Is now open for business! Our first guest arrives from the UK on Friday.

The wallpapering and painting is all done.

The sky has been painted, including secret nighttime surprise ;) This is not easy to do with 12' ceilings.

I discovered a cool way to liven the sky up with aircraft pics. Print them on "Clear Sticker Project Paper", from Avery (4383). I do, however seem to be having stickiness troubles. I may need to go over them with wallpaper paste to get them to stay up. Our problems appear to be twofold; Arizona daytime heat, and textured walls.

Here's how it all looks so far.

I'll be having a 1916 corner, 1917 corner, 1918 corner and a Home Defence corner.

Starting with the 1916 corner, I have a Somme battle map with some pics on the wall. And some of the aircraft types in the sky.



Models to follow!

Up and Running, completely. Maybe.

I added a light above my paint booth. Need to replace the bulb with a full spectrum one. I have one somewhere.

Paint Booth. Knocked up out of an old printer box and some duct tape. Then sprayed white inside and out.

I have a stash of WIP kits and three awaiting photographing and posting to the list! Beware, some kits in the stash are ot.

On deck is the Eduard Dual Combo 1/72 Dr.I kit. A build article is in progress, honest.

Here's one of my side of the workshop. I built 3 smaller desks a the same time for the kids to do craft projects on, and hopefully models in the future.

And if you need a close-up, here it is. Big file, 1.2MB!

Back in Business

Got my workshop finished. Here's a pic, but be careful, its a big one. an 8' and a 6' bench. I knocked up a spray booth from an old printer box. I still have to get a 100W full spectrum flood light to hang above it and I'll be happy.

I have my little Fokkers out and have started work on them. I've been invited to a Phoenix IPMS meeting next week, so I'd like to take something to show them. If iled down the molded stuff on the inside of the cockpits and added some styrene strips for the plywood part. Painted that wood brown (?), and German CDL for the rest. Added an ink wash to punch out the detail. These will be rigged with hair! Dr.Is don't need much.

I'm having pin vise problems with my #80 drill. GRRRRRRRR!

Stripped all day yesterday

Got the existing wallpaper off. That was a pain to do, but eventually I got it all off.

Now, I need to was down the walls before marking the horizon, in readiness for painting.

The War Room

Got my budget for the decorating project, from SWMBO. I have the paint and bits and bobs to do the painting.

I need to measure the walls, and order the wall paper, and border.

The room is ready to start work. I first have to take off the existing wallpaper

For the bathroom

Planning an evening sky for the ceiling, with some Staakens and a Zeppelin being swarmed by some night fighters. All in either 1/400, 1/600 or 1/800 scale.

I have the Staakens and Zeppelin in 1/400 card model from JSC in Poland, via ThePaperModelStore, which I can scan and reduce. The kit also comes with a 1½ Strutter I can use that as a basis for some more Sopwiths, perhaps a Camel or two.

I also have a Be2e in card, that I need to scan and reduce for some of them, and a possible convert to Be12 night fighters.

Wall designs added

Here's the mock up of the wallpaper design ideas.

East Wall

West Wall

It looks a bit high, but we have 12' (3.66m) high ceilings.

I haven't decided on rough or smooth wood, or whether it should be vertical or horizontal. I'm tending to think horizontal would be better.

Purple woman is wife, to scale. Height only. Is there a better y to say that? Three really has to be.

WW1-Themed guest room starts here.

SWMBO has given permission for a WW1 themed guest room in the East Wing; Hanging aeroplanes, scenery wallpaper, cloudy sky paint, period looking furniture, photographs, maps, the works. There are loads of cool ideas at Tommy's pack filler. Although I think I'll pass on the resin grenades.

I have the faux painting worked out for the ceiling along these lines, including a starry sky luminous paint design for nighttime.

Auntie Jean is bringing out a 20x30 Kitchener poster this weekend.

Slightly Bigger Fokkers.

Eduard announce release date for 1/48 Dr.I. OOOH! A dual combo set, almost royal class, with figures of MvR and LvR, and maybe a dog, too. I'll be able to use the rest of the Misterkit paints on the big ones, now.

Although, After browsing Bob Pearson's CD. I have a whole host of ideas for the Fokkers.

SWMBO doesn't know it yet, but she's taking me to the movie of the year, when it comes out.


More updates on WWI-themed guest room to follow.