I Did a Thing--or Two

Winter still has a strong grip on Northern Colorado. The snow that came just before Christmas slowly melts as the temperatures begin to rise above 0, so I've spent a lot of time inside in the basement diligently working to finish the Manchester. Friday, though, I did a thing that I had long put off doing: removing the balcony.

Now why would I want to do a thing like that? Gluing the balcony in place was perplexing, tedious, and so difficult. But even before attaching the balcony, the intricate porch work had to be assembled and glued in place because it supported the heavy balcony. I knew that day when I install the balcony exactly where it needed to be placed, but I blew it. 

The photo doesn't show how un-level the balcony was as it tilted to the back, probably 2 cm, quite noticeable. Since the wood glue had already set when I notice how off balcony was, I decided to leave it alone, knowing what an awful chore it would be to remove it. And no one would notice.

But I knew.

The photos really do not show how un-level it was, Every time I looked at the house from the side, I got that pang of disappointment, each time reminding myself that this one mistake ruined the value of the house--not that I would be selling it, but some day it would really matter. Finally Friday I broke down, gave in to my instincts and removed the darn thing. 

I began by using my embossing heat gun used to melt embossing powder in card making to soften the wood glue. I realized, too, that the left side of the balcony had never attached itself to the front of the house so I was able to wedge my old Cricut spatula into the crevice and slide it along as the heat softened the glue.

I knew when I originally installed the balcony that it had be positioned right at the bottom the door opening in order to be level.

The glue softened and released much easier that I had imagined.

 

The balconycame off quite easily. You can see the line where it pealed away from the house. In actuality, the wood glue did not soften, the paint did and the the balcony easily released. Nonetheless, the balcony removal was far less traumatic than I expected. 

I had a mother problem, too. I could not get the brass porch lights to adhere; I tried their adhesive backs, tacky glue and jeweler's glue, but nothing held them in place,  so I now that  I had easy access to them where I could remove the old glue and clean things up a bit; this time using Gorilla super glue which caught hold.

The scar left from removing the the balcony will be repaired, repainted, and won't show anyway, but here the question that builders face all the time: Do we glue pieces to unpainted surfaces or painted surfaces? Simple as it may sound, the decision isn't always an easy one to make, so what do you do?

If you glue pieces to a painted surface--like shutters, door casing, or balconies, you are gluing to the paint, so if you have to remove a piece it does release easily, so it really isn't a strong or permanent bond when you paint first and glue next.

Many builders will paint all the kit pieces before assembling, rather than paint the house once the main frame is assembled. When I built Lily's house, I assembled it then I taped off the windows when I painted the exterior pieces before assembling the house, so that I glued the window casings directly to the bare exterior surface. It was a chore then to do the touch-up work around the window casings.

I had to look back at my photos to see when I painted this house--after assembling it and I didn't leave any bare spots for gluing--was it an over sight? I think I just didn't think about gluing pieces to the outside of the house. 

 

As I said, the front of the Manchester is work intensive, so I concentrated on building the porch work and the balcony then I installed it. I had a major problem with the balcony. It was supposed to be supported by the frame work, but all of the support is in the front with no support for the back of the balcony. I taped it in place, but it slipped.

Next time I will attach a porch roof or balcony with house laying down. I was tempted to that when I put balcony back in place so that gravity will help hold it in the proper place, but the house is big and heavy and has the addition, so I'm back to square one: how to attach the balcony and support it while the glue sets? I've cut supports that will fit underneath the balcony and support it as the glue dries, hopefully keeping the piece in place. 

I spent the rest of Friday rebuilding part of the railing on the balcony since it was wonky and repairing other weak spots in the porch wood work. Since the glue really didn't soften when I applied the heat to remove the balcony, I used the heat gun to soften the glue on the back of the balcony so that I'd have a smooth, clean surface again. Along with a little sanding, the back of the balcony has a clean surface that hopefully will hold. Nor will it be glued to paint, rather to the scare in the MFD which will hopefully create a good bond.

