Almost back.

The last week of our stay in Portugal I got a thick sore throat. We went to see a GP. He advised me to take antibiotics. We went back home and the antibiotics didn't work out the way they should so I went to my own GP in the Netherlands. She prescribed me another antibiotics and she sent me to the hospital for blood samples and photos. At the end of the week she rushed me to the oral surgeon. There I became a drain in my throat.
The next week the drain was removed. But a week later I was back in hospital again. I couldn't eat my tongue and ears were very painful. So another drain was placed and another antibiotics was prescribed.
A few days later the drain was removed again and I told the surgeon that I didn't like another placed again. I would be operated the 29 of November but the surgeon thought it was better to move the date forward to the 8th of November.
So on the 8th of November one of the salivary glands was removed. Now my throat is almost cured.

I'm back in making miniatures again at last. But I can't show them right now because they're for the 5th of December.
In the Netherlands we have Sinterklaas instead of Santa Claus. The children get presents and when they're getting older we also pull papers with a name of a family member written on it. We buy a special present for the person whose name is on your paper and make something that goes with the present. We also write a little poem to go with the present and its surprise. So I can show you my surprise after the 5th of December because my children can read my blog also.

But I can show you my present. I'm very happy with this cupboard. I got this present from my husband because it's my birthday today. 
The dollhouse is out of the box but I only made the steps of the stair and Frans made a parquet floor.
We hope to work on the doll house very soon.
At the moment we're making things for Sinterklaas and then Christmas is coming up. 
After 7 weeks going in and out the hospital we have a lot of outstanding things to do. 

Back from Portugal.

After a nice time in Portugal I'm glad to be home again. We visited two Palaces. I like to share them with you all. Maybe you can use some parts for your dollhouse.

The first one we visited was The National Palace of Sintra.
It was built in 1147. The current form is the result of successive building programmes carried out by several monarchs. (1261-1325) (1357-1433) (1469-1521)

This is the entrance of the Palace. The outside doesn't tell what it's hiding inside.

The interior has collections of furniture, painting, ceramics and textiles that date from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century, most of which  were formerly part of the royal family's collection.

You enter the Swans Room.

The ceiling is covered with Swans.

This room had a wonderful floor. The length of the slipper is 25 cm.

King Sebastiao's Room

In the Arab Room the used early sixteenth-century tiles. They mixed styles.

The Coat-of-Arms Room. The wall covered with Azulejos. This are typical Portuguese tiles that were painted by hand.

The ceiling.

The chapel.

And some pictures from the 600 years old kitchen.

Reading the guide I saw a side for a virtual tour through the Palace. 

http://www.ipmuseus.pt/pt-PT/museus_palacios/visitas_virtuais/ContentDetail.aspx

The next Palace we visited was The Palacio de Queluz.

Established in 1654. Around 1760 they used a French architect. Almost everything burned down in a fire in 1934. It's rebuild.

The rooms are decorated with gilded carving and canvases. The taste in Portugal during the second half of the eighteenth century and early nineteenth century was moving from the rococo to the neo-classical.

The Throne Room.

The main altar in the Chapel.

Toilet room with toilet seats.

We had a nice time at Estoril from where we visited these nice Palaces.