Wednesday 3 April 2013

#43 GREEN DOLPHIN STREET


One of my favorite books is entitled 
"Green Dolphin Street"
The story is about 2 sisters named Marianne and Margarite, close in age but as different as night and day.  They grow up 'very proper and privileged', during the early 1800's in the English Channel Islands.  Both fall in love with a precocious neighborhood boy, Willliam, who eventually falls deeply in love with the younger sister Margarite and through a series of unfortunate circumstances, he is parted from her for many years.  He pioneers NewZealand and eventually decides to send back to England to ask Margarite if she would  cross the ocean to be his wife and mistakenly writes the name of her older sister, Marianne, who believes that she has, at long last, finally won his heart.  She sails to New Zealand leaving her devastated sister, Margarite, behind and after months at sea, she arrives ready to marry her true love.  William anticipation turns to bitter regret when he realizes his mistake but marries Marianne anyway and so begins their unhappily married life, in New Zealand facing  tribal wars, fearless missionaries, country and city ife in a raw and untamed land up against their rigid Victorian upbringing.  There is, as well, a different kind of  'adventure' for the unhappy sister who was left behind, and all 3 characters find unexpected challenges that they must overcome along the way.   Elizabeth Goudge, the author, says that this story was based on fact.  That a man DID mix up the names of two sisters and married the wrong one AND kept quiet about it and made a success of his marriage, much to his own surprise and delight. Upon further investigation through Google, I have found that there are MANY fans of Green Dolphin Street!  So for those who are devotees, here is my tiny contribution to 'SPIRIT' of the book, and I hope that it will stir from within  a 'remembrance' of times past as each of our souls journey homeward towards the future.

*****

The Parlor
#43 GREEN DOLPHIN STREET
(the beginning of the make-over)
"The PROCESS"

Today, I began the 'PROCESS" of how I think I want this house to go.  I want the cottage to have both French and English overtones, to reflect the dual national influences, as highlighted in the book.  I want the cottage to have a Victorian feel to it; CONTEMPORARY, yet with a nautical leaning.  In other words, I want a house with a 'history' built into it but occupied by people of today.
  I always like to load all the things that I think I would like to use, to get a visual on the proportions and the traffic flow.  How will people move around, where will they hang their hats or pull off their boots?  What kind of things amuse them?
(These are the conversations that fly through my head.)
Anyway, I loaded all the things in and found a combination that appealed to me.
I have had the French fireplace for probably 15 years!  I was saving it for another doll's house but decided to use it now.  I made a decision to forfeit a sofa and only have chairs.  This is a very small  and informal space and so instead of a sofa I chose a chest of drawers to stand against the far left wall.  The wall is not fixed and is not finished.  I moved it around to see where I  might want it.  I have to leave enough room for the front door to swing open and I have to enlarge the doorway to the kitchen for the people to be able to pass through.
I also need to know where to allow for the lighting and the wires, hence the placement of the lamps.

Keep in mind that this is a  3 dimensional "SKETCH" of the parlor. Against the window wall, I have placed a writing desk.  The 2 lamps are some of my favorite lighting fixtures.  I have used the same style of lamp in "GOTHICA"( the garden folly in an earlier post, December  2012).  I like the slimness of them and they are modern with a timeless appeal.  Under the writing desk is an old typewriter.  I would like the cottage to be the home of a writer.  So I plan to have indications of her interest manifested in various ways.  I  also want to make a miniature copy of Green Dolphin Street to be displayed on the desk!  What Fun! 

In the corner is a coat rack that is currently hosting the umbrella that I got as a gift from Fatima!
I don't want to overload it but there might be a hat and a scarf to hang on it later.  The tea table is a small drop leaf table that is rather crude but I shall use it anyway.  I shall need to fix it up a bit.  It is set with white 'Val D'or'  china and some assorted cakes on a distressed cake stand.  

