Dollhouse Blogs

Sunday 20 November 2011

Gallery update and Library bookcases

Hello all,
I hope everyone is well.  I had 3 vacation days this past week and planned on working on Dewell Manor the whole time. However, reality was spending time at my mom's and helped her around the house,  visiting my niece, and we had a family supper for my grandmother's birthday. Not what I planned, but it was fun!
I did spend 2 whole days working on the Gallery and the Library bookcases

Gallery



Originally, this space was going to be the bathroom and you'd only see the staircase balustrade through a door. I'm glad I listened to Jo and didn't close off the landing. I decided to make this an art gallery because I have a few sculptures I purchased on our vacations, and I have a soft spot for Randall Zadar figurines.
Note to all, when I assembled the floor I put 1 square with the grain in the wrong direction. I couldn't tell untill the floors were shellacked. That's the single yellow square that jumps out at you. My solution, I'm covering it with a large pillow for one of the dogs.

My second project were the bookcases for the library
They are 10 1/2 inches high, so I incorporated a brass rail at the top for rolling ladders.
Above,in order:
 I started by gluing bassewood strips to an illustration board back
I built up the bottom section for the doors
then, I added the front strips which match the door and window frames


I wanted the bookcases to look built in, however I made the false wall in the library 1/2" deep , but the bookshelves  are 1" deep. So I attached a 1/2 in spacer to the back of the front strips.
on the right, I added moulding and corner blocks

I added crown moulding, quarter bead moulding and doors. I decided the doors didn't need to open.

To hold the brass rod for the ladder, I drilled holes into corbels and glued them on.
The final touch was linen fold panels to add a little interest to the doors.

 Sorry, can't get the picture right side up!


This week, I'm going to try to finish the library...hopefully I'll be able to post next weekend.

I say it every time, thank you all so much for your interest and your feedback. I'm off to catch up on all your projects.
I send you all my best and I hope you have a wonderful week,
And a Very Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating.
Giac

18 comments:

  1. WOW, Giac! They are Gorgeous! (You are going to be making quite a few books, right?) This house is going to be Amazing! I LOVE that you are making it on such a GRAND Scale! That is what is lost in SO many dollhouses! It just keeps looking better and better!

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  2. I agree with all of the above! It just gets better every time I see it.

    You have to be so proud of this house. It is so beautiful! Catherine X

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  3. Very impressive work! Love bookcases. I wonder what kind of books you will fill them up with, or it actually doesn't matter?

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  4. Shame about the one tile. But these things happen. You can't cut it out and replace it with a new one? The idea of putting down a dog pillow (with a couple of dogs of course!) is an attractive solution though.
    The bookcases are beautiful. I love how you repeat the style of the doorframes and the linen fold panels in the bookcases. It brings unity to the house. I also like the fact that they are slightly recessed.
    And now you have to make hundreds of Victorian books... Quite a job!

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  5. Giac. you DO have the WOW factor perfect! Congrats. And that black/gold wallpaper..."I has a envy!!!"

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  6. Wow every time i see your new posts i look and think omg how amazing. I love everything you do to this house.Congratulations on such beautiful work.
    Hugs Maria

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  7. Hello Giac, congratulations on the wonderful progress! I like the effect of the floor, it is very realistic and well curato.Bellissime are also libraries, who knows what wonders will fill when the mini-books!
    I wanted to invite you to my first give away, items up for grabs are not quite Victorian, but you may use them if they win for a new project!
    hugs
    Mely

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  8. Hi Giac,
    Thanks for posting about those bookcases! They look wonderfull...and give me some new ideas for my own bookcases(in the future!). Also looking forward to your Gallery filled with the art pieces...I collected some Olszewski figures myself. Thanks for the update on the Manor.

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  9. Hi Giac, Great job, realy like the book cases, very nicely done! Like Jeffry, I can just picture some fine artwork on display in the gallery!

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  10. I love your detailed posts on how you created your bookcases. They're so informative and the pictures are great. Thank you for sharing them. Dewell Manor is going to be one impressive property!

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  11. Hi Giac! I somehow missed this excellent post! The shelves are spectacular! The addition of the brass rail is ingenious. I wonder how you will make the ladders slide along the bar?

    I feel for you about the tile --that is so something that would happen to me! I'm about to lay down my first wood floor so now I will take extra precaution, thanks to you.

    You're a nice boy to spend time with your mother and grandmother!

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  13. I just found, it's amazing what you do and the preparation of the pieces, helps a lot.

    regards
    Jorge

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  14. Hi Giac, what impressive work you make, it looks great.
    I also know the problems with how to spend my time,it always ends in a different way as I plan it.
    Have a great week.

    Hugs Mieke xxx

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  15. Hello everyone,
    I apologize for not answering your comments earlier. t's been a crazy couple of weeks...but then again they always seem to be. Welcme to all my new friends.
    Thank you all for taking the time to comment on my work. I'm happy the bookcase instructions were helpfull and gave people ideas.

    I actually bought 2 book kits years ago. The center part is a piece of bassewood you cut to the height of the books, and the exterior is embosses cardboard. They look very realistic...I just wish I could find it for sale again as I'll need more books.

    I tried to cut out the one tile and replace it, but I'm afraid the cardboard subfloor underneath might rip and bring up the tiles around it...i figured I'd rather not risk making the problem bigger.
    I have a few ideas for the ladder and might work on that this weekend. My main goal is to finish the Library...deja vu!
    Have a great weekend and I'll post by Sunday.
    Best wishes to all,
    Giac

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  16. Just found my way to your site via another blog, and how I do enjoying seeing such exquisitely beautiful work. You're attention to detail is astounding, regardless the non-conforming tile ... mistakes like this always happen to me, and, following my own bad advice, I try to fix them anyway resulting in many mini disasters that cause even more work in the long run! A doggie bed should work well ... and what pooch wouldn't feel entirely pampered in a room as lovely as this.

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