Jump to content

What's everyone working on?


Recommended Posts

No pics today. I'm not even attempting the roof. It's just way too hot. My rule of thumb says that if it hits 80° before noon, it's gonna be a blazer. It's 10:40am and right now the temp is at 77. I think today will be the record setter, so I'm just going to play in the bathtub (my makeshift pool) and settle in for an afternoon of watching CSI.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Debsrand56 said:

So cute!  Are those the Pemberley tea set charms from Michael's?

No  but I can't remember where I picked them up.   I don't live anywhere near a Michaels.....I wish!  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First day in a long while I can honestly say my dollhouse work has led to bruising and blood... Given I am without a doubt an absolute klutz, but I have to say working with a heat gun and a metal paint scraper neither of those got me -- nope I nailed my knuckles off the corner of the house! lol Ah well, one section of house as well as one roof panel are now de-shingled, of course there's still A LOT of hot glue to be removed as well as a lot more shingles. I did however find the perfect(to me) fireplace for the kitchen and actually won it today. Very colonial, and I've never seen another like it. I liked the one done by Lawbre, but this is even better in my humble opinion -- can't wait to share pics when it gets here. Talked with the mom that is picking up the Barbie house, Wednesday is supposed to be the day it moves on to it's new home! So of course what did I do, I started going back over the trim work and touching up with spackle to make it better and just more realistic I guess. All in all, I like it better, but we'll see tomorrow for certain...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, the Van Buren finally made it to my place.  I've relief a couple if walls and put the first coat of base primer on the front.  Still haven't decided what color it will be.  This morning I woke up thinking I might extend the little 2nd floor balcony all the way across the front of the house. I'm just not feeling the juilet thing..  might even take out the first floor windows and replace with 2 bay windows. It's hard to get motivated with all my other babies packed into boxes.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been cleaning, organizing and purging my work room the past few days, then a trip to ikea to find some workable storage solutions. I've got everything done now and I can walk in my room knowing exactly what I have and where it is, start any project or continue an older one and have the work surface available (not have to use my lap). Such a good feeling. Vowing to keep things more organized but you know how that goes...

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This dollhouse is gonna get a new name. I'm gonna call it the Bad Luck House.

I cut a back door in the house and the other day I thought I found the perfect doors for it. I got a Timberbrook plank door for the back door and a Timberbrook Dutch door for the front door. They arrived today and even before I opened the package I was OOPSIE!

I had cut the back door for a 7 x 3 opening, and I can recut it, so that's not a problem. The back door from TB is 3 3/8 x 7 7/16. No big deal.

However, the front door is 3 1/2 x 7 1/2. I can cut it higher, but the total door width is the wall width and with the trim, the door is wider than the wall! The door also fits a 1/2" inset instead of 3/8.

Of course, had I actually READ the description, I would have known this. And I should have known better, because I know TB made different sized doors than Houseworks does. The only thing I can think of now is to try to fit the actual TB door into a HW frame. This should be very interesting.

Oh, well, it opened opposite of how I wanted it to open anyway and I would have had to take it apart and turn it around. In 30 years I have yet to receive a door that opens the direction I want it to open.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Van Buren decided to wake me up in the middle of the night a few nights ago.  It told me it wanted a stone exterior.   Got one side covered and sealed with modgepod.  Second side in progress..  when it's all ready I'll get some light Gray grout  to finish.  Living room has 2 of 3 walls papered

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, rodentraiser said:

This dollhouse is gonna get a new name. I'm gonna call it the Bad Luck House.

 

I think you should call it the "you are not going to spoil my dreams, make me lose hope, frustrate me to the point of quitting, you are not the boss of me and I will wrestle you into submission until you are beautiful" dollhouse. Or just "Perseverance Place". :O)

Sending hugs and good mojo!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, Jodi. And whatever you did must have worked because the door turned out great. It was just the process of getting it there that almost defeated me.

 

 

Last night after two loooong hours (OK, I was watching CSI episodes, too), I finally finished reworking the TB front door.

Because it opened opposite of how I wanted it to open, I tore it apart and then set to putting it together backwards. With any normal Houseworks door, this is so easy. But with a TB door - well, I should have known better.

