Mrs Puddifoot's gets steamy windows and a dress rehearsal.

Well it's been hot, sunny and humid in my part of the UK...we went from 14 or 15c to 27c in a day, I'm not liking too much!  I don't fry as much in the cabin as I did in my Summerhouse in my last garden, but it's hot enough!  

Anyhow, enough of all that! In case you're wondering what the first photo is all about, it's just a mini dress rehearsal of the downstairs of the teashop...but more of that in a minute. ;o))  I've also included some photo's with and without the flash on, the colours ring more true without the flash on...though shades of blue's and green's the camera has a habit of telling little lies! lol   

Hmmmmm! Steamy?

One of the descriptions of the shop was for 'steamy windows', that look isn't easy to recreate and I've never seen it done before. I used a form of glass paint that emulates the look of engraved glass (sorry I forgot to take a photo of it, but I think it's by on of the well known American brands that make the acrylic paints). It said on the bottle that it takes 4 days to dry if left out (you can cure in an oven...but I can't do that to acetate! lol). Anyhow, I have no idea where it was tested but it was more like 4 seconds! Maybe they tested it in the Antarctic?! As soon as it was out of the bottle and onto my little porcelain dish the clock was ticking away (that was on a cool day too)! I had 4 practises on some old spent acetate in order to try and erm emulate steamy windows. The stuff dried so fast that it was challenging to say the least to get the stuff how I wanted it on my window. So, from painful experience, less is more (on the brush) and work that around and around as fast as you can, before nasty white bits form. :o/ I emulated condensation by using a clay sculpting tool and drew a squiggly lines downwards...fingers helped smooth and blend the overall look. The side window is more misty than the front one (it was the first one I did). You can kinda remove some of it once dried, it does take effort and mine were tweaked.

 You can see into the teashop through the windows...the side windows are more opaque.

 It gives the suggestion of something on the windows...maybe it looks more like dirty windows! lol Still it is Harry Potter and nothing is that salubrious! lol      

This window is glued on, I wasn't going to add the tongue and grove on the opening wall because you have to leave an unrealistic space where it closes. I will have a think about whether to add it or leave it as it is.    

This is how the window frames will look. Finishing touches need to be applied...still WIP!

You must be thinking Arggghh what a colour, far too in your face! It wouldn't be to my taste or choosing, but Mrs Puddifoot seems to like it! The piece on the right is the first version of the shade I mixed up, the one on the left the last version...I'm not sure the camera is picking up the differences!   

The piece on the left has only had one coat. Lots of sanding etc to be done too. I may leave the finished version sanded...not entirely distressed, but maybe not perfect either. The top rail will sit on the upper front of the tongue and groove.

The fireplace will be painted a rather unusual shade of a brickish pink like some pieces of the furniture, it's a colour I have to mix up myself and I had to buy a particular colour just to get the right shade, so I can't paint the fireplace until the furniture is made. The fireplace will also sit off-centre, like in the real shop.

An idea how the other window will look. Lots of filling and painting to do...this is just to show how it will look. 

The door is a problem too. I bought some lovely architrave to go around it. It hides all the nasty raw edges,  not forgetting the hinges too! Anyhow, as  you can see the architrave is far too wide for above the door! 

It looks nasty and bare without anything...and I'm not sure whether to bother with the tongue and groove etc either, because the odd angle that the door is fitted in, could prove more trouble than it's worth and could hinder it fitting well.

So I had a look in my wood supplies (as  you do!) and found a plain piece of wood...not entirely exciting though! lol

So I opted for a fine and thin piece of dado rail instead, only I forgot to take a photo of it along side the door! lol   

I did a dress rehearsal of the shop too, this was to show how it will look. I'm not having that actual table or dresser (my one will be wider and have doors), these are just to show you what will be there. 

The door isn't finished at all! All the tables will have table cloths and the large round table is piled high with stacked cups with flower patterns etc. The chairs have cushions too. 

The real shop is quite claustrophobic and crammed full of stuff! The dresser will be filled with cups etc.

In the corner by the fireplace, I will add a tea trolley and under the front window a half moon table.;o) 

Waste not, want not and think before you throw in the bin! lol Yes, even that tiny green piece! I was dressing the teashop and there's a tiny gap between the back door and wall and I was planning just painting the gap...well that slither of wood fits perfectly! lol  

My Mum has made my table curtains, they are all separate for ease of use. They hide all the boxes of stuff! :o)) 

  My delphinium's are out!

I will be adding an air drying clay tutorial on my other blog Michelle's Mad World 2 tonight, I will be adding more text/data to it and also photo's. You are welcome to ask questions as I fill in the gaps and of course when its complete etc. I will be back to check for editing of this post too! lol 

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

Michelle xxxx