doetexas Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I was reading about how some of you have a problem of your dollhouse projects 'leaking' into other rooms of your house. Well, I guess I should be very embarrassed----I have a building that is all mine where I work on and store my miniatures...but, I still have the same problem of things 'leaking' out or 'escaping' and coming into the house. The 14 x 24 portable building was originally purchased so that I could have an office for my massage therapy business. I've been having so much back trouble that I can't do massage anymore, so I've turned it into a craft building. So, I guess it really doesn't matter how much room you have...it ain't never gonna be enuff! Doe P.S. I started on my Dura-Craft Shenandoah log cabin yesterday after looking at some of the pictures of your completed houses (Linda ) And I was inspired to build the one I really wanted to build...just for me. I started staining each individual log today...I'm maybe 20% of the way done with all the logs.... I'm staining before I assemble anything...might not be the right way to do it, but, I don't want to have places where the stain won't take where the glue is if I stain it after I glue it together. I just now thought about the possibility that the glue might not hold as good as it should. Do you think that will be a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I stain before assembly, whether it's a house or a furniture kit with twiddly, fiddly itty bitty pieces. When I let the stain dry thoroughly I have had no problem with the wood glue holding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Doe, I envy your having a whole building for your projects. I have to make do with the dining room table-- and that has to be cleaned off by 5 p.m. daily, with no traces of obnoxious odors about-- AND I have to battle cats in the meantime. What kind of house are you going to make your Shenandoah-- pioneer or vacation get-away? That second floor rail invites a tiny quilt or two. Bee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMadWoman Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Doe, that picture of Sheba and the moon is awesome! Can't wait to see pictures of your progress on the Shenandoah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie4159 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Oooh Doe, I'm sooooooo jealous . I would just love to have my own workroom. Right now I just get to dream about a space to have all my own. The kitchen table right now is my workspace and it doesn't look all that great when anyone comes to visit. Of course, anyone who does come to visit knows about my passion/obsession! Can't wait to see pics of your Shenandoah. I purchased this kit but decided I'm giving it to my brother for Christmas. I got him started on dollhouses and he has become an avid builder! Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doetexas Posted October 25, 2005 Author Share Posted October 25, 2005 HavanaHolly--Thanks for the input, I'm glad to know I won't have to worry about my glue holding. I use Aileen's Quick Dry Tacky Glue most of the time. I still have a long way to go with getting everything stained--there must be thousands of pieces. I finally figured out putting the pieces in a mesh bag and dipping them in the stain is a heck of a lot easier & quicker. Then I spread them out in single layer on newspaper & cardboard to dry. I'm using a golden oak stain, but I'm thinking about using a wash or something to get an aged look after assembly. What would you use for that, I have no idea...I just know there are things like that available somewhere. Bee--I do feel lucky. I know that putting everything away every day is quite a chore since I've had to do that, too. I've got two cats in the house and two bloodhounds, but I have more trouble with my bloodhounds getting into my stuff than the cats. My Shenandoah is definitely going to be a pioneer cabin. I hadn't thought about quilts on the railing but that is a wonderful idea...thanks. I recently got a 'dry sink' with a old-fashioned water pump on it and a cute little butter churn with bluebonnets and the word 'Texas' painted on it. Those are definitely going to be in there. A whole pioneer family with Ma & Pa and all the kids and pets including a howling bloodhound--maybe howling at a cat it treed? Mini--I got lucky with that picture of Sheba and the moon....She was sitting up there looking pretty and I ran and got the camera hoping she wouldn't move...and by golly she was still sitting there lookin pretty when I got back with the camera. We have several strays that have taken up residence with us, but she is the friendliest and would spoil easily. I'll be sure to keep picture of my progress posted..reminds me I gotta get a new battery for my camera. Debbie--Your brother is sure to love that Shenandoah. When you first open a box for a log cabin it kind of takes you aback----there are sooooo many pieces. But after you finally get the walls put together-which takes quite a while-it's not a whole lot different than building any other dollhouse. I am going to have to develop some room partitions since both floors are open. And of course I've got to have a nursery in it....I got the prettiest little cradle on eBay a while back that has to go in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 If you want to age it after the wood is stained I tried this technique with the Westville roof to tone down the popping color effect. I use my acrylic paints from the tube in basic colors so I can mix my own. I took a small amount of white with just hint of black and blue and diluted it to a wash with water and washed that over the shingles and it really calmed it down; I've also used diluted white on the bricks to calm the color down on them (pictures in the Westville blog), gives a lovely patina of age. If it's a pioneer cabin, there weren't partitions or walls. They didn't have a whole lot when they lived in the cabins and as they gathered more possessions they outgrew the cabins & built themselves houses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaN Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Doe, I have stuff in the garage, which is supposed to be turned into a studio for the construction phase, but stuff still creeps into the house! My husband has decided to build himself, as he puts it, 'another workshop' since I have taken over the current garage and there isn't enough room for the tools. So don't feel bad--you'll find it a calming, relaxing place. I know what you mean about building for yourself....although I love working on different structures, and they find homes with people, I really don't have a 'finished' piece for myself, most of my structures are 'shops'. So I might keep the arthur, or if there is no room for it, sell it and put the glencroft together. But I think the arthur might win, I really love this little house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shutterbugkc Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 I was just thinking about how dollhouses "leak" into other non-dollhouse rooms and I've decided that dollhouses are actually pets. My dollhouses seem to want to be where I am. You can dedicate a room to a pet, but that doesn't mean that's where the pet is going to stay! I think dollhouses are social creatures and like to be where everybody else is. That's why they keep popping up on kitchen counters, dining room tables, and coffee tables even when they have a nice dollhouse room to call their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie4159 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 So that's how that happens -- I thought I was just imagining things! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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