Do you wanna Build a Snowman.....

Had a busy day yesterday editing a video for my other blog, Twice Across America. I am new to editing, so it took me several hours. So today I am playing with minions! Since it is snowing here, a few of them wanted to go out and make a snowman so I bundled up and went out to give them a hand. The snow was a little hard to work with, more like ice pellets, but we managed to get one going.

As the snow got deeper, the Crominion was having a ball making snow angels but the others were rapidly getting buried in the ever-deepening snow.

Since it was almost lunchtime, we came in for tomato soup and toasted cheese sandwiches! So bad for you but such great comfort food. We wondered where the rest of the minions had got off to when we found a note that said they went down to the tropics to spend some time at the Banana Farm. They came back a few hours later a little sunburned and had pictures to show everyone.

They even had a photographer do some old timey shots of them.

I asked how the Banana Farmer was doing and he had sent along a crate of bananas for everyone. After checking to see if Buns & Roses was open for business yet, (it wasn't) they went over to Outback Steakhouse again today. Twice in one week! Maybe I pay them too much....
Not a whole lot of progress otherwise today. I did get more shingles painted

and I metalized and embellished the Steampunk Fart Blaster just a bit.

I know, it needs some gears, just being lazy today! I can smell those steaks over there at Outback, now my tummy's growling! Have a great afternoon!

Working on the Exterior

Nope, I didn't get lost, just lost in a book for a couple of days! Now I'm back and ready to work. I started out spraying the Tudor trim with a clear matte finish. The spray seemed to give the pieces a slight texture that was unexpected, but I think I like it.

Since it was starting to rain, I put the pieces in the spare room and shut the door to minimize the odor.  Next, I started on the floor. I was originally going to use a piece of paper flooring, but the grain on the plywood looked fine enough to use for the flooring instead.  I used an old nut pick and my cork-backed ruler to make grooves in the floor.  

I used my stain pen because that's what I had in the shop but it probably would have been faster to just grab a rag and a can of stain and put it on that way.

Rubbed the excess off with a paper towel and put that in the spare room to dry too.

The next step was to sand around the insides of all the window and door openings and paint them to match the Tudor trim.

So that was set aside to dry too. The final thing of the day was the work on the Banana Farm. The second banana tree arrived the other day and the other two crates of bananas arrived today so the Banana Farmer was eager to get his shop in order.

These started out to be homes for the minions, but it seems that quite a few of them want to run their own businesses. But that's okay, we can be flexible!  Everything should be dry by tomorrow, then we will start the stonework on the rest of the exterior of the Steampunk Tudor! Have a great evening!

Running the Planer...

Busy day today!  Doc came by to help Dear Hubby work on the next two bookcases.  These are made out of cherry and look very beautiful when done.  So I got a few shots of them working and then made a short video of the planer itself.  Loud as anything!

When you watch the video, you will know why they are wearing ear protection!  Even the minions didn't want to hang around and watch...they all ran back to the shop while I was filming trying to hold their hands over their ears.

Looks like this is going to take awhile! The guys are still going.....don't you just love watching men at work?!

After the minions got settled, the Banana Farmer wanted me to set up all of the things I have so far and take a picture. So here we go...

As soon as the other items arrive this week, I will take an updated picture.  At last the video is processed....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iImrlRgXWZw

Starting the Landscaping...

Now that the banana barn is done, that would've made a good name too..., I decided to start the base for it.  The laser cut rectangles were on sale in Michael's up near my mom. I should've bought 8, but I wasn't sure if they would work.  At .79, I could have, but I am a thrifty Yankee! LOL! The first thing I did was paint one side brown.  

I noticed that the sheet moss I want to use is somewhat see-through and didn't want the bare wood to be seen. Also, finally had a brainstorm about how to deal with the very messy moss sheet. I sprayed it with clear matte spray!  

Not only did it tame the flying moss, it brought out a little of the green too.  I've had this roll of sheet moss for I don't know how many years so I know it's a bit faded but it worked for what I needed it for. I applied it to my base with Elmer's white glue and, the usual, waited for it to dry. Once that was done, I glued down the building the same way and started on another small project.  My mom gave me the large hand of bananas and I thought it would make a great photo opportunity for tourists.  Using my rotary tool, I drilled a hole in the side of the bananas at the angle I wanted and glued in a short piece of bamboo skewer.  I drilled a hole in the base and glued that in too.  

The Banana Farmer talked to the newspaper photographer about doing some freelance work on the weekends to take care of the tourists who want their pictures taken.

So he is really getting into owning his own small business. When I showed all of this to my husband, he pointed out that the banana harvester needed a ladder to reach the bananas.  So I dug around in my stash of stuff and found a plastic ladder from an old game and cut it down to fit.  