The fireplace has a framed painting of a victorian lady presiding  over the  many mini items on the mantle top.  I placed a black and white great Dane in front of the fireplace.  He is very BIG but when I tried a smaller dog, I wasn't that happy, so for now he stays.  The fire screen is a red/brown and in viewing the picture, I'm not sure about the color, but I will leave it until the floor boards get laid and the wall paper is applied to the walls.  I want to have ceiling beams as well to really make the parlor feel old and cottagy and the way they will run will be determined by the placement of the fireplace and the picture above it.  It is like fitting a jigsaw puzzle together.

Here is an arm chair that I had once regretted buying!   It is Bespaq  and had a woven insert in the back and sides and I removed them years ago and never could decide what to do next.  I shall upholster them and again I will wait until the other larger elements have been determined.  The tassled green throw, is silk and it was made by a West Coast Canadian lady by the name of  Sally Plunkett.  She used to commute across from the island to the mainland and always carried her mini knitting with her on the local ferry when crossing the inlet.  She earned the name of the "Knitting Lady" and had a business of the same name.  The giant picture above the dresser is called "The Poetess".( The writer theme reinforced.)
The folding screen is to break up the visual line and balance that corner for now, but it will probably not stay for long.  I have to cut the doorway wider and that will affect the station of the screen.  I don't want it blocking the doorway.

I had wanted to have drapes in this room but I think that I shall be rethinking that.   There is not enough room for the drop and it will interfere with the coat rack and the framed oval print on the wall.  These are problems that come with the job. MY desire is for a certain thing and then the house says "NO!"


Are you getting a sense of the personality of the house yet?

I used the toilet bowl freshener basket to make a log holder for the 'driftwood' that it contains.  At Christmas I had it filled with white frosted pine cones and it was pretty but I decided to use an old dried out root, cut down to represent driftwood, from the nearby beach.  It goes nicely with the painted and aged fireplace.  At least I think so!

Here, today, on the west coast of Canada, the sky was overcast and grey, so I decided to simulate the interior of #43, by changing up the lighting and here is how it turned out!
Very misty looking.

I love this shot!  You can see the fireplace the chair  I bought at the Seattle show last year and the dog!  I bought the 2 frosted glass wall sconces from  ROSS'S TREASURE HOUSE, in North Vancouver.
They look Victorian and Napoleon the third.  I am very pleased with the way they look with the fireplace and once the wall paper is up the contrast will make them more pronounced although I will age them up a bit so they are not so shiny.


This is a BIG DOG for such a small house, and it is still just a puppy!  As I've said, I did try a smaller dog and the dog made the room look busy!  This dog is good company and protection for a single woman living alone.  I think that this dog needs a name soon.  Let me think? 
 Now what shall it be.....?




Another shot that I like!

While I ponder a name for the dog, I thought I would give you a closer look at some of the chosen elements so far.  These could all change by tomorrow, mind you, but as of today, here is what I've got.
The silk shawl, by Sally Plunkett

 the needlepoint cushions that my friend Pam Grant made for me, and a pair of chinese silk slippers I made, that I finally have a home for.

The weave of this basket is really very fine.  I have a tiny bit of silk stretched in a hoop  awaiting the skeins of threads and other sewing paraphernalia and the beginnings of a knitted scarf.  These will go into the basket and will sit next to the soon to be upholstered, arm chair.

Here is the 'Val D'or" china tea set, and a green and cream cup and saucer by a Canadian artist, Janice Crawley.  The  faux"capodemonte"
and the blue and white hand painted dish, are by me. 

Lovebirds in a cage are currently hanging above the parlor window!
This may change depending on the season.  I don't want them getting a draft!!!!
They may have to go back upstairs to the bedroom where they hung off the wall.

In the book there was a SaltyTalking parrot, but I think lovebirds are better.

A sewing chest that used to be in " At home by the sea" (a previous doll's house).  An urn and some red paper flowers that look pretty good in it.

The fireplace and 'friends'
I made the French mantle clock and the jeweled topiaries, the 2 tall candlesticks and the tiny square picture in the silver frame.  I would like to have more pictures on the mantle when I get closer to the end.

