The Work Begins At Last......Witch E.T.Grubb's Emporium Part 1

I am not good at beginnings. It takes me a while to set to a new project. I spend a lot of time sourcing and researching, too much time. I find lots of reasons not to start - I haven't a long enough stretch of time today, I need to make a few flowers, I don't have enough paper, it will be hard so I need to make sure I know what I am doing etc etc.

 

This has been the problem with my witchs' emporium. I have mostly built the core and primed everything but have been putting of the main build. But I have now got out the tiles and started work.

 

The kit is Sid Cooke's Empire Stores which I bought for a song on Ebay a while ago. It was very easy to put together but I have to say that there are a few things I was really surprised by considering the reputation and price of these kits. The windows are plastic and there is not any internal window or door architrave. The external doors are only moulded on the outside and are pretty rough. The internal doors are basic Dijon doors and are not particularly exciting. The kit does not even include acetate for the window glass which is really mean. The side arched windows are a very pretty feature but do not have an arched window frame!

These points do not really effect me because this is going to be my first attempt a major kit bashing. I have begun to cover the outside with dressed marl stone from Richard Stacey. I chose this brick, dressed marl stone, because there is no need for grouting and I am pleased with the colour. Plus it was really easy to cut by simply scoring with a craft knife. There has been a problem though, I did not order all the bricks at once and one batch is a completely different thickness to the five other boxes. The second problem is that instead of ordering a new box and using the thicker bricks inside, I thought I could get away with it on the fa side wall. Big mistake cos it is now the thing I notice every time I look at the house. Why did I do it? I had to buy another box anyway.....Tip one: buy more bricks than you need and buy them all in one go from the same batch number! Richard Stacey does have a website but you can't order from it which is a bit of a pain.

 

I have also papered the ceilings ready for painting. I am intending to keep everything pale grey as a backdrop to all the wonderfully coloured hats and dresses and accessories, but I want to use as many different textures as possible. 

One of the things I love about a new project is that anything is possible and while working I start to plan all sorts of different things for the house and gradually it all takes shape. I have lots of ideas for this shop trying out lots of different techniques, it should be fun.

 

I have decided on this paper as the backdrop in the shop to match the outside but I will be adding different things to it. I also bought three bay windows for the larger windows because I liked their shape, and I will customise these.

My main problem at the moment is time but my eldest starts work for his university placement year on Monday and my daughter will be working at her summer job, while my youngest will be recovering from a week in Palma Nova which will mean I won't see him until 12 every day for a while. I still can't work out why three independent, busy grown up children take up soooo much time! Oh well I am sure I will be moaning the house is too quiet when they all return in September!