tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74738992815921436242024-03-06T03:15:58.981+00:00The Mini HouseThe trials of turning a junk-shop dolls house into No 1. Heatherside CornerPearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-17270383455446432892014-01-10T22:06:00.003+00:002014-01-11T12:52:25.640+00:00And so to bed....A while back, having completed some fairly major work on No 1 Heatherside Corner, Mr PJ and I decided it was time to buy a new bed.<br />
<br />
The old one, a massive black and twirly, aluminium-framed, bent-legged monstrosity, which we'd bought in a moment of over-excitement in some faceless bed emporium when we first moved in, (me forgetting to measure the bedroom first), had been squatting, like a giant bug in the centre of the room, leaving all of 12 inches of floor space at the foot end; the only path to the "littlest room".<br />
<br />
By the light of day, it looked innocent enough. Just a bad choice really; an overly massive bed in an overtly small bedroom.<br />
<br />
But occasionally, when darkness fell, if taking over the entire floor space was not bad enough, it would malevolently stub an unwary passing pinky. Or snag you on the jim jams* as you squeezed past, leaving you dangling, cross-legged, flailing helpless and whimpering, caught on an ornate metal curl, at 3 o'clock in the morning.<br />
<br />
And so it had to go.<br />
<br />
And what better choice of somewhere to rest your weary head, than a bed made entirely out of sleepers?<br />
<br />
Railway sleepers to be precise. But not the ex-British Rail, bitumen-covered, slightly adorned with used loo roll, kind. But newly sanded, beautifully burnished, hand-waxed ones.<br />
<br />
Hewn by craftsmen, and not by horny-handed, chainsaw-wielding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navvy" target="_blank">Navvies</a>.<br />
<br />
(Actually I made that last bit up, but only because I am trying to impress upon you, just how lovely these sleepers, made for, well....us sleepers, actually are).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8RI-_Q8cD44KHYBn_Ybt_ZOwRK_O99bbtDxxi4j-XIP6ZtkuMwz3XhRu8yTjor0OGcib92duV1uEfoiYcGh5yMKKDMdZZ9TR8O4DhfhHdD92LK-yrWgv0wlaVVMiIZOKAX3pKl8FMzIg/s1600/Surrey+Heath-20120217-00025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8RI-_Q8cD44KHYBn_Ybt_ZOwRK_O99bbtDxxi4j-XIP6ZtkuMwz3XhRu8yTjor0OGcib92duV1uEfoiYcGh5yMKKDMdZZ9TR8O4DhfhHdD92LK-yrWgv0wlaVVMiIZOKAX3pKl8FMzIg/s1600/Surrey+Heath-20120217-00025.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real Low Pro bed installed, and terribly dog friendly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Step forward <a href="http://www.thecoolwoodcompany.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Cool Wood Company</a>, who really do live up to their name.<br />
<br />
For these are the folk I came across, on my journey across the world wide web, searching for "chunky", "wood" and "bed," which is what I had set my heart on.<br />
<br />
I figured anything originated by good old Mother Nature was less likely to try to bite you in the bedsocks, when you really needed a midnight widdle. After all, if she didn't understand the call of nature, who wood? (Excuse the pun, I couldn't resist it).<br />
<br />
Anyhoo, we ordered, paid up, and our new purchase arrived, delivered by a very helpful, and terribly strong-armed gentleman, whose limbs were impressively as big and wide as the sleepers he carried single-handed up our tiny stairs and manoeuvred into place with his legs. And finally, our new bed was installed, much to our joy.<br />
<br />
But more so, to the delight of the Small Brown Dog, who had reached the time of life, when jumping Gazelle-like onto the giant "bed-bug" had become more difficult and prone to failure on first go, and required several less balletic attempts, to get it right. <br />
<br />
He was ecstatic to learn that he could pretty much roll onto our new "Low-Pro" bed and install himself in the best spot, the centre obviously, and legs stretched to their full extent, languorously sprawl across the superking-sized mattress and yet, still manage to look affronted when we tried to get in too.<br />
<br />
A year or so later, nothing has changed.<br />
<br />
He's still snoring happily, stretched across our giant bed, taking up most of the room. While we, hang off either side, heads lolling, supported by the wide wooden base, unwittingly buffing the patina up with our faces, as we sleep.<br />
<br />
This week I embarked on the mini version. Sans sleeping Small Brown Dog....<br />
<br />
When shown photos, Mr PJ became confused as to which one he should be sleeping in.<br />
<br />
Which I can only take as a compliment. But seeing as the miniature version is 1:12 scale and he is over six feet tall, it is likely his feet will stick out the end.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeQ-zu5BtTSAs12ltuKH8QsR3XC7do3z_tHg2o-rqKAIhaqLZLQ_sNt0hE7P-apE1V2IfLEPWAmuEqaS9BhDRP4B-xWzRGlh53NfeWDvWiWwfranSzN1E1jipneDb2korcR8c70PuQDw/s1600/Surrey+Heath-20140108-00177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeQ-zu5BtTSAs12ltuKH8QsR3XC7do3z_tHg2o-rqKAIhaqLZLQ_sNt0hE7P-apE1V2IfLEPWAmuEqaS9BhDRP4B-xWzRGlh53NfeWDvWiWwfranSzN1E1jipneDb2korcR8c70PuQDw/s1600/Surrey+Heath-20140108-00177.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mini House version.... the very Low Pro.<br />
17th Century Diarist Samuel Pepys often signed off his diary entries "And so to bed". Had he had a sleeper bed methinks his diary entries may have been somewhat shorter, as he may never have left it in the first place! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I have yet to make the mattress but that is another story......<br />
<br />
*Pyjamas. Stop making up your own jokes.<br />
<br />Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-73568309478418111982013-11-12T13:34:00.000+00:002013-11-12T14:09:14.441+00:00Roll out the Barrel !<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLeLdkSEgUWudsuxEiL5qh_wwenwvm_yZlMBaysjMHLgo3_owwukYdBoCyBlqYNy4tR0K4Kt9Ru9_MdBh4oNtt928rJl4HOZu2rrkUGDQrnFf-wWctWT3lfLjCTlaNCjMcFkdrspczYqg/s1600/top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLeLdkSEgUWudsuxEiL5qh_wwenwvm_yZlMBaysjMHLgo3_owwukYdBoCyBlqYNy4tR0K4Kt9Ru9_MdBh4oNtt928rJl4HOZu2rrkUGDQrnFf-wWctWT3lfLjCTlaNCjMcFkdrspczYqg/s320/top.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Tucked away in a small corner of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px;">Lairs Station near Cy</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">nthiana (home of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://www.post-it.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Post_It/Global/?WT.mc_id=www.post-it.com/" target="_blank">Post-It notes</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"> - yes, really), Harrison County, Texas, stands the now abandoned Old Lewis Hunter Distillery. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Built for making whiskey, the buildings date back to the late 1850's and presumably were owned originally by a Mr Lewis Hunter, young or old. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">But by the early 1900's, it was the short-lived home of the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #003300;">Sharp Distilling Company. Short, sadly, because in 1902, the unfortunate Mr Sharp was killed in the Pacific when his boat exploded, and so his business was sold on. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #003300;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #003300;"></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #003300;">B</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">y 1914, the distillery was owned and operated by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">"Uncle" Julius Kessler, a charming travelling door to door whiskey salesman turned booze magnate, who was said to have sold more of the grain-based drink, at the turn of the Century, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">than any man alive</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">.</span><br />
<br />
The Distillery closed during <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States" target="_blank">prohibition</a>; the years from 1920 to 1933, when alcohol production was banned and everyone pretended they didn't drink, but re-opened straight afterwards, in 1934. At that time its registered offices were at 112 Esplanade, in nearby Lexington (according to a list of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Kentucky Distillers and Rectifiers</span> published by one Lee W Mida).<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Old Lewis Hunter became a brand name, although it's not clear when, but Master Distiller </span>Charles L Beam, of the Jim Beam whiskey family, apparently had a hand in the production of the new swig on the block.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fkTJozG-DFYq76_kZ4FY0GwZuMQk31dznXXHH3QOie84fZGv4ZIvzHud_51KlUClMlmGg4rPwKRu_uJliFYSNGQkNs3c3IJQ9MW30bJFDtLxdFlAncMKHthd4I84op9SXOKxIiks8M0/s1600/distillery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fkTJozG-DFYq76_kZ4FY0GwZuMQk31dznXXHH3QOie84fZGv4ZIvzHud_51KlUClMlmGg4rPwKRu_uJliFYSNGQkNs3c3IJQ9MW30bJFDtLxdFlAncMKHthd4I84op9SXOKxIiks8M0/s320/distillery.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Lewis Hunter Distillery in 1935</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Although tip top at whiskey sales, Old "Uncle mine's a large one" was apparently not quite so good at book-keeping... </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps following in the footsteps of Mr Lewis Hunter himself, who was rumoured to have moved to Lairs Station in order to start the distillery, to avoid higher taxes in another state. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
The Distillery became embroiled in a dispute versus the Kentucky Tax Commission regarding what the US tax man saw as "deficiencies in income taxes for the years 1936, 1937, and 1938".<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In 1943, the business was acquired by Canadian drinks company Joseph E. Seagram and Sons Inc</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times-Roman, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; line-height: 21px;">. </span></span> who appear to have forgotten to file the trademark until 1958, then cancelled it again in 2001.<br />
<br />
It's unclear when the Distillery stopped actually distilling the brand and closed for good, but the general consensus is that it was about 1974.<br />
<br />
Which is a bit of a puzzler.....<br />
<br />
As the Old Lewis Hunter Distillery Sour Mash whiskey barrel tucked away in a small corner of the garden of No 1 Heatherside Corner is dated '87.<br />
<br />
It's definitely a real, hard wood whiskey barrel, not a cheap pine replica, a fact confirmed when I finally managed to cut it open to install a door* and the smell of pure alcohol and carbon hit me. <br />
<br />
<i>*Now starting a new career as a BBQ table, with a door allowing access to a large plastic bucket which sits inside it, which we can fill with ice and beers and wine and other lovely stuff.</i><br />
<br />
And it's got all the hallmarks of the Old Lewis Hunter Distillery, including the date it was filled.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnEBTx9AgsIMEpNvRGCOAqnX2f9ke75Sg_16bv4GUkHRkHXG5RKt6uERbJNt_-BsOj4wnyOvv0ChCYXahDfsGVESL6SvDp7p6s4EA5yGvGLDsQIxxDHBYFXqqB7PoH38tlzxOQiWWMgc/s1600/DSC_0139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnEBTx9AgsIMEpNvRGCOAqnX2f9ke75Sg_16bv4GUkHRkHXG5RKt6uERbJNt_-BsOj4wnyOvv0ChCYXahDfsGVESL6SvDp7p6s4EA5yGvGLDsQIxxDHBYFXqqB7PoH38tlzxOQiWWMgc/s400/DSC_0139.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Old Lewis Hunter Distillery barrel<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But I am entirely bemused by how a genuine 1987 Kentucky whiskey barrel, from a small distillery in Knowheresville, which in theory stopped making the stuff 13 years earlier, ended up in a garden centre in a tiny Surrey village, 36 years later, which is where I found it this Summer.<br />
<br />
<b>The text on our barrel reads as follows: </b><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Old Lewis Hunter Distillery</i><br />
<i>D.S.P - KY</i><br />
<i>Sour Mash Bourbon Whiskey</i><br />
<i>Serial no. 425763</i><br />
<i>Filled Feb - 27 - 87</i><br />
<br />
<b>But it's final journey, thankfully, is not such a mystery. </b><br />
<br />
With a little help, I jammed the entire thing onto the back seat of my old battered Saab estate, scraping the paintwork as I went, suspension groaning under the weight, and when I got it home, opened the car door, and well, quite literally, rolled out the barrel......<br />
<br />
<br />
I've now copied it in miniature. Although, as I have two of them and one has a duck egg blue top but the other has the writing on it, I used artistic licence and amalgamated the two, for my version.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxR55TvGNUEI_WT4eaH5pV85aB_XKGTqJ1dPIKyn04OzfEwKcLLB9uyEs9em3bPzS1Nr_EVSQqzR4c51n4HOrf86G8EXQ7zY0Lbq2ZcslSpCbEUfStTxA9F7ngr3tljVjLH_-BUbrnxdw/s1600/DSC_0145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxR55TvGNUEI_WT4eaH5pV85aB_XKGTqJ1dPIKyn04OzfEwKcLLB9uyEs9em3bPzS1Nr_EVSQqzR4c51n4HOrf86G8EXQ7zY0Lbq2ZcslSpCbEUfStTxA9F7ngr3tljVjLH_-BUbrnxdw/s640/DSC_0145.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My miniature interpretation of our Old Lewis Hunter Distillery barrel,<br />
started life as a miniature solid wood barrel shaped block.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0w09kelqS-NctRpMitiq8l-bPZ78b7fFsvjdZfNkxxBCVnx7vNzKbzDBj8EiBFH2dCVCiPYy7IhAIaN5x2yPIczmoJp1CxjWvuahv3Kb4FVLu_Tn5x7QXk9Ow9mrx-PXzr01xesBsNc/s1600/barrel_top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0w09kelqS-NctRpMitiq8l-bPZ78b7fFsvjdZfNkxxBCVnx7vNzKbzDBj8EiBFH2dCVCiPYy7IhAIaN5x2yPIczmoJp1CxjWvuahv3Kb4FVLu_Tn5x7QXk9Ow9mrx-PXzr01xesBsNc/s640/barrel_top.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The text on our barrel is quite faint but still legible</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26BGkrUsCNHCEJnWIQ6CP3g8F0UodR4_j5lNVXkZDcsGP6Y9A4gpQRLwn4k3wCkpuQnC47jqaCniExgpq_PrVApUz9jkSL3kBaRXgaoFYzfjrfTGUgrQ2EuOD5vSHgwoLq94kD60nclo/s1600/DSC_0148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26BGkrUsCNHCEJnWIQ6CP3g8F0UodR4_j5lNVXkZDcsGP6Y9A4gpQRLwn4k3wCkpuQnC47jqaCniExgpq_PrVApUz9jkSL3kBaRXgaoFYzfjrfTGUgrQ2EuOD5vSHgwoLq94kD60nclo/s640/DSC_0148.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Although hard to read on the real barrel, the text on the mini one is an exact copy.<br />
