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Showing posts from 2014

Whitebrush Manor - Snap, Crackle, Pop!

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A few weeks ago, I was playing with Whitebrush--basically decorating for Halloween. Yes, I am aware that Halloween had already passed, but I'd leave those decorations up all year round, if I could. I  mean, how fun is this?

Another Mini Treasure and Shingles... Lots and Lots of Shingles

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Last week I got the cutest little baby hippocampus from Kelly at this Etsy store .

Fun News!

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So much going on lately. First, I've moved my craft room to my daughter's old bedroom. I know, I know... I just got done reorganizing my old room, and then I move. But hey... that's the way I roll around here.

Quick Note

Popping in to say I am not dead! Well, at least I don't think so. Lots going on at Casa de Cheverly, including fabulous Etsy items, progress on the Farmhouse, and much more. Stay tuned!

Sara's Dollhouse - A Comedy of Errors

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I am beginning to wonder if this house is wishing Sara hadn't given it to me.

When Stressed Out - Organize!

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I was so sick of my craft room being disorganized. Disorganized isn't even the word for it, though I'm not sure what is. Overflowing? Cramped? Too small? Whatever. THIS had to change.

Traveling, Moving, and THREE More Dollhouses

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What a crazy couple of weeks I've had! First, we moved the kiddo to a new apartment in College Station. The really neat thing about this complex is that all of the apartments are stand-alone houses, and each house comes with parking spaces for each of the residents. Score! She no longer has to deal with downstairs neighbors, their marijuana smoke seeping into her place, or parking a block away. Baby is happy. Momma is happy.

Whitebrush Manor - Porch Update

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I'm still dealing with some headaches from the crash a few weeks ago, but they seem to be coming a little less frequently. This has given me some time (and motivation!) to continue working on my dollhouses. Last weekend I started planking the porch. I used the hardwood floor strips that came with the Dura-Craft kit, and was really pleased with them.

The Concussion Conundrum

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This title sounds like a Nancy Drew mystery, doesn't it? So if you read my last post , you know that I've had a concussion since Wednesday evening. At first, I was all "woohoo! long weekend! I can do mini stuff for 4 days straight!" Unfortunately, I had no idea what a concussion actually entailed.

Triathlon Training and Emergency Rooms - My Public Service Announcement

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It's been a while since my last update, but I have had quite a bit happening. I went to a mini-retreat last weekend, and we worked on a Tuscan room box. We stayed up late, giggled, drank lots of wine, and generally had a fabulous time. In spite of working on it 4 days straight, I still have a lot of work to do so I'll post pictures later. This week marks 14 weeks before my big Half-Ironman training event. Since I've been sporadically training (i.e., not at all), it's crunch time... not a moment more to procrastinate! I went out Wednesday for what was supposed to be a 20 mile ride. It was hot, but I had on my cute sleeveless jersey, bike shorts, and two ice-cold bottles of water. I was having fun, and looking forward to pushing myself to see how quickly I could get the mileage in and get home.

Dura-Craft Newberg - Rehab Project

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I have done it again. This officially makes house/kit number seven! I think the most fascinating thing about this house is it's history. I found it on Craigslist (of course) and when I arrived to pick it up, I asked the seller what its story was. She said she used to own a bar and one day it just showed up there. She asked around but no one knew where it came from or who had dropped it off. A mystery house! I just can't help myself. There's just something about a cute little dilapidated house that I can't turn my back on.

Whitebrush Manor - Railings and Balcony Floor Trim are Complete

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It has been a while since my last post, but there hasn't been much going on in the land of my dollhouse. I was out of town over the July 4th weekend visiting my daughter, and other than that I've just been steadily plugging away at my painting job. Speaking of which....

Whitebrush Manor - Balcony, Window and Flooring Upgrades

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Lots to talk about today! We'll start with a plan I've come up with for the flooring. I found this flooring to go in the tower, probably to be installed on the top floor. I've cut a template from a paper towel to be sure it would fit, and it's going to be perfect. The gap in the floor panels will be covered by the flooring, and from what I understand it's a pretty common feature of the Dura-Craft kits anyway. The starburst design will be stunning here. I have also purchased hardwood flooring to go in every room in the house. I've decided I'm going to cut some of it into a herringbone pattern (similar to this floor ) in one of the rooms. Maybe a checkerboard stain pattern in the kitchen, and probably at least one other room with some sort of parquet flooring. The porch will also be planked. It will be stained, most likely a walnut color (my favorite so far) and finished with a high gloss Tung oil. Now, for the balcony. The kit came with plain d

Whitebrush Manor - Walls Are Up!

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Today has been a great day! I took the day as a vacation day so I could go with a friend and her kids to the pool, but one of them got sick overnight so that was cancelled. Of course I could have gone ahead and gone into work... but nah... the Manor was calling! I wasn't in the mood to paint spindles today. I worked out super hard last night (I can't do anything halfway), so my back and legs are pretty sore and I just couldn't fathom spending all day hunched in the chair. Much better to skitter around the floor on all fours, methinks.

Seaside Beach Cottage - Introducing the Princess Anne

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Craigslist is awesome.

The McKinley - Grand Tour

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I took some pictures today so that I could post them here and in the Greenleaf forums. I've gotten very positive feedback so far. Here we are at the front of the house. Please ignore the Dura-Craft parts in the background, as well as the mirror on the wall. Space is at a premium in my craft room.

Macabre Mansion - The Newest Addition

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I do believe I am officially addicted. Or, quite possibly a compulsive-psychotic hoarder, at the very least.

Whitebrush Manor - The Day The World Stopped

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Okay, so maybe the title is slightly melodramatic but as my daughter says, I always over-exaggerate everything. Basically, I screwed up.

The McKinley - A Quasi-Impulse Buy

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My husband has found all kinds of great deals on Craigslist lately… power tools, free saws, even a ridiculously cheap kayak. It motivated me to start trolling for dollhouse stuff. I came across an ad for a dollhouse that could be mounted on the wall. Given the narrow, townhome-ish look, I’ve decided it’s one in a series of European row houses. 

Whitebrush Manor - Weekend Progress

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Happy Memorial Day! I have made a LOT of progress over the long weekend. I pretty much spent all day Friday, Saturday, and today working on the Manor.

Whitebrush Manor - Paint Decisions

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It is still early in the build process, but I read several tips from people that painting siding before assembly of the house is the way to go. This is especially true for larger houses such as this one that can’t be turned this way and that after they’re put together.

Whitebrush Manor - The Beginning

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My story begins easily enough. I was early teens back in the 80s when Dura-Craft (now out of business) released this dollhouse as a kit. For neither the faint of heart nor those with small square footage, it has 13 rooms and measures 25" deep, 52" wide, and 45" tall.

Hello, and welcome!

This will either be the start of something fabulous, or I will never post again. Let's just see where this goes, shall we?