I'm Stepping inside Trimble Manor
to begin building rooms, starting with Pippity's Pantry.
When I drew Pipp's pantry for the book, I had not yet built any of the rooms in the house.
All the furniture and items came from my imagination.
SO, I am copying the ILLUSTRATION to create the room, rather than the other way around.
( I'll have to do the same thing in her boudoir)
(Still have a bit more to paint here)
This makes it fun (like a treasure hunt) to fit what I DO have, to match the artwork.
I first marked out the spot for the pantry; with the foyer behind it; on one side runs a stairway and on the other side, a kitchen.
The walls fit neatly into place, but can be removed as needed.
It is a small narrow room.
I used my leftover stone from the house facing to do the floor, still needs mortar.
Because it will be difficult to get into that space surrounding the pantry once the walls are up, I thought it best to do the wallpaper under the stairway and around the front door.
The "Wallpaper" is simply beautiful art paper from Hobby Lobby.
I also plastered the ceiling and put up beams in the pantry at this time.
Most importantly, I want to duplicate the cupboards that I created in the book, as closely as I can. I had several little cupboards of various styles, but they didn't match my book... so I had to make do. I removed drawers, shelves,doors and in the case of the yellow cupboard, I put 2 small cupboards together to create the long hutch across the back wall.
You may be thinking, "that is a really cute cupboard, how could she take it apart?!"
Well, it is a cute cupboard..... and I had 2 of them, but it did not match the book illustration.
Until I dismantled it and painted it yellow. Not exact, but close enough.
Hobby Lobby sells those little pine cupboards for only 3.99... so I will replace the ones I took apart and use them somewhere else in the Manor.
Here is another cupboard after being "REARRANGED" to fit more closely with the artwork..
and here is another.
Because PIPPS house is so very old, the furniture in the pantry must be aged as well, that was easy to accomplish using multiple paints and sandpaper. I want the cupboards to show centuries of use.
To make the last pantry shelves on the right side of the room, I used wood saved from the house-build. I knew this would come in handy at some point.
This provided me with my last cupboard.
Not exactly a professional job, but it suits.
Packed in like sardines
It's a snug fit, for sure. But wide enough for a little mouse to gather whatever she needs to gather.
Now, I NEED to gather the stuff to fill those shelves.
I have a few things, others I will need to make or hunt for online. Pretty sure I can build cheeses and breads from clay. It's pretty dark in there, Pipp will need a lantern.
The stairway running opposite the pantry wall is off to a good start. I've actually had that little desk for 35 years! I will stain it mahogany. The rug was needle-pointed by a dear friend
Hopefully, the next time you see this illustration completed, you will see a fully stocked pantry in Trimble Manor as well!
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