Well Everyone.... its only been about THREE YEARS since I have posted on this blog.....  GO ME!!!  BUT I wanted to let you know I have started a YouTube channel that continues the progress of this project. 

You can check out my YT miniatures channel HERE

There you can find my Addams Family Playlist to see a lot of the updates I have made since I last posted on this blog... there are quite a few!!

ALSO I plan to complete this project in the next year (before May 2019) which would mark the 10 year anniversary of the beginning of the Mini-Mansion.

If you are still following along WOW!!! YOU ARE A PATIENT PERSON!! and sorry for the long absence.  Children, Life and YouTube sure can take up some time ;)

Thanks for your continued patience and I hope to see you over at my YT Channel (where you can watch this AND OTHER exciting projects unfold)

Cheers AF Mini-Mansion peeps!!  -Ara

A second stair case...

Hello All,

Yes I still am working slowly slowly slowly on the Addams Mansion.  I have a several new updates ready to show you but I will do one at a time.

First, I have created a second stair case that runs from the 2nd story hallway (outside of Gomez and Morticia's room) up to the attic space outside of the kids room.  They have a fireman's pole that they can take up and down... but I felt a "back stairway" wouldn't hurt.

The hard part was figuring out  how to make a REMOVABLE stair case because the wing with the hallway is not permanently attached to the main house.

Below you can see the space without the stairs:

And here it is with the stair case in place:

Here you can see the attic space that the stairs lead up to:

They do come outside the back of the house but I kind of like that.  I may do that in a few more places as well!

And here you can see how the stair case comes apart:

I am very happy with how it turned out.  Now Morticia and Gomez have an easy way to check on the kids.  Also those without the skills need to slide UP a fireman's pole now have the ability to make it to the 3rd floor!

Thanks for checking it out! -Ara

Finished Dollhouse Cabinet!!! Hooray!

It's finally finished!!  My friend texted me that the cabinet was done and I rushed over as fast as I could!!  Yay yay yay!!!

Here is it with my friend that built it for me:

I asked him if he would do it again and he said he would need a break before undertaking another one of my projects!  lol!!

Here it is with the Addams family mansion sitting on top:

The front area will have a porch and a small portion of the cemetery.

Here is the "back" of the house.  As you can see my friend built the basement into the cabinet.  It slides out so I can work on it!

Doesn't it look amazing???  The cabinets are for mini storage!  I am still going to distress and age the cabinet a bit to make it look like an old piece of furniture and match it with the house.

I probably won't get anymore work done on it before Christmas but I will be back then!  I really just can't wait to make this cabinet work for me... it's just amazing!  Can you tell I love it???

-Ara

Mini Man!

I usually try to do some big project on the mansion around October to post on my blog.  But right now my project is raising money to pay for the cabinet I have been posting about!  So I don't have any pictures for you... hopefully it will be done soon and I will post a photo of the entire mansion!!!  Yay!!

Meanwhile here is one of my favorite minis.... who's keeping me busy! (we got this shirt in a bunch of hand-me-downs!  Isn't it perfect???)  Happy Halloween!-Ara

The building continues....

More updated photos from my cabinet builder!

The wheels are on!

See the cut out top??  That is the foundation for the mansion!!  A perfect fit!

Excited Excited Excited!!!!!!!!!!!

Cabinet Progress!!

Hi All!!

You may be wondering where on earth I have been....well I have been chasing a newly crawling baby boy!!  He is everywhere!

You also may be wondering.... are you ever going to post anything new about the mansion???!! Haha... well here we go....

I have not been working personally on the Addams Mansion BUT I have been doing odd jobs to pay for someone else to work on the mansion.  In my last post I showed you the plans I had drawn up for my custom cabinet!  It will hold the mansion on top AND within the cabinet itself so it had to be VERY customized.  And because it is very custom I had to have it built by someone who knows what he's doing.... and that costs money!!

Anyway... its going good and I am excited to share some update photos the builder (also a good friend) has sent me of the progress:

The open space in the above pic (the space that does not have doors) will house the basement of the mansion.  The doors will hide the boxes that the minis are stored in when the house is not decked out!  It will also have wheels so its easy to move around.

I am soooooo soooo soooo excited!!  This will help me move forward with so many things.  And my mansion will finally have a decent resting place!  thanks for taking a look, Ara

The time has come...

The drawings have been drawn up, a builder has been found, funds are somewhat in place, and it is time for the Addams Family Mini Mansion Cabinet to be built!!!

This is a custom cabinet to be built for the specific purposes of my project!  It will hold the main house, side wing, and conservatory on top and house the basement (aka grandmamas kitchen) within the cabinet.  It will also have storage space for minis to be organized and kept safely when they are not being displayed in the mansion.   It will have wheels so I can take it places to be displayed easily (with the help of a u-haul or trailer).  I AM SO EXCITED!!!  There are so many parts of this project that will be hastened by having the proper base for the mansion.

I just spent 3 days putting my ancient architecture skills to the test and I drew up detailed drawings for my builder.  I told him I didn't have a time restriction because honestly this project has taken me a lot longer than it should lol so I don't feel I should rush anyone else.  Also his wife just had a baby so he needs to be there for her first and foremost.  So that being said... I don't know when it will be done.  But at least the wheels are in motion!

