Woman at work....sort of

I wrote on Friday about my new project, the little half scale shop/house kit, and my plans for it.

I'm a great one for starting things full of enthusiasm and derring do, only to grind to a halt at a later date, then guiltily berate myself over my lack of perseverance.  So I'm determined that's not going to happen this time.

To this end I WILL post a weekly update.  There, I've said it now, so you have to make me accountable.  Then I can blame you if it languishes from lack of accountability.

Anyway, I've done a quick dry run with a glueless build, just to see how everything fits together, and try to decide on the external and interior finishes.

I've also made extra windows, using the ones supplied with the kit as a template.  They are cut from mount board, which is very tough to cut by hand, and I don't have any anyway.  So instead I used three layers of thinner card, which I could easily use in my cutting machine.

Three windows cut from thin card....

It was then possible to glue them together to form one window profile, roughly the same thickness as the originals.

I've made five additional windows, which I'll use on the front and sides of the building, at ground and first floor levels.  

I want to emulate the look of a Gottschalk 'Blue Roof' house, similar to the one in my reference photo....

... but I thought I might add blue roof tiles, rather than simply painting the flat MDF roof panels.  I have some 1/12th card tiles left over from La Mignonette, so I've been cutting them down to 1/24th.

Cutting half scale tiles from 1/12th tiles

This is one of those tedious tasks which make you feel as though you're making progress, even though it's not the slightest bit enjoyable.  I now have a bagful of half scale tiles, but I can't fit them yet as I have to make up the dormer windows, and I'll be decorating them before fitting them.

I've also been experimenting with Bath stone ashlar blocks, which will decorate the ground floor.  I've printed out a page of them, on buff coloured card, but I think I'll need a more honeyed colour.  However they will be useful for making templates for the front and sides of the ground floor.  The blocks may have to be bigger but until I see them in situ it's difficult to tell.

Also for the exterior, I've ordered some 'old bricks' paper in half scale which will cover the first floor front and sides. 

I have a boxful of half scale lights and furniture kits, which I've been assessing, to decide what to use and where to put them.  I'm toying with the idea of splitting the first and top floors into separate rooms, but again, until the building is put together it's hard to see how the interior will look.  In any case I will use false doors rather than take up valuable floor space with stairways.

So all in all, not a bad start to the project. *feeling suitably chuffed!*