Hiding in the Attic

I decided to do the ceiling of the attic today. I couldn't face the smell of the stain for the shingles so I started with the rafters and the stuff in between.

I used ye olde wooden blinds for the rafters. First I cut baseboards and stuck them in. Then I cut six pieces the length of the ceiling. I cut the pieces to go around the dormer and up the center by laying the wood in and measuring. I cut them all with scissors. That makes it fast and easy. I have to start looking for more of those blinds. I am running low.

I let those dry a bit after installing them with Quick Grab. Then I went to look for newspapers to put in between the rafters. Right next to the newspapers in the file were the black and white adverts from the 19th century. I decided that since this is an old building that has a history as a store of one kind or another before becoming a book shop, it would be fitting to put old advertising signs in the area.

I didn't have any full sheets because I have been using these advertising signs since the early 80s. So I simply put them in and scored them with my fingernail where I wanted to cut them. This left me free to put ads that I like where they could easily be read and the ones that I didn't like, I put in corners and up towards the peak of the roof where they won't be easily seen.

I used Yes Glue to attach the ads. For those of you not familiar with the brand, it is a bookbinder's glue that has become popular over the past few years for crafts of all kinds. When I first started using it, it was very hard to find. Now you can even buy it at Michael's. It is great for mini wallpaper and other paper applications in mini. It doesn't make the paper bubble or buckle.

A jar of this stuff is a little steep in price. It's about 11.00 a jar, but that jar lasts for a long time. And if you wait for the 40 or 50 percent coupons, it is reasonable.

It can't be easily seen in the last photo, but after the paper dried, I did a light wash around the edges with really watered down yellow ochre and burnt sienna mixed together. You can see it in the sense that the paper looks lighter in the center of each panel and almost looks like it is buckling. It isn't. I am still going to try to get a better photo. This will have to do for now tho.

Speaking of having to do for now, I am quiting for the day. I have to start thinking about doing some poly clay work to sell and some Christmas presents that I still have to make.......

See you tomorrow.