The strap work is made of printer's lead strips and painted card, <br />
and the door handle is an old jewellery finding. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>DISCLAIMER: The account of the history of the Old Lewis Hunter Distillery has been pieced together from articles found on the web. It may not be historically or factually correct in every detail.</b><br />
<b> Or in any detail for that matter. But it does make a good story.....</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-24131059323378632182013-10-23T22:37:00.000+01:002013-10-24T12:05:04.149+01:00Lockets, Snot and Two Sliding BarrelsOne of the problems I have faced with the Mini House is where to put the myriad of lighting wires and electrical bits and pieces which allow me to light it up like a Christmas Tree, at the flick of a switch whenever I feel the urge. The back of the house seemed the obvious choice but I wanted the Mini House to be able to give us a twirl like Brucie's glamorous 70's assistant and my childhood idol, the lovely <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthea_Redfern" target="_blank">Anthea Redfern</a>, without showing its underskirts, once on its final castors.<br />
<br />
I have a slightly roundabout way of problem solving. It usually goes in random, unrelated-to-the untrained-eye steps... And so it went something like this.<br />
<br />
Last week I was off sick with an 'orrible fluey virus, wrapped up in a duvet, small brown dog deployed as a slightly farty hot water bottle, stuffing in <a href="http://www.wrigley.com/uk/brands/lockets.aspx" target="_blank">Honey and Lemon Lockets</a>, and gulping copious amounts of fluids like you are told to do, although am not sure a mug of medicinal <a href="http://www.brancottestate.com/agepage" target="_blank">Brancott Estate</a> counts.<br />
<br />
I had given up on daytime TV as there was nothing much on, apart from Jeremy Kyle shouting at the great interbred and unwashed, and therefore was slumped in the dining room, staring through a haze of snotty Kleenex at the Mini House, and trying to figure out where to put the wiring.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUj0fJApzEyPsg5na_jy5OliaFgfow2U5zUnSCTJ2cJoIdYDPH59_pqZZBySEO64vWxPafLa_zppjFX00KGJDmnqtSwuT_zElI4X0oAL8zoTDzbEvRzurjpGm3_HSeTKTMXrufYEE5PM/s1600/DSC_0127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUj0fJApzEyPsg5na_jy5OliaFgfow2U5zUnSCTJ2cJoIdYDPH59_pqZZBySEO64vWxPafLa_zppjFX00KGJDmnqtSwuT_zElI4X0oAL8zoTDzbEvRzurjpGm3_HSeTKTMXrufYEE5PM/s400/DSC_0127.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real outside, outside toilet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And that's when I realised I needed a wee. Now, No 1 Heatherside Corner is <i>the</i> place to be, when you need to visit the Littlest Room. We have several....an upstairs ensuite; which used to be orange coloured and downstairs, an inside toilet which used to be outside until we changed the walls around a bit, and an original outside loo, which is still outside but is no longer used as a loo and is now home to the firewood, a nest of rats and several spiders.<br />
<br />
Oh and there's the garden, but that hopefully is only for sole use by the small brown dog, and never again for the random stranger who once, unbeknownst to us, staggered through our front gate late one night, and having done his business, left his very used and baggy greying underpants on our garden path as a memento of his visit....<br />
<br />
But I digress. It was while I was taking my pick of our Temples of Convenience*, that the idea of copying the outside, outside loo came to me as a way of hiding the wires.<br />
<i>*See <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8176000/8176123.stm" target="_blank">Lucinda Lambton</a></i><br />
<br />
The Mini House would acquire a "dunny", but it would look more like our now inside but used to be outside loo, which is actually attached to the house and not halfway down the garden, like our outside, outside loo.<br />
<br />
Stay with me on this.<br />
<br />
So, when recovered, I built an extension on the back of the Mini House. And added a fake outside toilet door to mimic the real thing.<br />
<br />
Which in our world is a vivid pink colour with a large cut glass door knob. We are fully responsible for the pink (well, I am - Mr PJ was less than impressed initially but has agreed it has grown on him over the years - a bit like fungus).<br />
<br />
But the lovely crystal knob is the work of an obviously like-minded or thrifty previous inhabitant. But it goes so well with the colour now it would be a sin to change it.<br />
<br />
And it was while this thought process was churning away that I realised the fake door would need, not only a glittering doorknob, but a big black sliding bolt too.<br />
<br />
A glass bead and an earring back were purloined for the knob but the bolt proved more difficult.<br />
<br />
Trial and error and a heap of wrong-uns later I had produced two: one which was smaller and looked the part, but was non-working, and the second, a sliding one which really did work as planned, but was somewhat over-scale and since the door is fake and doesn't open anyway, is actually totally pointless anyhoo.<br />
<br />
So to justify all the effort, I thought I would share the step by step instructions with you. Just in case you have the urge to make a sliding bolt which is really far too big for any 1:12 projects you may be undertaking.<br />
<br />
Unless apparently it's a castle... (Mr PJ's suggestion).<br />
<br />
So here we have it: Lockets, Snot and Two Sliding Barrels...<br />
<br />
<h3>
Or: How to make a working miniature sliding barrel bolt</h3>
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<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Tutorial</b></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">The things you will need to succeed:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><br />
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<div style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Cocktail sticks</div>
<div style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Round-head dressmakers pin</div>
<div style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Empty squirty cleaning fluid bottle - <i>try to find one which has an inner tube diameter only slightly wider than the width of a cocktail stick. You want to be able to slide the cocktail stick into the tube but for it still to be a snug fit</i>.</div>
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Strip of flat metal or card</div>
<div style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Superglue or similar strong quick-set glue for metal/wood/plastic</div>
<div style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Black acrylic paint</div>
<div style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Black Sharpie pen or fine permanent marker</div>
<div style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Bradawl</div>
<div style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Point-nosed pliers / wire cutters</div>
<div style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Fine tweezers</div>
<div style="color: #3b1e1e; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, FreeMono, monospace; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Craft knife or scalpel</div>
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Scissors</div>
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Ruler</div>
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Pen</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDKcnnNduLst3bPAGk-AL3Ys5mV4BG3tRS2lwytY4xknDyGCeH7XHyzTMp_De5EHsd8la7tGLrJi3wBJVtQHVlB_Ri71DtH7GvT6DnHzAvgqu0PfleGIv4lzKrpELcVZ-HsaOKq8Rgjg/s1600/pic+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDKcnnNduLst3bPAGk-AL3Ys5mV4BG3tRS2lwytY4xknDyGCeH7XHyzTMp_De5EHsd8la7tGLrJi3wBJVtQHVlB_Ri71DtH7GvT6DnHzAvgqu0PfleGIv4lzKrpELcVZ-HsaOKq8Rgjg/s640/pic+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bits you will need include cocktails sticks, a dressmakers pin, the tube from a squirty cleaning fluid bottle and a flat piece of card or metal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilS_xKLRtNGwOCWSZu9JgJs-lKNll4ECc107Jf81PfQT8ipF1R1bWgGTyTxKymgrbVjU71bTChN8HYuiWxMxOXHW8cz1EnMIZ-xGAE8WBpeXHDphS1sWoWzle4rDLK4SYW4uDKxcQX_HI/s1600/pic+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilS_xKLRtNGwOCWSZu9JgJs-lKNll4ECc107Jf81PfQT8ipF1R1bWgGTyTxKymgrbVjU71bTChN8HYuiWxMxOXHW8cz1EnMIZ-xGAE8WBpeXHDphS1sWoWzle4rDLK4SYW4uDKxcQX_HI/s640/pic+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First step - take your flat piece of metal or card and mark a strip which is slightly wider that the plastic tube on your squirty bottle, and the length you want your finished bolt to be. (Chewed fingernails not a required step...)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrk2H4lPEO6Rg-dFvKLMere9NX1ICIJQp97aXjerLfwNAQH_Ss2DcUdk_WrhSHPzBVrkyoHHg8nhyN0ZZAjyno_PbeUkCb1WJ5vh6jIsW8ZKdq-w-ke8F7NezJnfr24kwtcE2Zl6QQFG4/s1600/pic+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrk2H4lPEO6Rg-dFvKLMere9NX1ICIJQp97aXjerLfwNAQH_Ss2DcUdk_WrhSHPzBVrkyoHHg8nhyN0ZZAjyno_PbeUkCb1WJ5vh6jIsW8ZKdq-w-ke8F7NezJnfr24kwtcE2Zl6QQFG4/s640/pic+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once marked out, cut along the lines with scissors or a knife, so you are left with a long rectangle. This will form the backplate of your sliding barrel bolt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bv5o8aZOYmX0Lln55NNtvD7xGDFuz5WbEVFrK6FY3CaQLmsu1iBIaby24O3iNm831juJiffBxttXs0D6bMOhM-FuvIQvYT2f7VGbCSjNRW5-4tpey30_j0QiHxHlvF61oi01sGajLaM/s1600/pic+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Bv5o8aZOYmX0Lln55NNtvD7xGDFuz5WbEVFrK6FY3CaQLmsu1iBIaby24O3iNm831juJiffBxttXs0D6bMOhM-FuvIQvYT2f7VGbCSjNRW5-4tpey30_j0QiHxHlvF61oi01sGajLaM/s640/pic+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take the plastic tube from your squirty bottle, ensuring it is clean and dry, and cut a section slightly shorter than the rectangle you have just cut out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHL6rY-RjCvwsDEM1-cKuFjnuUwJWGbhU0GocFPXn3-0CYrugh9rRxfHdfCCVbOzmULsROdh21Nos36AgXsrTgGJboTMDrmAGCNCCmnstyop5hvBryTey3_qavaprQ2AxccnoPAeqA5A/s1600/pic+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHL6rY-RjCvwsDEM1-cKuFjnuUwJWGbhU0GocFPXn3-0CYrugh9rRxfHdfCCVbOzmULsROdh21Nos36AgXsrTgGJboTMDrmAGCNCCmnstyop5hvBryTey3_qavaprQ2AxccnoPAeqA5A/s640/pic+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a sharp knife or scissors, cut off approximately one third of the backplate. Retain this piece. Then take the section of plastic tube you have measured and cut one end to match the length of the smaller retained part of the backplate. Cut the remaining piece of tube into three equal sections and discard the middle section. You should now have two pieces of backplate and three pieces of tube, as above.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGW60CiGdOlakRNNl17mXtpxlXRhDRiZMgYD3Jm_nxnbTmkYWAkXDuzrebbaH54NPrpQod5hoWuXo6hTtqsfj7bvPE0Mr1I6o0sIpJdwfMXHq_GaOH383z-e9XsKtiqh9lxkXsUi-KJzc/s1600/pic+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGW60CiGdOlakRNNl17mXtpxlXRhDRiZMgYD3Jm_nxnbTmkYWAkXDuzrebbaH54NPrpQod5hoWuXo6hTtqsfj7bvPE0Mr1I6o0sIpJdwfMXHq_GaOH383z-e9XsKtiqh9lxkXsUi-KJzc/s640/pic+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take a cocktail stick and cut a piece the same length or slightly shorter than the longer piece of backplate. Take your dressmakers pin and carefully push it through the cocktail stick as shown, about two thirds of the way along, nearer the right-hand end. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuMKWM3cKVuNPtbp9_0dwwwCAvezRPEwKDDcYWM8LzTlVgLEBBqeMvU8mn-m2MjShmn1ZkiTglsvB0mVKrDL8gGqw_LcloiAl3MExLoof-iANE0sNh6hw6_sSCLKlQUcG41qq6y0bpJU/s1600/pic+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuMKWM3cKVuNPtbp9_0dwwwCAvezRPEwKDDcYWM8LzTlVgLEBBqeMvU8mn-m2MjShmn1ZkiTglsvB0mVKrDL8gGqw_LcloiAl3MExLoof-iANE0sNh6hw6_sSCLKlQUcG41qq6y0bpJU/s640/pic+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Push the pin all the way through until the head of the pin is right up against the stick. Take your pliers or wire cutters and cut off the underside of the pin as close to the cocktail stick as possible. Don't worry if you still have a small end sticking out.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutOLUBajdNyW13mid8-822NcVohq2uIX-Cus340zpM6iqTyahSZ6M93rRQzZYrFt3NCOHX04F0AnfSuE4-AKfvWccWGh1UjJd6CLTioedgWpO5IAj_DkIEfeKQftIyBDILKeBhTeZEpo/s1600/pic+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutOLUBajdNyW13mid8-822NcVohq2uIX-Cus340zpM6iqTyahSZ6M93rRQzZYrFt3NCOHX04F0AnfSuE4-AKfvWccWGh1UjJd6CLTioedgWpO5IAj_DkIEfeKQftIyBDILKeBhTeZEpo/s640/pic+8.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tap the stick on a hard surface to gently hammer the tail end of the pin back into the stick until it is flush with the surface. This should push the pin head up leaving it with a small "neck". Using another cocktail stick, smear a drop of Superglue on both the lower side and around the pin neck, where it goes into the wood. Leave to dry completely. This forms the actual bolt of the lock.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZN9SpkaNAydbkOR8QH-CQt9ya9Zo2nhn2EHT78XeOiK2UZTs_gGkVjtPfLDPxCGjI5CJliK-VuM6cLnFm_RPABoqVKDlTuFTzhGM9fj-ZJGgER1m__JEtzJjrRKzlBmSUF55VGevJYw/s1600/pic+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZN9SpkaNAydbkOR8QH-CQt9ya9Zo2nhn2EHT78XeOiK2UZTs_gGkVjtPfLDPxCGjI5CJliK-VuM6cLnFm_RPABoqVKDlTuFTzhGM9fj-ZJGgER1m__JEtzJjrRKzlBmSUF55VGevJYw/s640/pic+9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take the smallest piece of backplate and Superglue the matching plastic tube end to it, as above. It can help to insert a cocktail stick inside the tube while positioning it, and use the tweezers to make sure it is straight, taking care not to get any glue on the stick itself. Repeat the process on one end of the longer part of the backplate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2if0zGx0UZc-qO3cHRph8V-W-dPUDlka-zv9QSt0vak1bENxZfDEIXl775cjsgDnIcIBGNKXNkcADi4L3AP0UGW4f8-0c1nKkpFuce41zj0oaCeOiXiiXe-P1JXD_oaiQKfaH8aLORMM/s1600/pic+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2if0zGx0UZc-qO3cHRph8V-W-dPUDlka-zv9QSt0vak1bENxZfDEIXl775cjsgDnIcIBGNKXNkcADi4L3AP0UGW4f8-0c1nKkpFuce41zj0oaCeOiXiiXe-P1JXD_oaiQKfaH8aLORMM/s640/pic+10.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once completely dry, colour the pin and stick with a Sharpie. This doesn't have to be exact but try to colour as much as possible now as it is trickier to paint when assembled.