The Fairfield: Beginner-itis!

So, it's been months and months since I finally received my dollhouse kit, but apart from opening it and making sure I had all the contents, I haven't done anything with it! At first it was because it was just before my eldest daughter's birthday, and then it was Christmas... and new year... and then school went back with my eldest starting high school... and then when I finally had some time to start on it I became completely overwhelmed by the amount of work it will require!

Hence it has sat in it's box in the cupboard until now. It was my youngest daughter's birthday party last weekend, and she wanted an arts and crafts party. It went off really well and it re-sparked by creativity a little. I haven't even knit or crochet for weeks! Anyway, it inspired me to revisit my Pinterest inspiration boards, and then I managed to find myself on Etsy (I really don't know how that happened... ahem), where I found the most wonderful half scale hat by Kat Hazelton, inspired by the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter!  Despite the postage cost, I had to have it, and hopefully it will be on it's way to me soon :D

A few minutes later, another item seemed to mysteriously jump into my shopping cart: a half scale writing set by MiniFanaticus. It's just gorgeous.

I can't wait to receive it as well. I can just see it sitting on a table in the library.

They have both prompted me to dig through my things and find the doors and windows I started on last year. I've been reading some more tutorials on weathering effects and I think that I will need to do some more work on them.

I've done the first coat of Wenge stain on the three new double windows and wiped it off. I'll do another coat when it's dry. Then I'll do some sanding!

I also started sanding back the three interior doors I stained and waxed. I don't like the wax finish I've now decided, nor the almost-black colour of the doors, so I've taken a lot of it off with 120 grit sandpaper, and I also had a go at them with a small wire brush.  Sadly I got too enthusiastic with the front door, and I broke it, ooops. Never mind, I don't think it's anything some glue won't fix.

Next I think I will try washing over the doors with a dark brown paint.  I've read on several tutorials that they seal the paint in between sanding and weathering. I'm not sure why? But I bought some spray-on matte varnish last year, so I will follow their advice and try doing that and see what happens.  IF it works well on the doors, I will definitely have another go at the bedroom furniture - it's nice but it doesn't have the patina I would like.

SO. MUCH. TO. DO!  I can't even decided if I should undercoat ALL the kit pieces first, or seal them with varnish, as I may want to stain some of them in the future - which I can't do if it is painted. I am thinking not so much of the flooring, as the ceiling.  I've seen some lovely lined and stained work. Sigh. I'm probably thinking too much and should just paint it and be done with it so I can get started putting it together!