Bricks and Bases

Foundations... Getting to The Bottom....

I had a couple of extra days off from work last week, Dear Readers, and I made really good use of the time to work on the Foundation of Hardwick Hall! I started right in making lots of bricks out of egg cartons (thinking I would need Lots and Lots of bricks) I measured and drew guide lines on a pile of flat pieces....

Then I cut some of them into the little bricks... 

separating the regular sized ones from

 the extra long ones needed for all the corner pieces.....

Which you can see here with their ends folded 

to make a continuous corner piece.

I wanted to accomplish a lot on my extra days off... 

and got started early gluing them onto Hardwick Hall.

It was a lovely Summer Morning and It went very quickly!

I only had to cut more long corner bricks once....

There are more corners than you would think on this kit!

 

And the other side too! 

And then I realized I would have way more bricks 

than I thought I would need.... 

so I started to think about where else I could use all these bricks...!

There was always the Folly... 

 

 

 the Foundation section and the Garden wall could both use bricks... 

and the Conservatory foundation could also use bricks... 

Lots and Lots of bricks....

But they both had "issues" with their Bases...

That I had never finished constructing.... or had yet to start!

So I decided that first I needed to complete the Base for Hardwick Hall.

 

I started with plywood and attached low "stone walls" for the edges, 

leaving a gap for the front gate, 

and a separate back section that would open

 to hide the electrical plug strips.

At this point I decided the "hill" the house was sitting on 

definitely needed to be taller.... 

an extra layer of the pink insulation was needed!

 

From this.......

To this.....

And with the House.....

And hope there is still room for the front steps to fit all the way.....

Here we are test fitting... it looks as though they will work!

But it has gotten late and dark....

So I wait for morning to actually cut the styrofoam away 

and attach the front steps.

And here I am testing the front fencing.... 

it will have to be old looking.... maybe broken in places.

And then I had one of Those Ideas, Dear Readers...!

I was thinking there would be some trees 

in the front "yard", one on either side.....

and suddenly they were "Tree Houses".... 

with tiny rooms inside....!

But You haven't even finished the First Tree House, I hear you say!

Yes, but I must at least Ready the bases 

for these Eventual Tree Houses....

Before I glue it all down!

I can work on the Tree Houses...

 "Eventually".........

I reply!

So I made two separate removable tree House Frames.....

Here you can see the beginnings.

I cut away the pink foam 

and attach the support posts for the eventual doors

 securely to a removable plywood base.

The whole Tree structure can be lifted out while it is being built.

Here you can see one of the "Trees"

 has the wire supports added... 

and the other "Tree" is removed.

And while I was working on the bases, Dear Readers, 

I decided to take The Folly off its incomplete base so I could work on it too!

(sorry the picture is a bit blurry... no excuse!)

The front side wall and the Tree House side wall were never attached.

And the pink foam  "ground" wasn't finished being shaped.

And once the walls were attached, 

I painted the whole base a brick red!

The walls are supposed to be brick walls... 

so until I make all those egg carton bricks... 

the walls will just be plain paint. 

And on the left side where there is the garden area, 

I trimmed the foam base back 

so the house foundation can be completed in brick.... 

those egg carton bricks I already cut out!

And while I was going full steam ahead on the bases... 

did I start the base for the Conservatory?

Well, I did... but I am not sure I am happy with it....

So it might be a while before I add any bricks to this one!

But I did glue the foam into the base for The Folly....

So I could add those bricks any time!

And build the front steps....

And work on The Tree House....!

Any one of Those Tree Houses, I should say!

Between the bricks and the bases, Dear Readers,

I have been getting to the Bottom of it All!

On A Midsummer's Night....

 Whereof Do You Dream....?

It is that Magical Night, Dear Readers, the Longest day is slowly fading and a Full Moon is rising to cast it's silvery beams over all below. Fireflies are winking in the hedges and and birds are chirping their evensong as the breezes rustle in the trees. Is there time for sleep at all? Or do you find yourself gazing out the windows and Dreaming of all things Magical? Have the Fairies whispered in your ears or rubbed potions on your eyelids? Are you led down the paths of the Forest Mysterious by the calls of your Lover? Have you set out for the Midsummer's Eve Ball, prepared for an evening of Enchantment? Do you wish to Dance until dawn in the Gardens under a bower of Roses? Whereof do You Dream Dear Readers?

Yes, Magic is in the air and even the Tiny Lady Evelyn

 was not quite prepared to find herself and her Sisters 

wandering in a Strange Enchanted land!

Alas, Dear Readers, I cannot tell you

 whether they are on their way to the Midsummer's Ball.... 

Or whether they have strayed into another Enchanted World.....

the Night is still young.....!

 

But I can show you where My Dreams led me the other night....

It was probably because I had mentioned making all those bricks 

for the Foundation of Hardwick Hall 

along with mentioning that I was going to finish

 the Trims on the Porch Foundation.... 

that I Dreamed of that Porch. 

And  when I awoke I realized 

that there would have to be some serious changes.

The porch foundation was all wrong! 

In this part of the world where houses are made of wood 

and sit on a brick foundation, 

the porch is always built with wood not brick. 

And wooden foundations need "ventilation" 

to prevent them from rotting right away. 

And that is usually provided with inset panels 

of latticework between the supporting posts.

I was going to have to revise the porch structure!

I had intended to start making those egg carton bricks 

for the house foundation.... but the porch came first.

Here you can see I have cut away on both sides.

And then I painted the interior wall of the house foundation 

to look like brickwork 

(rather than make the egg carton bricks 

where they would not be visible...)

