Installed top floor lights, electrified the portico and built battery boxes

Today I installed the lights in the top floor. The two ceiling lights are wired, the little shoji lamp in the irori room is wired, and there is a light in the bathroom. Unfortunately, I still haven't found the other battery connector, so I can't light it up yet. I also just realized that I forgot to put a light in the tokonoma, so maybe it's just as well I didn't hook everything up yet!

I finished the battery boxes today. These are now mounted on the back of the ryokan, one on each floor, so I can keep each floor independent from the others so I can move it more easily.

Here are two lights I made for the portico. The little sticks on the right one were straight. I guess the glue hadn't dried completely, and I must have moved them. I need to fix that tomorrow.

This is the back of the portico. In order to hide the holes where the wires to the lights went through, I glued on two jewelry findings. I was planning on putting the batteries at the bottom and making planters to hide the batteries in, but luckily before I did that, I remembered that the doors slide open, and I couldn't block the bottom with planters. Anyway, I made battery boxes above the doors instead. I left the wire and switch peaking out of the left hand side so you could see how they work. I will paint over the little bit of wire that is visible above the jewelry findings to camouflage it.

This is the house closed and lit. I only wish I could light the top floor!

The ryokan has essentially been finished for a while now, with the exception of the last two tiny armrests for the legless chairs, and permanently attaching the roof on the portico. The only parts of the kits I don't plan on making are the 50's style TV sets, and the 50's style overstuffed chairs. I guess I'm just not a 50's girl, even though I was born in 1952!

Anyway, today I finished the last two armrests, and installed the portico roof permanently. Before, I had just set it on top without gluing it because I knew I would be moving it around a lot, and it would be easier to work on without that heavy roof attached. The kit had a large slab of black modeling clay that you are supposed to spread out and push down into the wooden framework below the tiles. This gives you more surface area to attach the roof, and it doesn't show from underneath.

I also strengthened the bottom posts of the portico, since they seemed to like to come loose with a lot of moving. The kit gave you two little wire things to push up through the bottom and into the bottom of the posts. I enlarged the holes and glued cut off toothpicks in to hold them more firmly to the base, and it's much sturdier now.

Tomorrow I will put a light into the last tokonoma, and make more accessories. I will need to start getting some landscaping soon!

The ground floor stairs are finished

Yesterday I mentioned that every time I adjusted something on these stairs, something else moved out of place. I was so excited to finish these, and I actually got the ceiling adjusted right, then when I looked at the photo just now, I noticed that the stairs aren't lined up right on the floor. I think it happened when I fixed the ceiling. I guess I will just have to figure it out later when the railing is all dry. At least they are in!

Ceiling and Shoji in the Entryway

I got snowed in today, so I got more done on my Ryokan than usual.

I got the ceiling installed in the entry, and finished and installed the other two Shojis in the Fuji window. The big hole in the ceiling is where the stairs to the next floor are going to go.

The next chapter is the where I start making the front hinged part of the kitchen. It's pretty exciting to have so much done already. The spa roof is in a later chapter, but having three rooms together, and ceilings on two rooms, it gives me an idea of the size of the building, and how it's going to look when it's done!

Entryway and spa progress

I added the third wall to the entryway. This wall also has the leaf patterned mulberry paper on it. I also made up two of the shoji windows and added them to the Fuji window. The other two shoji windows are in a later kit. These windows are also done with mulberry paper with grass embedded in it. You can't see it in the photo, but it looks really nice with light shining through it.

There are two views of the spa. I was trying to get a good photo of the rocks. They look better in person. In the photos, the grey "grout" looks overpowering. In person, you can barely see it. The rocks have three shades of brown, but you can't tell that from the photo.

The wall of the spa is cedar planks, and looks quite nice. I'm anxious to get more done on this room.

Attached the entry floor and back wall to the kitchen , started spa floor

This shows the multi level floor in the entryway, with the Mt. Fuji window on the rear wall. All the sliding doors are done in the kitchen, and the ceiling is attached.

The Mt. Fuji window will have sliding shoji windows in it, and there will be stairs going to the second floor. This will be the reception area of the Ryokan.

Ooops, I just noticed that a corner of the wax paper I glue and stain on slid in front of part of the entryway.

This is the floor in the spa. There is a raised little triangle, which goes up against the door to the entryway. Then there is another raised section that will have a "rock" floor. The white plastic thing is the "rocks", which will be painted. The lowest section is where the pool will be.

I think it will look pretty good when it's done!