The firescreen
This does look out of scale and more than likely, it will be changing color.  I think maybe black would be better;  However, it looks bigger in the photos than it does in real life.  Once the color is applied to the walls there will not be as much contrast and therefore the screen will not appear to be as large as it does now.  Color is a big factor in the atmosphere and I try to choose them to tell the story along with the furniture and the accessories.  It all needs to work together.

The basket of "driftwood" 
The fabulous umbrella made by Fatima!  Perfect for when you have to walk the dog in the rain!

These are metal plates from a dresser that I used to own and when I was changing the hardware,
TA DA!  Ceiling medallions!  I gave some to Janinie and you can see how she used hers to great effect on with her hall lantern, at Minworks.  I had so many that I decided to play with the finishes and see what I could come up with.  The one below was the only reddish one so I cut it down and filled in the centre hole with a cut down button which I blended in with the existing metal.  I like it now but later if I feel it is wrong because of the way the room develops I can change it in color or swap it out for something else.

The writing desk with the lamps, sunglasses,  Eiffel tower , a vase of wildflowers and some old letters.
So there it is, a new adventure for me!  After having swallowed my fear of new beginnings and just making a start, I have found a lot of pleasure in what is shaping up to be a very pretty little room!  It will be interesting to see how much of  what you see now, will remain and how it will evolve as time passes and progress is made.  I hope you will continue the journey with me, and come visit me again at
 #43 GREEN DOLPHIN STREET

thank you for stopping by,
I'm glad you did!
*******
                                                                      
elizabeth




48 comments:

  1. Wow! This is amazing!
    I'm delighted with the dreamy atmosphere that you have created in this environment. Congrats!
    Hugs.

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    1. Thank you Eliana! I love your choice of the word "Dreamy". It had been a dream of mine to somehow translate the book into something miniature. I had tried to do it with the doll's house that the rats got to, but it turned out more vintage than Victorian. So this little cottage is the fulfillment of a dream. But as with all projects, I anticipate that there will be the nightmare moments along the way with it too! hahah

      elizabeth

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  2. So complete a work you have done here. So many thoughtful considerations, it is reflected in the entire room.
    I love your fireplace and things on it, and the beautiful painting above. It is also a beautiful painting above the dresser. It is a good idea to selecting chairs for the room, it gives a unique whole.
    Your bird cage is very nice and fits so well to this room. I'm also crazy about the two identical lamps on the table.
    You have made an impressive beautiful work. A pleasure to look at.
    Hugs
    Wyrna

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    1. Thank you Wyrna! This is how I usually do any space in miniature. I begin filling it completley with everything that may or might be a possibility and then I take it all out and fill it back up and take it all out, over and over again. It is quite the process but it works for me. All the items that you mentioned are all things in the room that I like best too! The two lamps on the table I have been saving for years and I have one more set of them that will probably end up in the bathroom of this cottage when I get that far. Next, I shall take all of what you see out again and get started on the floor and then the wall paper, so the next time that you see this room it should look different again. I am now just as intrigued by the way it is shaping up as you are!

      elizabeth

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  3. Hello Elisabeth,
    After staring at the pictures forever and taking all that beauty in, I have to say one word that really comes to mind when I look at your work is "Completeness" You really do think of every little detail and you can see that great thought was given to how things wqork together and how they would be used in real life. It is just extraordinary! Also, you really, REALLY, captured the victorian feel perfectly. THe room is just lovely! I do not think the room needs cuyrtains, but if you really want a window treatment would shutters or roman shades work? i believe both were common in victorian periods.
    Big hug,
    Giac

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    1. Hello Giac! Thank you! I am of the same opinion as you about the curtains! I would maybe consider cafe curtains , but I am concerned about loosing the light and as there are shutters on the exterior I don't think that shutters inside would serve. Once I get the walls covered and the window casing on the atmosphere will change again so I am not finalizing anything till then but I agree with you, Giac that I don't think that the room will need them.
      Big hug back!

      elizabeth

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  4. What a great story and you followed it so well. The room with all the precious miniatures is fantastic. Your photos too. I love your work!
    Hugs, Drora

