Coventry Dollhouse Kit Building Blog Days 3 - 6

20 March 2006

Posted by Minis On The Edge

Not a Tower but a Roof?

 Over the weekend we were looking at house by the lake. Of course I did not have my camera but I saw a house very similar to the Coventry (Maybe I saw it before which is why the both look so similar now). I have decided to add a roof to the added room that I made where the porch is originally.

I am not sure if this is what I will keep which why I only used foam board for now. If I keep this one I will make the roof parts out of wood and cover the entire house with clay. Please tell me what you think...

4 April 2006

Posted by Minis On The Edge

Hardwood Floors

I have started on the floors because I felt I had to do something to my poor house. I am so tempted to work on my Rik Pierce Lighthouse from last weeks class (I had a ball the other week meeting my friends from the Greenleaf family in Person for the first time). Of course my Coventry won the battle LOL which is why I am blogging today. 

 

I used the wood siding from greenleaf to create my floors and think I will have stone floors in the entry way and in the kitchen area. These are pictures before I fill the gaps and stain them.

 
This is up which is angled and meet in the center

 

This is downstairs

 

 

11 April 2006

Posted by Minis On The Edge

Kitchen Stone Floor

I learned this technique about 4 years ago in my first class with Rik Pierce and Sometimes I use it when I am completely out of miniature flooring (like I am now). 1st you take a Vinyl floor tile and cut it to fit the room you wish to install the finished floor in.

 

 

Then you should check to be sure it fits good BEFORE you start the next step. Once you are sure it will fit, take the piece out and take your pencil and start drawing where you would want your "grout lines" to be. You can also purchase a copy of Rik's "How too" in Dollhouse Miniatures Magazine 12/05 Issue (can't find my copy right now LOL).

You would then take a straight edge hobby knife to cut the grout lines. Cut each side of your pencil line and then lift up that strip to reveal the "grout" color underneath.

 

 

I did the entry way & the Kitchen using this method. This is the finished product

 

22 April 2006

Posted by Minis On The Edge

The Clay Sculpting Has Started

I have started adding the paper clay to the outside of the house. The side wall opens and closes because I decided to add a hinge to it for easy access since I added this extra room. I have not attached the "real" roof that I am going to use and I am still working on it. What worked easy in gator foam is a little more difficult to use in wood (Getting it straight & flush).

Here are the pictures so far 

 

 

You can see that I added a bay roof on both bays because I thought it would look nice to have a copper roof for the bay window area. I used chipboard to create the parts to make the roofs for the bays.

 

 
This is with the side wall opened

 

 

Thank you For stopping by to read my Blog!

Westville Dollhouse Build (Day 6 - 11)

30 September 2006 (Day six)
Posted by Minis On The Edge

"Houston, we have a problem"

Well, I talked to my customer on the phone and she did not picture the trim to be Hunter green around the windows. She wants it white. I am so worried because too many coats of paint can make an item look sloppy and because the green IS dark, I will have multiple layers on painted to prime and cover the dark color .

She only wants the shutters Hunter Green Well, I guess I missed that detail so today I started doing that. I also decided to add the shutters to the house (That's right more punching out wood pieces and sanding them and painting them) but the effect is WONDERFUL!! I Love the stark white background and then the shutters on top  

She also wanted me to make a wood fireplace for the living room and she wants window seats where the bays are. I think it will really add that special touch to this house!

I added paperclay and sculpted the bricks for the inside of the fireplace.

30 September 2006 (Day Seven)
Posted by Minis On The Edge

Fireplace Completed

Well today I painted the fireplace and I also added burning embers to it so that there will be a nice warm glow! 

 Here is one of it lit up

I also added the roof parts today! I am as a little busy bee

I don't like the gaps showing up in between the roof line and the siding. Though it is glued down correctly, it just don't look clean I can't have that So I added some wood strips. You can see one on the left side and the right side has not been added yet. I will paint this white too.  

