Diagon Alley #2

 My youngest daughter's birthday is coming up in another month, so I decided to build her a nook she has been asking for ever since she saw the one I built for her older sister two years ago. I present Diagon Alley number two! That #1 Diagon Alley was the first booknook I built, so understandably there are several differences in this build. There are more windows, more shopfronts, people, a better front facing, and a hidden switch. I'm hoping my older daughter isn't bummed because Little Sis got an upgrade. I actually have upgraded hers once already, installing a sound module and moving the switch to the front for her. And, I think the fiber optic magics from Wiseacre's shop turned out better on the first one.

Starting out with 5mm (1/4") foam core, scribing the bricks 

Starting the storefront cutouts

The right side of the street is ready

The left side of the street is ready, storefronts and windows pre-fitted

Everything removed for painting

Both walls done

mounting store labels

The purple side will show as a completely different shop in the mirror

Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions

Owls for the Eeylops Owl Emporium shop windows

Wand display for Ollivander's Wand shop window

Madam Malkin's sign and shop windows can clearly be seen in the mirror appearing like a left slant continuation of the alley

fitting the front facing, made from 1/4" and 1/2" foam core

Showing the fairy light placement, along with the Wiseacre's fiber optics tube, and one of the street lantern's wires

The 3V AAA battery holder and the 90 second light activated sound module

The fairy light placement on the other side, including one street lantern.

Starting to populate the street with the one dimensional magic beings

That is it, another one done!

Slytherin Common Room Booknook

Well, since I haven't been doung any wargaming for quite a while now, my focus is likely to remain on creating these micro-diorama scenes called booknooks. The ideas just keep coming. I have gifted just about everyone on my Christmas list with them, and now I'm doing one for myself. I will probably give this one away at some point as well. I have limited room for them, unfortunately. But they are great fun to create.

This one is a Harry Potter Wizarding World theme, one of the four houses at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, Slytherin. It is a small section of the Slytherin Common Room. The outside of the case is decorated with the snake shield of Slytherin and the stone face of Salazar Slytherin, the founder of the house. Hope you like.

Sculpting Salazar Slytherin from cosclay

The snake was made from cosclay

The facing and steps are sculpted from 1" XPS foam

 

Finished right wall

Finished left wall, roof, floor, and rear wall.

Bottles were made from hot glue, glass beads, and wood

The chandelier drying

gas lanterns half donethe gas lantern chandelier 

The gas lantern chandelier 

The skull and case

adding details

Trying out placements

The wall is 1/4" foam core. The fireplace is repurposed packing foam I saved from the trash. The texture is dry spackling.

the back is made from two sandwiched pieces of 1/4" foam core 

The floor is 1/4" foam core.  The blocks are impressed with a sharp pencil.

Just getting started