A New Day!

Hello to all my blog friends!  I have been away from this blog for a very long time now and I felt the need to catch up with all of you and tell you what is happening in "Ray" world.

First, some will recall my January post stating that I was going to be forced to sell my "La Maison" and that did happen.  Real life sometimes offers us challenges that cause unwanted decisions to have to be made....so I must finish the loose ends of that structure for delivery to its new owner by the end of May.  I will post the finished pictures when I have completed everything.  The good news is that this new owner is a close friend and miniaturist.  She and her husband are like adopted family.......and I feel fortunate to be part of their family.

On another positive note part of my deal to sell included getting another "Lawbre" structure........it seems to be my destiny to work on old Lawbre houses.  The house I will be getting is called "The French Country House".
I have decided to call it "Boxwood Terrace".  When you see what I do to it you will understand the name choice.

In the meantime, until I can actually work on this house I will share some of the Room boxes that we are doing for Chicago International in a few weeks.  So please stay with me, I will be back Soon!
Respectfully submitted,
Ray W

Holiday Greetings! Progress on my House!

Hello to all my friends and new followers!  Welcome to you all and I hope this note I offer finds all of you in good health and enjoying the Holiday season.

Wow, five weeks since my last chat with all of you.......my apologies......work in the real world and two ailing Whippets have been taking up a good deal of my time.  The good news is that my dogs are finally on the mend and I have had a small amount of time to work on my house.

You will recall in a post long ago that I made an intricate curved staircase for the "Foyer" of my house.  I took some time to finish the front hall portion of the "Foyer".   Here it is.....



I chose a Silk Damask upholstery fabric for the walls that I have kept for myself for many years.  It is long discontinued and I knew one day I would have a use for it.  It is a cream background with pale khaki scrolls. I did a faux marble floor with contrasting border to match the "Checkerboard" pattern floor of the rear stair hall.  The sconces are a pair that I did not make but altered greatly.  They always looked too large and the changes I made in them have made them considerably smaller and better suited to my plan.  The "Pier Table" is one I made by cutting down an old "Bespaq" dining table. This space is narrow and could not support much in the way of furniture. I faux painted marble for the top and applied gold leaf to the base.  The chairs are pieces from my friend "Sophia" of  "SmallTreasuresMiniatures.com".  I re-upholstered them in a "Navy-Gold-Khaki" silk plaid from my personal fabric stash.

This is a closer look at the chairs and pier table...........I bumped the left lamp hence the crooked shade...

the maid will take care of that!  Speaking of the lamps, I made them from a pair of "Jeanetta Kendall" cherub candlesticks.  I drilled holes for the candle tube, which is brass tubing, and then added a shade assembly from TEC Innovations, then painted them bronze/gold .  The railing will be continued once I have made the stairs from the "Ground Floor"

Here is a "Crooked" view looking straight in from the front.  The door to the right is the service door to the "Breakfast Room"

I have long been a fan of "Bespaq" because of the limitless possibilities the pieces offer.  All you need is a little imagination and you can turn a "Ho-Hum" piece into something you can be proud of!  This chest is photographed in my "Salon" post prior to my working on it.  I sanded off all the applied carvings and painted the base "Tuscan Red".  The "Chinoiserie" designs are from a "Natasha" decoupage kit that I purchased in the 90's.  Since I am not a "Painter" I had to figure out a way to make a believable piece, so I cut and fitted these patterns to the chest.  Natasha designed them for another piece but by re-arranging them I was able to make them work.  When they were completely dry I painted on a coat of "Mod-Podge" gloss finish. When that dried I antiqued the entire piece with "Liquin and Burnt Umber" oil paint.  A few findings later and this was the result.  This chest will live in the "Curved Stair" hall.

This is the "Faux Marble" top I painted for the chest.  I used black as a base coat and sponged on (sparingly) some charcoal gray.  When dry, I used a white "Color Pencil", sharpened many times during the process, to do the "Veining" . I sprayed the finished top with a coat of  "Hi-Shine Glaze" from Folkart.

My next project was to tackle the "Front Entry Doors" on the ground floor.  I wanted a design reminiscent of those of a "Paris" building and what better place to look than "Google".  I Googled Paris doorways and about 150 examples popped up.  This is how my design evolved.  I used wood and jewelry findings to create the pattern.

Here are the doors painted and installed on the ground level of my structure. I will be adding "Bronze Urns" on the pedestals flanking the doors.  You can also just see the blue enamel house number on the upper left side.  I chose "2" since this is the second structure that I am doing for myself.  My first house and was sold to a well know collector many years ago to fund my entry into the miniatures world.   Sorry for the electrical box in the right of the photo.............