30 September 2006 (Days 8 & 9)
Posted by Minis On The Edge

I have an Owie

My hobby knife decided to bite me hard today on my right thumb!!! Sheesh, why does these things happen when I cannot afford a delay? I also spent a while the other day in the doctors office with Rachel because she has strep throat again! The doctor treated me for it too so we are both on meds .

Moving right along anyway, I took a day off and waited a day to start working back on the house. I did this because I was feeling lousy and it takes 24 hours after you start meds to not be contagious.  I added window seats, the stair rail and more trim (to make the wallpapered rooms look more manicured ) and the closet door & front door and trim Ohh my!

I even started on the shingles! I have decided to move the position of the chimney since the fireplace is in between the two living room windows, I thought the chimney should be there also. My customer says so far she is so pleased with the house. She has no idea how much she is encouraging me! Every night I go to bed, I look at the list of things that still need to be done and I feel I will NEVER get it done in time!! The good thing is normally, I work well under pressure.

I only blogged this because I wanted to show everyone what determination can lead you too. Besides going crazy, you can end up with a fully completed house built, painted, electrified AND wallpapered with a base in a matter of days (not weeks or months or years)

This shot show the inside. 

I am pleased at the time of taking this picture . When I downloaded it on the computer, I noticed the walls look unfinished and shabby! I can't have that happening now, so do I run to hobby lobby AGAIN? Of course!

The window seats are removable just in case my customer wants to change the fabric.

 Shingles were started before I dozed off to sleep

I also decided to Check to be sure that all of the lights are still working before I go to sleep.

30 September 2006 (Day 10)
Posted by Minis On The Edge

Calling All Shingles

 I added all of the shingles today and added clay to the foundation of the house (Three sides) I fed all of the wires to the bottom of the house so that a Power strip could be used OR you could add a strip of tape wire and solder the hardwire to the tape wire (I will show this on my next house). For this house, I used a power strip because of the time constraints . I am loving it though! I also added the Chimney! Notice in the picture that some of the shingles are different colors naturally. This will not be a problem once they are stained. You will see that in the end.

30 September 2006 (Day 11)
Posted by Minis On The Edge

The Base and Touch Ups

  Well today is a challenge! I still have the base to do. My Customer wants this house to have the appearance of a lawn on the base and I am thinking up a good way to create this effect using paper clay.

Mean while, I did touch up paint, checked all lights again and stained all of the shingles! I have to have this house at the Pack N Mail place on Friday! I think I will have it done on time  

I could sit and stare in the house all night! Lights make the house look so real!

I even started playing with my dolls just to see what it would look like with "life" added to the house

This is Anna coming up the stairs (which is carpeted with plush hunter green carpet)

On the porch

Thank you for stopping by to View My Blog! You can see better pictures of this blog by clicking the picture below:

by toppdollar

Glencroft Dollhouse Build Aging Ceiling Beams

(The Original Date and title of the blog was Distressing Beams June 18 2005)

As I was putting my beams together, I started looking at the texture of them and I just did not like it. The beams were too smooth for my taste so I got out my saw zall blade and distressed them by scraping in the direction of the wood grain. Here are some before & after shots

Before distress

After distress

Thank you for reading my blog!!

Arthur Dollhouse Kit Outlets & Siding

I actually did most of my work late last night while everyone was asleep. I added outlets in the bedroom and I made a nonworking ceiling light a working one with replaceable bulbs.

I finished adding the roof and started putting siding on the front wall. I will add the porch later on today after I paint the front first.   I spent a total of 2 hours last night on the house. I painted the bathroom added the roof and siding outside.

Today turned out to be a rainy & wet day but I added the outdoor chimney and stack. I cut these parts from 1/2" thick foam core. I did not use a pattern, I guess I "eyeballed" it a bit. 

I will cover it and the foundation with paper clay later (Linda was right, I can't do a dollhouse without adding paperclay). I glued it to the outside and I added the stack to the top of the roof.

I added the Corona siding to the house. This is individual siding strips and I only used 1 1/2 bags because I have the Chimney. I will paint it next then add porch. It took me a total of 1 hour 40 minutes. NOW.... on to the painting!!

Thanks for following along today!