The Kitchen.

It's been a wee while since I updated progress here but the RL garden became a priority with all that lovely sunshine we had and I had a fence to paint - fence painting is very boring, even when it's sunny.   Then there was trellis to paint which is equally as boring but it's all done now and I can finally get on with what I really need to do and that is plant plants!   There's a bit of plant shopping to be done as well (tough, I know!) but I'm really looking forward to that bit.

 

In the meantime and because it was raining yesterday I finally managed to spend a goodly amount of time working on the minis, more specifically lighting.

 

I've been fiddling with this basement for months and don't really feel there's been much progress made.   I spend an inordinate amount of time staring at it but don't actually do anything but yesterday was different.

It has just occurred to me, before I whitter on too much, that I haven't shown any pictures of the kitchen in Netherton.

It's a decent sized space therefore offers lots of potential.

 

To the left I planned on inserting this little window through to the Still Room.   The arch at the back will be shelved and the doorway (back right) gives access to the Cellar.  

 

The door to the front right takes you into the Butler's Pantry.

 

 

 



The room now has tiled walls and a sneaky peak of the Cellar through the bars.   The sign above the cellar door says "Peace & Plenty" but is no longer situated there.

This is my "fourth" wall.   I would love to have had the space to create a "Lamp Room" where the boy would polish, maintain and fill all the lamps but I just couldn't fit one in so this little shelving unit is my homage to the Lamp Room.   The intention is to fill it with light bulbs, candles, wicks, candle sticks, etc.  

Here is the result of yesterday's "play".   Still lots to do but I've now got the time to do it.

 

 

 

Stuff, stuff and more stuff!

 

I will really have to get my finger out and get mini-ing.    Despite having been home for months since my trip to Miniatura in March, I haven't yet put away the minis I brought home and here I am away on another jolly to another mini fair and I still haven't put any of the minis away.

 

I'm beginning to think I'm just a "purchaser" - at least that's what it feels like at the moment.

 

At this particular fair I "purchased" a spiffy new mat (for work that has yet to be done but which is halfway finished in my head!), some clamps, some electrical strips and a fancy wooden thingy that I thought might make an excellent room divider of sorts.

 

 

Unfortunately I can't remember who I purchased this little cookery book from but it's destined for the Netherton Still Room.    The Still Room has actually been started and is not languishing in some little corner of my brain so there is some progress!

 



 

These wall lights are by Ray Storey - he has the most amazing selection of stuff - plus another little fitting I'm waiting to be delivered as he didn't have one in stock.   Again, these will be fitted in the Still Room.

 

 

I'd been racking my brain to come up with something that resembled rows of nail heads and the only thing I could think of  that might have done the job was self-adhesive strips of dots used for cardmaking/crafting but it's hard to work out size when viewing them online and I don't have a crafty shop nearby.

 

This length of tiny tiny beads will do the job perfectly and I got them from Tee Pee Crafts.   I'd love to have bought more from that stand but I sometimes find it all a bit overwhelming.   There's pots and pots of stuff, all different sizes and all different designs and I find the more I look at it, the less I see.   I'm sure there's a nack to purchasing from these guys but I've yet to work out what it is!    Back to online, I suppose.

 

The seller of the letter rack and ink wells was a New Zealander who unfortunately had neither business cards nor website but did have an amazing selection of bits at very reasonable prices and it was quite difficult to choose.

The bells were also from this particular seller.   They were presented either attached to a backboard (with the room names below) or available separately so they could be attached in any configuration I wanted.   I went for the separate ones as I have an idea for them.

 

I also picked up the parquet flooring sheet from Jennifers of Walsall.   This item was at the top of my list - I would have been really miffed if I hadn't been able to get this!  

My final purchase from the New Zealand seller and my favourite item of the show is this little Box Brownie camera, instruction manual, negative folder and spare roll of film all presented in an RL film pot.

 

I love it!

 

One final thing - we went on a little trip up the coast to Whitby and en route I had a "light bulb moment".   An idea for a new project "pinged" but I'm not saying any more!   I've got two properties to finish first, not including this one - lol!

Spring Miniatura

It's always easy to shop for Netherton - as it's so big, I need lots of everything!  

 

I firmly believe you can never have enough chairs and I always buy chairs (barewood ones especially) whenever I can.

