Drawer Pulls

On a super quick family visit to Chicago this past weekend (we were barely there for two days), I managed to pop into a little antique shop for a look around. Do you ever make one loop around a store and not find anything, and then circle back? I usually find something on that second loop, something I did not see the first time for whatever reason.

In this case, I spied a crate full of heavy vintage lucite and porcelain drawer pulls under a table that second time around. The screw bases actually drew me in first, since they were a shiny chrome that I thought could serve as a table base or "legs" for a bench.

Then I looked for smooth, flat surfaces; some were lovely, but curved, so I did not think they would work as well. I came away with four of them ($15), and have included two here. I originally only used the clear one, but I really wanted to utilize the brown and creme one as well.

I like recycling them for this purpose -- I could also see using them for their real purpose, too!

Credits: Daybed by Reac; benches are drawer pulls from a Chicago antique shop; computer and keyboard are by Lilu Shop on Etsy; moss bowl is by Gigi N Studio; book in bag is handmade by Oese; light by minimodernistas; artwork is Bozart; flooring is made of two sheets of silver Japanese paper by the Paper Source. Accessories are by Re-ment.

Some DIY

I wish I could do more "do-it-yourself" things. I am always amazed at other modern miniature artisans and enthusiasts and what they create. (By the way, have you seen Ann's awesome shelf???) I like to re-purpose things, but I often combine and use what I have, rather than making magic from scratch.

My daughter actually inspired me to go DIY this past week. She was interested in making some items for a "general store" in one of her portable doll houses, and knew Michaels had a whole aisle with unfinished wooden miniature items, and was particularly interested in spools, buckets, and rolling pins. She indeed bought little spools and some friendship bracelet thread and proceeded to make a whole bowl of sewing thread, totally neat. I came home with a few pots from that aisle and found some cool-looking moss from the dried flower section...

and poof! Little moss-filled pots, thanks to some wood finish stain marker and glue!

I had the best of intentions after my minor DIY victory to clean up and store away some new purchases, among them a plexi nursery set from a dollhouse store ($14 for the set):

I originally picked them up at the store and put them down (twice), before snatching them up. I was put off by the pastel decoration but thought I might bring it to a more modern place ;)

I scraped off the pastel as best as I could and washed the pieces in some soapy water. Then, I chose some beloved paper and got to work on the shelf...

and then the crib...

A scene materialized from that. Yes, I know it is not terribly safe to have a child's room at the top of a double-height space without any stairs or barrier from below, but this is really a room for the parents ;)

Did you notice my lovely sea urchin? My son's preschool teacher brought a boxful of them home from her summer vacation in Maine and offered me my pick of a few! I just love their color and texture. And, a Petite Princess table fit right into the hole, creating a clear tabletop! I think it could work as a pouf, too. Perhaps this counts as a DIY??!

I thought I would end where I began, at Michaels. I just read Mini Modern's post about what you can find in craft stores, and she showed some really cool jewelry trinkets and embossed felt. I love how we were on the same wavelength -- I saw her post was as I was finishing my scene, which has some other craft store finds: the fish picture and the modern wall etchings are all jewelry accessories, on clearance ($2 or less). As Modern MC said, those racks are definitely worth a look. I've not only used them for art, but for tabletops and other accents.

Crafty!

Speaking of Mini Modern and utter craftiness, if you should find yourself in San Francisco this coming Thursday, September 16, head on over to the Design Within Reach store on Jackson Street, where a mega modern miniature gathering will be happening! It is from 5-7 p.m. (followed by an after party) and I wish I could teleport myself there from the east coast to attend. I know it will be great, and I cannot wait for the full report! Best of luck to Modern MC, minimodernistas, Paris Renfroe, brinca dada, and also Megan of Modern Mini Houses (her Antrim will be on display)!

Credits: Plexi crib and shelf and wood and plexi side tables (where the tea set is) are from Freda's Fancy doll house store; drum chairs and table top in sea urchin are vintage Petite Princess; whirlygig above crib and lamp are AG Minis; cradle in corner is vintage Fisher Price. Accessories are Re-ment, AG Minis, eBay finds, my local toy store, Barbie by Jonathan Adler, and Bozart.

