Saturday, February 17, 2018

Still Waiting...and Revising

Like everyone else who preordered the 2018 Creatin' Contest kit I'm still waiting for it to ship.  I'm so bummed because I think by this time last year I had the kit and I got to play around with a dry fit and mess around with furniture inside it.

It was also good to get a sense of how big it actually was.  I can measure and lay out a flat board to my heart's content but without walls I really don't get a good sense of the space I'm working with.

So I'm crossing my fingers that the kit comes in on the 21st, which is the latest late on the site, and maybe I'll get it by the 28th?

I've been collecting cup trays and molded cardboard that holds toner and computer parts along with egg cartons so that I could have enough cardboard for my stone walls.

And I'm researching building structure so I can make the tower top and second floor as authentic as possible.


I've been playing with the floor plan and trying to think of a way to not cut off the length but make the house look less huge.  And Megan suggested a false wall to make the space feel more cozy.

I liked the idea but wasn't sure just how I'd pull it off.  It did get me thinking though.  I'd been reading a lot about Tudor buildings and it was during the sixteen century that people figured out how to build chimneys and more efficient fireplaces.  That led to the development of the kitchen, with the fireplace in the center of the room and serving as a divider between the 'entertaining' space and the food prep area.  In Medieval times the great hall was where food was prepared as well as the gathering and dining area.  Having separate rooms for different functions was really a modern sort of idea.

Since WG has some wealth available to her and added her tower and 'remodeled' her old cottage I decided she would have tried to 'modernize' it when she returned to it after her ungrateful stepdaughter threw her out of the castle when she married her prince charming.

So I thought let's put the fireplace in the center of the cottage floor and that'll take up space.  I also wanted to move the tower so it's more on the back corner of the cottage rather than behind it.

Here's the original layout I showed you.

Complete with a little Jack paw playing with the tape.
And here's the layout I think might work better.  The yellow and black boxes are serving as the fireplace.



The sink base will be narrower and I'm going to try and do a window that's more like a bay window in front of it.

I've also got an idea based on this.


I've got some chimney stacks and I got some plastic dragons so I might try to recreate this chimney stack.


I think I might want some bigger dragons though.  Thankfully they're cheap.

But maybe I could use the little ones on some beams or over the door?

I've got some wooden trim on order and I'm hoping to use it on the bed and maybe on the chest I want to build.

Here's hoping no more backorders for the kit!


10 comments:

  1. Oh, I'm in love with the chimney dragons and the bay window. I like your new layout very much. My only concern now would be where the windows are placed and whether all aspects of the room are visible enough. But you will figure that out as soon as the kit arrives. Holding thumbs for you that it comes soon! (And thank you for the mention)!

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    1. Yeah I know what you mean, it's a concern for me too. The bay window I think will go on the front where the three windows are in the kit. If I can't adapt some regular windows to casement windows I'll have to make my own which will be...interesting.

      My pleasure, I like to give credit where its due!

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  2. I hope your kit arrives soon! The new plan looks good, with the fireplace in the middle. And I love those little dragons :-).

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    1. Me Too! I really want to make this one good.

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  3. The fantastic thing about planning ahead, is that you can change plans at no cost.
    I love the little dragons and I'm sure they will look fantastic everywhere on/in a witch's house. I hope the kit arrives in time.
    Hugs, Drora

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    1. Thanks! I really want to be able to start planning things out more solidly and walls always help with that.

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  4. Still no kits? Hmmm... I wonder what the hold up is? You're making great use of the waiting time, though!
    The ideas are fantastic and it will be interesting to have such a variety of textures from all the different "stone" materials. The dragons are really going to add some wonderful datail, too!

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    1. Not sure what the deal is. First the ship date was 1/31, then 2/14, now 2/21.

      I'm hoping that I can make the stone look real. I need to organize my paints. I was thinking greyish stone.

      The dragons are fun, I have to admit.

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  5. I just saw an "In Stock" on the website and thought YAY FOR SHELIA! You must just be itching to get it already! Love the new layout...and the way it separates the two spaces :)

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    1. Awesome! I haven't wanted to torture myself by checking it constantly.

      Thanks! I think having the fireplace in the middle will work better than in the middle of the wall.

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