AD-Free Blog
Our fruit-basket upset continues. Six months later, I'm still trying to find parts of all my displays and dioramas. This week I found a tote that was a total mix-up when we packed up the basement in February to finish some areas.
I spent sometime rewiring the girls' townhouse and reworking the furniture and linens a bit. At least I think so. This is a work in progress...and definitely not a finished diorama.
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The Girls' Townhouse is really two townhouses put together. The story is, it's Vickie's Old Townhouse she rents out. The girls living there are now, top left-Zoe who works at Vickie's, Mulan finished her Doctorate and teaches at the Art Institute, the seated blonde is Gilly, an air-head Zoomba instructor, and up top is Teresa, neighborhood newscaster for Channel 7 Chicago.
They are all working and living reasonably in a very high rent area of N. of the Loop, Chicago.
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Mulan: I'll be done in just a minute, Gilly. The class assignments must be posted for the the weekend, or we will be behind again this semester.
Gilly: Same here, I have to post the next two weeks classes.
Teresa: (up in the bunk) Don't feel bad, I've got expense reports for the last quarter to finish...up here on my laptop.
Gilly: I'm hungry, but I hate to go down and wake up Carly...anyone have any snacks?
Zoe: I left the laptop at work, so I don't have to anymore tonight.
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Downstairs, Carly is asleep---who is getting married in October. She's zonked out because she worked a full day, and then had three dance classes full of under 6-year olds.
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One of the new additions here is a new floor---I finally made a pattern for the entire floor because I ripped out the second set of kitchen cabinets on the right side. This gives more 'living' space, which I'm still experimenting with.
I added a new layer of foam core on the floor for a level surface. The new foam core and new paneled flooring from Dollar Tree stuck-um sheets, it took 3sheets to do this entire floor. I just added more lines to make it look like wide-plank and drew some cross pieces to make it look like 8" x 48" panel flooring.
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Biggest upgrade down here was the lighting: I added two strips of Ledberg lighting from IKEA(looks like they have been discontinued). Honestly for permanent or semi permanent installations this type of lighting is ideal. Low profile and no batteries being burned up.
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The color schemes are still a bit crazy---Lavender walls, turquoise counter types, and built-ins. I added the pantry to the right. I added a pink pantry shelf behind there. It's simply foam core covered in Dollar Tree permanent stick-um. This is actually a shiny pale pink, which is almost the same shade as the cabinet.
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The large, too pink, refrigerator fits perfect in the second doorway, but it needs to be a new color. I'm leaving the tv/computer station here, but it may get a coat of paint.
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Here's a closeup showing the extra lines for the planking, I also added 'peg dots' for holding it down.
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Finally have chairs that match. Not sure what color they will need up when I finally paint. I'm thinking of painting the counters and eliminating the turquoise downstairs. Seating for four, maybe five in a pinch with table and chairs that all need to be painted.
The table is a wood circle (Walmart) on a metal candle holder from a thrift store, one of my go-to sources for larger tables.
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Upstairs one bathroom is just a shower and sink.
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Back behind Zoe's bed is the second bath:shower, sink and toilet, exactly like the other one. I haven't figured out how to wall it off or not.
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I'm still thinking through the floor plan. I think some more built-ins on the right would work well, especially by the front door. The second stair way next to the panty will work for a coat closet. The second turquoise table can be used for food or work.
Working from home really means you have to have places for your dolls to fulfill their jobs.
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Gilly: I love living here, four or sometimes five gals paying rent is thrifty, and the girls are great. We have everything we need in this neighborhood. I walk to my two locations for classes, and also we are one block from the park. Now if we could figure out more storage for clothes, but isn't that everyone's problem?
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ARE YOUR DOLLS
REMODELING ANYTHING???
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Disclaimer: (I am nor is this blog in anyway affiliated with Mattel, Barbie, or any of the places I shop--mostly thrift stores). Any photos not mine are attributed to online sources and noted, no copyright infringement is intentional.
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Sandi
Hi Sandi. No, my dolls are divas and the only remodeling they do is to their wardrobes. LOL!!! People always tell me how much work my blog must be with all the sewing, photographing and writing involved. But I think you have just as much work if not more...given all of the multitude of tiny elements that go into mounting each post! Vicki's townhouse rental reminds me a little of the New York City apartments and all the roommates one needs to get the rent paid!
ReplyDeleteAh...we have the same sickness, just a different flavor...! Yes, the rents here are astronomical in the city, depending on location. When I broke up the HFIM house and redid the buildings, I based the price (sold) on similar real life homes in a certain neighborhood. Not totally gentrified, but being redone--the way people want to live now. Prices are worse now...astronomical at the moment. A similar real life townhouse would rent for over $2500 a month in a decent neighborhood. Some time you should share how you organize and store all your gorgeous creations! Hugs, Sandi
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