Blog 14  –  My Creatin Contest 2021 build Part 1

I just shared my Blog site on the Greenleaf Forum which made me realise that I haven’t added a post for months!  It also reminded me that I’ve done 13 posts already -whereas I was thinking it was only like 6.

I had to work very hard to get my Creatin’ Contest entry complete and photographed.  By the time it was finished I was completely and utterly over it.  I’ve decided not to do the contest again next year for various reasons. 

Firstly I’m having a big shoulder operation on my right shoulder on the 27^th of January.  I’ve been going to the specialist on and off all year and have had two cortisone injections, one ultrasound-guided, but nothing has helped.  Finally, I was sent off to have an MRI and the specialist phoned the following week (3 weeks before my next appointment) to tell me that it was worse than he’d thought.  I have a rotator cuff tear delamination.  In other words, the tendons have a horizontal tear, pulling them apart from the inside out.  So it’s quite a big open surgery and I’ll be required to wear a sling 24/7 for 6 weeks.  Given that it’s mid-summer in NZ, it’s going to be hot and frustrating – but once I’m over the surgery pain, I’m hoping the pain I’ve had for the past year or so will also go.

The second reason is that we bought land earlier this year and we’re hoping to get around to at least starting to build our new home at some point in 2022.  That will depend, of course, on multiple factors including having plans we’re happy with, having council permits and a builder!  Not to mention that here in NZ resources are scarce and expensive.

The third and final reason is simply the cost to get the kit to NZ and how much time goes into creating something worthy for competition.  Honestly, by the time I’d finished my latest build I was so over it!  I’m looking forward to creating smaller projects and having fun with little things.

This year my entry into the HBS Miniatures.com 28^th Creatin’ Contest is a library for those who use magic.  On the outside it looks like nothing more than an old uninhabited and unkempt commercial building.  Whereas on the inside it is a beautiful, classic library which has catered to generations of magical folk.

I had huge fun on the outside.  I really love the weathering and aging of things – and the landscaping!  The first thing I made was the door.  This is the front entrance to an old stamp shop and has broken blinds and a closed sign in the window.  I did want to include dead flies on the window sill but figured there wasn’t the room on the door and had decided against having windows.  The name of the shop and the phone number are actually a tribute to my late uncle who passed in January 2020 (thankfully before Covid).  I love to use personal info in my builds – they mean more to my family and I that way.

I made the dumpster from scratch out of foam core.  I figured it would be the ideal place to hide the batteries for all the internal lighting.  I watched a couple of different YouTube videos to get the general idea however it really wasn’t hard.  In fact the hardest part was getting the graffiti right!  I then created a false bottom so that the batteries would be safe and hidden yet the dumpster looks full to overflowing with trash.

The exterior of the building is a red brick. I used photos of old US commercial buildings as inspiration.

While I’ve used their stencils before, this is the first time I’ve used Bromley Craft Product’s brick compound.  Once I had the hang of it I loved it and will use it again.  Thank you to Peppercorn Cottage (on IG) who supported me and gave me some fantastic tips while using the compound!  I created patches where the brick has been repaired and added a few old signs to the wall. 

While I’ve seen many an old painted sign on buildings I didn’t realise that they were called ‘ghost signs’ until my friend Brae – Otterines Miniatures, shared the info with me and made her own.  I didn’t use the technique Brae used, in fact I’m still not sure how she did hers.  I watched a few YouTube videos from various diorama artists and ended up using transparent printable water-slide paper which worked okay…..I painted underneath where each sign was to go in order to make it slideable however I ended up having to dry the water-slides and use a spray adhesive to get them to stick.  I would try a different way if I was to do this again. I used personal family info to create the signs and I really enjoyed the creation process!

I had decided to make another tree – please remind me never to make another tree!  I really didn’t enjoy the process the first couple of times but, like child-birth, I’d forgotten how painful it was!  It turned out okay and I think it does add to the overall look of the build but…..it was time consuming.

I also made an old fire escape – because of course all old commercial brick buildings have fire escapes!   I endeavoured to make it as old and rickety looking as possible and as an added bonus it covers up a special item inside the library.

One of the most fun parts of the outside was creating the rubbish.  I used real rubbish bags and cut them into the right shape.  I remember seeing in a diorama video that in order to make miniature trash bags look right, the bottom corners need to be sharp.  I used fabric glue to run a bead down each side and then turned them out the right way.  When I stuffed them I made sure that the bottom corners were square.  I also poured glue inside the bags and squished them in various ways to look like old bags just dumped there.  I added a few holes and didn’t close a couple so that I could have trash spilling out.

Instead of spending time designing trash I bought printables from various Etsy shops (I’ll add the names at the end of this post).  I especially enjoyed the masks and the newspapers, particularly the newspapers from Lost Miniatures!  I loved the quirky headlines and I’ve tried to have some of the very appropriate headlines on show!

Of course I put some grass around the building and hid some rubbish in there that has obviously been blown in by the wind.  I finally added the fence which I love – but it does make moving the build a little difficult.

The long wall of the building is definitely my favourite part of the outside.  I used layers to add weathering not only to the walls, but to the pavement also.  I had so much fun arranging the trash bags, the boxes etc.  Whenever I’m weathering I have to remind myself that it’s the layers that add the realistic look.  The concrete isn’t just a grey, I added dust, leaves, darker greys and cracks.  The bricks have areas where water damage may have occurred or moss has started to grow.  Even the signs have layers of weathering both underneath and on top.  It’s common to wonder if you’re getting it right when you first start weathering – I still doubt myself after the first layer or two.  I have to remind myself every single time that it’s a process and that as I add, the whole picture becomes clearer and more ‘real’.

Next Blog post I’ll take you through the inside of the library and share some of my thought and building processes!

Please remember to leave me any questions or comments and I’ll be happy to answer when I can.

Stay creative and enjoy your quirks,

Rebecca xx

 

Etsy shops I bought printables from:

Lost Miniatures

Little Maggie Shop

Rina Vellichor

Little THINGS interest

Petit Pet House