Inspiration for my new house!

I spend alot of yesterday as you can imagine, staring at my new pressie and picturing how it could look.

When I bought it home i had a picture in my head and straight away went to my list of blogs to find a picture I could show John of how I see this house looking........someday!!!

And here it is. The beautiful house is hand built by the very talented Linda Carswell of http://une-petite-folie.blogspot.com/

I found Linda's blog a while back and was quite in awe at her amazing house. It looks so lifelike, and each room is meticulously decorated by Linda, with so much attention to detail. Each room looks like its stepped out of a glossy Home magazine!

I love this French style, with all the ivory furniture, the shabby chicness of it, the elegance. That is my dream for my house!

But where to start? This house is very dark, grey exterior, very dark wood floors, panels, skirting etc. John thinks it a shame to change all this dark wood but I have so many dark houses, we need something light and 'pretty' to brighten us up abit, it cant all be spooky and gothic!!

So it will be a fair bit of work to change it, but I probably would have changed all the flooring anyway to hide all the lighting wires which can all stay.

As for the exterior I am not the most confident of people when it comes to painting. Look at my posting on my Sweeney floor, ripped up and started it over as it just wouldnt go as I wanted it!!

Other friends and fellow bloggers have been so very helpful in the past on helping me with painting teqniques.

Nikki, so great with helping me with my floors and bread oven brickwork,

George the Mini guy, sending me detailed instructions and tips on roofing effects, and now Linda too!

I contacted Linda to ask if she had any tips on the exterior paintwork in particular, and she was lovely enough to write straight back with a great email detailing the colours and methods she used for that wonderful stone effect paintwork she has on her own house.

Linda's work is all trial and error like with us all, and its so hard to explain in an email, but I think I have grasped how to go about moving ahead. I will have a trip to the DIY shop for several shades of stone, beige and grey paints, and move on from there, and learn from the tip, little is better. Its easier to add to, than to have to remove!

So wish me luck. Not sure what way to paint the house, if a brush is used or if it should be sponged on, but from Linda's tips, I need to add layers of different coloured paints to build up the paint effect.

Any other tips or advice would be gratefully recieved, but Id like to thank Linda so much for all her kind help and advice, and on her interior painting too.

I have added a book to my Christmas list on French style miniatures, and I have loads of furniture i can paint and use so that part wont cost me much. That big pile for selling on ebay has now lessended as Ill need to use it now!!

Dont be worried if your watching the Sweeeny, Potter and Snow White houses progress, as I will flit between each house!

For now I need to finish the Sweeney house first as its so close to be able to start furnishing, so I wont get sidetracked by the new one just yet.......but watch this space!!!