The Orangery

In another dolls house development - I've built an orangery. When I bought the house, I bought the basement as an added extra, and when you stand the house on it, the french windows from the kitchen open out onto nothing! My idea had been to construct a conservatory or orangery next to the house with a flat roof which would be a roof garden, and I was going to build it from scratch because none of the kits I could find were the right size. But then I found a Dolls House Emporium Orangery which has been discontinued for a few years) on eBay. This was just about the right size, nd although didnt hve a flat roof, I was fairly certain I could adapt it to have one.  It was a plain MDF kit, so plenty of opportunity to decorate it the way I wanted to.This the first time I had it out of the box, just checking it fits, and you can see the hanging french windows.

The first thing I did was a "dry build" where you put it together held with masking tape, so you can work out how you're going to decorate it etc. I decided to paint it in sections, before assembling it. All of the windows came in multiple pieces and had to be assembled - very fiddly, and everything took several coats of paint.

I went for a pale green and white theme which I thought matched the house, and looked a bit French! I wanted to make the inside very sumptious and lush, so had already decided  on a marble floor, and wanted some sort of tiled effect or murals in the arches at the back. I downloaded and printed loads of pictures and experimented with them, until setting on Alfonse Mucha's the Seasons - could only use 3 so missed out winter! 

Eventually I had it all assembled and I was able to put it next to the house

My next trip was to Miniautra, the miniatres exhibition in Birmingham where I conentrated on buying plant and garden material - I got quite a haul!

I made myself a pond using the stone trough, some plants, some goldfish I made from Fimo, and solid water. You can see it in the finished roof garden

Actually it's not finished - I'm still experimenting with it. Nothing is fastened down so I keep moving things around to see what looks best. I've even got some veg and an apple tree by the back door. All of the pots and beds I bought empty and made myself

Inside the orangery I'm still experimenting with what to put in it. This is what it looks like at the moment

Lots of plants, a chandelier, a table set with champagne, vases and garlands. I'm looking forward to putting a Christmas tree in, and lots of fairy lights!  I'm quite pleased with it, but it will probably remain a work in progress for a while.

Decorating the fourth wall

Right  it's definitely time I posted about my Dolls House - its over a year since I did! Not that I haven't been up to stuff, but I haven't got round to writing about it. One of the things I was thinking a lot about last year, was what to do with the inside of the doors that you open to see into the house. I had originally just painted them cream, and then added some curtains to some, but it didn't look right. So, I decided to decorate them to match the rooms. I've since found out it's called the fourth wall.

I started with the nursery, and painted the walls as close a match to the wallpaper as I could, and then cut out the balloons from the wallpaper and stuck them on upside down. Did something similar with a mixture of paint and wallpaper in the pink room - was quite proud of the results!

Then I started on the other rooms. I tries wherever possible to match up skirting boards and picture rails, and the wallpaper and any border. Some I painted to match. I managed to find curtains or blinds to match every room, and added as much detail as possible by sticking things to the wall. This is ground floor hall for example.

and the kitchen

The lights are battery operated so no need to wire them in.

The window seat I change occasionally, sometimes with flowers and champagne, and at Christmas it had a small tree, champagne and fruit meringues!

All of the fourth walls are now finished, and I think it makes the house look a lot more finished.

My next task will be to decorate it for Halloween with all of the pumpkins, candles and toadstools I've made from polymer clay.

Last few days at Whitby

Thursday was another lovely morning. Nothing particularly I wanted to go to, so had a wander round the shops, and met everyone in The Shambles for lunch.

Then off to the storytelling - first one I've been to - Pete Gritton and Gill Redmond - an excellent hour of stories and music.

In the evening it was the traditional themed ceilidh, and this year it was "Narnia". Not an easy one to think of costumes for, but we had an excellent wardrobe and a Lucy.

I made the mistake of letting someone loose on my face and hair with silver make up, and went as the White Witch

A great night and of course the band entered into the swing of things as well

And even Newcastle Kingsmen did a rapper dance featuring Will the Wardrobe Hampson. If this link works, watch it - it's hilarious!

Friday started with a talk on the life and times of Orkney's  John Rae, a Victorian Arctic explorer who went by the nickname of Long Strider. Told in story, song, verse and music by Bob Pegg. Very entertaining.

Then I went for a walk, over the new bridge and along the estuary. The view from the bridge into Whtiby is one of my favourites.

Met Stuart who was in a music session with the Longhill Ramblers, and then walked out along the pier. although the sun was out, it was pretty windy and cold - couldn't believe some people were in the sea!

Had a really good view of some cormorants sitting on the pier

and then caught some dancing at the bandstand on the way back - the colourful Gog Magog Molly

and Mortimers Morris

Then it was up for our traditional pint in the Elsinore to watch the procession go past, lead by Goathland Plough stots carrying the garland

Pie and mash from the pie and mash shop (where else) for tea, and our usual attempt to finish off what we had left in the drinks cabinet (not much by now!)

Jez Lowe was on in the Spa Theatre, so we caught a great concert from him

before the final ceilidh where as usual everyone gathers. Not as lively as usual, but we had a good dance anyway, and then it was time for the garland to be carried out, and the singing of Wild Mountain Thyme before we all got a piece of heather to take home.




Late night walk back and a final nightcap.

Saturday is an early start, coffee in town, walk round the shops, and lunch in the Crooked Billet on the way home.

Great week again - fantastic weather, good acts, and of course the lovely town that is Whitby. Just realised I haven't mentioned the Yards this year, so here's a picture of one. They're all over. So called because they're a yard wide apparently

Whitby - costumes, walks and salad!