Did I say I was EXCITED!!!???

Wednesday and Pugsley's Beds

Hi All!  I am so sorry I haven't been reading or commenting on anyones blogs!  I barely have time to sit down at the computer let alone work on my much neglected projects.  But every now and then I let the dishes/laundry pile up, leave the toys strewn about the house and make PBJ's for dinner so I can do something, ANYTHING, in my mansion!

This week I received many wonderful new items for my future conservatory (which is still a kit in a box) and I sooooo wanted to get it out and start building it!  BUT I looked at the main house and all the unfinished projects I have there so I decided to hold off and continue on the main house.  A few months ago I worked pretty hard on the attic section so I decided to work on Wednesdays and Pugsleys room a bit which is right next door.

The big focal point of that room will be the two semi-matching beds so I knew I need to get them going before any other decoration got underway.  So here are the beds finished!

I had some black fabric that I embroidered with a spider web design for Wednesdays bed.  And then I made sure it was made very neatly as I imagine she would probably like it to be in order.  The foot of the bed has a rather angry looking octopus which is a detail seen in the Addams Family movies.  I am not very happy how the camera made the octopus look in this photo... the white is acutally very subtle... but here it looks bright and messy.

Puglseys bed has just a typical looking comforter but it is messy and unmade.  As I imagine he has better things to do than to make his bed (such as blowing a few things up with Uncle Fester).  His detail on the foot of the bed is a skull and crossbones.... again I do not like how the camera makes it look.  It looks much better in person.

And now its time to starting adding items!  Whoo hoo.  I love this part!  And as you can see below.... someone has already moved in under Wednesdays bed!  I think this may be his permanent home.

 Thanks for checking out my progress!  I hope to have more to show soon!  hugs, Ara

The electric Chair

Well, baby boy has finally started taking a decent nap during the day so I am working again on my mansion... little by little!  I just wanted to share with you the finished electric chair!  I had created the structure of the chair last October but I hadn't added the "electric" part yet.  Plus I needed to make a switch panel with a big giant handle for someone to pull!  So without further ado... here is the chair in the attic where it will sit!  Now just to fill in with fun Addamsey knick knacks! (maybe an uncle knick knack! (movie reference))  Thanks, Ara

Happy Halloween from Pugsley: My attic update!

Hello All and Happy Halloween from the Addams Family Mini Mansion! 

My goal for October was to finish the space seen below to completion.  Well.... I didn't get everything done BUT I do have photos of what I did get done as promised!!!

Here was the room before this month:

Here is it after some aging, finishing the ceiling and adding a few elements:

As you can see I added a door to Wednesday and Pugsley's room and ANOtHER door leading out onto the roof.  This will be nessecary for Uncle Fester to get to his room.... when it gets built.... Also there is a firemans pole!!!  In the original tv show the characters could go up and down this pole as they please.  So as of right now there are no stairs to the third floor, just this pole!  Here is how it lines up below...

You may also see someone new hanging out in the picture above!  It's Pugsley!

He was a headache to make but I learned a lot you can read my last post to hear my woes with making this doll!!  But I learned a lot!  I also had to make a custom piece of furniture for him (which isn't completely finished!)

It's supposed to be an electric chair.  I got the wood parts finished but my work room is such in a mess that I cannot find all the metal pieces I need to finish the "electric" parts.  As you can see I custom fit Pugsley to this chair.  This where be will he sits most of the time.  I will possibly make him an antique tv to watch!!

And here is the final pic of what I got done with Morticia included.  Awww... loving Mother and son!  No wonder I felt lead to create Pugsley seeing as I found out we're having a boy! lol.

And that's it!!  Whenever I get some more knick knacks put around and the electric chair finished I will post another update picture.  I just wanted to show some progress and say Happy Halloween!! 

-Ara

A post with no pictures :( Update!

I HATE putting up a post without pictures but I have to wait til Halloween to show you what I have been up to!  This is going to be hard because I have been having so much fun creating!!

1.  I have finished the room (aging the walls, inserting doors, painting...etc)
2.  I have made one piece of essential furniture (not saying what it is!)
3.  AND I have finished my second doll I have ever made.

Here is what this doll-making trial has taught me:
- I am SO not good at smoothing clay.  I think its good until I bake it and then it looks like the surface of the moon!  Bumpy!
-Sewing small clothes are hard... esp when your sewing skills are such that it takes you 30 mins just to thread the machine.
-Human proportions are hard.
-If you force a piece of clothing over a doll head hard enough IT WILL BREAK OFF!

So this doll may not be a permanent part of my collection but I am proud of the end result all the same.  Especially for doll #2.  I know I will never be a professional doll maker but I would love to be able to make them for myself in a pinch!

