Answering your questions about the French facade

First of all thank you very much for your encouraging comments. I honestly didn't think you'd like the 'grubby' aspect of it so much.

There are a few questions in your comments, here are the answers one by one:

Glenda re "SHOP NAME" - no I don't have a name as yet, I'll be calling for help on that one soon!

Rudoo re "THE MAKER" - well actually that's me! The facade design is influenced by one of Lea Frisoni's buildings but it's not an exact copy. I am lucky to have a son who is very good at cutting straight lines (unlike me!) so he cut out the walls and floors according to my measurements. The shop front is purchased, as is a side door and a double hung side window (not shown here) but the opening facade windows were made by me. Making them was NOT a labour of love but I do like the freedom of not having to design around pre-made parts too much.

Caterina re WHAT KIND OF SHOP - it's an antiques and brocante shop, if you click here you get an idea of how it will look, but of course there will be lots more things 'for sale' later.

Piikko re ROOMS TO RENT - maybe we could come to an arrangment if you would be prepared to 'manage' the shop ;) (Don't tell anyone but I am secretly thinking about making a Pension to go next door, maybe that would be more suitable).

THE BALCONY RAILING is available from Dolls House Emporium online, or any of their stockists, click here to see it on their website. To get the bend in it I put the end into very hot (not boiling) water for a few minutes. I used a wooden block to bend it around at first but then I became impatient and just bent it (very) firmly by hand.

Thanks again for your kind remarks!!

French facade - finished!!

Well, almost... just a few final touches yet to do like attaching doorknobs, cleaning windows, adding the shop name ...

I'm not sure if I've over-done the dirt and grime, just a little :)

It certainly looks rather less pristine than it did in this pic posted last May

It's been a good project to work on recently when it's been too hot to work on pieces that need concentration and precision in measurement and putting together (although I must admit the French windows and doors fall into this category but most of those were completed a while ago) but it's way past time to tackle the 'bistro' style table and chair set that I promised Marie Jose way back in July - she must have entirely given up hope of ever receiving it by now. I might be slow but I do deliver ... eventually :)

Big Boys Build and Blog too!

Brazilian Fabiano Fausto Faucz is an amazing miniature builder/artist that I stumbled on today, my favourites of recently featured posts are the 'Rancho' and the abandoned building.

Click here to visit Fabiano's blog and see his other creations including a section of a 'Favela' (ghetto/slum) which is just full of incredible detail.

Further on the subject of clever 'boy builders' have you seen Paul Smith's blog Afan Valley Miniatures yet? Whether you fancy an authentic little 'outhouse' or a grand home Paul's your man.

Click here to visit Paul in the gorgeous Welsh valley he calls home and take a look around his blog.

Photo credits: Fabiano Faucz and Paul Smith

A small accomplishment

My time at the cottage in New Zealand was not nearly as productive as usual, but at least I am happy with the transformation of the cabinet I bought very cheaply on the New Zealand equivalent of eBay just before I left last year. The colour is a few shades darker than it shows in the photo (Resene 'Jasper').

It looks like it started life as a small cottage sideboard, along the way lost part of it's back and acquired a lot of bumps and bruises - most recently it was the drinks bar/workshop bench in a university student's garage - enough said! Now repurposed as bathroom/laundry storage it fits the spot perfectly...

This is how it looked before its makeover - stained and damaged top

and partially stripped front (sorry, this image is a little blurry)

The vintage wooden ladder that I bought last year hasn't been touched but I am at least happy to report that it has so far escaped being chopped up for firewood!

I had plans to launch into minis as soon as I got back to Sydney but having come from a predominantly cool and wet few weeks in the south of NZ to a heatwave in Sydney (35 today - expecting 39 on Friday) all plans are sidelined - trying to cool down is the priority! Spending tomorrow in the air-conditioned university library seems a pretty good option, classes start first week in March so a bit of preparation reading wouldn't be a bad idea - I could keep cool and feel virtuous at the same time :)

I didn't manage any blog reading time while I was in NZ but I hope to catchup slowly with at least some of the projects that you've been working on over the past few weeks. And I hope to have some progress on the front of the French brocante/apartment to show you before too long.

Lastly, a hearty welcome to those of you who have joined my blog over recent weeks :)