Re-ment: I have written about the Re-ment in this scene with a few exceptions. The baby bottle, baby jars on the second shelf, and duck pull toy are all from American Kitchen #4, "Cute Little Nursery," and are slightly large for 1:12. The teapot is from Tea Time Collection #5, and is good for 1:12.

Red Room

I continue to make my way around the Citadel and have landed in the upstairs bath. Like the other rooms in the house, this one was decked out in not one, but two, unattractive papers. And hanging beads. Not for me...have a look see.

So, there was some scraping to do and then a transformation to red...

I've had a roll of this red paper with a subtle stripe for a while and felt inspired to use it with something graphically strong on the floor. This Indian-made paper from the Paper Source reminded me of an elaborate tile surface and I thought it would create a dramatic contrast with the bold red.

What do you think? While the wallpaper is now glued, the flooring is adhered with some tacky stick, so I can change it out.

By the way, after doing yet another bath scene (I've done them in both of my VERO houses in recent weeks), I realize that I am in desperate need of some modern bath pieces. Add them to the list...!

In the way of pattern and color, I wanted to share some smaller-scaled chairs (perhaps 1:18 or 1:24) that I just purchased from UK eBay. Aren't these unusual? The bases are made of wood and the seating is cardboard. I don't know what use I will have for them yet, but they are pretty to look at (notice the difference in scale to these 1:10 German chairs):

On a final note of color and pattern, I had a wonderful excursion to the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation in Connecticut at the start of our vacation last week. I love Josef Albers' work, as does my husband, so I arranged a special visit and tour with the lovely and patient Jeannette. The older kids got so much out of it; the littlest one not so much, but I am very glad we were able to bask in the colors of some of Albers' works and also view the creations of his equally-talented wife, Anni, who is known for her weaving and textile designs.

Sublime grays by Albers...

A stunning undulating abstract weaving by Anni...

The mailbox was even worth a stare!

Credits: Sink is an eBay find; side table is vintage VERO; hanging lights handmade by Megan of Modern Mini Houses; toilet is IKEA. Accessories are Re-ment, AG Minis, Playmobil, Bozart, and dolls house store finds.

The Other Side of the Citadel

My mini life is a bit in disarray these days. I am still recovering from the Design Within Reach Event, and have not had any time to organize my houses or things. I'm in the middle of a wallpaper scraping in the large VERO (more to come on that), and have been working my way around the Citadel. I have been neglecting the bottom floor in my other VERO and have also been neglecting myself. For the past few weeks I have been on a roller coaster of sick -- three different variations of a cold virus. Yuck. I am hopefully on the mend.

On the Citadel, I migrated to the other side to test out another room, which has made me think more about the overall layout of the house. The previous owner had the kitchen on the ground floor, tucked in a corner:

Don't think this works...it's pretty compact, doesn't open up to any other rooms, and connects to the main entryway via a door. The owner had built-in cabinets in a traditional style that I plan to eventually pry from the wall.

I am considering moving the kitchen to the other side of the house, in the adjacent ground floor room, which is accessible via the main entryway and also has a sliding set of doors. As you can see, I have not yet started scraping here.

The two rooms above this one will likely end up as a bedroom and bathroom. I did a quick scene in the potential bedroom. Before:

After, with lots of different papers from the Paper Source:

I'd love to address the outdoor spaces next; there's a patio above the bedroom and a lovely curved terrace that got knocked off the side of the house when we drove it from Chicago to New Jersey. The front entrance of the house needs help, too. I took off the main plexi window panes in the hopes of re-fabricating it.

Little by little...

Credits: Couch by Annina; light is minimodernistas; coffee table is by Paris Renfroe; cabinet is vintage VERO; chair is Reac; wallpaper and flooring are all papers from the Paper Source. Accessories are by Re-ment, Gigi N Studio, and random doll store finds.

Lights On

Well, lights on the ceiling, that is...aren't these hanging lights cool?! They were made by my mini bud Megan over at Modern Mini Houses, whom I had the pleasure of meeting on the west coast last month. Her blog is fantastic, and now she has somehow found extra hours in her busy day (when not being a Mom, Internet whiz, and mini blogger) to craft these neat lamps. Or sculpture. Or other fantastic modern decoration! Thanks for sharing these Megan! I hope you like how I used them. You can see another set over at Carol's blog, leftcoastmini.

