Monday, February 8, 2016

Aaaaarrrgggghhh.... The Agony!!!




Two Steps Forward.... Ten Steps Back......

I am Sure you have All had those moments, Dear Readers, when you just Can't believe that all that work you just completed with Such Satisfaction will probably have to be re-done! After weeks, no, Months of dithering, I had finally decided that I did need to paint those "Trees" that are such a large feature of the parlor in Hardwick Hall. Last week I showed them to you in their partly painted condition. All that was still needed was the "marbleing" to make them match the rest of the fireplace. It was something I could easily fit in around all the work of the RL redecorating, so I started right in!
Above you can see me testing the frame piece for the right hand side of the mirror.

Of course, I need to shine a bright light into the room 
for you to be able to see the painted effect! 
I thought it looked just right and started in on the remaining pieces.

Here you can see the left hand side painted too....
Still just being tested for color and uniformity of "marbling"....

Was it good enough? 
Was it ready for the Final step... gluing in place????
Yes!
It was Finally time 
to attach it all permanently in place... 
so we could go forward with the rest of the construction!

So I carefully threaded the wires through the holes in the wall 
where they would run down to the foundation and connect to the plug strip.
And piece by piece I glued the whole structure in place!

Including the extra branches on the outer side....
 

Doesn't it look Magnificent?
Of course, in order to thread the wires through the walls, 
I had to cut the plugs off and will re-splice them later. 
It was too late last night to do that step!
But tonight I wanted to take a picture for you 
of the completed hearth with lights lit, 
so I temporarily spliced the plugs back onto the wires....

But only One of them would light.......
It must be the bulb, I thought.... 
after all, it had fallen to the floor more than once...
So I dug out a replacement bulb.... 
but still no light....!
This cannot be happening I am thinking.... 
maybe it is just the plug....
so I hooked that plug to the coals in the grate....

The plug worked just fine.... 
the hearth glows Beautifully!
But only one of those intricately embedded lights works....!
AAAARRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!

I don't know about You, Dear Readers, 
but I cannot believe I am going to have to dismantle 
that carefully constructed and firmly glued framework.....!
I can't imagine that the sculpey will all come off in one piece....
and even if it does, the light fixture is baked into the clay.....
and if the wiring of the fixture itself is compromised,
 I will have to start over from scratch.....!
AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!
Yes, two lovely steps forward....
Ten Painful steps back!!!
The Agony!!!!


35 comments:

  1. Hello Betsy,
    I am so sorry the light does not work! I do hope you'll get lucky and be able to save that beautiful work you have done. What a terrible shame!!! I know how annoying these situations are, but one way or the other you can fix this. Hang in there!
    Big hug
    Giac

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Giac! Josje's suggestion worked! The "new" bulb I used was a "dud".... I never would have thought of that! I am so relieved!

      Delete
  2. Oh Betsy.... I KNOW YOUR PAIN!!!! this has happened to me THREE X's on 2 different projects. #43 Green Dolphin Street, one outside coach lamp went out, can't figure out why, it WAS working fine. The the ceiling fixture in the bedroom- out too! One sconce in the living room of Land's End- again "out like a light" as well! So I know the frustration of having checked, double checked and then glued and then their gone. I think this is what scares off so many people from adding light fixtures. It should be a lot less headache than it is..... but it's NOT! :((

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And I should have also said that your marbling look Fantastic! :D

      Delete
    2. Oh, Thank you Elizabeth! I now understand some of the frustration of failed electricity! I have never before made a fixture that was embedded in the clay... it is Not removable! But thanks to Josje's suggestion, I tried Another bulb... and it worked!!! I am so relieved! I wish I could pass some on to your fixtures too!!!

      Delete
  3. Hello Betsy,

    Your fireplace really does look MAGNIFICENT!!

    Hope you can dismantle the framework without damaging it, or in the worst case, find the patience to make a new one, as the end result really seems worth it. :))

    The parlor of Hardwick Hall looks truly regal!!!

    Kind regards, Nina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Nina! Josje's suggestion saved the day! It turned out my "new" bulb was also dead! (Not fair!)So all is well! Whew!!!

      Delete
  4. bon courage
    le résultat est déjà très convaincant

    ReplyDelete
  5. So sorry to hear of your frustrations, Betsy...I hope an easier way presents itself to you. It all looks so amazing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Farrah! It turned out my "new" bulb was also bad!!! All is well and nothing had to be taken apart!

      Delete
  6. I had to read all the comments to see if anyone had a better idea than trying to UNGLUE those lovely trees; nobody did. I don't either, except to say I bet it can be traced to shoddy manufacturing. I am contending with this in my LR, where there is a lamp which burns out its bulb about every 3 weeks. Grrrrrr.
    xox
    Mom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All is saved, Mom! Josje's suggestion worked and the lights are both working! It was just a bad bulb after all!

