Sunday, December 9, 2018

The Last Of the List

I'm relieved, I have only a couple more things on my list and neither are absolutely necessary.  Chances are that if I hadn't gotten to use my flex time on Thursday and Friday I would still be frantically working and you might get a post on Monday or Tuesday.

I started with my chimney stacks.  You recall my inspiration photo?


I wanted to do something similar.  So I got a couple of terracotta stacks.  And some dragons.  You saw my primed dragons last week.  This week I got them attached to the stacks and aged so they looked like they'd been on top of a very active chimney.


I imagine they'll show up much better with a simpler background.

But once they were up and the glue drying I continued to work on my tree.  I bought some apples that resembled the type of apples in England during Tudor times and threaded some dark brown embroidery thread through them so they would 'grow' on the tree.


I worked on it and while waiting for glue to dry, worked on vegetables for the garden.  I used Jodi's vegetable tutorial, which is awesome.


The trick was to figure out what sort of vegetables my WQ would be able to grow.  Lettuces and leeks were good.  Carrots grow well with leeks and green onions too.  Cabbages and cauliflower were the other plants I had.  I also made some mint for tea and chamomile plants.  I used Jodi's method for the chamomile too.

While everything was drying and being built I started to add stones to my wall.



I was very tempted to not put stone on the front but I wanted to be able to take pictures from a wider angle if I wanted so I bit the bullet and added the stone.  I will say going with semi rectangular and square stones made the process a little easier.

Then there was the painting and adding mortar/grout.  Slightly messy process but it got done.  I was going to use the big rocks for a path but I didn't like how thick they were.  Some of the other stones I had worked better.  I built up the path slightly with spackle underneath the grass so I could press the stones down into it.  I couldn't put the path right up to the gate or the gate wouldn't open over the path.



The tree was a bit unstable for a bit until I got some dirt made of coffee grounds and white glue to add around the roots and base.  Then I added some of the coarse turf to the roots and around the stones.  The excess needs brushing off but I needed to let all the glue dry first.

While that was going in I made a border for the garden. I added some mushrooms around the tree since they always seem to grow in the shade.




I'm going with my old method of making the garden separate from the yard so I can work on it and set it in place once it's done.  It's on very thin balsa wood.

My vegetables were mostly done so I made up more of my dirt with white glue and coffee.


The glue is still drying here but I put it in place so no one (Building Inspector) will be tempted to play with the carrot tops or my leeks.


There's a rabbit in the garden.  He'd better watch out.  Bathsheba and Boadicea will be happy to chase him away.




I added my pigeons to the dovecote.  I decided to glue them to the house rather than use temporary sticking stuff.



I also added some more rocks and moss to the side of the house so it looks a little bit more like it's been there a while.  I still want to do some weeds or something.  Maybe some more moss at the bottom of the house so it doesn't look so abrupt between the grass and stone.



I also bit the bullet and made a couple of rush mats for the bedroom.  They warm up the room just enough I think.




Not bad for my first attempt.

And just because it makes me happy I opened all the windows and took a picture of it like that.


Are you able to tell at all where the house comes apart at the roof and walls?  I'm curious because when I look at the cottage it isn't immediately obvious to me.

I got a big white sheet to use as a backdrop and I'm going to order another clamp light.  I can practice my picture taking this week while I wait for my sausages to arrive.  <grinding teeth>


Create 'slate' roof
           Put Roof on House
           Paint roof.
Wiring
Finish back of house and tower
Doves/Pigeons for dovecote - Got need to glue on
Basic landscaping around the minimal base.
Lean to, to hide light switches.
Label Switches
Bedroom
          Make rush mats
Kitchen
          Hang sausages-mailed
          Age Bread paddles
          Cloak - Anna
Create front garden           Make tree? - more candy tuft ordered.
                         Finish adding and paint out stems.
          Make stream? - Not enough time
          Make lake/river to go alongside house - Not enough time
          Add moss and weeds along side house and tower
          Make stone wall to go around garden
          Iron front gate. 

40 comments:

  1. This looks awesome! :D I can't tell the seams, and I think it's smart to keep it in pieces. Bravo!

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    1. Thank you Brae! I really appreciate it. Now to figure out how to take pictures!

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  2. Congratulations on a job very well done! That dragon chimney is absolutely awesome, and the apple tree, with Tudor-style apples no less, is a perfect finishing touch. No, I can't tell where it comes apart. It just looks wonderful. You must be so pleased with how it all turned out. Good luck in the contest!

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  3. It looks so fabulous Sheila! Loving the garden and tree. The mushrooms are a delightful touch, I don’t think the opening spots are obvious at all. The roof looks amazing. How on earth are you going to capture all your amazing details in the allotted amount of photos???

