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Saturday, October 6, 2012

Glowing Embers

My new BFF, Braxton Payne, who makes the most divoon fireplace mantles, was kind enough to custom-make some 'glowing embers' for me.

My fireplace chases are only 3/4" wide, so his normal-sized embers wouldn't fit.  I thought it was awfully nice of him to go to the trouble of down-sizing his embers for me.  I just bought the one because I wasn't sure of the fit (and whether I would even like it or not).  But now that I see it in situ,  I want them in all my fireplaces!

I also got the wallpaper from Les Chinoiseries  for the hallway.  (see above) It looks so pretty it was well-worth the long wait --I think it must have gotten held up in customs...


I took the above photo with the lights turned off in daylight and I think it helps, don't you? (Thanks for the tip, Sophia)!

One of my blogger friends (who wishes to remain anonymous) saw that I was using my jack-o-lantern lights in the hallway, took pity on me, and sent me a whole box of Cir-Kit spotlights!  (Among other goodies). I guess I'm sort of jaded, because when stuff like that happens, it kind of throws me for a loop.  I just can't believe how wonderful this miniature community is!  Thanks, anonymous miniature benefactor!

Here's the newly finished hallway off the back of the Music Room with the aforementioned, new lighting from my gracious benefactor. Just the effect I was going for! :)

Still haven't gotten around to piping the chairs...(sorry, Catherine)!  When I bought the silk embroidery floss for the piping, I picked up several colors because I didn't have a fabric swatch on me at the time.  DORK ALERT!!!  Well, when I made my piping, I inadvertently used the wrong color! Pardon my blooper!

Kilmouski & Me Catherine has been sending me photography tips, too, which I so very much appreciate.  (Obviously I still have a lot of work to do)!  BTW, when I recently admired the floral arrangements Catherine had made and posted on her blog, a few days later the sweetest little box appeared on my porch with some of the preserved statice I had commented on...Of course I had meant to immediately whip up some fabby arrangements and post them but, well, you know how that goes.  But there's another example of  a 'random act of kindness' and I am currently racking my brain in hopes of reciprocating, somehow...

Well, anyway...on to the Library!  The weather is really starting to turn cold here in Siberia I mean Minnesota, but you know what that means, mes chers:  Dollhouse Weather!!!  So now I can truly 'get busy!'  I get most of my components on-line and things for the Library are starting to slowly trickle in...

Sometimes I make precisely detailed drawings of my rooms before I start them, but in this case I'm not, because I have a fairly clear 'vision' for the Library.  I'm using door surrounds from Miniature Mansions as the framing for my bookcases.  I'm thinking of using the same surround cut-down for an over mantle ('Adam" by non-other than my new besty, Braxton Payne, natch)! I've already ordered the wallpaper from Les Chinoiseries and hopefully it will not get held up in customs this time around...

In the meantime, I guess I'll whip out my Crazy Cords and re-do all the piping for my Music Room chairs...I've also got some new floral kits from France and the Netherlands that I could work on, because I decided my current flower arrangements simply do not make the progressively stringent Merriman Park cut. I once thought my hum-drum, clay roses were très charmant (when I first got them) ...but as they would say in South Boston, where I once spent the most enchanting summer of my life: "whenever I saw them paper roses from Europe, I was wicked bullshit!" (Um, for the uninitiated, that's a compliment)! LOL!


 Have a wicked, awe-sum week, everybody! 

CONFIDENTIAL TO FI & ILONA: 

I hope this more muted color text is more to your liking!  I don't want you girls tripping...





23 comments:

Gee said...[Reply]

Hi John!
Lovely embers, it looks just right.

Your pictures look lovely, and with the lights out, the color of the walls is so much better to be seen (OMG I do love that color it is divine)

Love that glimpse of the statue in the mirror too, those shots bring it all to life.

The lights you received and the preserved statice, AND someone making the embers to size for you, how sweet is that?! That is pretty awesome.

The table in the hallway behind the entrance hall is just super, love the mirror and wallpaper too.

And what caught my eye: fab what you did to the ceiling in the music room, i cant come up with how its called right now, between the wall and ceiling I mean; beautiful!
It is all just bedazzling, one just don't know where to look first.

