This month Ive put the Astor pub away for awhile. There was an unfortunate identity crisis happening. A complete break down of everything I had planned for it,including the witches theme. I dont know if I was forcing my will or if the pub was,but we are at a stand still. One day before his exile he was covered in flowered window boxes,hardly in keeping with a remote desolate pub out in the middle of nowhere. That was what finally made us both snap,I think.

So, lucky for me,while he's sulking....I still have something to do...Ive brought my Orchid(Honeysuckle Cottage) back to the kitchen for more work. Ive added some really cool rose vines across the front porch,and just ordered 3 flower kits from Hanky Panky. Ive never made flowers from a kit,so Im excited about that. But the most exciting thing Im doing (well,for me its exciting)is, Im covering up her boring,everyday shingles and replacing them with paperclay fish scale shingles. Ive never done this before and I cant believe how much clay its using up,but I love this effect so much. I cant tell you how much better and more realistic it looks,and just more"cottagey". Im not sure what to do with the shingles,if I'll paint them or leave them in their clay white(kinda like them that way)..but Im leaning toward a watered down light gray color. I didnt know how to do the clay tiles,technically,but Im having pretty good luck just free form sculpting each tile and overlaying them onto the original shingle. Its not going to be perfect,and Ive learned a bit by trial and error,my next roof will be better...but Im doing OK with it. I just think I probably got my tiles too thick...oh well,I'll know better next time.

So, Im also excited about a house thats coming from a seller on ebay, I won a Canterbury,only $25 with free shipping. Thats a sweet deal. Wheels are spinning with ideas for that house. Also, Im really itching to start on my Garfield and get working again on my big mansion. Theres a strong possibilty that the Garfield will be pieced out for the mansion,I bought the Garf. for only $50. on craigslist and I really need spare parts(staircases,trim etc.) to be able to finish the mansion. Thats a hard decision, but really,I just dont have the room for so many large houses,somethings got to give.