Vulture's Roost Update ~ Kitchen fireplace...

The dilemma... I wanted a huge fireplace for the witches to cook in. It needed to be huge in a tiny kitchen, after much indecision I decided to sacrifice a window and build a custom size fireplace to fit this space ~ I have had this cast iron cauldron for years and thought it would be perfect to hang over the fire... how wrong I was ~  

I built a wood base to just fit in my opening ~ I then got my trusty egg carton stash and cut bricks  to line the  firebox and hearth ~ I then got all my bricks glued and a coat of my trusty black paint, in between all this I was sending pictures to friend Julie ~ I then cut stones for the wall and glued them and applied much paint ~ Here you have the bare bones so to speak ~

I then added trim and my mantel with the green beads ~ I  had planned on going around my hearth with fancy iron work but I broke it ~ I tore up my studio looking for something to use and thought I will make it with card stock ~ So I found some fancy edge scissors, cut my card stock and glued it on adding more paint ~ I snapped this picture with my cauldron and vintage andirons I had planned to use  ~ I also added a shelf to the top  ~ I liked this but didn't think the andirons were working and my cauldron looked dinky :( I then remembered this brass cauldron that I thought would be too big to ever use in a 1/12 scale house ~ I stuck the brass cauldron in and thought it worked but had to send poor Julie pictures ~ 

Here is a picture of my almost finished fireplace with the brass cauldron and a bit of my brass collection just to see how it will look someday ~ Sorry for all the pictures Julie ~

The Witches Kitchen at Vultures Roost ~ The fireplace still needs a few tweaks and I need to do a proper fire ~ I had no idea it would take me 3 days to build a simple fireplace ~


Dark Squirrel Blog Giveaway Reminder ~

The drawing will be April 2 ~
3 Winners ~ 3 prizes ~
Pictures of the prizes will be posted soon, I have been finishing up on them ~
Enter on the Giveaway Post ~


Victoria ❤ 

Meet new blogger Dale Fluty

I would like to Welcome Dale Fluty to Blogland. Dale is a very talented guy and I think you will really enjoy checking out his new blog. Dale has made some awesome dolls in the past, you will find links to his gallery and website at his blog. I love the new project he is working on, a metaphysical shop called The Mystic Path in one inch scale. Dale's work is a little dark which you know is my favorite. Everyone go check out Dale's blog and say Hello.

You will find Dale's blog here http://dalesdollhousedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/03/mystic-pathpart-2.html?spref=fb.

Thank you and Happy Sunday

Meet Dale Fluty ~

Victoria ❤

200 Follower Giveaway...

Thank you to all of you who read and follow my blog. When I started this blog I thought  maybe a few friends would follow and probably not comment, I started this blog to record projects I was working on. I had no idea I would have 200 followers, writing is not my forte as you have probably guessed. Thank you for your friendship and kind and helpful comments. I love blogs and if you have a miniatures blog I probably read and follow it. Now for the Giveaway. The winning names will be drawn on Sat. April 2.
I will draw 3 names for my giveaway. I will post pictures of the prizes at a later date. To get your name in the drawing make a comment on this post and if you have a blog please include your blog so others can go check it out.

Victoria ❤

Vulture's Roost has grown a lawn...

I had this lawn mat that I had forgotten about, I think it looks much better than the moss.  I am also thinking about changing out the tree, I saw this one setting on the shelf of my studio, it will need to be grunged up a bit for my taste. You have to remember I am only using stuff I already have to finish the house. Any money spent will be for contents made by other miniature artists. This is my Recession House ~

I made a little stone walk way and edging for the lawn from egg carton, I am not finished painting on it yet ~

The Zombunnies don't seem to mind that the grass is artifical, but I don't think they eat grass anyway ~

The big so far view ~

I will be making a give away post tonight or tomorrow so stay tuned.

Victoria ❤

Vulture's Roost News and New Dark Squirrel Items

Steampunk Blues a mini cupboard ~ http://www.etsy.com/listing/69399407/steampunk-blues-mini-cupboard-ooak-in

Welcome New followers ~ I will be posting a 200 follower giveaway next week sometime. I would like to Thank my followers for your kind comments, support and friendship 

Dragon Tears Potion Bottle ~http://www.etsy.com/listing/68184689/dragon-tears-potion-bottle-in-112-scale

Werewolf Elixir ~ to remove those pesky werewolves ~ http://www.etsy.com/listing/69466264/werewolf-elixir-potion-bottle-in-112

I have started adding vines and making a huge mess with moss trying to see what if I want a moss lawn. I need to put an edge around my board so the moss doesn't shed everywhere. I also wanted a picture of Lucas my new vulture at his new home. Lucas is a creation of Julie Rodgers of Celtic JuJu http://www.etsy.com/shop/jujurodgers .

