Why no entries?

I am in the midst of about nine hundred projects, give or take a few.   Don't believe me?  Check out the pictures of my workbench and see if you see more than one kind of craft going on!!  I've gotten stalled on my dollhouse, but it isn't abandoned.  Soon, soon!

Happy Birthday to the Real Hitty

Yes, there is a Real or Original Hitty that began the madness.  To read about her, check out www.hitty.org and find out who she is, where she lives, and why we love her!

In the meantime, today, January 22, is the Real Hitty's real birthday (according to Rachel Field's book and clues we faithful followers have pieced together).  On our Hitty list at yahoo we are having a huge two-day birthday celebration. One of the activities was a birthday surprise swap. Here is my swap from Christina!

 Bitty Boy Danny Garrish reads the card.

 

 "Oh, for heaven's sake," says Hitty Iris Raikes.
Danny has a habit of getting tangled in things.

 

 Wow!!  It's a chalkboard and chalk, just perfect for
the Ash Grove Academy!  This will go up in one of the
schoolrooms for the Bittys.

 

 But that's not all!  A gorgeous log cabin quilt with
a pirate ship on it!  The boys have, of course,

claimed this quilt for the Pirates Roost bedroom

in the Guest house.

 

Christina--thanks so MUCH!!

Progressing on the Dollhouse

Info: this is the Bellingham Dollhouse kit from Dura-Craft.  It should have nine rooms, but I have left out a lot of the partitions, to make it a big, comfy farmhouse. This is not going to be done in 1:12 dollhouse scale.  Instead, it is for my Hittys who, in dollhouse life, would be six and a half feet tall.  Their scale is 'roughly' 1: 10.

I'm slowly progressing, as nearly everything so far had to be repainted before I could put it in.  yellow inside window trim???  What was I thinking!  Unfortunately, it's so long ago I painted it I have no idea.  Ohhh...maybe it wasn't me!  Maybe it was Space Monkeys!  Yes, I think I'll go with the Space Monkeys theory.

All of the windows are in except for the sill and lintel.  Those will come later this week.  I made a change in the window trim--I put the big outside trim to the inside.  For me, the joy of the dollhouse is the inside, not the outside.  So, I put the clunky trim inside.  It looks like the house I grew up in--that has big window trims with decorative corners at the tops.

I couldn't resist this shot this morning.

It's the early sun beaming in.

I 'glued' the newspapers on with a Matte Medium.

The papering in the attic is progressing nicely!  I didn't think I would want the entire attic 'papered' with newspapers 'to keep out the drafts', but now that I've started, I may do so.  I have to get more newspapers first. 

After that was all dry, I mixed some yellow and tan paint with more matte medium, and painted over the newspapers so they would look old and yellowed, not dead-white and new!

As you may be able to see from the first picture, all the floors and walls are done.  I would love to get to the fireplace this week!

The Farmhouse Dollhouse--This time I'm working until it's done!!

I've had this sitting here, collecting dust (wow, did it collect dust!!) for over a year.  It's time to get it done!

Here it is--dusted off and ready to go.

 The Hittys gave me a hand in cleaning it up.

 

 Miss MacDonald swept.

 

Hitty Fun showed me where the stairs are supposed to go.

(Yup--my first dollhouse where I install stairs!)

Yesterday, after doing these pictures, I wallpapered the second floor and the downstairs pantry.  I wasn't sure what I wanted in the attic, but then I went on eBay and bought a bunch of pre-printed newspapers.  I plan to put them all over the attic walls and then varnish them so they look old and yellowed.  I know--I could have printed out my own. However, I was afraid the ink would run and it would be a smeary hideous mess!

Miss Hickory Decorates the Tree

Merry Four Days after Christmas!

Miss Hickory bought the biggest tree she could fit into the cabin,

just for the Hickory Tots' Christmas.

Brother Hickory helps her string the garland.

 I wonder who this dress is for?

 

 Sister Hickory has found a warm, comfy shawl.

 

Baby Hickory has found something even better!  Goodies!

Aunt Hickory watches the excitement with a sleepy Cherry Pitty on her lap.

Sister, santa won't fill the stocking if you don't hang it up...

and go to sleep!

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Have a snack?

Hitty Princess Lucy sets out another platter of Snowman Cakes--they go fast around here! 
Jumbo Ginger Stars are always a treat ad look!  Mrs. Plum has made a Coconut Cake with Poinsettia flowers!  I want a slice of that.

But after the fun, clean-up comes.

After the 'Beary Merry Christmas' party, it's time to clean up. 

Hitty Fun gathers bears from all over, ready to put them away.

Bitty boy Bobby rides on his pony, pretending

he is 'rounding up' the bears.

Mostly, he is getting in the way!

But no-one really minds. He's just excited.

Log Cabin Hitty has taken over the photography

for Hitty Petal, and is trying to talk two of the

frozens into a picture.  They're sort of shy, though,

and probably will giggle and hide their faces.

Hitty Petal gathers the bears from the weirdest of places.

Bitty Boy Danny Garrish thoughtfully gathers up

some of the smaller bears.  He can be quite a helpful

bitty when he wants!

Miss MacDonald adds more treats to the tray. 

Cleaning up takes a lot of energy!

Hitty Iris Raikes is either tidying the Gingerbread House...

or sneaking a bit off to eat!

Hitty Princess Lucy and Hitty Petal take a last look around.

All is tidy!  Time for more fun!