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I finally got the front door porch together and some of the flat roof "iron" installed on the roof areas.  This week I should finish up the porches.  I like seeing the Cape May come together after all of the painting a prep work!  I "aged" the door knob and plate, as so many suggested, to match the door knocker.  I love the look of it all.

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Heidi- LOVED your Magic Bric chimneys!  How did you achieve that color?  Any tricks about using the Magic Bric?  I've only used it once with the stone pattern and did not get the anticipated results.  I am considering using the brick on my next house and I def need some advice to get the desired effect!

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Jackie, the late Tom Berkner (of Earth & Tree) used to recommend mixing equal amounts of Brik/ Stone powder, water & white all-purpose glue (like Elmer's) to the consistency of frosting.  You can either also add small amounts of water-based paint or after the stuff has dried dry brush random colors or (my favorite) brush on finely grated chalk pastels to get subtle color variations in your bricks.

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4 hours ago, jbnmini said:

Heidi- LOVED your Magic Bric chimneys!  How did you achieve that color?  Any tricks about using the Magic Bric?  I've only used it once with the stone pattern and did not get the anticipated results.  I am considering using the brick on my next house and I def need some advice to get the desired effect!

started the chimney pieces for the exterior of the Chateau, deciding I would use Magic Brik. I painted them with a grey - thinking a texture would be cool for a grout base. After doing this, it occurred to me the tape will probably not adhere well to this :(  so I had to sand that off and repaint. I also made the brick mixture, using some powder I got from Richard Stacey I think, it was tan. I added colors so it looks like brick colors. 

As Holly mentioned,  mix the powder grout with water and some glue. I had some powder that was beige, and went nuts coloring it, getting a nice darker red/brown.

Once it was set over the tape, about 15 minutes later, I removed tape.  I decided to dry brush on some black. In some spots the brick was still a bit soft, so it kinda mushed some bricks, but most went fine.  Since the stipple brush was stiff, and brick somewhat set, it added a texture in addition to the color. That was exactly what i was missing on my bed & breakfast,  more varied texture as well as color. I may go back to my b&b and stipple on black.

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2 hours ago, Sable said:

For stenciled bricks I use paperclay, water it down and stir it until it’s a thick pancake batter consistency. I spread it over the stencil with a butter knife. 

Very cool idea! Do you also color it before you apply?

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27 minutes ago, miniaddicted said:

Very cool idea! Do you also color it before you apply?

I used the terra-cotta paperclay which ended up too pink so I spray painted the bricks (after reapplying the stencil) with stone textured spray paint. Next time I’ll add Brick Red craft paint to the paperclay mixture.

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Been fiddling intrying to make a mini version of a 1700 poison/assassin book, still a few details to work out but all knall it is there, sort of...

firts pic is of the i terror of the book, need tonfigurer out how to add the know

add the knobs parts. Second is of the exterior of the book, need to add a few more golden details, need to get a New pen for that though as the ones I had athand were all dried up. The last pic is of the inspiration book shared as a challenge.  Now to figure if I could possibly Steampunk another version.. .

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Thump. Thump. Thump.

That sound you hear is me hitting my head against the wall. Why? Well, I'm glad you asked that.

I made the attempt today of trying to sub one of the small plugs in for a large plug. Oh, was that frustration. I'm still not sure if I did it correctly. Maybe someone here can tell me how it's supposed to be done.

Anyway, first I couldn't get the wires (there's 4 of them on each side of the cord) through the little holes in the new plug. Lisa finally had them twisted till I got that done. Then the lamp wouldn't light, although it did when I tested it. So...I changed the lead in plug in thingy. I used the probe until the tape has so many holes in it I'm surprised it's still together,. Then I thought maybe I didn't get the plug in straight. I started over and made a new plug. I chopped up the wallpaper behind the nightstand and I hope no one can see it. This, of course, was trying to get the lamp to light when I had forgotten to turn on the light or plug in the transformer or any of the hundreds of other dumb things I do.

Finally, after two hours, Lisa said, "Maybe it's the lamp." I tapped it a couple of times and voila - I had light. It was the bulb in the lamp.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I forgot the camera, so Lisa took some pics. The first is of the light, of course. The second shows the little plug and all the holes I got in the wallpaper because I kept thinking I had the socket in the wrong place (I didn't).

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I also stuck in the lace for the bedroom curtain, but it's a little large. I'll take care of that tomorrow. Plus I'm going to make a little shade for the window as well. Next week, making the kitchen appliances.

I was having a temper tantrum, but Lisa was quiet and supportive the entire time instead of swatting me upside the head. Thank you, Lisa.

