Day 11-Palace Budget

WOW! Everyone says building dollhouses is an expensive hobby but I didn't think it was soooo expensive. I guess I made it even worse when I chose to build a palace and everything is to be super-lux.

1226.34, that is how much I have spent as at Day 11 and I don't have a house, only 1 doll, 0 furniture except 6 pillars, 2 reference books and tons of other things.

SO, I will stop buying until the house is built. The only money I will spend now is to build the house and for Sumaiya's dolls , which I hope, she is in no hurry to complete (I know you are reading this Mehreen :) and I am only j/k ). Or if there is something so absolutely necessary or irresistable , no, not irresistable, just necessary.

I am glad I didn't buy the 9 dancing girls for the Durbar Hall. They are not to be the "people". I wanted them to play "lifesize" ceramic "sculptures" of dancing girls. How does one tell if a doll in the dollhouse is the "human" or the "doll? Anyway, these girls are very pretty but may take up too much space since there are 9 of them. Each doll stands at 6" high and 1 1/2'" wide. I will buy them after the house is built, if they are still available. Maybe if I place them in a circle , they will not take up so much space. Or maybe I should just buy 3 instead of 9.

I SPENT the bulk of my money on surprise, surprise, Christmas decorations. They have fabulous glass ornaments this year and as if there is a conspiracy to make me spend spend spend, the theme this year is Mughal or so it appears. I bought 14 rims of pretty silk and velvet ribbons in various colours and designs, all Mughal inspired, to make cushions and all the fabric furnishings.I also found some miniature brass statues of Indian Gods standing at 0,5-1.5 inches which will look so great in the house. I bought 23 of them.

I then visited framers for quotes on just the panels. At the right dimensions these panels can make great cornices/dados/skirting etc.

OH YES, so I was roaming the streets near the Hindu temple at Serangoon Road when I chanced upon a shop selling religious artifacts. I was browsing at their laces and beads when I saw their workshop. There were aluminium sheets bent into an arch and cut in the Mughal fashion. I found out that the shop supplies pooja mandir or Hindhu home temples. If you are not familiar with Hindu altars they are actually designed to look like mini temples, see pic.

I asked the owner if he can cut arches as per Win's designs and he said "No problem". "Can you build the dome for my palace?" I asked. "No problem" he answered. "How much?Estimate please". "Well, I charge about S$1800 for the altar".PROBLEM!

He told me to email him the designs anyway so he can give me a more accurate quote, repeatedly warning me "the dome is not easy to make, you know". Sigh...like I need any more warnings.