Saturday 9 January 2010

Sweeney roof and having fun with the Conservatory








Been busy busy busy! All this snow and not getting out, i should have got to work on the minis but with the children at home, I decided to get out the decorating things full size and the aim was to do a feature wall in the dining room.........but it turned into doing all the walls, moving 2 bookcases, putting up a day bed in there etc etc!! Then with the DIY bug in me, sent poor john off to Homebase to get paint for the kitchen and bathroom, so they were next on the list. However, all that going up and down ladders quite exhauseted me and I woke up with aching legs, so decided with kiddies back at school, that the minis could come out!

Well I havnt got round to completing anything properly for a while so I sat down and got to doing the Sweeney roof with a whole stack of cardboard pieces! Just like Julie of Bella Belle Dolls, who is making a splendid new dollshouse and recently did her brickwork, I thought I could do the roof by eye, but soon discovered i needed to draw lines for where the tiles should sit as they started to slant slightly as i got tired! Took a while, lots of PVA, but it is strangely fun and addictive once you start! Still have to do the dormer part.


Then I just have to paint it in shades of grey and add some mucky and mouldy bits here and there. I have bought in the house from the freezing shed and it is now in the dining room on a small table on wheels which is perfect for working on houses! Ready for the walls all to be pinned and glued together. Julie has spurred me on to get it done and get a move on, as she is completing hers so enthusiastically and quickly it puts me to shame!


I also had a rummage in my boxes to see what goodies could go in the conservatory. Thanks to Nikki for looking up a link for a table, I may still use it, but I was lucky enough to find a great new table complete with food for the Grand Hall, so the table in there was going begging and i tried it out for size in the conservatory. I also have 2 other potting benches so I just put them all in to try and decide whether to keep it all in, or maybe just a couple and add some plants in posts climbing up the ceilings.

Heres a few pics of things I have found. I have alot of Nikki's wonderful mandrakes, plants, pots etc, and found some other bits and pieces. im going to add a small surround to the table and stain it to match, and then add earth to the table to put all the pots in.
On the ground under the table will be lots of various plants and ingredients for Herbology potion class, dragon eggs, unicorn horns , scales etc. And can you see Debbies fabulous man eating cabbages, they have been put into the conservtory and look just perfect!
Nothing is in its place, its just to show you the things we have to work with, and still lots to do, plants to be made etc. I have never made plants and havnt a clue how to make leaves, out of fimo, paper?? No idea, but I have some large plant pots, lots of tea bags which I hear are good for earth. and some wire to start the plant climbers. Just need any advice , making leaves if anyone has any please????!! I read on another blog you can use paper, but how to get them to furl, and do you paint them to get the variation in colour. Or should I invest in some fake leaves from the garden centre and cut them up? Never done a plant before and although it will be a fantasy one so I dont have to be true to colours or shapes, any advice would be most welcome thankyou!

As you can see Violeta is feeling right at home. I already have a man eating plant there for her, and some pumpkins.
Also outside keeping guard ,my new Dragon pair, Mum and baby made for me by Delores who Michelle kindly gave me the Etsy link for. The first dragons arrived completly broken up in the post, the postmen had not been kind to my poor parcel, so Delores very kindly made another for me and they are the cutest little dragons, we love them, and they fit perfectly in the conservaory keeping guard!


Will post a better pic of them and the troll that I ordered also. Not sure where he will go, as I think he is a little large for 1 12th scale for the house, and I really really am lusting after one of Jain's fabulous house elfs, so I may make him a little home all of his own!!

8 comments:

Tallulah Belle said...

Minis are so much easier than real life decorating huh...I am trying to to both at the same time.

While the paper for flowers is drying I cam painting a dresser...and vice versa.

As for you flowers it really depends on what you want to make.

You will need really fine wire to start with. I prefer paper over clay as it is thinner and more natural looking.

I hand cut most of my leaves ..... if you fold the paper and cut on the crease you only have to cut half a leaf.

To curl them, lay them on some foam ... a mouse pad is fine and use a ball stylus...or the end of a pen...anything small enough that is rounded and won't tear it.

Painting them is pretty easy...to make it easier just paint the whole piece of paper first in the direction you will be cutting rather than trying to paint individual leaves. Just use 2 or more shades of pain. I paint over the one before the other is dry to get a stripey effect.

If you need help just email me.

Tallulah Belle said...

I forgot to say...tea or coffee grounds are fine for soil....just make sure they are well and truly dries out before you use them so they don't go mouldy. Don't want to ruin all your hard work :-)

julie campbell said...

The roof is looking fab kate :0)
Now you know how I got my bricks on so fast......its addictive,I couldnt stop LOL am looking for more things to brick now....... Painting the tiles will really bring them to life.
Violetta looks very happy ! No wonder with all her fab equipment,
julie xxx

Crafts From The Stash said...

Its all looking wonderful Kate, I use tea leaves for soil too, it creates a wonderful effect.

Debie xxx

Kim said...

The conservatory is going to be so wonderful- how fun to be able to play with what you have saved up for it and see how it all will look. I am so glad you posted this because now I get to save all these tips from Jayne too- maybe I will be brave enough to try it out also! Are you going to show us some pics of all your hard work in the real size home?? Have a great weekend!!

Whittaker's Miniatures said...

Jayne, your a star thankyou for all your kind advice! I ahve some thin wire, so Ill have a go next week hopefully! I want to try a full size tall climbing man eater..........nothing like going for something easy first eh...NOT!!! Do I just add PVA to the dry tea to compact it nito pots and make it stay put? xx

Hi Julie, need to get to the DIY store for some matchpots, they seem the cheapest way to paint big areas! Im a little more nervous about doing the dormer part, not sure where to start, will be lots of cutting angles...yuck! xx

Hi Debie , will be raiding the PG tips then!! xx

Hi Kim, will look forward to seeing what you make too then!! I have taken a break from full size decorating, but today am putting up new bunk beds, a new bookcase in the girls room so if things ever look tidy and presentable ill post some pics! Trouble is with 5 children it never looks tidy for long !!xx

Ara said...

Kate, is all looking so great! Julie inspired you and now you're inspiring me to get he roof on the addams mansion! I've been working pretty hard on morticia's conservatory too! I will post pictures soon. But I went to a hobby shop and bought a bunch of plastic flower stems that I thought would translate to smaller plants. I knew I didn't have he patience of Jayne! Can't wait to see more! hugs, ara

Debbie said...

Seems I've missed this post Kate.. Looking forward to seeing all your creations. I've made flowers with paper, fimo and cold porcelain and I also use dried tea for soil..xx
P.S The cabbages look right at home. LOL