Credits: Hanging lights by Megan of Modern Mini Houses; credenza is vintage VERO; desk is vintage German; chair is Reac; white shelving unit and crate on floor are Re-ment; wood "floor" under desk consists of two coasters from Crate and Barrel; sculpture is made of wooden children's puzzle blocks; base of sculpture is a natural sponge from the SFMOMA store; plant is vintage TOMY. Accessories are Tynies, Barbie by Jonathan Adler, Bodo Hennig, Re-ment, Manor House Miniatures, and random doll house store finds.

Re-ment: I have noted the Re-ment used in this scene before with some exceptions. The Starbucks-type tumbler and green filing binder in clear bag are from Girls in the City # 6 "Office Supply 101," and are good for 1:12. The clear bag is from Cosmetics "Natural," and is good as a large purse or briefcase. The white crate is from Pretty Placement #9, and is good for 1:12. The Murano-type glass decanter and plates in the credenza are from Tea Time Collection #3, "Ryuku Glass," and are good for 1:12.

The Great (Small) Experiment

I journeyed to the west coast for a friend's wedding and have now returned. We saw lots of friends, relaxed a ton (the kids stayed with my Mom), and I had some mini fun. I went to the Re-ment Fan Club meeting in LA (see Robin's report here), and received many wonderful free goodies, and purchased a bunch with some birthday present money :)

Once we were in San Francisco, I made my way to SFMOMA and found some treasures in the store there. One find was a place mat that has a great metallic sheen and a modern lattice-like design. I knew I could put it to good use somehow...

So, an experiment in the K House:

And one in the Citadel:

I really felt inspired to use it in the Citadel, since I received some very creative responses to my post about what to do with the unwallpapered double-height wall. Some folks suggested that I "animate" it with texture. I like the effect.

Another great effect is created by the use of my great new Arc lamp, made with precision and care by minimodernistas. It is delicate and bold at the same time -- I love it!

By the way....my next purchase might just be this phenomenal fish "condo" with room box potential from the SFMOMA store. I did not see it while I was there, but thanks to online commerce, I can get it shipped!

photo courtesy of the SFMOMA store website

I wanted to extend a big "thanks!" to all of my followers, and to the many new people who found me after the New York Times article. I really appreciate your support!

Coming up next...a MoMA playhouse giveaway! Some of my blogger friends have already shared their reviews and giveaways, so you'll have another opportunity to get your hands on one! Stay tuned...

Credits: K House: Amazing Arc lamp by minimodernistas; white sectional couch and coffee table base by Bozart; marble table top is a soap dish from TJ Maxx; base of marble table is a console by Paris Renfroe; chairs at table are from Manor House Miniatures; clear Bertoia chair coffee table top is a coaster from SFMOMA; plant is an aquarium plant from a rummage sale. Citadel (repeats from K House scene excluded): rug by Peppercorn Minis; plant is from Lolly's; plant pot is by Manor House Miniatures; small-scale house is by Tomytec; two gold drum table chairs are vintage Petite Princess; yellow and green chairs and table base for house are vintage VERO; bowl on table by Gigi Studio.

Citadel Stop Short

Progress continues on my Citadel House. I have attacked one side of the house with a vengeance...I WILL convert the traditional decor, even if it means many late nights of sticky wallpapering and Exacto-knifing.

I already posted on a ground floor room, with groovy brown and creme graphic paper, here.

Then I went upstairs to the very top floor and went to work there, using the same vintage brown and silver striped papers I used on the main wall that runs the length of the house. Here's a quick scene to test the waters:

But what of the imposing opposite wall that runs two floors high? I decided to use existing paper I had in my workroom -- color printed versions of Annina's fine scans of her own VERO house papers. I like the result.

This paper also made its way to the second floor room. I painted the ledge nice and white, to hide the scrapes and remnants of paint/paper layers. Here's before and after:

Now I have stopped short. What shall I do with the remaining wall, which runs two floors?

Shall I use the matching papers to adjacent walls (so, brown/silver on top half and VERO paper on the bottom half) or do it all VERO? I'm stumped.

