Been quiet..... been busy Pt 2

Now it is time to tell you about progress on Washtub Cottage.  Again, I'll go day by day with bits from my Journal.

Saturday 26th February 2011

Most of tonight was spent doing the front door for Toadstool Cottage and the internal doors for Washtub Cottage. It certainly makes a difference to have them in place. The instructions don’t tell you to put trim surrounding these doors like you do on the two opening doors, but I did so anyway and am happier to have them there.  I added an extra one to the kitchen area because I want it to lead out to a scullery, and I have put it to one side to leave room for furniture on that wall - probably a nice dresser.

The two side walls of the cottage have now decided to join the fun and cause some mischief.  They have curled outwards at the top, pulling apart from the back piece, and the pavement has warped as well. So the pavement piece has been dampened down and put under the heavy books along with the front, to think about the consequences of such naughty behaviour.  My small clamps don’t quite fit the width of the house so tomorrow Peter will buy some more medium clamps for me on his way home from bowling, and I will see what I can do to teach the sides better manners as well..

Sunday 27th February 2011

Did quite a bit on Toadstool Cottage (see previous post, Been busy pt 1) and did the painting on Washtub Cottage bits (apart from the front section which is still under the books).  I'm not happy with the paint job on them though and will have to redo it.

Then I fiddled for quite a while with an open fireplace for Washtub Cottage kitchen, to take one of the Aga stoves I have bought from Grace Shaw. They are made by Jenny Wren and are just too cute for words.

Everything is ready to go further but I can’t proceed until the front is no longer being weighted down and the walls are no longer being clamped to reduce the warp in them.

Monday

Clamping the walls has worked, the tops no longer turn out like pixie shoes vbg.  I was finally able to attach the rear roof.  Let's hope that the walls have learned their lesson and stay in place now.

 

 And it was really good to be able to start painting the front of the cottage as well.

So here it is at the moment, with the chimneys in place on the roof.  As with Toadstool Cottage, I want to put flashing around the chimney before I put the tiles on.  

The front door is done and ready to install and so are the window ledges, once I am happier with the paintwork on the front and on the porch.  I won't glue the porch into place until all that is done either. 

Tomorrow I will buy the heavier paper I need for the tiling, and hopefully will be able to buy more of the particular paint I have used for the inside of the cottages.  It is called 'Parchment' and I really like the colour.  But the shop I buy it from is discontinuing most of the colour range and I am having trouble sourcing the paint anywhere else.  Naturally they have run out of this particular colour so I can't even stock up on it.  I will try some other shops tomorrw.  Fingers crossed!