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Sunday, December 5, 2010

Where'd The Little Old Lady Go?

Well, for one thing, she isn't that little. I realised that I have never shown you my one and only "Barbie" sized poly clay doll.


I went to look for her and she wasn't on her usual second shelf space in the bookcase....After some searching, I found her up in the castle....Evidently, the last time I did spring cleaning in the bookcase, I moved her up there out of the way.


You would think that someone would notice how out of place she looks. Now I know that nobody ever looks up there.


I had to get up on a step stool to get her down and put her back where she belongs.

You may be wondering why I am showing her at all....Well, she just sits there day after day, patiently doing nothing...I had planned to have her knitting something when I made her 20 or so years ago.


She is an unsung hero of sorts. I saw an article in a doll magazine. They were having a contest. I thought that I might join in the fun....I found, after making one doll that size, that I never want to do it again. For some reason I find it difficult to switch to the larger size. For me 1/12scale is much easier that 1/6. She is a lesson learned. I didn't enter her in the contest and there she sits year after yearl...I really should start her some knitting so that she will have something to while away the hours.....


On the mini front, I did only one task today.I have been trimming(real) trees and doing (real) laundry. I did about five rows of sock knitting and then found a dropped stitch about 20 rows down....Does that tell you what kind of day I have had?


Anyway, on to the minis. I did put up one of the sconces. I am liking the battery operated lights more and more. I simply cut a hole in the foam core the size of the base and stuck it in. I think that I am going to leave it like that so it will be easier to change the battery.


I think that it was Sans that asked about the blue tinge to the lights. They are a bit blue, but not horrible. The one that is in the copper setting doesn't cast a blue light at all.


These lights are a bit more expensive than the regular hard wired ones, but I got to thinking about it.....You don't have to buy a transformer or wire. No tools needed and you don't have to worry about where you are going to hide the transformer and string the wires.


I hope that they come up with some more styles. I bought two of the sconces, the copper ceiling fixture and a three arm chandelierwhile they were on sale. The chandelier was messed up and I sent it back. I will show you that one when I get the replacement.


Someone on the Greenleaf forum sent an addy for another company that carries these. http://www.manhattandollhouse.com/html/battery_operated_miniature_dol.html They have more styles. I have not ordered from them, but I am tempted. Now I am wondering how hard it would be to make your own. Has anybody out there tried it yet?


OK, I am just rambling on now. I need to go do some more laundry.


See you tomorrow.

11 comments:

Kathi said...

Beautiful house! Beautiful Grandma!
Beautiful light! No words needed!
:D

Christine said...

I was wondering about making your own too - an electronics shop would have all the components I guess?

I'm not sure about an entire dollshouse though if they have to be switched individually?

Your old lady is lovely. :)

AuntLou said...

Love, love, love your "little old lady!"

Minka said...

Thank you for posting about the lights. I am very new to all this and just today I went to a shop to learn about electrifying a house. I wanted to understand what I would be getting into before I build the house. I asked them if they had anything like this and they said no. I guess they conveniently left out the fact that someone else may have what I'm looking for. You doll is wonderful. Knitting would be great....or rocking a baby.

Margriet said...

Your old lady looks very content, even after 20 years...so maybe she's just happy..sitting there and contemplating about life :-)
Wow, beautiful castle..is it already inhabited?? I'm wondering why Tessie doesn't want to move in!!!

Sans! said...

I love your little old lady too.

I swear by battery operated lights. And I have been to miniatures.com to do some shopping myself. Still waiting for quotes for shipping to Singapore. Thank you for the link to the other one because I am going to check that one out as well.

Julia and Hywel said...

Your little old lady is lovely, but she definately needs some knitting :)
Hope you have a better day today :)
Julia xx

Nina said...

Casey,
About the new light fixture - it looks great. I've never seen the battery operated onese before so I'm wondering - how do you turn them on? And do you pull them out of the wall to change the battery?Sorry to be so dense but I can't tell from the picture.

Lady Jane said...

You should have entered gramma in the contest I love her, she is so grandmotherly. I have ordered from Manhattan and they are super!!! They actually called me to tell me that they didnt have one of the lights in stock and gave me a choice if I wanted something different or change the order or backorder. They are better made than my regular lites. I do have trouble with the 4 shade ceiling lite staying up with just the adhesive they send as it is pretty heavy. I dont want to permanently glue it as I have found out why my 2nd floor to my house isnt lighting and how to fix it. So it is a temporary lite. Then I will use it in a roombox. I have their white stain glass ceiling and 2 of the hurricane lamps. Cannot believe how well made these after fiddling with the other type. Have a Merry Christmas.

Caseymini said...

Margriet, the castle is featured in some of the earlier entries. Just go to "Labels" in the sidebar and punch that. It will take you to them.

Lady Jane, thanks for the info on Manhattan. They sound like a good company.

As for the operation of the lights. You do have to turn them on individually. There is a tiny, tiny switch on the side of the case. Easy to use. to change the batteries, the threaded case twists open. I doubt that you would have to change them too often if you didn't keep the dollhouse lighted all the time. As for sticking them to the ceiling, I will have to get back to you on that. I am going to try clear silacone bathtub calk. I use that sometimes when I want to be able to remove something with relative ease. It is very rubbery in texture and usually comes off with pulling and sliding a blade under it. No guarantees....But it works for me.

April said...

I think the little old lady fit perfectly with the castle. Couldn't she just be considered a giantess there?