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    1. Hello Drora! Isn't it a great story and the book is so romantic and interesting because it revolves around the relationships between themselves, their belief in the providence of
      God and how their individual choices, end up influencing the directions that their lives take, for better or worse. Every time I re-read this book, I find something exciting and new that enlightens me and rounds out the characters of Marianne, Margarite and William.
      I never get tired of it, even though I know what is coming next. Thank you for your comment Drora, and thank you for enjoying the photos! I think I only had 1 slightly fuzzy one this time around! I think I'm finally improving!

      elizabeth

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  5. it reminds me of an english cottage. when you changed the photo to dark and gloomy all that was missing was a lit fire place and some candles. I do wish I were small enough to live there it's just so cozy!

    I will be coming back for a visit to see future changes

    a big fan
    Marisa :)

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    1. Hi Marisa! Yes, this cottage is definitly more English than French! And as to the fire in the fireplace, I put one in and it was flickering away as I took the photos but of course it didn't translate in the photos! You and I are on the same page! I have two tall candlesticks on the mantle but when the wall sconces are eventually hooked up, there will be a new kind of warmth to the parlor! Nothing is installed as yet, and thank goodness because I just realized that the sconce on the right side of the fireplace is tacked on way higher than the left one. Whew! Thankfully it is stuck on for now with Blue Tac!

      elizabeth

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  6. Replies
    1. Thank you Merja! This is only the mock up but I like it too! When I was fishing through the collection of furniture that had, I was amazed that I had so much on hand that was usable! I am not a big collector of Victorianna and yet this room has a nice mix of both the English and French that give it an air of a 'Period Room' with out it being all one or the other! I am having fun with this project and I am happy that you like it too!

      elizabeth

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  7. Hi Elizabeth! Everything is so very well planned! You have a fabulous collection! The room is atmoshpheric to the era you are reproducing. I can appreciate the time and effort you have spent putting it together. I love that dog. In real life, some people do have huge dogs and I find that it suits the house. I'm so glad you came out of hiding, dear Elizabeth. You have hidden your star for much too long.

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    1. Hello Lucille! I have been collecting stuff for a long time and so much of it was packed away out of sight out of mind! It was so nice to be able to "shop" from what I had on hand and get out into the open air once again. I think that the dog looks just too comfortable to move and so he will more than likely be staying. I agree, he seems to suit this house. I think I will name him "NATE" after one of the characters in the book. I just tried it out on him as I was writing this and he seemed to like it, (smiles); His ears perked up!

      elizabeth

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  8. Dear Elizabeth, it looks like you have written your own beautiful story......I exactly understand and feel the atmosphere you like to create! So I like to advise you...don't stop writing and just work like a mad woman on this book....I can't wait to read the end!!!!

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    1. Hello Sab! Thank you for those very encouraging words! It is so fantastic to have so many kindred spirits that can feel the MOVEMENT of the house! I am always surprised at how the house can take over and begin dictating the course of events! I don't mean that in a freaky way. But rather as the soul tries to express itself though art and creativity, some of what is inside of the artist is made visible to those that are viewing it. I am so enjoying this translation and interpretation and I am now fired up to make even more progress on the "story". Thank you for reading along, Sab, I also can't wait to see how it will end!

      elizabeth

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  9. This is a fabulous room. I like the atmosphere and little details.
    Greetings, Faby

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    1. Hello Fabiola! I am so happy that you like the room, too! There will soon be more changes and I hope to get the floors and the wall covering installed over the next couple of weeks! I am surprised at how much stuff I have tucked in the storage drawers that had been forgotten about for years! It was like Christmas, re-discovering all the tiny treasures and placing them in the room for me and ALL to enjoy! Now comes the harder part, the cutting and measuring that I am not so good at. haha , but I've just got to do it!

      elizabeth

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  10. Amazing scene, it does pull you in making you peek in to the little corners.

    The best miniature rooms are the ones where you feel like you need to step in and stay a while. You have certainly created that warmth.

    Wonderful!

