Attic Screened Door

I've been working on the installation of the attic screened door. I'm so glad I found the door that is the right size!


I made my first pin hinges and door frame. It even opens and closes like a real door. :D


Now I just have to find the cool hardware I bought... I seem to have trouble finding things around here!

I wish I could stay home and finish this but it's back to the real work world for me.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Working On The Garage Again

I've been working on the garage attic window, screen door and dormer. I want to finish as much as I can before I put the garage together.

I did get my PIF gifts mailed today. I also made some shutters, a window shelf and a valance for the dormer window.

I thought my garage roof had gone missing, but I found it buried under some walls and trim. Things are quite messy around here right now.

I really should clean things up!

More on the Roof

I'm still working on the roof, cupola and dormer. Not quite happy with it all yet, but it's a start.

Hope you have a nice day!

Decisions

In order to get this project back underway, I decided to do a red "tin" roof on the garage. I'm saving the embossed tin idea for my 1/2 scale Fairfield dollhouse that is still in the box. (!)

I used bamboo blind sticks to make the ridges. What you see here is one coat of red paint. I'll add another coat of paint, maybe age it a bit, and then spray it with clear gloss spray.

I did a little work on the dormer too. I added some siding that I'll dry brush with blue like the garage walls.

Now I have to decide what kind of roof to put on the dormer. I have some crushed shells that might work?

I'm happy to have made some progress this weekend. I think I'm almost ready to start on the lights. (She says with great fear and trembling!)

Happy Monday! I can't wait until 5 o'clock so I can get back to work.

Red Lantern

I went back to my original idea of using cardstock to make the lanterns for the garage.

I cut circles from a red paint chip. Then I punched a hole in the middle and added a grommet in the center. I broke one of my LED lights while fooling with these. I hope I can fix it?

The inside is painted with white pearl paint. I tried to weather the outside a bit. I'll paint them with clear gloss once I have them looking right.

The lanterns are about 2cm in diameter. I found the measurements of a real lantern and used the Art of Miniatures calculator to find the 1:12 scale size. I love that calculator! You can find it on the sidebar if you need one.

Hope you have a happy day!

Grandma's In The Attic

I wonder how she got up there? Maybe she needs an outside staircase?



Yes, I think she does. I really can't see her climbing a ladder to get to her sewing room!

Thanks Casey. Now I have another project to add to my list.

More Work

I learned something yesterday while priming the garage. I brushed the primer on the interior walls but I spray primed the windows and exterior walls. Bad idea.

What I ended up with, using the spray primer, was FUZZ! The spray lifted the fibers in the MDF and made a real mess. I'm going to have to do a lot of careful sanding to correct this problem before I can paint the exterior.

I did go to the paint store yesterday. I got two custom color samples for the downstairs walls. I also picked up this handy little paint roller and tray. Cute, cute and very helpful!

I started out with light gray walls. The textured ceiling will be the same color.


I let that dry overnight. This morning I used painter's tape to make a line for navy blue at the bottom. This is going to be a Navy man's garage, you know. :D

I've never tried painting stripes before. I hope the tape comes off nicely?

I still like the speckled floor I made, but I don't like the cardboard I used. I'm planning to re-do that today.

I also started laying out wood for the attic floor. I really just wanted to see if I had enough skinny sticks. I do. I sure wish my Easy Cutter wasn't all in pieces! I still can't seem to get the new blade installed. So frustrating!

I am considering putting LED lights in the garage. I've been chatting with Evans Designs about what kind of lights and how many I'll need. They are SO helpful! They will even custom make the wires to the length you need.

I may try to make my own light fixtures? I'm sure that will add another month to this project!

Thanks for following along on my first build! I really appreciate your comments and suggestions!

Cutting Holes

I've started hacking away at the garage to make the window openings. MDF is really hard to cut! I used my jig saw but had trouble doing the corners. The dormer does fit and with some interior trim I think it will look okay?

The first window looks alright. The second one is a real mess. That's all I could do with my jig saw and hand saw.

I need to go get a diamond cutting wheel for my dremel to finish this. Karin Corbin used one in her tutorial for cutting window openings. She makes this look easy, but it's NOT!

I guess priming everything will be the next step? I'm also looking for some wallpaper for the attic. I want to finish the interior walls before I do the outside.

I may try to make concrete block walls for inside of the garage? I sprayed some cardstock with textured paint but it's not the right color. Once I get that figured out, I'll cut the blocks and start gluing them on like tiles.

Photo found on Flicker

I love daylight savings time. More light in the evenings for minis!

Shiny and New

I built Grandpa this shiny red tool chest this weekend.


The drawers don't open, but the top does!

The little casters work too. :D


I learned something about myself while doing this. I like shiny new things!
So does Grandpa.



I've decided that the garage will look new, not beat up and weathered. Grandma agrees. She would have had Grandpa repaint the garage if it didn't look as nice as the house anyway.

So no shabby, no weathering. Just fresh paint and a shiny floor.

Grandpa bought more tools. He is concerned that everything is not going to fit in the garage. He's asking for a separate garden shed. I told him we have to finish the garage first!

Then I overheard him mumbling about a "man cave." Something about the space in the attic. I think Grandma has claimed that space for a sewing room. There may be trouble ahead?

Hope you have a nice evening. I'm going to go make sure Grandpa doesn't buy more tools or another television!

Drilling Holes

I just had to try drilling my own peg board. I tried, right? I may try again. Now I need to make more of those fiddly little hooks.

Grandpa has already managed to clutter up the work area. Clutter runs in the family, you know.

Thank you for all of your sweet comments and WELCOME to my new followers too!

Hope you have a happy day!

Workin' on the Workbench

I've been working on Grandpa's workbench this morning.

It's not finished but coming along nicely. I still haven't decided how to do the pegboard. It will have a lower shelf for storage and a smaller shelf above the pegboard too.



It's such a beautiful day here. I really should go work out in the yard, but this is much more fun!

The GARAGE should arrive on Monday or Tuesday? Then the REAL work will begin! :D

Hope you have a lovely day!

Saw Horses

Every carpenter needs a pair of sawhorses. Grandpa built a pair out of some scrap wood he found.


He told me that he couldn't build anything without them. So here they are.

Now we can start building the workbench.

Building a Workbench

I found this do-it-yourself workbench at The Family Handyman. Grandpa will be trying to build one like it for his garage.

This is all he's done so far...

This is another idea. I like the extension on the top.

Grandpa is going to try to make some pegboard to hang on the wall too. Drilling those little holes will be a real challenge!

Hope you have a good day!