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Warning: this blog contains extensive nudity and occasional strong language. Viewer discretion is advised First I assembled the porch railing and then I temporarily installed it along with the posts and roof. Next I temporarily installed the mantle and hearth and then assembled and temporarily installed the balcony railings. I assembled the chimney and temporarily installed it. Then I dry-fit the roof in place and then dry-fit the stairs and temporarily installed them without risers or treads and I finally temporarily installed the gingerbread. This is the most elegant house I have built to date, slightly surpassing the Glencroft (still my favorite, but barely). The rooms are generous-sized and the floorplan lends itself to any layout one could wish. I will "dress" Maggie in a separate album; she has been quite detailed and specific in what she wants, including vertical beadboard walls, baseboards, hardwood floors (I will be unable to scribe my "boards" directly into the plywood after the fact) and tile, board & batten siding, coquina, stone, a tin roof, and an extra room. complements of havanaholly I am editing this entry to direct you to the album of pictures of the /index.php?autocom=gallery&req=user&user=8&op=view_album&album=988">"dressed Maggie" in all her decorated glory! Here's a sample:

Warning: this blog contains extensive nudity and occasional strong language. Viewer discretion is advised First I installed the side bay (right) and temporarily installed the trim with poster putty and painter's tape. Next I installed the lattice frames under the porch and then the lattice, porch support and step. Next I installed the front bay and front balcony wall. Last I installed the side (right) balcony wall. At this point I had to stop and run errands. complements of havanaholly

Warning: this blog contains extensive nudity and occasional strong language. Viewer discretion is advised. I finished temporary installation of trim to the assembled parts. Some of the trim was warped, probably due to the box standing on end at an angle on the porch between the time it was delivered and when we got home. As I was anxious to build I didn't store it flat for several days to "unwarp" the sheets. I installed the second floor. I stood the assembly on its back to weight the trim on the front to remove the warp ; it took overnight to do the trick so I worked on some other parts and put it back when I was done. One of the next things I did was to install the rear supports and the left wall. Then I had to go in for a dental appointment. complements of havanaholly

Warning: this blog contains extensive nudity and occasional strong language. Viewer discretion is advised. It was bandied about that we ought to show at least one of each kit build as it will look in all its pristine grandeur "as is" without the creative license/ bashing your building team tend to take, or decorating. I was asked to undertake the first such build, so what you'll see here is the Magnolia kit pretty much as I first saw one built (unfinished) in a hobby shop on one of our travels. When I saw the built house it said "beach cottage", and when I opened the box it repeated itself, louder so I laid aside the brickwork sheets. I also removed the acetate window & door inserts and laid them aside between sheets of paper to protect them from being scratched, but where I would see them, so I wouldn't "lose" them later. I decided that given my limitations in decorating/ bashing after everything is permanently assembled, I would use poster putty for temporarily attaching trims, etc. You who will want to build this kit "as is" may go ahead and glue. For the "bare" build this is what I used: Stanley utility knife (you may use a craft knife, if you prefer, I tend to get heavyhanded) Probond wood glue 2" blue painter's tape & beige masking tape. sandpaper from the kit fastened to my sanding block (poster putty for temporary installations is not required) I began the build 1/28/07. I read the instruction sheet. There are some grammatical problems, apparently parts of the instructions were revised at one time but no one seems to have gone back and finished the revision. As usual, the first part of the instructions advise to assemble the windows and doors. I do NOT do this, normally, both to protect the acetate inserts and because installing windows & trims & hanging doors is the last thing I do after all the painting and decorating. Because I'm building an undecorated version, I did remove pieces. For protecting the acetate from scratches I will not install them. I also ignore the parts about sealing with shellac and assembling with hot glue. I began the build at Part C in the instructions. The kit parts required only minimal shaving of the tab sides for a perfect fit into the slots, although the front wall did require one BLUE word to take it apart after the dry-fit for gluing. I dry-fit and then installed the divider wall and began installing trim and temporarily stuck doors together. BTW, d'ja notice the curved windows? I set aside the puchouts, which will make perfect cradle rockers for a future project. complements of havanaholly