DETAILS 2: Doors. Woodpiles. Jetties. Dormers. Sheds

Doors were made from scribed basswood with balsa horizontals, undercoated black-brown, and cut into individual doors and painted as needed. I use black wire to make handles, as well as small nails, craft jump rings, and HO gauge railroad spikes.

More doors. The center example is mat board and shows nice fine wood detail, made by dragging an Xacto saw across its surface.

Firewood is first cut from a dowel (1/2” in this case) that’s been scribed with an Xacto saw blade for texture, painted dark brown, and dry brushed light gray. The cut pieces are then “chopped” using a utility knife and glued/stacked into piles. Cheap and easy to do!

Lastly, an array of jetties, dormers, and small attached sheds. They add a lot of character to an otherwise simple box. The dormer sides are corner scraps from building end pieces.

DETAILS 1: Wheelbarrows, Hirst molds, Books

Here are some details to add in and around buildings.

Wheelbarrows are from scrap with a cut dowel wheel.

HIRST mold #85 and some castings made from it.

Check out the site ( hirstarts.com ) for mold #70 (“stone walls“, use them for chimneys) as well as the Gothic molds I have used for vampire mansions. And if you’re onto SciFi check out those molds.

Closed books are another easy mini-project. Cut strips from mat board, then paint both sides and one long edge (for the spine). Slice the books apart using a single-edged razor blade, slice some of those into smaller ones. Add cover and spine embellishments for variety.

CHUMLEY'S 4: Finishing the project.

I painted a thick coat of white glue/PVA around the gravel, sprinkled a bit more gravel around the path, and dabbed some glue here and there within the gravel. Then I applied glue everywhere else on the base (including the edges!). Finally, I packed WOODLAND SCENICS MIXED TURF on and let it all dry. I apply the turf over the tub I keep it in to help contain excess residue.

All dry and residue brushed off/reclaimed.

The plastic plant holes were cleaned out and they were glued into place with super glue, as was the bench.

SNOWTIME AT CHUMLEY’S? Naaah, I just painted on a coat of matte medium to seal in the grass and gravel and sprinkled on some dead leaves (Whole Sweet Basil from the grocery store spice aisle) and light static grass. While still wet, I glued on the bush and some WOODLANDS SCENICS EXTRA COARSE TURF weeds, then let it all dry.

The snow has receded and all’s right with the world. All that layering takes patience (so much drying time!) but the result is quite pleasing. Hey! Is that Chumley’s pet salamander, Crikey, lurking about behind the ladder?

Rear view. Chumley and family have moved in and are beaming with pride. They’re inside baking pies for their guests. Guests love pie.
If you’ve been making your own version of Chumley’s, sign the bottom. Show your new masterpiece to friends and family. Relish how impressed they are by your creative awesomeness. Sign autographs! Become a star! Try to fit your inflated ego through your front doorway.

THE END. Class is over. I’m tired.

BONUS!

Chumley earns a few extra groats at a weekend roadside fair near Fossmoor.

NEXT: Other details

CHUMLEY'S 3: Roof and Base

You already know how the shingling was done (if not, refer to METHODS, HG WALLS). I very lightly stained black-brown around the chimney (too light to really see in the photo), and drybrushed it light gray.
Well, there you have it, all ready for the game table…

Oh, Chumley just reminded me he would like a small plot of land to put his building on. Read on!

The base is 6-1/4” by 7“ by 1/8” MDF with sanded round corners and beveled edges, painted green.

First, I set the building on the base and drew a line around it. Chumley chose some details from the bit box and I set them where I thought they’d look good. The bush is lichen, the plants and wheel are plastic. The small bench is from scraps, The door stoop, bucket crates, and barrel are all HIRST ARTS plaster castings. The tools are metal from a set I got years ago.

The rear and other side. The stump is plastic, I made the ladder, the bucket is HIRST, and the barrels are craft store items.

Removed everything from the base and drilled holes for the two plastic plants (which would have been a real pain to do if the building had been glued down already!) I also drew where some gravel would go.
(INSERT) I super-glued the shovel on top of the crate and, after drilling two holes in the side wall, I glued in two HO model railroad spikes, then the scythe. The spikes also make great door handles, by the way.

Everything but the plastic plants and bush were glued in place. A thick coat of white glue/PVA was painted on where the gravel was going and the gravel was packed on and left to dry…

Brushed off the excess gravel and reclaimed it. Here’s the end result. Looks OK but a bit too “precise” for my taste. I’ll fix the problem.

NEXT: THE FINALE!