I also added back in a central "post"  

so that there would be two lattice panels 

on the front side and one on each end.

I made the lattice panels from small coffee stirrers...

Here you can see I am testing the fit of the first panel.... 

and you can see I have also finished painting the trim for the porch posts!

And while I was painting all that lattice work and waiting for it to dry,

 I also finished painting the bricks on the kitchen fireplace!

A Task which I should have done ages ago!

Here you can sort of see it in place... 

the hearth still needs painting.....

Here you can see the lattice on one end....

There will need to be trim added to cover the porch corners.

Both the front panels being tested for fit....

And the close-up view....!

Here is the other end of the porch.

I carefully carved away at the bottom trim board 

where it would be likely to rot a little...!

And I painted a hearth for the kitchen fireplace!

The kitchen side wall.... the porch just looks so much better now!

And who knows.....Something might even live under there!

As for Lady Evelyn and her Sisters, Dear Readers,

Their Stories are as yet untold!

Because Who knows What Adventures they encounter 

while we Mortals are sleeping... 

Straying down Strange Paths...

Dreaming of Tiny worlds.... ?

And in the Morning Light....

Who could say whether they had been anywhere at all?

Certainly This fellow would never tell...!

On A Midsummer's Night, Dear Readers,

Wherof do You Dream?

Hardwick Hall Trims....

All Those Little Pieces.....

I may have mentioned, Dear Readers, that I am trying to complete all the Exterior Trims on Hardwick Hall (also known as The Willowcrest) before I continue with the attic and interior spaces. This is at least partly because I just want to see what the exterior will look like... (!) but more importantly because I am afraid all the tiny pieces will go astray if I don't get them attached! It has already been nearly two years since I began working on this kit.... and at the speed I go... it might be two or more years yet before I have "finished"! So I have been diligently working away at following those endless-seeming Instructions... "removing and preparing" dozens of little pieces, carefully labeling them on the back of each tiny piece (yes, you really do want to do this step!) and then sanding and painting each piece with the four coats of paint on all the necessary sides and edges and then fitting them into their designated places, making adjustments where necessary. I last mentioned the disappointment of discovering that the "foundation trim" pieces did not fit properly... one long piece being notably short... and decided to move on with the next step while I tried to decide how to fix the foundation trim. The next step was to make all those Ornamental Brackets that support the roof eaves on the porch and the mansard roof! Thirty-four little pieces!

Here you can see them all punched out 

and being painted with the undercoat of grey paint 

that I use with the silver on all the trims.

It is probably not clear from this picture 

that the quality of the wood that many of these trims are made from 

was very poor!

The bottom end of almost all the brackets where it tapers 

to a narrow point did not punch out well, 

leaving a "snaggle-toothed" effect on many of the brackets.

You can see on this close-up of the porch trims,

 that I decided not to replace all those trims!

Lazy? 

Perhaps.... but I can tell you 

that I have lived in many old Victorian houses... 

and the wood trims Always suffer from the elements!

So I am "writing it in to the story"....

 this old house has seen wear and tear 

and has Not always been well tended!

I completed all the porch brackets 

before moving up to the Mansard roof brackets...

Which you can see in this picture, 

still have not been added....

And while I was working on all those Brackets, 

I was also taking another serious look at the exterior as a whole..... 

and having some serious misgivings!

In particular, I am not happy with the number of "tabs" 

(those pieces that stick through the slots in the walls 

to hold the floors and walls in place)

that remain visible even when all the decorative trim has been finished!

 

 

The picture on the outside of the box shows the house

"finished" with clapboard siding, 

which is not included in the kit 

(and is clearly stated as not included)

but which leaves you unaware 

of these"raw points" in the finished kit... 

until you have it nearly all assembled.

 

 

Hmmmm.... 

I am going to want to make an exterior "siding" 

that will cover all those "raw points"....!

* Sigh*

That was Not part of the original plan.

So I am re-considering the siding...

And meanwhile I decided to go ahead and attach the Foundation Trims....

Because most of the pieces did fit just right!

But it left me even more aware that the foundation itself 

was going to have all those raw edges at the untrimmed corners.....

I suppose I am going to be making a lovely 

egg-carton-bricks foundation to cover all these lapses!

Meanwhile I did attach all those imperfect brackets to the Mansard Roof eaves.....

And Oh!, Dear Readers.....

They really are the Crowning Glory of this decorative trim!

I find that I really can forgive them their imperfections!

Aren't they just fantastic?

Like Antique Lace... a Tiny bit shabby... but so Elegant!

And as I was contemplating the siding... 

I am also trying to decide on the base....

And just how much "land" will be necessary....

Because I have always thought this house needed to have a small yard, 

enclosed by an old wrought iron fence....

And the house sits up on a small rise...

(a little more intimidating and spooky that way...)

which means more steps.... 

and more "land".....

(Hmmmm.... haven't we discovered this exact same problem

 with the Conservatory? And The Folly?)

But still.... I really think it improves the appearance

 if it is elevated that little bit!

So I've cut a piece of builders foam insulation 

that I will carve into a sloping yard.....

But meanwhile I still need to complete the last pieces 

of the Trims that come with the kit...

The base of the porch posts and the 

porch foundation trim will be the last pieces of the kit!

But I know Dear Readers, that even when those pieces are done... 

there will still be all the clapboards and all the roof shingles 

and all the foundation bricks... 

not to mention all the rest of the Window muntins....

and that is just the Exterior Trims!

And I thought I was almost Done with 

All those little pieces!