Thursday, May 3, 2018

Thinking About the Setting

As I've been working on the tower at home, I've been mulling over the setting for the cottage while I'm on break at work.  Mulling involves lots of looking on the internet for landscapes in England and Ireland and debating what sort of detail I want on the base of the cottage.

I'd mentioned I wanted to do something with water, because I fell in love with several pictures and I could totally picture my WQ retiring to her cottage by a river or lake.  You remember this one I'm certain.


The stone is something I'd like to recreate, and I tried to get close with the ground floor of the tower.  This looks like stacked stone though, rather than something with mortar.  So I'll be thinking that over for a while.

But that water and the reeds/grass growing up from the shore's edge! Love love love!

And then I found this:


This is actually in Bruges.  But I still like it.  The water coming right up to the houses and those swans... want!  Don't know that my setting will run to swans but they're very pretty. 

And in order to pull all of this off, I need to learn how to deal with water, how to paint the base so it looks like a realistic river under the resin (or whatever it is) water and just how built up I'll need to make the base so it doesn't look like the water is two inches away from the ground floor.

There's something about it that I really like though.  I'm not sure what.  Maybe it's the romance of it, a cottage with a tower next to the water.  Or I feel the need to challenge myself and tear my hair out trying to figure it out and keep the cats from messing with it.  Because I also wanted to try and make a tree for the front garden.  And stone walls to surround it on at least two sides with a wrought iron gate.

No, I'm not ambitious at all!


One last inspiration shot, this one from England, the Lake district I think?  I don't want the house that far above the water, but I do like that stone and the plants growing out of the wall.  Plus the colors, those greens under the surface... I like!

Oh, Betsy was right, a window like this:


Is called an oriel.  Funny, the caption on this pinterest pic refers to it as an oriole.  Slight difference in definition there.  But I guess that's what it's called regardless of whether it's attached to a turret or a wall.  This one is really pretty but a little too ornate for me.

The other thing I've been thinking about is a dovecote.  Which a lot of times were put on the gables or a house if they weren't in a separate build of their own.  This is pretty cool.


But I don't want it over the doorway or anything so if I do make one, it would be mostly hidden on the back side of the house or a separate build entirely.  Not sure on this one.  It's very cool though and pretty popular on Tudor houses that were owned by nobility.  Apparently peasants weren't allowed to keep birds.  Learn something new every day.


I'm still wondering if I could pull off a shorter version of this.  Don't know if I could or not.  But I can't let go of the idea of having water involved somehow.

Like this:


Did I say no more inspiration shots?  I lied.



The castle looks so romantic! 


And the reflection of the house in the water! Gorgeous.

So I'm still working on it.  Mentally anyway.  And I'm keeping my eye out for tutorials.  There are some products out there that seem easy to use and non toxic which is good.  But I'd still need to figure out how to paint a realistic looking river/lake bed.

I'll keep thinking. 

26 comments:

  1. Unas fotos increíbles, me parecen muy inspiradoras para el proyecto que nos has contado, estoy deseosa de ver como comienzas ese fantástico proyecto.Besos:-)

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    1. Gracias! Espero encontrar algo tan bueno como las fotos.

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  2. Amazing pics Sheila, love them all. I think there is soemthing about water around stone cottages real and miniature and it fits your overall vision for this house. You could jot dow specifically what you love about each picture and then think about how to incorporate them all into your build. You could have water on more than one side, such as the hosue sits on a bend or juts out into the water.

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    1. Thank you! I really like the idea of stream going through the front garden and joining a larger river that runs right past the house. I thought if I built the base of the house up by about an inch I could have the water come up to one side of it.

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  3. Each photo floats you into a Dreamworld! For me the swans on the river put me in mind of the Fairy Tale- the Swan Princess.
    The oriel window would make a Marvelous addition to your stone cottage and re: the dovecote- Marjorie of "Sticks Stones and Styrofoam" built one for her French Farmhouse which may inspire you further-
    As for the water right on the doorsteps of a stone house- I agree, that there is something magical about the sight and through your research, you have MANY Possibilities, from which to choose! :D

    elizabeth

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    1. I think that's part of what I like about the water, there's something otherworldly about being near water. It's an unknown because water distorts what's underneath and even reflections are strange.

      I'll have to take a look at her blog.

      One of the folks over on facebook suggested I look on YouTube for tutorials about water effects. I've found a few on Pinterest too.

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  4. Wow! I love all those pictures - so romantic! LOVE!

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    1. My pinterest account is overloading with them but I love them so much!

