Back to the Tudor Period!

 When I first looked at the new contest kit I really had zero ideas about what it could be. And I really didn't intend to purchase it. Honestly I thought maybe a break for a year would be a good idea. Its hard to not take the judging personally at times and I've been stressed enough this past year.

But my husband (who remains incredibly supportive) said to buy it and then if an idea struck me that I'd have the kit and wouldn't have to wait for it to be deliverd to start on my entry.

So he gets credit for this as I probably wouldn't have even tried if I hadn't ordered the kit.

I started thinking about what I really loved about my builds and what I wanted to do again.  And I remembered how much I loved doing the WQRC, with the apple tree and tower and all the stone and plaster.  I loved making the windows and doing the roof. 

So I decided I was going to go back to that.  I'm making a blacksmith's shop/forge and attached house.  I might do another apple tree because I like the idea.

I'm planning on a second story with a dormer because I just like the idea and a blacksmith is considered pretty middleclass since they're skilled craftsmen and would have slightly larger homes.

I want the leaded windows again and the dark walnut wood. I do plan on a slightly different style than the WQRC.

The walls and floor of the shop are finished but not glued together. I don't want to glue everything unil I'm sure of how all the beams will fit.

But I think I'm off to a good start.

The Pumpkin House

 So after I finished the Chapel I decided to do something a little different. I had a pumpkin I'd bought around Halloween and I cut an opening in it and covered the inside with scrapbook paper, then gave it a wood floor.

I made a fireplace and wired it with some flickering bulbs.

Then I made a little room for the upstairs and extended the front of the pumpkin room with an addition of chipboard and foamcore board.

One layer of the baseboard added to close any gaps between the floor and walls. Then baseboards, crown molding and stairs. I went with Tudor glass windows.

I was able to wire the main room first and then the bedroom. I used jewelry findings as ceiling light fixtures.

I sided the bedroom and the lower level extension with wood siding and while all the glue was drying began to work on the furniture. 

The scale isn't 1:12 and its too big for 1:24 I had to make all of the furniture custom.

I was pretty pleased how it all turned out and it fits nicely into the house.

And after some trim to the rough edges of the walls I added my roof of leaves and wired the light switches into the chimney.

After I take a few measurements I'll probably list the house on my Etsy shop.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.  What do you think?