First off, it's a Dutch door, so the top swings out separately from the bottom. Then instead of having pins holding the doors in, I had one long metal door length dowel that went through both doors AND another piece of metal embedded in the side jamb between the two halves of the door. So there was no just removing the pins and flipping the door. Oh, no, I had to take that door completely apart. When I was done, the door was literally in pieces - 9 or 10 of them, I think.

Since the door is made to inset 1/2" instead of 3/8", I decided I would place the front even with the outside wall and let the back of the door stick out, letting it be a self trimming door on the inside of the room. That way I could use small pieces of wood to trim out the front of the door. That ended up being a good decision.

But oh, my, putting that door back together again.

The first thing I had to do was make a new hole in the bottom sill, since I had flipped it. And this was no little pinhole - making this huge monstrous hole I eventually broke part of the sill off. &^%$* Eventually, with an exacto blade to carve out the hole, I got it done. Then I had to glue the sill back together.

Then I had to flip the two side jambs. That piece of metal between the top and bottom doors had to be replaced in a new spot on the jamb. I could only force it into the jamb so far before it folded on me, so the piece where the metal rod had to go through was lower than where it should have been. That worked out OK, though, because I had mismarked the place where the metal was to go into the jamb too high, so in doing it wrong, it ended up right.

So picture this: two jams, both glued to a bottom sill. Midway along one jamb is a piece of metal with a hole in it through which I will slide the door rod to connect to the top and bottom sills. Slide the bottom half of the door down the metal rod. Oh, looky, it hits the metal piece in the jamb and can't go any farther. The bottom half of the door will have to be slid UP the metal rod. But oh, dear, I have already glued the bottom sill in. So now that gets broken apart again. ^%$#*

OK, so I get that done and reglued and the top part of the door goes on. And now I'm regluing the top sill.

Fortunately, I decided to check the door before the glue set and of course, I find out that I not only glued the top and bottom sills to the jambs, I also glued the doors to the sills at the same time. Jodi's mojo started working then because that ended up being an easy fix. I simply forced the &^%$ doors away from the sills and miracle of miracles, the sills and jambs didn't break apart when I did that.

I don't recommend watching exciting episodes of CSI when you're redoing a door. Too many things go wrong anyway, let alone when your attention is diverted.

Anyway, I just left the door to dry overnight and figured if it was really bad when I looked at it this morning, I'd throw it on the floor and stamp on it. But it looks pretty good. The doors open smoothly and the inside looks good. Since the jambs are reversed, the sides that were glued face to the front now and don't look very good (especially considering how I took that door apart), but a little trim will cover that nicely.

I really will see about taking a pic today or tomorrow and posting it. It's finally cooling down and by tomorrow, I'll finally feel like moving out from in front of the fan. YAY!

 

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, rodentraiser said:

The doors open smoothly and the inside looks good. Since the jambs are reversed, the sides that were glued face to the front now and don't look very good (especially considering how I took that door apart), but a little trim will cover that nicely.

I knew you could do it! :clap: 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well done Kelly, hopefully the rest of your build smooths out for you! I finally got the RGT Playscale Townhouse out and on it's way to it's new home. I think the fact that even the soon to be step-dad was questioning how I had finished certain points on it, it was a hit with all of them. To say the least that made me feel good! Some of the last trims I put into it, I didn't stain or paint -- for the main thought that they may want to do a bit of that themselves. Mentioned that to the mom, and had her appreciation -- so was glad I didn't.  Only issue with it going, the bed of the truck was shorter than anticipated -- but thankfully they had straps and a blanket to wrap it in. I was told once they got it home and up the stairs to her playroom she was filling it with Barbie dolls and cat figures immediately.  :)
So, now I have all of my wallpapers sorted and stashed -- am working on sorting all of my trims. Realizing I've a lot more of those than I had realized previously! lol So now, my goal is to clean up my workbenches in the shop and see about finishing up some of my smaller projects that I've been letting linger. I am also starting on my Lawbre Nantucket and removing shingles that were quite horribly done. Have already started work on some of the floors for it, but will wait to install until I've decided what I'm doing in regards to the lighting for it.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, you guys! And I forgot to take a pic of the door. But here are some pics of the house:

 

This is the front - since I was going to put a French door to the upper porch, I had to saw the doorway a little higher. The doorway by the bay window, though, needs to be sawn a little higher AND wider - and I don't know if I'll be able to do that or not. I may just have to knock that piece out and saw it that way.