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zJMJa_7bsXD7TykUYrzZ3akEQF2xKMY27KEKYBexmdQFmwqyqyVR-oUqT1nlIro09ZVGEWQu-RkBaWGaLSiXA4HjcLJOhq6_3EynUvF4GqWl4FaE-6LJ0eAfYExDvBei-8g7vK2uZWE/s1600/pic+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zJMJa_7bsXD7TykUYrzZ3akEQF2xKMY27KEKYBexmdQFmwqyqyVR-oUqT1nlIro09ZVGEWQu-RkBaWGaLSiXA4HjcLJOhq6_3EynUvF4GqWl4FaE-6LJ0eAfYExDvBei-8g7vK2uZWE/s640/pic+11.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Insert the longer end of your bolt into the remaining piece of plastic tube. DO NOT USE ANY GLUE AT THIS STAGE.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDPGp1gl10tRFUK3V9RVKisia-BnIr9er1LSEa0NSvFV-HhWO9NxOwnqpKOTL0-aQ2pk7WYFRPJvt9EaTVTsnvUik-24xyL0YJXMB_14Ig6uQbnd3R8O0aaC4aUgixttQln6pIdte_hk/s1600/pic+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXDPGp1gl10tRFUK3V9RVKisia-BnIr9er1LSEa0NSvFV-HhWO9NxOwnqpKOTL0-aQ2pk7WYFRPJvt9EaTVTsnvUik-24xyL0YJXMB_14Ig6uQbnd3R8O0aaC4aUgixttQln6pIdte_hk/s640/pic+12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now drop a tiny amount of Superglue to the blank end of the backplate you have made. Use as little as possible and make sure it is only at the very end. It must not cover any area that the plastic tube attached to the bolt will not touch. This is very important.</td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4V3trS5T_YfUgy826e2PIMszA0ShcJ6tnu8nO4thO54jUo2nMRZRaSNijTHvRpJkufP2VbdwSrcWmClkbeXeXG7WxYV6MXLHqeJ8K6KvhjELZiHkb27VH8zjLaSZzXTY8StKy6dwhnks/s1600/pic+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4V3trS5T_YfUgy826e2PIMszA0ShcJ6tnu8nO4thO54jUo2nMRZRaSNijTHvRpJkufP2VbdwSrcWmClkbeXeXG7WxYV6MXLHqeJ8K6KvhjELZiHkb27VH8zjLaSZzXTY8StKy6dwhnks/s640/pic+13.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The aim of this stage is to only glue the remaining section of plastic tube, which is now on the end of the bolt, to the backplate but NOT the bolt itself. Very gently and carefully, slide the short end of your bolt into the pre-glued plastic tube end, taking great care not to get any glue from the other end of the backplate on any part of the bolt itself. Once you have the bolt straight, gently press the final plastic tube end in place and hold until the glue is set.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW8fyvJ7mBnowR_EYWmt2W6rvF8cA5weSw9dfx819GHcaw57v-eLBVK4XNUTErSngN90zdiqiRip59E74biV7_2J5MuFmUPrtQEiC_yIG7IwCN4NEfOJHJNkfIDEJwIXTzP_6wrtDckI/s1600/pic+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRW8fyvJ7mBnowR_EYWmt2W6rvF8cA5weSw9dfx819GHcaw57v-eLBVK4XNUTErSngN90zdiqiRip59E74biV7_2J5MuFmUPrtQEiC_yIG7IwCN4NEfOJHJNkfIDEJwIXTzP_6wrtDckI/s640/pic+14.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You should now be left with two parts of your sliding bolt as shown above. The bolt should slide within the plastic tube freely. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HRgc4L6r-jY8QhqRtTB25u63BFKcq10oxQ8QfHc_lCR42bfs7kcpMU870rMUL5AjtBik3i73weKXE4bt7TF-BkKE0VjkEGiMY3K0JqR9oKU8fDr9HLRDQJPsH9FqZarxkaq3KvnlHXM/s1600/pic+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HRgc4L6r-jY8QhqRtTB25u63BFKcq10oxQ8QfHc_lCR42bfs7kcpMU870rMUL5AjtBik3i73weKXE4bt7TF-BkKE0VjkEGiMY3K0JqR9oKU8fDr9HLRDQJPsH9FqZarxkaq3KvnlHXM/s640/pic+15.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a fine paintbrush, paint the plastic tube and backplate, and any parts of the actual bolt you wish with black acrylic or similar. Make sure any paint does not cause the sliding part to stick by moving it from time to time as it dries.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEXFTQWwwiJ6YrcgNAJly1ULicXhwAHKqijPTmMlw_oqZE0IWz3mgYgNWRFMZKaApSNyG4G3GJXGt9H0AD8n9upbRYwN25DEvmMe1-2OqykfgHEF6whYf-AhWT7V1Ek0Kn9hGOXwOqb8/s1600/pic+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEXFTQWwwiJ6YrcgNAJly1ULicXhwAHKqijPTmMlw_oqZE0IWz3mgYgNWRFMZKaApSNyG4G3GJXGt9H0AD8n9upbRYwN25DEvmMe1-2OqykfgHEF6whYf-AhWT7V1Ek0Kn9hGOXwOqb8/s640/pic+17.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your bolt is now ready to glue in place and test.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpPkb6z-qO3O6-RPrEGhbDPLv6qNfj9UdUipPIMc4DkyrnKdCj_QBw2eb3IjIn3uNOFfeV4ph034HSUg9C8TRskYZT0xxbnCOXpywXt3MgGOtYuA3bQyYt-HCurLuZY6Jk9unjhcjJ3I/s1600/pic+16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpPkb6z-qO3O6-RPrEGhbDPLv6qNfj9UdUipPIMc4DkyrnKdCj_QBw2eb3IjIn3uNOFfeV4ph034HSUg9C8TRskYZT0xxbnCOXpywXt3MgGOtYuA3bQyYt-HCurLuZY6Jk9unjhcjJ3I/s640/pic+16.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once in place, the sliding part of the bolt should move freely within the plastic tube "barrels".</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1MwtXb5e4XtCDLVb6DE3vycwLR94aYiis0mTjTTN22Q9UqkopThAk_OkCBcYttMPjkaC3_YVOvl166x58BIUQT_UKHlNleD9vvBWYGWKMi6ai8low6eZs9BmXKfThLEKNs1Dbv1YT8I/s1600/pic+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1MwtXb5e4XtCDLVb6DE3vycwLR94aYiis0mTjTTN22Q9UqkopThAk_OkCBcYttMPjkaC3_YVOvl166x58BIUQT_UKHlNleD9vvBWYGWKMi6ai8low6eZs9BmXKfThLEKNs1Dbv1YT8I/s640/pic+18.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fix the short piece to the door frame and the longer bolt part to the door itself using glue or strong double sided tape. If the frame and door are not flush you can pack out either part of the bolt using thin strips of card or wood as a backing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgax_YrIIWsUuKL9N_Q6pGl0RUdo1mSLUSz10uAsVBLf3lZEiIi782FEVjtvhw1dsW8nuYlaAShZbb1ehtc6tjZW4ykK-mpQdv7ai4IUSgkiJCMz21ntaczQ_Q82VoR5AQ4mNSO3rctui4/s1600/pic+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgax_YrIIWsUuKL9N_Q6pGl0RUdo1mSLUSz10uAsVBLf3lZEiIi782FEVjtvhw1dsW8nuYlaAShZbb1ehtc6tjZW4ykK-mpQdv7ai4IUSgkiJCMz21ntaczQ_Q82VoR5AQ4mNSO3rctui4/s640/pic+19.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhat rustic looking and maybe a tiny bit too large for internal Mini uses but would work on shed or barn doors or on older era Mini builds. Or Castles.....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG23iwmjs-qC5H9_pfM5mDDTzjh3O-WaLZtrW_ivYsTxnO-Sttm4G4U_ejLyWuE_URytGn4vXcPApiHoVjrinedcbVbpc4GBzF6yZTmj2lRjH7JQjZ74B5YyDOYEwQ-6ASOOYKYQ8Pi3w/s1600/DSC_0133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG23iwmjs-qC5H9_pfM5mDDTzjh3O-WaLZtrW_ivYsTxnO-Sttm4G4U_ejLyWuE_URytGn4vXcPApiHoVjrinedcbVbpc4GBzF6yZTmj2lRjH7JQjZ74B5YyDOYEwQ-6ASOOYKYQ8Pi3w/s640/DSC_0133.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In situ, on the "outside, inside toilet", but originally inspired by the "outside, outside toilet"....<br />
And now hiding all the wiring and socket strip for The Mini House.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-51836420118196840782013-10-10T20:28:00.000+01:002013-10-11T19:42:31.163+01:00Dunroamin'<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Watch any series of <a href="http://www.channel4.com/programmes/grand-designs" target="_blank">Grand Designs</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Kevin_McCloud" target="_blank">Kevin McCloud's</a> house building show (where folk who profess to have hardly any
money, yet always have enough dosh to hugely exceed their
initial budget) and you can bet your bottom dollar at least one set of hopeful house
builders will sell up and live in a caravan, while the building work
goes on around them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJJEn4L6ng99pq1PDimmK-vgTRE-k3GEReJGQY0hpBwxev0Dy46XqVxTdYTUzZUnvAV-1VS9FEcoqNEzgsG-6pAIAhlU6ceNrqN7311A4iBalkkFS_YpuzC9YeAkKdLZDlJQ8Bd1UrBM/s1600/advert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJJEn4L6ng99pq1PDimmK-vgTRE-k3GEReJGQY0hpBwxev0Dy46XqVxTdYTUzZUnvAV-1VS9FEcoqNEzgsG-6pAIAhlU6ceNrqN7311A4iBalkkFS_YpuzC9YeAkKdLZDlJQ8Bd1UrBM/s320/advert.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home from home...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US">It seems to be the done thing, to decamp your entire family and the dog, into the smallest, dampest, coldest place you could possibly live, while your dream home rises above you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Forget renting. Far better to move into a tiny
fibreglass airless box with deflated tyres, which previously housed chickens,
and sit there with your 2.5 children and 1.0 pooch, bemoaning your lot, while flicking through the latest <a href="http://www.firedearth.com/" target="_blank">Fired Earth</a>/ <a href="http://www.farrow-ball.com/" target="_blank">Farrow & Ball</a> catalogues.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">While your husband, </span>who <span lang="EN-US">is now doing all the work since you fell out with the builders over door handles and they downed tools, </span><span lang="EN-US">dangles precariously off the half-finished roof, </span>and tries to waterproof the house by nailing your vastly overpriced reclaimed traditional Welsh slates in place with a toffee hammer*.<br />
<span lang="EN-US">*The builders really did take <i>all</i> their tools, and the children were given a <a href="http://www.fortnumandmason.com/" target="_blank">Fortnum's</a> sweet hamper to soften the blow of not having cable for a few weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">So, from the outside looking in, there they are, Mr and Mrs </span>Middle England, ensconced in their little caravan,
which has seen better days and will be unceremoniously dumped without a backwards glance at
the end of the “build”.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
While they wait for the day they can relax in comfort on their (very reasonable at £18,000) sofa, in the (£76,000) cinema room and whinge to the somewhat unmoved Mr McCloud just how awful it was living in a box on wheels for a few weeks.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Leaving the sad little van to carry on
rotting away quietly, tyres slowly perishing, local poultry eyeing it up as a potential step up the coup ladder, until the time when it finally gets to light up the
children’s faces. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span>
<span lang="EN-US">But only as they watch it burn on Bonfire Night, topped off with a home-made effigy of the now slightly crispy Mr McC (he was just a little too scathing about spending £40,000 on a bath tap).</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span>
<span lang="EN-US">What a sad end. And so unnecessary. For the little mobile home, and the lovely Kevin.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I’m lucky. I don’t have to live in a
caravan while the work is carried out on The Mini House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"></span>
<span lang="EN-US">Mr PJ, the small brown dog and I, are happy
where we are in No1 Heatherside Corner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">But I like to think, if we were to move
into a caravan, while The Mini House "build" was in progress - something which could take months, possibly years even, </span>this would be our temporary home of choice.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPMMA9I4S_cus0ikddN1c2dObzuKnVOmjajEdvIW9xQojSVj4x3Kujw36lLCkf80xBVlbFia_3NMxnRLlOxtI9hOdN_qRhXEap4nzkpWym1j0xzM8mh4AAHplzySfrCJJ-A_m8ZMtLVs/s1600/caravan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPMMA9I4S_cus0ikddN1c2dObzuKnVOmjajEdvIW9xQojSVj4x3Kujw36lLCkf80xBVlbFia_3NMxnRLlOxtI9hOdN_qRhXEap4nzkpWym1j0xzM8mh4AAHplzySfrCJJ-A_m8ZMtLVs/s640/caravan.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
The next project, perched on a lovely blue pallet</div>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
(for which is there for no other reason apart from the fact it goes nicely with the red paint</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
and is as rare as Hen's Teeth; when did you <i>ever</i> see a completley blue pallet before now?)</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US">Bit drafty, I grant you, but its little tyres are
still inflated, there are curtains, of sorts, at the windows, a space-age Perspex roof, and it comes with
a proper front door, even if it isn’t attached at present. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-US">I found this little treasure at a car boot
sale and borrowed the £5 to purchase it from my Father in Law, who exclaimed in
a loud voice “That will go nicely with your dollies house”, making him and everyone else around me snigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But at 42 years, 51 and a half weeks old, I am a grown up and therefore I care not a jot for other folks
mockery and derision, as I see potential - the next project, when The Mini House is
finished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I see a mini <a href="http://www.airstream.com/" target="_blank">Airstream</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see <a href="http://www.podcaravans.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Pod</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I see a <a href="http://www.teardroptrailers.co.uk/" target="_blank">Teardrop</a> trailer. </span>I see a tiny retro interior, with a
sleek silver roof. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">I have quite a vivid imagination , it has to be said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But what I don’t see is “kindling”. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">Which was
the first word from Mr PJ’s mouth when I bought "Dunroamin" back home with me.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-67357565552628496022013-09-18T10:13:00.001+01:002013-09-19T18:51:13.678+01:00Mr Pearly Jones has an epiphany<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Look” I said, waggling a tiny carved
stool with a woven rush seat under his nose while he tried to watch the
cricket. “It’s just like ours”. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">He rolled his eyes, “It’s too
big” he mumbled, apparently finding the exploits of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr Broad, Mr Pieterson et al, more
interesting.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“No, it’s exactly to scale” I
protested. “One in twelve, measure it if you don’t believe me”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">He sighed deeply and shook his
head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I rummaged deeper in the old
wooden workbox where I have started to keep all my tiny purchases in readiness
for when the Mini House is ready to be furnished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I brought out a small wooden whiskey barrel and waved it excitedly at him. “See” I cried, “A small wooden whiskey barrel!”.
