Evolution

The chimney has been reworked to look more informal. A big improvement, I think.

After a trip to Michael's to find just the right parts, I've also added leaves and a vine, which still need detail painting.

I will be working on the interior next, and then the landscaping.

Gourd II

So far I've finished the door and windows and begun the interior.

I had imagined that the bedroom would be behind the smaller window, but since the main room has such a high ceiling, I'm thinking of putting a canopy bed there.
The little room could be a storeroom. It's barely visible anyway, as there's a curtain in the doorway.

I found some smooth, round stones along the Lake Michigan shore a few years ago, and they certainly look good with the gourd. I'll probably be using a few more in the landscape. It's amazing how much space I need to store the bits and pieces of this and that that I keep to use "someday."

I've discovered that if I finally decide I will never use something, and throw it out, that it will be exactly what I need a few weeks later.

The chimney looks a little stark - will have to work on that some more.

And now for something completely different

It's always nice to take a break from the architectural stuff and do a fantasy project.

A friend once said, "Oh, Nell, everything is a little house to you!" Not quite true - but certainly anything that is or could be hollow has potential.

I picked up a couple of small bottle gourds at a show a few years ago. One I made into a house almost immediately. For that one, I used the gourd standing upright.

I'd always planned to do the other one lying on its side, with the small end propped up somehow. It seems the time has come - stay tuned!

Finished!

The landscaping is finished, and the house is ready for delivery.

This project required almost all scratch built parts, from door and windows to siding.



I was lucky to have pieces of N scale Victorian trim that were very similar to the piece on the front gable end, though they did require quite a lot of reworking. I used photographs of the actual windows to give the appearance of curtains behind the window frames.


The landscape is at it appeared early this spring, when I was taking pictures of the house. The pine tree is actually larger, but I scaled it down so that it wouldn't overpower the house.

Structure complete!

I finished the house at about 11:30 last night, after a week of very long days. Here it is, waiting for the landscaper to arrive.

A photo of the real house is in the background.

The landscaping should only take a couple of days - I'll post new pictures when it's done.