I feel so much better with a level balcony. I haven 't glued it in place yet, I suppose because I nervous about it slipping again. 

The light are holding in place with the super glue. I'm winding why I didn't adds the second light the upper level? 

The lights are on and all are working. The curtains are up in the living room; the finishing touches are coming together. Yesterday I cut the rest of the trim work for the exterior corners and today I'll paint them, so then I can install of the exterior trim.

Yes, that is a Tesla. And the house will have a wind powered energy source, blending the traditional with the modern. 

The final major project is the roof. While it looks like a big roof, it really isn't. My choices: individual shingles from my stash; purchasing speed shingles from Green Leaf; or creating a faux tin roof that is so popular here--a region known for receiving the most hail in the world. The metal roof would be the easiest. Real Good Toys has a tutorial on how to create the look: paint the roof and use 3/8 or 1/4 inch lumber to give look of a metal roof. I really am leaning toward that. Inspired by a small farm not far from from here where both the house and the barn have the dark blue metal roofs. Quite showy. We will see. 

I did another thing: spruced up the bathroom. I've always felt that the black, gray, and white monochromatic pallet was somewhat boring, so the bathroom needed color. I've always wanted to add poppy art work to my own bathroom, just never got around to it, so here I'm living out my real decorating fantasy.

I found the poppy image on Raw Pixel.com, printed it on a 4x6 glossy photo paper and made a frame for it. 

 I made poppies last summer from kits, so I placed one in a little glass jar, adding a little more interest. The Caladium that I made a few weeks ago for the office is in the red pot, but you can't see it. It may not be permanent in the bathroom anyway. Red was my mom's favorite color, so she would love this. She'd love the dollhouse projects, too. I'm sad sometimes that she's not here to enjoy this.

And we finish with yet a 3rd thing: stabling hand crocheted rugs, which is really quite easy--if you crochet.

How to Crochet a Perfect Circle (https://thestitchvixen.com/crochet-a-perfect-circle/

I crocheted these little rugs a while back, but despite using a pattern that promised flat circles with edges that did not curl, the rugs still did not lay flat, so they needed stabilized. Easy to do, especially since I had fabric stabilizer in my sewing stash. It's an easy process, so if you want to make your own mini rugs, you will want to stabilize them, even if you print your rugs on fabric, the iron-on stabilizer gives a nice finish (which I'll be doing, too).

To crochet the tiny rugs, use the smallest crochet hook you can. I used the one on the right, a 5 mm, which is plenty small. I've tried the 8mm on the left, but I need more practice.

Use the smallest crochet thread possible to achieve the scale you want. This of a 10 size that I purchased at Hobby Lobby, but is a lot of thread. Shop thrift stores for some bargain prices on crochet supplies, especially if you don't do a lot crocheting. 

Follow package instructions

• Heat Bond Stabilizer 
• cut to fit the bottom of the rug. I began with a square then trimmed it to fit the rugs.
• hot iron set to Wool. The Heat Bond instructions say Low Wool heat for 15 seconds, but I had to increase the heat to High Wool (my iron has 3 settings for Wool) and the time to about 45 seconds. The stabilizer didn't bond at the lower temperature and time I think because of its crochet texture.

Cut Stabilizer to fit the back of rug

Place stabilizer shiny side on the rug. The directions so the 'rough', which I had a hard time determining. The shiny side has the heat activated adhesive.

Use a pressing cloth on top if the stabilizer. I used an old tea towel folded.

Apply heat

Let cool

My stabilizer shifted. Not a big deal. I trimmed away what hung over the edge.

Now my two round rugs lay flat and look very nice in place. 

The Manchester Country Home is nearly Show Home ready with a few more odds and ends to finish up--like knobs on the entertainment center cabinets, but Ziggy and Sabrina are enjoying the fire. 

I'm glad and thankful that you stopped by. If you are new, leave comment to say "Hi."👋 

A Tale of Two Showers--and More

 I've made good progress on the way to finishing the interior of this house, a long arduous project. I  selected my photos for this post with a certain order in mind, but when the photos uploaded, they came in a different order, so I did move some around, but I suppose this is a good place to start as any. 