Mr PJ sank further into our old battered leather sofa (yes, I have a wee one of
those in the box, too)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and resigned himself
to the fact that he has accidentally married a member of the Stating the
Bleedin’ Obvious Club of Great Britain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“How much did you spend on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>?” he asked. Ah now, there was a
question I wasn’t prepared for. I stared innocently at the polished oak object
in my hand as if it was the first time I had seen it and was wondering just how
it had got to be there. “What this….?” I stalled for time. “Oh, not much. I can’t
remember exactly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pence really.”*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">[*<i>Thank goodness for trusty Answer
No.3 when confronted with uncomfortable queries regarding new purchases. Always a handy one
to have at your disposal for use in such emergencies.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i>Although Answer No.2 - “It was
in the Sale” is not to be sniffed at, and Answer No.4 - “Why do you always ask
me that? How much do <u>you</u> spend on
cricket/football/apps/beer?” is another useful one to have at the ready.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i>And of course, when all else
fails, Answer No. 1, The Ultimate Answer,
the trusty response known across the land and hovering on the tip of every shopping
enthusiast’s tongue, which can always be trotted out when the Big Guns are called for…. “What? This old thing? ” thus confusing the accuser and
concealing the truth in equal measure without actually answering the question.</i>]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Anyhoo, I digress. There is a
point to all this, so bear with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9p1YrLCIay3T625KmS0Ua8pLHcwi4zvlnGCkX_jvla0t8N3foqdcvM9LcJVJIOWpbqnWyKy8y1b9dGTlaqGP6G3E3KzcVvN4OmisnWDEbrC3ao7hzBPwmQBMtOgN2yViuxsQF16h2FA/s1600/DSC_0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Cricket ball, cricket helmet and the Mini House" border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9p1YrLCIay3T625KmS0Ua8pLHcwi4zvlnGCkX_jvla0t8N3foqdcvM9LcJVJIOWpbqnWyKy8y1b9dGTlaqGP6G3E3KzcVvN4OmisnWDEbrC3ao7hzBPwmQBMtOgN2yViuxsQF16h2FA/s640/DSC_0035.JPG" title="" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">And never the twain shall meet....</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The further I delved into the recesses
of the box and triumphantly held aloft one tiny item after another; first, a hand blown <a href="http://www.raystoreylighting.com/" target="_blank">Ray Storey</a> turquoise glass bottle, next a tiny Victorian door bell, swiftly followed by two 1/2 inch high brass candlesticks, a teeny tiny travelling trunk and a small leather armchair, the more Mr PJ’s eyes
rolled in their sockets before finally closing altogether, accompanied by a sound suspiciously like snoring.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It was almost as if he just wasn't interested. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I'd had a funny feeling about this from day one, when I staggered up the garden path carrying the rather heavy, dilapidated and unloved Mini House in my arms, and was greeted by Mr PJ whose immediate reaction was "What the Hell is that and more to the point, where on earth do you think you are going to put it?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I could tell even then, he wasn't feeling the love. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And then, as time moved on and the dining room became full to the brim of small random pieces of wood, bottles of strange glues, copious books on dolls houses, and other oddments, he became more bemused by it all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">"It's a hobby" I protested. "Yes, of course it is" he replied, adding "you saddo" under his breath. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And so we agreed to disagree. He likes his cricket and I like painting <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/shaken-not-staired.html" target="_blank">cocktail sticks silver</a>* and glueing them to the inside of a house shaped wooden box. </span><a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/shaken-not-staired.html" target="_blank">(*See stair rods)</a> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But this was all to change, for this weekend, my Mother came to visit and asked to see what progress had been made on the Mini House. I was otherwise engaged so Mr PJ showed her around.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Later that day, just as we were about to board a train, he turned to me and said "I think I finally get it!" </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">"I opened the doors and saw the little staircases and the stair rods you had made, and think I finally understand why you are doing it."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I was absolutely delighted that he'd finally demoted me from Chief Saddo to Just Slightly Barking again. I had momentary visions of us becoming the husband and wife dream team of the dolls house world, him hunched over a bandsaw, me sitting beside him, happily fashioning something exciting out of cocktails sticks. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But then, just as I was about to launch into a spirited and uplifting speech about what our wonderful joint dolls housing future had in store for us both, he wandered off to poke a half-melted cough sweet which was stuck to the platform, with his toe, before hopping onto the train and promptly going to sleep again. It was then that I realised the moment had probably passed.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span>
There have been no further similar outbursts from Mr PJ since and I haven't tempted providence by showing him any more of the treasures from the box. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">
I'm just happy in the knowledge that he is less likely to use the Mini House as emergency kindling now, should we run out of logs during the cold Winter months ahead. Like he once accidentally did with my wooden candle box which had been sitting next to the log basket....</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But with next week's <a href="http://www.miniatura.co.uk/" target="_blank">Miniatura</a> fast approaching, I wonder whether he will still "get it" when he sees my shopping list.....</span><br />
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<!--EndFragment-->Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-11639636838557724032013-04-16T21:29:00.001+01:002013-09-20T19:37:52.784+01:00The Benders are back!If you look up "Benders" on the internet you will find a <a href="http://www.benders.co.uk/" target="_blank">disposable cup company</a> who are unnaturally excited about the latest technology in insulated paper cups, a not very good <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benders" target="_blank">jazz band from Sydney</a> who lasted for two whole years in the 1980's therefore suggesting they weren't very, er, jazzy... and a <a href="http://u-benders.co.uk/" target="_blank">bunch of Battersea plumbers</a> with a perspicacious take on their company name who drive from leak to leak in bubblegum pink vans.<br />
<br />
And best of all, a family (like mine) of serial killers (not like mine) from Kansas called <a href="http://murderpedia.org/male.B/b/bender-family.htm" target="_blank">the "Bloody Benders"</a>, who owned an inn and a store in the 1800's, and who liked to knock off their paying guests and pop them under the floorboards never to be seen again.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Q65iJhkkDCGA-jh4h6ptHEnoNWW9PezZmwHQvWfOXjGDszVqVIAFzxyaWTu8fkFd7ifWqgUP_wIrJptiozLn8UNaMcdaOBe9fGn-N98GhyphenhyphenjqQgsSbZYEiOS1OgesytOO9GdADmSsEYA/s1600/meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Q65iJhkkDCGA-jh4h6ptHEnoNWW9PezZmwHQvWfOXjGDszVqVIAFzxyaWTu8fkFd7ifWqgUP_wIrJptiozLn8UNaMcdaOBe9fGn-N98GhyphenhyphenjqQgsSbZYEiOS1OgesytOO9GdADmSsEYA/s640/meeting.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Looking suspiciously like they have been on a "bender" of their own, the Bender tribe arrive at the Mini House, to be met by the other members of the Bender Family who now inhabit No 1 Heatherside Corner</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All this rather puts my own small family of Benders in the shade somewhat.<br />
<br />
For those of you who didn't know, once I had started finding my childhood dolls house toys on the internet, I got a wee bit carried away. Not content with purchasing a <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/mrs-benders-coming-home.html" target="_blank">Mrs Bender</a>, I went on to buy a <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/mr-bender-is-on-his-way.html" target="_blank">Mr Bender</a>, and literally as I was paying for him, my friend Diane spotted a whole family of Benders, exactly as mine had been, and so, you've guessed it, they were reeled in too.<br />
<br />
It's more to do with seeing them again after all this time, as I have no real plans to install them in the Mini House (but don't tell them that).<br />
<br />
None of them have done anything that I know of, of any note, in the 37 years they have been away. But that is of little or no consequence, as they are back where they belong.<br />
<br />
It's good to see them again after all this time, even if they do look a little worse for wear. But that could be said of me these days too, so I can't hold that against them.<br />
<br />
And I, at least, did not suffer having my feet repeatedly chewed, nor had my legs gleefully bent the wrong way so many times that eventually the wire popped out of the back of them.<br />
<br />
So realistically, I had expected them to bear all the scars of rubber people who had been played with for several decades, by small enthusiastic children who have no concept of the polite way to play with folk smaller than you.<br />
<br />
But I have to admit it did come of something of a surprise to find that Tommy and Sally Bender, the smallest members of the family, whom I spent my formative years bending into funny shapes, now bear an uncanny resemblance to two people I rather admire as an adult, art critic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Sewell" target="_blank">Brian Sewell</a> and comedienne <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandi_Toksvig" target="_blank">Sandi Toksvig</a>.<br />
<br />
Oh God, does this mean that I have finally grown up? I do hope not....<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaOwMuHR4atCJH-EbEYUqGU3YjYAKxA_be8fpm5i9AKk3Fj9tPAbEuDNl1BnqJm0hTS09peK6lPtWzXBA88Gh9I7bpk7w_GnMfsjwFg5c1s6QIe4YeMxQXESmjeqvP3-AVqXgVdGkZhg/s1600/kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnaOwMuHR4atCJH-EbEYUqGU3YjYAKxA_be8fpm5i9AKk3Fj9tPAbEuDNl1BnqJm0hTS09peK6lPtWzXBA88Gh9I7bpk7w_GnMfsjwFg5c1s6QIe4YeMxQXESmjeqvP3-AVqXgVdGkZhg/s640/kids.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
"Sandi" and "Brian" sit on the stoop of the Mini House..... Seriously, Google them and tell me I'm wrong!</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-32909463950550857472013-04-04T17:01:00.001+01:002013-09-20T19:36:16.655+01:00Let there be light!<h3>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Or: How to wire a front opening dolls house using its hinges...</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnFORVD1PRbmgIFELlkOtmuvha0vARh4CYVo3zu53nhHJsTLrzE4nkm83hagUM9mfdl4Yqa15GOi_FaKd-zqr4KRQSkDzp3PHcm5EjPNNuqWYuT8AqSESFEwXvFj7Y7Qg3bAHH83Fqo0/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUnFORVD1PRbmgIFELlkOtmuvha0vARh4CYVo3zu53nhHJsTLrzE4nkm83hagUM9mfdl4Yqa15GOi_FaKd-zqr4KRQSkDzp3PHcm5EjPNNuqWYuT8AqSESFEwXvFj7Y7Qg3bAHH83Fqo0/s320/DSC_0001.JPG" width="214" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I now know what inventor of the light bulb <a href="http://www.localhistorygateshead.com/local-and-family-history/gateshead-blue-plaques/joseph-swan-1828--1914" target="_blank">Joseph Swan</a> and his friend <a href="http://www.williamarmstrong.info/science" target="_blank">William Armstrong</a> felt the day they finished wiring Swan's
house in Gateshead up to the new-fangled </span><span lang="EN-US">incandescent filament electric
lamp </span><span lang="EN-US">device type-thingy that Swan had made in his shed,
and flicked the switch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The house called <a href="http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-430228-underhill-" target="_blank">Underhill,</a> (which coincidentally was built in the same year as No1 Heatherside Corner) lit up
like a Christmas tree and in doing so became the first private house in the whole world to be
illuminated by electric light bulbs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Armstrong was so impressed with his mate's invention that they trotted round to his place, a house called <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cragside/" target="_blank">Cragside</a> in Northumberland, on the way to the pub for a celebratory snifter, and installed light bulbs there too. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Handily, he had also been busy and just happened to have built the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">world's first <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroelectricity" target="_blank">hydroelectric power station</a> in his back garden, which was more than up to the job of powering the new lamps in his gallery. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This week I had a similar scale epiphany, when, </span></span>mentally drained after several hours of complicated scientific experiment and research, I finally
pushed the tiny white plastic plug from the Mini House’s outside porch light, into my lighting strip and watched the minuscule bulb gently come to life like an amorous <a href="http://a-z-animals.com/animals/glow-worm/" target="_blank">glow worm’s derriere</a>.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The reason for my delight? I, the person who can barely wire a plug, and
who has the dexterity of someone whose fingers are made of (the now defunct) Porkinson’s Bangers*, and who has no hydroelectricity at my sausagey-fingertips, had just managed to wire up the light, using the Mini House's hinges as conductors.
And it only, totally unexpectedly, bloomin' well worked first time!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">* </span></span>By the bye, d<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">id you know <a href="http://www.foodepedia.co.uk/food/2009/may/porkinson_banger.htm" target="_blank">Porkinson's Bangers were originally created by celebrity photographer Norman Parkinson</a> and were sadly abandoned by the company who owned the rights after his death, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro, 'Meta Serif OT Book', Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">following what they called "a sausage portfolio review"</span>?</div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">"<i>I had the mortification one fine morning of finding you on my track and in several particulars ahead of me -- but now I think I have shot ahead of you and yet I feel there is almost an infinity of detail to be wrought out in the large application now awaiting development and that your inventive genius as well as my own will find very ample room for exercise in carrying out this gigantic work that awaits execution</i>."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Joseph Swan. In a letter to Thomas Edison, (who didn't really invent the light bulb) on 24 September 1880. </b></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Read more:<b> <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/lighting/bios/swan.htm" target="_blank">Lighting a revolution</a></b></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Tutorial</b></span></span></span><br />
<br />
The things you will need to succeed:<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Two brass hinges and brass screws, or your existing hinges, sanded on the back to remove any paint. (Hinges and screw fittings must be brass!)</div>
<div>
External 12v light fitting, plus lighting strip and transformer</div>
<div>
Extra roll of 12v lighting cable</div>
<div>
Bradawl</div>
<div>
Screwdriver</div>
<div>
Point-nosed pliers</div>
<div>
Lino cutting tool or craft knife</div>
<div>
Ruler</div>
<div>
Pen</div>
<div>
Strong double sided adhesive tape<br />
Masking or sticky tape</div>
<div>
Scissors<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJ_ASokUfqeKGrq4QDaatRWzEF-2iHXkoD7ehey0NoS8DHbFlp9CyIUlfA5AiECPNpHKTkCdXBU4GShkCOO9emdMnmTdLrebG0rzR-xJ2IzNL8Dn58rVRlH5u2cSKobS1kiP8ubgF1cE/s1600/how+to+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJ_ASokUfqeKGrq4QDaatRWzEF-2iHXkoD7ehey0NoS8DHbFlp9CyIUlfA5AiECPNpHKTkCdXBU4GShkCOO9emdMnmTdLrebG0rzR-xJ2IzNL8Dn58rVRlH5u2cSKobS1kiP8ubgF1cE/s640/how+to+10.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Firstly check your light is working <i>before</i> installing it, by plugging it into the lighting strip and connecting to a transformer. If your light is self-adhesive, paint the outer edge of the sticky pad to blend in with the light or outer wall finish.</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71lBEPdj9pt720cdun4utkMzh2yMq2ujIm-hxRnfcvACd8zdBUk4IOlGIu98rc_8YCDb40ydcTZ86jExXnSEZ4XqB7f0fNyOOKaQ2-aFQ2e02xLznBunUcwkZt0st_vCWke1uKLPJGak/s1600/how+to+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71lBEPdj9pt720cdun4utkMzh2yMq2ujIm-hxRnfcvACd8zdBUk4IOlGIu98rc_8YCDb40ydcTZ86jExXnSEZ4XqB7f0fNyOOKaQ2-aFQ2e02xLznBunUcwkZt0st_vCWke1uKLPJGak/s640/how+to+13.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Use a bradawl or drill to make a small hole to mark the position where your light will sit, and where the wire will go through the front of the house.</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYBU4Jemkc3Lwwdj3Kz-zknCbufaZVbMxfB6io3G7NT_AM-aoulX3Tp3tjOP1JvFmEqNMN2frzcniSnPuv45X0kYreK_SEqjkE3Uzvil1e1L4sgjw0_BaOu0Rw_LYLF0-VQIPzA0mZ1M/s1600/how+to+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzYBU4Jemkc3Lwwdj3Kz-zknCbufaZVbMxfB6io3G7NT_AM-aoulX3Tp3tjOP1JvFmEqNMN2frzcniSnPuv45X0kYreK_SEqjkE3Uzvil1e1L4sgjw0_BaOu0Rw_LYLF0-VQIPzA0mZ1M/s640/how+to+9.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Add your hinges, or use the existing ones, to the opening inside edge of the house front. The hinges <i>and</i> screws must be brass, and paint-free where your wires will touch the metal to give a good contact. The wires go underneath the hinges, so if you are using the existing ones, remove them and lightly sand any paint off the underside to give a bare metal surface.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
NOTE: Each light you require to be wired via this method must have its own set of hinges. </div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijOC7rr4V9gD2d7dUlNGoX5L98b1NCYdlAxQIJkO9EDLfNb0YE4jdcmSiFbDN5v3FOFN1Bs3JgtfESWxPnFGyukxPf0u4TaHWlNJxtcTZ3qahWVWqC59YijTaQrbLilfRha9rD-gJljc/s1600/how+to+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijOC7rr4V9gD2d7dUlNGoX5L98b1NCYdlAxQIJkO9EDLfNb0YE4jdcmSiFbDN5v3FOFN1Bs3JgtfESWxPnFGyukxPf0u4TaHWlNJxtcTZ3qahWVWqC59YijTaQrbLilfRha9rD-gJljc/s640/how+to+12.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