Lucas is wise and friendly ~

A mess of moss ~

Victoria ♥   

Dark Squirrel News Flash ~

Dark Secrets is the name of this mini cupboard ~

Hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend. I just wanted to pop in and share what I have been working on this week. The cupboards are for sale in my Etsy shop ~

Victoria ♥

Poisoned is the name of this cupboard ~

The mini cupboards measure about 3 inches tall and 1 3/4 inches wide ~ they are finished  and embellished the same as my full size cupboards ~ the mini cupboards can be attached to the wall of your doll house with wax or blue tack or stand alone on a table ~ 

Side view of Poisoned ~

Side view of Dark Secret ~

No 13 Dead End Drive ~

No 13 Dead End Drive ~ I managed to get a plaque with the house number by the door ~

This lion is very special to me, my Grandfather gave it to me when I was a child, I thought it would be perfect over the drawing room window ~

The cast iron cauldron which will hang over the fire ~ I have decided to cover this window with a huge fireplace. I haven't decided what it will look like yet ~

A planter made by my daughter and some Zombunnies who will live in the Vulture Garden ~

Thank you Glenda so much for the toadstool rug, I received it yesterday.  The work you put in your rugs is amazing, I love the colors! Be sure to visit Glenda's blog http://peppercornminis.blogspot.com/.

Vulture's Roost progress has been slow. I have been busy with other projects but have found a little time to work on her ~

Green Fairy

Greetings Friends and Welcome to new followers ~

I wanted to share my latest cupboard listed in my Etsy shop DarkSquirrel ~

Enjoy the pictures ~

Victoria ♥

Green Fairy

She is filled with perfume bottles and fairy pictures ~

The icing ~

Dragon Flys galore ~

I hold many secrets ~

Vulture's Roost Progress....

This is the Wonderful vulture that Julie of Celtic JuJu made for me.

Isn't he handsome? I think so. Julie makes magical ravens too in addition to her  fantasy dolls and gypsy wagon kits. You can visit her Magical shop here

The Widows Walk has been painted and attached to the gingerbread.  Coming in the future will be a Vulture Garden on the roof ~

I put a stone border all around the house ~

I had to put up my Awesome Dragon Head by Nicky CC in the Dragon Room. You can visit Nicky Cooper at her  ebay store here

Faux stone foundation made from egg carton ~

I haven't worked on Vulture's Roost much but thought I would post my progress so far.

Happy Valentines Day ♥
Victoria 

WIP Haunted House...Vultures Roost

I would like to Thank everyone for your name suggestions, although I picked the name Daydreamer picked the perfect address for the house. The house will be located at No. 13 Dead End Drive, Daydreamer please contact me.

I have decided to call the house Vultures Roost. I am planning to have a vulture garden on the roof. I need to glue down the gingerbread and widows walk on the roof next. I am still deciding on the flooring and walls in the attic. I want to add a wall to make 2 rooms. One, the smallest will be where the vampires sleep. They will have little coffins made into beds. The larger room will be a dorm type room for the witches. This could all change but at this time thats the plan, a girl always needs a plan.

My next challenge is a fireplace for the kitchen and where to put it. I am torn between under the back window which would look dumb unless I cover the window or to put it under the stairs. I want a fireplace for the witches to cook in and not have a stove. Suggestions Welcome.


Well that is all for now...
Victoria ♥

WIP Haunted House...

First I would like to Welcome all the new followers to my blog, Thank you for your kind comments, support, suggestions and friendship ~

Floor of drawing room ~

Sorry I have been away from my blog for so long. I haven't had much to show on my house. I did get the flooring in the small room and the drawing room. Thank you Michelle for the suggestion to use cracker boxes for flooring, I cut small squares to floor the drawing room. I had enough egg carton for the small room so I did small stones there. I have most of the trim on the base boards and have been grunging up the walls a bit.

The dirty copper roof ~

The kitchen ~

I shingled the roof and am adding lots of trim. I would like to thank Susan for your kind offer of the shingles. I don't know if I am finished painting on the shingles, it is supposed to look like old dirty copper.

The roof top is going to have a special garden so I haven't attached the trim yet.

Tomorrow I will  post the name of my haunted house.

Victoria ♥

Small room flooring ~

WIP Haunted House Monday

Dragon's Eye

I am not getting much done on my house as you can see. I had some sales last week so had to get them packed up and mailed off. I was going to do wood flooring but changed my mind as I had a bunch of egg cartons so I will do some wood and some stone. I put a big dragon eye on one of the oval windows and glued some vintage glass jewels on the shutters, I have more window plans so I am not done. The floors in the kitchen and the Dragon room  (yes I said dragon room) are stones cut from egg carton, painted black and high lighted with brown, gray, green and tan to look like stone. I will seal them with a matte sealer after it drys overnight. Next I will stone the small room and put some trim and base board in the completed rooms. I hope the weather is better in your part of the world than here, snow and freezing temps here.

Haunted House

Shutters with Bling ~

Ready for paint ~

2 rooms with stone ~

The Kitchen ~

Stay Warm
Victoria ♥

WIP Haunted House Tuesday

Thank you everyone for your suggestions for a name, keep them coming. If I choose your name suggestion I will send you some potion bottles.

Today I finished the front door and shingles. The door has skulls, a lion door knocker and a knob I made from beads. I had been saving the door knocker for when I built my castle but after 8 years I don't see me building it LOL. I also put up some of the gingerbread trim and still need to put the finish on it. I cut a piece of foam board to set the house on but might change it to wood, I just want it to be light so I can move it easily. Here are my photos from today, any helpful hints are welcome.

Door and shutters

A bit of progress

Gingerbread trim

Victoria ♥