Storybook Mini Multi-Tasking

Our camping trip was wonderful - the skies were blue, the sun was shining and the daytime temperatures were in the high 70's with a pleasant breeze. Nothing like enjoying a campfire under the stars on a warm spring night...

Though it was a short week, I managed to get quite a bit accomplished on the Storybook by having several tasks going at once. While paint, stain and glue dried, I had something else queued up to work on. I guess that's called Mini Multi-Tasking! Russ was back up north for work, so aside from the puppies giving me dirty looks, staying up late to work was guilt free.

I finished installing the interior window trim and front door, then permanently affixed the stairwell, front and left walls to the first floor. While this was setting up and drying, I made the pattern for and stained the wood floor for the living and dining rooms.

During it's drying time, I began to make the tiles for the kitchen floor. I wanted to get a glazed saltillo tile sort of look using illustration art board, paint and glaze. It's amazing how the board curls up when wet, then dries completely flat. Once it was dry, I began cutting 1/2" x 1/2" tiles.

I drew lines from corner to corner to find the center of the room, then began laying the tiles on the diagonal using 1/16" spacer boards and securing each tile with Tacky Glue.

While that set, I installed baseboard and other trims into the living room.

To make sure none of the tile's white edges would show after grouting, I gave the entire floor another glaze and paint treatment. Then I sealed with a heavy coat of semi-gloss glaze and let that dry overnight.

The next evening, the floor was completely sealed, dry, and ready for grout. I mixed about two teaspoons of Vintage White in with about a half a cup of DAP DryDex Spackle and pushed it into the cracks with my finger. Several times during the application, I removed the excess spackle on top of the tiles with a sponge and a soft touch. In the past, using Mod Podge as a sealer over egg carton stones, I had issues with moisture penetrating through the sealer. Wiping the spackle removed the top layer on the stones and left it nearly ruined. From now on, I am using a gloss or semi-gloss glaze or varnish to seal before I grout. It leaves a tougher, non porous shell. Then once the grouting is done, I can seal again with the finish sheen of my choosing.

Since I wanted the glazed saltillo tile look, I sealed with a good coat of Triple Thick and let that sit nearly 24 hours. I love the way they came out, though it is hard to get a good photo of the shine.

Meanwhile, during all that drying time, I printed some art work I've been collecting, as well as some patterns and matting for frames. I had a variety of frames, some finished, some pot metal and some plastic, all of which got a treatment of gold paint marker. I made some art hangings using chipboard tea pots and laser cut letters. I assembled art work and installed them in places that will be too difficult to reach once the structure is permanently assembled.

I have so many more wall decor items to make, including clocks, flower swags and signs, but with Russ home for the weekend I wanted to put them aside for now.

I did begin the stairwell... Just the wood floor and stained trim pieces. I am looking forward to trying a decoupaged look on the stair treads, and have many things to make for the stairwell wall.

Russ will be away again, this time for a week. I'm fortunate to have plenty to keep me busy, because missing him is slightly tempered if my mind is very occupied. Hopefully, I'll make the most of my free time, and have more mini goodness to share this week!

xo xo,
Jodi