I caved!

If anyone actually reads these blogs, the title will make sense.

I have not finished the Santa house and I have started on the Nativity stable.

I have started to add to it, trying to conserve the basic idea that my Dad has but use my newfound miniature interest too.

There have been nights when I have lain awake thinking about the roof. How can I make it look thatched without thatching it? Is a thatched roof authentic for Bethlehem? Am I overthinking it all?

I decided to stick coffee stirrers to the walls on the outside and give them a wash of colour to tone down the pine look.

Then I attacked the walls and added tiny bits of tissue paper to the paint to get a distempered plastered look. To get a hand built look I scored the roof to look like huge planks.

Now I am wondering what to do about the floor and bit outside.

I don’t want to use coffee grains, as it can attract mice and I don’t think I can use sand as it might have bugs in it, apparently.

So watch this space as I consider what to do.