As we work on our electrical system--in this case copper tape wiring--we have to make sure to shut off the power while we work on the lines, which for me meant plugging and unplugging the line. Last week I ordered the power switch that I should have ordered when changes connection systems, using CR2S power connector system, which I really like. The switch has made controlling the power so much easier. 

The wood floors are finally finished and installed. The bedroom floor on the second level has the electrical connections for the first floor ceiling and the one wall sconce. While the copper wiring has a protective clear plastic layer, I covered each line with scotch tape just to make sure all of the connections are protected. I also coved each line with more cellophane tape.

To create the bedroom floor, I adhered my wood planks to one layer of scrapbook paper then covered that with butcher paper with the waxed side next to the card stock. Next I ran tape around the edges of the flooring to hold it in place with a secure hold. Now if I have to access the wiring, I'll be able to lift the flooring away. 

The stairs and floorboards are not yet glued in place. I'll leave just enough space beneath the floorboard so the the flooring will slide out out more easily, with the hope and prayer that I don't have to remove the floor, which will be a mess because I'm going to glue the stair rail in place. 

I am having a really hard time that making commitment to attaching pieces permanently in place, and I don't know why. I guess I'm pretty insecure about my workmanship.

The bathroom remains the last room to finish aside from the attic. I'm still trying to figure out how do the attic, so I'm leaving it unfinished as it is in most new homes and a lot of old homes. I do love how I have managed to create my vision for this house.  

The Tale of Two Showers

The shower has been built for a long while, but I needed to add the "glass" doors, or in this case I'll call them shields that will keep the water from running all over the bathroom. I had a heck of time attaching them and became so frustrated with the current shower on the left, that I dug in the unfinished projects stash and pulled out a shower base that I had started, including the ceramic shower base that I think I purchased from Elf miniatures in the UK, that is no longer available. I cut piece of plexiglass as the water shield and even have enough of the now unavailable tile paper purchased at Michael's to cover the new shower.

Then!

I decided to stick with the original shower. I had spent enough time a materials trying to get the original right, but when the plexiglass did not line up with the shower wall, I discovered that wall did not have a straight edge. Since the shower is made of foam board, I was able to trim the shower edge to even it out and then plexiglass fit in place.

I made shelves out of 1/2" corner moulding and added my own bottles made of candle wax. The are glued in place.

Here's the tutorial on candle making: Playing with Fire (Don't) 

Here's the link to building the shower without instructions on how to install the water shields: 

Building A Shower

It most certainly isn't the cleanest of builds, but for the time being it will do. 

Next I finished the vanity by gluing the sinks in place. I need to paint and attach the faucets.

African violets

To finish the second story addition, which be some sort of office, I also envision it as a perfect place to house the mistress' large collection of plants, especially her favorite African Violets, which I've kept for years. Years ago I nurtured dozens, but when I went to work, I was not a very good plant mom, but I have four plants now that ,as you can see, have been neglected, as their yellowed leaves indicate, but I'm I've moved them to kitchen window hoping to to a better job of tending them.

I spend a couple days making a miniature collection of violets and the table--which is much too large for the room, so I'll do something else.

Violets come in all sorts of shapes, colors, and sizes, so made up some different ones. The kit comes with 3 colors with directions to cluster the blooms in the center with neatly stacked leaves around the rim of the pot.

Despite their very tiny size, they are fun and easy the make.

I began with the kit ordered from an Etsy store The Miniature Garden in the UK, which has lovely miniature flowers. On the left you can see the supplies that come in the kit to make 3 plants. When I saw the kit pieces, I realized that I could make own, so on the right you can see the pieces that I punched out.

My punched pieces a bit larger, making them a little easier to work with.

