I’m A Giant: Weekly Update

Dear Wierdos,

So I’m still hard at work making my dollhouse for the I’m A Giant challenge. Emily, Corbett and I took a field trip to a dollhouse store (yes, they exist) in Torrance. The owners of the store are total dollhouse experts. They know everything about how to make a proper dollhouse.

I took a few inspiration pictures there, but didn’t buy much because I’m trying to make my dollhouse as cheap as possible. I do like this little globe though.

One of the Liliputians that lives in my dollhouse is an artist, so he’ll be needing one of these.

I’m not doing wallpaper in my house, but if I were I might use this kind…

Inspired by our trip to the dollhouse store, I went to Pearl Paint and bought a ton of foam core, wood, and other construction materials for my falling down barn. First, I drew the structure onto the foam core.

After I cut out the side pieces, I used books to figure out the correct height for the second floor. I use books for a lot of things because I am very smart.

Then I added the third floor and some walls.

I used a combination of pins and hot glue to connect everything together. Next, I started facing the barn with some wood siding. Eventually I don’t want any foam core showing anywhere.

And then on to making stairs, which is actually the hardest thing to design/make in the whole world.

These are the stairs I came up with. Eventually, I’ll face them with wood or some other natural material.

Now on to adding our wood floors! I chose a wide panel wood floor that I am going to stain grey. I used a hot glue gun to attach it.

This is the current state of the outside of the barn. I plan on staining it to look weathered and then adding some lichen and making it look as beat up as possible. I want it to look as if it’s rotting before our very eyes.

I have a long way to go but I’m off to a good start…

Love,
Orlando

21 thoughts on “I’m A Giant: Weekly Update”

  2. awesome. can you tell us where you get, and/or, what is? your siding and your floor boards?
    p.s. i love that you’re a scholar of joan didion. i think she’d like the ruins aspect.

  5. I love it, and I think I love you, too. (Totally inappropriate in my situation, but I meant to say so before.)
    Forever an old barn enthusiast, I traveled North Dakota seeking them out this summer. I have ideas, but will keep them to myself, as you are the Giant in charge here & are doing smashingly.
    Place is going to be fantastic!

  6. Wow, those stairs are impressive!

    Where did you get that piece of art in the background by the way? Love it!

  8. Orlando, I am so impressed and excited to see your process. Next time you visit your parents you should make a quick trip down to Oakdale. I totally have an old barn on my property you can use for inspiration 🙂

  9. Orlando, you are a genius!!
    Probably all America knows it by now, but I can’t channel you from Spain :((( -Hence, my terrible english! :P, in case you were wondering…-
    Btw, I did the Orb-lando this past weekend! 😀 My fingers are still aching…
    I think I’ll stain it black and my hubby thinks we need to put a piece of fabric or something in the inside so that we don’t go blind… So, I’m still figuring out, but I’ll send you photos with the result – if you’re curious 🙂
    I.

  10. Your blog is my new favorite blog. I’m so glad you spell grey with an e. An a just doesn’t belong in there. I can’t wait to see where this house goes. I haven’t decided what I’m going to do for the challenge yet as but you are setting the bar rather high.

  11. Wow. You have a lot of patience to glue all those sticks to make siding! I wonder how many you’ll end up using?

  14. Aww, the chair at the dollhouse shop look just like your chairs at home.

    Love how the siding is coming along. The skinny width makes it look much more falling-down-ish. And the staircase is killer.

    Also, I agree with Beth. Grey should always be spelled with an E.

  15. From everything that I am learning about this proposed dollhouse challenge—your weathered barn interests me the most. I truly love where this is going. The staircase is quite cool and the plank size of the flooring is unusual. Are you planning a mixed scale? I’m anxious to see the final results of this particular project.

  18. That is the coolest barn I’ve ever seen. Dollhouse stairs are ridiculous to build and I am blown away by the design you’ve come up with. Can’t wait to follow your progress.

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