On the reverse of the opening house front, mark a line from the hole you have made, along the path you wish the light cable to go, towards the hinges. Use a Lino cutting tool or craft knife to cut a shallow groove along the line.</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpoQ7FHLMIo8jfvwBQQpH8e3ipPLsKWJq_4AAhM6zuh2MV8ha5ARoFur5_NeVMfExx3GwE77oIwQZzSVYcGKRsHHIKADgHgXGtwxGADkHDJ5cICAL8r0PpsqLAuFQz6Z1GzqXsqHvEEo/s1600/how+to+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpoQ7FHLMIo8jfvwBQQpH8e3ipPLsKWJq_4AAhM6zuh2MV8ha5ARoFur5_NeVMfExx3GwE77oIwQZzSVYcGKRsHHIKADgHgXGtwxGADkHDJ5cICAL8r0PpsqLAuFQz6Z1GzqXsqHvEEo/s640/how+to+8.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Remove the plug from your light (save the plug for later) then thread the light cable through the hole you have made, from the front. Fix your light in place using the sticky self-adhesive pad or screws supplied, as per the instructions.</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNNlupK_nC4Gq3J421o00NpYKrgiamro72yFZMWLczkZTZIfBlicVHbrexK19PIc-geeM-KzyHOyomjUOyqsIxpD-TqupLe5csXHvMVPewcAQ-RijhjPVwi7kverejpz-5AOV0SaJiA8/s1600/how+to+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNNlupK_nC4Gq3J421o00NpYKrgiamro72yFZMWLczkZTZIfBlicVHbrexK19PIc-geeM-KzyHOyomjUOyqsIxpD-TqupLe5csXHvMVPewcAQ-RijhjPVwi7kverejpz-5AOV0SaJiA8/s640/how+to+7.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Cut a thin strip of strong double sided adhesive tape and run it into the groove you have cut on the reverse of the opening house front, using a blunt point to press it in firmly before removing the backing paper. Press the lighting cable into the groove you have cut, onto the self-adhesive tape strip. This will hold the cable in place while you work. Once you have completed the installation you can simply glue, fill and paint over the tape and cable, to create a smooth surface, thus embedding the cable.</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozW-qkXHOKvAPPFnJruXW-46etKL7quOHCtj8N7JPUgRfc3fYMZJki3jvkANSzSvNmtOcYbPCe3bju-D7eRh2uxYhAHtWNJJHlbTMwDFGWF7JHOAdovGpHqIsFUKkNJOQmItdt2C7fys/s1600/how+to+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozW-qkXHOKvAPPFnJruXW-46etKL7quOHCtj8N7JPUgRfc3fYMZJki3jvkANSzSvNmtOcYbPCe3bju-D7eRh2uxYhAHtWNJJHlbTMwDFGWF7JHOAdovGpHqIsFUKkNJOQmItdt2C7fys/s640/how+to+6.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Run the cable along the groove to the hinges. Just before the point where it reaches them, carefully split the end to create two separate covered wires. Make sure you have enough cable to reach both hinges. Use a cigarette lighter to gently melt the plastic coating off the ends of the wire, or pinch gently and pull, making sure you don't break the actual wires inside.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Twist the ends of the wires together to make one. Cut the wire ends to the correct length. You want just enough exposed so it will fit neatly under one half of the hinge, without overhanging. (Image shows wire before cutting to correct length)</div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPnM4blnxersgOlJy3nA3CTSMuyz35zwFL1YSgrPk1kDvlVjg256t_6SAgqnakjVtN-RECPkPiUEOgcPCcEK2YsKPKLy5FrSTvVPIJgFqBczGOn_HxyPRubydV-VuRBfQX4C9bmsxfYI/s1600/how+to+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioPnM4blnxersgOlJy3nA3CTSMuyz35zwFL1YSgrPk1kDvlVjg256t_6SAgqnakjVtN-RECPkPiUEOgcPCcEK2YsKPKLy5FrSTvVPIJgFqBczGOn_HxyPRubydV-VuRBfQX4C9bmsxfYI/s640/how+to+5.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Loosen the hinge screws and slide the end of one wire underneath each hinge. Tighten the screws again. Make sure the wire stays under the hinge and doesn't get caught in screw thread. It must only have contact with one side of the hinge. Use a small strip of sticky or masking tape to hold the wire in place while you work on the other.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rzBYWu2GwwrOKQT1IvxnCnLh5yBJN-3IPJWcCi1hkOtu4lJJUffOmzZEfaxviUcwR_Aw464pz7FdbrjWgyAZetafqUNyZ7dqJLup_jL_LS1LHwGBln9IwDIiuGxygMPic2olSyQYom8/s1600/how+to+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rzBYWu2GwwrOKQT1IvxnCnLh5yBJN-3IPJWcCi1hkOtu4lJJUffOmzZEfaxviUcwR_Aw464pz7FdbrjWgyAZetafqUNyZ7dqJLup_jL_LS1LHwGBln9IwDIiuGxygMPic2olSyQYom8/s640/how+to+4.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Take your spare roll of lighting cable and cut a length long enough to measure from the hinges to where your lighting strip or sockets will finally be fixed when the project is finished.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Split the ends of the cable (as previously done with the first wire) and again twist the exposed wires and fix under the opposite side of each hinge, to mirror the first. Make sure the ends of the first wires are not touching the ends of the second ones. Hold the cable in place with small strips of sticky or masking tape.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6l8Xz2NJXoX1xzCB17EdL1U8aWOZMA353dUjW58qUyMwqsLK0EY1v_jfYO7QjH9J8zWpsm7pEM3EmIvqKVlHLIe70P9NIA5uLlmJuqzhbW9-ueDo7_Ighd0iQdvQv4pK60EUAX9GspIQ/s1600/how+to+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6l8Xz2NJXoX1xzCB17EdL1U8aWOZMA353dUjW58qUyMwqsLK0EY1v_jfYO7QjH9J8zWpsm7pEM3EmIvqKVlHLIe70P9NIA5uLlmJuqzhbW9-ueDo7_Ighd0iQdvQv4pK60EUAX9GspIQ/s640/how+to+3.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Suggestion: Run the second cable down the edge of the inside wall of the house to the bottom and underneath the house. If you are lucky enough to have a recess, you can run the cable to the back of the house or to the lighting strip without further need to hide it. If, however, you do not have this option, repeat the part where you cut a small groove with the Lino tool or craft knife and follow the steps to hide the cable in this way.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Once your cable is run to where it will exit the house and join the mains circuit via a lighting strip, or other means, re-attach the plug you removed earlier, to the new cable and test again by plugging it into the lighting strip and transformer.If your light does not illuminate, check that each cable end is securely fastened, and is not touching anything apart from the under side of your hinges. Check also that the cable ends are not touching each other and that the underside of the hinges are free from paint or anything else which may cause a break in the circuit.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMxAa440es3twSARZrx2uNJxHf0ARtxx5QT3ZZfVBVAjLiyN2tMJNpZx5O3Q7Hz76Ffs52i6k6DXcLeTqR5ArxDtHEead7CVW5Q0RDWLKUN9_tkDoY1pAyM1pC86XpDAMBChlPGPM_Ww/s1600/how+to+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqMxAa440es3twSARZrx2uNJxHf0ARtxx5QT3ZZfVBVAjLiyN2tMJNpZx5O3Q7Hz76Ffs52i6k6DXcLeTqR5ArxDtHEead7CVW5Q0RDWLKUN9_tkDoY1pAyM1pC86XpDAMBChlPGPM_Ww/s640/how+to+17.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Once your light is in place and working, run a fine line of wood glue along the entire groove where the cable is sitting, taking care not to get glue on the hinges themselves. You can then use wood filler or similar to smooth over the groove and paint or paper as required. Finally, make sure your light is secured to the outside of the house and that's all there is to it! Jump for joy!</div>
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<br />
For another tutorial on the same subject see also: <a href="http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/dollhouse_news/FEB2009/how-to-light-a-dollhouse.html" target="_blank">Hard wiring a front opening dolls house by Christine Errico</a><br />
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Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-58163082462218137082013-03-27T20:18:00.001+00:002013-04-05T13:03:29.470+01:00Mr Bender is on his way!Good news!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0kn2PlN55UMljoiFn65UAbpJ3HqJnWBaNwzoNu8s5yRf3SQUDdbQoBGp60ZfldJd4U7A8Eopi18O0BPwTXVVgt2Nud5lUn4So2lBsRYB3jsPHBXniSK48GSRKfG_hJhEbbQNotNjIMg/s1600/IMG-20130405-00414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0kn2PlN55UMljoiFn65UAbpJ3HqJnWBaNwzoNu8s5yRf3SQUDdbQoBGp60ZfldJd4U7A8Eopi18O0BPwTXVVgt2Nud5lUn4So2lBsRYB3jsPHBXniSK48GSRKfG_hJhEbbQNotNjIMg/s200/IMG-20130405-00414.jpg" width="144" /></a>Especially for Mrs Bender, who has been on the edge of her tiny seat ever since her errant rubber hubby was first spotted for sale on the world wide interweb.<br />
<br />
After 37 years of being apart, they will finally soon be reunited, as Mr Bender is coming home!<br />
<br />
I'm hoping he is slipping himself into a small square of bubble wrap as I type, ready to enter the system as a small packet, large letter, parcel or whatever else the great Royal Mail in its infinite wisdom decides to categorise him as.<br />
<br />
Soon he will be braving the rain, wind, snow, and Mount Pleasant Sorting Office (which was built on the site of Coldbath Fields Prison - a fact that rather says it all regarding the state of the UK postal service today)<br />
<br />
But human and tiny rubber fingers crossed, the Benders will soon be back together where they belong!<br />
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Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-65637580607510313662013-03-24T22:06:00.002+00:002013-09-20T19:38:47.325+01:00Stop press: Bender Family Update!!<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
I have had a telegram from my good friend Diane, to tell me that <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-mini-house-project.html" target="_blank">Mr Bender</a> has finally broken cover!!<br />
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Mr Bender looking decidedly worried </div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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about his future</div>
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Obviously spurred on by seeing the kids leave home, and <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/mrs-benders-coming-home.html" target="_blank">his wife's new life</a> - finding herself footloose and fancy free - he has decided to "come out" too.<br />
<br />
Loosely disguised with a polka dot tie, a change of shirt, Oxford bags and some fairly heavy pencilled-in eyebrows (he was very fair and didn't have any when I was five years old). He was spotted by eagle-eyed Diane, looking rather forlorn on eBay.<br />
<br />
With two days to go before the auction closes, he may still sadly never arrive at the Mini House and will continue his adventures elsewhere, but it would be lovely to see him back in the fold, and so we have everything crossed here at No 1 Heatherside Corner for his safe return. And that wasn't referring to his knees, which I promise never to bend at funny angles ever again.<br />
<br />
I also remember chewing his little rubber feet first time round, and resolve not to do that either, if he does come home.<br />
<br />
I haven't told Mrs Bender yet, that her errant husband has resurfaced and having obviously fallen on similar hard times, is selling himself on the internet. Just in case we can hold a small rubbery reunion, if I'm lucky enough to win him back.Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-69384708629209395612013-03-16T18:02:00.003+00:002013-09-20T19:39:27.218+01:00Making lamp shades? No sweat!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Can I help you with anything?" The young girl in the chemist asked, after watching me stare at their range of shampoo for fifteen minutes. "Are you looking for something in particular?"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I straightened up and smiled at her. This was going to be a tad awkward. And certainly wasn't going to aid positive public opinion on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Care_in_the_Community" target="_blank">Care in the Community</a>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In an earnest tone which I hoped would imply I needed no help, knew exactly what I was after, and once I had found and purchased it, would go quietly, without the need to involve the police or mental health workers, I said slowly and reassuringly "No, I'm fine thank you."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Though in hindsight the next thing I said was probably a mistake. "I'm looking for lamp shades" I told her cheerfully, treating her to another big grin.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Now, any miniaturist worth their salt would understand.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But 17 year-old trainee pharmacy assistants are a whole different kettle of fish.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">She went pale behind her blotchy fake tan, glanced nervously at her colleague, who had up until now been extolling the virtues of ear drops to a customer, and eaves dropping on us at the same time, and scuttled behind the counter, putting a safe distance between her and the raving loon who had been muttering to the Head and Shoulders for the past quarter of an hour.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I shrugged and moved on to the toothpaste aisle. My quest was not yet over. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I was on a mission to find something I could use to make replica Mini House bathroom and bedroom lamp shades. Or the "tractor hub caps" as our builders had rudely referred to them, when renovating our house late last year.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I thought they were rather lovely (lamp shades, not the builders), when I spotted them for sale; two large, dark bronze-coloured metal shades, with a rust finish, both weighing a ton, but looking like the dog's doo-dahs* when they were in place.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">*Not literally (<i>Please see <a href="http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/dog's%20bollocks.html" target="_blank">Phrases.org</a> for further clarification</i>)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And now I needed to replicate them.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I had already done </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/" target="_blank">Sainburys</a></span>, <a href="http://www.tesco.com/" target="_blank">Tesco's,</a> <a href="http://www.waitrose.com/" target="_blank">Waitrose</a> and two local DIY stores with no luck. The chemist was my last bastion of hope.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But I guessed there was no point in trying to explain this to the pharmacist who, alerted by his colleagues, was taking charge of the situation and heading my way.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7sm2CWfbidyGE_lrtezkjhh7NH3LAaD2Q8peUi4qRbQt9QG5-L4xuAG6f1sbFGUcz7obRd5is_4i5UvASVcYgOcIPbWYiiUltkC0BAa3OcBFA3m3hHtOoyd6iRniziZo49hcLrEC3T0/s1600/deodorant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7sm2CWfbidyGE_lrtezkjhh7NH3LAaD2Q8peUi4qRbQt9QG5-L4xuAG6f1sbFGUcz7obRd5is_4i5UvASVcYgOcIPbWYiiUltkC0BAa3OcBFA3m3hHtOoyd6iRniziZo49hcLrEC3T0/s320/deodorant.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
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My light bulb moment!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I sauntered round the hair removal section in a bid to shake him off, knocking over a timely <a href="http://www.veet.co.uk/" target="_blank">Veet display</a> (<i>"Don't let your Easter Bunnies get Furballs!"</i>) in the process.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As I trotted towards the exit, past a poster advertising Hemorrhoid Cream, and a rotating display of hair nets, I finally spotted what I was looking for!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Roll-on deodorants! Lots of them. And all with lids that were the perfect shape and size for our lamp shades! Or at least would be, with a little work.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Thinking he had me cornered, the pharmacist gestured to his staff to ring the boys in blue.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I skipped happily past him, clutching the little stubby bottles </span><span class="Apple-style-span">and paid for my bounty, grinning again at the young assistant to convince her of my sanity. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As I emerged blinking into the daylight, armed with enough deodorant to dry up the North Sea, I heard Ms Ear Drops on the phone "Yes officer, talking to the shampoo for ages, and she kept baring her teeth at Kelly".</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Some people just don't get it, do they?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIGW7NjawPtV5mth5T-RI0xrk57fhzHMiDIv6Ixtgu6WaJuXGD3l5MsbEGi2QTQnNtTzqZDisXXAyPN8wALY5MryPLtKyimW-M9RTE3XppF7q9UFzYGnV52vpLRHVu6ZgsDyBSipiZeQ/s1600/lamp+shade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpIGW7NjawPtV5mth5T-RI0xrk57fhzHMiDIv6Ixtgu6WaJuXGD3l5MsbEGi2QTQnNtTzqZDisXXAyPN8wALY5MryPLtKyimW-M9RTE3XppF7q9UFzYGnV52vpLRHVu6ZgsDyBSipiZeQ/s640/lamp+shade.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
The "tractor hub cap" lamp shades in No1 Heatherside Corner</div>
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</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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The Mini House version attached to globe light bulbs. The only job left to do is to paint the gold parts white.</div>
</td></tr>
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The main problem was that the lids were really difficult to saw through in a straight line. Was just as well I had</div>
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purchased a few bottles as it took a number of attempts. Then they were sanded, painted and drilled before being </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
glued to the globe bulb fittings.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-76460743587593151952013-03-12T12:17:00.001+00:002013-09-20T19:40:38.803+01:00Shaken, not staired<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">It all started one night when Mr PJ was mixing up
one of his speciality scalp raising, eyebrow singeing <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Mary_(cocktail)">Bloody Mary's</a></span>. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">I was watching with interest, through a welders
mask (which I keep for just such occasions), from the safety of my kitchen high
stool, as he sprayed coarse ground black pepper and red hot chilli flakes
around the room, like the Devil's confetti. A dash of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave's_Gourmet">Dave's Insanity Sauce</a></span> here. A glug of Worcestershire's finest there. All
hammered home with a stick of celery, and a squeeze of lime.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The inspiration for the Mini House stair rods, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">our first cocktail parrot served in New Orleans</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">He's never been the same since we went to New
Orleans and discovered that <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_real_McCoy">real McCoy</a></span> does not consist of one tiny bottle of lukewarm <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.britvic.co.uk/">Britvic</a></span>
and a nervous splash of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.heinz.co.uk/sauce-partners/lea--perrins">Lea and Perrins</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">In the Big Easy, they like their Bloody Mary's red
hot, and dangerous. With enough garnish to stock a garden centre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;"> Mr PJ was especially impressed when they topped it
all off with a little pickle parrot, complete with olive eyes, to keep watch over his
drink, long after he had stopped being able to focus on it for himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">He says that if cocktail swilling special agent James Bond had wanted to look really suave, he should have been ordering Bloody Mary's topped off with a stuffed olive parakeet, instead of his usual girly dry Martinis. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">But it appears author Ian Flemming thought otherwise.</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">And so, it was at the moment my very own,<i> </i>er hem 007, was skewering a couple of
Scotch Bonnets to a dill pickle, in an attempt to replicate Polly, that I saw the light! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: inherit;">I had been struggling to come up with something
