Working backwards, sideways, any way but what I normally would!

The title of the post says it all! I'm literally working on steps that I at this point normally wouldn't ever dream of working on. I still don't technically have four walls together. This is because I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to electrify this little gem. I had both side walls glued previously, with each floor fitted into their slots -- only to go down the next day and realize there was a definite tilt... As I prefer the idea of a stylish, classy brownstone the look of ready to fall over just wasn't going to work. (This was my session with this that I was contemplating the other week just taking it out and starting a nice bonfire in the driveway.) Luckily after scouring the internet, I found out a way to get my dollhouse shell apart with a lot less effort than I had already been putting into it and getting no where. Apparently it's a technique used by antique furniture restorers to loosen wood glue. White vinegar drizzled along the glue line, let it set for 10-15 minutes, then use a heat gun to loosen it the rest of the way. One still needs to be careful when pulling the sections apart, but if you're patient and let the vinegar do it's thing it will I promise you come apart without much issue!
So anyways, I now have the bottom and top glued into their respective slots on one side panel of the house. Before I glue on the other again, I want to use my Dremel to sand 1/4" slots for my tapewire to fit before I slide the other side on. I'm hoping to do that tomorrow after I do my cardio routine. (Boyfriend wants to lose weight and he's inspired me to join him. Though my goal isn't weight loss so much as build lean muscle mass.)
In reference to the title -- I'm trying my hands at different parquet patterns for a few of the different rooms in this house, as well as different patterns of stained glass. I've done actual stained glass in real life, but in miniature it's an entirely different business!

Piece of plexi after cutting.

Stained glass first. For my attempts I'm using 1/8 inch thick plexiglass. I cut this into the sizes I'd need with my Dremel cutting blade, and a sharp razor blade. Basically I just used the Dremel to get a little ways down along the lines I'd drawn, then did the same on the reverse. I didn't want to go all the way through. I find if you let the Dremel work for you and don't force it you shouldn't have any issues like melting or whatnot. Once I was comfortable with the depth of cut I'd gotten from the Dremel on both sides I then used a sharp razor blade to score it a couple more times and I was then able to snap it pretty easily. My edges aren't perfect, but I intend to insert these windows into channel molding once done, which will cover any irregularities.

This picture shows the first that I'm working on, the solder lines are done with lead golf tape -- I got mine from Amazon and thankfully pretty cheap. I cut my main straight lines at 1/8" thick, then got

gutsier and cut my "detail" lines at 1/16" thick. This definitely has a steep learning curve and it's not going to seem perfect when you're overlapping lead -- but remember real stained glass soldering isn't perfect either. I figure it's lending to the realism! Side note, I have found most of my patterns on Pinterest or free sites for stained glass. As I don't have a printer with me currently, it's been a lot of staring at pictures and sketching... Once I get done with the front side I'm going to repeat the process on the back --  matching my lead lines as best as I possibly can. A definite note to remember with this -- no matter what, make sure you wash your hands before you go for food or drink. I would say as soon as you're done working with the lead the better, just to be on the safe side.

Now in regards to the parquet... I have a couple of compass styled kits from Brodnax. I'm hoping to get one made up for this house. However, I don't want everything to be classic -- I want a little edge

This is going to take a while...

in here as well. A classy brownstone with attitude -- sounds good to me! Insert my inspirations from M. C. Escher. I'm attempting a 3-D look cube floor made with 3 different types of wood veneer. This has been going pretty smoothly in the cutting, now it's just trying to piece it all together -- guarantee that's going to be a few more days!


That's all that I've been up to for the last few, and in all likelihood what I'll be continuing to do for the next several. Trying to be good though and keep you all updated on my progress and keep my pics coming. If there's something specific I've not added pictures of, and you want to see just let me know in the comments and I'll see if I can't make it happen!  Hope you all have a good one!