Gingerbread Preparation

I went searching for a crown/tiara for the silver oval on the front entry gable...& found this! Love it! It is embroidered material with adhesive.
Here is the actual crown that was part of the set. Now "The Princess House" has it's title on the front wall below the picture of my princess.
Lots of painting in antique gold and silver as I begin to place the gingerbread which comes with the house.
The doors will be double-layered and with windows in place. These are the front door frames.
Closer and closer, but lots still to do including the main roof (one side), ladder to the attic, front porch railings and trim.

Going to be a busy weekend as I try to finish....Cooking tonight at Elks Lodge; party tomorrow night; cooking at the Lodge Sunday where I am "the egg man" doing eggs, omelets and such.

Tired, but the end is in sight!

Duke

Porch On & Roofing Being Applied!

We Have Porch!...Installed it in a remarkably short time. Of course, there were a few hours of pre-assembly stuff.
Part (the major part) of the pre-assembly was this porch gable located over the main entrance to the "castle". The color scheme follows the castle motif with gold and silver. Trying to locate a small crown to use on the silver disk.
The shingling I am getting much better at than when I began this. However today I have already burned two fingers and one thumb when hot glue hit them as I either fumbled on the way from glue gun to roof, or the shingle buckled in the middle which leaves you with hot liquid plastic on both finger and thumb. OUCH! It is quite apparent my huge "meat hooks" are not too balanced for such small things as shingles with hot glue attached.
However, with perseverance, and at-this-point a beer, one achieves the goal of a completed roof section. I still have another large section of the porch roof, and the gable to complete. They will be done today.
Time is slipping by, but I am convinced i will prevail and get it done.

Oh, and another first today....a blister on my right pointer finger from the hot glue. That was fun peeling the still-hot, but setting up glue off the blistered area. Ah to be more coordinated....In fact i believe I was much more so at age 20-30 than I am at 66!

Duke

S-H-I-N-G-L-E-S !!!!!

Today was "International Shingle Day" at the DeLand household. I managed to cover all the remaining roof except half the main roof where the large tower is located. That is for tomorrow. Here is a partial picture of the old guy himself setting the individual roof shingles with a hot glue gun.

Only burned about five of my ten fingers and thumbs so far when shingles, freshly-glued flipped in my hand. Nothing like a little melted plastic to get your attention. Then pulling plastic off burned skin is a secondary joy!

Ah well, it is worth it. Of course, just three days ago I ordered 2 more bags of shingles which will now, it turns out, be unneeded. The plans called for 8 bags. I thought that a bit much, and ordered 3 then 2 more. I probably spaced my shingle rows more widely than some would.

Here is a view of the various roofs, except the undone side. Even managed to finish the tower top roof for the kitchen tower.

It now seems I may actually get the house done by my planned date of Sunday. However...That being said I still have the three-section porch roof to install and shingle. It goes around two sides of the house, and has a large gable decoration which I have already completed as a sub-assembly. The porch has a LOT of railings and posts also. Then I still have to build and install the doors (two sets of double doors for front and dining room), and also assemble the ladder which allows attic access, and actually is supposed to be set to fold up into the attic for storage.

The not-likely-to-get-completely-done is the remaining furniture. I plan to do what I can next week, however gassing, loading and setting up the motor home for the trip will take a lot of time and our daughter has a surgery next Thursday, the day before we leave. Mom will be there with her. I will take the furniture with me as I have 5 days in Texas to build in the motor home.

Spent a lot of hours on the house today and now going for a great Glenlivet on-the-rocks so I can relax!

Chim-Chiminey, Chim-Chim-Cheroo!

The chimney...a 16-piece construction is added. Now the main rear roof can be shingled....the rest of the way....part of it was involved in the front middle roof shingles.

Now on to fireplaces which are done except for mantle painting. They will be permanently installed as will some pics/clocks/etc.

Moving rapidly as time dwindles down. Tonight the roof around the chimney!

Duke

More Roof!

I today completed the rear middle roof shingles. The work was tedious as is much of what is involved here, but productive in that I love the result.
The kitchen tower top is under construction also. It will soon be ready for shingles.
I also completed the form for the chimney, and painted the bands around the chimney (the chimney has 16 pieces!) Tomorrow the completion of the kitchen tower top and the chimney and then the roof for the rest of the house will be ready.

In addition I will be adding the porch and glue will be used to make it permanent. I love this thing, and really hope I am ready for the trip West to Texas for Christmas.

Duke

Roof/Chimney/Etc.

The roof gable is in place and glued....



















I have completed the shingles on the 1st major portion of the roof...Consumption of singles indicates I may be short....2 more bags ordered!
















The process of shingling....two piles; the complete shingles for the easy part, and the pieces and shorts which I use for corners, etc.











A chimney is a chimney...except when it is comprised of 16 pieces! I am painting, and about ready to assemble the huge chimney for the two fireplaces which are also ready to be painted and assembled. The steps now are smaller, except for the remaining construction of the porch and all the railings, trim etc.












I began at "A" and am now at "L" enroute to "V", however the last steps, as I have noted, are shorter and faster.

Lots of roof still to shingle, and then the touch-ups....and I am certain some of the furniture will not be done in time, but will be an add-on later!

Duke

Shingles.....Not A Disease, but Close!

Shingles...in this case 1 1/2 by 1 inch shingles...are now one of my priorities as time dwindles down. We depart the morning of December 18th for Texas, and the house must be complete. This shot shows somw shingles installed, and the guide lines drawn on a section of roof for more.
The shingles which remain whole go on quickly with a hot glue gun. The edges, and particularly the corners where roof sections join, provide much more opportunity for cutting (with scissors, thankfully) and filling.

Here is picture from the open rear of the house showing all the roof sections in place...well, except for the large gable, and the tower top for the Kitchen two-story tower.
Duchess is sick today...some form of flu, so I am dedicated to the dollhouse and taking care of her. We will most likely not be going to the Elks Lodge for dinner. I hope she is better tomorrow as we are slated for a Christmas party with The Krewe of Sir Henry Morgan...one of our Gasparilla Krewes. One of the 800 vessels that invade Tampa each year!
For those who don't know Gasparilla, you have never been in Tampa in late January to March when we are annually invaded and subjected to drunkeness, revelry, and rampant parades, bead-throwing, etc. Think Mardi Gras in Tampa...complete with pirate ships and thousands of pirates. The large ship above is the pirates primary ship, the Hose Gaspar....It is actually a barge with masts. The thing is towed by one tug and pushed by another. It is home to hundreds of pirates with miniature cannons which fire frequently. The entire thing is a hoot!

Duke