CHUMLEY'S 2: Spackling, Painting, Windows/Doors, Floor

After a very light sanding, the outside of the shell is undercoated black-brown. Mrs. Chumley chose green for the interior. When dry, I put small pieces of tape where the windows/door will be so they don’t get covered up during the next stage.

Next, I filled in between the timbers using spackle (which you’re already familiar with since you’ve read METHODS, SPACKLING… right?). Let dry.

Time for color. Nothing clever here. Choose whatever colors work for you. Personally, I like muted, “earthy” tones. Here are the colors I used when painting Chumley’s:
BLACK-BROWN =Americana BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE mixed with some black. The goal is an almost-black brown. It’s even darker than the photos indicate.
INTERIOR GREEN =Apple Barrel ENGLISH IVY GREEN.
SANDSTONE =Apple Barrel SANDSTONE.
DARK BROWN =Apple Barrel NUTMEG BROWN with black-brown added.
LIGHT GRAY =I use FolkArt BARNWOOD.
DOOR BLUE =FolkArt BLUE RIBBON over a black undercoat.
DIRT =Ceramcoat MUDSTONE.
BASE GRASS GREEN =DecoArt Crafter’s FOREST GREEN.
WHITE, BLACK =Whatever was handy.

 

LEFT: The spackled areas were first painted a sandstone color.
MIDDLE: The outer edges were then washed with a darker shade. When dry, the center areas were drybrushed sandstone/white (hard to see but it’s there!).
RIGHT: The timbers were done a dark brown.

Then the timbers were drybrushed light gray, being careful to emphasize the cracks and knotholes. Around the lower edge I scrubbed in some dirt and grass colors to help the building blend into the table top and look grounded.

Removed the blue tape and added outside window coloring cut from strips I made using the Windows Paint program. The door I had made previously from a sheet of scribed basswood with a couple of scrap timbering pieces across it. Hinges are just small folded pieces of black construction paper and the door handle is a small jump ring with thin wire wrapped around it.

Inside, dirt color was scrubbed around the bottom edge. Interior windows and door are also made using Windows Paint and glued on using those pin holes for alignment. Note the door is 1/16” above the bottom edge.

The floor is simple. Cut a piece of mat board to fit the building bottom, then scribe planks into it using an awl/nail. Undercoated black-brown, dry brushed dark brown, light gray here and there for wear and tear, and dirt color around the perimeter. Then it was glued to the building at the four corners (secure it with small nails if you’re not making a base). I didn’t add any other interior detail like a fireplace or furniture so it would be open for figures and fingers.

NEXT: Roof, base.