Tuesday, 2 June 2020

Quilty Pleasures - Take II

Now that my sister has her gift (her birthday was on the 17th) it's time to reveal the building in its entirety.

At the beginning of the last post I showed you the building "in the raw". I cut the pieces from 1/4" MDF, which is what I use for most of my buildings, and used Quick Grip to glue it together. You saw the wood floor in the last post and the "leprechaun green" I painted the interior walls. I used a textured brick paper for the exterior. I was struggling over what to use as decorative brackets around the roof line when my DH suggested he had some leftover life size baseboard molding. He sliced off the top, flat part of the molding, then sliced 1/4" slices for the long brackets. He then made the smaller brackets from 1/4" slices from just the very end of the trim. I think they look great and will be using these type of brackets again in the future, for sure.


I still had to install the "windows" and trim them out, as well as a decorative trim around the top of the roof line and along the bottom of the window frame. I decided on a 3-layer trim of dentil molding, 1/4" stock lumber and small quarter round, painting them in Wedgewood green and Burnt cherry. I was more than satisfied with how they turned out. Here you can also see the detail of those brackets my dear hubbie, Bruce, made for me.


I glued the plastic pieces onto the window frames then painted some mini baseboard in Wedgewood green to trim them. In this picture you see I have painted and installed the front and back doors as well.


I added the dentil molding combo to the bottom of the window too. Here you can see all of the window molding - - and the fact that I was starting to try out furniture inside the store.


So, I guess its time to show it all together! First, I do want to point out the street signs on the front and side of the building. Quilty Pleasures is located on the corner of C.V. Gay Blvd. and E. Martin Lane. Those happen to be the names of our late parents and I thought my sister would appreciate her gift even more with this little addition.



I made the sign using MSPowerpoint. I used a font called "Algerian" and made sure the text box was set at "no fill" so that I could place another box behind the words. I did a search for quilting stitch patterns and decided on this one which I set as a green colour and placed it behind the text box in PowerPoint. When I had it the size I wanted I printed it out, mounted it onto a piece of wood, coated it with mod podge and framed it with a burnt cherry colour wood.

So, do you feel like shopping? Come on in! As you enter you can see the cutting table, complete with a measuring tape attached to the table and, behind this, you'll find cubbies with a variety of colours of yarn for those who might like to knit, crochet, or maybe use the yarn for a simple tied quilt.


An overview of the shop let's you take everything in at once. I see the shop owner has left her bag hanging on the hook on the back door. She is also obviously a plant lover. There are orchids, a caladium and several green plants dotted around the shop. See if you can spot them all as you walk through.


On the cutting table someone has left two nicely coordinated fabrics, ready to be cut. There is a small cutting mat sitting on the corner (and another one on one of the shelves behind in case a customer is looking to buy one). Under the cutting table there is quilt batting, lining, and wool batting on large rolls, readily available for the local quilters.


There are quilt books on the window seat and a few more in the shelves of the cabinets. Speaking of the window seat, the wood grain look on the seat and up the walls of the window bump out, is actually strips cut from the sample cards for formica counter tops that you find at your local building supply store. The cards are quite large, about 3 or 4 inches by approximately 8", which gives lots of possible uses! I also want to point out that I found online, a variety of posters for what apparently used to be an annual quilt show in the USA called the "Sisters' Outdoor Quilt Show". How perfect is that for a gift for my sister?!? I put one on the front of the cash table and two others above the fabric bolt cabinet.


Finally, these are the last few pictures I took before delivering it to my sister on her birthday. There are spools of crochet cotton in the wall shelf and a box of ribbons, a quilt for sale, and a couple of decorative pots. More than half of the fabric bolts were made using fabric from my sister, so every time she looks at them she can remember each quilt she has made with those fabrics. I'm happy to say, she seemed really thrilled with it.




Thus ends the saga of Quilty Pleasures - happily delivered to its "forever home".

But - talking about a saga - remember Dorothy's Corner?? I still had to finish the hydrangea tree for the back of the garden before I could call it complete. Well, my mini friends and I have been meeting through Skype on Wednesday and Friday afternoons to work on our minis together (virtually). I made the decision that on Fridays I would only work on something from previous projects I have not yet completed. We've dubbed it "Finish Friday". I have been working on the tree on Fridays and on whatever my current project is on any other day of the week I want. I have finally gotten all of the buds covered in tiny little white blossoms.


Each of the 29 buds required between 80 and 90 tiny flowers that each had to be shaped before applying. That was a lot of Fridays!! In the end, the hydrangea tree I was going for is a peegee hydrangea called Pink Diamond. So I then made a very watery mixture using a craft acrylic paint in "old rose". By making it really thin I was able to basically touch my brush to the wide end of the blossom and let it seep into the rest of it. I think it looks way more realistic than if I had used a solid pink paper to cut the teeny flowers. You can see the details better in this picture, and any of the others, if you click on the picture to enlarge it.


Now I just have to add the leaves. I think it will take only 8 leaves per branch instead of the 80 or 90 tiny blossoms so it will take far fewer Fridays to actually finish this! Thank heavens for small mercies!

To close, I wanted to leave you with this picture of Dorothy's Corner. It is sitting on a corner of a cabinet and, when my husband was trimming the rhododendron earlier this season, he took one of the branches and placed it in water to see what would happen. The buds were still tightly closed and showed no colour at all. A week later it was in full bloom and hanging over Dorothy's Garden. No way I can duplicate that!


Until my next post a week from today, keep safe, keep healthy, and keep on mini-ing! TTFN!! - Marilyn D.