So that's your mid-month update.  Not sure how much longer I can wait to post photos but I am taking several along the way!  Hope you are all having a wonderful fall!  hugs, Ara

A Halloween Goal

Well its the Addamses favorite time of year and I just can't stand by and let the mansion sit in the corner unworked on.  SO I am putting forth a goal I have.  I will be completely finishing this space in the mansion:

This is the empty attic space next to Wednesday and Pugsleys room on the 3rd floor.  I have several things I need to do in there and I want to even get as far as creating a NEW DOLL!  I won't say who but someone will be permanently hanging out in this room.  I have a long way before I am ready to sculpt however!

My goal is to get this space finished and ready to show off on Halloween night!!  Stayed tuned to a spooky space and another member of the family being born!  Whoo hoo!  (If you look closely through the door you can see Morticia has passed out from excitement... or she had a little too much arsenic in her last drink... who knows.)

Happy October! - Ara and the Addamses

A quick update...

Hello All!

I am sorry I haven't written in a while.  We are currently shuffling the house around in order to make room for another child.  In this process my Mini-Mansion has gotten backed into a very full corner!  I should be able to dig it out in another couple months!  I know Bella can get to it because every now and then she brings me a miniature book and says "Momma, you read it?" haha.

Well the big news is WE'RE HAVING A BOY!  I have no idea what to do with boys so it will be a whole new adventure... I grew up with sisters!  I have big plans for a fun nursery.  I will share when I get pics of it!

Meanwhile.... since the mansion is buried I have been working on an RGT build-a-long which is way past due (but I AM DETERMINED TO FINISH IT) and I have been listing some miniatures I have made.  I have also lowered a few prices in my Etsy shop to clear some shelves (and some room) so go take a look if you dare!!

Here are some of my new items:

Thanks for reading through this update!!  Here's hoping I will have some more Addamsy stuff for you in the near future!!!  hugs, Ara

Semi-Completed Hallway and some NEWS!

Hello all!  First I want to show you my hallways I created on the first and second floor!  Last post I just showed you the hallway panels that were not installed yet.

Here they are installed!  The first floor:

it has a little window seat at the end of the hallway.  The window is yet to be installed.  Here is a closer view of the bench:

Here is the hallway on the second floor.  Instead of a window I wanted an inset place where I could hang a family portrait.  The shelves below will hold some more books and family momentos.

The door you see off to the right leads to Gomez and Morticia's bedroom.  Because of the renovations I did to the addition they now have a lot more space!

Wanna see???

Here is the Master bedroom, all ready for me to create bedroom furniture for the 3RD TIME!!  I just didn't get it quite right the first two times.... and the room was too small for anything.  I think my favorite is the greenish carpet which is made from an old chair arm cover!  Morticia is very happy about having more space (and I am too!)

Thanks for looking!  And now for the news:  Bella is going to be a BIG SISTER!!  That's right we are now expecting baby #2!  Praying that I am not as sick as I was with Bella and can continue working even if its at a slower pace!  I want to get a lot done before I have two kids and no mini-time at all! lol!!

As always, thanks for reading along my blogging buddies!  Hugs, Ara

The Hallway Continued....

 Hello All!!  Just wanted to show you all how I have continued working on my hallway addition...

I have gone ahead and attached the far left wall of the hallway.  It will make things harder to reach but I think it will be easier to piece things together in the end.  And you can now see the completed carpeting in Gomez and Morticia's bedroom.  It used to be an arm cover from an old velvety chair!

 

 I decided I wanted to do wood paneling in the hallway so here I am dry fitting and penciling out where I want the paneling to go.  I want to leave space for several ooky family portraits!

And lastly here are the panels all carved, painted, glued and ready to be inserted into the hallway!  I have put them in but I want to wait to do the back walls also before I show you a picture!  So far I am loving it!

Sorry for the short post but I am just excited!  Hopefully I will have a new post for you soon!  -Ara

I have built my hallway!!

Hi All,

As usual I am crawling back to blogger after a several months break!  The Christmas season got crazy this year!  I guess I am not as great of a planner as I thought lol.

Anyway, back in this post, I drew out my plan to add a long dark hallway to the mini-mansion.  It was just missing in the original design!  All old mansions need long dark hallways with paintings that seem to follow you with their eyes!

So here it is.  I had already extended the upstairs bedroom wall paper before remembering to take a pic but you can see where the floor board stops on the original kit.  The walls and floors are made out of all different types of wood (plywood, mdf, etc..) anything that was the thickness to match up with the existing RGT kit and the main house.

 Here is where I started extending out the floor boards.  The white floor shows where the original kit ended.  I basically added 4 to 5 inches all the way around in an "L" shape.  This will give me a hallway AND a few more inches in the down stairs dining room and the upstairs bedroom.

Here you can see the upper hallway and the downstairs hallway and dining room floor being extended.  The upstairs carpet will be next!

Here is a closer look at the pattern on the lower level!  I need to get a couple windows to insert and find some matching wall paper to cover up the plywood!  It will get done somehow!  But for now I am over the moon excited about how it came out!

I don't have current pictures but I have also been working hard on the main house.... the bottom floor and the second floor are COMPLETELY FINISHED on the inside!!!  Sometimes you just never think that will happen!!  I am now focusing on the top floor which contains Wednesday and Pugsleys Room and the attic!  I will post another all over tour when I get that done!  I can't wait to show you!  -Ara