From Humble Roots

Greetings!

I always find it interesting to see how people go about the creative process... we are all so different, and nothing quite demonstrates that as much as how a person goes about creating.  I thought some folks might like to see how I went about putting together the original concept for my Steampunk Chateau project.

The project started out of sheer boredom!  For many years now, there has been little "outdoor" stimulation at our house...Our town home literally has no outside space in the sun.  I have a beautiful little shade garden in the back that is too cold to sit in most of the time!   So I am somewhat trapped indoors, and have been for several years.

Nicknamed Cold Storage - My only outdoor escape 

During one of my fits of boredom, I got to looking out on the web at some of the incredibly beautiful and creative miniature work done by others, and got a hankering to try my hand at a miniature project.

At the same time, I was playing around with a book of George Barber Designs, as I love the Victorian era architecture, and I fell in love with this plan.

George Barber House Plan

I decided right then and there that I would build a miniature house to keep me busy during my down time.  And this had to be it.

Nothing too grand, you know!  

I wanted to build in 1:12 scale, so I drew it all up, thinking I would turn this into my project, but once I got everything measured out... It was going to be 7 feet long! OK..so I am a bit of a dreamer...but even I got cold feet at that.

 Town homes...miniature houses 7 feet long...not a pretty picture!

This got me into a downsizing mode, needless to say.   As part of my downtime during the last few years of captivity, I had purchased a program called Chief Architect.  It is a wonderful architectural program, and I have spent too many hours "building" houses with it.  So I took to my trusty laptop, and decided to create my own floor plan.  

The floor plan I came up with is the one I am using to build this project with. 

My downsized house is somewhere in the neighborhood of 54 inches tall and 58 inches long, when complete.  We don't want the neighbors thinking we cannot build "The Big One"!

Now wait for it....

The final design....

The Cardboard Model - the beginning

See, I told you I "make plans" but don't "plan"!  This is as far as I got before I knew what I wanted to do...sort of!   I had decided on a "French Chateau".  Lovely isn't it!

I was SOOOOOO excited!

My prototype sat in our living room for nearly a month while I planned and schemed...by the end of that time it looked a little less prim and proper: 

The Abandoned "Tape Mansion"

Soon after this photo of the abandoned French Chateau, the lovely building was demolished.

Where did the steampunk come from you ask?  Well...I ALSO considered a smaller steampunk roombox, but earlier favored the larger French Chateau...Well, you can guess.  I kept thinking about that Steampunk I idea...I love Steampunk!  I couldn't get it out of my head, so I just decided my "French Chateau" would become a "Steampunk Chateau". 

That was the beginning of a boatload of fun!  I have truly enjoyed working through the process of building this structure so far.  I am excited to share the process with others now too! 

Until next time!

Doug S.