5990e99e8fc14_Picture009.thumb.jpg.c66bb

 

 

The third floor - the bedroom and bathroom.

The bedroom is to the left and the bathroom is on the open side to the left. I only have half a wall up right now. Behind the bathroom you can see another wall and that's where the stairs will come out. I'm going to cover all the stairs with a wall and not put any balusters or stair railings on them. I'm also thinking of hinging the roof on the other side so I can get into that little area if I need to.

5990e9a1ae40c_Picture003.thumb.jpg.ded6c

 

 

The second floor - this is the main floor. I'm putting the kitchen against the back wall, another wall against the staircase and a hutch against that wall. I'm going to put a farm table on the open side and then use the bay window for a couple of chairs and a table with a lamp on it. The kitchen is the heart of the house and this is where everyone sits when they come to visit. It's going to be just one open room. I'm not sure if I'm leaving that fridge there or not.

5990e9a5436b5_Picture004.thumb.jpg.fd915

 

 

The lower level. The room on the left is the combo living room/study/library. It's more of a work room (the owner is writing a book). The room next to the living room is a wine room. This is where the wine bottles and barrels are stacked. You can barely see it, but there's a back door leading outside to the right of the wine room. I haven't made up my mind yet if I want to just put an arch to separate the hallway from the wine room or get the HW double doors and leave them open.

The lower level of the house will all be stoned, so the insides of the rooms will be stone as well.

I think I need a new staircase for the this level. When I got the kit, the maker sent two interior staircases. I asked him to send one for the outside of the house with just the top step cut off. Instead, I got a staircase with the lowest step slightly cut off and the back of the top step cut in half. So I took one of the other staircases and cut the top step off myself and it's perfect for the outside. But the other staircase really isn't good for anything and I have to decide what to do about it.

5990e9a874fd8_Picture005.thumb.jpg.8d961

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, rodentraiser said:

Thanks, you guys! And I forgot to take a pic of the door. But here are some pics of the house:

 

This is the front - since I was going to put a French door to the upper porch, I had to saw the doorway a little higher. The doorway by the bay window, though, needs to be sawn a little higher AND wider - and I don't know if I'll be able to do that or not. I may just have to knock that piece out and saw it that way.

5990e99e8fc14_Picture009.thumb.jpg.c66bb

 

 

The third floor - the bedroom and bathroom.

The bedroom is to the left and the bathroom is on the open side to the left. I only have half a wall up right now. Behind the bathroom you can see another wall and that's where the stairs will come out. I'm going to cover all the stairs with a wall and not put any balusters or stair railings on them. I'm also thinking of hinging the roof on the other side so I can get into that little area if I need to.

5990e9a1ae40c_Picture003.thumb.jpg.ded6c

 

 

The second floor - this is the main floor. I'm putting the kitchen against the back wall, another wall against the staircase and a hutch against that wall. I'm going to put a farm table on the open side and then use the bay window for a couple of chairs and a table with a lamp on it. The kitchen is the heart of the house and this is where everyone sits when they come to visit. It's going to be just one open room. I'm not sure if I'm leaving that fridge there or not.

5990e9a5436b5_Picture004.thumb.jpg.fd915

 

 

The lower level. The room on the left is the combo living room/study/library. It's more of a work room (the owner is writing a book). The room next to the living room is a wine room. This is where the wine bottles and barrels are stacked. You can barely see it, but there's a back door leading outside to the right of the wine room. I haven't made up my mind yet if I want to just put an arch to separate the hallway from the wine room or get the HW double doors and leave them open.

The lower level of the house will all be stoned, so the insides of the rooms will be stone as well.

I think I need a new staircase for the this level. When I got the kit, the maker sent two interior staircases. I asked him to send one for the outside of the house with just the top step cut off. Instead, I got a staircase with the lowest step slightly cut off and the back of the top step cut in half. So I took one of the other staircases and cut the top step off myself and it's perfect for the outside. But the other staircase really isn't good for anything and I have to decide what to do about it.