small and cheap, preferably but not necessarily in metal, that I could use to make stair rods for the Mini House. And
here before me, was the perfect answer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">No, not the boss-eyed vegetable budgie that he was
constructing to pop in his aperitif</span><span lang="EN-US">, but the very bones that kept it on its
perch. Cocktail sticks! </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">Yet again, they have come to the rescue. First for the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/the-balcony-now-seen.html">mini Mini House balcony rails</a></span> and now the stair rods. And I must say I'm very happy with the results. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Although Mr PJ will now have to use something else to stir his Bloody Mary's. But I'm sure if he talks nicely to "Q" they'll find him something....</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The finished cocktail stick stair rods</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">How they were made</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Use Tacky Glue to glue glass beads on to each end </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of a trimmed and sanded cocktail stick, to make finial ends</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Crimp covers used in jewellery making are glued in place, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to become the stair rod brackets</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Sprayed with two coats of Pewter spray paint and then polished with a soft cloth</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Glued in place with tiny drops of wood glue and left overnight to dry</span></div>
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Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-41600444957225447292013-03-03T17:56:00.000+00:002013-09-20T19:41:12.855+01:00Just call me Norman...I like to rock.<br />
<br />
Not in the musical sense of the word. But in a big wooden chair. In the "old lady with a rug over her knees, wearing a badly fitting, frizzy ginger wig, and a lipstick moustache" type of rock.<br />
<br />
Slowly, to and fro. Endlessly, until I doze off or go dizzy.<br />
<br />
I owned a tiny rocking chair as a tot.<br />
<br />
I used to sit in it and rock backwards and forwards as fast as I could, like a loon, to make it walk across the bedroom floor.<br />
<br />
The only reason I don't do that any more is that my rear end is now far too big to squeeze into the seat, so my beloved chair has been donated to someone considerably younger, smaller and more responsible.<br />
<br />
And I've upgraded to Rocking Chair II - The Revenge....<br />
<br />
Recently, I found a proper adult sized, fiddle-back, beech rocking chair in the same antiques centre which spawned the Mini House. Total Granny-chic! So I bought it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVa1f5T4cYWAvTNZs1LqzWj0hXAFmUc-wzjjG-KzTUVuVGJvmh4xEVN9xpmuMuY1tulAZdPMJ0tEX8g_hTuaHvrxALHxXlnYNUjudiBPWN-qdBf34J5r7tCLBwJ3E044B1JAjXg3hmhM/s1600/DSC_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVa1f5T4cYWAvTNZs1LqzWj0hXAFmUc-wzjjG-KzTUVuVGJvmh4xEVN9xpmuMuY1tulAZdPMJ0tEX8g_hTuaHvrxALHxXlnYNUjudiBPWN-qdBf34J5r7tCLBwJ3E044B1JAjXg3hmhM/s640/DSC_0017.JPG" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
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The big chair and its little Mini House brother - almost an exact replica</div>
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Sometimes I like to gently rock in it, and talk to the dog, while watching the world and his wife go by outside our bedroom window.<br />
<br />
I find it very therapeutic. <br />
<br />
The dog has no feelings either way.<br />
<br />
But Mr PJ finds it unnerving.<br />
<br />
He says that from the street, looking in, I look like Norman Bates' "mother". <br />
<br />
Well, if the wig fits.....<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
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The perfect Mini House version - from the <a href="http://www.dollshouse.com/" target="_blank">Dolls House Emporium</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">"It's not like my mother is a maniac or a raving thing. She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;"><b>Norman Bates. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho_(film)" target="_blank">Psycho. 1960</a>.</b></span></div>
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Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-20470046863470607392013-02-20T22:14:00.002+00:002013-09-20T19:41:49.044+01:00Mrs Bender's coming home!Anyone has who read <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-mini-house-project.html" target="_blank">my original post</a> explaining how the Mini House Project started, will be aware of <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-mini-house-project.html" target="_blank">the Bender Family</a>; the four, small rubber folk, who lived in the dolls house belonging to my sister and I, in the early 1970's.<br />
<br />
And who were, unbeknownst to them (with no malicious intent on our part) early practitioners of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtanga_Vinyasa_Yoga" target="_blank">Ashtanga Yoga</a>. That's the one where you can pick your teeth with your toenails and keep your ears warm at the same time...<br />
<br />
In an age where most tiny inhabitants of 1970's doll's houses could only stand or lean stiffly against their furniture, the Bender Family, who consisted of Mr and Mrs Bender, and their flexible children Tommy and Sally, were ahead of their time. After all, they could put their legs behind their ears with gay abandon. However unwillingly.<br />
<br />
Admittedly, as was mentioned in <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-mini-house-project.html" target="_blank">my previous post</a>, it made the cartilage / wire inside their legs pop out of the back of their knees, but for us, as children with enquiring minds, that seemed small price to pay, for the amusement.<br />
<br />
I never questioned at the time what the Benders actually felt about this. And perhaps it is no surprise then, that our dolls house was eventually taken away from us (well...we were 18 years old and 21 respectively), and the Benders went too.<br />
<br />
I just assumed that they had all relocated, eventually to the Big Dolls House in the Sky. Or at least gone into hiding, to escape more devilment from other horrible, small children, who take delight in making people's legs bend the wrong way.<br />
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I never thought I'd see the day that she'd be flaunting</div>
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herself online. Not least, because the Internet </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
hadn't been invented in her day.</div>
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But how wrong could I be? For this evening, I discovered that Mrs Bender at least, is alive and well and selling herself on the internet!<br />
<br />
It appears, however, that Mr Bender is no longer on the scene (unless he was taking the photos) and with Tommy and Sally all grown up, I can only surmise that, at the grand old age of 43 (86 in rubber years) she is is need of ready cash and a roof over her head.<br />
<br />
While perusing Google this evening, I stumbled across a picture of her, sitting at a jaunty angle, in a new, blue and white polka dot frock (her old one was a respectable, dull bottle green as befitting a mother of two). Waving like a floozie for the camera! All topped off with a new hairdo; the old one, while the same peroxide blonde, was more "Maggie Thatcher at the start of her Prime Ministerial career", circa 1979.<br />
<br />
And wearing a slick of blue eyeshadow too!! If only we still had the <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-mini-house-project.html" target="_blank">tiny bar of pink plastic soap</a>, I would have made her wash that off, for starters.<br />
<br />
Thinking back, it can't have been an easy life, trying to feed a family of four, on food made out of felt and glue, with no running water and sporadic mains power. When someone finds it funny, to make your head face a different direction from your feet on a regular basis.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MCaeL6RdkQFE4nw4VDbF7JR5zd3FUuqbsOYmou7HggbieZ8zg9i3jbxkJv8w0X5lwbTRFCOZUsWCAXzbd5HOkfqvigXy75G6HEMkFzRnuCLW_Ww5OD_dSNtKge1KuIQ4uMW22Z5YFXA/s1600/mrs_bender.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8MCaeL6RdkQFE4nw4VDbF7JR5zd3FUuqbsOYmou7HggbieZ8zg9i3jbxkJv8w0X5lwbTRFCOZUsWCAXzbd5HOkfqvigXy75G6HEMkFzRnuCLW_Ww5OD_dSNtKge1KuIQ4uMW22Z5YFXA/s400/mrs_bender.png" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Still got good legs for someone who has spent</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
most her life with them warming her ears </div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's a blessing she could sit down, poor thing. Still kept her figure though....which is more than can be said for me.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
I felt a stab of pity. After all, I feel partly responsible for the position she now finds herself in. Literally.<br />
<br />
And so, to save her from whatever degrading, unhappy, contorted life she was heading for, I paid my £3.25 including postage, to the wonderful folk at <a href="http://Groovycart.co.uk/collectable_dolls">Groovycart.co.uk/collectable_dolls</a> who have been looking after her up until now.<br />
<br />
A sort of <a href="http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/" target="_blank">Dog's Trust</a> for dolls of a certain age.<br />
<br />
Although, how dear Mrs Bender (if it is indeed she, and not a look-alike) will feel when she finds out who has re-homed her, is anyone's guess.<br />
<br />
She will find out soon enough, when she arrives in the post box of No1. Heatherside Corner.<br />
<br />
But if she is reading this, in advance...<br />
<br />
Pledge: "<i>Dear Mrs Bender, when you arrive at the Mini House, I promise I will never, ever again, bend your legs the wrong way just to see what happens to the back of your knees."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Well....maybe just the once, for old times sake.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Disclaimer: </b>No rubber people will be harmed at any time, during, or after, writing this blog.<br />
<br />
A Bender is for life and not just for Twister.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">N.B. Thank you to <a href="http://www.groovycart.co.uk/collectable_dolls" target="_blank">www.groovycart.co.uk/collectable_dolls</a> for kind permission to use the above images, before she arrives safely ( I promise) at No1.Heatherside Corner. I have a lot of saying sorry to do! </span><br />
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Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-75241571776770606082013-02-18T20:31:00.003+00:002013-09-20T19:42:15.974+01:00More "blemish" than "Flemish"....Working on the <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Mini House Project</a> has made me look much harder at my surroundings than I previously have done.<br />
<br />
Although I believe I know every corner of our dusty little Victorian pile, staring at one small part of it for hours, while you try to replicate it in miniature, can throw up unexpected challenges.<br />
<br />
For instance, I'm pretty certain in the 9 years we have lived at No1. Heatherside Corner, I must have noticed at some point, that the front door was glazed with "Flemish" patterned obscure glass. After all, I have polished it and the two round bullion panels, on numerous occasions.<br />
<br />
And I've peered through it even more times, at countless unexpected callers, before opening the door.<br />
<br />
I'm sure anyone on the other side must have noticed. Or at least they had hoped that the large distorted face, with googley eyes looming out of the gloom at them, was down to the pattern in the glass, and not a permanent trait of the inhabitant's countenance.<br />
<br />
So I'm not sure why, after having finished the <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-arched-front-door.html" target="_blank">miniature arched door</a> for the Mini House, that one morning as I was dragged through the real one by an eager Furball on the way to his ablutions, I was slightly surprised to notice it wasn't glazed with plain glass.<br />
<br />
I don't know what that says about me, although I don't ever remember sewing an "Observancy" badge to the arm of my Brownie uniform, which suggests I was never awarded one, and therefore it's something of a relief to know I haven't let myself down.<br />
<br />
But having already made the miniature door and sealed in the glazing, when this epiphany took place, I was faced with a dilemma.<br />
<br />
How to turn the glass, already firmly in situ, with no way of removal, into "Flemish" patterned obscure glazing.<br />
<br />
I had a few unsuccessful trials with a spare piece of window glass and various clear substances, before turning to the web for inspiration.<br />
<br />
Step forward <a href="http://www.deluxematerials.com/" target="_blank">Deluxe Materials Glue 'n' Glaze</a>, which annoyingly I could have bought in person at the City of London Dolls House Fair a couple of weeks before, had I known that 1) it existed, or 2) that I would need it a fortnight after I had trotted past their stand on my way to ogle the miniature plant stall.<br />
<br />
That aside, after considerable research on the subject, I decided this was the stuff to save the day.<br />
<br />
The product, designed for glazing dolls house windows, can be applied in the required thick white "gloops"- technical term*, and dries crystal clear over a period of days.<br />
<br />
As I type, it still probably needs a couple more days to dry completely clear but the general effect is there.<br />
<br />
Not quite "Flemish", maybe a little more "blemish".<br />
<br />
But guaranteed to distort the tiny face of any occupant of the Mini House beyond recognition, and therefore my work here is done.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOSJpbep1oOtBcYq-SzhfOw3fsYfOF-CvNKVD2joAKTzV8ijTo-bjffYUe6l-rzizpl6_nctievgaH837xsihorWU39MBXpYoKevAmwo-W30J3YT9mZ2WlJdCOK-T_2C_cBU_5tVC6m5I/s1600/door+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOSJpbep1oOtBcYq-SzhfOw3fsYfOF-CvNKVD2joAKTzV8ijTo-bjffYUe6l-rzizpl6_nctievgaH837xsihorWU39MBXpYoKevAmwo-W30J3YT9mZ2WlJdCOK-T_2C_cBU_5tVC6m5I/s640/door+before.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
There was some trial and error on a spare piece of glass before taking the bullions by the horns</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAy4uedrdpAZ2pfU11YicDInB3UTCh5IYwCPoWJMh8AeDpRLxOIF6ny5tELk0NpIOf2ZguJf23lUqeNNOpOuucDPZfn2NaeZRaohsBtodrCfwtPh6g6TDajCguYpb_psad55iGU0uAG7w/s1600/flemish+glass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAy4uedrdpAZ2pfU11YicDInB3UTCh5IYwCPoWJMh8AeDpRLxOIF6ny5tELk0NpIOf2ZguJf23lUqeNNOpOuucDPZfn2NaeZRaohsBtodrCfwtPh6g6TDajCguYpb_psad55iGU0uAG7w/s640/flemish+glass.jpg" width="490" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Almost dry. All that is missing is the googley-eyed face looming towards you from the other side....</div>
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<br />
From <a href="http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/gloop" target="_blank">Oxford Dictionaries</a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 40px;">gloop</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<article style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div id="mainContent" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" xmlns:h="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;">Pronunciation: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/key-to-pronunciation" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; cursor: pointer; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">/gluːp/</a></span><br />
<br />
<header style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><h1 class="pageTitle entryTitle" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; display: inline-block; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.7em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 27px;">Definition of <b style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">gloop</b></span></span></h1>
<h1 class="pageTitle entryTitle" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; display: inline-block; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.7em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 27px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><em style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><h:span class="neutral" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">[</h:span>mass noun<h:span class="neutral" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">]</h:span></em> <em class="languageGroup" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: content-box; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0.2em; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">informal </em></span>sloppy or sticky semi-fluid matter, typically something unpleasant:</span></h1>
</header><br />
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</div>
</div>
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</article>Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-10757664503175588312013-02-18T16:56:00.002+00:002013-09-20T19:42:36.460+01:00The Balcony (now) SeenHaving relegated the <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/the-mini-house-of-frankenstein.html" target="_blank">first attempt at a mini house</a> for the Mini House, to a dark corner of my workbox, where out of sight is out of mind, and only dust bunnies lurk, I embarked upon <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/if-at-first-you-dont-succeed.html" target="_blank">the second version</a>, with far more success.<br />
<br />
But after sitting back to admire my efforts in a slightly self-satisfied manner, I became aware that something was missing. It still did not look quite like its big brother, the <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-mini-house-project.html" target="_blank">real Mini House</a>.<br />
<br />
The mini Mini House looked a wee bit naked. As if it had gone out in a rush and forgotten to put its trousers on.<br />
<br />
The longer I stared at it, and the longer it stared back at me, blushing and trying to cover its modesty with a roofing slate, I realised, it really needed a balcony, and not just a suggestion of one.<br />
<br />
So having discounted a number of small parts, such as mobile phone innards, an eyebrow comb, a cable tie, and other random detritus, in the search for something suitably spindle-like to customise as veranda rails, a final rummage through the drinks cabinet came up trumps. <br />
<br />
Cocktail sticks! Ta dah!<br />
<br />
A bit chunky perhaps. And probably too thick to let much light "through yonder window break", had it been attached to Chez Capulet, the house of Shakespeare's tragic balcony aficionado Juliet.<br />
<br />
But it's not. It's attached to the mini Mini House.<br />
<br />
And I don't care about the light, I'm never going to be on the inside, looking out.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmjs5A4BDxD7Hi4Y5ZMd69XnnsbBWHaXS-_pIpr1aY2pgefHWKSvv3adAbv-mA9KR6R751_gN1QT85bIu27VTmEtOPaY3bFnLy_zkUsnI2wEbxeZg-XQBKCpeHZ5hDer3HjHYW6QHMKk/s1600/mini+mini+house+veranda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmjs5A4BDxD7Hi4Y5ZMd69XnnsbBWHaXS-_pIpr1aY2pgefHWKSvv3adAbv-mA9KR6R751_gN1QT85bIu27VTmEtOPaY3bFnLy_zkUsnI2wEbxeZg-XQBKCpeHZ5hDer3HjHYW6QHMKk/s640/mini+mini+house+veranda.jpg" width="492" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Ready for its balcony scene...</div>
</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
