I've built the main Structure for my Mouse stories. Now, I want to add the special touches that turn a rather ordinary house, into a Dwelling Magnifique.
I looked at dozens of choices for roofing, and believe me, there is an amazing array of materials for miniaturists to use. In the end I decided upon something a mouse actually COULD use as an efficient, practical and easily available source for roofing.
The remarkably humble Pinecone.
This makes incredible roofing, fitting so beautifully around the turret roof as if it were made for the job.
This is where a hot glue gun is of the essence!
Let the rains fall as they may, not a single drop of water will seep through this roof! I will use the pinecone shingles on the PORCH roof as well.
I'll need to use some wood putty to fill in fretwork trim corners, at the base of roof.
The large MAIN roof will be not covered in pine-cone shingles, but another material altogether.
The large MAIN roof will be not covered in pine-cone shingles, but another material altogether.
.
To brick the turret, I purchased teeny bricks in a red blend mixture.
I should not have put that window in beforehand, and will need to remove it.
Using tacky glue as my cement. I carefully laid two alternating patterns on the octagonal turret sides, a herringbone and a foursquare. Bricking patterns were often mixed on early Tudor houses. (though I doubt they used pine-cone roofing)
The little bricks are easily cut to fit with an xacto knife. I will need to do a lot of trimming around the windows before I can put the window frames in.
After the bricks are set, I brush them with a clear polyurethane.
Before the Polyurethane, the brick color is rather dull and flat looking.
As I brush on the finish,
The bricks begin to take on a rich deep color.
I got ahead of myself and mortared the brick on one small section under a window, then realized I needed to wait 24 hours for the poly to dry thoroughly, ooops!
I should not have put that window in beforehand, and will need to remove it.
Using tacky glue as my cement. I carefully laid two alternating patterns on the octagonal turret sides, a herringbone and a foursquare. Bricking patterns were often mixed on early Tudor houses. (though I doubt they used pine-cone roofing)
The little bricks are easily cut to fit with an xacto knife. I will need to do a lot of trimming around the windows before I can put the window frames in.
After the bricks are set, I brush them with a clear polyurethane.
Before the Polyurethane, the brick color is rather dull and flat looking.
.
For mortar, I'll be using Elmers Wood filler AND a mixture made especially for the purpose.I don't like the stark white and therefore, I think I'll mix in a bit of brown acrylic paint to give the mortar an old look.
I will use stone and brick on the lower front of the house and a stucco finish on the upper half of the house.
Building this house is really fun, let me tell you! It would be a marvelous project to do with an older child.
Though I intend for this house to become the backdrop for my next book, I can easily see the house itself becoming a focus for several stories featuring my mouse. In fact, as I've been building it, 3 new stories have been stirring in my head and I find myself alternating between gluing on bricks, and typing paragraphs into my laptop.
You just never know where things may lead.....
Building this house is really fun, let me tell you! It would be a marvelous project to do with an older child.
Though I intend for this house to become the backdrop for my next book, I can easily see the house itself becoming a focus for several stories featuring my mouse. In fact, as I've been building it, 3 new stories have been stirring in my head and I find myself alternating between gluing on bricks, and typing paragraphs into my laptop.
You just never know where things may lead.....
