Update on Sugar Plum's Sweet Shop and my craft cabin.

Well it's been a busy few weeks! Firstly, I’ve had a few problems with my laptop, I was without it for the best part of 2 weeks. So after a little reinstall and its memory doubled it no longer gets around with the help of a zimmer frame, but now via a formula 1 racing car! ;oP  It's a happy laptop once more!

We are still having work completed in our home, and we had no electricity for best part of a day, so  it was a tad chilly with no heating. :o/

I have been working on Sugar Plum's roof. I had to await for some supplies and I still need more! As Sugar Plum's has a sweet making room I wanted the chimney to look a little different, although in real life the type of chimney I've chosen would have no bearing what goes on inside! lol :oP         

 So I've opted for a barrel type chimney pot. I think they normally share a stack with a normal type chimney, but the stack is too small to accommodate two pots!

 I haven't aged and sooted the pot yet and the actual stack needs a little attention too! I've grouted the pot on and left to dry, and in this rather damp weather it will take longer to set. 

I wanted the chimney located on the roof in a realistic position, because I want a pipe (on the inside of the roof) to line up where the chimney stack is. ;o)

So all glued on and waiting to dry!

I then started on the roof tiles. It's been a while since I've done any tiling! I don't normally paint the card (it's there because it lifts the tiles up at the right angle), but I did this time as I was afraid it may show underneath the tiles. . The vertical piece of card is to add distress to the roof.

I started to glue my tiles on and thought something didn't look quite right...and it wasn't when I checked against the pattern plans! I should have had one larger tile to start with, then proceeded with the smaller ones, not alternating! Good job the weather was damp, because the glue hadn't dried and I managed to remove them, bar one!

 I started again, this time with the correct pattern! The first row must be completely set and dried before you start on the next row etc.

In cold damp weather tiling takes much longer, because the glue takes longer to set, the tiles have a tendency to slip and slide!

 The grout/cement...still not dry! 

 Now you can start to see what that vertical piece of card does, it makes the roof look as though the rafters have shifted. If it was a larger roof I may have gone for a wider and thicker piece of card and maybe had more one area of distress showing, but its a tiny roof and less in more in my humble opinion.  You can use wood instead of card, but card is softer and I knew would not have so much resistance as wood when I laid my tiles over the top. Once the roof is finished I will age and weather the tiles. The lead flashing then needs to be added around the chimney stack.

 It has taken a while to get this far!

 It's only a gentle lift.

This is as far as I've got due to my cabin being out of bounds because of my new furniture delivery! 

 I also decided to not have the dog-legged staircase in Flourish & Blotts book shop! It was almost impossible to make stable, so I've opted for a normal straight one...back to square one! lol

Once stained and painted...it will be fine! The bookcase will go up the other side, hence no handrail. 

My new furniture was due to arrive on the 7th February, so I had to shift stuff around in the cabin to accommodate it being built and positioned! I have many boxes still to be unpacked, so these all had to be moved up to the other end of the cabin. 

The corner ready for its new table to go along side the others. That's the weather-proofing mastic showing in the corners of the cabin, it's made the pink look darker. Most areas has repainted to hide it and this will be done too!

All the packed/unpacked boxes and stuff has been shifted up one end...for now...chaos corner! lol 

 One of the drawer units to go under a table next to my craft table. 

 They should hold loads!

Here is the other one (it will go along beside it).

 Ta da!! An idea how it will look! This table has been left at its original height. 

Another beloved Alex Unit, I already have one and this one will sit beside the other one. They hold loads and loads, a real must have for all crafters and miniaturists!

One of the smaller tables to fill a gap. ;o)

I have one more for outside (for dirty and smelly) work. It's 2 foot deep by just over 3 feet wide. 

I have a foot gap here between the end of the table and the wall. If I could have still bought the wider table it would have fitted perfectly, instead my Dad will make a filler to bridge the gap. That wood etc., isn't staying there, it will be moved within the next week.

The table is the same height as the others. ;o)

Tomorrow the cabin will be sorted out and things moved back (my parents will kindly do that whilst I work). Then the rest of the new furniture will be put in situ and the last piece will made and moved in. I will have 2 U-shaped areas in my cabin...kinda hard to explain unless you have seen my plans or seen my cabin for real! :oP 

The UK is suffering from very severe flooding in parts, mostly the South and South West and now around the outskirts of London. It is set to get far worse before it gets better with more high winds and flooding. We have some flooding in a few villages around me, but nothing too bad. I send you all my good thoughts and hope help comes very soon! Some places in the South-West have been flooded for two months with still no help or support from the government, they have to get around their towns via boats and other places cut off from London due to a railway line being damaged in three places.  ;o(((   

Stay safe and warm!!! :o)) 

          I hope you don’t mind my ramblings and madness! :o))

Michelle xxxx