<br />Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-79761254261590129562013-02-10T17:02:00.000+00:002013-09-20T19:43:02.777+01:00If at first you don't succeed....I was told this week by a close relative, in a jokey manner, that I "need to get a life". It was just after he'd signed for a parcel in my name and, being keen to know what was inside (a fact, in itself, which suggests he should take his own advice), he watched while I opened it. <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It appears that he doesn't share my enthusiasm for the Mini House Project, or for the fascinating world of miniatures opening up in front of me.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But he is obsessed with cricket. I rest my case.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fxben4_NmX_y2SjO36OY4JJDJmBZAUioYiEXEA0qR4zIwcWwAZD6EMID5rS96QHXkmFadE-oGYwP8j7miq04jbRh2smsEbI-4d0U1epV762iIRKWR_zM6ypOboMUw3OcO0Sbbul-OEI/s1600/miniminihouse.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Copyright: Minimum World / Streets Ahead" border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fxben4_NmX_y2SjO36OY4JJDJmBZAUioYiEXEA0qR4zIwcWwAZD6EMID5rS96QHXkmFadE-oGYwP8j7miq04jbRh2smsEbI-4d0U1epV762iIRKWR_zM6ypOboMUw3OcO0Sbbul-OEI/s200/miniminihouse.tiff" title="Copyright: Minimum World / Streets Ahead" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
The same model as the new arrival</div>
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<div>
The parcel in question contained a tiny dolls house from <a href="http://www.minimumworld.com/" target="_blank">Minimum World</a>, made by <a href="http://www.streetsaheaddollshouse.com/" target="_blank">Streets Ahead</a>. It is a replacement for the wonderful handmade miniature dolls house that I inadvertently turned into <a href="http://no1heathersidecorner.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/the-mini-house-of-frankenstein.html" target="_blank">Frankenstein's Monster</a> last Sunday. And which is now safely back in its box, awaiting a full structural report to survey the damage done, on the advice of the talented and very kind members of the <a href="http://www.dollshouseforum.com/" target="_blank">Dolls House Emporium forum</a>, which I recently joined. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But meanwhile, I was still itching to make a mini house for the Mini House. Hence the arrival of Mini House II - The Sequel, at No.1 Heatherside Corner. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This time I played it safe and bought a cheap factory produced model. But one with potential. One that, if anything went wrong (again), could be popped on the sitting room fire as kindling, without a trace of guilt.... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And this is the result. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Tonight Mr PJ will have to don a woolly hat and another pair of socks, as the fire will stay unlit for now....</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJkOq8XnN8cKIgFDTZLCsDeTxjx9xPld8KAl62kAZ1dAHVM4npi7b1DF1OaQ9eJsBcbp5Yd-DjWNyd1XcwYAU5dpDiejapFfNE9htwDj2XSP2jH6mftbTnCpX8l1MRS_bOMoDLJalsfY/s1600/IMG_3133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJkOq8XnN8cKIgFDTZLCsDeTxjx9xPld8KAl62kAZ1dAHVM4npi7b1DF1OaQ9eJsBcbp5Yd-DjWNyd1XcwYAU5dpDiejapFfNE9htwDj2XSP2jH6mftbTnCpX8l1MRS_bOMoDLJalsfY/s400/IMG_3133.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
Not an exact copy but a miniature nod to the Mini House</div>
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"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no point in being a damn fool about it." W.C. Fields.</blockquote>
Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-20281339140119315662013-02-04T22:23:00.001+00:002013-09-20T19:43:38.438+01:00The chocolate-box cottageWhen the Mini House first arrived at Chez Pearly Jones, it was covered in brick effect paper, which for some inexplicable reason had been printed in a rather unhealthy and very un-brick like shade of bile green.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYmzkMy1nK_2o3jgb2qvFXuR6Ui25kXA2JlN3El9jXXTCW8XfBzXMBU9yocYt92c53eVGg8gU_TZehbZDLmpHGW-EHoV6UVYOOhjHVPLxacDEKuJlkgxOZ4It7QpJ-8qQLCVXuG3-NAM/s1600/IMG-20121006-00249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYmzkMy1nK_2o3jgb2qvFXuR6Ui25kXA2JlN3El9jXXTCW8XfBzXMBU9yocYt92c53eVGg8gU_TZehbZDLmpHGW-EHoV6UVYOOhjHVPLxacDEKuJlkgxOZ4It7QpJ-8qQLCVXuG3-NAM/s320/IMG-20121006-00249.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The picture does not really do the colour justice...</td></tr>
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It is difficult to describe the exact colour, but as Mr Pearly Jones is also a designer, who has worked in the world of <a href="http://www.pantone.co.uk/pages/pantone/index.aspx" target="_blank">Pantone colours</a> for the last 20 years, I turned to him for a second opinion.<br />
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"What colour would you say that was?" I asked, pointing at the new arrival sitting on our dining room table. He took one look, and with the air of a true professional said "Snot", before wandering off to watch TV.<br />
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He did have a point. The paper could have come straight out of someone's hanky, and so it had to go.<br />
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Having looked into brick slips and discounted them at an early stage due to price and my lack of patience, I realised I had to go for paper, but with something looking more like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_stock_brick" target="_blank">London Stock bricks</a> which No 1. Heatherside Corner is built with.<br />
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Having found dolls house brick paper online, it dawned on me, as I went to check-out, that I didn't actually need to buy any. As mentioned in earlier posts, it can be very handy to be working at the family printing business. And handier still, if you remember this fact before making unnecessary purchases!<br />
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So instead, I paid a single use licence for a photograph of an old wall, from an online image bank, and then persuaded Mr PJ to run me off some sheets of it at SRA3 onto very thin card.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhFleyyAimrsL7iU6d0W6oZBOgZipPbGaJKoKwrj1RDnOEjz1JyZpecx0M-V4JnVlAl_9PwMy4TFCj5mgC81OcJb2D3cT2au2WJD_Clkn_qEDT4vKx_Ga4KvZtMlutTj8Rx784m92WRM/s1600/IMG_3053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhFleyyAimrsL7iU6d0W6oZBOgZipPbGaJKoKwrj1RDnOEjz1JyZpecx0M-V4JnVlAl_9PwMy4TFCj5mgC81OcJb2D3cT2au2WJD_Clkn_qEDT4vKx_Ga4KvZtMlutTj8Rx784m92WRM/s640/IMG_3053.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The basic brick image printed onto thin card for a more durable finish. </td></tr>
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As it was never part of the plan to make the outside of the Mini House look like the real thing, it allowed me a big dollop of artistic license when it came to the brickwork. I have always loved those old adverts or <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/mar/17/advertising-history-archive-ghostsigns" target="_blank">ghost signs</a>, which were painted on the sides of shops and houses before advertising hoardings took over.</div>
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The Mini House seemed to be the perfect canvas for a couple of my own. </div>
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While having a loft clear-out our neighbours had unearthed an old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._S._Fry_%26_Sons" target="_blank">Fry's Chocolate</a> box and kindly lent it to me to scan. Along with a favourite vintage image, I used Photoshop to add them both to the brick wall paper, and to make them look weathered and worn away in parts.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3nJGGJc3Cm_57D6UEsPDtmstoUAAF0eDKNJZAyQpJQtUrvTxhPqpf-Jc9M38kkBRHbj9yWTrybcV-9ly5cduj7aOm4TY5x5Q_rA4ZTgjkCffs1h-f7pDjLceLEvTzc49HctXIslZNyo/s1600/IMG_3029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3nJGGJc3Cm_57D6UEsPDtmstoUAAF0eDKNJZAyQpJQtUrvTxhPqpf-Jc9M38kkBRHbj9yWTrybcV-9ly5cduj7aOm4TY5x5Q_rA4ZTgjkCffs1h-f7pDjLceLEvTzc49HctXIslZNyo/s640/IMG_3029.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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The inspiration found in our neighbours loft. The Mini House can now truly be described as a chocolate-box cottage!</div>
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And as it looks once "painted" on the side wall of the Mini House.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHpZLkvQ8Kf0XBEe1NN5lE4sPMaIvkmepH_wvMmuTgpo6b-djlNU_1Df9r5Tu2W4GvPqi7ZaqSrYItoQxkVM0QskWIRaJmQoXdvIrUAUVrFkprMrcJfQETFfWXpJVKb5BiOAiT_S22Is/s1600/IMG_3055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHpZLkvQ8Kf0XBEe1NN5lE4sPMaIvkmepH_wvMmuTgpo6b-djlNU_1Df9r5Tu2W4GvPqi7ZaqSrYItoQxkVM0QskWIRaJmQoXdvIrUAUVrFkprMrcJfQETFfWXpJVKb5BiOAiT_S22Is/s640/IMG_3055.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Once the Mini House was entirely covered, I painted it with watered down acrylic in browns and a moss green to emulate the damp patches, algae and general accumulated grime, which is in keeping with a Victorian house. Or at least, it is, in No 1. Heatherside Corner's case.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvER4odd7zfCjDDXFdCyvVtSuCuHNRTgKdupSk4FuqlWnDo_ZbwDENK91R7GthmO4LfC9-MWB0DWTsneXFAQRRJb4Yh04Dw1hlTm7RJK4xkLQ7Yf2pO__C6HvLa6WNIqToU2QfB_J3Tg4/s1600/IMG_3124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvER4odd7zfCjDDXFdCyvVtSuCuHNRTgKdupSk4FuqlWnDo_ZbwDENK91R7GthmO4LfC9-MWB0DWTsneXFAQRRJb4Yh04Dw1hlTm7RJK4xkLQ7Yf2pO__C6HvLa6WNIqToU2QfB_J3Tg4/s640/IMG_3124.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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It looks a bit run-down and slightly neglected. As if it has been hidden behind a very overgrown hedge or tree for a long time... which is not so much like No 1. Heatherside Corner. </div>
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But I'm pretty pleased with the general effect. </div>
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And not least, because himself has finally stopped referring to it as Mucus Mansions.</div>
Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-37787539251896649432013-02-03T20:14:00.002+00:002013-09-20T19:45:27.808+01:00The mini House of Frankenstein<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just when it was all going so swimmingly, I have had my first disaster. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Having received some very positive and lovely comments (for which I thank you) regarding the start of my quest to turn the junk shop house into No 1. Heatherside Corner, I may have allowed myself to become a little smug about the tiny achievements I have had so far. The sawing, clamping, glueing, painting and sanding have progressed well. My creation is a success so far.... [Cue mad laugh]</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To counteract this, and to put me firmly back in my amateur place, The Mini House Project has bared its teeth and bitten me firmly on the behind. I have wasted a whole day and in the process, have pretty much ruined the beautifully crafted, tiny dolls house by Jacqueline Crosby Mini<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">atures, which I purchased from the City of London Dolls House Festival last weekend. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">In my over-enthusiasm to "Mini Houseify" everything, I thought it would be a good idea to turn the handmade, wooden miniature dolls house I bought, into a tiny version of the slightly bigger thing. Instead of leaving well alone.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Well now the damage is done (apologies in advance to Ms Crosby). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgFJbbjTWsjIP2BphaCTpuC9z0YOXY2TlQWzqR72LF3YaJk4frvSbjxx3LdJ3QS8g8KtpnU6uRaKPA2FpnGvJYs4QSou_Sm9xBA5dTj6iAC19WgVbMFccgkcq_t1E_K1NeRYoLkQHxx8/s1600/crosby.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxgFJbbjTWsjIP2BphaCTpuC9z0YOXY2TlQWzqR72LF3YaJk4frvSbjxx3LdJ3QS8g8KtpnU6uRaKPA2FpnGvJYs4QSou_Sm9xBA5dTj6iAC19WgVbMFccgkcq_t1E_K1NeRYoLkQHxx8/s400/crosby.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">A similar house to mine, by Jacqueline Crosby Miniatures, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">but one that has escaped being Minihouseified...</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">I have created a monster. Complete with scars, stitch marks and copious amounts of glue. Having not only sawed bits off it, printed, and then firmly glued on sheets of replica, only smaller, brickwork, I decided to make matters worse by trying to add badly made cardboard window frames. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">But not, sadly, before prising off all the original and perfectly formed window sills and chimneys with my little scalpel, with a view to re-gluing them once my "work here was done". </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">And then, to put the icing on the already sinking cake, I attempted to paint it with acrylic, in bad light, while wearing my old reading glasses (the lenses of which are only marginally thinner than the bottom of milk bottles).</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">It has not gone well. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The Bride of Mini House's best side - believe me, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">you don't want to see what the other side looks like....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">The condemned signs are up. And I don't think I can soak the glue and paper off the poor tiny monstrosity, to return it to its former self. It is "subject to demolition". I have put it back in its box for now, and am considering burying it later in the back garden, with a few well chosen words to mark it's passing. </span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">The Lesson has been learned. Never try to run before you can walk. And never, ever, run with scissors.</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be his world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow." Mary Shelley - Frankenstein.</span></blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
But onwards and upwards.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
The Mini House Project continues. It's all a learning curve afterall.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 27px;">The trials <i>and tribulations</i> of turning a junk-shop dolls house into No 1. Heatherside Corner</span> .....</span>Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-38335831612740398962013-01-28T13:47:00.001+00:002013-09-20T19:46:07.982+01:00The Wisteria Challenge<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-US">Yesterday I visited the <a href="http://www.dollshousefestival.com/" target="_blank">City of London Dolls House Festival</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never been to
a dolls house fair before and had no idea what to expect. </span>Never in my life, have I seen quite so many
people, peering quite so hard, at objects that are quite so small, yet perfectly formed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The standard of the exhibitor’s creations certainly
put my own little efforts to shame. </span>I tried not to think about the decidedly wonky,
glue and sawdust encrusted handiwork, squatting on our dining room table at home, as I skulked sheepishly around the fair, sure
that they’d be able to spot the imposter who did not belong in their
world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But rather than tar and feather me with miniature handcrafted plumage, they seemed happy to let me browse. And so I managed to
overcome my awe, long enough to make a few modest purchases, including some
lovely handmade turquoise glass bottles and an oil lamp from <a href="http://www.raystoreylighting.com/" target="_blank">Ray Storey Lighting</a> who even kindly wired the lamp for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I have always dreamed of owning a wisteria and
last year our neighbours presented us with one, so I’ve been looking for a tiny one, or a way of
making one, to add to the mini house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I’m pleased to say the search is over. I
found one at the Festival, in the form of a wonderful, if somewhat
challenging, kit made by Georgina Steeds at <a href="http://theminiaturegarden.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Miniature Garden Centre</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8d0lbDSzrFLnyQTE2WZqz7FR0z8rZd9GOluJ261Qy4bYGy3wg15Vio8FscVEyW7O4BeQGxIbJ0FM1Ld46nucisgZYgafVxF-rGOJuNIqM9e-CChdyfxAUc4n2xNk61y_a3-bwRZq5D0/s1600/wisteria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8d0lbDSzrFLnyQTE2WZqz7FR0z8rZd9GOluJ261Qy4bYGy3wg15Vio8FscVEyW7O4BeQGxIbJ0FM1Ld46nucisgZYgafVxF-rGOJuNIqM9e-CChdyfxAUc4n2xNk61y_a3-bwRZq5D0/s640/wisteria.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
In kit form ready to be transformed into a thing of beauty and a joy to behold forever.....</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">It comes with full instructions and four little
bags containing all the miniscule parts required to create a very realistic
plant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Sadly for me, it is not supplied with little
bags full of the expertise or patience I am going to need, to turn it into a
Wisteria anywhere near as fabulous as the one they had on display. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nor does it come with a spare pair of eyeballs for when mine become
so crossed they need replacing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">But I’m up for the challenge. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just hope I am up to the job. I don't think I could cope with having my a*** whooped by a plant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-kQw_AXd4obCYLoSVnnLDXYMOTKlJMeo0LfKTC2-6tEgPf0saZ-mmGNiVVic2_fFhQi_97ke8EckbUJ0s5nrwAsf4U3A76KpTYubg4Dk77rb34Uc-IqIPSIBqKwVMQuiVyM7w3PNefk/s1600/miniature+garden+centre+wisteria+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image copyright: The Miniature Garden Centre" border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-kQw_AXd4obCYLoSVnnLDXYMOTKlJMeo0LfKTC2-6tEgPf0saZ-mmGNiVVic2_fFhQi_97ke8EckbUJ0s5nrwAsf4U3A76KpTYubg4Dk77rb34Uc-IqIPSIBqKwVMQuiVyM7w3PNefk/s640/miniature+garden+centre+wisteria+2.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
The finished product as made by Georgina Steeds at The Miniature Garden Centre.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Image copyright: The Miniature Garden Centre</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJPt4lw1KwQHBLFJVmfi2wOTg4ijlbIFgkUAOrSDRd2_0VXsXz3Z-jBsH8P9xorrcOMOeVuiL5h0F41qhMXNimVpRBfrwlwNkq_0lAD-bExHDlT8MK5oXcUtVm3CMfyQgZeSxFQJh0WM/s1600/miniature+garden+centre+wisteria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image copyright: The Miniature Garden Centre" border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJPt4lw1KwQHBLFJVmfi2wOTg4ijlbIFgkUAOrSDRd2_0VXsXz3Z-jBsH8P9xorrcOMOeVuiL5h0F41qhMXNimVpRBfrwlwNkq_0lAD-bExHDlT8MK5oXcUtVm3CMfyQgZeSxFQJh0WM/s640/miniature+garden+centre+wisteria.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
I can only live in hope mine will look half as good as this once completed.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Image copyright: The Miniature Garden Centre</div>
</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">Having left Mr PJ waiting for me outside
the Festival, afterwards we took a stroll along the Thames Path to the <a href="http://www.londontown.com/LondonInformation/Bars_and_Clubs/Captain_Kidd/792c/" target="_blank">Captain Kidd</a> in Wapping, where I showed him what I had bought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Including a tiny wooden dolls house</span> by Jacqueline Crosby Miniatures….</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">He rolled his eyes and asked if that meant