So while we are waiting for the second banana tree and the crates of bananas to arrive, I think I will start the next build...I am really liking 1/4" scale! Have a great day!

Banana Leaf Roofing...

Thought you might like to see what kind of artificial plant I started with to make the banana leaves.  

I cut the individual leaves that I wanted from the bunch, rounded the end with scissors and then cut them to length with a combination of scissors and my wire cutters.  I tried using superglue this time instead of white glue and the progress was much faster....until I got to the last leaf.  Then for some reason, I had to go back to the clamps to hold it down long enough to dry.

When both sides were finished, I had to decide what to use for the ridge of the roof.  I was going to use sheet moss, but thought that one large leaf would look better.  I trimmed the leaf the size and shape I wanted but when I went to glue it on, let's just say it was being very resistant...so I resorted to every builder's alternative...More Clamps!!

While I was wrestling with this, I glanced over at the minions and it looked like I was being mooned!  

Upon closer examination, I realized that they had both face planted off the bleachers.  So I picked them up and dusted them off and apologized for bumping the bleachers and knocking them off.  They were a little huffy about me thinking their heads looked like their butts, but I gave them each a banana and all was forgiven. At last, the top leaf stayed on and I freed the roof from its clamps.  It was then glued to the building and I declared it done!

A local reporter from the Minion Gazette came by and shot some pictures and talked to the Banana Farmer about an upcoming article about new businesses in the community.

His head was a little larger after the reporter left, but I let it go. Later on, I went out to Dear Hubby's shop to see how the display shelf was coming along.  Looks like one more coat of finish and we can start using it!  

As soon as the new banana tree and boxes of bananas arrive, I will start landscaping around the banana farm and we can move on to the next house....it's going to be a little bit steampunk! ;) Have a great day!

More Corrugations and the Roof!

Started the morning dry brushing the Metallic Aluminum on the two end pieces.  After that dried, dry-brushed the Burnt Sienna and waited for that to dry.  Last of all, dry brushed a little Campground green along the bottom edge as the moisture was sure to get to this in the jungle.  

Just make sure you do the right edge...otherwise it will have to be hanging vines! LOL! I marked the back so I wouldn't reverse them by accident. As the pieces were sitting there drying, I thought why should I wait until they're glued on the building to add the trim...it was a lot easier putting it on while the pieces were lying flat.  

Made sure to glue the floor in before I put the corrugated pieces on...that way I could use clamps to hold it in place as the building was maybe just a little bit crooked...;)

The sign was glued to a piece of card and cut out and glued in place; once the floor was dry, the ends were glued on and I added the doors.

On to the roof! The Banana Farmer kept putting the crates of bananas in the building and I kept taking them out. Besides, I don't know where he got those bananas, but it says "Fairway Banana's"  on the ends.  Seriously? Oh well, maybe the minions won't notice...
Once the roof pieces were painted green, I glued them together along with the roof supports that I had stained with my Minwax pen.  It is slow going with the leaves, I can only glue on one at a time, clamp it in place and wait for it to dry to do another one.

I think I will experiment with a little superglue tomorrow to see if I can speed up the process....I have one very impatient minion here! LOL!  My dear hubby has been putting the finish coats on the shelving unit for all these little buildings, so we will check that out next. Have a great evening!

Applying the Siding and Trim...

I started cutting the pieces of corrugated for the sides first. That way, I can cover the edges with the front and back pieces.  At first, I thought I could just glue these on but then realized I had to put the windows on first. So painted the siding a basic grey and painted all the trim. Since I didn't want to get any paint on the windows, I dry brushed with some Metallic Aluminum paint and then touches of semi-opaque Burnt Sienna.  I'm sure regular Burnt Sienna would work fine, it's just what I had in my shop. I chose a tropical color for the trim because our Banana Farmer is a colorful guy! :)  

The windows were glued onto the outside of the building with a little white Elmer's glue. I just put a thin bead about 1/4" from the edge of the window opening so that none would show on the window when it was squished down.  

Siding was next,

and then I applied the window trim.  Now that I have  this completed to this point, I noticed that it looks similar to the miniature chicken coop I built for my friend Charlie: 

 

After the glue had dried, I cut the end pieces to slightly overlap the edges of the side pieces.  

These will undergo the same process of basic grey first and then once that it dry, they will be dry-brushed to match the sides.  

Almost forgot, I had to put the interior siding on slightly high to allow for the thickness of the sheet moss I glued on the floor. I will be back to show you the front and back dry-brushed and glued in place.  Nighty nite!