Monday, March 30, 2009

When all else fails....Break out the Glue Gun!

That, I learned from Mom! When I was about 8 or so, My Mom brought home a gingerbread house for us to build and decorate. LOL...We had the worst time trying to even get the walls to stick together....And after many failed attempts....Mom said, "I'll be right back!" .......Yup! She came back with the glue gun and we glued that son of a gun together. I don't think we've ever laughed that hard! Good times! Good times! LOL

OK.....so Debbie asked me yesterday, what the thickness of the foam core was, and instead of answering with a 'I dunno', I figured a picture would be worth a thousand words....It's somewhere under 1/4 inch, if that helps? LOL~ Can you tell that I'm not good with measurements....hahaha...... (Foam core is on the right, the 1 inch thick Styrofoam is on the left)


I was very productive yesterday!! And if I hadn't run out of Styrofoam and Plaster, I think I woulda worked on this all night. It helped that yesterday was beautiful outside, so I was able to sit on the porch when I plastered. LOL~I sanded inside~Not recommended!!


Alright, so first we have the 2 end pieces of Styrofoam being glued to the ends of the foam core box. Then I glued on the front piece of Styrofoam and flipped it upside down. I placed some heavy books inside to help set the glue. I also taped the outside of it together to hold it all in place.


Yup! I even remembered to cut out the holes before I glued!

Last was the first top piece. Even Otis came to test out it's durability.....
.....and it's still standing! Woo-Who!! It's cat proof!! Well, kinda.....until he sinks his teeth into that inviting Styrofoam....that's gotta be more fun than eating the toilet paper.


Here's when I realized that I was either too impatient, or the tacky glue that I was using was not going to work when it came to gluing the Styrofoam together! That's when I broke out the glue gun. And Ta-da.........It worked! I figured since I was going to be coating this whole thing in plaster in wouldn't matter what kind of glue I used to hold it together.


After it was glued...I started carving and sanding. Again, I don't suggest doing this in the living room like I did, LOL.....The bf just shook his head as he walked by yesterday afternoon. He's learning to leave me alone when I'm on a roll! The kids just laughed at me, like I was in trouble or something......


So, this is where I was at when I took a break yesterday to fix dinner. I still have to do the bench thing that wraps around the whole house, and the 'columns' around the front door. Like I said, I'm outta Styrofoam again.......


Then, after dinner, I decided to start plastering the top......You know, 'Just to see what it will look like', LOL.......and plastered till I ran out of plaster. Funny thing, I started by using a spatula to apply the plaster, but then soon realized how much more fun it was to use my fingers! And it made a better looking surface! As you can see I have those front 'columns' and the bench propped up against the house, This is just to give you an idea of where I'm headed with this.......


I'm thinking the front columns needs to be thicker, and taller......Time will tell.



Ok, and now one more quick story before I go. I'm normally the last to go to sleep around here, so I'm normally the one to hear and see all the strange things that go on in the middle of the night. Well, last night, as I was laying in the bed, cuddling with Otis and listening to the bf breathe very loudly...I heard something run across our roof. It got Otis' attention....he perked right up and looked at me as if to say 'What in the Heck was that?' ......and then there it was again, running in the opposite direction...this time, it woke the bf up and I told him it must be the squirrels running around up there.....As he rolled back over..He mumbled, "That's a really big squirrel!" And as it ran across the roof again, I started thinking...That is a really Big squirrel! So I put my robe on, and headed outside to see this really Big squirrel. As I walk far enough away from the house to see on top of the roof, I can hear it. It was No squirrel...Just my stupid cat! Jd had gotten himself up there, but was freaking out about getting down. ??? Never mind how he got up there? Why, was he up there???? Who knows?? So, I came back in the house and woke up my oldest son, Drew......The bf would of just told me that the stupid cat got up there somehow and that he'd figure out how to get down eventually.....So I didn't even bother waking him up to help. My poor half asleep kid drug himself outside with me, To lift the ladder up, so I could climb up there to get that Darn Cat! ..........At midnight............. in my pj's..................in a flooded back yard- thanks to the week long rain spell we've had! Fun, huh! Stupid cat!

8 comments:

Caseymini said...

Katie, Hurry!!! Get more plaster and styro! I want to see it finished!!! It looks sooooo good.

Debbie said...

LOL Katie what an adventure you had last night. So funny, but poor cat must have been freaked, good job your neighbours didn't call the Police. Can you imagine if they'd turned up, with you up the ladder in your PJ's..
You've made great progress with the Star Wars Toy Shop. I think Otis looks so cute sticking his head out of the door..
Thanks for the measurements..

MiniKat said...

*blink* I really wanna know how JD got himself up there... silly kitty.

The Toy Store is looking good. Can't wait to see more.

Anonymous said...

This is a terrific project and I am so glad to be able to follow it from the beginning. You also have and orange cat and a black and white one. Just like mine - but my orange one is my mischevious one and my black and white is quiet and calm. Otis is adorable and seems to be quite peaceful in your new abode.

Heather Cutting-Rayl said...

Katie! I love your building! How quick and clever you are! I love the shape too. Its going to be a beauty when it's done! I cant wait for more pics!

To quote someone. "That Darn Cat!" LOL!! Glad you were able to get him down! But please, please stay off the ladder!

Mercedes Spencer @ Liberty Biberty said...

Kids, cats, nothin' but trouble eh?
We had a gingerbread house kit for the first time last Christmas, wish I'd known about the glue gun. Liberty, four Aunty's and 2 grandparents couldn't get that thing to stick together, it was just too darn hot here!
Noah is watching the progress of the Star Wars development very closely!
Mercedes

Mercedes Spencer @ Liberty Biberty said...

Hey katie, there's ana ward for you over at my place!
Mercedes

Ana Anselmo said...

WOW!!!! great work, and Otis always a star, LOL
hugs
Ana