Storybook Cottage

Rik Pierce's "Storybook Cottage"- Days 3 & 4

July 2004

Days 1 & 2 Days 3 & 4 Days 5 & 6 Finishing Diary

DAY 3

We need to stain our woodwork before beginning to paperclay the interior and exterior walls. The beginning of Day 3 has much of the class outside staining so we can begin a day of paperclaying. My own cottage is the row of pieces at the lower right.

Our infamous paperclay supplies: a ziplock back with a lump of paperclay inside (to keep it from drying out when not in use), a PVC pipe cut down to use as a roller, wood glue, a scraper (to peel our paperclay sheets off the surface when done rolling), a light brown clay cutting tool (found at most art stores), a brush with bristles cut bluntly to create a stippling tool, wooden dowl tip with handle (great for creating groves and cleaning the mortar lines in our "brick") and two grey wedgies - conveniently edges cut to a length, width and depth of an average brick (makes for quick impressions in the paperclay of uniform-ish size).

On the left, rolled out paperclay has been applied (over glue) smoothed into place and stippled. On the right, a piece of paperclay straight from the rolling board is being placed and cut/measured into place over a layer of glue.

With the interior walls now paperclayed, the main walls are put into place!

Picture of the interior.

Close up of the fireplace, now painted except for the top stone. The original resin piece came with a head of a "bear" (ala The Three Bears) - but since that won't be the final theme of my own storybook cottage, we sliced off the head and I used paperclay to create a top lentil stone.

Pireplace install, the paperclay portion of the fireplace has been painted to blend in.

11 hours day.

DAY 4

Just a lot more work! Electrical wiring is put into place - a channel is dug out of the gatorfoam and wire is run before adding paperclay.

Front piece, now stained, can also see the electic channel for the front carriage light.

11 hour day.

Days 1 & 2 Days 3 & 4 Days 5 & 6 Finishing Diary

Mini Home

Laura Isabella laura@sylvan.com San Jose, CA
Last updated 1/2/2005

DAY 3
	We need to stain our woodwork before beginning to paperclay the interior and exterior walls. The beginning of Day 3 has much of the class outside staining so we can begin a day of paperclaying. My own cottage is the row of pieces at the lower right.
	Our infamous paperclay supplies: a ziplock back with a lump of paperclay inside (to keep it from drying out when not in use), a PVC pipe cut down to use as a roller, wood glue, a scraper (to peel our paperclay sheets off the surface when done rolling), a light brown clay cutting tool (found at most art stores), a brush with bristles cut bluntly to create a stippling tool, wooden dowl tip with handle (great for creating groves and cleaning the mortar lines in our "brick") and two grey wedgies - conveniently edges cut to a length, width and depth of an average brick (makes for quick impressions in the paperclay of uniform-ish size).
	On the left, rolled out paperclay has been applied (over glue) smoothed into place and stippled. On the right, a piece of paperclay straight from the rolling board is being placed and cut/measured into place over a layer of glue.
	With the interior walls now paperclayed, the main walls are put into place!
	Picture of the interior.
	Close up of the fireplace, now painted except for the top stone. The original resin piece came with a head of a "bear" (ala The Three Bears) - but since that won't be the final theme of my own storybook cottage, we sliced off the head and I used paperclay to create a top lentil stone.
	Pireplace install, the paperclay portion of the fireplace has been painted to blend in. 11 hours day.
DAY 4
	Just a lot more work! Electrical wiring is put into place - a channel is dug out of the gatorfoam and wire is run before adding paperclay.
	Front piece, now stained, can also see the electic channel for the front carriage light. 11 hour day.