Bathroom Quick Fix

When I first tackled our powder room, a 3'x7' half-bath located off the entry/kitchen, I decided to do something different.  Nothing bold or crazy really, just "not me."  And if there's a color that's "not me," a color (besides non-colors like BEIGE) I absolutely do not care for, it's purple.  Yet, I thought this small, dark room was the perfect place to experiment so SW 6019 Poetry Plum (I'm a sucker for names) went up on the walls.  Even in the small space, it still wasn't me.  Besides the color, I didn't like the open sink base (when using the toilet, you look directly at ugly pipes).  In addition, with 10' ceilings, you really feel like you're in a box.

Ta-da!  I love the difference the board and batten make!  That, along with painting the ceilings the same color as the upper walls, really helps to bring down the ceiling height.  SW 6489 Really Teal went on the upper walls, color you'll find throughout my home.  I used inexpensive lathe and plywood to make cabinet doors, and then painted the sink cabinet SW 6684 Brittlebush, applying gel stain afterward.  Ditto with the mirror.  I haven't decided if I'm going to add photos above the wainscoting on the long wall (not sure I want to cover too much of the gorgeous color!), but I am LOVING the change!

American Girl Doll Crafts

Doll House.  Last summer (2013), the American Girl doll craze hit our household -- or, me, specifically.  Perhaps it was the kids coming home with "sleeping bags" Grandma had sewn for the dolls, and me thinking, "these aren't the right scale," or thumbing through the catalog and seeing the Bitty Twins' lemonade stand, thinking, "we could build that."  No matter how it happened, at July's end, I found myself in the basement building a giant doll house. 

When I say giant, it's because I realize that most people wouldn't have room for the structure in their own homes, and because there's no way it will ever be moved (beyond rolling it across the basement floor -- I did install casters).  The house is 8' wide, 6' high, and 32" inches deep (fyi: the large doll houses I've come across through internet searches are typically no more than 24" deep).

The structure itself didn't take long to build, though I'm the first to admit my woodworking skills aren't the strongest.  Still, it's quite a sight!  What makes the dollhouse are the finishing touches -- and even that is not complete!  There is still trim to be added, ceilings to cover, and decorations to add/change, etc.  Furthermore, we've already remodeled the third floor -- when Molly joined our household in late February (for my daughter's 8th birthday), the bathroom required an addition (she was too tall for the room, located under the eaves and originally designed for her shorter siblings (Bitty Twins).  Her bedroom then received an overhaul as well. 

Overall, I'm very pleased with the house; it's a nice balance of being well-furnished without being overly decorated.  With three bedrooms, there is plenty of sleeping space, but plenty of gathering space as well, with the living room, kitchen and dining room (my favorite room). 

Club House.  I made this clubhouse over spring break -- March of 2014.  I was doing a lot of sitting around while "helping" my husband frame the basement, so I picked up some wood and made this.  The plan is to make it a tree house with the addition of a real tree stump as the base and branches attached to the sides, but that hasn't happened yet (and I kind of like it as is, so maybe I'll just build a base for it to sit on).