Merry Christmas and structure kit with wife

I have wanted to work on a "Christmas" project with my wife for quite a while now. We are usually both very busy so the idea of sharing some quality craft time together sounded relaxing and enjoyable. We were recently at the mall and I came across a structure kit (scale not listed on the box, but it looks like 1:64) which I thought might be just the thing. In all fairness it wasn't a complete scratchbuilding exercise as the walls came already formed with window and trim lines pre-scribed in the material. But, it did require assembly and final painting and detailing was left completely up to the builder.

I opened the package and took stock of the contents: 2 front/rear walls; 2 end walls, 2 roof panels; one base panel; a package of glue; 2 small packages of figures; and some decorative castings. To test both the integrity and deliciousness of the wall material I broke off a corner and ate it... big mistake, as it tasted pretty bad. Obviously, this was a kit foremost and a baked good second. My usual tendency with structure kits is to discard the base as it is too large and unrealistic to integrate with the surrounding scenery, but here I decided to use it (despite it now missing a corner).

The wife's side

We chose to pre-decorate some of the walls prior to assembly, as this would produce the most realistic results. I discovered that the glue came in a squeeze bag that was not really well designed and the results were similar to Testors gloppy cement that comes in the orange and white tubes. However, it smelled a whole lot better (no crazy headaches) and tasted fantastic. In fact, I found multiple places on my fingers to glue just so that I could lick it off.

My wife had much better luck applying it around the windows and doors. Then, we applied glue to the wall and roof joints and assembled the kit. Lacking corner clamps, all 20 fingers were pressed into service. Here, the thinness of the glue proved to be a weakness and it took quite a bit of effort to hold the roof panels in place whilst the glue set. *NOTE: all pictures are curtesy of my wife except the first, which I took. She is a much better photographer.

At the same time, we pressed on with the decorations which led to inevitable bumps and shakes of the building that only further helped to separate the roof seams. However, in retrospect this added to the realistic ramshackle weathering and run down appearance of the building which is popular in modeling circles these days.

My Side

I added a cross-hatched roof pattern to my half of the building, while my wife went for the more traditional sweeping curves. I am not sure which is more prototypical. Finally, additional details such as full-color figures and nut/bolt/washer castings that were oddly shaped as snowflakes were added. It is hard to determine how much realism the figures added even with such further details such as hats or headware added. Looking back, I note we unfortunately grouped the figures in poses that are utterly unrealistic whatsoever. I did my part by removing two from the kit and putting them in as safe a place as I could beforehand (chomp).  

All in all, it proved a really fun way to spend about a half an hour. I am not sure yet on whether I want to submit it to NMRA judging or else just give it to the dog, but I know that I want to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Wonderful New Year!

On a more serious note, the true meaning of Christmas...

Matthew 1:18-24 

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.