havanaholly Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 I have mentioned here & there that I found a partially-built & abandoned Storybook Cottage kit in an Avon Park, FL, charity thrift shop last January whilst we attended a tandem bike rally in Sebring. It called my name so we just had to take it home with us. I finally got it in my hot little hands two days ago and I have been dealing with my hot little temper ever since (I don't deal well with incomptence resulting from a refusal to try). This has been "special" because whoever built it sort of followed the instructions in order... So there's a lot of trim already applied to the interior. Nothing inside has been painted, of course, OR sealed, OR primed... The outside, however, was painted what looks like it was once white but now that "aged" yellowish color, and the outside trim that has been applied (plus ALL the other trim that had not been applied is a horrid, ugly nearly-black green. The glue doesn't yield to disassembling, but the wood on either side nearly did when I tried to insist (I fixed it). I thought, oh, well, it'll be cute if I can get all the yucky stuff covered and put the rest of the house together. Well, there is no "rest of the house" I found one bag with the kitchen chair parts and several bags of punched-out pieces, no porch parts whatsoever and none of the other furniture. There's a bagful of bits & pices of sandpaper, but the interior front door appears to be the only thing that was ever sanded. I found some shattered pieces of trim that, when I got them all glued together, proved to be the exterior trim for the double window. I guess I can figure out the fate of the rest of the furniture pieces! I have no idea what they might have done with the interior structural stuff, either. I sanded and spackled and sanded and primed and have begun to paint and hopefully I'll be able to start a gallery on this in a few days. I will get what I have into some sort of playable condition for a child and donate it to our local Toys for Tots. I hope some of you who have likewise salvaged a "poor pitiful pearl" house will say a quiet little prayer for all those poor little birds who might be flying overhead as I swear my way through this project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Every house deserves a home - there'll be a thrilled little tot waiting in the wings somewhere - when the swearing's over! You have a good heart, Havanaholly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Color Me Holly Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 How nice of you to feed the feral little kitties this winter. Sorry, you are having so many problems with it. I wonder if they used some sort of epoxy for glue. I know when you are done with it, it will be the prince/princess of a house for a kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hallowell Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 I love these kinds of projects but they can try your patience. Good luck, I sure it will come out beautifully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJEP Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 Good luck with it!! Just try to keep your patience as much as you can. I know it will be beautiful when you are done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 7, 2006 Author Share Posted December 7, 2006 I have nothing but kindly feelings for this poor little house, that deserved so much better, so I'm giving it the best I can. I just wish whoever had given up on it had put actual pieces for the house in all the little bags, instead of just the scraps & punchouts!lol Oh, well... It can't help turning out OK, it's an adorable little house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bergie Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 You're doing your own kit bashing.lol It will turn out fine, probably a lot different from the original but that's not bad. bergie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Can't wait to see pictures.... Look at it this way...the previous owner couldn't appreciate it and it was waiting for you to come along and give it a little love. It will shine as a result! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wenlaine Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 I agree with Marg, it needed you, Holly! It's going to be just great, watch your temper though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 8, 2006 Author Share Posted December 8, 2006 You're doing your own kit bashingOh, yes!lol watch your temper though see previous quote... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 I have complete blind faith in your ability to make this little house a real gem. Now that's not to say that ferral cats won't be hanging around until New Years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Could someone pleae explain the references to feral cats? I think I must have missed something - or else I'm just brain dead, which does happen regularly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 8, 2006 Author Share Posted December 8, 2006 Oh, Jackie, it's silly! I live 'way out in the woods in a rural county in the Panhandle part of northern Florida, just to the northwest of the state's capital, Tallahassee. Where I live, over the years a HUGE number of neighbors' cats have indiscriminately bred & interbred & inbred and turned feral. There is also a huge quantity & variety of wildlife about, both because it's the woods, it's Florida, and there's all these fat, juicy feral cats prowling about, fending for themselves. I am an extremely patient person, but I have a low frustration threshhold and whilst I can spend hours working on fixing a problem I tend to start "fussing" about it, and because many years ago DH & I owned a bookstore in a Navy town with part of our customer base including a few motorcycle gangs, let's just say the vocabulary I acquired managed to shut the gang members up! Cosequently, at some point in the dh-building process I have been known to dredge up some of the more "colorful" aspects of my vocabulary to the point the air around & above me begins to turn blue and rises in a toxic cloud to the point that any poor, unsuspecting little songbirds flying overhead outside fly through this toxic cloud and drop to the ground, stupefied or dead, where the feral cats in the area smell them or see them falling to the ground and come racing in prides to our house to feast. I think I've noticed an increased number of the cats when I take breaks with this rehab, however I have begun the repaint and it's beginning to look like hope ahead, so I think the birds are now safe & the cats will begin to disperse back into the woods. (now aren't you sorry you asked?