Doll House, Hobby Wood and Finger Splints at Local Hardware Store

Did you ever go shopping somewhere and just stumble upon something you just didn’t expect to find there and… that well, just blows your mind?

That’s what happened at LO (cal hardware store) last Wednesday night.  We went for roof coating…for the camper. We’re in Camper MODE right now, big time!  We also needed a certain set of bolts for the tail-lights…  There I am standing… no, I was sitting on a pallet of bagged charcoal for the grill.  Yep, I parked myself right there—while he nosed around all the different drawers for bolts. When I saw this… (sorry for the glare)



What?!  Hobby and Wood?  
What really caught my eye was the third- drawer with the picture of popsicle sticks… on the front!
Kidding, right?  Nope. 

I had to pull this drawer out and have a peek.  



WHOA!  Assorted sizes?!   Short ones, Long ones, and TONGUE DEPRESSORS!

Who knew this?   I live 45 mins to 1 hour from a Hobby Lobby. The Wal-Mart in our area…is limited and slightly picked over.  I mean we just only got a NEW FULL SIZED WAL-MART about 2 years ago…and a small Neighborhood Market right here in small town USA, in March! 
Hobby supplies… and of the DOLL HOUSE VARIETY… ARE IN VERY LIMITED SUPPLY ‘round these parts!  If you didn’t know, I have a Doll house, two to be exact… I putter around with them, when time allows. I’ve come to love them.

Take a look at what else I found.




Wooden Flower Pot… got that label in the picture! 

Wooden People shapes…



Whisky Barrels… or Barrels for whatever your brain can imagine. Doesn’t have to be whiskey.  It could be a Turkey and Christmas presents from the LONG WINTER! (thank you, Ms. Ingalls-Wilder)



Oh!  and MILK JUGS, TOO!  For what else?  MILK!



Thread spools… little, not quite small enough for a doll house. But imagine the possibilities! 
 Seriously, who knew?!



Small flat squares…

 

Small round disks… (blurry phone pic, sorry)

 

Large round disks… large being by comparison to the others, ONLY. 



Disks, resembling small wheels, again the potential to be anything, really.



Cube shapes…



…And popsicle sticks!   I’m floored. I just never knew these little items were in THAT STORE!







I’m going to go the extra mile and say… these tongue depressors might work for a lot of things… but they might not be sterile!!! (or, splinter -free)  So, I don’t recommend using these to, uh…DEPRESS ANYONE’S TONGUE, OKAY?!
These are in the HOBBY WOOD drawer… marked HOBBY and WOOD.  Not the FIRST AID drawer… though, you could use it to set a busted finger probably. If you had some duct tape, that is in the paint department.  

‘Til next time, shop around-
You never know what you might find!

Patricia

Flea Market and Pyrex--He knows what I Like-

On Saturday, we didn’t stop after buying Honey’s chair, returning with the truck to pick it up and bring it home.  He was pretty pleased with a nice leather chair; but no, He knew I’d love a trip to the flea market more than anything else on our anniversary!
So after making two trips to town—we left and went the other direction toward the lake and Big Daddy’s Flea Market! 

Big Daddy’s… here we come!

My haul.   

It’s no leather recliner… but it is my personal favorite. Two things I don’t pass up; Pyrex and Doll house furniture pieces, especially in my price range.
I decided last year after he took me to purchase the 2nd doll house—I couldn’t afford to pass up miniatures.

On Saturday afternoon, as I strolled through the flea market. I walked to a booth and I was drawn to the canister…just one. It’s Pyrex—I am drawn to Pyrex dishes, but lately these glass canisters grab at me!  The booth owner is sitting next to the table on the pavement digging through what looks like a box of toys.   I asked her if she was digging through there to purchase or sell? (I didn’t know at the time she was the owner).

“I don’t want to sell all these toys for a dollar and I forgot some of these things were in this box. I want to sell them on ebay.”   

My eye caught what appeared to be an old ICE BOX.