Ideas?

Credits: Eames lounger by Reac; lamp is AG Minis; sideboard is vintage VERO; plant is vintage TOMY; rug is by Peppercorn Minis; glass case is a German eBay find.

The Rest of My New VERO

I have set up the other side of my new VERO as a bedroom and kitchen. I definitely know I will replace the flowered wallpaper -- it just doesn't blend with the original paper on the back wall and is a bit too "plain vanilla" for me. I have been searching for vintage papers and will continue to do so. If you see anything you think would work, drop me an email from my profile page!

Here are some pictures of the bedroom:

The kitchen is here; note on the front door -- I am working with Elizabeth over at Elf Miniatures to fabricate one like the original. I just need to sand down the sides to get the frame even enough so that she can do her magic:

And the whole house:

Speaking of wallpapering, I did more in the Citadel, and decided to focus on the interior wall that runs the height of the house. Here is what it looked like before:

I found some very nice neutral brown and silver papers on UK eBay and pasted them in sections, here:

You see my challenge with the remaining walls on this side of the house -- they were painted (over two layers of paper) in a terra cotta that does not work for me at all. I think I might try for a creme or something that picks up on the silvery gray in the new brown papers. Because I had to paste it in sections, you can see seams, which is not ideal. I am somewhat comforted by the fact that the very large three-section stairwell (now in pieces, needing repair) will join to this wall, so I think it will conceal the flaws.

Credits: Bedroom set is vintage German and came with the house; coverlet is Bozart; pillow is handmade by Tarkus; red lamps are vintage German; hexagon rugs are by Peppercorn Minis (thanks, Glenda!); Eames chair and ottoman are Reac; dress form is by Manor House Miniatures; kitchen pieces came with my Citadel House; table is vintage Modella; lucite chairs are vintage eBay finds; plant is vintage TOMY; cat is Playmobil City; accessories are Re-ment, AG Minis, eBay, and DRAP in Spain.

Re-ment: I have written about the Re-ment in this scene with a few exceptions. In the kitchen, the coffee pot and box of coffee are from Megahouse Pop 'N Kitchen #7, and are good for 1:12. The gold mirror in the bedroom is from Pretty Placement #10, and is good for 1:12.

One Room at a Time

It's been close to a year since I brought my Citadel home from Chicago, via a very ambitious family road trip (from New Jersey!). The house sits in my workroom and I get to it whenever I can. I took a big leap this week and applied wallpaper to a small room off the kitchen. The room is likely a powder room, but I saw it as a sunny sitting room.

This is the "before" paper, which was in very good condition, just not to my taste:

I then went retro and pasted on some vintage papers I found on UK eBay; the challenge was keeping it even and the pattern linked into a consistent swath:

This house is HUGE, so this room only represents a mini step, but I felt good about taking the leap. It's a big commitment to wallpaper, but I want to start myself on a roll of activity, even if it means doing it into the late hours and waking up with luggage under my eyes!

Credits: Pixel chair and ottoman are by minimodernistas; light is vintage Strombecker; plant is from Lolly's; rug is by The House that Jacq Built; side table is vintage German; vases are Barbie by Jonathan Adler; book is AG Minis.

Birth of a Re-ment Wiki

I have been tracking Re-ment in my blog, noting if pieces are good for 1:12 and wishing for a quick and easy resource to know what sets to buy. I wrote about creating a community database and got some great feedback from folks in the mini community. Studioseven recommended a wiki, and she's spot on, I think.

So, I have created a wiki! It is http://mini-sizer.wikispaces.com/ and it is definitely in its infancy. I just started adding some of my items from past postings and would love others to give their own contributions. I eventually would like to add a page of resource links and I am sure other things will evolve.

Check it out, let me know what you think. I started a basic visual format, but that might change. I was trying to keep things simple and within my (limited) realm of technical skills.

On a somewhat related note, I just got in the mail some awesome modern wallpaper from the UK. I am stockpiling some for the Citadel, which I am in the process of restoring. I want some for my real house!

Sleep Tease

This scene is mocking me...sleep is not really a big part of my life. It should be, and the dark circles under my eyes tell me I should get more sleep, like I did 10 years ago before I had kids. Oh, I used to sleep solidly; nothing would wake me up. Now I could hear a pin drop and its echo.

