Showing posts with label DIY Barbie house. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY Barbie house. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Winter amusements? What I have been doing for 7 WEEKS!

 Ad-Free Blog

What have I been doing for 7 weeks????---playing in my craft room and remodeling two dollhouses. Honestly, I could have remodeled my own house in that time. 

Here is the results---enjoy, and if you are into dolls or know someone who is, please direct them to my other blog: barbieoldnewgreenredo

This is one of the latest posts. Everything has been reconstructed or refurbished, and it started out like this:


I had redone this dollhouse 5 years ago for playing with my granddaughter, and now I wanted to do it for my doll stories and eradicate the pink--somehow and expand some areas, update the lighting and hide that elevator, since I can't spray paint outdoors right now. 
So here is the result!

Getting ready for listing!

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Richelle: Hi, Lara, sorry to call so late, but I just texted you some photos of the townhouse...we just finished staging the townhouse!

Lara: Great...so I'm waiting for them...! I'll get Ian over there tomorrow. How about the Mansion...where are we there?

Richelle: Waiting on the chair delivery and Trish...with the plants, otherwise everyone can be out for the open house. Mulan and Belle are staying with Barbie at the rental.
barbieoldnewgreenredo


Lara: The yard looks nice....we need to pull those cans out for the listing photos!

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Richelle: Can we please, never do two locations at the same time again?

Lara: For sure, we are all ragged. I'll send Vanessa over tomorrow to help you at the Manse. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Lara: The  office area looks great. Amazing rehab on that equipment.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Richelle: LOL, well, no one will walk off with a 40# ancient monitor and a dummy keyboard.

Lara: By the way, the sofas look fab, love the pillows!

barbieoldnewgreenredo

...table looks great...and the kitchen...
(sure, beats  MAGENTA???)

barbieoldnewgreenredo

...I love the shelving unit...looks perfect for a family...

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Totally love the accessories...nice homage to the buildings age.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

...What's the story on the painting?

Richelle: It's a watercolor we had resized of the Chicago River. I didn't like the photographs---too contemporary,
...and I wanted to bring something  more personal and historical in with the steamboat.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Lara: Since we couldn't get historical status, that's a nice way to add history! 1889 is a long time to be a home.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

...I really love the washed oak floors..and with the contemporary fabrics on the second floor, very cool.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

...closet looks good... and the doorwall.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Richelle: I know the purple and greens are a little unexpected...but I'm sick of grays and neutrals---everywhere! Nothing is permanent that has color.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Lara: Everything should appeal to the demographic we are going for. 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

...Love the drape wall with the glass in the bathroom.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

I see it just fits up to the tub corner...great I was wondering what you were going to do!

barbieoldnewgreenredo

...nice installation..., Richelle. This really is your calling!
...Are the furnishings for sale?

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Richelle: Sure and thanks, and we came in under budget by using many pieces from the house, before! I can make up a rough list for you on the furnishings.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Lara: Great and I love the Juliet window, and the shutters close for privacy!

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Richelle: The second floor sitting room was a challenge. The lounge chair was so big..but it can be used for an extra bed. I had 'Woofie' along because I knew it was going to be a very long day! He was so good!

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Lara: Love that little work area, outside of the bathroom. Perfect---very cool wall unit! 

barbieoldnewgreenredo

...the third floor work area works well, and I see you filled the closet! Plenty of storage.

barbieoldnewgreenredo

...I think I like this room the best...the view is fab of the park, and love that rug set!

barbieoldnewgreenredo

Richelle: Just a few plants come tomorrow and I'll finish up the Mansion by three, but I need to get some sleep, now.

Lara: BMR, Ltd. thanks you, Richelle, you did a fab job! And thanks to Ryan, too. I'm sure he helped also! Get me an invoice of your expenses so I can cut you a check immediately!

Richelle: Sure, will do tomorrow, I really need some food, too. Looking at the table makes me hungry!

(Tomorrow  VICTORIAN MANSION)

If you enjoyed this post(s), please join me by email- at 
FOLLOW IT---upper right hand corner.

I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions or products shown, or from where I shop. 

Please Join me at these Fine Blog Parties!
Wonderful Wednesday




 Please do not use my photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 







Posted by at 10 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Friday, March 24, 2017

DIY Barbie:New second floor

Here is the vintage Barbie Victorian Mansion purchased at GoodWill 
for $4.99 in amazing condition, with all working parts, that we have been playing with for a year.

The second floor as originally designed which barely had room for a single bed with its 9"depth. 
The hole in the floor for the elevator which cranks on the knob of the turret took up lots of room.
 When the tub on the left was down, it further cramped the space.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Where are all the Barbie's supposed to sleep-let alone where do their clothes go?


Since the Grand isn't tall enough to reach up and over to use the crank on the elevator,
 I decided to board it over on the second floor. We also extended the wall forward 6 feet in barbie scale (1:6 scale) and 13 Barbie feet to the left side of the existing bedroom.
Who wouldn't want a 600+ sq. foot addition to their bedroom?

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com


Because the Mattel construction's very strong---when the house was opened, it was still sturdy.
 The green thing above is a vanity/tub that swung down and further used up the precious little floor space on the second floor.


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com
]

Here is the elevator on the second floor in the up position. Ramp just really reached far into the room.


