Progress!

Slate is beautiful, but working on a circle is a big PITA. Glad to be almost done with the roof.

https://picasaweb.google.com/crookston.john4/6308097353244058289?authkey=Gv1sRgCKbfzsaKxt_lfA#6308097397063140722

Well, that didn't work worth a hoot If you go to the one 3 places up, the pictures are there. I don't know what I did here.

We got the finish painting done inside today, and they are supposed to get the stucco base coated tomorrow, and finished on Tuesday. Half of the trim is on and the rest is blanked out I have to make the railing for the steps and install one more of the stringers plus the flooring. If I have to I will have my son and another guy come and help for a few days. The latest pictures are from the new Google site. All of the old pictures are on the bottom now and there are no descriptions on any of the photos anymore. Trying to figure this new thing out. What fun. [url] https://goo.gl/photos/d81W6PtFtF1eMdKfA[/url]

I still don't know how to add captions though. I had to work on this for about a half an hour to remember how to get to the albums. Bummer.

Let's see if this works!

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO9ftVJwYcLOcLc2Rh2zTjug5oyHU2RgShfSU1zy7eXAP4n4sn1Nb6woo-PVqPJnA?key=d2xac0FEcE02X1RjdUxQS1FSUkpfSF9GTHUtMi1R

Mike, I am going to try and post the photos I have via Google on this forum. We will see how it works. I know the captions won't be there, but it is a start.

EVERYTHING is mixed up! All of my written descriptions are gone. Hundreds and hundreds of them. Just great. It will take me a bit to get back to square one. I hope to be able to do it before I take the building to the competition in 4 weeks. It is really looking neat and I am taking the pictures, but have no way of sharing at the moment. wish me luck!

Google bought out Picasa and all of my pictures were on Picaa. It took my computer 24 hours to download and save over 7,000 pictures and now they are all in order by the day they were downloaded instead of the subjects. I am not sure how to straighten it all out. I am working on it. I wish sometimes I was more computer literate.

Mike, If I can sell it I will, but my grand daughter insists that I don't. I laugh and tell her that if I can sell it I will build another one, and it will go a lot faster this time around. I know of a lot of different ways NOT to build it now. I think it is called the school of hard knocks. Incidentally, as of 1:15 this morning, I have another grand daughter, so that makes 3 that can play in it. I figure it is a win-win situation, and actually I would like to build another one.

Andy, it is going to be at the Pepino's restaurant right across from the Van Andel arena. They are giving me the outdoor seating area to display it. It is WAY COOL, and sure to get a lot of attention. I am contracted to have it set up by the 15th.of September so that I have time to shake out some details. Come on down and meet me and give me a vote. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

My wife and I try to make it to Art Prize every year. Going to have to look this up. Off the hook . . .

Somewhere along the line I either missed, or glazed over, the art show part. I thought this thing was solely intended for the grand's.

I have well over 1000 hours into it so far, plus a lot of money for materials. It is getting to be a very expensive habit. The money is not worth that much any more either. Beside, the girls will love it it if it doesn't sell.

This is a big deal guys! The art prize is the largest such competition in the WORLD, and last year there were over 1,500 entries from all 50 states and over 40 foreign countries. There are two different sets of prizes; one which is popular vote, and the other which is a juried award. I am not sure what they are looking for in the juried award, but the popular vote is just that, who likes what the best. Both awards are $200,000.00 and I guess it is possible that the same piece could win both awards.

You have the option of selling your piece or just displaying it, and what you sell it for is up to you. I have this for sale for $85,000.00, asking right now and it could go up if there is a big response. EVERYONE that has seen it are blown away, and frankly so am I. It is going to weigh about 8,000#'s when completed, and I have what I consider the perfect venue for it. The guy that runs the restaurant is going to use TV and Radio to promote it as well as social media. That is in our contract too. I have to get it done in time.

Winning first prize? That is a 1/ 1,500 shot, but someone is going to win, and it could be this piece. I think it will sell, but if it doesn't, I have three grand daughters that want to play in it. If it is sold, the set up and delivery will be an additional cost and it depends on where it goes and how it is set up as far as how much that will add to the price. It could be a playhouse for little girls, but it could also be a writing studio by a lake or by a stream. It is going to be classy for sure, and I am thinking of all the different things I can add now that it is almost finished on the outside. It is wired, and it will cool and heat easily because of the insulated construction. since it is "portable" it doesn't require a building permit, but that may change if it is put on a permanent foundation.

Since it is a piece of art however, that is debatable too. Most of the artists don't want anyone touching their pieces, but this one is designed to be toured and looked at from both the inside and outside. What we do everyday as builders and roofers is "ART" but we don't realize it. We are trying to figure out how to let people through it and get donations for the tour, which would then be donated to the schools and teachers in the area to buy art supplies. It gets tricky as we can't have people trashing it either. Keep looking at the pictures as they are posted to see the progress. Wish me luck!

Thanks Mike, That means a lot to me.

It is just about plastered now and I have most of the cement board on the outside getting ready to stucco it. I am building the steam table/box to bend the stringers for the steps and all of the radiused wood inside, and the Windows should be in this week. There is a lot of work to do in the next few weeks, but it is coming. I believe it is going to cause a stir in Grand Rapids when the Art Prize starts. No one has seen anything quite like this; in fact neither have I!

If you go to the link, it is always updated when I add pictures so every couple of weeks take a look and let me know what you guys think.

As a grandpa myself, I know this project, in the end, is more for you than the grandkids. They will grow, and for 20 years or so, it will be mostly forgotten. One day though, they will look at this piece of craftsmanship and fully appreciate it and tell their children about it and the man that built it.

As for me. I'm just blown away.

Nice looking job!!