2016 Chicago Miniature Shows

Here are some of the goodies I got:

3 pieces from M & R Miniatures - his work is beautiful. This set is part of a collection he built for someone he was going to be the distributor for. The person got sick and the deal fell through, so he's selling his samples.

Lighting Bug - chandelier for French Country Manor:

Bespaq chair - love the fabric:

 Flowers by Kathy (I think). I've purchased her things before. Really hard to get a good picture of the world map with the glare.

Custom painted Bombe Chest:

2015 Miniature Finds Placed in House

I finally got all my furniture back out and placed it in the Thornhill, along with my recent finds from the Bishop Show and the Estate sale.

Here's the JBM tapestry chair I purchased at the show.

Here's the 3rd floor bedroom - with the cabinet and needlepoint I purchased from the estate sale

And in the game room, the JBM leather tufted chair and the Bespaq leather chair I got from New England Miniatures.

The dining room has the newly replaced Bespaq chairs (due to disintegrated foam), and the custom built stained brown corner cabinet I snagged at the estate sale.

The bath has a shelf bought at that estate sale, and needlepoint rug I got at the Bishop show. 

In the man's study, the Rocco chair and stool I got from New England Miniatures are tucked in by the fireplace, and a rifle/gun waiting for a rack on order.

This chest is from BB Miniatures - hand painted - she does beautiful work.

I got 2 of these palm trees from the Bishop show - they are Bill Lankford. They are placed in Lawbre urns.

Here's a Jeanetta Kendall  cane, and a waste basket. I've been filling up the bookcases with books etc. 

Current work

Still working on staining interior doors and the beadboard I'm using for the 3rd floor center room. I pulled out my square wood stock, and have enough for 6 - 2 at ends and the rest in between. Or I could do less. I need to start staining them as well. Switched from Minwax gel cherry to General Finish Warm Cherry, after 2 coats of the other. I wasn't getting enough of the cherry color that the stain pen I'm using on the windows was providing. I think maybe one more coat of it and that will do it. Here's the color.

Since no wallpaper is tall enough, I will most likely "plaster" the walls and then paint them with a wash. Something plain like the living room - a slight yellow/dirty wash should work fine. So I should run some tapewire just above the baseboard in the 3rd floor first, then apply drywall mud.

I purchased Bespaq furniture for the center 3rd floor room - a pool table, a small bar counter, and some pub chairs.

And the Italian tile artisan didn't have enough of my 'stars' with her at the Bishop show so I'm waiting on her to mail them. Hope it doesn't take too long - I want to finish the floor and grout.

Staining Furniture

I've been staining furniture and its been a learning experience. For some reason I've wanted to use gel stains and haven't been successful. So I switched back to regular stain and am getting the deeper richer color and finish.

I'm using Minwax Red Mahogany for the man's study bookcases, a pedestal, and the kitchen island. There's also a night stand that isn't stained enough to share.

Bookcases - Bespaq. They are coming along. I think this is the last coat but I will wait to see how they look when they are dry.

Here's the Kitchen Island. I have had this nice marble top for years and really wanted to use it. I added corbels from Lawbre, and stained it. Its looking really nice, even if it is hard to photograph.  Since adding the corbels and top, this piece is top heavy. I found some weights they use for pine derby cars and those are going to sit in the bottom shelf which will be sealed to hide them. 

 

This is a pedestal table, also Bespaq. It's also hard to photograph...it does look better than the photo.