Rather than start another kit now, back in the summer of 2014...months before age 65...we started working on a large number of red boxes instead of looking at them on the shelf.
This thread will look at a number of builds and give information about each one. Hope you enjoy this journey.
Lets start with the main plaster building of SRMW # 120 Threadwell Textile. All window openings were opened up in the walls with a large sewing needle held in a pin vise. Krylon gray spray primer was used on those four walls. A thin wash of beige craft paint was applied to the walls as a mortar wash. White craft paint and a color called Apple Barrel Tuscan Teal was used for the trim. Another craft paint Apple Barrel Granite Grey was used on the front and sides of the dormers. Pencil lines were drawn on the roof cards to keep the Campbell shingles straight. Windows were all glazed with Micro Krystal Clear.
Here's the photos:
Tommy

 What's India Ink and Ammonia on the wood look like without a box of those Fine Scale Miniatures # 170 Sawmill metal castings to complete the picture ?
Here's the reference photos ! Note the NWB items have been installed...
Tommy

 The main coal bunker is complete with the exception of the outside stairs and landings. Missing rafter ends were added back on today. Still need to finish building the coal bins, truck shed, office, and supply shed , etc. which are part of the kit diorama.
Tommy

 George's inspiration for the name of this building came from an old Frank Ellison book who made one for his Delta Lines RR. See the first photo.
The second photo was taken with my phone from page 70 of the FSM Thread. This black and white reference photo will help lay the windows out.
Will start cutting the wall out this week.
Tom

 Brett Gallant ( SWSM ) has released a paint set yesterday and it is available in limited supply. Here is some info from his website.
AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM SierraWest!

NOW AVAILABLE - IN STOCK - LIMITED SUPPLY
all paint orders ship within 2 business days
Non-Toxic, Water Soluble, High-Density Pigment Paint Set
36 Half Ounce Bottles - $131.50 each set ($3.65 bottle)

The set includes the following :
Each 36 half ounce bottle set includes 6 metallic finish paints, 18 Reaper high-density paints, and 12 custom SierraWest/Reaper HD Paints available exclusively in this set. These are SW Grimy Black, SW Boxcar Red, SW Rust, SW Dark Rust, SW Grime, SW Earth, SW Bone, SW Roof Brown, SW Concrete, SW Light Grey, SW Green, and SW Buckskin.

Here is a link to the info:

https://www.sierrawestscalemodels.com/supplies.shtml

I do not own any SWSM kits and I have never met Brett, even after working in Texas for 10 years and living only 15 minutes from his home.

Hope this info helps some modelers out that are looking for some new Floquil matched paint colors.

Here is also a direct link to Reaper Miniatures to view their core color paints  :

https://www.reapermini.com/Paints/corecolors

Tom

Here's a small laser cut wood shanty from Northeastern Scale Models , kit # NE 40005 assembled and painted with craft paints, that was given as a surprise gift to a local model railroader here last summer. That person invited me to several operating sessions over the last few years at his home since moving to Minnesota. I added a few fall peppergrass trees to the package. It has found a home on his pike. 

 I built this for a friend in Chicago back in 1976 . The scratchbuilt structure is based on the Timberline limited edition kit # 1003, the Richardson Lumber Company, that I purchased back then. The layout owner liked the kit, but it would not fit in the space he had available on his layout, so I changed it up a little and cut out a set of walls that would fit in his open layout space, added an office, a loading dock and a couple of doors, etc. where he wanted a lumber yard on his layout. The photo is washed out, but it was painted in Scalecoat colors , had grooved siding, and I used Grandt Line windows way back then. His flat car load is ready on the siding . Found the old photo tonight....so enjoy the only photo I ever took of it. Also check out his layout photos that I found this morning in the thread named "NYC along the Hudson" in the layout tour section. Have a safe 4th of July Weekend !
Tom

 These are poor photos I took over 40 years ago of a home layout on the south side of Chicago. The builder is now 85 years old and we are good friends and still get to talk on the phone. We meet taking photos of a steam trip coming out of downtown Chicago way back in 1971. Enjoy the photos that I found tonight of his layout as it looked in the 1970's. Scroll down this thread to see one more picture was added later today. Wish I knew how to take better pictures back then.
Have a safe 4th of July Holiday weekend too !
Tom

 I built this for a friend in Chicago about 35 or 40 years ago from a black and white photo in one his NYC books showing it in the Harmon NY yard, which is what he is modeling here. It was near the approach tracks to the coaling tower and roundhouse and that's where he put it on his layout . The photos are washed out, but it was painted in Scalecoat NYC 2 tone gray, has 6 clapboard sides, and I used Grandt Line windows and a door way back then. His 2 LMB NYC brass steamers are ready for work.  Found the old photos tonight....the first photo was when he was operating the layout and the second photo was taken lifting the plastic up that covered the layout when not in use at a different date.......so enjoy the only photos I ever took of it........... and have a safe Memorial Day Weekend !
Tom

Here's my build of the Fine Scale Miniatures Garage # 130 named after my only brother who lost his fight with cancer 5 years ago. Jerry loved to work on cars when we lived in Chicago, and this is a tribute to him. Many of us have a choice when we put a name on a structure, my choice was simple.
Tom Boyd

 Here's my 2nd kit build to share with the forum.
Since it was done a while back, it's done in Floquil Solvent based paints.
5 PFM 1.5 volt bulbs were added with Campbell Lampshades over the doorways.
The roof sections are removable . Behind the fright house is the rear of the # 70 Flagstop Station that was posted yesterday.

 Here's my version of George's kit.
Platform was build board by board and the random clapboard sheets from the kit were discarded.
Grandt Line windows were installed by enlarging the wall openings , a Chooch Coke machine added to the platform, Note : I drink Pepsi.....and I added a full interior with lighting . George's old style shingles were used. Nail holes were added and a light A/I wash was done to tone down the Floquil colors of Roof Brown and Reefer Yellow. Station is named "Stickney", a suburb of Chicago, where we once lived.
Photos were added to My Gallery also.