Outside the Box...

I couldn't do anything inside today.  You will see why later.

I remembered that one end of the cottage still had not been gesso-ed.

I have been through this process before, but it never hurts to repeat the process.

I got out my thick gesso.  I leave the can open a while until it gets the texture of very heavy cream.  Almost a toothpaste consistency.

I took a 2" boar's bristle brush and kind of smeared it on every which way.

In the first photo, I left the chimney area pretty smooth...If you intend to put DAS or other air drying clay on it, it is better to have it a little smoother.

Then I changed my mind. I don't think that I want the whole chimney in stone.  I am going to do it more like the Buttercup Bookshop.  Random trails of brick here and there.

Anyway, I took a medium stencil brush/pouncer and went over the whole thing.  That pulls up points of gesso to make "lace work" in the stucco...

Now I sit and wait for 24 hours....Rug stitching time.

Whilst I am doing that, I have put the Terrible Two to work inside.

No more fooling around with the keyboard.  I hid it last night.  Peace and quiet....Lovely.

You should have heard the two of them when I told them that, if they wanted the inside finished, they had to clean up the mess in the bedroom and living room. 

I did put the keyboard back in the bathroom...They can't get to it over the mess anyway, so I am safe.

After the gesso is thoroughly dry, I will sand it to make it a smoother surface.  I just want to knock down the pointy parts. 

If you try this, I recommend holding the stencil brush so that it is just a little way from  horizontal to the vertical surface.  If you hold it completely horizontal, it pulls up bubbles.  Then your lace work looks like it has holes in it when you sand.

I am off to stitch now.  I have to keep an eye on them....They tend to just pull things out and throw them on the floor, instead of putting them away.

See you tomorrow.