Saturday 30 January 2010

Wizards and Wands Bookstore, Work begins!!













Today, we have a had a chance to do some work on the Wizards and Wands bookstore. I have been snapping lintels off windows and adding straight pieces of wood to hide the victorian detail on the windows and Hywel has been.... doing far more than me!!

















I hope you can see what he has been upto in amongst all the mess! There are freshly notched and stained beams, airdrying clay bricks, (the brick slips arrived, but weren't suitable for what I had mind... so we made our own!) and now the stucco layer is starting to go on. I have also stone sprayed the large window, but not aged it yet. I'm pleased with how it's coming on, but this took all day and it's only one side!

We have also had more snow overnight, luckily I wasn't in work this time, but I have to go to work at 6.30 am tomorrow, so I hope it melts and dries quickly :0(















It's so pretty though.
Have a great weekend, Julia xx

13 comments:

  1. Oh goodness! You have both done so much so soon ‘and’ you made your own bricks!! :o)) Everyone puts me to shame....I am so terribly slow, you will have your shop finished before I've even got Hogwarts roof on! :o( It looks wonderful though. Are they opening sash windows, or is it just how the photo makes them look?

    I have some DIY questions....where did you buy your clamps? Also, I want to have part brick and part render showing on my inglenook and maybe on the outside of Hogwarts....please can you help and advise on how I do this. I'd be so grateful. :o)

    The snow looks lovely....but glad it's not causing neither of you any problems this time!
    Michelle xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Michele,
    I think it's better not to rush, because then you have time to plan and reflect on any changes you want to make. Hywel is the 'rusher' in our house, I am content to plod!! Yes, the sash windows do open, so I can put a little mouse or rat trying to climb in :)

    DIY answers;
    We bought our clamps in the '£1 shop' pretty sure they are countrywide. They were 6 in a pack and are in various sizes, all suitable for miniatures.

    Part render, part brick, glue your brick in place first, then add your render. Hywel is starting the other side as I write, so I will take some stage by stage pics and post them on my blog tomorrow afternoon, after work, around 4ish. Don't forget, you can always email me, I will do my best to help.

    Off to get the out camera now :)
    Julia xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. I mean, off to get out the camera now!!! Thats me rushing and making typing errrrors now lol

    ReplyDelete
  4. I look forward to the photo's, they will be so helpful... did think I'd have to put the bricks on first. I agree being a plodder is not a bad thing as it does help prevent mistakes especially with tricky areas and I know I can have a habit of changing my mind on things! lol I will email you if I need help, I am still waiting on the brickslips. I will have a look out for the clamps as yours are a great size.

    I love real working sash windows...I'd like them on my Edwardian House. A little rat climbing in will look great! Let me know if you can't find any as I know some online shops where you can and where I bought mine. :o)

    I'm also doing typos, great BIG ones...I completely type the wrong word too...that's worse! lol

    Oh, I have solved the gothic chair problem...so if you need anymore let me know, though a bit more expensive than I originally paid! ;o)
    Michelle xxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Its looking fab Julia :0)
    we had snow here too,far too much for my liking so am hoping the sun will come out again tomorrow to melt it !
    julie xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Michele,
    Yes please to the info on where to find rats and more chairs xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Queen of typo's here, lol.
    Love what you are both doing and nice that you can work together.
    Its nice to see the beams going in around the stucco. I am never sure how this is done and if you put the plaster on the wall first and then the beams or the other way round.
    Gosh, more snow. Dint know snow had hit Wales again. Hope it doesn stay too long this time and turn to the horrid ice.
    Love your clock in the garden. I have one similar though not as nice in my craft room.
    Nikki xxx

    ReplyDelete
  8. I cant believe what you have done already with the shop Julie, its looking fantastic, I love the beams! And thre rendered look. Cant wait to see this project evolve! Id like to know about the rats too Michelle.PLEASE!!! Kate xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Julia what does Hywel use for Stucco?
    Seen the comments about rats, you should try:-
    http://streetshillminiatures.co.uk/index.html
    Fabulous rats and mice, I have some in Diagon Alley. xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Nikki,
    We glue the beams in first, then the brickwork and finally the stucco. This way we can plaster over part of the brickwork or onto sides of beams. We did try glueing the beams in last, but found it left a visable 'edge' by the beams.
    Thankyou for your comment on my clock. I love clocks and have them everywhere,even in my garden lol. They are all different styles from a huge 2foot London clock in my dining room to a little antique chiming clock in my living room. Funny thing though, I don't have clocks in my mini houses!
    Julia xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Debbie,
    Hywel is using 'Art Mache' from Artstraws for stucco. We bought it from Hobbeycraft and it comes in dry form in 1kg bags. We have used the same bag for the walls and roof on my little shop and now on this project and we still have half a bag left, so it is a good buy.
    I have some rats and mice from Liz at Streets hill miniatures, they are wonderful. Problem is on Ebay I always get outbid!! There was a fabalous rat on a poison bottle last week and I missed out by about a £1 :0(
    Hope your leg is a better this week, Julia xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Julia if you contact Liz direct she will do commission work. If you have something you want a mouse or rat on, I'm sure she'd do it for you. Thanks for the answer to the Stucco question..xx

    ReplyDelete
  13. It is looking great...well done both of you.

    I wish Mick and I could work together as well but we can't lol.

    ReplyDelete

Thankyou for popping by and for leaving us a welcomed comment :0)