14 Craft Bar: Diagon Alley Book Nook

I knew the minute that I saw the Flourish and Blotts book nook that I just had to make it - currently the base is out of stock but for those of you who bought it and need some inspiration or constuction help Agnieszka Barska has agreed that this blog can be published. It does use lots of other products from 14 Craft Bar and I aslo raided the miniature dolls house things that I had at home.

There is a video on the Snipart Website to help construction but here is a photographic step by step. I started by using google translate to identify the componenets (they are eteched in the holding mdf in polish). Having done that I started my making up the component pieces.

The window pieces were easy to identify and look like this when put together:

Then I made the awning that goes on the same panel making sure to align the angled pieces so that it would sit flush on the wall.

The wall was then covered with Pentart Structure paste but you can mix your own by adding powder to modelling paste. I was careful to ensure that I did not put the paste over any of the areas that things need to slot into during construction.

I then added small pieces of extra light clay to the top of the awning so that it looked like it was covered in tiles. I left these to dry completely before painting it with a mix of grey and black creating a darker tone for the first layer. I then added a wash of watered down vintage grey and wiped it back. The holding parts of the awning were then painted with red brown paint. The window frame below this was then painted with reddish brown paint and the top part with the custom gree/blue mix used for the main window frame and the sign.

The window frame was painted with a custom mix of green and blue paints. These pieces were then added to the side panel. along with the sign which comes in the kit. The broom sticks were made by tacking a garden twig and adding string to the end secured by wrapping black cotton around it. The string was then shredded and these were placed on the top of the window. On the shelf of the window I added small vials and some tiny hand made books.

Next I tackled the angled panel that goes at the back of the piece panel - these are the component pieces. on the right the top pieces are the awning, the middle thin pieces are actually the step and the other piecs the window frame and door frame.

The wall was covered with the structure paste and then the pieces painted with a mix of beige and brown paint. before adhering all the pieces in place.

For the right hand panel which forms the side of the box I made up the lantern before painting with the reddish brown paint.

The window frames for this panel were also painted reddish brown before the frames and lantern were adhered to the side panel covered with structure paste.

For the floor of the box I first added the side walk to the area beneath where the book shop window sits and painted this with wtaered down reddish brown paint. The cobblestones were created by rolling balls or extra light clay and then placing them on glue added to the bottom panel before squashing them so that the balls joined together and I had a flattish surface but could still see the identity of each piece. Once this was dry it was painted with watered down reddish brown and also some of the custom mixed grey paint.

The inside of the box lid was covered with paper from lady vagabond backgrounds.The areas that the lights go through were then cut out (the circles in picture below) and the slots also cleared of paper. I then covered the top of this piece again cutting out the slots and circles.

Having created the component parts two background panels were covered with paper which is important as you can see through the windows so they needed filling with some details. DO NOT Glue the left hand panel to the other panel - there are two spacer pices to lift the whole thing forward.

For the opposite panel I covered and then glued the top piece over.

Next I secured the panels as shown to the base and top of the box. For illumination I used two sets of lights - one I fed through the hhole in the top so that it went behind the bookshop and then hot glued the lights in place around the windows so that the bulbs peaked out into the wholes in the mdf. It will look a mess but don't worry you will not see it. Once the lights were in place I added the end and back spacers and the roof.

The second set of lights I fed down the other side through the hole and then across towards the lantern scrumpling a few up together and pushing them into the lantern before taking the rest of the string and adhering them in place on the back of the angled section.

The panel at the back of the box was then covered with texture paste only on the side that was going to be visible i.e. not covered by the angled panel. I then added some extra details with a little wall fountain befoer adhering this in place. along side the other panel.

At this point the top of the box has the light on and off switches. To conceal this the kit comes with an odd shaped piece of mdf and panels with were glued together making sure they were orientated correctly with the longer piece to the right and the cutout to the back of the box. I lined the inside with paper and the covered the outside with structure paste. I also covered the rest of the box outside with more of the structure paste and then added a wash of dark grey paint to resemble a plastered wall. When doing this it is best to do the two pieces separately and to be careful not to have too much over the pegs that slot into the top of the box.