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    1. Thank you Jane! I know when I have a successful project when people say they want to stay or shrink themselves down into it! I feel the same way! Looking at the scene myself I have a desire to get that chair upholstered just so that I can sink right down into it and drink tea and look at the roaring fire in the fireplace. It is 'weird' but wonderful!

      elizabeth

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  11. Dear Elizabeth,
    Just said goodbye to two old friends who came for lunch. Sunny and warm in the garden. Took a quick trip to the Secret Garden nearby.
    I began to leave a post first thing this morning but was distracted by the Eiffel tower. Had to check when it was built 1879 I believe. I think you may have to get a bust of Lord Nelson or Lady Emma instead.
    Love Nate! Interesting that such a large dog seems so appropriate in this space. Despite their size they are very placid and aware of the space around them.
    I know the interior will go Through quite a few reincarnations before it is complete . Look,forward to all the reincarnations.
    Really lovely and so much fun to see what comes next!
    As always Janine

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    1. Hi Janine! I would love to have a bust of Lord Nelson as it would certainly suit the seaside theme of this seafaring story, but the Eiffel tower is perfectly fine as this is a Contemporary scene in an old cottage. Electric lamps are mixed with Victorian ones and the typewriter is indicative of today's time period too. That's the beauty of doing something of this 'modern' age, you can mix and match eras to your hearts content! You are right however about the interior going through a few reincarnations before it reaches completion. It is so nice to have this blog to be able to document it as I go and then to be able to look back when it is all finished and see the 'Before' and then the 'After."

      elizabeth

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  12. Your room is wonderful and packed with lots of great details. I particularly love your dog. (Is is a Great Dane? I hope so) The fireplace was a great choice. It all looks great. IndyPoppy

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    1. Hello Indy Poppy! Yes it is a Great Dane and the general consensus is that he is the right dog for the job! Looking at your icon, I can see why you love this dog! hahahh Thank you for your comment and 'Nate the Great' says "thank you," too!

      elizabeth

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  13. What a lovely parlor...you have captured the Victorian feel perfectly. It looks "lived in", as if the small inhabitants just stepped out for a minute, and the amount of detail and contrast is just right. I've seen Victorian scenes in mini that look both overwhelming in amount of "stuff" and also dark and gloomy. You've avoided both of those pitfalls and created a room that is inviting, cosy, and delightfully old fashioned. I'll be interested to see what you do next!

    I am also a fan of Elizabeth Goudge. Have you read The Scent of Water? I think that's my favorite of hers that I've read so far. One of the story lines is about some precious miniatures that one of the main characters has collected and displayed...I won't say more, lest I spoil the surprise. She's an excellent writer, and her themes of redemption and grace always touch my heart. I haven't read Green Dolphin Street, being limited by what I can reserve through my county's library system, and what I can download on my Kindle, but it looks like I'm going to be browsing used book stores online after reading your post. The thought that there are unread Elizabeth Goudge books just waiting to be found is a very appealing one to me. Besides making minis, reading is my other grand passion when it comes to favorite pastimes. It's so fun to find a kindred spirit online, Elizabeth, and you are that! :o)♥ Thanks for sharing your sweet parlor and for the book recommendation!

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    1. Hello Kate! How wonderful to meet with a fellow fan of Elizabeth Goudge!!!! So many good authors are no longer in fashion but a well written story is Never out of style! I have not read The Scent of Water, but now I shall be on the look-out for it. I have one other of Elizabeth's books entitled Gentian Hill, I have it in the line-up after the current 3 that I have on the go. I have not been reading as much as I used to and I find my eyes tire a whole lot faster than they did but I still love a good book before bed. (That is; when I finally decide to GO to bed after a night of blogging!!!! ) I looked at the fly leaf in the book I have and she has at least 12 other titles listed. Good luck in your hunt, Kate and thank you for your all your kind input about the parlor! Redemption and Grace is a beautiful summation of this wonderful authors body of work!

      elizabeth

      p.s. In the 1950's, a movie version starring Lana Turner and Donna Reed was made and as usual they left the meat out and over-loaded it with fluffy, over dressed women. It was a total disappointment to anyone who has read the book;( sigh) but that's show biz!