I liked the idea of making the K House great room into a bedroom. Pretty luxurious amount of space for a bedroom, eh?

Some artwork up high...

A reading "nook"

I also did very quick setups in adjoining rooms. Not sure if this one room was meant for a garage, but what the heck.

A little office off the bedroom...

This weekend kept me busy with the usual, but I also took some time to continue stripping wallpaper in the Citadel. My goal is to strip everything down to the original white walls and paint. I did one door a few months ago and it was pretty quick and painless. The other door and interior walls are NOT easy in the least. It's slow, torturous work. The previous owner put a layer of (ugly) wallpaper and then painted it (ugly), so there's a lot to come off and it comes off in tiny strips. Grrrr...Here's a few pics of what I was able to do this weekend.

I had to take the door off to get complete access to the challenge:

Credits: "Headboard," light, and coverlet are AG Minis; "bed" is a marble candle base from TJ Maxx; bed pillows are Lundby; bedside tables and artwork in balcony are Bozart; flooring under bed is from the nice Japanese film crew; zebra couch is Creative Playthings; coffee table is Ryan's Room; chess set is an eBay find; Corbusier love seat, Eames chair and ottoman, and white office chair are Reac; "rug" is origami paper; storage cubes are Re-ment; red desk is vintage eBay find; lamp is vintage German; console is Paris Renfroe; recycling basket is Re-ment; rug is The House That Jacq Built; plant is from Lolly's; car is Lil' Bratz. Accessories are Bozart, AG Minis, Manor House Miniatures, and Re-ment.

Re-ment: The plate in fireplace and vase in storage cubes are from the Megahouse Japanese Room set and the storage cubes and two small magazines on side table are from the Megahouse Scandinavian Room set. All items are closer to 1:18, but workable for 1:12. The red clock is from the Stationary School Set #9 and is perfect for 1:12. The wire basket is from the Bread & Butter #3 Happy Bagel Basket Set, and is a bit large for 1:12, depending how you use it.

K to the 7th Power

For some reason, I have uncanny luck finding things on Craigslist when I haven't been looking for them.  That's how I found my Villa Sibi for $300.  I was searching the NYC site on Sunday for another dollhouse-related item, and saw TWO Kaleidoscope houses for sale -- unheard of!  I of course went for the one that was 1/2 the price you normally see for used ones and gave a low offer. Which was refused.  Twice.  Until I came up to the asking price. Sucker. There's still a pristine one on there for $2000, by the way.

I CAN'T HELP IT!  I HAVE WANTED ONE FOR SO LONG!!

Anyways, I only have to travel about an hour into northern NJ to pick this puppy up, unlike my odyssey across many states to pick up the Citadel.  The owner sent me some pics today so I have more of an idea of what I am getting into.  No cracks or structural flaws, and even some (somewhat broken) accessories are included.

Now...where does this house go???  I only have until Saturday to figure it out. There's a spot in our living room, but the Villa Sibi kind of dominates there. My "Mommy scary basement" room is already chock full of accessories and three houses (including the Citadel in rehab), so no room there.  Our bedroom is out of the question. Garage is, well, your typical suburban slightly smelly and dark den of motor oil, bent hula hoops, and half-inflated balls.   HELP!

In case you were wondering, this will be my 7th house, hence the title...

Showing Ugly the Door

I showed ugly the door today and a beautiful thing happened. It left!

I have started to work on the Citadel. There's a lot to do, but the first step is to strip off the wallpaper and then flooring. Lolly referred me to the excellent stuff called Dif, which is a thick blue gel that you spray on wallpaper to remove it. You score the paper and then leave it on for 15 minutes and poof! AND, you don't have to pay the price with stinky, noxious fumes or caustic chemicals that will flay the skin off your fingers. :)

So, this made my job pretty pain-free. I started with one of the swinging doors. Here's the before pics:



Note the stuck-on, unappealing hanging beads...



Plus, there were two, not one, layers of the offensive paper.

Here's during the Dif..



And, the result:

Still have a ways to go, and I am wondering how difficult it will be doing the harder to reach rear walls. But, I'm pleased with this start. Now I just need more time...sigh.

