Witch Cottage: The Roof!

Hard to believe I first started looking at what to do with this project (the half-scale 1/24 Jasmine Victorian Gothic Cottage from Laser Dollhouse Designs) back in April. 

So that's not too bad; just into the 7th month now.

Right now, most everything is done. I just finished up the small window roof and added the edge trims. Have to just add a pot on top the chimney, I think.  * Last post: see some of the exterior. (Click photos for full size; see other posts in left column archives.)

So for today, wanted to show the roof. I'm pretty happy with how it came out. For a change I used cardstock strips instead of individual wood shingles. Here's info on the shingles file  I used and had someone cut for me. It came out pretty well! I only wish the lighter color didn't show through in spots as I thought I'd painted well enough. Just one of those small nitpicky things that bug me though it doesn't show as much in real life as in the photo. 

I decided to add some moss and vines. I like how it looks on the front roof and the front towers (top photo.) Yes, still am finishing the top tower! 

The side and other roof vines actually look better than in the picture. Glad I got most of the exterior, yard, and flowers done in-between. Just have to figure out my final decorating inside and hang more art. But perfect timing! Hoping I'll be ready for a grand tour during the week of Halloween!

For fun, the tiny skellie decided to sit for a portrait in the yard. Say Cheese!

Oh, but what is he/she reading?? Let's peek over their shoulder...

Of course!  haa!

Here's the table I set up in the corner of the front porch.

The orange poppy-like flowers are set in a fake pumpkin from a floral pick I bought awhile ago with foam "pumpkins" that looked like planters. I just painted them a darker orange.

Remember the small somewhat ugly witch (by Bonnie Glazier) I showed before?? I almost, almost didn't use her, but after dressing her up, she's developed a charm all her own! For now, she took a seat in the front yard, too, but she'll be working on potions inside later.

I made the witch hat from cardstock covered with a taffeta-like fabric. The skirt was made from an older pattern booklet, "Fashionable Ladies in Half Scale" by Loretta Kasza. The top was too hard to make because of how her arms are positioned so I glued on black lace instead. It works.

Then what's next? I'll show more of the house later. For now, well....I came across a cool project on Etsy for the printies and labels for a "macabre market," that had been shared on Alpha Stamps a while back. I got a kick out of it and thought it would be fun to make some items for a Halloween box I have that I wasn't sure what to do with. Stay tuned for details on that! I needed a 'smallish' project to do in-between and before I decide to start on the half-scale Park Ave. Mansion.  First I have to get my Halloween fix!

Thanks again for visiting. Stay tuned for more Halloween posts soon!

Playing with the Witch Cottage Exterior

 

Updated stairs and walkway.

Playing around with some changes to the Half Scale Witch Cottage. Didn't want to post too many photos as Halloween is coming and want to save some reveals for then. A tiny peek at a portion of the flowers I finished. (See last post: gardens; Click photos for full size. See other posts in left column archives.)

But in the meantime...

Finished up the stairs. Also added some moss between the walkway stones, which did make it look better.

For fun, the tiny Skellie and his/her dog are waiting for Halloween!

I also made a chimney. For a change, I decided to use the same painted egg carton stones instead of brick like on the other houses I did. I made a thinner version (stuck on temporarily) for the side instead of over the top ridge as, of course, I couldn't find the larger chimney that came with the kit. ha!

This new spooky fence from Lemax is cool. I thought it fit this project since it has a witch hat gate and tiny hats on the pillars, plus black cats on the side pillars. But they cheapened it by not putting slots in the sides to slide in the fence pieces. But it's still cute.

Still working on the gardens and adding things so it's not-quite-done. And have to finish the shingling/painting! But having fun with this one.

Stay tuned for more!

Thanks again for visiting. Come back soon!

Witch Cottage Garden Plans

 

Setting up the Fairfield Dollhouse for Halloween and putting the gardens in place.

It's been a couple weeks with no post, but I've been busy! (Click photos for full size; they look better that way!; see other posts in left column archives.)

Actually, I got inspired in the last few days to work on some things for the exterior garden areas of the Witch Cottage between shingling. Yes, still working on the roof; painting and finishing up two small sections but I have to take a break from that. So tedious.

I was setting up some Halloween decorations around the Fairfield dollhouse (more pix to come later) and thought how nice the garden flowers looked, if I do say so myself (see top photo). Well, I didn't really plan on making more, but they're easy enough to do so never-say-never. So I decided to make a few more flower beds to set around the Witch Cottage, too. (See sunflowers now used with the Fairfield dollhouse.) I also moved the bases around. The base for the Witch Cottage was one I made a while ago using foam core board. I made a new wood base covered with green felt for the Fairfield.

So that is in the planning. First was making the flower beds themselves. I tried something different this time. I'd found these odd plastic plants at Walmart a while back and always thought they'd be fun for Halloween.

I'm still figuring out the placement of where the beds will be, but the bed with this orange plant and some spiky yellow plants looks good on this side of the house. I also found a tombstone candy mold at Michael's, so I made a few tombstones from plaster. The flower bed is a double layer of thin foam core board glued together with loose grass mixture and brown railway ballast (stones) glued on top. I'm making another bed with the round yellow ball flowers and some flowers I'll make.

Here are two more flower beds that I'll fill, set temporarily in the front of the house.

Stairs:

The house actually comes with a set of four steps that are rather tiny in size. I didn't like them and thought it really only needs two stairs so I made some new ones cut from 1/2" wide square wood rods. I covered the sides and front with the matching brick paper from the inside, which I also added on the exterior bottom of the house. (Textured brick from Starboc2 on Etsy.)

I used some 1" scale door molding wood to make the top of the steps. I really like how this came out. The steps aren't glued yet; I see that I also have to add another small strip of brick on the wall above the stairs. I added a paved walk made from cardboard, grass, and cut out egg carton stones in front of the steps. I might add some moss between the stones; have to see how that'll look. This isn't glued yet. I'll add more flower pots on the steps. And I want to add pumpkins, of course!

Here's another tiny flower bed I made with one of those Lemax zombie gnomes, I have to add more impatiens petals to it yet. I used purple lichen/moss and green grass mixture. The other smaller beds are made from Crayola Model Magic air-dry clay covered with grass and railroad dirt. I might use these elsewhere and use the larger flower beds on the side instead.

So, that's the plan. Still working on what flowers to make but I'm leaning towards the sunflowers and yellow daisies (see top photo.) I really liked the hollyhock, but that one is more work. ha! We'll see if I feel like it.

One more thing:

Didn't dawn on me at first... but the cut-out design on the bottom of the house makes it perfect to hide some Halloween lights underneath! So I added a dollar store string of purple LED battery lights for fun that I'll glue to the bottom floor. Ignore the blurry pic, but no other way to show it lit up. I thought it made a great accent!

That's it for the moment. Come back soon for more flowers and updates. 

And Halloween is coming so planning some posts for that and some fun on Instagram. (add me there: cwrite12). 

Thanks again for visiting. I appreciate your interest and sharing our fun hobby!