I could babble on and on but I'd probably talk you to sleep :).
I can see your library will be yet another masterpiece.
Looking forward to seeing what you will do to the room!
Big hugs my friend
Gee

By the way,are the red flowers in the vases on the fire mantle made by you? They look real good!
How is the flower making using your men hands coming along? ;)



John said...[Reply]

HaHaHaHaHAAAAA!!!!

Don't you be making fun of my men hands, Gee!

It's a pure wonder that I can even type this response, with these damned feral, simian digits...

No, I didn't make the roses --though I did buy different sizes and colors on purpose because I was trying to make them look a little more 'au natural!'

miraclechicken said...[Reply]

John the rooms are stunningly gorgeous. Love the glowing log and as usual, you crack me up!!!!

Elga said...[Reply]

Love the embers, John, they just make the room come alive and you can't have you mini people freeze to death in winter now can you? ;-)

Maybe Catherine should send me her photo tips as well, yours look great and I can't wait to see more of your library.

Enjoy your winter while I will try to survive the hot summer here, our high for today is already 88 degrees and it is supposed to be still spring!

Simon said...[Reply]

Hey John
Your choice of wallpaper is TDF! I've never liked a back passage as quite as much!!
On a serious note though it really does look great. The thing I like the best is the warm glow it gives to the back of the rooms and the tones work perfectly. Did you re-cover the Drawing Room furniture?
I too am having terrible bother taking pictures. they always come out like I've been running to get newly backed croissants - about as blurred as my brain!
I LOVE the Library design - Im a sucker for a good reading room. Your idea for the fireplace would work very well, and give the room that "designed as a whole" look.
Have a great week my dear
SI

Philip said...[Reply]

John,
I really like the daylight views of your rooms- the color palettes are exquisite, and the rooms are very inviting. The glowing embers are great too!
I wish I were not so "electrically challenged".
I look forward to seeing your progress with the
library.

Catherine said...[Reply]

WOW!!!!!!!!! You sure took some fantastic pictures this time. Turning off the lights made a huge difference.

I can already tell that the library is going to be another gorgeous room. I am wondering if you are going to try to make books to fill all those shelves.

I am starting to get a little nervous about how many rooms you have left. I don't want to see this project end. :-((

Bárbara said...[Reply]

tenes una casa de ensueño ! :O)

Andy said...[Reply]

How nice of your new besty Braxton to make you specially sized glowing embers. they look warm and inviting. I think the photos with natural light look sharper, and we can see the colours more clearly, but it is nice to see the lights on too.

I like the Peek-a-Boo passage, great paper! Works a treat!

Plus a Sneak Peek of the Library. I love it already!!

Very funny Video... but who IS Tom Brady???

Wanda said...[Reply]

Looks great, still waiting to see the chairs trimmed with the cord. I'm entertaining the idea of doing it with the chair I reupholstered for the castle room. So I'm looking to see how your chairs look trimmed! Keep up the fantastic work!

Troy said...[Reply]

Hi John,
The embers are great! Your rooms look beautiful - I agree there is a wonderful community of friends in the miniature world. I am excited to watch your progress on the library - your drawings are impressive. Keep up the good work.

rosanna said...[Reply]

Dear John, when I look at the work of people like you, Ray or Giac I'd like to cry.
You are such an ispiration, I love how you mix and match the colours and I adore the open doors leading to .... who knows where?
Fabulous, everything is fabulous and , although my house will be a modern one, I cannot help dreaming about living in one like yours.
Thanks for sharing, Rosanna

Fi.P said...[Reply]

Hi John,

Your glowing embers look lovely, I personally have always lent towards having them as I do think they add a certain warmth to the room (pardon the pun) as long as they look like embers and not a christmas lights I'm all for them and yours look like the real thing....very nice.
The photos have come up well and it's nice to see the detail and natural colours. The hallway looks amazing and I love the wall paper. I have been looking at Chinoiseries wallpaper and haven't been able to find just the thing so thanks for the tip.
I can see your library is going to be fabulous but there are no surprises there.
I completely agree with your sentiments regarding our miniature community, there are so many kind and thoughtful people out there, it's just lovely.