When I do get to the point of actually wallpapering (I assume I'll wallpaper and leave painted walls as well), I need to get my hands on unique styles. I LOVE this paper used in a skater couple's house on the west coast -- it was featured in the NYT last week:




By the way, I couldn't resist placing some dolls in precarious situations in the Citadel. There are two central stairwells missing, but the fiesty tween thought she could manage, to Mom's horror.




Credit: Dolls are Bozart

Craft or Cook

I'm not crafty, but perhaps the person is who lives here. I do cook, and I understand the impulse to try to juggle while cooking, but I am more apt to get creative with my kids' homework project than sew or otherwise craft (DH sews better than I do, actually). Sometimes I avoid cooking by getting another task done, so maybe that is what's happening here in the kitchen.

I love the Villa Sibi, but it can be challenging setting up scenes in the space because of the sliding panels. Shooting photos late at night doesn't help either. I tried to create three distinct areas that work together, but it is a challenge. I have been traveling for a week, so I missed doing scenes and also wanted to use some new food, decor, and furniture items.

I am a huge fan of the "Little House on the Prairie" books, and read them as a child. I am now reading them to my kids and we are up to On the Banks of Plum Creek, so...

The kitchen set is from the Citadel, and is the only furnishing type thing that came with the house. I wish the door handles were different (more like the stove), but it is pretty neutral. I haven't really done a full kitchen scene yet, so I took the opportunity to use the items.


Credits: love seat, bed, small white table, and bedroom vases from Bozart; microwave is Theo Klein; other accessories from Lundby, Re-ment, Lolly's, Calico Critters, Elf Miniatures, Manor House Miniatures, and Ebay; black chair is Creative Playthings; Panton chair is Reac; kitchen table is Wolverine.

House Comes Home

Our road trip adventure continues...and the Citadel is on its way home.

We are now headed back to NJ, and are in Pittsburgh for the night. I am still digesting everything that has taken place this week. I (kind of) still cannot believe that we have driven hundreds of miles for a (small) house. We've had fun, though, and I have to say the drive really has not been all that bad. We got a flat tire right outside of Indianapolis, but it was quickly fixed, despite my six year old's prediction of "We're doomed and we will die!!!"

We arrived in Chicago on Tuesday, and picked up the Citadel on Wednesday from the Ebay seller. My sister-in-law came with me for the ride, a short distance from the city center. The house was pretty true to the photos (yes, wallpaper and flooring are as ugly as the pics from the listing), and it was great to finally see it. My sister-in-law could not get over the size, especially the side with the rounded terrace. We carefully transported it to the back of the minivan. I don't think I breathed the entire time I was carrying it. The sellers were trying to be helpful, but really did not want to touch it, in case something broke off. Here's what it looked like right after we put it in the back of the car:

We situated the house, cushioned it and carefully drove back to the city. I was at first scared to drive over 40, but then got more comfortable -- the house is pretty sturdy. When my DH saw it, he said it looked bigger than he thought it would be, but that we'd be able to fit all our luggage around it. My six year old is squished next to it. He has taken to balancing his Legos on the terrace, but I feel I can't really say no.

On Thursday, I went to Lolly's, the store in Elgin, IL, that created the kit for the house. I met the owner, Janet ("Lolly"), who was incredibly helpful and spent close to two hours with me. I walked in and told her I had a Citadel in the back of the car. She didn't bat an eye. She said "OK, let's have a look at it." We took it out of the car into her workshop, where we investigated the whole house. Here's what I learned:

* It is definitely an authentic Citadel.

* It is not clear whether or the house was built by Lolly's or by the owner of the house. Lolly thought that they might have built it, but the owner did the electrical wiring (yes, the house is fully wired).

* In her opinion, the house is in really good condition, very solid and well built. No warping, etc.

* She also thought that (unfortunately) the house was owned by a heavy smoker, as one of the hinged doors is yellowed, and the inside smelled of smoke (she's a former smoker, so was pretty convinced of this).

* Not much structurally needs to be repaired. The side terrace needs to be re-glued, and some trims reinforced or re-glued. Some plexi might need to be glued or replaced. The yellowed hinged door needs to be repainted. Two of the three main stairwells need to be put back into the central portion of the house. The inside needs a good cleaning with water and bleach.