I decided that I had to have a "Paris" street sign on both sides of the building so I found one online I thought would be good.  I printed out two copies of the sign and glued them to black matte board.  I sealed the paper and then sprayed them both with "Hi-Shine" glaze so that they would look enameled.

This is a close up look at the house number

I know some of you have not looked back at the beginning of my work on this building so I thought I would share some photos of the structure as it is today.  I still have much to do on the exterior including the roof and window railings.  I plan to make the "Shop Entrances" on the left and right sides of the structure and keep the center doors as the main entrance to the apartment above

This last picture is for my friend "John" of "Merriman Park".  John asked a while back where I got my door handles.  So, John, here they are.  These findings came from "Hobby Lobby". You can see in the picture, the back plate. I remove the "rings" on either end.  The "Fleur De Lis" made the lever.  I used the larger end and removed the ring.  I bent the piece into a right angle and inserted it in the top hole of the back plate.  John, I hope you have recovered from your eye problem! You are missed........

I was also asked about my bath tub...........what is a "Cooking Ramekin".  Well, a cooking ramekin is a dish that you can bake a real souffle or pudding or casserole, in your home oven.  The one I found was oval,  porcelain, and the perfect small size for the tub.  It was made by "Libbey" and available at "Bed Bath and Beyond" a big box store here in the US.

Well my friends if you made it this far I am forever grateful that you were interested in what I offered here.

I want to thank each and every one of you who comment and communicate with me, for your kind words and for supporting me here.  I wish all of you a splendid Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year!

Good wishes to you all from Ray W

Master Bath Progress

Hello again my friends! 
A very warm welcome to all of you!  For those of you who may not have been here from the beginning, I am converting a "Lawbre" structure called "The Chessington Plaza" into a "French Inspired" Townhouse. A miniaturist friend of mine "Gifted" me this structure many years ago and I ignored it for about five years before deciding to tackle it.  Fortunately for me it was an empty shell and I could arrange rooms as I wanted.
By no means am I trying to replicate a  French period structure.  I love French design and have borrowed ideas and architecture infusing them with my American style.  I will not be furnishing the rooms until all construction is done.  I am trying to make as many things myself as possible and show everyone what can be done with a little imagination and not a ton of money.

So here is progress as of today........

I never dreamed when I started  the conversion of this structure that the top most floor would consume as much time to build as it has. I have only completed the construction of the Master Bedroom, Master Bath, and Rear Hall.  The Master Bath is a narrow space with a raised alcove for the tub and a separate WC room. 

This is early stage construction. The chest is an old Bespaq piece that I have sanded and you will see finished later.  The mirror is a "Kupjack" piece that I have had for many years.  You can see my faux marble floor here with a "Versailles" pattern inlay    



I took the top off the chest and so that I could drill a hole for the sink. I am using a "Bespaq"  Blue and white

Chinese design bowl for the sink.  Just above the black top you can see the "Forsner" drill bit I used in my drill press for the hole to accept the sink.

Finished top with taps

I faux painted the marble top in a warm cream to match my floor. The taps are from "Falcon" miniatures with my paint finish.



Tub, Vanity, and Tub Taps





Alright.................I wanted a free standing modern/traditional tub and could not afford 200+ dollars for an amazing one I saw on-line, so I made my own from.................wait for it................an oval cooking ramekin!  It was the perfect size and shape and  I lucked out finding this in a big box bath/cooking store here.   OK, no, it was not red and did not have a gold border, or jets.  I added those myself.  I started by masking off the interior and rim with painters tape.  I sprayed the exterior with a "Hammered Bronze" paint and hated it..........   I sponged on some gold metallic paint and...........hated it more!.  As a last resort I remembered seeing a red tub in the blog of my friend "Irene" of  "The Tenement" and "Hambleton Hall", and "Small and Stately". I loved it  in her bathroom, so I ran to the paint department of Rayland and grabbed a can of matte red spray.  Voila!  Happiness at last.  The gold border is am embossed foil trim from a company called "D Blumchen & Co", a great source for these foil/paper trims.  The jets are some findings.



Tub Taps

For my tub I wanted a vintage "Telephone" style "Tap/Spray" so this is what I came up with.  I cut and combined  door handles, brass tubing, handles from another "Falcon" miniatures tap set and copper twisted ground wire for the flex hose of the body spray.   OK who is that laughing at all this?  It worked!



Close up of Tub Taps before painting

 This picture will give you a better look at the taps.  Since most of these parts were plated,  I sanded the areas that I wanted to join and then glued them together.  At the end I painted the entire thing with "Classic Gold"  Treasure paint.




Long View of Sink Cabinet and Mirror

Sorry for the quality of this picture.......this room is impossible to photograph well.  I decided to do frames on the walls and only wallpaper inside the frames.  I made the sconces from..............findings...