Tuesday

Long walk up to the Rugby Club in the morning for a talk on traditional dress in the North East. Never quite sure what you're going to get in these talks, but this was really interesting. It was about the fisher women of a village in the North East called Cullercoats, and the lady giving the talk had researched their costume. Lots of petticoats, thick skirt, blouse, shawl and bonnet. And of course, open drawers. Called either easy access if they were in two pieces, or harvesters if they were in one piece. As in all is gathered in :-). Very interesting talk.

After that we headed for a rather fine crab salad at The Shambles

And then a walk to the Spa. The sun was shining and got some great views of this beautiful town.

On at the spa was a concert from John Kirkpatrick who was doing "Tunes from the Trenches" in commemoration of 100 years since WW1 started. He sang a mixture of songs from both wars, some of them music hall based, some from the soldiers, some funny, some very sad. Excellent concert.

After that it was Family Folk Tunes where a 100 folkies really are asked an assortment of questions - I know, I'm one of them :-) - which the two teams have to guess the answers to. Another fine event MCd by Stanley Accrington,

Then back home for a very nice beef stew cooked in the slow cooker, and a bit of a rest before setting off to the spa again where we had a few dances and watched Mortimers Morris do the floor spot.

It was also the annual Speed Ploughing Championship were various people see how fast they can play 2As and 2Bs of the speed the plough. Winners are normally around 15/16 seconds, with additional prizes given for humour!

Wednesday
We'd agreed that this was going to be our annual seafood salad day so I started by going shopping. Very few lobsters or crabs to be got, probably the seas were too choppy. But I managed to hunt some down, and some other tasty things. Then a walk up Caedmon's Trod which used to lead us to our holiday cottage. Quite a trek but it did give us amazing views every morning and evening.

Of course the cottages fell down a couple of years ago, which is really sad

Then onto the abbey where I had a great ice cream. Not the wisest thing to do when you've walked up three to burn off some calories.



Great view from up there, and I watched the Bark Endeavour being tossed all over the place on the choppy seas. Glad I wasn't on it - felt sick just watching 



Then walked down and discovered that the Abbey steps had a marker on every 10th step. Who knew???

On my way down I discovered a lonely Morris Dancer dancing his way up to the Abbey, and he made it to the top. The others cheated and walked!




Cheeky pint in The Angel and then to the Coliseum to here Graham Pirt give his excellent history in slides and songs of the Miners Union in the North East which although we've heard it before is excellent.

Back for tea!!

It was quite a salad and Beka, Paul and family came to help us eat it. Lots of good food, fizz and wine.
Then a few dances at the late night extra, and back for the usual nightcap.


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Whitby part 2

Sunday
Lovely bright sunny morning, and we went to a workshop on songs of the North East. Ably and hilariously compared by Johnny Handle, it featured several singers from Tyneside and Teeside explain gin how they'd got into singing local songs, and giving us some examples. The Mighty Wilsons were there again, and it was a great concert. At the end they gave a joint rendition of Union Miners, a great way to finish.


On the way out we spotted our local dance team, Sheffield City Morris Men who were dancing at what used to be called the Scoresby Monument until it blew down a couple of years ago.


With them were Mortimers Morris, another of my favourite teams


So I stayed and watched and chatted to friends in the sun. then off to the Station for a pork pie and a pint!
After that I did a bit of concert dashing. Up to the Rifle Club to see Jim woodland, a singer songwriter who I remember from many years ago when he used to come to the Hefts and Blades folk club with the Salami Brothers. he was an absolute joy to listen to.



Then a dash to the Spa Theatre where I caught Tich Frier, who was excellent and gave a passionate tribute to the centenary of the First World War singing some great songs from the trenches, including When This Lousy War is Over, and At The end of The Road.
The Foxglove Trio were up next, and I really enjoyed them. A singer, and guitar and melodeon player, and a wonderful cellist.


Then it was back to the flat for dinner, and then out to the Spa for another dance.

Monday
This morning's workshop was on Songs in South Yorkshire Customs from Ruaridh Greig. He'd done a lot of research on "house visiting" customs including the Tup, Old Horse, Wassailing and Caking. Unfortunately most of them have died out know, but I was surprised how prevalent they used to be in villages around Sheffield, and how local they are. I'd always assumed they were fairly national ones. A great talk.
Up to the Rifle Club again for lunch, and then down to The Coliseum to Cath John Kirkpatrick, who gave a great performance as always.


I came straight out and got in the queue for the next concert which was the April Verch Trio. A Canadian fiddle player and step dancer with a bass player and guitarist. Wow, they were fantastic. Lots of bluegrass, Appalachian, old fashioned swing, and some amazing step dancing.





Back into the queue again for Dance Adversity Challenge, two dance teams in a spoof of University challenge.

Back to the flat for a rest and some fish and chips ( second so far, good job we get plenty of walking in!), then we all went our different ways to concerts, and I went up to the spa to see April Verch again. Unfortunately as I left the flat, the heavens opened and I got thoroughly drenched. My jeans were soaked, and were still wet four hours later. Despite sitting steaming int he audience, I Really enjoyed it, and her step dancing was some of the fastest I've seen, even whilst playing the fiddle!
The the Welsh band Calan were on, who were also very good.


And they had some clog dancing to accompany them


All met up in the late night extra for more dancing, and a spot from another Sheffield team, Boggarts Breakfast, who had decorated themselves with blue lights for the occasion.