…blank stare  @@

She says, “  You interested in something?”   I said, “maybe.” and gave her a smile.  Then moved onto the table.  I inquired about the glass canister… “$1” she says.  I bought it and moved on down the lane.  Caught up with Honey. 

He started asking me what she and I talked about.  He reminded me, “I thought you weren’t going to pass up doll stuff for your houses? Why don’t you go back and dig through her box?”   MUSIC TO MY EARS!  HE KNOWS ME SO WELL.

When I returned she saw me—I asked if I could peek into the box. She had already put it into the back seat of her car, but she agreed. {smile}   I reached in and my hand went right to that little ICE BOX. 

Broken. Missing a top.  $3   THREE!   I told her  Ok ; as I turned to put my canister down… I spotted the PYREX REFRIGERATOR DISH LID…lying on the table mixed in a bowl of junk.  I picked it up and said I’ll take this too.  She said oh that?  just throw it in too!   I gave her FOUR!   Her name was Gina--
Thank you Gina! 


Truly… I don’t know if I was more thrilled about the busted Ice box OR THE DISH LID?!?!

Before we left… I went inside one more shop… and spotted the second canister.  Same size, pattern…PYREX!  $1 .  I got two pyrex canisters for two-bucks.  

I was more than thrilled to spend the day
at the Flea Market
with my Husband—who always knows what I like!
…SHOPPING FOR BARGAINS. ;)

If you’re curious what Dollhouse White Ice Box
goes for…  click the affiliate link!

Thank you everyone for Happy Anniversary Wishes… I read them to The Honey… he thought it was nice.  He says, “You blogging?  Cool.”  A man of few words. ;)



‘Til next time, be blessed!

Patricia

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:: Team Tudor-Doll House Progress

 

I haven’t had one minute to devote to Doll Houses lately. 

But a few weeks ago, when there was a bit of a slower pace around here.  I snapped a few pictures of some of the progress taking place in the TUDOR style doll house.

I thought I’d show you a few of them.  I told you about the shopping trip I’d made to Dollar Tree and the great finds they had there—you can read ~Crazy for my New Hobby ~here

 

I transformed the tub with a white paint pen and silver paint pen. However, after I painted the claw feet that were ‘gold’ with the silver paint pen…the feet transformed to a bronze-ish color.  I like it!

The tub is streaked and looks very aged—not pristine, as though it were a brand new tub.  I like it so much now, it sort of has a ‘vintage –slipper- tub –look’ to it.

I also took some time out with Lil’ Bree

and we used our inspiration photo to spread some paint around.

We are NOT finished with the exterior—but it’s coming along nicely.

Her favorite color is green; a girl after my own heart!  We are both pleased with the color (naturally, I didn’t snap a picture of the green finish!)

I also used a tongue depressor and created a replacement window ledge. It will get some paint later.(you may notice, the house did get a complete paint job—just no picture) Really, that is how it is when you paint with a 5 year old!

 

I STILL haven’t glued the stair rails in yet…

Still working out the ‘slant’ of the hand rail.  I did glue the floor in place and stain it… have I shown that to you ?  I can’t remember!

Just looking at the photos in my file—I can see,I HAVE NOT! Seeing the floor here in the above picture reminds me that I have actually glued that floor down and stained it. But I can’t for the life of me find the pictures.

Hmmm… well, I guess I can save all that for next time,then!

 

Til next time, Be Blessed!



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Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. ~James 1:17

:: To Each His Own- "House"

Again—a tick mark or a striking through is taking place for me ON the goals list for the year!

and I just LOVE MARKING THINGS OFF THE LIST!  (2014 GOALS here) 
The SHED::
I was able to save up the money (WITHOUT T.H. knowing and boy! was he surprised) for a down payment of a new shed for him—really it is for both of us on our anniversary—but it will mostly house his tools and things—I call it HIS SHED! I did get to pick the color…Valspar “Autumn Fog”  …the same thing I’m painting the house (another on-going project on the list)
Here is a reminder of a few of them and mostly what I’m talking about--
HOME:  (outside)

• Finish outside painting, exterior, porches, etc. (in progress)
• Plant and Harvest Gardens in a timely manner and eat what we grow!  (would love to put more back and learn to pressure can) (in progress)
• Eliminate outside accumulation of toys and unnecessary yard furniture—create an INTENTIONAL place to relax in the yard. (nothing yet!)
• Build or Acquire a new tool shed--- this is very much a necessity! (YAY!) 

