Vickie's Vintage...and how it was built, Part 1

 

Hi, All. Some things going on with the dolls, slow but sure!

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Finally, the girls empty Vickie's Vintage for the construction of a second floor for a bridal/formal salon. Holds on construction have been due to typical Chicago building code snags and decisions.

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Back at Vickie's townhouse---

Richelle presents storyboards for choosing surfaces for the new construction.

Richelle: This board I call 'pearly'...with a bit of dull gold trim.

Vickie: I like the flooring, it looks to be the similar to the HFIM house. 

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Vickie: This pearlized paper would be pretty in the dressing rooms. 

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I love the flooring

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Ah, this will be a great blend with the existing silvered cement floors on the main level. This model really gives me an idea of what it might look like.

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Richelle: Well, this is the 'silver' board, all dulled surfaces, except this glittered paper.

Vickie: Oh, that is too much glitter, I like this softer one below though. I see you used the same flooring. I really the like the look of the silver palette.

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Richelle: Yes, this goes well with both palettes. And is durable and luxurious.

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Richelle: Here is my suggested layout for the upstairs with display closets and racks along the back wall, with seating banquettes at the railings. A center dais in front of a huge tri-fold mirror. Two massive chandeliers should light the entire balcony and will show through the exterior windows.

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Richelle: (Holding her breath) I hope you like it, so we can go forward. I actually have a source for the closets. We can decide on the details, as we go along. I have to check with BMR Ltd. and see what will be considered as building improvements and to get their okay.

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Vickie: Can we make the closets portable, or is that impractical? I've had three changes since the shop started. I've really learned to be modular. 

Richelle: The source closets I have in mind are pretty flexible. We could put them on wheels under the kick plate, but we will have to anchor them to the walls then for safety, maybe with a locking mechanism.

Vickie: So many decisions. What were you planning to use for railings?

Richelle: Clear acrylic to keep it nice and airy. I was hoping to find clear banquettes, also. 

Vickie: Hmmm, I really like that idea. Nothing to obstruct the view of the new level. Great, whatever is feasible and okay with the building codes. BMR has been super---Ms.Roberts wants to do renewal on this entire block. Richelle, you've done a fabulous presentation, I love it all. Let me know when I can see these closets. 

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Richelle: Well, I'm so thankful for the referral to work for you and BMR, it's a great start for my career.

Vickie: What about your wedding? I thought it was going to be next month?

Richelle: We are both so busy with work, we've bumped it to sometime in fall, maybe October. My Dad and Uncle are both really busy from now on until then. (Sigh)

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Vickie: If you haven't found a wedding dress, maybe you can be my first customer.

Richelle: I hope so---! LOL, if we get all our projects, done!

Vickie: Now, l love the board you made for the for the townhouse. I can't wait to start on at least the floors now, and cover the couch with that turquoise fabric you brought. It's perfect.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Sharing at these Ad Free blog parties-with ads not in the middle of the blog (I'm going to try and see if this is possible)

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi

Summertime in my Doll World !

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My DOLLS, enjoying the summer weather!

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I miss these two, Rory and Nemo...from the old HFIM house. 

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Max seemed to be in charge of the grill.

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Some old faces at the cookout!

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Rooftop summer buffet!

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Definitely looks delicious!

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The kids in the pool....best part about summer!

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Hope you have a great SUMMER! 

If you enjoyed this post please follow this blog by blogger or FOLLOW IT which you will find in the upper right hand corner of this page. 

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use my photos without linking back to this blog or without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi

Spring in Chicagoland or IS IT?

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 Is it Spring in Chicagoland? 

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I'm Trish here at my Garden Center and Flower shop on the near Northside and Lake Michigan has kept our weather cool and unpredictable. Here, we have adjusted our garden center to help you to do Spring in Chicagoland.

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Since the weather can't make up it's mind. (chuckle)

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We have a large selection of perennials and hardy annuals that are ready for planting now. 

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Tulips are still in bloom, and many great gifts for Mother's Day.

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Cam has the greenhouse full of house plants and more tender starts for when the weather improves. We have a huge selection of garden statuary, pots, plant stands and mini ponds. We will be bringing in new stock everyday from our Batavia greenhouses.

 Special orders are always WELCOME!

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Running in ponds or birdbaths water are soothing as well as beneficial for the birds, butterflies and bees.

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We have Birdhouses and Gnomes and of course Sunflowers for a great sunny theme for your yard or home.

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We specialize in live and artificial arrangements for your outdoors or home. (All in doll scale)

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Frogs frolic in dry ponds, also lots of pottery and ceramic accessories for your yard or home.

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Our Green House is full of plants and decor, as well as hand tools and supplies.

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A greenhouse needs air-circulation to help maintain temperatures. Did you know that moving air makes your plants and flowers stronger?!

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All colors and sorts of potted flowers and plants are in our Greenhouse.

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We have unusual pottery and planters. Custom plantings are available or DIY!

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The fresh stems are always available for your own designs or for gifts. Say it With Fresh Flowers!!

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Always include foliage with your flowers... texture is wonderful in arrangements.

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Lots of garden tools, birdhouses, flags and banners.