 







Tub and Taps Installed





This is the view into the Bath from the front of the structure.  The doorway beyond the tub is the "Private WC" room.  The door slides into a pocket in the wall.  To accomplish this sliding door, I attached a piece of 3/32" brass tubing horizontally across the top edge of the door.  I then installed a piece of 1/8" brass rodding behind the wall and slid the door and tube onto the rodding.  I installed some hidden pieces of wood  as guides to keep the door plumb and also to prevent binding.

 So my friends, that is the end of this episode of  "Life in Ray's House"!   I hope you found something interesting to see here and will keep coming back to spend time with me.

 Ciao for now!

 Ray

Eh bien..........Je suis toujours là

    NEWS FLASH!    NEW BLOG!
  www.thedollscottage.blogspot.com    Check it out.......



Hello my patient friends!   Well......I am still here....
It seems like an eternity since I sat down to share thoughts and pictures of the miniature structure I have been working on.  Real life seems to always be in the way.

So, first things first, to my followers both old and new thank you for continuing to join me here.  I appreciate your input and the opportunity to get to know you through this, and your blogs.  I feel honored and sometimes humbled to be here among so many talented friends.

Progress as of today on La Maison des Grandes Rêves........I have spent a considerable amount of time working on the Master Bedroom, connecting hallway, Master Bath, and floors and doors......it seems endless.    You will recall in my last post that I had asked  Susan Bembridge if she would re-color one of her wallpaper patterns to work with my color scheme for this house.  She very kindly agreed and then she and her husband "Andrew" set about creating an absolutely exquisite colorway for me.  I could not be more thrilled with the results.  Here is a peek....

This is the Susan Bembridge Designs pattern "Coral and Flowers" done in reds and blues on a mottled cream background.  I chose this pattern for the Master Bedroom after being inspired by a bed chamber in

Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte.  This one bears a stong resemblance and I knew I had to have it.  I will tell you that this paper and fabric are the finest quality I have ever had the pleasure of working with.

This is the Master Bedroom in its begining stages.  You can better see this wonderful wallpaper pattern here.

This is another view a bit further along.  I still have the mantlepiece to paint and the firebox to finish.  This view gives you a little "tease" of the tub in the Master Bathroom.

The doors in this space I made myself  from 3/16" thick stripwoods, 1/16" thick panels, and a combination of 3/32" half round and 1/16" double bead moldings.  I am very pleased with the end result, particularly considering the fact that I made these doors wrong the first time and had to start over!

I did a small ceiling relief for this room using...............can you guess?      Chandeliers will happen somewhere along the way!

This is the rear hall connecting the Master Bedroom and the other two bedrooms of this floor of the house.

I spent a considerable amount of time making this paneling that will only be seen throught the doorways of these bedrooms.  The open door you are seeing here is the Master Bedroom.

                                                         Drama Time!

This tiny space is the room that connects my Salon and Dining Room.  I chose another Susaan Bembridge design for this space because I have long admired this stunning "Black" colorway.  This pattern is "Sutton Park" in the smaller of the sizes offered.  I wanted the scale of this to not overwhelm the room since the only furniture piece will  be a grand piano. The colors of this one work beautifully with the adjoining spaces.  You will better see my goal when I show you these spaces furnished.

                    Here is another look with the Dining Room visible through the doorway.

      This is the faux marble floor I did for this room.  Sorry that you cannot see the veining in this because it is red on a mottled cream field. The border is Charcoal, black, and gold. 

This last picture shows you my choice for the Guest Bedroom.  I have long wanted to do an entire room in "Toile" so this will be it.  I wish you could see the beautiful pattern and color here. This toile is another Susan Bembridge design called "Pastorale" . The colors are Charcoal and Cream. I knew this first time I saw this that it would be perfect with the brass and painted bed I will be using in this room.

I want to extend a special "Thank You" to Susan and Andrew Bembridge.  They were, and are, lovely people to work with.  You would not regret using any of their exquisite papers and fabrics.  They made it possible for me to have exactly what I wanted and again I could not be more thrilled!

So my friends, that is all for this episode of life in Ray's blog............until next time

À bientôt

More "Naked" Stuff!

"NAKED".......Now that I have your attention, I thought I would share with you the progress on my "Salon".
I was able to get the "Versailles" pattern floor finished last weekend and also a pair of "Sconces" for the fireplace wall. I have long been a fan of Jean-Claude Martin, the wonderfully talented artist who creates exquisite chandeliers and sconces and all sorts of amazing other items.  I can't afford any of them............so I pay homage to his style with my version of "Sconces" made from, you guessed it, "Jewelry Findings"!



Here they are........



These are the parts I used to make the "Arms" .  The part on the right is the original piece, center shows where I cut, left shows further cutting to give an "Asymmetrical" shape,  I then bent the arms into the curve I wanted. 

