Don't forget to poke the photos to enlarge!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

From a Sow's Ear....

OK so it's not exactly a silk purse. Maybe closer to a polyester purse...

This morning I was wandering around town and stopped into our Dollar Tree store. I happened on six pieces of dollhouse furniture on cards. I only bought two and a package of 36 emery boards of various sizes at $1.00.

This is the usual made in China furniture, but it was actually straight for a change. I thought that these two pieces had possibilities. The rest were all different, but nothing that I had any use for.

They don't open, but for my purpose, it doesn't matter. I am planning on using the little table in the front hall of Tessie's townhouse. It really won't be seen except from the side.

The chest is just for speculation. I don't know where I will use it. I figure, if nothing else, I can use it somewhere as a filler piece.

I feel free to use these pieces as fillers in nice rooms when they won't be the focal point. After all, if Eugene Kupjack can do it, so can I. He was the man that built the Thorne rooms for Narcissa Thorne.

When I was working for Pat Arnell, restoring miniature antique houses and rooms, I had the honor of working on one of his rooms. It was a dining room and at one end there were two doors. You could see into them, just barely. They were meant to represent. a hallway. The furniture was something like this....Almost just blocks of wood, representing furniture. The furniture in the dining room itself was incredible.

As I said, if he can do it, so can I!
I thought at first that I might do some carving on the pieces. I sanded down the glossy finish. Then I decided to see how they looked with a coat of charcoal gray paint on them.....Not too shabby.

The shapes are almost classical Shaker.

I went and got my pallet of rub on metallics and used antique gold on the knobs.

I am going to live with them for a few days and see if I still like them....And more importantly, if Tessie likes them.

Meanwhile, I am off to do some planting. I don't think that I told you. I lost most of my succulents and cacti on the back patio when the great winter storm of 2011 came through.

This morning I went out and started replacing some of the ones that I lost. I couldn't replace some of the larger ones that were upwards of 20 years old without spending big bucks, so here we go again.

I had one like the tall euphorbia on the left that was almost as tall as I am....OK so that's not saying much, but I raised him from a little guy like this. I also lost a jade plant that was about 2 cubic feet square.

It may take a while for these to reach the size of the originals. I can wait. It's fun watching them grow.

I am going to go pot them now, with Tessie's help.....?

See you tomorrow.

14 comments:

Lucille said...

Cute little furniture! I like what you did with them. So sorry that all your plants were destroyed by the wind storm. But, with all those nice ones you just purchased and with Tessie's help, your garden will have a new beginning. Happy gardening. It's snowing here right now and my balcony is full of snow.

Kathi said...

YOUR Dollar Tree has the best stuff! I would love to find a little table like that. I need someting to go behind my sofa, but am too distracted right now to build one...
Good luck with your little plants.
I lost a huge jade plant a few years ago. Maybe I should go look for another one?

Lataina said...

I like seeing your new furniture. I bought the table a while back thinking I could also change it. I really wanted to buy more but thought the other pieces were too small. I'm so glad I got to see yours. =)

Is Tessie really up for the hard labor of gardening? lol

Merri said...

I have that furniture, I bought a whole set about two months ago.

Yeah, they do look vaugely Shaker. Not bad for a dollar, if used in the right spot. I took their dining room table and cut it down to a coffee table height. It makes a lovely low coffee table!

Sorry your nicest plants expired. At least you can usually keep them alive over winter. Bummer that the weather was so intense this year, but next year you are forwarned, so you can get them away from the cold by putting them deeper in the house for a few days, till the nasty weather leaves.

Caseymini said...

Kathi, I guess that you have to buy it when you see it! It was strange. All six pieces were hanging on one hook, each different.

Iris, that was the problem with these. Three were too small and the other one, I just didn't like at all. I am going to wait a few days and go back to see if they put out more.

Lucille, I think that I have it bad. At least the worst is over where I am....Seldom snow at all. I just hope that the hard frosts stay away from here as long as they did last time...It was over 100 years!

Caseymini said...

Merri, Our store only had one very small bed, one very small dressing table with fake mirror, the two pieces I bought and two others. No tables and chairs at all. Did your's have more than one of each?

Anonymous said...

I purchased four pieces of the Dollar Tree furniture...the wardrobe you have, a four"drawer" dresser, a tall dresser and a dining table. The finish looks better than other furniture I have purchased. These will likely go in one of my two small unfinished dollhouses after
they are painted. Thank you for giving me the incentive to get back to working on these dollhouses. With all the info on your blog I feel confident I can do it. I am voting every day for
you...........and Tessie.
Phyllisa

Drora's minimundo said...

Sorry about your plants.
The furniture does not look bad. I wish we had these stores here.

Kathyb said...

Casey you inspired me to visit my local dollar tree. But alas ours does not have any of the furniture. I guess they are all different and the selection comes and goes. We had a 70 degree day today on the east coast. It is finally getting warm enough to do some hardwood floor staining. (Got to have some ventilation)Happy Valentines Day!

Caseymini said...

Kathie, I have the same problem. People are always talking about various Wedding Decorations and our store never has them.

Our weather hit 80 today! I enjoyed every minute of it. Here comes the sun! Oops. There goes the sun. The temps are going back down by the end of the week and maybe...Rain.

dazzled said...

I like what you did with the Dollar Store furniture! I bought some pieces of it awhile back, but haven't done anything with it...I just felt like I shouldn't pass it by. Next time I go I'm going to look for that package of emery boards.

Merri said...

Yup, our store had multiple pieces of each. There were the chest and table you showed in your post, some chairs, a small batchelor's chest, a bed (would work for half scale), and the dressing table.

I just looked in DT again yesterday and we're down to only a couple of pieces. I guess our store stocked up for the Christmas holiday, in the hopes that some children would get dollhouses.

Merri said...

Oh, almost forgot..the DT had the little dining room table too.

Hmm..there are three stores with Dollar in their name, here. Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and The Dollar Store. Perhaps you're not seeing some of the merchandise in your store because you only have a Dollar Tree, and not the other two?

Cara said...

You're not going to believe this but the last time I went to DT last month they had those exact same tables! They had eight of them. They don't anymore ;) I am so glad to see they occasionally bring things back. I tried painting the table off white for a shabby chic kind of look for one of my houses and the paint turned pink LOL!