The TINY HOUSE::
Our oldest Son is still working on his own Tiny house…

though with the trusses on the top, it doesn’t looks so ‘tiny’ right now. It will be less than 400 sq.ft.  (that’s with the loft up top) So- still quite small. I haven’t done an official post on it yet.  I hope to, the further along he gets.  It is taking some time—he works nights, has his kids every other weekend and is paying cash for it by the truck load—so DEBT FREE BUILDING (that does slow things a bit)!   I do show pictures more often on Instagram if you care to follow the build.
The DOLL HOUSE:: 
As for me…
I have my own little house I’m working on.  I’ve figured out a way to use the FORK/PICKS (from my shopping trip)for balusters on the stair rails!


They aren’t glued in yet. Like most things around here a ‘work in progress’!   As you can see it’s a mess in there! I’ve taken all the windows out to ‘re-set’ them; getting ready to paint the outside. Bree has told me she’d like for it to be green!  (her favorite color) I have been researching Tudor Style homes and found this for inspiration

-source-
Isn’t that cute?  I like the color, stone work, the arches… just cute! I’m hoping this is something a 5 year old can do…paint the outside.
That’s it on the HOME FRONT…he he he!

Til next time, Be Blessed!



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But SEEK first His Kingdom and His Righteousness; and all these things will be added to you.  ~Matthew 6:33

:: Doll House No. 2 ::

I know! Saturday I told you we bought another house. I say We-- because, well-- The Honey said it was fine with him and he drove me - so he had a part in it.  I just love that man! 
I've kept you all in suspense long enough! 

I told you that on Wednesday, I was out and about shopping for my doll house.
Well, Thursday…I was at home cruising CRAIG’S LIST.
YES! his long lovely list.  Hmmmm.
Can be dangerous.

I found this.



See that?  That’s from my iphone. I had to take a picture. Because I could not get this house out of my head!!!
You know, I work on my little doll house with my grand daughter, Bree? 
Well, I have TWO little grand daughters. More grand sons than you can shake a stick at…but 2 little grand daughters.  So naturally, another house was in order.

$10 bucks.


10! Glorious... T-E-N !!!! 

I told Honey about it. And then I dreamed about it… Finally, he asks me “did you call about the house? You need to call about it and ask if she’ll hold it until Saturday."" Music to my ears! 
$10 bucks and a 2 hour drive. But what else is a retired couple going to do on a beautiful Saturday morning right?
The owner was supposed to send me the measurements. She did not.
Eh, how big could a doll house be?



Uh…too big for the trunk. (if you noticed the CL photo…it was in the back of a mini van) 
So naturally I thought it would fit in my trunk. TOO BIG.
Too big for the back seat.
I drove 2 hours and just paid the lady $10 measly little dollars this thing HAS TO GO IN MY CAR!

 

See T.H. with his pocket knife in hand?



DisMantled the top floor and roof; with surgical precision!



Shoved it in the car.



Hauled House.

I call this one “House and Home” it’s sitting on a table in my kitchen right now.  I’m smiling. :)


So you see this house… has to have the roof put back on and then we can start on all the other issues.
IT IS A FIXER UPPER!
I seem to drawn to fixer uppers. But that is more than half the fun!
A Pair of houses. My grand daughters and Myself.
Fun times ahead.
This is going to be so much fun!!! 

…Til next time, be blessed.



But seek first His kingdom and His Righteousness and all these other things will be added.  ~Matthew 6:33