A new start

Hobby Builders Supply—the company that runs the very popular annual Creatin' Contest—contacted me (and a number of other modern miniature bloggers) to see if I'd be interested in receiving this year's kit. And so a box containing Denise's City Cottage Kit arrive a couple of weeks ago and sat in the corner of the kitchen until I'd finished my build for the Shapeways 3D Printed Miniature House Contest.

Yesterday, after I'd made a library (as you do), cleared some space and put a pile of stuff away, my thoughts turned to the new build.

While I was filing photos of The Hideout I noticed that the adjacent folder had contained photos I'd taken when I was contemplating creating a writers' retreat called The Garrets and another contained photos of the unfinished Shed project. Perhaps this was the inspiration I needed?

I cut out a piece of cardboard to the interior dimensions of the cottage and arranged some furniture I had to hand. As you can see I originally contemplated having four rooms in the cottage but decided that it would make each room claustrophobic and cell-like.

And so I tried just two rooms: each in a different style but containing the basics.

I'd already decided, if I was to go ahead with this idea, that there would be front windows overlooking the view, the small window from the side of the kit would move to the back above the bed for cross-ventilation (and night-time star gazing) and that entry would be from the sides.

So I printed out a copy of the original kit photo and traced over the basic details:

 My first thought was to leave a long window on each side of the centre for a good access to the view, but since that's where the bookcases are going in this iteration of the build, I figured it probably wouldn't be such a good idea I tucked the concept away in case I decided to rearrange inside and have the sitting area there, which would work well with the window placement.

 So I tried again, raising the front windows to just above desk height right across, and adding weatherboarding for interest:

And realised, if I made this and painted it with the creosote-coloured paint I bought for The Shed, I'd have created a typical New Zealand bach...

#HBSCreatinContest2015 

That was quick...

(And most definitely NOT tidying up.) 

My excuse is that The Little Library was part of the same post with mini inspiration from my trip to Melbourne.

So it made sense to use the same build.

 I wonder what happened to Hideout?

An evening celebration

Saturday evening. When I believe most normal people are out and about being sociable.

I'm at home, getting excited about the idea of seeing my newly-finished build in the dark.And making up a scene where two friends meet for a drink to celebrate one of their birthdays.

This looks like a nice place to stop for a drink...

(Although a little quiet, but the night is still early.)

 What A FABULOUS gift! You have such good taste and know me so well...

 (A gift from Kikka N last year: I wasn't sure if it was a Shapeways piece, or even 3D printed so didn't include it in my contest entry)

A quick coffee

 At your favourite cafe.

An early morning start

Well hello! You're here early: we're just opening up. If you'd like to wait a couple of minutes the coffee machine will be ready to go and we'll have the seating out.

Here, let me move these chairs so you can grab a water while you wait.

Perhaps you'd like to grab the comfy bench?

There's lots of room...

Or maybe hide down the back in  the corner?

Of course if you'd prefer to grab a seat outside, we'll have them out in just a tic.

A slight sidetrack for the sake of street art

Because you can't have a laneway cafe without a paste-up or two, can you?

A slight change of direction

Because I may have just discovered I have more time than I thought and so can introduce some last-minute changes...

(And not have to deal with working out how to make a vertical garden at the last minute.)

A bit of balsa for breakfast

A light at the end of the tunnel...

Deadline tomorrow. I'm at that stage where there are a few things that just aren't going to happen (but I know that's normal).

I also know there's no way in hell I'm going to win. But winning's not the point.

I've lost a stool. I'll have to cope.

But the tea-light shade trial is working a treat. The internal pillars are glued on to the back wall and drying under a pile of books. The external pillars are downstairs recovering from their 'grunge wash'.

And the night is still young...

Lucky dip

I realised yesterday that the three white vases I bought cheaply from last month's show were the third of each vase I had in my collection.

Something had to be done. And just as I was drifting off to sleep the answer came to me and caused me to get out of bed, wander downstairs and rummage in the paint stash to see what I could do.

What I could do was have a try at dip painting:

Which worked a treat and turned into a new scene this morning, inspired by my need to create a miniature version of the white cotton waffle-weave blanket I got from Just Bedding back in February (and which I packed away this week as the weather is getting too cold for it).

(The wallpaper is from the same pad that the paper for Limited Colour came from: and one I never thought I'd use. The chair is from minisx2, the feather was a gift from Elvira the light shade from a pack of Christmas decorations I've had hanging round for years for just such a purpose, and the waffle-weave blanket is courtesy of an op-shopped dressing gown.)

A break with books

It beats watching paint dry...

Side-tracked by shelfies

As a devious way to combine making some scenes with my acquisitions from last weekend's ACT Miniature Enthusiasts show and creating book-themed content for the Australian Miniature Enthusiasts Association Facebook page, I decided to introduce the concept of shelfies, and invite members to share their versions.

 My example shelfie was somewhat out of character:

but used a number of items I bought at the show. The pot I'd picked up as part of one of this year's 'bags of bits', which I love so much, and the succulent in it was $2.50 from (I think) Ryan's Realm.The blue picture was $1 from someone else's cheapy pile, and the set of Jane Austen novels were $30 from Michelle's Miniatures. The easter eggs I bought cheaply from Victorian Dollhouses earlier this weekend as they were out of scale. A bit of spray paint and suddenly my miniature Easter egg collection has grown...

My other version is much more 'me' (if only my real house was this tidy!)

I bought the desk, shelf, in tray and magazine holders from minisx2 six months ago and have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use them. The chair is Reac.The wallpaper was a free sample from Masters (you're only supposed to tear off 20 cm but I may have overestimated my measuring a teensy bit...)

On the top shelf: a tiny birdhouse from Dawn Watson's stall the show ($5), a cork number from the Typo Not Quite Right table ($2 for a set of 44), cogs from last year's craft fair (don't remember how much they were but probably a couple of dollars a bag).You've seen the pine cones and dish before.

The jar of shells was part of the stash that Elvira sent me in June last year, and the books and magazines are from my stash of made and purchased items.

On the right of the desk is a basket of black and white sewing by Dianne Cotterill that I couldn't resist at the show ($13), 

and on the left my usual collection of stationery, plus an iPad in the in tray (Wow! the owner of this place is seriously organised!)

A morning coffee

Before I get back to work...

A lot done

I've cut and under-coated the pillars

 and left them to dry (there'll be no washing around here today!)

Marked out where the pillars will go, and mocked up the furniture I still need to build to see if it will fit where I thought it would go before I start building the final pieces.

I'm a bit concerned that if I put the radiator and water-glass shelf where I originally planned to, no one will be able to get to the bench seat at the table.

Things will become clearer once the pillars are in place: which will be at least another two days by my reckoning. But the undercoat should be dry by tomorrow morning, when I can do another test fit before I paint them with the top coat.

Meanwhile, I try the idea of having the radiator and water-glass shelf to the left of the pillar, where there's certainly spare space for them.

I also remember that the original cafe had a storage cupboard up high on the wall above the table, with an interesting ladder contraption leading to it. I mock up a cardboard version to see how it fits.

 The scrapbooking paper I bought yesterday works well for the ceiling, which makes me very happy,

and I use a piece of the cheap brick paper I bought at Victorian Dollhouses to see how it works below the ceiling (similar to what I spotted while breakfasting at Ona).

Yep, I think I'm getting somewhere...