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Don't forget Seeds, Pots, and Dirt, Compost and Fertilizers.

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Anyone need a Hedge Hog?

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A frog bath for small spaces. We also have larger pond installations available on our website.

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What garden would not be complete without rocks, stepping stones and plants.

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Come on down to Trish's Garden Center and Flower Shop...we are ready to assist you with all your Garden, Floral or Planting needs. 

And hopefully it will be SPRING soon!

DIY's and sources.

I'm a scrounge collector and many of the miniatures are thrift store finds, Dollar store items, or crafted by me. The large center plant stand came from Target and painted to match all the other store props. 

Greenhouse: adapted from an unbuilt Ikea mini greenhouse, added a taller bottom half scaled to the dolls. All shelving and interiors were added with scrap wood, Door was added later. Lid opens and has battery light attached.

Flower shop construction starts Floral Shop: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Florals are all bits in pieces mounted in foam, with/without moss, plants and bushes: Here

Flowers: Here and Weddings: Here

Plant stands: were purchased on Temu...and each came with pots..perfect scale for Dolls at 1:6 scale.

By all means enhance your dioramas with faux greenery and flowers...great way to seasonally change out a diorama. 

Thanks so much for visiting,

 I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.

 Please do not use my photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

BarbieOldNewGreenRedo, is an ad-free blog.  

I do not endorse or receive any $$ for any products I may use. I enjoy showing how I use products, 

but I do not receive any $$ from anywhere I shop.

Sandi

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Resurrecting a 1966 Barbie Family House

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I've had this for years....but had no place to set it up. I think I paid $6.99 at a thrift store with a few pieces of furniture. The roof was badly cracked. 1966 plastic doesn't survive if left out in the sun, but the the vinyl walls and floors were still vibrant and in great condition! WIN! WIN!

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Here is the outside of the case open, the graphics are so MOD FUN!

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Inside you have three very small room areas when it is opened up...here I'm trying some furniture bits and pieces. 

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The couch is original to the house, the rest are odds and ends of this and that.

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This vestibule makes the whole thing sturdy but isnt' large enough to use for much of anything. I'm thinking of placing an apartment kitchen across the doors. 

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Stingy in size this barely fills a 16" shelf. The wall brackets for the shelves steal another 3/4". 

To the left of the house now on the shelf...was this space.

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Since the doll room is in the basement I run this fan constantly and it waves back and forth making this 10" or so to the left not really useable. But, how about adding a bunk room? since two room mates would be sharing this tiny structure.

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I did some measurements and sketches and grabbed some odds and ends of foam core, papers and tapes.

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I had bits and pieces and a few sheets of printed scrapbook paper I thought would blend with the decor of the existing house. (these are the leftovers) 

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To assemble foam core walls I use duck tape, white  on the inside and (where no one will see, heavier silver duct tape to hold the corners together. I'm free floating this next to the house as I don't want to ruin the vinyl walls.

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These walls are pretty straight forward, as deep as I could make it and as wide as possible and the angle of the ceiling was designed to allow the fan to blow and turn above it.

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The scrapbood paper is applied with double stick tape.

I have a few pieces of flourescent orange/pink pieces to use for furniture, so I planned around them.

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I jutted little rooms ceiling all the way to the shelf above.

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All the assembly is on the back or outside. The colors worked really well together and blended with the vintage vinyl walls of the 1966 'Family Home'.

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Many years ago I invested in a large SQUARE measure for cutting perfect straight lines and angles. I also have a small one and a cutting mat where you always have a ruler edge.You could cut on a cardboard surface but eventually it will be shreds.

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I cut the ceiling with an extra 1/2" overlap on the back  so I could cut a notch and place the wall flush across the shelf bracket and still keep the room from moving around. I ran some loops of tape on the back wall to go on the shelf bracket also for stability.

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Eventually, I'm going to cover the pegboard bits showing with paper.  So, now there are 4 tiny rooms, lol for my room mates to share. Billie needs a small studio painting space, they need a dining area, a 'desk' and clothes storage. A challenge and will definitely need some careful arranging. 

Now of course there isn't any bed that will fit exactly so I made them one. Back in 1960 all my friends and myself made poster beds with pencils and a shoe box.

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 The box for the bed and the cover for the top of the poster bed supported with new pencils. Basically that is what this is, only with different materials.

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I used a Barbie shipping box to make a bunk bed. I covered the brown cardboard with white contact paper and then added popsicle sticks through slits for supports.  This is upside down....

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The edges are clamped holding the sticks that were put through slits in the cardboard base and top. I'll eventually paint the sticks when I decide on the  color. 

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'

Here's the bunkbed in place upside down while the glue (E-6000) sets. I just used measurements for how much room I had. The bed is shorter than 12" but EL and Billie are both petite size.

Now I have to ask them what they want in their new home? 

I'll post again when they get done moving in and decorating  their under $10.00 vintage home! 

Thanks so much for visiting,

 I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.

 Please do not use my photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

BarbieOldNewGreenRedo, is an ad-free blog.  

I do not endorse or receive any $$ for any products I may use. I enjoy showing how I use products, 

but I do not receive any $$ from anywhere I shop.

Sandi

barbieoldnewgreenredo