5990e9a874fd8_Picture005.thumb.jpg.8d961

It's looking good Kelly.. can't wait to see your finishes and especially the wine room... we should all have one of those right? :D

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I ran out of grout, went to Michael's and got more.  I really need to learn to read labels, even when he's sitting in the car waiting for me.....  it was pre-mixed.  I added a bit of color to it, put it on and I'm ready to get the metal scraper out and start over.  I'll put pictures on pinterest.  Guess I'll think on it a few days before I order the wreaking ball.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Samusa said:

It's looking good Kelly.. can't wait to see your finishes and especially the wine room... we should all have one of those right? :D

 

Thank you! A wine room for real, hmmm....personally, think I'd prefer to have a cook who makes a mean margarita for supper every night. Although mine would have to be non-alcoholic.

Hey, can't a wine room also be used as a cheese room for the cheeses to age? *thinking, thinking*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, L Swearengin said:

Well, I ran out of grout, went to Michael's and got more.  I really need to learn to read labels, even when he's sitting in the car waiting for me.....  it was pre-mixed.  I added a bit of color to it, put it on and I'm ready to get the metal scraper out and start over.  I'll put pictures on pinterest.  Guess I'll think on it a few days before I order the wreaking ball.

What do you use for grout? I need to do my chimney.

I looked at your pictures what is it you do not like? Is it too white?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, rodentraiser said:

...Hey, can't a wine room also be used as a cheese room for the cheeses to age? *thinking, thinking*

A wine room can also be used as a pantry. My maternal grandmother had a basement room she used for the things she canned.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Mid-life madness said:

What do you use for grout? I need to do my chimney.

I looked at your pictures what is it you do not like? Is it too white?

Yep too much white.  I went back over the "stones" this morning with stipple paint.  I usually use the powdered mix from hobby lobby (in the craft tile area).  Hobby lobby was closed yesterday, so went to Michael's.  Didn't notice until I opened 20.00 jar that it was paste.  (Only brand they had).  I sealed the stones with mogepod,  but it still stuck to the stone.    I'm thinking next time, I'll cover with the remaining grout (cost too much to toss),  then but the brick/stone into the grout, then paint the stone when it's all dry.  I still have to do my chimneys on this one ( if I don't cut them off. Lol)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The kitchen sink and stove, lamp for the bedroom, and the bed came in today.

Of course, me being me, tonight the bed doesn't exactly look like how it when looked when it arrived this morning (well, heck, neither do I).

My bedroom in the shadowbox is only about 8 1/2 x 5. I finally found that nightstand which was only about 1 1/2", but try to find a bed that is less than 3"! I looked and looked and finally found this bed and snapped it up. The bed is 5 3/4" to 6" long x 2 3/4" wide. So width wise, it works great. Lengthwise, not so much.

I have that wardrobe that goes against the wall across from the bed. I needed to have at least an inch between them so I could leave a door open - I wanted to hang a housecoat or something on the door. But the bed came right up against the wardrobe. So, commence Operation Shorten the Bed.

I figured I'd just yank off the end of the bed and cut the sides down. Naturally, this bed is well made. The foot isn't attached to the sides with just glue, oh no. I'm sure someone somewhere knew I was going to get my hands on this bed and said, "Let's make this more difficult for Kelly than it has to be." There are PEGS holding the foot board to the sides.

So for those of you who want a sturdy piece of furniture, here ya go.

But once I figured that out, I was able to get the foot board off and the sides sawn and everything glued back together in about ten minutes. The glue is drying as I type. The bed is now only 5 1/4" long and I have a little more than an inch between the bed and the wardrobe and if I open the door on the wardrobe, it completely clears the bed. YAY!

The next thing I have to do tonight (well, I might do it tonight) is cut the mattress down. All I'm going to do with that is unwrap the bottom, cut the card on the bottom of the foam, then cut the foam, and rewrap the mattress. I would like to put about 1/2" more foam on the bottom of the bed anyway to raise the mattress higher. So now the bed fits in the room and because it's so narrow, I doubt anyone will notice it's a wee bit short.

Tomorrow: getting the plug installed so I can plug in the bedroom lamp. I'm going to use those very small plugs, which means switching out the big plug that's already on the lamp. I've seen that done just once 35 years ago and I hope I remember how it's done. Pray for me.

And if the shadowbox is still standing afterwards, you all get pictures.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yesterday I ran errands all day. For my dollhouse. I ran errands for my dollhouse all day. At the end of the day I thought....that's actually kind of weird. Who's the boss here anyway.....

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...