Well I really don't have time, you know....

But then I'm not always known for my common sense!

Of course I didn't have time!  I had the Town Square to finish - the last two shops had arrived, and then I have the extras to finish, the base to landscape. The Sea Shanty needs some odds and  ends fixed on it.  Flowerpot needs pictures on the walls and so does Hollyhiock - and it needs flowers too, and.I haven't finished fitting out Toadstool or Washtub either.  There are signs to do, and arrangements to decide on and other details to think about.....

So what do I do?  Why, I build Rosebud Cottage of course!  No, I didn't furnish it - just did the basic construction.  And I did Daisy Chain Cottage too.  And Peppercorn Cottage.  And the Side Scullery. 

 No, I didn't think I had plenty of time with the Fair looming this coming weekend.  But I guess I was suffering from 'Fair preparation burnout'!  Our daughter Kylie and grandsons Cameron and Luke came to visit for several days before Easter, and we had a great time together.  Peter and Kylie took the boys and Nathan ten-pin bowling, to Aqua Golf, to visit Grand-Nan Mac (my mum) and we went to the Easter Show - with me in a wheelchair because my back had given out again before they arrived and I could hardly hobble around.  Not my favourite state of affairs to say the least. 

I had packed up all my Town Square tbuildings and kits along with supplies before they arrived, to put in the caravan where we planned to sleep while Kylie slept in our bedroom.  However she and the boys insisted on sleeping in the lounge room and we stayed in our bedroom so I just put all the minis in there and whenever they were off doing things as well as in the evenings I worked on the Town Square shops.  At least I can sit, thank goodness.  Photos of the shops soon, I promise!  I won't even try to finish the extra ones because the accessory kits haven't arrived in time.. 

 So on Friday after the kids left and I was feeling a bit sad about that and also a lot 'over it' as far as the other buildings go, I couldn't resist any longer.  I gave myself Friday, Saturday night and Sunday to see how far I would get with them in that time - and yes, I did them together, like I did with Toadstool and Washtub.  First of all I painted all of the pieces with primer/undercoat, then did the floors that had flooring 'boards' on them.  I did them going from side to side instead of front to back but never mind.....By Monday they were all ready for the external walls to be distressed and the windows and doors to be attached so I broke my resolution and went ahead with that step too.  And I'm so pleased that I did!

Here is Daisy Chain Cottage.   Or as I fondly call it, crooked chimney cottage.  Caitlyn (Sarah and Peter's schoolteacher daughter) is really delighted with it.  She had been reminding me that the school holidays are almost over, the new term is about to begin and she would really like her cottage to be ready tso she can move in.  And who can blame her? This is such a sweet house, and even though it is such a small residence Caitlyn.finds it perfect for her needs. 






I know that the roof isn't finished yet - and there are parts of the walls that need repairing.  That happens when the house falls off the table, I've found.  But it will all happen later on.  As I said, none of them are finished yet.










Now if only there was a school for her to teach in as well......Bea?


Lillian and Richard Byrnes have also been eagerly waiting for me to finish Peppercorn Cottage. It's not a large building but it's a cosy home. 


More detail needs to be added to the roof, the floors are completed and the walls are painted so it is ready to move in to as it is, unless the walls need a change of colour inside.

























And beside Peppercorn Cottage is the Side Scullery, in the same warm stone as the cottage.  It is a colour of stone that we see a lot here in New South Wales, so I am sure that Bea will excuse me using it for these lovely English-style cottages - after all, we do have many in the same sort of style here in Aus. 

I am getting another scullery as well, with my next order (on its way now).  It provides so much extra room for a small cottage.









For the cottage and the scullery window ledges and doors I used Semco Sage Green ACR61, which I have used often before.  But this time I have used it undiluted whereas I usually add white.  I really like this colour and the variations you can get - to me it is a real 'country' colour.

And here they are together:

I had actually planned to put the chimneys on the left sides of both the cottage and the side scullery and to put the scullery on the left of the cottage but - that's what happens when you work on four buildings at once and you are still working at 1am because you are just plain stubborn and are not renowned for knowing your own limits lol!

And finally - Rosebud Cottage.

Of course like everyone else I fell in love with Rosebud Cottage as soon as I saw it.  And since its occupant Rachel was also eagerly awaiting it's completion I couldn't leave it out, could I?  And yes, I did use the techniques taught in Flowerpot Cottage though the thatched roof is much lighter on this one, as it is on Daisy Chain cottage.  Perhaps the thatch is newer.  Of course it needs more work on it, and the inside might well be wallpapered over the ivory paint that it has now. 

Even though the basic shape of this cottage is the same as that for Washtub, the porch is very delicate and that along with the thatched roof give an altogether different appearance. I experimented for a long time with different reds to get a pink that I was happy with.  In the end I used a tiny bit of Folk Art 932 Calico Red with a lot of white, to get a pale pink that didn't look too 'candy' like. For the doors and windowsills I used Folk Art 754 Rose Garden - appropriate, don't you think? And white for the windows and lattice work.  

 Of course I still couldn't resist doing some distressing on the exterior as well, and that certainly makes things look much more realistic.  Can't yiou just see a lovely climbing vine or rose going up over that front lattice work?

Bea - the four buildings were an absolute pleasure to construct - I've said before that these kits are addictive.  They must be: when the two orders that I have put in lately I will have all of the 1:48 scale kits relelased at the moment.  And I plan to keep going too!

 What's that you ask?  No, I didn't tackle Barnacle Cottage, in spite of Fisherman Jim's anxious entreaties.  Or  Candlewick.  Or my second Corner Shop or the new topper for the (third) shop roombox or even Mulberry House.  Well, that would be silly, wouldn't it?  The Fair is this Sunday lol!  I might be crazy but I'm not that crazy!!