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  14. Wow, too much to look at in my lunch break. I am going to have to have a good look tonight when I get back from work but I love what you are doing. So many lovely items in the room. I adore the lovebirds in the cage. Being from New Zealand I am so intrigued by the book I will have to see if I can pick myself up a copy. I love the story Ballet Shoes and hope to create a dolls house around that book one day.

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  15. Hello Sharee Thank you for taking the time from your lunch break to leave me your message! I think that the lovebirds are darling and for this little cottage which is filling up with the love and the good wishes of all of my friends both here and abroad, the lovebirds are a good representation of relationships! I hope that you will investigate Green Dolphin Street. More than half of the book takes place in it. It is a very romantic story. I haven't heard of Ballet Shoes but what an exciting point of departure! I love stories of the ballet and have a small book about the history of the ballet and how it came to be what it is today! Go for it Sharee!

    elizabeth

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    1. p.s.
      correction:
      (I really need to check what I write and make sure what is in my head is what is on the page.)

      I meant to say that half of the story in the book Green Dolphin Street, takes place in New Zealand. What I wrote made no sense at all!?? Sorry Sharee.

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  16. I actually took a day off from looking for a post and there you are. What a lovely story and now a must read for me. I have fallen in love with the story and how you are explaining all of the detail albeit preliminary it is already giving off such appeal. As usual you have such great finds and you do such wonderful things with them. I have gotten the toilet bowl freshener, now I need the courage to make it look real. Can't wait to try. You even made my little umbrella feel so important. Nate is wonderful and will keep cozy by the fireplace. Love love it all! fats

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  17. Hi Fats! Does this mean that you were back at the dollar store after all???? haha It is interesting to me how Nate is fast becoming a celebrity! I have just built up the fire in the fireplace for him and he is currently basking in its bright orangey -red glow! I will soon show pictures of the amended fire. Marisa from Steinworks suggested that I needed one and so I have tried it out and before I take the room apart to begin the walls, I shall show the "roaring fire"! Nate is living like a prince! Your little umbrella is tops with me and I placed it where it would be to hand when the weather was wet and blustery. I may have to get a couple more for any guest that is over for the weekend, they are just too cute!

    elizabeth

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    1. Yep, I was! Went for Paper lunch bags to make grab bags for the show and wouldn't you know it....I had a shopping list! New Dollarama had some new items to be examined of course. Plus found some items not on the list for further examination at our next meeting...hmmmm!

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    2. Way to go Fats!
      I Approve!

      elizabeth

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  18. I love your room - my favourite piece is the screen. I love that style. Also your dog is fabulous. The book sounds lovely. I will have to see if I can find it- sounds like a great read.

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    1. Hello Gladys! Sorry for the delay in responding but I had to stop playing with the doll's house and go do the real life work! I am so happy that you like the room and the screen. I made the screen from a photocopy of a magazine ad and glued it to a piece of mat board and then sealed the picture onto the card with Glue n' Seal ( a mat sealer) and then I painted the back of the screen with a black acrylic paint, and sealed it, when dry, with the same product. I tend to get the majority of my printies from old magazines and then I make the copies larger or smaller as needed. I haven't forgotten your request about the bottles! Information and tutorial on the horizon! (smiles)
      Everyone is really enjoying "Nate the Great Dane!" He really is "Man's (and woman's) best friend!"!

      elizabeth

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  19. I am not familiar with that story! Perhaps I need to go to the Library to get a copy! Your parlor is Gorgeous... even as a work in progress ... it has such a wealth of detail and fascinating little vignettes... they tell stories all by themselves!!! I LOVE the dog by the hearth... The hearth itself is Gorgeous! And I agree with you about keeping the window curtainless... it would crowd the space and overpower the other details! I think your method of designing the decor is fascinating and I look forward to watching it develop!

