To brick, or not to brick...that is the question.

Finally got the gouge exchanged to the proper size.  Karin Corbin suggested I make my own gouge, but alas! I did not have any mini brass tubing laying about.  (I would LOVE to see Karin's studio some day --bet it is incredible)!

OK, don't laugh, but now I'm seriously considering using a stucco finish instead of the brick!  (Hey, it's MY doll house)!  The reason is because I was watching some BBC miniseries and there was a country house --Hanbury Court-- that was eerily similar to my own Merriman Park.  It had the same classical portico (dressed  in pale, rusticated stone), the body of the house rendered in yellow stucco. I found the effect to be charming.

                        (Check it out at 0:04-05 or you'll miss it)!

So I decided to work on the center portion of the house, which I had already decided to be stone.  I'm going for dressed ashlar blocks.  I already had the primer coat on so I was ready to go...

Bricks, stucco --it can just WAIT for now!

Well, I first had to pack away all the furniture I have been accumulating so it wouldn't get ruined.  Glad I saved all the original boxes.

I'm getting a little worried about all the little parts laying about.  I had to take five of my windows apart so I could paint the outside frames the stone color.  So now there are tiny bits of window parts scattered about. I am so bad about keeping all this little stuff organized.

Anyway, I got the center block painted the "base" stone color along with the pediment, the roof balusters, the chimneys, the cornices, quoins, basement and entrance stair.  I even penciled in the ashlar blocks!

Finally feel like I made some progress!

BTW Cranford is highly recommended, especially if you're a fan of Dame Judy Dench.