Anyhoo, there are going to be a couple changes in the living room and I want to add a sewing machine in the bedroom. So I'm off to hunt eBay for a mini table that's 2" by 1 1/2". That should be fun. *the sarcasm is strong in this one*

 

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Kelly that's such a cozy looking room. I've always loved that Roosevelt Rose paper too. Glad you solved the light mystery. Been there. 

Ive been organizing and cleaning my work space after finishing up the Mrs Claus doll. I got her sent off to my Mom. 

I usually have to move my projects upstairs for the winter months. This room isn't heated and I can't work with cold hands. I had talked about this a few weeks ago so just an update that I found an awesome faux fireplace heater that heats this 600 sq ft space up really quickly. Total game changer, I'll be able to stay in my happy place all winter. It's cozy and kind of dollhousey too :) the light effects are really realistic, less than $100 at Home Depot. Doesn't show up in these photos but behind the glowing red coals is a periodic orange flame. Dogs approve. 

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Thank you, Karin! I'm now hunting for a mini table to put a sewing machine on that would go next to the cabinet. The table by necessity can only be 2" wide at the most and maybe 1 1/4 inches deep, and I'm still not sure the sewing machine will fit on it. Why do I always set these impossible tasks for myself?

I love your new heater and I know you will too. I have one that's about 15 years old and it still works great. I think, but I"m not sure, that you can get a "stove pipe" to go on top. I never did that, but I did have a torch lamp in black that I turned upside down and used for a "stove pipe". For $5, at St. Vincente de Paul, I found a set of fire place thingys - a shovel, a fork, and a brush, so now I have those by my stove too.

By the way, is yours wood? Because if it is, Pledge works great on cleaning them.

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We have been re-doing our spare room to accommodate a craft space for me, so that my houses no longer have to keep moving on to and off of the dining room table when I want to work on them.  (This makes me, the houses, and my spousal unit much happier.)  So far, we’ve been working on it for almost two months now, mostly on weekends.  We got rid of a lot of things we don’t use any more, had our closet redone with Elfa shelves, brought in an organizer to help me put all my supplies in bins and label them, and replaced two old desks (one of which was way too large for the room) with a new computer desk and a new craft desk.  Both desks came flat-pack, so I had to assemble them.  The craft desk went together really well; the computer desk, not so much.  I have to say, it was not expensive, but it was missing parts (drawer glides and shelf slides) and some pieces were not properly made (a screw with a smooth top, a handle missing threads on one side).  The manufacturer has said it will ship the missing parts, but I was putting it together over the weekend, and I was really anxious to finish.  I have been without my desktop computer now for over a month, and I don’t find typing on my phone all that easy.  We ended up getting things from the hardware store so that I could finish.  The drawer glides worked perfectly.  The shelf slides worked great for the keyboard shelf (and are probably sturdier than the ones the manufacturer left out), but the desk was about 1/16” too narrow for the other sliding shelf with the shelf slides I purchased.  Arghhh!!  :pullhair: In the great scheme of things, though, it is probably the least essential part of the desk, and it will be easy to add later when the missing parts arrive.  My computer is back up and running (that’s a whole other story), and my Merrimack is living happily on its new home!  Then, yesterday afternoon, we got a delivery from Amazon.  My spouse had ordered a Silhouette CAMEO for me as a reward for all my hard work.  How fabulous is that?  I mean, the craft space was technically already my reward.  I was a little too tired to look at it last night, but I am super excited!!!  :happydance:

Here is my Merrimack on my new craft desk:

 

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I am inspired by all of your projects. You do such great work!

Karin, love your yellow dog! Very cute!

Deborah, that desk is just too clean. Hope you enjoy your new found space and make a messy desk soon!

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10 hours ago, WyckedWood said:

I hope you find your table :)  It's metal, they also had one that was just the grate with the fake wood pieces and coals, I thought that one was cute too. 

I'd love to have a metal one. Mine is just wood, hard to keep clean even with Pledge.

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This is what I have been doing the past month. Assembled Realife Miniatures stove and Hoosier. Waiting to buy polyurethane to finish the hoosier so I can attach doors and hardware. Finished assembly on stove and primed it this weekend. Also primed main floors and walls of Orchid. Designed potting bench and built it. the legs are chopsticks and polymer clay. I'd probably not lose my mind if I had wooden legs and didn't make 'em. But I used what I had. Made paper china plates. Assembled tea pot. Made a polymer clay basket and filled it with cherries. Made polymer clay beets and cucumbers and then canned them. I put the toppers on this weekend and clear coated the apples and taters. It doesn't look like much but it took a long time.

What have you been working on Nov (600 x 400).jpg

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