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    1. Thank you! I'm so glad the tree looks realistic. The pictures question is one I've been wondering about too!

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  4. WOW, SHEILA, this is an awesome Tudor house, it comes right out of history! It's such a beuatiful piece of work, you can be very proud of yourself.
    Just as the others I can't discover the seams too, so that proves that you've hidden them very well ;). The tree and the garden makes the whole house complete and very realistic.
    For a photoshoot background: for photographing my miniature farm scenes, I ever searched for a picture on the internet, one of a grass and trees landscape, and I ordered it in a wide poster dimension. Maybe you can also do something like that? Because of your Tudor style house, just a natural landscape on a big poster dimension, or even two, so you can create a sort of corner for taking pictures of this awesome project...?
    Hugs, Ilona

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    1. Thank you! I'm really hoping to do well this year. I thought about trying to do a poster type of backdrop but I'm not set up well for that at all. I've got a big white sheet so I can do a simple photo booth type thing and hopefully that will work.

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  5. Sheila - what you did is something extraordinary. The whole house looks so real, all the detail are perfect and there is absolutely no way for me to tell where the roof goes apart. You can see that because you know where it is. ;)
    I love the vegetables and the rabbit. And the pigeons? It's just brilliant!
    And I LOVE the dragons on the chimneys! *_*

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    1. Thanks! I'm really excited that everything came out close to how I intended. I had to have those dragons. I went crazy to make sure they worked.

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  6. Hello Sheila,
    Great work. The vegetables and the garden wall are fantastic, but I musts ay my heart belongs to those dragons stacks. they are gorgeous.
    Big hug
    Giac

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    1. Thank you! My first tree and vegetable garden. I really am glad the dragon stacks came out well.
      Hugs!

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  7. Oh Sheila. This project has been a joy to follow. I admire your tenacity and your commitment to keep it true to the time, which, I am sure, has just made things more complicated for you. I cannot wait to see the final photos but I like to say that your latest additions are sooo lovely!! Love the apples on the tree, the vegetable garden, the doves and dovecote, the mushrooms, and that wonderful dragon on the chimney stacks!! Wow, your attention to detail is impressive. Well done. I think you are a very serious contender this year and I wouldn´t be surprised if you get one of the top prices.

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    1. Thank you! I'm glad you've enjoyed the process. Seems like a lot of things I haven't done before. But when I get such great feedback from all of you it's very heartening.

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  8. Wow! The dragons look great and like they have been a part of the chimney pots for a very long time! Nice work on them and the vision to make such a special detail!
    Oh the things we do for minis - stringing apples, like stringing tea bags, is something absolutely necessary to the achievement and look of one's ultimate visual goals, but try explaining it to a non miniaturist!!! The looks we get are precious aren't they? The tree looks marvelous!
    I'm happy that you found the veggie tutorial helpful, and the removable vegetable/herb garden is an awesome touch! I also really like the new rock pavers you used - they seem to go so perfectly with the wonderful rock walls and iron gate! I love, love, Love those mushrooms!!!
    The pigeons look perfect for the dovecote which is just another example of the amazing thought for detail that you've added to this charming cottage! The stones on the lower walls look old and craggly and mossy and wonderful! I love the contrast of the rush mats on the stone floors and the way they give the place a lived in and real life accent.
    I can't tell at all how the roof section comes off, and in fact, if I didn't know it did I'd think it didn't! What amazes me is that just a few short months ago all of this was just an idea that lived in your creative head! Amazing!
    Good luck with the photo shoot - I hope you are able to capture all of the wonderful and thoughtful detail you've incorporated so that everyone can enjoy this incredible Wicked Queen's Retirement Cottage!

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    1. Wow! Thanks Jodi! Your tutorials were a huge help. Oh yes, stringing apples. My husband gave me a funny look until I explained.

      I'm so glad you like all of it. I really wouldn't have been able to do this without all of you and your feedback and advice.

      Husband keeps saying four pictures aren't enough. I see his point but we must have some limits. I'll figure something out!

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  9. The dragon stacks are stunning. I love the doves and the dovecote, in fact I love everything in this project. I enjoy following, learning and getting ideas from your work and thank you for sharing the fantastic photos of your work.
    Hugs, Drora

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    1. Thanks Drora! I really worried about aging the dragons and clay stacks properly. All this new stuff...it's nice folks are learning along with me! Hugs back.

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  10. All your work looks awesome !!! I can't find more words - i'm going back to look at everything again, again and again <3 <3 <3

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    1. Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it. I've been going a little crazy.

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  11. "Once upon a time in a land long ago when dragons roamed the earth.... there was a little cottage nestled deep in a magical woods, where lived a reformed "evil queen" who spent her retirement days growing special herbs and concocting magic potions."