I will now need a mini house, for the mini house’s mini house. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<!--EndFragment-->Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-40702482163306547732013-01-23T21:10:00.002+00:002013-09-20T19:46:35.375+01:00Jurassic Parquet....I'm a bit obsessed with fossil hunting. Sadly, I know next to nothing about the actual things I find, apart from the fact that, one, they all crawled, swam, or generally bobbed about on our planet, two, they are all very, very old, and three, some of them should never have been hit with my little yellow fossil hammer.<br />
<br />
A trip along the Jurassic coastline at my favourite holiday destination of <a href="http://www.whitby.co.uk/" target="_blank">Whitby</a> in North Yorkshire, always ends with my handbag being weighed down with enough "seaside rock" to pave a municipal carpark. And none of it tastes of mint or is phallus-shaped. Well, <a href="http://www.ukfossils.co.uk/guides/belemnites.htm" target="_blank">belemnites</a> being the exception to the rule.<br />
<br />
The ones that have survived my eager hammering in the hope they will spring open to reveal the ultimate <a href="http://www.ukfossils.co.uk/guides/ammonites.html" target="_blank">ammonite</a>, are safe and sound at home in a big wooden box. The ones that didn't, are lying in tiny shattered pieces along the coast. I apologise in advance for my small part in North East Yorkshire's coastal erosion.<br />
<br />
Conservation issues aside, imagine my excitement when a trip to a local stone mason for some sandstone for our back garden, uncovered a pile of large fossil paving slabs. Not real, sadly, but "fossilly" enough to have me loading up as many as the old Saab's suspension could cope with, before crawling back home up the A30, with the exhaust dragging on the ground.<br />
<br />
Once at No. 1 Heatherside Corner, they were installed with enthusiasm in our tiny front garden, before being brushed with wood stain and embedded with grit, to make them look more realistic.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
We are in good company, I believe these have been<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeeye/4087146226/" target="_blank"> installed at the Eden Project</a> too </div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Mini House doesn't really have a front garden, it has a veranda. But seeing as the fossil slabs are inches away from the real front door, it only seemed right and proper that the Jurassic Coast should come to the Mini House too.<br />
<br />
Having (somewhat unsurprisingly, it has to be said), unsuccessfully scoured the web for "dolls house fossil paving slabs", followed by "tiny fossil tiles" I decided I'd resort to the Fimo polymer clay in the loft, left over from another project.<br />
<br />
Only one slight snag. It was bright pink.<br />
<br />
I spent three hours after work one evening, rolling up tiny clay balls, then pressing them into the centre of a real (and all in one piece) ammonite, that is set into a large chunk of rock, which my other half bought for my birthday.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span">Not totally ideal, as they are imprints, not the actual concave shape, but as near as dammit. And more worryingly, the birthday present fossil has been left with a slight candy floss hue, which I'm hoping lovely husband doesn't notice, as even a surreptitious </span><span class="Apple-style-span">scrubbing with a tooth brush didn't dislodge the last few remnants of cerise Fimo from its crevices...</span><br />
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After baking the tiny, and literally "hot pink", ammonites, I glued them all to a card template, with lashings of wood glue, before sprinkling coarse ground black pepper in the gaps, as gravel, then spraying with, yes, you've guessed it, more of my trusty pewter spray paint, with a dry brush of copper acrylic over the top.<br />
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After a bit of a buff with a soft cloth, I think they look rather dandy. However, once the rest of the Mini House is completed I might add more gravel (black pepper) and a few leaves (mixed herbs) to make it look more weather beaten.<br />
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And maybe, a small, hopeful figure, in an anorak, with its yellow fossil hammer raised in the air.....<br />
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The fossil path takes on a slightly more cobbled appearance than its real counterpart, for now.</div>
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Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-24149300968656412702013-01-23T10:05:00.000+00:002013-09-20T19:46:58.079+01:00HodgeHodge the cat belonged to <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/johnson_samuel.shtml" target="_blank">Dr Samuel Johnson</a>, the English writer and critic, who is most famous for his "Dictionary of the English Language".<br />
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Hodge was so loved by Johnson that he was mentioned in James Boswell's biography on the great writer:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> "I never shall forget the indulgence with which he treated Hodge, his cat: for whom he himself used to go out and buy oysters, lest the servants having that trouble should take a dislike to the poor creature. I am, unluckily, one of those who have an antipathy to a cat, so that I am uneasy when in the room with one; and I own, I frequently suffered a good deal from the presence of this same Hodge. I recollect him one day scrambling up Dr. Johnson's breast, apparently with much satisfaction, while my friend smiling and half-whistling, rubbed down his back, and pulled him by the tail; and when I observed he was a fine cat, saying, 'Why yes, Sir, but I have had cats whom I liked better than this;' and then as if perceiving Hodge to be out of countenance, adding, 'but he is a very fine cat, a very fine cat indeed."</span></blockquote>
A year or so ago, we visited <a href="http://www.drjohnsonshouse.org/" target="_blank">Dr Johnson's House</a> at 17 Gough Square, London. If you ever get a chance to look round it, do, as it is one of London's historic hidden gems.<br />
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Hodge, sitting squarely on a copy of the famous dictionary with his oyster dinner next to him, is immortalised in bronze on a plinth in the centre of the square.<br />
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In the house, they sell small resin copies of the bronze Hodge and we came away with one, which now lives in our dining room.<br />
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When I first started the Mini House Project, my husband said "You're not going to try and make Hodge are you, he'd be far too small?"<br />
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Well, Fimo polymer clay is a wonderful thing, and that is fighting talk.<br />
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Sprayed in my favourite pewter spray paint and dabbed with a thin layer of copper acrylic, the Mini Hodge is very small and not quite perfectly formed, but the thought was there, if not the modelling skills.<br />
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I hope Dr Johnson would approve.<br />
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From his Dictionary of the English Language:<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Cat. <i>n.s.</i> [<i>katz</i>, Teuton. <i>chat</i>, Fr.] A domestick animal that catches mice, commonly reckoned by naturalists the lowest order of the leonine species.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Twas you incens'd the rabble:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Cats</i>, that can judge as fitly of his worth,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I can of those mysteries, which heav'n</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Will not have earth to know. <i>Shakesp. Coriolanus</i>.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Thrice the brinded <i>cat</i> hath mew'd. <i>Shakesp. Macbeth</i>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">A <i>cat</i>, as she beholds the light, draws the ball of her eye small and long, being covered over with a green skin, and dilates it at pleasure. <i>Peacham on Drawing</i>.</span></div>
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</span></span>Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-6367877714073008902013-01-22T20:50:00.003+00:002013-09-20T19:47:16.193+01:00"Printer's Lead" roof flashingOne of the handy things about working at the family printing firm, especially one that has been in business for over 100 years, is that we have an old Victorian factory full of random bits and pieces that are no longer used in printing, but which can be put to good use on the Mini House.<br />
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Printer's Leads are just one such thing. They are strips of thin lead that were used in <a href="http://britishletterpress.co.uk/letterpress-guides/composition/leading-and-other-spacing-materials/" target="_blank">hand typesetting</a> to space lettering.<br />
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My Father in law has a big box full of them, left over from the years when all typesetting was done without the aid of an iMac. He occasionally still uses them when we get a specialist order.<br />
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His box is considerably emptier since I discovered it...</div>
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They are easy to cut with a scalpel, and the thinnest ones are pliable enough to score and fold. They make perfect roof flashing. I'm sure I will find other uses for them as the Mini House Project continues. </div>
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I was very happy the day I found them in the factory. Father in law, less so.<br />
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The lead flashing made from printer's "leads"</div>
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Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-83830621826854095292013-01-22T17:36:00.002+00:002013-09-20T19:47:48.684+01:00The ShrubberyI'm not green fingered by nature and am really quite a danger to all plant life when attempting any form of gardening. So when I had the idea a while back, of "enhancing" the approach to our real house with some topiary, I thought I would play it safe, for the plants at least.<br />
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The not very impressive afterall "real" topiary...</div>
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Instead of buying the real thing and artistically clipping it into some whimsical shape for the amusement of all to see, I trotted to our local garden centre and purchased two, not very realistic, but user friendly, fake privet balls and popped them on top of a couple of zinc flower pots. Job done. I had myself a shrubbery! And no watering needed.<br />
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To make the same for the Mini House was not quite so simple. For a start, I didn't want to spend any money, and the only 1:12 topiary I had seen was made of resin, was very costly, and even less realistic than my plastic balls!<br />
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So, having found two smallish Christmas tree baubles and some hollow plastic pipe, I attempted to make something similar to the real(ish) thing on our doorstep.<br />
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I have "acquired" from my Father in law's paint stash, some amazing pewter spray paint, which I have already used on the roof and hearth in the Mini House. It has graphite in it, so once dry, you can buff it to a sheen with a soft cloth. It worked really well on the cut pipe to make the zinc flower pots. And to make them look water stained, I added a bit of watered down white acrylic dabbed on with my fingertip.<br />
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The shrubs themselves are made from the baubles covered in green acrylic paint mixed with sawdust and wood glue. Once dry, I coated them in another thick layer of wood glue, before rolling them in freeze dried mixed herbs from the kitchen cupboard, and more sawdust. Then a coat of matt acrylic varnish and a second layer of herbs, with an additional a sprinkling of moss picked from our neighbouring woods, which I dried and chopped into tiny fragments. Finally a few individual herb leaves were added with a spot more wood glue.<br />
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And these are the results. Not strictly in proportion but good enough I hope. <br />
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The mini version looking slightly less fake than the "real" thing</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #151515; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif;">"Then, when you have found the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #151515; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #151515; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">shrubbery, you must place it here, beside this</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #151515; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #151515; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">shrubbery, only slightly higher so you get a two-level effect with a little path running down the middle." <i>Head Knight of Ni, Monty Python's Holy Grail</i></span><i> </i></span></div>
Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-38974964748869131322013-01-21T20:36:00.003+00:002013-09-20T19:48:18.048+01:00The arched front doorAlthough the plan was to make the inside of the Mini House echo the interior of No 1. Heatherside Corner, the outside was never going to look the same. For a start, we don't have an ornate wooden veranda on either level, or bay and dormer windows.<br />
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The real deal</div>
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We do have an arched oak front door though, which is something the Mini House did not possess.<br />
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In fact, its front door was a little odd. While most of the external fittings were obviously part of the original kit, its previous owner had gone "off roading" when it came to the front door. It was half the size it should have been, and only the most vertically challenged Bender would have been able to walk upright through it. So it had to go.<br />
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I'm not blessed with an aptitude for carpentry. So armed with my Bosh multi tool and a sense of purpose, but with a slight feeling of dread that if I got this bit wrong I would ruin the whole of the front of the house, I made a bigger hole. <br />
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With my rudimentary woodworking skills holding me back somewhat, I had hoped that I would be able to buy an arched front door kit. But it became apparent from searching the various dolls house forums, that unless I wanted a large glass-free ledge and brace church door, I was out of luck.<br />
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Without the necessary skills to whittle one from scratch, I settled for the next best thing. Divine inspiration, you could call it. I bought a gothic church window kit instead. This gave me the frame (cut down as the door frame) and the internal surround (which became the surround of the actual door).<br />
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Together with some window struts left over from the first patio door kit I bought (which went wrong at an early stage and fell apart), and an off-cut of ply, I have made a slightly wonky, but reasonable stab at an arched door.<br />
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The addition of two glass bullseyes was supposed to finish it off, but I'm not entirely happy with them at the moment. I really need a way of making the glass look more "Flemish", as they stick out like two sore thumbs, but as yet have no ideas how to go about it.<br />
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Any suggestions would be gratefully received.<br />
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My slightly wonky version of the real thing with a large amount of artistic license thrown in for good measure</div>
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<br />Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7473899281592143624.post-87801222458292065702013-01-18T19:10:00.002+00:002013-09-20T19:48:44.777+01:00The Mini House Project<br />
As children, growing up in the 1970's, my sister and I shared a much loved dolls house.<br />
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Mr and Mrs Bender lived there with their children Tommy and Sally. Probably socially inappropriate today, their surname was down to the flexible wire in their legs, which would pop out of the back of their knees, if you bent their legs the wrong way. We did that rather a lot. It was a novelty. Our own small legs only bent one way. Unless you count the time, when aged 10, I was doing hobby horse jumps in the back garden and ripped a ligament in my left knee. Then, and only then, I understood what we had put the Bender Family through.<br />
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The Benders owned the smallest bar of pink plastic soap I’d ever seen, which kept getting vacuumed up, when we carelessly and frequently lost it in our bedroom carpet pile. It had to be regularly rescued by our long suffering Mother from the Hoover bag, to placate her two sobbing infants, and four small, unwashed, rubber people.<br />
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Having no children between us, our beloved dolls house has been handed on over the years to various extended family children and I suspect the Bender Family have relocated to the Big Dolls House in the Sky. <br />
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I'm all grown up now, on the surface, but secretly I wish it was still mine.<br />
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So when I spotted a dilapidated dolls house in a local antique centre, looking for a new home, I bought it.<br />
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It wasn't old or handmade, as ours had been. It was a modern flat-pack kit based on a Victorian house, which someone had attempted to put together and furnish. Rather badly, and in an enthusiastically "gluey" fashion.<br />
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I thought I would do it up, for fun. But that wasn't really a challenge, when you can buy anything your heart desires, ready made, for dolls houses nowadays.<br />
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One evening, while contemplating how to strip the weird, green, brick patterned paper off the exterior, I had an idea. Why not try to make it, or the interior at least, look like the inside of our life-size Victorian cottage, which my husband, pooch and I have renovated over the past 8 years?<br />
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And so it started.<br />
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Turning the Mini House into No.1. Heatherside Corner.<br />
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This blog follows the successes and failures of the project....<br />
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The Mini House arrives at No.1 Heatherside Corner</div>
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Pearly Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07035218394406737230noreply@blogger.com1