Sunday 21 March 2010

Window Shopping !

As you can see from this photo , I have been very busy working on the Toy Shop and have made some progress with the shop window.

A huge thank you to Sue from http://pastmastery.wordpress.com for her wonderful work making my dummy board. Little Belle on her Rocking Horse takes pride of place in the shop window. She is hoping some toys will join her soon to keep her company !
Sue, I think you will agree she looks just perfect !

This side of ths shop front is a little busier. Sandra of Tower House Dolls will recognise this little lamb pulling a cart which I bought from her at Christmas . Thanks Sandra, I love her to bits :0)
The toys in the window are some I have had for years, and some more recent additions. The tiny jack in the box was made by my daughter, thanks katie !
I will be adding more toys soon as I want both windows to be very busy and full of wonderful things.
I am very pleased with the backboards I made for the windows. They simply slide in and out so I can easily add to or totally change the displays whenever I choose with minimal effort.

This is the display board for Belle's side.It has a higher raised platform so I can put lots of toysin front of it and still see most of Belle. She sits on the bottomshelf and I can put more toys behind her on the topshelf.
I simply used balsa wood strips and some coving ! Imeasured the window openings and then once my pieces were glued together and dried I sanded all the edges, tested for fit , and sanded a little more LOL



There is an extra shelf on this side .
Once dry and sanded I painted the shelves and sides cream and then when the paint dried I covered the back and front with toile wallpaper tomatch the inside of my shop. I also used some turned dowels to add more decoration between the shelves.

Here you can see them before they were put into the shop windows.
In my next post I will show you the inside view. I also used some olive green striped silk to make curtains for the inside of my windows and finished off with a fringed braid trim at the top which just shows from the outside.
I'm really pleased with everything so far !
julie xxx





16 comments:

Merry Jingle said...

It's lovely :) I love the colours and patterns, you've done wonderful job,

Ira

Michelle said...

Fantastic! I've never seen window displays like this before, you can get so much to show this way! I love the lamb and his cart, I remember seeing it on Sandra's Blog. It's looking superb so far, it can only get better! ;o)

Michelle xxx

julie campbell said...

Thanks Ira,so pleased you like it so far :0)

LOL Michelle,the idea just came to me the other night and then I was so excited to try it out .I love the way I can pull them in and out to play too !
I need to sort out the shop doors now, they need glass and sanding and you know how I hate sanding.....
julie xxx

Lena said...

Beutiful shop! I think you have made a great work.

Lena!

TINK - SONIA said...

Julie your toys shop is so beautiful,
I love the colors and the bigs windows.Minihugs from Spain,Sonia.

Crafts From The Stash said...

Julie its looking marvelous. But, when have you found the time to work on your house when its Min next week? LOL.
Debie xxxxx

The Old Maid said...

Great window displays! And fantastic toys! Love the grass in front of your shop:)

Jain Squires said...

Julie,It is looking so perfect, I love it. Belle is just right in there, such an unusual display. Jainx

julie campbell said...

Hi lena, so glad you like it :0)

Hello Sonia, thanks ! cant wait to add more toys now :0)

LOL Debie,its stress relief, my motto is when everything around goes haywire..... work on a dolls house !

Hi Ewa, I've added quite a bit of grass and moss and distressing to the building,am going for faded grandeur !

Hello Jain, I am so happy with the way Belle looks, she sets off the window to perfection :0)
julie xxx

Whittaker's Miniatures said...

It looks stunning already. Great window displays . Thought you would have downed tools til after the shows but your still going, good for you! Kate xx

Anonymous said...

I've been waiting...I've been waiting! And it is worth the wait.
Belle looks so REAL!
I'm very glad she is happy in her new home.
Love
Sue
x :)

Sans! said...

O wow, I am reeling over backwards at how fast you work. I was just finally sanding the farmhouse junior that I wanted to start on last Sunday. Soooooo boring and tedious , I vote "sanding" as the most awful part of mini making. But such a necessary evil.

I love your solution for the window display although I am still trying to figure out how you move them in and out when all the walls are up?

Julie said...

It looks perfect Julie....really love all the colours you have used and the shop display is looking wonderful already !
Julie
xxxx

Irene said...

That's a good idea for the window display and I really like the colour you've used on the outside. The first photo gives a good view of how it's all taking shape. It's very "of the period".

synnøve said...

It is just spectacular!!!!
Best toy shop I have seen.....I love it!!!!!!
Synnøve :)

Melissa Valeriote said...

When can I move in? LOVELY!