LisaN Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I loaded some pictures in the gallery of my first Primrose, done Tudor style--sort of. It is slated to become a Honeyduke's candy shop (my daughter kind of twisted my arm, which wasn't hard--she loves the Harry Potter movies) It has a green 'marble' tiled floor, and the timbers and front steps are made of paperclay. I used joint compound, or a caulk for the mud on the outside of the house, and experiemented a little inside. Right now it is a resting place for some favorite minis, and I have started to build the candy counter--just haven't stained it yet--which will probably be a dark walnut to match the timbers. Am thinking of making the sign out of paperclay, since I could make it as elaborate as I wish that way. Hope you enjoy the photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Lisa this is one of my favorite houses because you can change the look and feel of it so quickly! The way you changed yours look wonderful! Thanks for sharing pictures!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaN Posted October 18, 2005 Author Share Posted October 18, 2005 Thank you Tracey. I was looking over your webshots and was impressed with the Primrose that you had expanded, and added 6? inches to it for more space. One of the advantages of this little house is you can't go too overboard in the collecting angle--the counter I made takes up some space, so I am figuring out shelves, and such to display glass containers, chocalote frogs! and some other wizardry candy. The 2nd one that I am finishing up the window boxes are turning out great. I will load pics up of that when I'm finished with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shutterbugkc Posted October 19, 2005 Share Posted October 19, 2005 Oh my gosh! I had never heard of using pinecone shards for shingles before! I love that! I have no trees with pinecones, so now I'm going to have to go walking today to collect pinecones. What a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaN Posted October 21, 2005 Author Share Posted October 21, 2005 I'm glad you l ike it. Put your pine cones in a big bucket in a warm dry place, and before doing that, pick off any dirt, or leaf shards, or anything that is damp. Another idea is to lay them on newspaper on a picnic table outside, to dry them in the natural sunlight. I cut the pine cards in half with a sharp pair of scissors, then take smaller scissors and cut the shards like shingles, across. This idea came from a past Christmas issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine that I had on hand, and she even listed the different species of pines, and the different cones and what effects you could achieve. I am thinking of doing this technique for the greenleaf village. It gives a very medieval, christmas or elf quality for the smaller houses. Plus, the price is right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shutterbugkc Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 I was wondering, is it okay to soak them first in a some bleach water to kill the little buggies or would it damage the pinecones? :lol: When I was trying to pull off some shards yesterday, I noticed some of these teeny tiny little bugs living deep in there. Do you suppose that if I cut the shards off instead of pulling them off, I can avoid the buggies? What did you cut yours off with? I tried using an old dull pair of snippers and they didn't seem to cut very well. :lol: Perhaps it's time for a new pair. I am determined to make this work! I did a little test roof area yesterday to see how it would look and I LOVED it. It really has a woodsy-fairytale look to it. I've been inspired to make a little cottage for my daughter for Christams from the Primrose and set it up with the Goldilocks and the Three Bears theme. I might even try making three rustic looking beds from twigs. Oh, I'm getting excited about it now! ;) I want to wrap it up with a nice copy of the book and of course a little Goldilocks and three bears. And the best part is I can say to my husband "It's not another dollhouse for me, it's for our daughter!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 I wrap magnolia & other cones in aluminum foil and seal them and bake them in the oven at 350-400 degrees for about 10 minutes and then turn off the oven; when they are cool enough to take out with my bare hand I pop the foil packets into a plastic baggie and put them in the freezer for a few days, then take the foil packets out and bake them again as before. Anything that survives that treatment I don't want in my real house, much less on my dollhouse! :lol: :lol: BTW, bake the twigs, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shutterbugkc Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Thanks! That sounds like a much better idea than the bleach water. I'll give that a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaN Posted October 21, 2005 Author Share Posted October 21, 2005 I'm sorry shutterbug, I forgot to mention the method Holly did--it is very useful to bake these little babies. I didn't have any problem with bugs, but then again, my pine cones were dried in the sun and I sprayed them with lysol too.They were so dry that baking them didn't seem needed, and I haven't had any problems yet, knock on wood! I applied mine with a small glue gun, which no, isn't the best way to adhere them, but they stick! It goes quicker than caulk, or wood glue, because you sometimes will be making a pattern with them, sort of fitting them together like a puzzle. That is what gives it the elfin look, as I call it. I even used the end parts that were decorative to make little peaks in the roof line--it looked more decorative that way. I used a pair of sharp 'honeybee' scrapbooking scissors to cut my shards, it is most time consuming, but well worth it. What I did was cut alot of shards, and keep them in a small tin or bucket until I was ready to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shutterbugkc Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 I even used the end parts that were decorative to make little peaks in the roof line--it looked more decorative that way. Thanks! I was just wondering what on earth I was going to finish the tip of the roof with. I just used a hot glue gun for my test piece and it seemed to work pretty well. I wish I could get started on the actual house, but I haven't ordered the kit yet. But, I might as well get my shingles ready. Just from working on a little 3"X3" area, I could tell that the roof is something that is going to take me a while to do. At least it's a small house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaN Posted October 22, 2005 Author Share Posted October 22, 2005 Yes, it took me a couple of days to get that Primrose(honeyduke's) shingled. In the end, it screamed that it was old and needed moss growing--so I looked at Rik Pierce's webshot photos on how he arranges his moss, and it's kind of easy--look at the way moss grows on trees, etc. Down south there is a myth or legend that moss grows on the north side of trees, which makes sense because it's away from the sun. So i tried to follow this when mossing up the roof on the primrose, though I think I got carried away! Really, I stuck the greenery stuff whereever it looked good, the main thing I wanted ont he roof is to look old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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