These little parts were used to make the "Candle Holders".  I used my trusty "Soldering Iron" to attach these to the arms.  Thanks to advice from my friend "Catherine" of  "Kilmouski and Me", the soldering this time was "A Piece of Cake"  Thank you Catherine!
 I only had one of the "Back" pieces and forgot to photograph it before making these, it is part # 539 that was cut in half and makes a "left" and "right" sconce.  I chose to paint these sconces with an oil based gold leaf paint that I sprinkled with "Gold" pigment powder. 


My next project was figuring out how to make a ceiling with an ornate relief.  I did not want to use a ready made one or any mass produced components, and guess what, more "Jewelry Findings"!   Are you sick  and tired of hearing about these yet?  Too bad as I have more of them ahead for you to see!

Here is my "Ceiling"........

This picture gives you a more close up look.  I glued all these parts with "Crafters Pick Ultimate" glue

       

                                                This is how it looks after painting. 

So here is the "Salon" with the walls and floor installed, candles lighted, my "Naked" furniture that will one day be part of the furnishings of this space.  I still have the "Mantlepiece and Hearth" to faux marble as well as "Draperies" to make for the window on the right side of the room . Unlike many of my "Miniaturist" friends, I do not have a huge "Stash" of lovely things to completely furnish this house. That is going to take some time......and $.   So my plans are to finish every bit of the construction before "Decorating".

The next space is through the doorway on the right of the picture, and is the final space on this level to finish.  It is the tiny connecting room I originally referred to as the"Sunroom".  Since it is so small I am going to give it a "Dramatic" wallcovering and floor treatment to help it fit as the connecting space between the "Salon and Dining Room".

I promise, no more "Jewelry Findings"...........................................until the next time ;-D

If you read this far, I thank you very much for your continued support and perseverance!  My great hope is that you all find something interesting here to see..........and no, I don't have all the answers, nor do I think I "Know it All"..........Sharing what little I DO know is my attempt at keeping interest alive in the "Hobby"!

Until next time.....Stay well, keep creating those spectacular miniatures, and know that I appreciate you all!

Respectfully submitted,

Ray W

The "Salon" Begins!

Good Day to you my friends!
 As with every post I write now,  a huge welcome and hello to the new followers!  Welcome back to those of you who stop here to see what I am doing.............I appreciate you all!

 I have spent the past several weekends working on my second "Versailles" patterned floor for the "Salon" and also in creating my own "French" inspired wall panels.  I have a huge respect for the "French Style" and this is my attempt, though not architecturally correct, at giving a "Nod" to this amazing style of architecture.
 I have said in a previous post that I am not a "carver" so I decided to use my good old "jewelry findings" to make the ornate part of my walls................so here is your first look at them "in the raw"!

This is a look at the fireplace wall as I started.........I first drew a grid to keep everything aligned and then started piecing together the parts for the look I wanted.   I have a long way to go with these yet!

Another view with the Mantle piece I will be using...........I'm not going to insert a full mirror in the over mantle space because you will look at yourself when you look into this view of the room.........architecturally incorrect I realize............oh well........ this is my house after all and has to reflect me......no pun intended.

These are the parts I am using from JAR-JAF.   The wood strip that you will see next is 1/8" half round

This picture gives you a better look at how I decided to lay out these parts.  I did cut some of them to remove whatever did not work for the look I was after.  The wood half round strips, I cut and fitted and will fill any gaps between them and the "Findings" once I have primed them.  I glued all these pieces with Crafters Pick "Ultimate" glue.

Here is the left wall of my "Salon" primed.  I am considering adding a raised panel in each of these openings which will make them a bit more architecturally correct, but we will see how that goes........those shapes are tough to cut.  As yet I have not decided what color I will paint this space.  I will pick something that coordinates with the "Dining Room" which can be seen through a doorway in this room.

The second time around at this kind of floor is not as bad as my first effort.  This is about 5 hours worth of cutting and fitting the grid to my pattern.  Thank goodness for AutoCAD!    What a huge help it is to have that program in my computer and to have someone who is expert at using it...........thank you Scott!

This is how much of the floor I have done so far.  What you see here represents about 20 hours worth of work...........and worth every minute of it.     I LOVE this  pattern.

So that is it for now..............I just thought I would share some progress as it stands today.

Thank you for getting this far and for looking at my "Naked" architecture and floor!  I will be pushing it further along this next weekend.  Also, good news for me..........Susan Bembridge has agreed to work on a paper for me for this house!  I am so excited with this!   I love, love, love, her exquisite wall coverings and fabrics!    Check her out at http://www.susanbembridgedesigns.com/............you will be hearing more about her from me as this progresses.    She will have wall coverings and fabric in three of the spaces I have yet to do.

Take care all!  I wish you well and hope you will come back and spend more time with me.

Respectfully submitted by Ray