Wednesday 7 March 2012

Diagon Alley's New Premises Ready For Opening......Well Nearly.

I decided to have a line up of the four Diagon Alley shops I have 'completed' so far. 
 All the kits seem to sit alongside each other nicely and the brickwork seems to be forming the link between them all I was looking for.
 Unfortunately placing them together has made one this glaringly obvious.......
...... The Magical Menagerie is much too 'red'. The other shops are brown/grey dingy and the different shade just looks awful. I don't know how this has happened or why I haven't seen it earlier.
The grey light of February probably.
Fudge and Fiddlesticks!!!
I have given it all a grey wash today but that hasn't worked so now I am thinking I will have to go right back and give all the ArtMache a white wash to start building up the dirty wash again.
Ho Hum.......
 The roof of this kit is flat and it is supposed to fit snugly on the top. Well mine does not fit at all snugly, after a lot of sanding it nearly fit so I have edged it with balsa and filled the square with painted sandpaper. As you can see I then tore away some of the edging as I want it to have a roughened 'burnt' look as a finish due to all the low flying dragon activity!! 

Too add a little more interest I have used Richard Stacey's twelfth scale bricks. These now have to be grouted then I will finish of the singed flat roof.
So I really am down to the last few jobs now on the exterior of this shop, these involve quite a lot of drying time which means I have also been able to work on the bookshop.
I seem to have had a lot of problems with this kit so I am hoping that "Flourish & Blott's" will be much more co-operative!!
 The Sid Cooke County Kit comes with quite a lot of moulding and as I am having the bow windows on both ground and first floor windows I have gone for the crackle option.
 Black and gold with Mahogany fittings is my overall scheme for "Flourish & Blott's". I see it as the most affluent of all the shops. After all they do seem to have cornered the market in Hogwarts set texts!!
 The interior wallpaper is 'Burlesque' by Les Chinoiseries a fabulous Spanish site that has both wallpaper and gorgeous miniature fabrics. I love the full on luxury of the black and gold. It is so 'in your face'.
This kit has a back door and back window. 
I am going to try and use both these openings to give the illusion of back areas within the shop some how. Lots of ideas, will have to see how I get on!!
I have these three unfinished counters that I bought ages ago from Maple Street Miniatures and I quite like the idea of using them here as a way of show casing some of the beautiful books I have set aside for this project.
The counters will also be a way of avoiding simply lining the walls with book shelves!! Very boring.
I have always wanted to have a circular staircase in this shop which is why I have not yet put in the middle floor. I am going to have a look at them when I go to Miniatura in a week or so, this will be about the third time I have looked at this type of staircase!!
Staircases take up so much room I usually avoid them, but..........I do like the spiral ones!!!!

21 comments:

  1. I quite like the slightly different colouring on the outside janice.. All of them seem to have a slightly different cast though- they do look wonderful in a line.. Where will Flourish and Blotts fit in this line up?

    Love the Stacey brickwork on the roof! Never seen it like that before :)

    The wallpaper is very unique for flourish and Blotts and Definately has that rick feel to it (is it foiled?) are you having the entire floor upstairs or a balcony with the front part cut out? It's a sham you're going to loose most of thr paper with bookshelfs :/ the counters work well too! It's that kind of shape in the alley tour from the chamber of secrets DVD :)

    With regards to the door at the back.. Are the shops flat against your wall or ate they slightly forward with a gap behind them? Could you not add a little box on the back that is slightly wider than the opening and add a few steps going up in one or the other direction so it looks like there's another staircase in the back?

    Anyway, whatever you choose, I'm sure it will be great :)
    All the best, Michael :D

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    1. Hi Michael, the colour looks awful and will have to be dealt with some how! I know I am going to lose a lot of the wallpaper but I know its these tucked away behind all those bookcases!!
      I am definitely having a balcony and I have finally decided that a spiral staircase is a necessity. I am a little scared about ordering one as they are quite costly and my measuring skills leave a lot to be desired.
      I am off to Birmingham at the weekend so I will have a long chat with the guy who makes the one I want. Poor man!!

