Deb Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 I've had a Lafayette on the table in dry fit for awhile and keep putting off starting it because I knew it was going to be a mess to build. I've never met a house I didn't like until this one. And I'm not saying anything bad about the manufacturer, it's simply the luck of the draw to get a kit with reeeeeeeally bad wood that didn't cut properly. The die didn't cut completely thru about two thirds of the sheets and the wood itself is so dry and splintery that I had to wear goggles just to get the pieces out. I've gotten more splinters from this one house than all the others I've built put together. The worst offense it has tho is the warping. Every single large piece is warped. So yesterday was a challenge of getting the wood sanded and conditioned into usable shape. I've been putting off building this one because it was in such bad shape and I wasn't sure I could turn it into something presentable. But Carol is an architectural genius, and she suggested a tuscan villa look to it, which works since venetian plaster can smooth out a lot of imperfections in the wood and that style will let me use the ceiling beams I need to straighten out the warping on the second floor. That house and I had *serious* fights yesterday.........I even threatened to shove it down the garbage disposal. After 12 hours of sanding and conditioning the wood, half a bottle of glue, most of a tub of spackle, a whole roll of blue tape and every clamp I have in my tool box, I got it assembled with no warping. <sigh of relief> I was afraid for awhile there that I was going to end up making it a circus fun house just to accomodate all the warping! :lol: Wanna know the weird part? I think when I get this one finished, I might really like it. What is it about the difficult ones that make us bond with them? Must be that "labor of love" theory. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Hey Deb! Don't know if this is going to help you now, but whenever I get a kit that the wood is in bad shape, before I do anything else I go ahead and stain ALL of the wood. The Madison that I have was like that. It was improperly stored and DRY as a bone! I stained each and every piece of wood before I even attempted to remove it from its sheets. I then stained the pieces of wood again after I removed them. It's much better now, and it's a house I adore! I can't wait to get back to it. Soon as I figure out what to do about that roof, that isn't coming along the way that I wanted it too .... Maybe I should get a whole bunch of TALL beer cans and then cut those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 Staining all the wood makes perfect sense! You are *so* good! I was going to tile the floors and then decided I'd try staining them first and it did smooth out a lot of the warp on them. The wood sucked it up like a sponge. It didn't occur to me to stain all the wood, but I'll definitely do that the next time I encounter something like this. I think that staining it all first would have done the trick and saved a lot of innocent birdies that were sacrificed when I turned the air blue. :lol: I think that you've also pinpointed the reason it was in such bad shape. It probably wasn't stored properly. It's a kit I picked up a few months ago on Hobby Lobby's clearance sale and it looked like it had been in the store for a long time. (and for $12.99, I really shouldn't complain about it) Are you working on the tin roof for the Madison? I was wondering the other day how that house was coming along. I saw rolls of pressed metal (tin, aluminum and copper) at Hobby Lobby the other day for a lot cheaper than it sells online. I think it was over in the HO section or somewhere close to it. But I like the beer can idea. For that house, it just seems more appropriate and Jimmy probably wouldn't mind helping with emptying the cans! Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Actually neither Jimmy nor I are beer fans. Jimmy likes Wild Turkey, and I like wine .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hydroped Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Hi Deb, Hope your house is doing better. The only one I've bought that was like that was the Tiffani - and again it wasn't the manufacturer - it was that the house had been opened then stored in a barn - not a garage - a barn! for I don't know how many years but you could clearly see water damage to the box and then it had dried - I honestly don't know how the kit didn't mold, but fortunately it didn't. The wood was very splintery though. Of course I made the Santa house out of it so it got covered with lots of stuff from stucco to wall paper and I'm happy as a lark with it now But I wasn't real happy trying to get those pieces out the sheets. Now why the heck didn't I think to ask about it on here before I took them out??? Next time I get a badly stored and splintery kit I'm gonna try staining the whole thing like Linda said ;) Awesome idea! -David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms. Mini Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Deb your a genius, a tuscon house sounds perfect. i cant wait to see pictures!!! I stained the pieces of my willowcrest that were warped and it flatened them right out!! good luck and i cant wait to hear more about your progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMadWoman Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Deb, I can hardly wait to see this house! A tuscan villa sounds so romantic! Hmmm . . . I could put a Diane Lane look-a-like doll in a house like that . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I've been putting off building this one because it was in such bad shape and I wasn't sure I could turn it into something presentable Putting off--yep for you definitely--when the house is not built within 2 weeks of taking out of box--something is very very wrong. So don't keep us in suspense to long now--we need our eye candy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted September 28, 2006 Author Share Posted September 28, 2006 <grinning> I'm certainly not the genius. That would be Carol. I told her what condition it was in and how I was going to have to cover it with stucco or some other textured wall treatment.........she did some cross referencing about the style of the lafayette and her architectural books and came up with the idea of venetian plaster and a tuscany look. I think venetian plaster or adobe would have been the only choices. I thought about whacking off some of the peaks for a more squared look, but the wood isn't up to a lot of bashing on it. Even with my finest saw blade, it would still splinter into pieces, so I'm going with the tuscan flavor, if not a full tuscany look. So don't keep us in suspense to long now--we need our eye candy. There's not a whole lot of eye candy yet since right now it's still slow going. It's just a shell with the plaster on the interior. I'm working on the woodwork and beaming now and hope to have that part done tomorrow. But I can show you how the plaster effect looks. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishMist Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 Thanks for the compliment Deb! I'm so glad that the venetian plaster idea is working for you. I think it is so much more interesting to do something "different", and of course it has to be "correct" for us perfectionist type As! Your plastering looks good so far, and I have great faith that you will win the battle - and the war - with this house :o Carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted September 28, 2006 Share Posted September 28, 2006 I'm so glad that the venetian plaster idea is working for you. I think it is so much more interesting to do something "different", and of course it has to be "correct" for us perfectionist type As! OK at the risk of showing my ignorance--what or how do you do venetian plaster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted September 29, 2006 Author Share Posted September 29, 2006 OK at the risk of showing my ignorance--what or how do you do venetian plaster? Venetian plaster is a textured application of plaster. It's actually been traced back as far as 3000 BC but is most commonly associated with stuccowork made from limestone putty in Italy. It's usually applied with trowels in a "slap and smear" kind of technique done in layers. On the mini scale, I used Greenleaf stucco mixed with latex paint, slapped it on the walls, then used a small brush to give it the swishy texturing. The latex paint gives it the shiny finish without having to polish it. I'm still threatening that house with a visit to Mr Fireplace. It said it wanted the upstairs to be pale green. So I gave it what it wanted and made the plaster upstair a pale green. Then it changed it's mind and said it wanted the upstairs to be peach just like the downstairs. <sigh> So I did that. Now I'm not happy with the texturing upstairs because I think it looks too bulky. There's something hovering around the edges of my mind about how to enhance the second floor and I just haven't put my finger on it yet. It's one of those "on the edge of discovery" feelings that just hasn't pushed forward yet but I think it has to do with a patina. That means my muse is thinking it over and will hit me with it when I least expect it........probably when I'm sleeping. My muse is sadistic that way. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted October 4, 2006 Author Share Posted October 4, 2006 I finally finished the house from Hades. <huge sigh of relief> While I was building it, I kept telling myself that when it was done, I'd probably just fall in love with it. Guess what? I still don't like it. In fact, right up till the end, I was telling it that it could easily meet with an unfortunate sledge hammer accident. That thing just fought with me every step of the way. Even the shingles gave me splinters. Anyway, the end result is a house that is square and solid. The wood is all sealed now and it's smooth and stable and will last forever. It's not that I don't like the end result, but it sure wasn't any fun to build. I'm ready to clean up all the splinters in the studio and build me a nice Greenleaf house again. :woot: Wanna see? I have to admit that I do like the beamed ceilings and the woodwork around the bay window. Not only is it functional to give stability and help square the house, but it did come out looking really nice against the plaster. I also used copper sheeting as insets on the gingerbread and the front door and that gave it some sparkle. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuzyQ Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Deb, I think your house came out just beautiful!!! If my Garfield comes out half that good I will be smiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Deb, it looks Fanatastic!! I love it. I love the fake basement windows with this house too. It gives the house the appearance that there is more to it. The plaster & beams look Excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMadWoman Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Deb, I'm sorry the house gave you so much trouble, but it turned out magnificently!! The colors, the style . . . it's just so so cute!! Great job!! So, what's up next? Enquiring minds want to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Deb, the house is delightful, even if the experience wasn't! Good on you for hanging in there ... somebody will be enchanted with this little devil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted October 4, 2006 Author Share Posted October 4, 2006 I love the fake basement windows with this house too. It gives the house the appearance that there is more to it. The plaster & beams look Excellent!Thanks Tracy. I'm really glad the plaster came out okay on it. I think that was what saved the house from the fireplace. I've become a firm believer that stucco makes a huge difference in a house with "inherent difficulties". ... somebody will be enchanted with this little devil. <giggling> One of the threats I made to the house was that I'd sell it to a horrible three year old who would kick it and smear it with strawberry jam. So, what's up next? Enquiring minds want to know! <checking my list> Um, lemme see...... next up is about five more dressed beds. I think there will be one or two chinese styles (think gold and red brocade with black lacquer), a couple of jungle print beds for the wildly exotic, and a decadent Cabaret-red bed with sinful black fringe. Oh, and maybe a Christmas bed or two. That'll take about a week and then I feel a need to build something either southern or art deco. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Beautiful Deb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shutterbugkc Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 It looks perfect! You would never be able to tell by looking that it had been a "problem child". All it needed was a firm hand! I like those basement windows, too. It leaves a bit to the imagination. My husband would probably use one of his favorite expressions: "See, you can polish a turd." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMadWoman Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 <checking my list> Um, lemme see...... next up is about five more dressed beds. I think there will be one or two chinese styles (think gold and red brocade with black lacquer), a couple of jungle print beds for the wildly exotic, and a decadent Cabaret-red bed with sinful black fringe. Oh, and maybe a Christmas bed or two. That'll take about a week and then I feel a need to build something either southern or art deco.Oh that all sounds great! You are going to be busy! I can't wait to see something in southern or art deco. Sounds very interesting!! "See, you can polish a turd." ROTFLMHO!!!! That's too funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Wow, it's hard to believe you had troubles, it just looks so perfect! Another exellant job! It's beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 its a great job Deb! it really looks like it was soo cooperative in its building. your stucco came out great looking! anyone would be proud to have this lil beauty! and exatic beds and red fringe...ooo hurry up with those please...sounds yummy! nutti :wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 It is definitley a beauty! And by the way may I just say that the sound of those new ventures you are planning, major drooling time to look forward to then.... (Better look into the prospect of saftey aspects with the keyboards....) Hugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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