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 Cosequently, at some point in the dh-building process I have been known to dredge up some of the more "colorful" aspects of my vocabulary to the point the air around & above me begins to turn blue and rises in a toxic cloud to the point that any poor, unsuspecting little songbirds flying overhead outside fly through this toxic cloud and drop to the ground, stupefied or dead, where the feral cats in the area smell them or see them falling to the ground and come racing in prides to our house to feast. I thought this was part of the building process Maybe under the beginning supply section we should mention ear muffs for the virgin ears around :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 I thought this was part of the building process <giggling> I consider the provision for the feral cats to be just one of the many charities that Holly supports. I don't think the birdies see it that way, but the cats are appreciative whenever Holly has a challenging house. Holly, it sounds like you've got a serious challenge in this one, but if there is anyone who can do it, it would be you. I'm pretty sure you could rehab a 50 year old, mouse nibbled gingerbread house if one ever presented itself to you. I agree that this poor house was waiting for you to come along and love it. It deserves a second chance at life. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms. Mini Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 oooo! i cant wait to see pics of your fix up on her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 Holly, My Dad was in the Navy during WWII, a brickmason and a cop and he was known to turn the air blue on occasion. He was even accused of making words up. I've been known to utter a few of them myself but not at the houses. Yet. I kinda think its funny when a man will swear and then appologize to me for swearing. When I explain about Dad, I also tell them that I've heard the words before and they shouldn't appologize. We had some feral cats here also. I even had a tame cat that turned feral. The call of the wild I guess, never did figure out why she left home. She had plenty of food, water and all the love she could handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 I knew that office buildings create a hazard for our feathered friends (flying into the windows at night) - but this is the first I'm hearing about the hazards of dollhouse building! Consequently, at some point in the dh-building process I have been known to dredge up some of the more "colorful" aspects of my vocabulary to the point the air around & above me begins to turn blue and rises in a toxic cloud to the point that any poor, unsuspecting little songbirds flying overhead outside fly through this toxic cloud and drop to the ground, stupefied or dead, where the feral cats in the area smell them or see them falling to the ground and come racing in prides to our house to feast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 9, 2006 Author Share Posted December 9, 2006 Oh, come now, Jackie, after reading Steve's post you surely are familiar with some of the hazards of dh building by now! :groucho: BTW, with the cosmetic stuff inside & out my little sow's ear is just begining to look like a purse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 I had missed Steve's post - I'm glad you drew my attention to it! (I'm very bad - I have safety goggles, masks, etc. but never think to use them.) I just knew you would make a silk purse! I'd love to see some pics. :groucho: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 I'm taking pictures as I go, Jackie. I am totally techie illiterate and digicams hate me! so I take my piccies with a dispoable point&shhot and get them to burn me a CD with the prints, which I then upload into "my pictures" and resize them before posting to an album (the Storybook Cottage rehab or one of the building blogs (the wooden Orchid). However the pictures are a-coming, I've begun to mark the roof for shingles whilst the glue dries on the doorframe. Tracy, there's a certain fascination that the little houses have, but if I ever get a COMPLETE Storybook Cottage kit to build from the ground up I shall begin by bashing it into 1:24! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 Update: The decorating is finished, the windows are in and the door is hung and I have one course left to finish shingling the rear roof (I'll do the front tomorrow) and It'll be ready to deliver to our local police station by Weds. I'll do a gallery album for it ASA I get the pictures done. It may not be a silk purse, but it looks a lot different from the pitiful little sow's ear it was! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 It sounds great! Looking forward to pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Update: The decorating is finished, the windows are in and the door is hung and I have one course left to finish shingling the rear roof (I'll do the front tomorrow) and It'll be ready to deliver to our local police station by Weds. I'll do a gallery album for it ASA I get the pictures done. It may not be a silk purse, but it looks a lot different from the pitiful little sow's ear it was! Looking forward to the pictures Holly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maresiedotes Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Holly, I haven't been too active at the forum lately for a lot of reasons, but this posting of yours has delighted me to no end!!! LOL! I think rehabbing a sad house and making it look beautiful absolutely calls for some swearing, no doubt about it! (The house will cooperate a whole lot faster, because it will be scared not to!) I'm also convinced the joy the kids will get from the house will far outweigh your frustration, and bless you for doing that! You're a great lady! I love your sense of humor!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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