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

To begin the first job was to hack off the fittings for the built-in tub/vanity. 
I used a Dremel circular saw and eventually cleaned this all up, 
leaving the wall in great condition. 
If you are doing any kind of miniature work--a Dremel tool is a must have. 
I'm 69 now and have had 4 of these tools over the years, 
and they have always earned their keep.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

The largest paper I had to make a pattern for the new floor was a Hello Kitty coloring book. you can see the jig-jags as it is laid out on a light weight piece of pressboard. We chose this for its smooth surface and thin profile, light enough to be supported on the existing floor with a little help.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

More jogs to cut out which I did with the Dremel tools and a small saber saw.  The paper was fitted around all existing parts of the house including the built in pink cabinet. By fitting around the jogs, the floor adds additional stability to the now opened house.

It took several shavings and adjustments for the floor to neatly slide into place.


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Sadly the paint did not end up matching the existing green on the house, 
but is a more contemporary country green. Paint will happen later, when I can spray and use plastic paints outside.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Here you can see the jogs (many)that had to be made,  but these also stabilized the house.
The floor is simply set in place without any gluing or screws.



http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Here is the NEW second floor fitted over the dining room below. A support column made out of a 
dowel on the left supports the closet room, that once held the attached vanity/tub. we may add an edging to the floor to make it blend with the townhouse to the left. It is one step up into the bathroom from one house to the other---not bad for an urban renewal "This OLD DIY Barbie House."


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

The support column below, appears a shade different then the original beige white column, will REDO that when we have some good weather to spray paint. Maybe I can faux some grooves. The column is attached with velcro dots, at top and bottom. 
Not permanently attaching anything the two houses can still be closed up into boxes.



http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Now the extended floor forward allows for 2 beds, a 12"long bunk bed 
and a 12" double bunk bed placed over the elevator hole which is now covered. 
Plenty of room for 6 barbies now.

Now where to put clothes for Barbies, in the NEW walk-in closet.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

The old wall of the bathroom with the new floor is perfect for a walk-in closet.
Again the floor is slotted around the opened left wall of the house.
Some paint will be used in the future to unify this house with the Barbie Town House to the left.
The convenient walk-in closet is next to the bathroom. 


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

I made tons of hangers from plastic coated wire, tutorial sometime in the future.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

I love the old vintage hangers but they are quite expensive and the new ones are very flimsy.
These are easy for 4 year old hands to work with and can be used for pants and skirts also.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

I had intended to build an entire wall closet, but found this OLD wood wardrobe very beat-up at Savers for $1.99, all it needed was a paint REDO--and it fit perfectly as the wall between the closet and the bedroom.
.
http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Here it is placed perpendicular to the closet wall.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Add some plastic drawers originally from the dollar store. And a walk-in dream closet.
Like most people, we have winter clothes and summer clothes, so I will have 
to switch out the coats and long sleeves for summer dresses.


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Here you see the new floor addition in the middle.
 It goes above the dining room, but really doesn't inhibit reaching into the rooms.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com
Cost for the 600 square foot addition, $7.00 for floor, $3.87 for paint, dowel was scrap $.30 and velcro dots ($.75)

And the REDO bedroom complete with with Old, New, Green, Redo furnishings 
just waiting for another post.

Thanks always for visiting. 
I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.
 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 
Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!



Sandi














Posted by at 9 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Tea in the Mansion


While the DIY Barbie Mansion waits for the total REDO, 
we must still must be civilized and have late afternoon tea.
Some of these photos are with natural northern light, and some are not.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

The existing cottage colors---really show up in these photos taken on my 
Macro setting on my 'Photography for Dummy's' camera. I'm not going to even list the make, as it is ancient by today's camera standards--a point and shoot.
The NEW color scheme will be a bit more restrained. 
Traditional biscuits (Danish Maria cakes) and assorted layer cakes are on the menu.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

One of the guests arrived early, 
 bringing a delicious Chocolate Charlotte Russe, the recipe is HERE!

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

The flowers chosen are Faux roses, but the vase is perfect with the blue tea set. 
The layer cake is has strawberries and a chocolate ganache layer---YUM! 
The vintage red table, is on the list of REDO's in the future. 

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Waiting in the wings is a Danish Layer Cake, in case the boy's wander in. 
A stash of beverages is in the background, sparkling waters, 
sparkling fruit juices and of course, cans of iced tea!


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

The OLD Table cloth is 1950's Danish homespun with a counted stitched edge and cut-work. 

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Here's Ryan getting ready to have a beverage, he wandered in with a hot cocoa. 
The boys are always eating and drinking something. Most of the accessories are vintage.
 Hot dogs are in the microwave---those aren't on the TEA, menu, Ryan!


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Ryan rearranged the table? The kettle is hot...tea anyone?


http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

Cut-work on the edge of the OLD cloth. I think this is the wrong side.
 Amazing what you see when you take closeup photos.

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

The OLD silver tray is vintage! 

http://oldnewgreenredoblog.blogspot.com

The boys are gone---we are now ready for a real tea! 
May I cut a piece of the Chocolate Charlotte Russe for you?

I was practicing with the Macro setting on my camera, and this post just---happened. 
Hubby stopped by my computer screen and asked, when did I get the blue teaset. LOL.

Thanks always for visiting. 
I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!




Sandi


Posted by at 7 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)