16 comments:

  1. Oh Marilyn! I have enjoyed reading this post and seeing all of the lovely photos so much! Quilty Pleasures is absolutely marvelous and it's no wonder that your sister loves it! Bruce's brackets are so clever and such a wonderful complement to the substantially charming trim work that you came up with! There are so many features to love about the building, not least of which is the corner window with it's lovely window seat! The exterior colors and signs are such a perfect complement to the interior finishes, and each of the carefully crafted interior decor pieces only add to the appeal! What a glorious labor of love, and such a thoughtful gift to show it! You are one talented and creative miniaturist, and it is such a privilege to follow your blog!

    Speaking of labors of love... That hydrangea! Oh how superb! I love the colors of the petals that you were able to achieve with the paint wash, and the amount of petals just takes your breath away! This is no doubt going to be a show stopper and make Dorothy's Corner a destination stop which will draw mini folks from miles around! Adding the leaves is going to be so much fun because with each addition you'll get closer to seeing this masterpiece come alive! Best of luck and have fun!!!

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    1. Oh my, Jodi - I am completely humbled by your very kind comments considering the incredible work you do. There are so many miniature artists who have left me awestruck, yourself included, since I started down this journey in 2014. I cannot possibly live long enough to become as good as you talented people but I guarantee I'll have a lot of fun while trying!! Big hugs. - Marilyn D.

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  2. Hi Marilyn! Brackets made of a RL molding is a clever idea of your husband, it looks great!
    I love the way you personalised this wonderful gift for your sister, by the street names on the facade. The shop looks fab, it's wonderfully decorated and furnished with everything one can need for quilting, so I bet that your sis was over the moon with this special gift of you.
    The Hydrangea tree looks wonderful so far, you've done a great job, making mini plants/flowers is a very timeconsuming job.
    Dorothy's Corner looks a snug corner to me, a place to relax, reading a good book or just for daydreaming. The cutted branch of the Rhododendron is beautiful and enchanting in the vase hanging over the corner, I hope that you've enjoyed it!
    Stay safe, take care, dear Marilyn
    Hugs, Ilona
    PS As usually when I subscribe for following a blog my picture does not appear on your followers list, although I pushed the button for following. You have to know that your blog messages do appear in my readers list though. I've had this issue of Blogger since years now, and I don't know why it is but it works for me and that's okay. Have a nice evening!

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    1. Thank you Ilona. Yes, she really loves it. It is a great complement to the wonderful quilt work she does. She has made so many beautiful quilts over the years and gives almost all of them away with love. She deserved a nice gift herself and - - I don't quilt. *smile*
      I am also enjoying your blog and the adventures of Koos. Perhaps I can borrow him the next time I have a lot of potatoes to peel?

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  3. Quilty Pleasures is so cute! I'm just amazed and I love all the details.

    Can't wait to see the Hydrangeas with leaves!

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  4. Me too, Sheila!! It's been a naked tree for far too long! Soon, I promise, soon! - Marilyn D.

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  5. It look great, Marilyn, and I love the photos! Hard to tell the quilt shop is a miniature, and that is high praise indeed, as any mini enthusiast will tell you.

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    1. Thank you, Marijke. I'm very happy with it but most happy that my sister loves it. That was the goal!

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  6. Marilyn,Quilty Pleasures es un escenario maravilloso!!! Las molduras de tu esposo quedan perfectas y tienen una forma muy bonita.El letrero con el patrón de patchwork de fondo me encanta.
    Y el interior es impresionante con tanto color por la telas,los libros,materiales...todo lo que una costurera puede desear!
    Y personalizar con los nombres de vuestros padres como calles es muy emotivo.Tu hermana disfrutará con esta escena llena de amor!
    Besos.

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    1. Muchas gracias, Pilar. Creo que honrará el talento de mi hermana y también le dará algunos recuerdos maravillosos. ¡Grandes abrazos!

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  7. Marilyn, Quilty Pleasures (love the name by the way) is just wonderful!I especially like the detail on the outside - mostly because I can't/won't/don't do outsides like that. Love the street signs - what a great tribute.
    BIG hugs, Maureen

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    1. Thank you, Maureen. It was a lot of fun to do, despite those d%*& skeins of floss! On to the next project! Big hugs. - Marilyn D.

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  8. Es una escena adorable, llena de detalles y con mucho gusto.
    Tu hermana estará encantada con tan precioso regalo.

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    1. Gracias, Eloisa. Sí, ella realmente ama su regalo y me divertí mucho haciéndolo. ¡Salud! - Marilyn D.

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  9. There's so much to LOVE about this project that I don't know where to begin!
    I must start though with the name of this shop- BANG ON! It states it's case with a good dollop of humor and makes you smile before your mini feet cross the threshhold.
    Then there's the street names on the building in honour of your parents- another GREAT TOUCH!
    I LOVE the HUGE corner window which allows in tons of natural light and advertises and entices the passersby to COME ON IN and indulge their "quilty pleasures" to their heart's content!
    I lOVE the layout of your store and the fact that the bolts on the shelves represent a quilt of hers that your sister will recognize and remember- TAKE A BOW!
    The seating arrangement; the cutting table and the display of embroidery threads along with all of the appropriate accessories in this oh so welcoming shop on the corner, is altogether BEAUTIFUL and I know that you sister must have been THRILLED TO BITS to have had you make such a fascinating and personal gift for her birthday that she'll TREASURE FOREVER ❤️
    BRAVO Marilyn!

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    1. Thank you so much, Elizabeth. I did have a lot of fun with it and my sister really appreciated it. However, I do feel I would be remiss if I didn't remind everyone that the original design was from Casey Rice of Casey's Minis. She had one she did many years ago now. Hers is called The Rusty Needle and I thought it was really special. I can't take credit for the design, only the execution. Big hugs! - Marilyn D.

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