Wednesday, September 10, 2014

The Divas are driving me a up a wall


The Divas are driving me up a wall – and I mean that figuratively and literally!

 

Well, since the last time I blogged, I have moved and so of course, the divas have too. We have much bigger digs and we are just loving it. Also since the last time we chatted, two new girls have joined us. There is Anabelle, who is an Orange and Spice Blythe and there is Hyacinth, who is a factory girl.
 
 
So with all of this going on, lots has changed and lots still needs to be done on the girls’ house.

The literal “up the wall” is that the house is now 3 stories tall on one side and 2 on the other. I am hoping for it to eventually be 4 stories tall on each side.

The figural driving me up the wall is that the girls are yelling that I am not building fast enough. Rebecca and Ramona have bedrooms that are pretty much complete. I just have finishing touches like wall décor and such to add.

 
 
 Raleigh’s bedroom is built, but she has been complaining of a stiff neck from sleeping in her chair
Hyacinth and Annabelle have been standing in the closet because they have no rooms or furniture of any kind.
 
          
 I understand their complaints, but when I have asked for their help, the divas have flatly refused siting the possibility of breaking their nails or messing up their hair. HEAVEN FORBID!!!

The way the girls have been acting, you would think I had done nothing at all on the house, when in fact I have gotten the bathroom and kitchen pretty much done.

I had to scrap my idea of making a shower. I couldn’t find the materials I had in mind to create the “glass” walls. I also had visions of making a toilet, but couldn’t figure out what to use. Instead, I bought a set on eBay.  For the time being, I have left the shower has is because it had a purple backdrop. I may eventually change it out to “faux” tiles, like I used on the bathroom walls.

 The mirror portion of the sink was already white, so that worked. The only change I made to that part was that I replaced the cardboard strips of printed toiletries with tiles and I put glass bottles of nail art stuff on the shelves along with Barbie accessories. The sink cabinet was BRIGHT pink, so I spray painted it. I may change out the cabinet handles at some point. 


The toilet was also glaring pink, so I painted it as well. I learned a valuable lesson about spray painting; never do it in hot humid weather. The weather caused the paint to bubble, wrinkle and just plain look yucky. I am going to put some things on the toilet tank cover to hide the imperfections.  Yes, girls, I know it does not look pretty and I will fix it. Give me a break my darling divas!

I did a few more things in the kitchen as well. I had a bright pink shelf that had been part of a Barbie refrigerator. I painted it white, as well. I found a perfect magnet in the shape of a drip coffee maker. I put it on the new shelves, along with some coffee cups. I am going to either make or buy a microwave  to put on the shelves as well. I add a rack of copper utensils near the stove and a wall clock made from a couple of buttons.
 
 
The living room was the next that I built. I used black foam core instead of the white. I put white felt on the floor for carpet.
 
 
 Remember the chandelier Christmas ornament I found? Well here it is hanging from the ceiling. Just wish it gave of some light because this room is very dark. I need to find a way to brighten up a bit.
 
I found another great ornament to use in the room as a decorative piece. Doesn’t it look so chic? The divas adore it as it reminds them of some of their modeling gigs in Paris.
 
Above the sofa, I hung a decorative mirror that was on clearance at a craft store. The lamp started its life as an air freshener that I bought at the dollar store. Once it was empty, I washed it out, filled the glass base with faux pearls and painted the shade with black nail polish. This room still needs a lot of work, but it is at least a start.
 

The next floor up is Raleigh’s bedroom. I covered the walls with contact paper. Her floor will eventually have carpeting, but I have haven’t gotten that far. The hutch in her room was a gift, so I don’t know much about it. The great chair and ottoman were from a swap and the wicker jar in the corner once held potpourri.  This room is certainly far from finished. I haven’t decided whether to purchase or make a bed. Either I will see the perfect one in completed form or find some doodad that inspires me.
 

The “wall” theme of this post has made me realize that I have used a different wall treatment on every room I have built thus far. The bathroom consists of upper walls I printed on computer paper and the faux tiles I printed on photo paper. The kitchen is done in scrapbook paper. Rebecca and Ramona’s rooms are both done in wrapping paper, but one came on a roll and one was flat, folded sheets. I prefer the rolls, btw, because the fold lines are almost impossible to get out. The living room walls were just a matter of using a different color foam board. Raleigh’s room is contact paper. Of course the black foam board was the easiest, but aside from that, my favorite is the contact paper in Raleigh’s room. Because of the nature of the contact paper, I did apply it before I put the room box together. I think it would have been a mess trying to apply it afterwards. I had to go slowly when applying it, but it looks great once I got it up. I know I am using rolled wrapping paper for the girls’ craft room, because I have already purchased it. I have no idea what I am doing for Anabelle or Hyacinth’s rooms. Shhhh! don’t tell them that or I will never hear the end of it! I am sure something will turn up to inspire me, just as it has in the other rooms.

The girls are going on vacation! I am taking them with me when I travel to New England to visit my family and friends. I am going to try and help them with a travel journal, but we may be having too much fun to remember to keep it up. It is going to delay construction on the house, but for once the divas aren’t complaining. They are all looking forward to coming along for my visit home.

Anabelle is packed and ready to hit the road. If your girls would like a suitcase like hers, you can find one in my Etsy shop, TheBlackOnyxBoutique