This is the main carcass of Mr Mulpepper's Apothecary all stacked up. It is the Regency shop kit by Sid Cooke and comes in two pieces which is very handy as it makes the kit much easier to move and lift.
I have painted all round the window edges in brown an gold so the wooden and window fixtures will blend in properly (fingers crossed!)
The front door panel has now had the brick paviors laid and grouted. I remembered to make sure I glued the steps the right way round this time which made the job much easier.
The key to grouting I have found, is the sealing coat of a PVA/water wash. A thorough coat, allowed to dry overnight means that washing off the excess grout is so much easier.
Just peeking out of the roof you can see the pewter sheets I have used to cover the roofing panels.
I have bashed the sheets a little but they still need to be roughed up a little more. I also want to add some batons and a couple of repair panels.
I had bought these floor tiles for the Magical Menagerie but I have played with one adding a bit of brown and gold, I quite liked the effect so I have laid them on the top floor.
This will be the potion and ingredients room so tiles seemed appropriate because of all the spillages!
They are much more golden than this photograph shows but they do lay and clean up beautifully. My next task will be to add the paint colours and dirty them up.
The front panel has a ledge for the steps and to allow for the bay windows. This means you have to edge the bottom of the kit too which gives you two rows of brick work. You can also just see the edge of the interior floor boards but I can accept that in the whole scheme of things.
This is the interior ledge with the floor board continuation. I have grouted the gap and it looks ok. I will darken it up a little to blend in.
Tomorrow I hope to move on to the exterior walls. Lots and lots of tiny bricks for the lower shop and art mache for the top floor.
I am definitely making the most of my sabbatical from housework and all the chores!!
I particularly like the golden tiles for the top floor? Lovely colour, I gather they are Richard Stacey? The pewter sheets come in much bigger sheets than Richard Stacey's lead sheets....far easier with that roof sized I might add!
ReplyDeleteThe step is so odd, I glued mine on that way because that's how it was in the photo's with the kit instructions, but my family said it looked the wrong way round. I didn't take any notice obviously and glued on per the instructions! lol
You are cracking on as per usual...wrist not holding you up...Super Women! lol
Michelle xxx
enjoying watching your progress
ReplyDeleteJanice, it is looking like a fun project! I saw a stack up Tudor in a UK miniature magazine that also looked like fun. It is going to be in the next three issues.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to watching your progress! XXX
Wow! Looking Great, I love the floor.
ReplyDeleteTake it easy and don't try to get back to house keeping too soon LOL.
Hugs,
Victoria
It's looking lovely Janice xxx
ReplyDeleteJanice, this is all coming along so wonderfully. I love what you are doing with all of the brick work and floor tiling.
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful to take a break from chores and housework. I've been doing that myself with the latest house I have acquired. As Martha would say, it's a good thing. :)
Yey, no housework, how much you get done when you can leave it all eh! Love this kit, and looking forward to seeing the apothecary taking shape! xxx
ReplyDeleteHi ladies, thank you all for your lovely comments. My days are very relaxed at the moment. It is amazing how relaxed you can feel when all the normal expectations are taken away and you can just tuck yourself away and do the things you want!
ReplyDeleteLuckily this is a hobby that requires no lifting or pulling, if it did I would be scuppered! As it is I am having a whale of a time!
Janice, I can't believe how quickly you're moving with this one! As I've given up on the apothecary for now, it will be great to see how yours progresses. I love the wonderful leather look paper, it looks very Harry Potter with it's aging and almost distressed look+ I really love the floorboards+ tiles.. a really different effect from what I've seen before!
ReplyDeleteI also noticed you swapped from S+G to Mr. mulpepers?
Looking forward to seeing this one progress! At least you have plenty to go at if you finish this one quickly, by the rate you are speeding along, you should have diagon alley finished by Christmas! (lol maybe a little exaggerated)
thanks for all the great tips and inspiration
michael :)
Great progress here and I like your flooring.
ReplyDeleteHi Michael,
ReplyDeleteThe paper is gorgeous but I will age it a little more to look like it has worn the effects of a working apothecary.
The floorboards are simply great. I don't think I will order from anywhere else from now on. I swopped to Mr Mulpepper's as I thought it would be a little different! Harry visited it a couple of times and I liked the name!