    Sheila, I Absolutely LOVE your HBS project.
    The removable veg garden and the mushrooms growing in the shade of the ancient apple tree and the homing pigeons in the dovecote and the petrified dragons clinging to the smokestacks and the craggy rocks around the base of the tower and the high garden wall and the old iron gate- and, and, and .... the list goes on and on of ALL the WONDERFUL Atmospheric details of your AMAZING HOUSE!!!
    ALL the BEST for this Utterly Fantastic Entry!

    elizabeth

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    1. Thank you Elizabeth! I'm really excited that it's pretty much finished. Now I just need to write up my Queen's little rant (ahem) speech, about how she came to be in her cottage.

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  12. This looks so AMAZING! I love your garden area - it looks like the perfect place to sit and read a book. I love all the details. Those dragons on the chimneys are fantastic! I love the whole cottage. I have no idea how it comes apart, though!

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    1. Thank you Penelope. I was really worried it wouldn't look realistic but everyone seems to like it.

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  13. What did you use for the dragons?

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    1. I actually got some plastic ones cheap from Amazon and primed them with gesso before I painted them and aged them with the pots.

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  14. Oh Sheila, I am lost for words - which is ok I guess as what I am thinking is pretty much summed up in all the comments above :)
    The minute I saw the first photo of the dragons playing hide'n seek around the chimney stacks I knew I was in for a treat this week! Oh, and those mushrooms under the tree (did you make them too??) I am sure CA has multiple uses for them in her secret recipes LOL
    Best of luck with the photos... whatever happens from here, I think you are winner. I still cannot get my head around how you envisaged this fabulous cottage from that rather basic kit - This has been one amazing build to follow and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
    Anna

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    1. Thanks Anna! I really wanted those dragons and it took a couple of tries to make them work but I'm glad I persevered. I didn't make the mushrooms, I'm not that good with clay yet, but I'm certain they are very useful to CA.

      Thank you again for the cloak, I love how it looks on the wall and the pillow is perfect. Bathsheba is going to love it.

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  15. I did not remember the inspiration photo, the dragons are fantastic! Love the mushrooms and the apples too. Good luck with the photos this week, I hope the sausages arrive in time.

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    1. Thanks Keli! Those dragons were what I'd wanted from early on and it took me a bit to make them work. I'm glad you like them.

      I don't know if the sausages will arrive in time or not. I ordered them back on Oct 10. Supposedly they should arrive this week but at this point I'm not holding my breath.

      Tonight I need to clean up my work area, won't that be fun! Then I can get set up for photos.

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  16. I haven't checked in with you for a while, Sheila, but I've been following along. I'm just amazed at how well this is all coming together. From your vision earlier this year to a near complete house, and everything just as it should be. Eagerly waiting for the final details!

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    1. Oops, that's me, Megan. I must be signed out of my Google account ;)

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    2. thank you Megan! I'm really excited to be done. I've got a few little touches but that's all and once they're done I'm good to go. Cleaning to do tonight so I can start picture taking too.

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  17. Oh WOW!!! I Love the way your front garden with the tree looks!!! The mushrooms underneath it look awesome! And the chimney pots with the dragon look wonderfully fantastical... just the way a Witch's chimney should be! I remember seeing your inspiration picture on the internet a long time ago.... your version is very well done! The rush mats are great and do warm up and soften the bedroom floor... the pigeons look right at home on their dovecote.... and even RL gates cease to open after a year or two from the ground heaving! LOL! I am SO impressed with how fast you work!!! No, I can't tell from the pictures where the wall opens... and I've been watching this build all along!! I will say it again... I Love everything about this project!!! I agree with the others... whatever the contest results... this project is a Winner!!!

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    1. Thank you Betsy! I'm so glad you like it. With as gorgeous as your castle is, you liking the WQ's cottage is really a compliment.

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  18. Dear Sheila, It has been a treat to visit and follow along with your work. It looks fabulous - full of fabulous ideas perfectly executed.
    All the best for the competition but a winner regardless,
    Janine

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    1. Thank you Janine! I'm glad you've enjoyed it.

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  19. Those chimney stacks!!! Ah! What a whimsical idea! I love it, fits so great with your story and theme. So many great final details have all come together - the garden, the extra weeds, extra critters! I can't wait to see the cottage against a plain backdrop and really take it all in. I can't see at all where it opens. Everything is seamless. You've just gone above and beyond with this project! Congrats Sheila!

    (and opps! I got too publish hasty and had to delete the above comment... haha oh geez)

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    1. LOL Thanks Kristine, I've done that... signed myself out instead of commenting. I'm excited to get the pictures taken so you can all see the detail clearly.

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