Pause the build

We are about to make our third attempt at leaving the UK for our winter in Florida.  It has now become half a winter in Florida but, with luck, we will be departing shortly.  I, therefore, have to abandon the build.  I won't be giving up on the project though as I have six orders for things for The Gatehouse on their way to me in the States.  I will have lots of things to make to go in The Gatehouse next summer.

ready and waiting

This is a second dry build, done today, waiting to remind me in 3D what I am aiming for.  I feel a lot more confident about the actual build now as I know where everything goes and how.  

It would be daft rush it and try to get some done in the next few days before I go.  As I said I have stuff on order and it includes wallpaper and floor paper.  I need to decide what to use where and this will have a knock-on effect as to what paint colours I want to use, so I can't really start on the interior finishes over here.  I think the outside surfaces might be better done after the build (????)  The down-side to that is that setting in the windows and doors might be a bit fiddly working with a building rather than a wall.  I think it will be doable though. About the only components I could work on are the windows, doors and stairs.....  I am tempted.

I have lights and fires to install throughout and need to really figure out how best to do that.  I will need to drill exit holes for the wires even if I don't need to cut grooves for the wiring.  I can't do any of this until I have actually had a go at making lights and fires.  If they turn out to be rubbish then I won't be lighting this kit!!  Again quite a bit of those things are in Naples already.

So all I can do is get super-organised (I hope).  I have measured everything to within an inch of its life and annotated the component sheets to take with me ready for any shopping I do for it; plus the paint chart for the three colours I already have and so I can consider others.

I have taken photos of all four side of each halves of the building so I know where windows and doors are for when I have a brainwave like the one I had to reject today when I saw the build again.  I started to order some lovely step cupboards - those cupboards that fit beautifully under stairs.  Not in this house they won't.  There is a spiral staircase and two sets of stairs but even they turn about on themselves.

I might take 'Elizabeth' and 'Stuart' with me to remind me who is living there and to give me a sense of scale.  I manage that best against a human form.  Measuring a teacup or a slice of cake is one thing, putting it in a figure's hands is another.

So, for the next three months you will just be following furniture kits, lights, fires etc.  being put together and, hopefully, seeing lots of shopping and a couple of shows.

Au revoir for now.