My first Quarter Scale Project

Australian Colonial Cottage

I bought this kit for an Australian Colonial Cottage from AMEA, which is the Australian Miniatures Enthusiasts Association. It is a kit by Pam Junk, made especially for an AMEA Convention several years ago. The style of cottage is still widely seen throughout cities and rural towns, and features the traditional verandah across the front and an iron water tank at the side. I wanted to get it constructed in time to display at the Sydney Miniatures Fair which is held on the first weekend in May each year.

When I first bought the kit several years ago, I opened the box and sorted and labelled all the bits. I did the first couple of steps, which involved painting walls and staining timber; then discovered I had ten thumbs instead of only two! In the end I put the pieces carefully carefully back into bags making sure I labelled what they were, and put the whole thing away until such time I felt I had gained more experience with 1:12th scale.

Finally this year I took a deep breath, so to speak, and decided to tackle it again. At first I could not work out what on earth I had done, but bit by bit I worked it out and as I worked through the steps I found that the mental block I had developed began to dissolve. For this size project the wallpaper has to be put on before the walls are constructed, and the interior trims added as you go.

After the wallpaper, trims and interior wall were done I could add the ceiling, do the electictricals and then the roof. Then with the verandah screens at each end, the posts and the verandah roof it really began to take shape. Having it on the roll of masking tape (right) shows just how little this cottage really is!

Time to move on to the landscaping, and I really had fun with the trees - the first ones I had done by myself. I got a bit carried away here, I was having such fun, making a large one and a small one. The photo here shows the large one underway.

Every Aussie country home needs a water tank on a stand and the tank was included in the kit too. I added a stand for it. A park bench kit for the side of the house was fun to do - after this photo I had to take it apart and redo the seat because when I was taking the photo I moved the slats on the seat part. The kit also included a birdbath which I filled with some PVA glue to make 'water' for the birds, and findings to make a little 'wrought iron' table and chairs.

Then I got busy and added the greenery provided for the shrubs and vines. Where there were gaps or the fence hadn't joined exactly I put more little bits, and some touches along the base of the fence as well. I had some of my own and added some extra. And some more. And some more..... Got a bit carried away there, too, but it was fun and I love the overgrown cottage look it has now. The trellis over the front gate gives it a lovely welcoming look, I think, and it has 'flowers' on the vines too. The front view of the cottage shows this quite well.

Of course, it is no use having just an empty cottage. It was a little daunting to tackle my first 1/4" scale furniture kits but it needed to be done. Pam Junk's lovely little lounge chair and sofa with its coordinating skirted table was perfect for this room, and I was really pleased with my first effort at upholstering in such a tiny scale. And the second photo shows them in place in the cottage lounge room. For display I reduced some family photos and put them on the mantlepiece and on the table, and made a tiny clock to also go on the mantlepiece.

The bedroom also has some Pam Junk furniture kits - a lovely bed, wardrobe and bedside table. I used the chest that was included with the lounge furniture (I think) in the bedroom, painting it to match, and added some decals to all of them. I had some fabric that was perfect to cover the bed with, and I bought the chair. It came with a cat, which was great because all my scenes or houses have to have a cat in them vbg! For some reason I don't have a photo of the bedroom here at the moment so when I get back from my trip I will take one and add it to this blog.


I did actually have it ready to display at the Fair, though it didn't have the extras I would have liked to have added: mats, pictures on the walls, etc. In a swap with Joy, another member of the Stay at Home Miniaturists Club, I was lucky enough to receive a tiny hand-turned wooden bowl with hand-made fimo fruit in it, which is perfect for the cottage, or maybe another one when I do one lol! But it does need more personal touches.  I will add more photos as I do those.