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  5. Wow, very beautiful and very inspiring pictures, Sheila. I so hope you can manage to convert this image of the real world into your miniature world: your MQ will look like a house in a dreamworld, enchanting and fairytale.
    A dovecote and an oriel window would than be great additions in this magical ambience. It will be hard for you to choose :O.
    Have a nice weekend, filled with nice dreams about thepossibilities of your MQ!

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    1. Thanks! I'm going to research different types of materials and what I'll need to do to get a water effect.

      I think the oriel window is a definite. The dovecote is less certain.

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  6. Gahh.. These are all so gorgeous, how do you choose! I think Shannon's idea is good.. more is more in mini as they say.. lol.. I do love the water on the picture after the swans though.. I agree being able to see such an interesting river bed through crystal clear water is stunning. England has many shallow rivers and streams I'm sure it would fit into your setting well. I think with these pictures as your inspiration, whichever way you go you can't go wrong.

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    1. I'm just hoping for something approximately similar. If I can create a good riverbed and add water product to the top of it I think I'll have the look I'm going for. I just need to figure out how to do it.

      Thanks!

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    2. Maybe buy some cheap fairy garden or railroad miniature greenery from china so you can have a 3 D effect under your resin or epoxy or scenic water or whatever it is miniaturists use to create water features.. sorry not sure of the correct product.. lol

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    3. Yeah I know what you mean. That tiny stuff they sell at the hobby store.

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  7. Very inspirational pictures! I bet you will come up with a wonderful water part!

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    1. I hope so! I've never done it before but I really want water to be part of this build.

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  8. Oh the daydreaming and planning of a project is one of my favorite parts! You have found no shortage of inspiration! What stunning and inspiring photos!

    I used the Magic Water brand of resin in the fountains I did for Alki Point. It is not supposed to yellow with time, so I paid the $30 for it. It has been since the fall of 2015, and it has not yellowed. BUT, I would recommend trying to get an estimate of just how much you'll need to fill your reservoir. Maybe make a mock up and fill it with water to see how many ounces you'll actually need. They sell ICE Resin (also not supposed to yellow over time) in larger quantities on Amazon, and that may be more cost effective depending on how much you need. I used the ICE Resin in the flower vases I just did for the vanities, and it is crystal clear. Time will tell if it stays that way.

    Here's the Magic Water web site - they have videos, testimonials, tips and stuff that may help you get more comfortable with the process:

    https://www.unrealdetails.com/

    I am so excited to see this project come to be!

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    1. Thanks! I'm going to check out the site. I think my biggest problem is going to be finding something that gives me ease of use.

      Since the water is going to be over a river or stream bed, I'm not as worried about yellowing, though the product remaining clear is important I agree. I'm a little scared about mixing stuff. I can be very cowardly about trying new things that involve chemicals.

      But I think I'll have to bite the bullet and figure something out.

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    2. You'll do just fine. Just practice a bit on something smaller until you feel comfortable with the process. Make a little pot of stew or something for the inside. Brown, orange and ecru bits of Fimo with just a tiny drop of brown paint mixed in the resin looks really good. Copper pipe caps from Home Depot make great pots to practice in, too. Then use the resin to attach window pulls to the pot for handles and you're all set!

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    3. I'll have to try that. Need to get a workspace semi-cleared though and my picnic screens out to protect everything from cat hair. And investigation by the Building Inspector

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  9. Ohhh, I am drooling over these inspiration pictures!!! I could go with any one of them! But I do think my favorite is the last one... because it looks like it is small and old and quirky!!! I am sure you will get the water thing figured out.... I'll be watching closely because "someday" there will be a stream beside "The Folly" where "The Tree House" is growing.....!!! :)

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    1. I agree, I do love the last one, because it's a house with a tower and it's very interesting and old looking.

      I'm going to be stalking YouTube for how to videos on water. But it should be interesting.

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  10. What fantastic eye candy. You definitely need at least a moat, with swans, and a dovecote.
    I know nothing about making water, my only attempts were the basic garden pond variety.
    But I did once make the most amazing bullrushes by accident.
    I cut a large leaf of a cheap plastic plant into narrow strips to make the spiky green leaves. Then painted them with acrylic paint for realism and colour variety. The paint was taking way too long for my liking to dry, so I grabbed a bunch of leaves, held them upside down, and gave them a blast of my heat gun to speed up the process. It was a little bit too hot, and the plastic twisted and curled into all kinds of interesting directions. It looked super realistic, like they were being stirred by a breeze! Maybe my experiment will benefit you when you start landscaping.

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    1. Thanks! I'm hoping to do water on at least one side. I'll have to try using heat to mess with plastic and see how it works for me.

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  11. I think a water feature is fantastic! I hope you have time to get it exactly as you want. Difficult when you are on a deadline but you seem to be working right along. :)

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