      Delete
  7. You could work on one of your other projects, or stories, and just shelve Hardwick Hall for a bit - something may come to you!
    Love again,
    Mom

    ReplyDelete
  8. Betsy! Stop! Don't pull it out yet! By the way, the tree fireplace looks absolutely fantastic, I love it! I can imagine your frustration, while I was reading I was saying 'Oh NO!' out loud. But please do a little more testing first. I have had it happen to me that a spare bulb did not work either but it turned out the fixture was fine. Try testing the bulbs on other fixtures too, so you're sure the bulb is working. Then, if it is definitely not the bulb, can you remove the fixture without removing the fireplace? If you can, then tie a bit of wire (any thin but strong string or wire will do) to the end of the broken fixture's wiring so that when you pull the fixture off, the extra wire will take the place of the fixture's wiring behind your fireplace/floors. When you have the light working again, tie the string/wire to the working fixture's wiring and carefully pull the string back so that the fixture and wiring goes back into it's place. Maybe you already knew this, but it would be a shame if you had pulled it all apart and then me coming in afterwards with this tip.
    I hope you will be able to fix the problem! Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank You Josje!!! I tried another bulb and it did Work!!! I never would have thought of that!(New bulbs are supposed to work, right?!) Your comment has saved me SO much trouble and despair!!! Thank you!!!

      Delete
  9. I'm so sorry for your frustation, but try again! The fireplace looks amazing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Fabi! It turned out the bulb was a bad one and now all is working just right!

      Delete
  10. oh no.... I'm so sorry Betsy, this is quite a setback and I can only imagine your frustration. Having to do all that work again.. It does look amazing though.. Maybe Josje's tip can be of help (you already checked the bulb on the fireplace, so I mean the second one). And if the only option is to dismantle, depending on the glue, you can try with a warm damp cloth to warm the glue and make a little bit softer so it will loosen easier. And if you have used a glue that doesn't have that charactaristic (like superglue or 2-part epoxyglue or something), I would advice to carefully try to use a scalpelknife to easen the glue-seam. It has made things go loose with less damage than any other way, just in case you wouldn't have thought of that yourself ;). Good luck, I wish you the very best with it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Monique! Josje's suggestion worked! I never would have thought the new bulb would be unreliable! So nothing had to be taken apart! I am SOOO relieved!

      Delete
  11. Hello Betsy, I'm so sorry about that non-functional light! Such a frustrating thing to have happen, just when all was going so beautifully. The fireplace and the trees are wonderful, and the marbling looks perfect. I hope so much that you can find a "fix" so that all those work hours aren't wasted. Don't be too discouraged - you will be able to make it all work again. Just hang in there with optimism! You have a lot of friends sharing your PAIN!
    Marjorie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Marjorie! Yes, Friends have helped a LOT! Josje's suggestion about the bulb was correct and now everything works! I will always try and try again after this! I appreciate the support!

      Delete
  12. Oh, this must be so very frustrating for you, Betsy, what a disappointment!! I really hope the advice of Josje has helped you...?? Personally I really have no idea how to solve your problem, because I haven't installed the lighting of my own canal house yet.
    But the marbling looks fantastic, in fact the whole mantle with the trees looks original and amazing.
    Warm hug, Ilona

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ilona! Yes, Josje saved the day! It turned out my "new" bulb also was not any good! I tried again and now everything works perfectly! I am So relieved! I am glad you like the mantle.... I think it has turned out just right!

      Delete
  13. I remember I had the same problem with candelabra in Snapes office. Due to brick walls I gave in but I hope you can fix it for this fireplace is fantastic.:)
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Ewa! It turned out I was lucky and Josje's suggestion to try another bulb worked! I would never have thought of that! I am so glad I don't have to start over again with the trees! I am glad you like them!

      Delete
  14. I was thinking "OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" immediately... and believe me - there are still numerous O's not being typed. I feel very sorry for you - what a terrible "surprise". I hope Josje's advice will help... or that you will come up with another solution instead of tearing it all down. Your fireplace with the trees is extraordinarily beautiful, it would be a shame if you would have to destroy this. And just thinking out loud... if there was no easy solution... can't you just leave it this way... giving it a reason to be this way... because maybe the left lamp represents the full moon and the right lamp the new moon... something like that... You're the best storyteller - why not invent a story about a witch lamp that refuses to shine?

    Hugs
    Birgit

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Birgit! Yes, Josje's suggestions worked!!! I never would have imagined it was another dead bulb!!! And yes, my Imagination was already trying to construct "reasons" for a light that would never shine... just so I would not have to make it over again!!! (And I think your suggestions are wonderful!) But I was sure I would never be satisfied if I left it not working...! Fortunately all the panic is over now! Whew!!! :)

      Delete
  15. I'm so sorry that your life's not working hopefully it will be an easy fix

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Marisa! (Love those Typos!!!) :)
      All is well that ends well... Josje's suggestion to try Another bulb worked!!! Who would have thought a "new" bulb right out of the package would be a dud??? Thankfully, she was right and nothing had to be taken apart!

      Delete
  16. Hi Betsy, ...breath in, breath out. I think Josjes advice will do the trick. The fireplace looks magical, a true piece of art. I am sure you can fix the problem. Hugs AM

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi AM! Thank you for the reminders to stay calm! And, yes, Josje's advice worked! The bulb I used was a "dud"! All is well again! I am so glad you like the fireplace! :)

      Delete
  17. Thank goodness for good friends, with good advice! For a moment there my heart was in my throat, wondering how you would figure it out!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thanks for all your efforts that you have put in this, It's very interesting Blog...
    I believe there are many who feel the same satisfaction as I read this article!
    I hope you will continue to have such articles to share with everyone!
    หนังดราม่า

    ReplyDelete