Looks great Howard, looking fwd to seeing it all done!!

Thanks for sharing your cotton source Lynn!

-B

good afternoon to all...

thought i would be finished by now...but still a ways to go...

major assemblies have been primed, sand texture added and painted...have to paint white top of chimney, white roof on side room and some of base where the figurine and tree go...

i'll cover the roofs with the rolled cotton Lynn found...i think it will be easier to glue the cotton on the main roof, let dry then glue roof on house...

then it's on to installing the door and windows...gluing on chimney...adding a blush of glitter and mica...probably be next week...

my very best regards...

howard...

Lookin' good my friend! Rolled cotton huh? Hmmm, gotta go down to my local Walgreens and
git me some!"...

As a newbie, I'd never have thought to use clamps that way. Clothespins would work for small stuff, I'd bet. Guess I'll have to read the tips and tricks of the trade more closely!

Can't wait to see the finished product!

BrughGal...

Those clamps are from my woodworking days...now I use then to hold the "painting sticks" that I attach to parts with hot glue...it sure makes painting easier...

Howard...

good morning to all...

i've been doing some detail painting on the base with a piece of sea sponge...this is not a new tool for watercolor, acrylic and faux painting...but using it on little houses is new for me...wonder why it took me so long to figure it out!...

i used the technique to get a random, cavalier pattern to the snow highlights on the edge of the base and on parts of the fence...

previously i have been using a worn out bristle brush and a small fan brush...but was never really satisfied the the results...

well...now i have a new friend...a ragged little sea sponge...and i'm very pleased...i'll plan to use sea sponge from now on...even to apply white glue for the random blushes and swirls of glitter and mica highlights on the sand textured finish...

i haven't tested it with Snow-Tex (R)...but will soon i'm sure...

my very best regards...howard...

You da man! Love the texture. Thanks for another great tip!

Howard, I love the results you got using the sea sponge. I can't wait to try it!!

greetings to all...

i have most all the pieces ready to assemble into a finished house...no pictures just yet...perhaps on thursday...that's the plan...

now...a note about applying the "rolled cotton"...i felt kinda like "Br'er Rabbit and the Tar-Baby"...the culprit wasn't black tar...it was the rolled cotton and the white glue on my fingers...

however...after two attempts and a little patching...i did get the cotton attached...it helps to use the moistened tip of a plastic pick-up stick type probe to push the cotton down into the glue and tuck around the eves instead of my fingers...i also found that aleene's tacky craft glue sets up to fast...so i ended up with regular elmer's white craft glue...

on the next house i build with a fluffy cotton top i'm going to try ironing the rolled cotton first and applying a thin coat of hair spray...then gluing it to the roof...i'll have to experiment a little first...my fuzzy memory kinda wants to remember that a forum member, probably brian or tom, suggested that...

my very best regards...howard...

good morning...

a change of plans let me finish this project this morning...i'll let the picture tell the story...

i'm sure there is another little house project that i'll be starting soon...

my very best regards...

howard...