Oh, and "were's my clicker....my brain is fried!!!"

Your new colour is wicked trashy!! Much better on the eyes.......; )

ML fi xxxx

Ray Whitledge-Burgess said...[Reply]


Hello John!
I love seeing your rooms as you have photographed them with lights out. The color choices are wonderful together. Congratulations on deciphering the "Egyptian"...:-D and I really like the Hallway paper you chose!
I am with Catherine......only two rooms left????!!.....you have to start thinking about another house because you cannot leave us!
Your Library drawing looks great, can't wait to see it.
Kind thoughts from Ray

Karin Corbin said...[Reply]

Your on fire now John! I can see the smoke coming out of your ears over that library room project.

I can see your little men standing before the fireplace warming their cockles. hehe

John said...[Reply]

Confidential to Catherine & Ray:

Yes, only TWO rooms left! But don't worry --at my glacial pace it will be an aeon before I finish MP! And I do have some new ideas swimming around in my noodle, so you won't toss me away THAT easily. I am a 175 lbs (more or less) boomerang.

Confidential to Wanda:

I just finished trimming three of the six chairs with my Crazy Cords piping and I LOVE IT! You would NEVER in a million years think a detail that tiny would have such an impact, but it DOES! It's TRUE! God IS in the details!

Confidential to Andy:

I guess he must be the 'Ben Cohen equivalent' to South-End Boston girls? (Which is 'wicked retarded' because even though he's the star quarterback for the New England Patriots he's not even from Boston, he's from CALIFORNIA).

Marisa said...[Reply]

as usual your house is wonderful, I would love to live there in real life

did you see this post? they have a new thing on the market called Flower Fluff

http://katiesclaycorner.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-product-in-scrapbooking-isle.html

hope the link works for ya


Love
Marisa

Ilona said...[Reply]

Hi John! I love the new embers, they just make the room come alive! The rooms look delicate by the daylights (great tip, I always use daylight to make pictures), the colors you choose are beautiful! The hallways are a great find with those wonderful lights.
Can't wait to see the library, the plans look good.
In the miniature community are very kind and thoughtful people, I agree with you :D!!
By the way: these orange color is much better, like Fi said ;)!
Have a great week, Ilona

Daydreamer said...[Reply]

Oh, I'm So LATE here to admire your Divine Embers!! I think there is Nothing like a Fire that lights to add that touch of Fantasy to the Rooms!!! I can believe that you will want ALL your fires to light now!!! I had the same thing happen when I added flames to the Lovely Old Dollhouse fireplaces too!! (Of course... I got distracted and haven't Finished them yet.... )
I LOVE the preview of your Library... it will surely be a Room to Envy!
And your Chinoiserie wallpaper in the corridor is just Stunning!!! The way that glimpse of another space adds to the House is just remarkable! Your Rooms are DIVINE!!!

Irene said...[Reply]

It all looks quite lovely John. Very opulent indeed. The photo with the lights off just showing the lit hallway is so good.

I'm also impressed with your library workings. I can't get to grips working outside the box (so to speak!) like that so I'm really keen to follow the progress with this.

It's good to hear that you are already planning another property -
you've got to keep feeding your addiction now!

Giac said...[Reply]

Hello John,
You did say this is your first miniature project...right??? Still don't believe it! Everything is just awsome. I'm glad you were able to get the embers. It just adds so much to the setting. I'm anctiously awaiting progress reports on the Library. you've done so much wonderful work John. You really are an inspiration.
Big hug,
Giac

jeffry said...[Reply]

Hi John,
The glowing embers make it all look real! The piping will make your furniture look stunning I'm sure. I allways have a tiny piece of fabric/wallpaper in my wallet somewhere. You're lucky you've got a crazy cord....they don't have them overhere! Like the design of your library and looking forward what kind of flower arrangments you will be making!!

Erik Goddard said...[Reply]

It's incredible! Keep it up. We all want to see what happens nexst. It's like waiting for the next eppy of Walking Dead.