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!