Sugarplum Cottage to Monarch Cottage 10

Thunderstorms with bursts of hail today. Working inside!

The inside is painted with two coats of gesso. It has a nice, soft white finish that mimics plaster as well as being a good base for other paint.

There was a jar of paint marked "Lincoln Green" in the paint box. It is a nice gray with a greenish tinge that could pass for slate or regular old gray floor paint. The paint job is a bit sloppy at the edges. It may be necessary to install skirting boards.

The lower fireplace. 

Both fireplaces are a bit rough, but they look fine to a casual observer as they are tucked away to one side, so not viewed head on. 

The kit includes a window box that can be added to the front window, but that may look a bit fussy. Will skip it for now and get on with the sod roof and the furniture.

Sugarplum Cottage to Monarch Cottage 09

 Lots of tiny steps move the project along.

The chimney top is glued and clamped.

The same steps used to make the lower chimney were applied to the chimney top. 

There are two fireplaces in the cottage, one up and one down. This one, the upper fireplace, is smaller and has a rounded shape. I'm not sure how the two rounded front pieces are to be mounted. The instructions are not very detailed. The interior has been painted black. This fireplace will not have a fire in it.

The two straight pieces are the hearth and mantel. 

The lower fireplace is larger and square. I found a photo of a fireplace fire online. I sized it and printed it on glossy photo paper for a bit of a shine. It looks better in real life.

An egg carton chimneybreast could have been applied before assembling the walls, but it would be awkward to do it now. It will be easier to paint the wall with gesso to mimic plastering.

Look who turned up on the porch -- it is Marie Laveau. Her home was sold in an auction, but she remained behind. I am not sure if she is considering living here or if she is checking out the neighborhood for her friend the peddler.  

Click on Marie Laveau and Creole Cottage in the list at the left to see her home. If she decides to move in, this would definitely be downsizing.