Now we're getting somewhere!  :D  It seems to be going faster this time around now that I have the hang of the technique.

This is 15.5 hours of stitching time on the Prairie Rug II.  You can see just how big it is with Cora modeling.

Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a nice celebration and feel a sense of renewal.  :]

It seems appropriate for a new year to start with a new beginning...of the Prairie Rug II.  As you may recall, the first Prairie Rug ran into a major problem with dye lot mismatching.

Sullivans sent me a dozen replacement skeins, but they were more grey in color so I'm saving those for a future project.  I bought nine skeins of DMC 522 all of the same dye lot, so I hope this means the issue will not repeat itself.

I used the original pattern I had made with Aunt Martha's Tracing Paper and a Sulky Iron-On transfer pen in black.  You can obtain a few transfers from the same pattern.

I chose a slightly darker purple-red and have made the brown DMC 3371 outlines thicker.  One nice thing about starting over is being able to change things you were unhappy with in the first run.  I'm also going to work in matching areas just in case I do run into matching problems.  This way opposite blocks will match one another and any variations will seem planned.

Punchneedle goes relatively quickly, so this is 7.5 hours of work.  The border is done as well as most of the interior details.  After that, it will be all green, green, green.

Even before the lightning strike occurred and my home was turned upside down for cleaning and renovation, I had decided to not enter the Greenleaf Spring Fling this year due to time constraints.  The month-long renovation solidified that point.  In order to make up for the spotty blogging in September, I'm proud to reveal Mt. Sydney Chalet.  I did a significant amount of work on the project right at the start, so I've a lot to show.  :]  Since this won't be for the contest, it will be a public build (which I happen to like better anyway).

Before the contest kit was revealed, as Lyssa, April, Blondie and I discussed plans for mini builds, I assured them all I would not be entering the Spring Fling but would be entering the HBS contest.  I told them there wasn't anything I had in mind to build that wasn't covered by the HBS kit or houses already planned like The Brownstone and Jasper Inlet Light.  Of course, then I remembered the Alpine Chalet from La Maison Dollshouses and Miniatures.

The Alpine by La Maison Dollshouses and Miniatures

I said to the gals, "If it's a chalet, I'm screwed."  We then awaited the reveal of the Spring Fling kit for 2013.

I exclaimed, "IT'S A DAMN CHALET!!!"  Hahahahaha!  I was done for.  I had to get the kit and build it for the contest.  The Chalet was originally going to be a scratch build, and now that I'm not entering the contest, it might have been easier to make it a scratch build.  But, I'm glad I started with the kit since it did save me some time in planning and cutting.

I added a lower floor and changed the pitch of the roof.  Here's my mockup of the lower floor and the top altered in PhotoShop to make sure it would work before cutting.  That's a Houseworks double French door and two 24-light windows.

I used the original kit walls but added additional 1/4" or 1/8" thick plywood (depending on which was needed) to build the final shell.  I stained Houseworks clapboard siding pieces beforehand and then cut and glued them to the walls.  The color is Minwax Cherry, but there's a story to it.  I shook it and stirred it, but apparently, the color was in a solid mass at the bottom of the can.  It tinted the wood more than stained, so I had to go back over all of this later with a new can of stain.  Those are Squeeze Me trees originally bought for The Brownstone.

I love the long skinny chimney on this build, but mine will be assembled in two pieces - one under the roof and one on top.  I have the lower portion built, bricked with egg carton, painted and grouted.  Here it is in progress, before the painting and grouting.  I left space in the siding application so the chimney would sit flat against the plywood base.  I'll add trim to cover the remaining gaps.

The Mackintosh light by the door came from The Dolls House Emporium.  These are no longer made, which is a shame.  I've shown you the accidental knotty pine stain of the door previously.  The doorplate was brass, and the silver knob is from Sussex Crafts.

For the window, I printed an image of the Parker Poppy stained glass panel on transparency.  I altered the image to fit the window opening.  I will address the upper window insert later.

On to the inside.  The first floor will have a living area and kitchenette.  Oops...I fibbed.  The Prairie rug is actually meant for this build, not the Brownstone.  :D

The flooring is Houseworks Southern Pine sheet flooring stained cherry (again, this was before I discovered the stain issue so the wood floor is darker now).  I used Greenleaf vinyl tiles for the kitchen area.

I'm using a mix of Minwax Cherry and IKEA antique for this build.  I like the way the two colors complement one another.  I added cross beams that will actually serve as structural support for the upper floor.

I showed you the fireplace plan and then the wood structure I cut using the scroll saw.  The original inspiration can be found in this post from Decor Arts Now.  Here is what it looks like currently.

I have the firebox bricked, painted and grouted.  I still need to make the insert that will block the wall opening.

The ceiling board will be L-shaped and is still not permanently installed.  I want to finish the first floor as much as possible first.  As you can see, the turnaround stairs are a little fancier now.  :D

The upstairs will have a bedroom and bathroom.

Oops...looks like I fibbed again.  The Edwardian bed will live here.  :D  And, yes, that's another rug planned for this build.

Watch your head in the bathroom!  :O

I have no idea when I'll get to this build.  I need to really focus on the HBS contest now.  And, then I suppose I'll flip a coin to see if The Brownstone or Mt. Sydney Chalet is next to land on the work table.  :D

The fireplace plan has been scroll sawed into wood reality.  :D

All of the pieces are still unattached.  I need to apply the final finish to them first.

I had a slight staining mishap while working on the Spring Fling.  I used my favorite IKEA stain, antique.  Well, the can was a little old and had bits of coagulated stain floating in it.  I didn't realize this until after I started to apply it, of course.  By then, I had to just go with it and stain all of the pieces to match.

Once dry, the ratty bits smoothed out with a light sanding but left darker spots as expected.  This ended up being a happy accident since the basswood looked like knotty pine.  Not a bad finish after all.

Once this project is done, I'll be pouring the stain into kitty litter for disposal, but I like the results this one time.  :]