Adallae

Thanks for your replies! I am using some dollhouse wallpaper and some scrapbook paper. It's the dollhouse wallpaper that is fading. Roni - did you get the sealer at a craft shop, or hardware store?

Does anyone know how I can prevent my wallpaper from fading? I had no idea it could happen so quickly! My farmhouse isn't done yet, but I already have to repaper two of the walls due to sunlight exposure. Even when I draw the blinds, the sun comes through enough to ruin it. Is there something I can put over it (a sealer maybe?) that might help?

This site is one of my favorites: Mini Dolls. They have lots of patterns. They also have fabric, lace, ribbon, buttons, and a variety of trim - all just right for dollhouse scale!

pink and white

Has everyone received their June swap? I haven't gotten mine yet, and I'm a little concerned that it might be lost in the mail...

white please!

Sign me up too, please!

I purchased stair brackets from Earth and Tree awhile ago. North Eastern Scale Models makes them. Cost me about $3 for 4. To find them on the website, go to Building Materials, then Brackets, then pick Northeast. They're made from wood, but they are very, very thin. I've found dozens of uses for them!

Hello - HBS - www.miniature.com - offers a wide range of table and chair legs, posts, etc. to make furniture out of. And www.dejouxminiatures.com has a good selection of plywood and basswood, in all imaginable shapes and sizes.

Hello - I've spent a considerable amount of time looking for FIMO classic as well. The local craft store primarily sells soft. Here's a website that has the classic colors at a decent price : FIMO USA. I haven't ordered from them, but it's they have the most colors at the best I've found so far.

Wow, I'm surprised by some of the things people say about this hobby. I usually get the 'oh, really?' with a smirk when I describe what I love to do, and I'm offended by that. I couldn't imagine how I'd react if someone said something really rude to my face! I meet so many people who have no hobbies at all, and always seem either stressed out or, quite frankly, bored. A lot of people can't see any reason to invest so much time in something that, for many of us, doesn't turn a profit, which goes for most hobbies in general. I just feel bad for people who can't understand what it means to put your heart and soul into creating something that is your own.

Okay, I am one year into this wonderful hobby, and for all of my efforts, I have only one house that I consider to be finished. There are four in progress, and I can't seem to finish one before starting another! One is glued together, but completely bare, I've been siding the Garfield since last September, the Linfield and I keep butting heads, and my poor farmhouse has been under construction for more than 10 months. With all of this going on, I've got the strongest urge to start the Lily, but I feel guilty knowing she'll suffer the same fate! Is this strange? How do you guys motivate yourselves to get to the end? How long should it actually take to finish a dollhouse?

What a wonderful website! Thank you!

Sorry guys - I got my box too! Post away! I forgot to take pics of my swap item again....if anyone has or would like to take pictures of my item, please feel free to post for me! :thumb:

I've tried the packaged mini clay bricks, and the magic brick that came with the Linfield. I don't know if I did something wrong, but I really didn't like working with the magic brick. I didn't like the texture of the mix - it was difficult to work with - and even applying the stencil was a task (the cut out bricks didn't easily separate themselves. I only did one wall of the base with it, and I plan to scrap it off and try something different. I loved using the clay bricks and mortar, though, I used them all over my Glencroft.

Have a clean apartment!

What about trying 1/2 scale? I've fallen in love with the Thornhill, but I can't imagine that I'll have the funds to purchase the full scale anytime soon. Instead, I'm considering going with the 1/2 scale version. You get just as many rooms, and it takes up much less space. :groucho:

Anytime works for me! December gets really busy with work, etc., but with only one item to make, it shouldn't be too big of a problem!

Aggiemae - What a wealth of information! Thanks a bunch for all of the details on how best to wrap and ship a completed house! I would love to be able to use ebay to sell dollhouses and other minis. I wouldn't expect much of a profit, just enough to reinvest in more minis and have even more fun sharing this hobby. Starting a store on ebay seems like a good way to try this, and the costs and risk are minimal. I love your idea of posting an ad to build and repair houses on craigslist! I'm on the east coast, and craigslist doesn't seem as popular as it was on the west coast, but I think I'll give it a try. My current work space is a spare bedroom, approximately 12x10 feet, and I have a 12x6 balcony for things that need to be done outdoors. I've seen a number of completed houses sell on ebay with shipping costs in the $50 - $75 range, so that's not unreasonable to most buyers if they really want the house! As long as my creations are good enough to be desired, I think this just might work. I'll post pics of my Linfield once it's complete, so you all can give me your honest opinion.

I'm fond of any hue of purple or blue

I think making the work primarily original is the fun of the swaps. Most mass produced minis are starting to look alike to me. I like the challenge of coming up with new ideas, and I love seeing what others have created from their own imaginations!

I feel free to use a lot more color and test ideas on my mini homes than on my real home. We rent, so we can't paint the walls. However, the beige furniture, light colored wood, and artwork based on earthtones are our own choosing! My DH and I have finally admitted to ourselves that we have a fear of color! My mini's are a chance to experiment with colors, textures, and ideas that I might not try in my own home. If I don't like it, it can be easily redone, or I can just build a new house!

Thanks for the advice! I've seen a number of finished Linfield's and Newburg's for sale on ebay, so I'll do some research. I would definately make Paypal an option for payment, and allow local pick up if the potential buyer is nearby. I've noticed local pick-up only houses often don't sell, so I'll have to weigh the house and get a shipping estimate.

I was wondering if anyone here has had any success selling completed houses on ebay, or anywhere else for that matter. I would like to try listing my Linfield when it's done. I plan to wallpaper it, put in flooring, etc. but sell it without furniture. Is it worth it, or are finished houses too difficult to sell? I'm only hoping for a few dollars to put toward another kit. There are so many I want to build, and I just can't keep them all!

The Circle of Joy idea sounds like fun! I'd try it.