Got to work on the back hallway today. Started by painting the floor base black so the cracks between the floor boards would look better.

Cut out some floor boards…

Stained them and laid them down in place.

Also stained the door frame, a base board, and a few extra spots on the staircase…

Then, because I can’t seem to leave well enough alone, instead of making the landing simple floor boards, I created a pattern.

Stained some of the boards…

And here you go….I may still stain the lighter boards the same color to make the pattern a bit more subtle…these are the back stairs after all.

Next I created the back wall for the pantry under the stairs.

Painted and trimmed it and placed it in the correct space (nothing is glued in yet…not even the floor boards. I want to make sure everything fits first).

Here’s the view of the pantry and the back hall from the kitchen….excuse the reflections in the glass.

And viewed from the drawing room doorway…

Next I will need to create the second set of stairs…laid a piece of white cardboard here to show how it will look.

So happy to be back at it again…looking forward to receiving the lights for the hallway and stairs in the mail. Stairs next…and a wine cellar and shelves…

For now…good night.

With the framed picture finally hung above the fireplace, I decided it was time to do a photo shoot of the nursery.

Enjoy.

(PS This seems to be my hundredth post!)

So this is what happens when you go to a conference for work…you spend the next week trying to catch up on everything you missed while you were gone. Which means I’ve been neglecting the house for the past two weeks.

On the other hand, I did go last weekend to the Philadelphia Miniaturia, which is the largest dollhouse miniatures show on the east coast…and what an amazing set of vendors there. Artisans of the finest quality abounded. I even got to meet several I had bought from online. What fun.

I got a good supply of tiny-patterned cloth and lace for the curtains downstairs, some old sheet music, a couple of laser-cut doilies, and a frame for the picture in the nursery.

Also a little basket for the pantry, and a glazed, fired pot from the woman who made the tiny butter churn in my kitchen.

And the most fabulous little metal-cast giraffe for the nursery. And a tiny Spode plate depicting the Castel Sant’Angello in Rome.

Funny thing about this plate is that I own a life-sized copy as well.

So I had to get it.

Finally was able to put the nursery print in a frame…

…and place a tiny piece of wood in back so it will hang at a slight angle.

And here you go.  I’ll get back to work on the pantry later.

For now, good night.