thing unrequested, whether I like the result or not ;0)

    Have a nice KDF trip!

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  12. Your summerhouse looks like a wonderful place to work. I am sure you will have to be nagged to venture out of it once its completed lol. Just a suggestion, but have you thought of wooden blinds for the windows? You can get them in Ikea (1 meter size £10) The block more sun, thus protecting colours from sun fade and you can alter the amount of light you want coming in depending on the weather!

    Have an absolutely fab time in KDF, I am soooo jealous :0( We need a blog post as soon as you get home lol Will be sitting beside my computor in anticipation ;0)

    Julia xxx

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  13. Hi Catherine,

    I know what you mean by interruptions, they just seem to happen when you’re in the home!

    I won’t have my cat threatening any potential drying project either, he has a habit of jumping on my mini’s and the houses!

    I know I’ve had hours of fun sowing and growing on my seedlings in that greenhouse, so I know I will have as much fun mini making! :o))

    Michelle :o)

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  14. Hi Brian,

    LOL it was almost murder when I saw the colour! It wasn't like I was even remotely unhappy with the original colour!? Men with a brush is a dangerous thing! lol

    The words just pop out when things go wrong! lol Although I don't think I'd describe myself as an artist as I have far too much to learn! :o))

    Michelle :o)

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  15. Hi Casey,

    It is like a little dolls house isn't it? lol I like the idea of being able to have a lot of my collection out there, have somewhere to work and house all my craft materials AND have the garden to look at! :o))

    It's been painted a bit more since that photo was taken and I love it all so far! :o) I can't wait to move in!

    Michelle xx

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  16. Hi Julie,

    I can’t believe you found time to blog, you must be one very organised and calm lady! Lol

    I have to admit the colour doesn’t look as bad as it did now it has a different roof! How weird is that!

    If you see you hubby out there with his creosote and brush, you’ll have to start thinking about barded wire around your lovely workshop! Lol

    I love it now though and it looks so much better with its new colour! :o))

    The bag IS packed and I’m ready to go! It’s going to be a long night till tomorrow. Lol

    Michelle xxx

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  17. Kate,

    I'm sure there will be some sellers who will take cards too, but I DO aim to keep it to cash! I am having my cards with me...and if I do break my vow it would HAVE to be for one extremely wonderous mini or two!

    A mini oven sounds like a very practical idea! Hmm I will have to take a look a that one. No doubt I will resort to some sort of provision for snacks I have a mini kettle too, so tea will be on the menu! lol

    I'm sure I will sleep, as a days work will see to that! lol But your not sad, I think we may be a teeny tiny bit mad though! ;oP lol

    Michelle xxx

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  18. Hi Debbie,

    I think the green will blend in so well, it's a natural colour after all! I was going to have a Swedish blue, but everyone wanted green!

    I have a list of some very special wants, if I manage to get some of those I will be very happy indeedy. :o)

    Michelle xxx

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  19. Hi Annie,

    It will be fun once it's done. :o)) The roof is darker than the paint, but the shame shade etc. The little pointy fancy bits on the top are called 'finials'

    The outside does now look better with a new and different roof! However, in real life the colour IS awful and I will be glad to see the back of it. lol

    Michelle xx

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  20. Hi Julia,

    I AM sure that the hours WILL just fly out there! lol I am so glad the idea was born to convert it as it serves all my mini needs. :o))

    You are so right! I have two or three IKEA wooden blinds in the garage (about the right size), but they can be altered. The idea had crossed my mind to use them. They won't show the dirt like cream ones and yes, they would block out more light. :o)) I will take a look at them! :o))

    I SOO wish you were off to London too, such a shame you didn't choose KDF over Miniatura! :o(

    I promise to write a post about Kensington as soon as I can, but it won't be Friday night, as I have no idea when I will get home! lol

    Michelle xxx

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  21. What a great little space to mini it! I'm jealous. Hope you have a great time at the fair and report back everything!!

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  22. That is a perfect spot to sit and work while enjoying the garden, I too am jealous. Will go and explore more of your blog, love the conservatory!

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  23. Hi Irene,

    It was jsut an idea that came about and a great one too!

    I got back from KDF at 8.00pm and I am truly, truly shattered! WIll give a few posts of the day! :o)Met all the bloggers going there too! Simply wonderful!! ;o)

    Michelle xxx

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  24. Hi and welcome Margaret! :o)

    So glad you love the idea of the conversion. I have bought some fab mossy aged pots for the conservatory today..so it's a start! :o)

    Michelle :o)

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  25. Those little garden houses are so cute they have a lot of those over there in the UK don't they.
    I watch a show here called "Escape to the Country" I can't wait till Friday nite to see all the lovely old houses and cottages they are gorgeous! do you see it over there? The series follows couples wanting to leave city life behind and relocate to the country.

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  26. I am very jealous of your summer house ha ha!What a great idea :-). Now I want one ha ha ha!

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