Time to relocate.

After 7 years in it's present position, Hambleton Hall is being relocated.

No. 2 son has flown the nest and although his room isn't the one I'm really after (that belongs to No 1 son) its a good temporary place to keep the minis and they'll all be in the one place.   No more walking miles for an 18" length of skirting!

Today I emptied all the rooms.   Have you ever done that?   It's amazing just how much stuff these little properties hold, not to mention the dust.    There are bits in there that I had forgotten all about and it was a nice little exercise to remind me of things that are not easily seen and only I know are there.

I think it's going to take some time putting it all back together again.   It might also be a good time to thin out some of the bits as well.

For some reason over the past couple of months, my oomph went but I'm hoping this little task will help me get back on track and raring to go again.   Nothing has happened in the bathroom since the last post.

Right now I need to rally the staff and get them cleaining.

More bathroom progress.

Just one photo for you today.   The wallpaper and flooring are in place but the panelling hasn't been stuck down yet.   I just had to see what it all looked like!

I know it's a bit bright for a Victorian bathroom but the story in my head says that as the Admiral wasn't keen on devoting a whole room to this new fangled bathroom idea he divided a larger room in order to keep the other half for storage.   Her Ladyship, Mrs Admiral, on the other hand is a very forward thinking woman of her time and decided that if he was getitng his own way with the size of the room, then she was getting her own way with the decor. 

As the paper is printed off from a printie (very handy if you miscalculate and need more - just print it off!) and the fact that I haven't used this method before, I wasn't sure if the pattern would smudge despite the fact that I had used the spray fixative.   I was also a bit concerned with matching the pattern in such a small space if I decided to put the paper directly onto the wall.   In the end, I cut card templates, matched the pattern and then put them on the walls. It seems to have worked and I'm happy with it.

Bathroom Beginnings.

Work has started with the Bathroom in my quest to get the attic finished.   Despite not having updated the blog recently, I haven't been idle.

The room has been primed and the panelling has been created and painted.

I've been quite adventurous this time with wallpaper in that I'm using a design printed off from a website of free printables.   I've no idea whether this will work or not but I do hope it does as I like the design and I've already painted the panelling to co-ordinate with it!

The room was originally going to have a wooden floor stained mahogany but when I put the flooring together with the panelling it just looked all wrong, whether it was the particular stain I was using or whether it just wasn't the right colour of panelling to have with the mahogany, it just wasn't working for me so that floor will be laid in the store room I've planned for next door.

That all meant that I had to come up with an alternative and normally I would just go on line and purchase the flooring I fancied but this time, because I have loads of card to hand, I thought I'd have a go at making my own so with the help of the very informative book by Lea Frisoni this is how far I've got at the moment. 

I only started putting it together this morning and I've got quite a long way to go but so far, given that it's the first time I've attempted anything like this, I'm pretty pleased with the way it's looking and hopefully any little discrepancies will be hidden once it's been grouted!

The cabinet I bought for the Bathroom has also been stained mahogany but I'm going to have to change that too as it just doesn't work with the burgundy paint colour.   Back to the drawing board with that one, I think!

That's it for another six months!

I think I managed to do very well with this visit to Miniatura.   These items are all intended for the last three rooms left to do in this property.   I'm particularly pleased with the toilet roll holder (although it's upside down in the photo).   I'm really getting into the whitewood furniture and the little chair will hopefully find it's way into the Nursery (if there's room).   The golf clubs and rifle case and bag were purchased from The Luggage Lady who has marvellous things but no website unfortunately.

I also purchased some sundry bits that can be used in other properties, flooring, findings and fabric.   All I've got to do now is get on with it!

A decision has been made.

Thank you everyone who gave me suggestions and solutions to my dilemma.

I've made up my mind now and the larger space to the right will combine Nanny and Nursery, to the left of the hall will be the bathroom (I had to have one as I've already got the fitments) and the far left room will be a general attic space.

The bed was originally a garish gold colour that has since been painted black.

This decision was arrived at as I already have some of the furniture, ie. Nanny's bed, washstand, crib and of course the bathroom fittings.

I'm not too keen on the low level cistern so I'll be changing that and I've yet to choose the decor of the room but at least I'm a stage further on than I was a week ago and the only thing to do next is decide which room to start with!

Suggestions please.

These are the final three spaces to be filled in Hambleton Hall and I have a dilemma!   I thought I knew what I would be doing with them, namely a Nanny's Room, a Nursery and a Bathroom.   Now that it's time to start work, I'm not sure now.

These two spaces measure 6 1/2" wide  x 13 1/2" deep by 8" high (16.5cms W x 34.3cms D x 20.3 H).   My initial thoughts were - Nursery leading through to Nanny on the far left - ok so there's not a lot of space but she is a servant after all and babies don't take up that much space (at least not in my world!). 

I hadn't planned to have a door leading through - just a curtain.

The room to the far right was going to be the Bathroom.   It's a decent enough sized space at 10 1/2" wide x 13 1/2" deep x 8" high (26.7cms W x 34.3cms D x 20.3cms H) and it would allow me to have some furniture in there along with the bathroom suite.

Then I thought I could combine Nanny with Nursery and have them both in this room with a small bathroom and storage space leading off situated in the rooms on the far left.

I've thought about this for so long and dithered about so much I'm confusing myself so if anyone has any bright ideas, I'd love to hear them.   Thank you!

Happy New Year!

May the best ye hae ivver seen be the warst ye'll ivver see.
May the moose ne'er lea' yer girnal wi a tear-drap in its ee.
May ye aye keep hail an hertie till ye'r auld eneuch tae dee.
May ye aye juist be sae happie as A wuss ye aye tae be. 

The above, in translation, reads: 

May the best you have ever seen be the worst you will ever see.
May the mouse never leave your grain store with a tear drop in its eye.
May you always stay hale and hearty until you are old enough to die.
May you still be as happy as I always wish you to be. 

Slainte!