Monday, May 13, 2019

Lights, Windows and Paint

This was an odd weekend for me.  I spent almost all weekend working on miniatures but I don't feel like I got a lot done.

Part of what I did was adjust some of my LED lights because I had some in bright white and some in warm white. So I got some of my antique white paint and covered the bright white LEDs with it.  That gave them the same hue as the warm white LEDs.

Then I got started painting my lights.

I had a lamp from Jodi's Shapeways shop, and a hanging light fixture from Marion's.  And I remembered lamps from growing up that were a mix of wood and brass.


It's not perfect but I'll work on it a bit more.  I painted the hanging fixture a mix of browns and then added clear nail polish for shine.


I wanted a mix of geometric shapes in the house, so I'm playing with circles/spheres and hard angles.

I found some of my jewelry findings and glass globes.  The jewelry findings were black so I added some gesso, repainted them black and added the same metallic brown to them.


I need to do something to the wires...maybe prime them and paint them?

I had some other globes with a cord net around them.  They reminded me a bit of old net floats.  They're larger than the other ones and since I have two I thought they'd look nice hanging on either side of the bed.


But that was as far as I got on the Loft.

I really didn't have a plan for the shop this weekend, so I decided I'd do something simple and paint the front.  I like the blue but it definitely needs some weathering.


I think some watered down black paint, dripped down the front will make it more realistic looking.  Victorian London had a ton of soot in the air so when it rained that would have coated the buildings.

I painted the dormer window frames out too.


When I got that done I decided to put the windows and interior framing in.  I'm running out of my trim though so I need to order more before I can finish the front windows.



I like how it looks so far.


I put the doors in to test the fit and how they look with the trim around them.  I need to sand the sides of the interior kickplates a bit because they impede the doors opening slightly but the look is very nice so far.



I think with some ageing on the storefront the doors will stand out a bit more.

I painted the base black but I think some brick will look better there.  Or stone.  The black doesn't look very real to me.

And I didn't post this because we started watching Game of Thrones (and having a drink to dull the angst of the episode) and I forgot to finish it before I went to bed.

I hope everyone had a good weekend and a Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! Including mine!

20 comments:

  1. The globe lamps look lovely. I love the doors and the colors. It looks like a lot of work accomplished in one weekend.
    Hugs, Drora

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    1. Thanks! I really want to use up some of the stuff I have. Sometimes it seems like half my time is spent looking for my things.

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  2. It's amazing how some tasks just eat up time, isn't it? Love the lamps you've made. The front of the shop is looking really good, too.

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    1. Thanks! It really blows my mind sometimes how long some things can take. I need to figure out what to do next.

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  3. Love what you did on the hanging fixtures, Sheila, the same is for the glass globes. They look a bit of old net floats indeed, I remember that lots of young people here had these sort of lights in the 70s.
    The watered down black paint, dripped down the facade, will really look like the "soot in the air of London"-effect. I can't wait to see it.
    The thing is that when something in a surface is painted in black, it always results in something that's missing there...is that what you mean about the color of your black doors??
    I'm still convinced that you've done a lot last weekend, because of Mother's Day I didn't do much, but hugged more than alot with my adorable grandson and that's "work" too...in a way ;O.
    Hug, Ilona

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    1. Thanks! I'm trying for a mix of modern and midcentury modern.

      To me the blue exterior of the doors blends in with the front of the store too much. But once I age and soot up the exterior the blue doors will pop out more.

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  4. Each of these lights are so unique and will really make a nice impact in the rooms! What a great idea to make wood and brass from the Shapeways lamp! It's looking great already so another coat and they'll be perfect!
    I love, love, love the blue color on the front of the building! It's so pretty! Any aging you do will just enrich the character and I am excited to see what you do! The windows look great too with the black mullions - you're doing such a neat job on them and the front doors are awesome in the frame and really show off all the details!
    I'm curious what you decide on for the foundation/base! It's coming along so nicely!

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    1. Thank you Jodi! I'm hopeful that the lights won't look too obviously homemade. I have either really good luck or really bad luck with lighting.

      I'm so glad you like the bookshop color. I really love that blue and I'm hopeful that it'll look older after some soot has been added.

      Foundation I'm really thinking about some brick. Maybe in a herringbone pattern in the entryway. That could be fun.

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  5. It looks like you really did a lot! I love the globe lamps.
    Oh yes, Game of Thrones. I'm so dissapointed...

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    1. Thanks!

      Yeah... but apparently this is the direction the books take as well. It's just heartbreaking is all.

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  6. I LOVE the color of the facade!!!! The indigo with the black trims is Awesome Sheila and the recessed entry is Really Lovely!!! I don't know if you plan on installing a light over the doors but that will slightly alter their color if you do
    Keep up the Great Work you're doing - WOWZERS!

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    1. Thanks! I'm not sure if I'm going to do a light in the entryway... It doesn't lend itself to much besides a ceiling light and I don't know how historically accurate that would be. Maybe some lantern scones on the pillars beside the doors.

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  7. I love your little glass dome lights Sheila - particularly those 'macrame' bedside lamps, I am sure they will look even more awesome once they are in place.
    The shop front is going to be stunning. What a 'stand out' house it will be in the street.
    Anna x

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    1. Thanks Anna! I fell in love with those net globes and knew they'd make wonderful lights. I just needed a place for them.

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  8. Votre travail est superbe, j'aime beaucoup la façade et les lampes !
    Pour vieillir cette jolie façade, vous pouvez mélanger un PEU de "Bitume de Judée" en poudre avec de la cire blanche. Je l'ai fait sur la façade de ma librairie. J'aime votre travail !

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    1. Thanks for the tip! I'm so glad you're enjoying my progress.

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  9. I really love those netted globes! I can't wait to see them in their new home. But what really struck me is that gorgeous blue colour on the facade! Wow! I'm so impressed with how it ties together all the decorative aspects, they become a bit more subtle, but in a really good way. I agree that a brick or stone look for the base would be so great too.
    And only one more episode! I'll miss having great tv to look forward to on Sunday nights!

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    1. Thanks Kristine! I'm hopeful about how they'll look. I really need to get a roof cut for the addition so I can start working on wiring!

      I'll miss it but I really need a conclusion. All I can think of is George RR Martin saying 'If you think this story has a happy ending you haven't been paying attention.'

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  10. Hi Sheila! I Love the lights you are building! I am always so impressed with that! I really look forward to seeing them in place! As for the Shop, I agree some aging on the front would be appropriate! If you want it to feel like Victorian London, it will need to be a bit sooty! So far I am loving what you are doing with this kit! :):)

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    1. Thank you Betsy! Aging is definitely on the agenda.

      Not sure how much further I'll get with the lights until I have a roof for both sides and ceiling plates for them.

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