Pennsic house version ~1.5

[cellio]

We built my Pennsic house in 2000 and it's taken a beating over the years -- from harsh weather, from being moved and I suspect at times bumped, and most especially from sitting in a field with waist-high grass between Pennsics. The folks in my camp have been great about helping to make repairs, patching the wood and doing other work, but the accumulation of patches was starting to get problematic. It was time to strip the exterior sheathing and redo it.

The work is almost done now, and with luck this version will be more durable. That is in large part due to a new material that is supposed to be more moisture-resistant and durable. See that stucco look in the picture below? That's not a paint mixin; that's part of the fabrication. The siding is infused with cement somehow, but doesn't weigh too much more than the plywood we took off. (It's heavier, yes, but not problematic.)

We also got my "stone" corners back.




As you can see the window trim isn't back on yet, but it will be. (New pieces.)

Off-topic: uploading to the scrapbook doesn't work for me in Firefox (I had to use Safari), which doesn't encourage me to use the feature.

Comments

[tashabear.livejournal.com]

I haven't used Scrapbook in forever. It's far easier for me to go to Flickr and use their LJ interface. That way I can share the pics as I want in other places on the Internet.

[sambeth.livejournal.com]

I tried that, but they all seemed to upload from Flickr in really really small sizes, so it looked like I was posting entries with little postage stamp sized pics attached. Don't know what I was doing wrong there. I think you've inspired me to have another go.

[tashabear.livejournal.com]

The interface for posting pictures from Flickr to LJ has changed in recent memory. I don't know how long ago you last tried, but I can tell you how to do it now.

There is no "upload" to LiveJournal. Flickr auto-generates code to link back to their page. What you probably got were thumbnails, which, when clicked on, would open on the Flickr website at sizes visible to the human eye.

You have two options for displaying Flickr photos in an LJ post. The first is creating the post in Flickr. I find this less useful, as you still have to go into LJ to choose an icon, a mood, and/or a security setting. The second is to get the HTML code to show the image and link back to Flickr. I find this somewhat more efficient, as I can write text above and below the image, which I can't do with the auto-post option.

The instructions below assume that you have linked your LJ account to your Flickr account (done through account settings). You can also link your Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Blogger or Wordpress accounts. Ravelry uses the Flickr API to display photos there as well.

To create an auto-post, upload the photo, then go to that photo's page. Above the photo, you should see an LJ pencil icon. Click on it, and a dialog box will open that lets you change the title of the post and write text to accompany the photo. When you click "POST", it will automatically be sent to LiveJournal, after which you can edit the post to your heart's content.

To get the HTML code to embed the image in the middle of the post and link back to Flickr (required by their terms of service, BTW), you click on the Share dropdown menu, next to the LJ pencil icon. Click on the "Grab the HTML/BBCode" selection, make sure that the HTML radio button is selected, choose the image size you wish to display, and copy the HTML code in the box. Paste it into your LJ post wherever you want the picture to appear.

There is an FAQ on sharing pictures here (http://www.flickr.com/help/sharing/#17025585).

Hope all that helps!

[grouchyoldcoot.livejournal.com]

So what's this material called? Is it some kind of foamed concrete?

[cellio]

I forgot the name of it -- will get later, or you could ask Fintan (who found it).

[alaricmacconnal.livejournal.com]

That's cool! Can't wait to see the finished product up close!

[dragonazure.livejournal.com]

Sweet! Are you going to whitewash it or leave/enhance the contrasting colors? The contrast makes all the detail really "pop".

[cellio]

It'll be white because real stucco isn't that brown color (and most of the house is painted, and white reflects heat, and...), but maybe later I'll paint the carving in a contrasting color. Not this year, though. :-)

[kmelion.livejournal.com]

You MUST MUST MUST get some Armenian tiles for decoration when you're in Israel.

[cellio]

Oh, good point! Thanks.

(Travel plans have changed; I assume you noticed.)

[cellio]

I picked up half a dozen tiles to hang up for decoration. (Also got some other Armenian ceramics.) I wanted to bring back more, but pottery is heavy. :-) (I considered deploying a carry-on bag, reclassifying my backpack as a "personal item", so I could get more, but didn't end up doing it. I did, however, bring back a business card from a place I like.)

Some cracked in transit (sigh) despite my careful packing (TSA wasn't as careful), but the glue I applied seems to be working. Over time I hope to add to the collection somehow.

[ariannawyn.livejournal.com]

I'm seeing this belatedly - I haven't been on LJ in ages because it became one thing too many - but I'm glad to see the work is getting done. It looks great! Glad to see the quoins are back on, it looks much better with them. Based on the background, I assume Fintan got the Coopers to move it to open ground? And what color would you paint the motif over the door for contrast? We could paint it this Pennsic if you want; I'll have some time during Peace week. Might as well do everything this year, or that task will end up back on the "Someday" list. :-)

BTW, can you send me the trailer number for the purpose of registering it to move this Pennsic? They always ask, I never know the number, then they grump before finding it based on your name. I'd kind of like to skip the grumping part if I can. I think you may have provided the number after the fact in past years, but I don't have it written down anywhere. This time I'll stick it in the ziplock with the key so I have it in the future. Thanks.

[cellio]

I asked Dave Cooper to move it out from the row so Fintan could work and he moved it down to an open stretch at the end -- without 3-foot-high grass, even. :-)

Thanks for the painting offer! I need to attempt some quick research; I don't know if they would have painted the stucco carvings but I'll do some digging. If they would have I'll follow that; if not I'll decide whether to do it anyway. The tree looks much better this time, BTW; the one that was on there, which I cut with a jig-saw, broke when he pried it off, so he made a new one. His is more even.

[ariannawyn.livejournal.com]

Ah, that explains it. I thought the design looked nicer, but I attributed it to the contrast. Is it the same? Now that I look more closely, the design of the leaves looks different. It's sure more striking with the contrast between it and the background.