The best way to learn how to make miniature plants and flowers begins by buying the kits from great miniature plant designers. Here are my favorites:

• SDK Miniature.com, a USA company with a great selection plants to choose from and great instructions
• Mary Kinloch: Has wonderful kits that provide multiple plants. She sells them on eBay, they are reasonably priced, but do not come with instructions. They are laser cut on off white crepe type paper. Good quality, but they have to be painted. She does have some YouTube tutorials that are helpful and a Facebook page with some direction on certain plants
• The Miniature Garden on Etsy in the UK. Wonderful kits, as you see here with the violets. I just received two more packets to make six more votes and a a floral arrangement of pussy willow and forthesai. The pieces are so very tiny and the kits are not cheap, but they are authentic.
• Moonflower Mini Garden, another Etsy store with beautiful plant kits

Why buy kits?

• Accurate, detailed replication of the real plant is probably the best reason to buy kits
• True to scale
• Kits work as good training to learn how assemble a plant

Disadvantage: many kits only have one plant or one flower so you need multiple kits to create a floral arrangement or a garden. Some kits you have to paint the plants, and the kits are costly. For example, The Miniature Garden's sunflower is $5.60 for one plant. 

Making your own plants from scratch seems like a better idea if you want an entire garden. While there are advantages to making your own plants there are some problems, too.

Perhaps the best advantage is the ability to make as many plants as you want or need and there is some satisfaction with creating your own, but you have to invest in all of the tools and supplies and that adds up.  Your handmade plants won't have the detail or be accurately scaled, but they will work and will be 

beautiful.

Here are the two ways to make your African violets. On the left the tiny kit pieces with all the parts: leaves, flowers, and stems. If you make your own you need two punches: one for the flower and one for the left. I purchased the yellow punch from Punch Bunch on Etsy and the heart shaped punch from Hobby Lobby.

Here are the tools that you need to assemble both violets:

• needle sharp stylus to punch center hole
• smallest ball stylus (not shown) to shape leaves and bloom
• needle nosed tweezer
• wire cutter
• pliers

Supplies include acrylic paint or scatter to create the stamen for the kit plant on the left which comes with plant pieces and wire. On the right the floral wire that I have in my supplies, find the smallest gage possible. The round wire is painted 32 gage and the stem wire is paper covered 32 gage. I use tacky glue to hold the pieces in place.

You can see the difference in sizes. On the left, the white violet parts are punched; the purple are the kit flowers. You really don't get full effect of just how tiny they really are.

Punch Buch on Etsy has a great collection of punches, especially leaves, to create your own flowers. For the violets, I used the smallest petal from the multiple shaped punch

I used the smaller ball stylus to cup the flower to give it definition and shape, then used the needle stylus to poke a whole in the center and threaded the bloom on the the painted wire, and the needle stylus to shape the leaf.

 While this is my punched flower, the kit will have you paint the tip of the stem to create the stamen, but I used scatter left over from another kit.

Paint or scatter? Which ever you might have on hand. I was a little generous with the paint.

Shape the stem to create a platform for the leaf.

Apply a small dap of tacky glue then the leaf.

While the glue on the flowers sets, I prepared the pots. I used wooden pots that I purchased at Hobby Lobby in a package of 8 and mixed acrylic paint to get a clay pot color. I filled the pot with paper clay, but I have also used floral styrofoam and used a dab of glue to hold the stem in place. The paper clay will dry and hold stems in place. I applied a dab of glue to the top and coved that with dried tea from a used tea bag--well dried out.

My pink punched flower

The kit flower made to resemble an immature plant with its first set of blooms.

African Violets come is a variety of colors and shapes, so I make a variegated bloom, using a marker

This will be another immature plant, just beginning to bloom, so the leaves are not tightly clustered.

 

Two punched flowers and one kit flower. Can guess which one?

I still have more kit violets to make and they will all be the same, but if you invest in the punches then you can create your colors and leaf patterns. To customize your own punched violet collection, search for African violets to see all the beautiful varieties and then make your own.

The bathroom will need a bit more accessorizing, some trim has to be stained and painted and then I'm done with the interior, which will leave the exterior trim that has all been cut to size but needs to be glued in place, and the roof will need to be installed then this project will be done. 

Thanks for visiting, today. I always enjoy your input. Have great week.