 

Also shown is a marble clock (non-working) from Halls Miniature Clocks, some decorative plates as I'm trying to build up a decent sized collection of those, a very detailed mincer, some cleaning products, an item for carrying books - I'm sure it has a name but I've no idea what it is and of course I just HAD to make a purchase from Art of Mini.   I bought a couple of other items from Janny's stand but they're for other properties.    The little baby box kit was a "thank you" gift put in with my purchases (which I thought was a nice touch) and much appreciated.

 

A Gift Received

 

A lovely surprise arrived in the post for me last week.   I was intrigued.   I wasn't expecting anything so imagine my delight when I opened the envelope and found these lovely little items.   They have been made for me by a mini mate, Aileen.    Aileen doesn't have a blog but I do know she's working on a large Georgian property.

 

 

There are tiny little seed bead "buttons" that can be undone.

 

 

 

More little seed bead buttons on the back of the frock

 



 

How she created these tiny little items, I will never know but I do applaud her patience.

 



 

Thank you Aileen.   I am delighted with them.

 

 

 

The Butler's Pantry

 

 

Happy New Year!

 

 

I've been using my time over the holidays to finally finish off the Butler's Pantry.   This was the sneaky peak I gave you all some time ago and things have certainly moved on from there.

 



 

Before the Butler returns to his room, I can now show you around.   This is where the room is situated - next to the Laundry.   It's a long narrow space measuring 6.5" (16.51cms) wide by 16" (40.64cms) deep and 8" (20.32cms) high.

 

 

Going round the room, from the left there is his green apron, worn when polishing the silver.   I made his desk (originally it was created for the Housekeeper but I felt it fitted better in this room).   There are little pigeon holes that will soon hold post (when it arrives), his Cellar book (from Dateman Books), a letter opener and pen/ink well by Danny Shotton, and a little cup of tea.

 

 

The notice board (my creation) has paid accounts, a couple of postcards from holidaying servants and a staff photograph.

 

 

 

 

This is an earlier photograph taken when it was still quite easy to get into the room to take any shots showing the "lead lined" sink (another of my creative moments) and shelving made using offcuts of cornice with hooks added.

 

 

At the far end of the room is the key board - another item I put together using all the spare keys you get when buying locks!   That space had been bothering me for ages and was partly the reason for not finishing this room earlier.   Then.......I sat back during the holidays to watch the recorded Christmas episode of Downton and there they were - a  key board and a green felt notice board - problem solved!

 

 

To the right of the room is a drawered unit with a linen press, lamp and assorted wines/champagnes.   The post box came from Mollysue Miniatures and the clock is from Small Wonders Miniatures.   I actually bought two clocks (the other is for the kitchen) and they're made from old buttons and are the perfect size.

 

 

 

 

Another fab thing purchased from Small Wonders was this little box of bits.   As you can see, it's just the sort of thing any man would have tucked away "just in case", even the Butler of Netherton!

 

 

 



 

The drawers contain linen cloths/napkins and scissors and cash.   I'm on the look out for more little items (especially a cash box so if anyone knows who has/makes cash boxes, I'd love to hear) to put in the drawers - there are three altogether.

 

 

 

 

A couple of photos with the lights on -

 

 

 

I've shown this picture in an earlier post but have included it again as it's the fourth wall of the Pantry showing the Brushing Station.    As it's the inside of the door, it covers both the Laundry and the Pantry so I've tried to decorate it with items that would suit both spaces although there are still some items to be bought/created.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Season's Greetings

 

A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my followers.

 



 

 

The trouble with having more than one blog means that occasions such as Christmas and New Year have to have more than one seasonal pic.   Not this year!   I know a few of you follow all three of  blogs but some just follow one so if you see this pic more than once, I apologise!

 

 

York Fair

 

I seem to have purchased more for this property this time round than for the others and I have to exert extreme self control at fairs as this is such a large property, I could go mad unless I condition myself to only purchase bits for the current job in hand - hence the need for a list.   I'm very good at sticking to the list.

 

For the basement I have a log, axe and some firewood (I never thought of those additions until I saw them which is a slight deviation from the list but I think I'm allowed one deviation!), some jugs - always useful, a selection of cloths (these will either be stored in drawers or out on view), spectacles and their case for one of the staff - not sure which yet, a fire bucket, some dado rail, white wall tiles, a general box and a non-working clock from Halls Miniature Clocks.

 

The only downside to this trip was the journey home.   After getting the 6pm train from York, I didn't arrive in Edinburgh until 10.40pm due to delays.   There was then a half hour journey home.   Still, it could have been worse, it could have been snowing!