* Only one side of the house has working electrical. She tested the other wires as best as she could, but could not find the faulty line. For whatever reason, the owner ran some of the wiring along the floors, instead of along the ceiling or walls. The owner also folded wires instead of pinning them, which is less reliable for good connections. So, I have a wiring challenge!

* Luckily, the ugly velour flooring came right off (no glue at all), since a lot of wiring is on the floor. We started to pull some of the wallpaper off, and it looks like it will be relatively easy. Lolly let me know that three small sections of the house will need custom wallpaper, since they are larger than the standard.

* The only furniture that came with the house were some kitchen items. Lolly said these were custom items built by the store. They are actually pretty neutral, so I'll put them to some use.

* Lolly gave me some great tips for correcting these issues -- Dif to take off wallpaper; Kilz to take out the smell in paint; techniques and tools for re-wiring; Aleene's Tacky Glue for all gluing; and more.

Another highlight was getting to see the first Citadel ever built. Lolly's Mom designed the house. I asked about whether or not they would do kits again, and she said likely not. If they did anything, they would sell the house built. Apparently, it was very difficult to find a manufacturer to produce the materials, especially for the wood version of the house (they only did wood or stucco). They moved the house to a top shelf in the store, so I was only able to get a few worm's eye view pics:



I held up my camera for that interior shot. Check out the hot tub up on the top terrace:


So, feeling a bit daunted but energized by the prospect of bringing the house back into shape. Lots to learn, lots to do...!

Citadel Road Trip

The road trip for the Citadel has begun. We're actually driving in Ohio as I write, on the way to Indianapolis. We had a great time in Pennsylvania -- the trip started with lots of driving from NJ and a visit with a dear great uncle. It ended with some yummy soft serve at a great roadside place called The Penguin in Bedford, PA.

We spent a bunch of hours today at Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece. I've seen countless pictures of it, but they cannot prepare you for seeing it for the first time. You come upon it, nestled beautifully in rock and trees and it is stunning. Unfortunately, you cannot take pictures inside, but we got some shots of the outside. The house has windows everywhere and there are no blocked vistas. It is all about communicating with the outdoors.



I did venture into the gift shop and made my contribution to keep the place going -- two Reac chairs!

I am planning to pick up the Citadel on Wednesday, and will also make a trip to Lolly's. Can't wait!!

Citadel

This is the first of what hopefully will be many more posts about Lolly's Citadel, which I purchased today on Ebay. I'm really surprised and thrilled to own it, but it is currently 800 miles away in Chicago. Luckily, I have family there and they have offered to pick it up later this month. Now...about getting it to me in New Jersey. I could look into shipping, but I worry how it will fare, given its awkward size (and the cost). I have a very supportive husband who has agreed that it is, in fact, not insanity to take a road trip with the three kids over spring break to PICK IT UP. It's only about 13 hours, and we can visit with family, hopefully see some sights, and feel confident that it will make it home safely and not be used as a scratching post by my relative's cat nor as a TV perch by a substantial 7 year old nephew.

I have to admit that the pics of the house are a bit daunting. The wallpaper and flooring looks horrible and uncharacteristic of the house style. Luckily, the furnishings are not included (save for some kitchen items)! I spoke with the seller, who got it from an estate, and she let me know that the lady who owned it had it made by Lolly's for $3000 in the 1980s and she thought this was one of the early ones produced out of the supposed few. The daughter of this lady originally wanted the house, but she lives in CA and the shipping was over $1000 so she passed. So, she took some furnishings and a "large hanging sculpture light" (!!) that replaced two of the stairwells. I have emailed Lolly's to see if they know anything more about this particular house, and will share the information.

This is also an open invitation to any readers to submit ideas and resources. I've had a lifelong love of miniatures, but this will be a big adventure!

UPDATE 3/16/09: I heard fom Lolly's, and she said the following: My Mom designed the Citadel and my Dad put them together in the shop. We did sell approx. 200 kits. In kit form it sold for $450.00. I still have the original my parents did in the store. We did more of a modern style inside. I plan to visit the store when we roadtrip-it to Chicago to pick up the Citadel.