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  2. I think the line up looks better than you think Janice. Love the roof and would consider a circular staircase, you could make it look so interesting :)

    Hugs,
    Victoria

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    1. Definitely going with a spiral staircase Victoria. It has been in my head for so long now and I have looked at so many!!

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  3. Hi Janice,perhaps the photos don't show the colors,because for me it looks absolutely great.I can see that there is a little red tone in the corner shop,but it looks good with the others.But now you are already at work,perfectionist ;-)!
    I agree with you,the wallpaper of Les Chinoiseries are wonderful and good to repaper.
    Wish you much fun with your fantastic street ,I really love it!!! Jeannette x

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    1. Hi Jeanette, the colour is unfortunately really bad for the look I want. If it was to be the one shop on its own it would be fine but not with the group sadly.
      I love the wallpaper and just had to use it somewhere even though it will be covered up by bookcases!!

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  4. That looks incredible Janice! I love the mini bricks and all the detail work.

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    1. Thank you. I am trying to be a little more thoughtful with the brick work now to try and add a little more interest.

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  5. I camt see it at all Janice maybe its more noticeable in the flesh, it looks fabulous to mae and i so ency you and your street! I really like the crackle look on the new project too, i usually dont like crackle but this looks really perfect and i adore that paper!!!! I too am looking for a spiral for Gladrags but want the lazy option of one already up and made and the right height......like thats ever going to materialize!!!!! Xxxx

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    1. Oh Kate, it really is very noticeable....drastic action will be required I think which will be a bit painful after all that work.
      Have you looked at these spirals?
      http://www.etsy.com/shop/rusticcocoon?ref=seller_info
      and
      http://www.etsy.com/listing/75772929/miniature-spiral-staircase
      They are already made up and you can choose your height I think. I love the walnut one but I think I am going metal.

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  6. It's a fantastic and big project.
    Bye Faby

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    1. A big project indeed Faby! I am enjoying most of it....

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  7. Lined up your houses look awesome Janice!

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  8. I can see you're cracking on with the next shop.

    I did wonder about the terracotta quoins and the overall redness, but I thought it's your shop and you are going to do it how you want it. It might have been better if the quoins were more of a browny red..they are a very similar colour to the brick slips. I'm sure you will sort it out.

    I had trouble with Slug and Jiggers top roof bit...mine kinda wobbled. So I played with it a bit.. and it's better than it was, but not a perfect fit at all.

    I looks like you've sprayed the black paint on? If so, you've made easier work for a lot of time consuming painting! ;o))

    I love the wallpaper, I've seen this before. Very rich and warm looking.

    Spiral staircases!!! lol From personal experience the wooden one came up smaller compared to the metal one and was a lot easier to make overall. They are gorgeous once done and in so many ways worth the time and effort. If you decide to do one, be prepared for hard work and having to take 4 steps back for every 2 forward!

    You're having bowed windows upstairs too? I know you have a spare from the kit for The Lreaky Cauldron..but the 4th window? Where is that from?

    Your Flourish and Blotts is so different from mine, but that's good...shows how differently they can be done with imagination and flair.

    Now off to think about all those books! lol

    Michelle xx

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    1. Hi Michelle, I am looking at rubbing it all down and getting off most of the colour at the moment. It really doesn't work and I will have to bite the bullet. Am waiting for a nice morning so I can move the kit in the garden because of the dust.
      Hey ho, we live and learn!
      I have one spare bow and I am going to call the Sid Cooke people to beg another one! They have been kind enough to send me other spare parts in the past. I was thinking that I would see them at Miniatura but realised tonight they don't attend that show!
      Like you I am waiting for building supplies at the moment so will be attacking the creeping redness tomorrow!!

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  9. The layout looks great - it's so nice to see the shops all lined up. I'm afraid I can't help with the "red" issue but it's a bit of a shame to have to take it all back. I'm sure you'll work it out though and I like your plans with the counters. They add an extra dimentions.

    BTW - I'll be at Miniatura on Sunday.

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    1. Hi Irene, what a shame we will not be able to meet for coffee and a mini chat. I am really looking forward to my day out. I always feel a bit like a naughty kiddie off to play with her toys!!

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    Eddy.

    ReplyDelete
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