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    1. Hello Betsy! The story is very old and was published in Canada in 1944, according to the copy that I have, but I read it nearly every 3 years! Can you believe it?!!! Anyway, if you are not able to find a copy at the library, check out the thrift stores or used book stores. That is where I have had my success. Good luck!
      Since the posting above, I have been trying to tackle the wall paper and wow, it is not as simple as I thought it would be. The character of the parlor is morphing before my eyes as I knew it would but not in the radical way it has chosen, so be prepared to see how it has evolved. I am just as surprised as I think you will be.

      elizabeth

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  20. Beautiful!!!! Love what you have done and all the little details like the fireplace screen, I would not have thought of that. Thank you so much for sharing and inspiring,

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    1. Hello Jennnybee! Thank you so much for your comment and the lovely compliment! I decided to jump right in and work with the items that I already had and the room began to take shape and was fun to put together. Now I am working on the wall paper and the room keeps changing on me in dramatic ways. I have painted the firescreen and trimmed it down to remove the middle foot and I like it better. I now have a blazing fire in the firebox( to keep the chill at bay) and have changed the area rug that I was going to use to something else too. Interesting things are taking shape within the little walls of #43, I hope you'll stay tuned to see what it finally becomes.

      elizabeth

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  21. Hi Elizabeth, you have a wonderful nlog and a lot to tell to us, thank you for sharing! I am your latest follower, nice to "meet" you ;0!
    Hugs, Ilona

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  22. Welcome Ilona! It is so nice to have you here! I always do an official welcome to the new followers so I will say Welcome now and I'll say it again later. It is a pleasure to meet you too! I am so pleased that you like my blog and I am always happy to share with my blog friends as I always am learning from all of you too.

    elizabeth

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  23. I think I will go read that book someday.

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    1. Hi Sans! I hope that one day that you will too, meanwhile keep on writing your own stories. They are always interesting to me and your other followers. There is an art to be able to tell a story as well as you do!

      elizabeth

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  24. I love the planning stage and following your thought process before starting this project. I also think your firescreen looks great. An excellent idea in recycling!

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  25. Hello Irene! Thank you for your comment! Ahh, the planning stages! I wish sometimes that I wouldn't make my life as complicated as I often do and yet with the planning of the rooms I just can't seem to behave any differently. If it is not all laid out right before my eyes, it is difficult for me to know how to proceed. I am very limited by this style of working. I will often search through old magazines and find photos of what I think I want in the house and cut out the picture and place it where I think I want it before I make a purchase because it is cheaper than what I used to do which was buy the item and later find out I had made a mistake or changed my mind. Is that EXCESSIVE RIGHT BRAIN activity or is it LEFT BRAIN INACTIVITY? Hmmm... I'll need to think about it awhile
    I'm glad that you like the firescreen. I ended up removing the centre foot and I did paint it black and added some silver bits to look like cast iron and it looks better now especially with the fireplace ablaze behind it! Moral is NEVER THROW ANYTHING OUT- EVER!

    elizabeth

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  26. Are you following my blog through Goggle friend connect Elizabeth? Or by RRS or email? I knew who you were when you first commented on a post because I had just started following this wonderful blog, but I can't seem to find you in my followers list. I added you on google plus. You can add me back to respond, or reply to this contact, or you can go to my blog and click on the turquoise email icon at the top of my blog. If you click on that my email adress will pop up, and you can contact me that way.
    Cheers,
    Ruth

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  27. I really love what you are doing and I also think that Nate the great Dane looks right at home where you placed him.

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    1. Thank You Yvonne! This project has become a favorite of mine over the course of time. If you view the post " God is in the Details" you will see the parlor completed. Mind you I am still working on some of the details still but I like the way it has developed. Always the unexpected set backs but it turned out better than I expected in spite of my mistakes! Nate the Great, has remained in the same spot and refuses to be moved. The fire keeps him warm and Tai the cat keeps him pre-occupied, That darn cat!

      elizabeth

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DO OVERS! a Glencroft Living room redecoration

    Back in April of 2022, I made up a storyline for my Glencroft renovations, which went something like this...   "After due considera...