So most of my time has been spent doll making but today being Mothers Day I finally had a free couple of hours to finish the Emporium floor.
It feels like I have been waiting a terribly long time to put the last few strips of wood into the parquet floor but this morning I did just that and was delighted with the results.Then tonight I found time to wax the floor. You can see here the wax I used, beeswax and it is simply a case of wipe on, leave to dry and then polish up.
Here is the finished floor ! I am very happy with it. By just using one thin coat of paint I was able to achieve an old worn look and you cant quite see it from this photo but the wax has given it a sheen and it looks as if the floor has been worn and polished many times over the years.
The one thing I didnt want is a new looking shop. Although it was once rather grand, time has taken its toll and although Belle keeps her shop as clean as a new pin, it hasnt been decorated for many years.I am making some shelves to go across the side window. It is rather awkward , being two arched windows side by side.The Kit doesnt come with interior window frames and as I am no expert with wood work I wouldnt even attempt to make my own interior arched frames !
Instead I will have three shelves on metal brackets stretching across the windows.
That way the toys displayed there will be visible from the outside and the light will set them off beautifully from the inside.
The shop counter will also be in front of the window. I want to have some little tables with toys piled high in front of the shelves.
There is a fabulous little animated film called "Alma" which I have watched many times . Its quite a creepy little film and features a doll shop.
I love the way there are little tables etc. displaying the dolls so want to use that here, but not in such a creepy way !
julie xxx
22 comments:
Julie the Floor is wonderful, really love the look of the whole room already.
Hope you had a lovely Mothers day
hugs
julie
xxx
It is looking wonderful. I love all the muted colours and your floor is amazing, I wouldn't have the patience to lay it:0)
Julia xx
I had to go and watch that film, shuddder LOL I love the floor its great.
Debie xxxxx
I love Alma story! Hope only your shop is not going to be that creepy ;)- though the idea of the toy shop is great! Tables by the windows will look great!
The floor is just amazing and
the colours of the whole room
look so good together. What a
great job!
Eva J
That Alma film is disturbingly scary!!! please say your Petite Belles arent going that way!...?LOL your shop is looking really nice with the floor finished, I love the colouring :o)(I still havent braved another parquet attempt myself yet)
No wonder you are pleased! The floor looks so good it will be a pity to put things on it! I look back o your last post to see how you did the floor and realise that you didn't mention whether the floor tiles were cut piece by piece or if you painted on a large piece of wood board and cut grooves on the board.
I was curious because you said you are not experienced with wood (for arched windows) but the workmanship for the flooring sure does not look like the work of a novice! Be it painted or cut tile by tile. Especially the centrepiece. Absolutely love your work.
What a great piece of animation! Thank you for the link. You must be too busy to watch Alice in Wonderland?
Julie the floor is wonderful¡¡¡¡ Great a job. Saludoss.
Hi julie :0) thanks and hope you had a lovely mothers day too .
Hi julia, I'm really pleased with it and it wasnt difficultto lay,just a little bit fiddly :0)
Hello Debie, LOL its a creepy little film isnt it but being about dolls I just love it !
Hello Ewa, Oh no , my toyshop wont be creepy at all, quite the opposite ! but I do love the layout of the shop in the film :0)
julie xxx
Hello Eva, thank you :0) I hadnt intended to use green in the shop but it just felt right and now I love the combination !
Hello Wendy, LOL promise nothing remotely creepy will creep its way in here ! although my family think all dolls are pretty scary , I collect antique dolls which totally spook my hubby out !!
julie xxx
Glad you like the floor :0)
Hello Sans,
The floor really was quite simple to do. I bought it ready cut soall I had to do was sand the tiles and put them down in the right order. The most difficult part was round the edges where I had to cut and sand them to fit . I painted each one before laying them so it was more time consuming than difficult. The piece in the centre was lazer cut to fit, but once seperated and painted I didnt know where any of the pieces went ! LOL this took the longest time and each little bit needed sanding .I would never attempt to cut my own tiles as I just cant keep to a straight line with a saw !
I would reccommend a kit like this though,it takes out all the guess work :0)
Oh and yes I saw Alice in wonderland on thursday and it was wonderful !!! I have made a mad hatter doll who I am busily costuming now !!!
julie xxx
Hello carmen :0)
Thank you ! so glad you like the floor ,
julie xxx
Julie, the floor looks great. The movie was creepy indeed.
I am looking forward to see the rest of the toyshop!
It looks wonderful - I can imagine how long it has taken to do, I'll have to practice my patience :)
Ira
I think you have captured exactly the look you were going for- it is so beautiful, but I think it does look as if they have been open for years. I LOVE that little film- but it is a bit creepy:)
Your toy shop looks wonderful, I love the subtle colours and your floor is great. Did you buy it as a kit?
Can't wait to see it filled with toys.
The floor looks great.
The floor is fantastic, and as Sans said a pity that you now have to 'cover' it with things to sell :)
I had to smile when you mentioned that you didn't intend to use green, it's a funny thing isn't it that so often a project has a 'mind of its own'. These are such lovely soft colours, they should complement nicely all the toyu shop 'stock'.
It's wonderful and goes perfectly with the cabinets and colour scheme! :o)) It must have taken a while to lay, I'd like parquet flooring in my Edwardian House. ;o)
I've seen the Alma thingy before, a little scary! lol ;oP
Michelle xxx
Just love your floor. It goes perfectly with the colour scheme.
I was entranced by the animated short. The frontage is just what I want to achieve for my Art Nouveau doll shop!
I already have some little doll-sized sofas and tables to do something similar in front of the shelves, but I was really taken with how good it looked to have lots of different dolls really crammed onto the shelves, rather than just one deep.
However, no wonder dolls get a bad name.......spooky!
The flooring looks amazing Julie, clever you. do you have stacks of toys already to go in the shop? It is going to just bounce into life with all the colourful toys, cant wait! Kate xxx
Julie
Very very impressive!
Where did you get the woodworking tools from?
Our 1930s house (I mentioned to you in a comment back in Feb) is almost complete - but the related Website is still out of date.
I am just starting a Lutyens House (the DE kit) but modified to more like Lutyens actual house Goddards.
Again, great stuff! What are you going to do next?
Mike
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