Gingerbread house

[stickyfingers]

Ok, progress to report! Yes, the Snow Tex is grainy and fluffy, so I'm using it for the rooftops and will use it on the ground of the base. I don't think it will give the same definition to the piping as the spackle, so I'll use spackle for the decorative piping. It's a neat product otherwise, and I'm really happy with how the texture turned out. For the rooftops, I spread it out thinly, like icing a cake, then used the pallet knife to dab all over the surface. Then I sprinkled clear glitter over all of it while it was still wet. Looks neat! I cut out the wood for the bases and did a quick coat of white to both sides.

I'm wondering if I should add some sisal trees to the sides of the house? I'm going to have a candy cane tree and a snowman in the front. I think I'll wait to get the candy on the houses, then do a mock-up with everything on the bases to see if it needs anything.

So far, I'm having a blast with this! 

[fov]

On 11/24/2017, 4:27:51, havanaholly said:

Emily, when the Snow Tex shrinks as it dries, does it leave any sort of residue on the painted surface?

I think so? When I noticed the shrinking, I had it piled up outside the porch in my four seasons roombox, so it was only really sticking to itself. I've since read suggestions to build up the snowbank with clay and just put the Snow Tex on top of it, to avoid the shrinking.

 

6 hours ago, stickyfingers said:

Ok, progress to report! Yes, the Snow Tex is grainy and fluffy, so I'm using it for the rooftops and will use it on the ground of the base. I don't think it will give the same definition to the piping as the spackle, so I'll use spackle for the decorative piping. It's a neat product otherwise, and I'm really happy with how the texture turned out. For the rooftops, I spread it out thinly, like icing a cake, then used the pallet knife to dab all over the surface. Then I sprinkled clear glitter over all of it while it was still wet. Looks neat!

That's exactly how I used it on the gingerbread houses, and it looked so sugary and yummy! I was almost tempted to taste it. 

[Mid-life madness]

Thanks for sharing Linda, I can't wait to see the progress.

[fov]

Linda, I just saw these icicles on Alpha Stamps and thought of your gingerbread houses: http://www.alphastamps.com/p22985/Icicles_Roof_&_Window_Trims/product_info.html

On my mom's real gingerbread houses she makes icicles out of frosting using a small tip on the pastry bag. We didn't try it with the dollhouses because it seemed too likely to break. But painting these chipboard icicles and then piping spackle over them or covering with Snow Tex might work.

[stickyfingers]

Emily, those are very cool! I thought I had seen some tiny icicle garland (plastic) at Hobby Lobby for the mini trees, but couldn't find it when I looked. I agree, doing them out of spackle would probably just be a waste of time...one bump or some curious fingers and they're ruined.

 

[stickyfingers]

Houses are DONE!! No pics yet, I'm too tired today, but really happy with how it all worked out.

I'm really glad I did these paper mache houses as a trial run, as I learned a lot. First, use good quality paint (duh). I used craft paint from Walmart because it was cheap and the color I was looking for, but the coverage was only OK, even doing touch ups. The drywall spackle I used dries to a not-quite-white with a gray-ish, almost translucent look. It's not bad, but it does stand out against the bright white of the Snow Tex. Next time I will trial the spackle before it's put on the house. The Snow Tex was really, really fun to work with, and I'm looking forward to other projects I can use it on. I should have practiced my piping more before starting it on the houses, as the first few areas are kind of lame, but got much better towards the end. Piping in the nooks and crannies is much harder than doing a simple cake, and there's a place or two where I bumped the piping. With all of the texture, paint, candy, snow, etc., the house got pretty heavy pretty quickly. When I do a real dollhouse, I'll be making it a small one, so it doesn't weight a ton when it's finished.

Huge thank you to everyone that shared what they did and how they did it, as I couldn't have done it without you! I'm in awe of your creations, and look forward to doing another house! 

[havanaholly]

Linda, my first rule when trying  new technique or product:  always make a test sample first.

[KathieB]

2 hours ago, havanaholly said:

Linda, my first rule when trying  new technique or product:  always make a test sample first.

I, at the other end of the spectrum, usually just take a flier, figuring if it doesn't work out there will be a way to fix it.  

One thing I love about this craft is that there is no right way to do any part of it: no set of rules* regarding method, purpose, reality vs. fantasy, or inspiration. It's a mini frontier, and we're all explorers.  

*That's not to say that we don't learn from one another. We do. But we adapt to our own rhythms and do what is comfortable for us. 

[havanaholly]

Well thanks to you  sometimes I also go ahead and try something the first time without "warm up" so to speak.

[stickyfingers]

Thanks! This was a bit of both. Pictures are up in the album.

I saw those peppermint trees and just couldn't stop thinking about them. Went back a few days later and bought a few for "someday." Still couldn't stop thinking about them, and just decided to take the plunge. Went to Hobby Lobby the next day and everything was on sale, so the rest is history.

It was very freeing to just dive in and go with this one. On my dollhouses, I tend to agonize over details and take so much time on some elements and overthink it all that I get overwhelmed and then it sits, unfinished. I wanted the houses done by December, and they are, so while I might do some things differently next time, it was good to just dive in and actually finish something. At the end of the day, it's all just wood and pant.  

[My Miniature Madness]

Linda the best and most fun projects are the ones that just hot us from out of the blue right?!? These are wonderful and so inspiring!