Soapz
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Posts posted by Soapz
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MiniElle has photos of the house in her gallery album. I'm assuming that Annie sold it to her.
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Happy New Year to all of you. May it be a tad easier on all of us.
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Happy Holidays!
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So, I finally watched yesterday - and I have sooooo many questions.... What exactly is 50% prep work? Prepping all walls, floors and ceilings and then put the house together? What about the interiors? Prepped? Built? What are the carpenters doing? I didn't really get what they are helping with.Well, I hope the show will get better. The work was messy and I wasn't impressed.
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Looks like the Lady Kathleen Kit by Celerity
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Here is a link to an online estate auction - there are a few interesting pieces that might fit tighter budgets and not so tight ones...
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Well, glad to hear that everyone is hanging on. Life's been a bit rough since last year - I haven't been around much. My father had cancer, started an internal bleed in March 2019 and couldn't get it repaired with surgery until August. We had a few touch and go situations where he almost died. He got better until about February this year, that's when he asked me to move in with him to help out. I packed a few things and did that and then he passed on March 17th. Since then I have been dealing with packing up two houses, moving, dealing with the estate and I am still going to work every day.
The house I am moving into (parent's house) is full of stuff. I packed all of it for now - it filled a whole bedroom. I was able to clear the garage, and next Saturday my furniture and the rest of my life is being moved: furniture into the house - boxes in the garage for now. I have a painter coming in on the 9th - and then I can start to get organized. I have moved the majority of my dollhouse furniture collection already, now all the building parts are coming on the weekend. It'll take weeks to get set up - I promise I won't move again - they'd have to drag me screaming and kicking out of here. I am so over it. But I will have a shop in the garage, and one bedroom for 'clean' work. No more doing everything in my office and getting saw dust in my computer..... hahaha.
Y'all, I thought I was so clever and packed everything in small moving boxes, thinking that I have to move them at some point. I'm pretty sure I got over 100 boxes coming. I am already exhausted thinking about it....
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Hah! Knew it! 'A tiger cannot change its spots' - or was it 'a leopard cannot change its stripes'? Whatever.... glad you are feeling and sounding better!
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I seem to remember flat lead wire being sold in the UK for fishing. Something like this:
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I finally have something new to report: I bought myself a car - no more old clunker for me. What a relief to get into a car not having to worry if it is going to make it to where you want to go.
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5 hours ago, madtex1967 said:
This one keeps popping up. Now the price has dropped. I have been strong, but it is now so tempting. But someone would have a fit if I bring another one into the house.
https://neworleans.craigslist.org/tag/d/metairie-doll-house-custom-built/6892754420.html
Matt, seeing as I will inherit your houses, just say: That one is only stored temporarily for Christina. Because Christina wants this one, but Christina's car is on the fritz, so it will not drive to Metairie at this time. I'll sign off on it. I think the coast needs to unite and not let that one get away. I can totally paypal you if you think that works....
Can you see the same grand staircase that I see in this house?
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So, Kelly.......... if any of your houses are seeking political asylum - there might be a way all of us can help out........? I'm aware that it is an involved process, but I'm willing to house a few....
Jokes aside. This might be a more unconventional suggestion, but: for the built houses - contact local charities that might plan fundraisers. It's kinda what I do with the houses I don't like much (you know the ones you buy because they are such a good deal you can't walk away from? The ones you look at later and think: Was I drunk when buying that one?)
I finish them as play houses and donate them - usually they involve food in fundraisers, so I get to eat for free and peddle the house as the one thing everybody needs. Because what is house without a dollhouse? Right? You could attach small plaques to the house with your mom's name as the donor. I think that would be a nice thought.
Charities usually do not get high ticket items that are unique. Place a dollhouse for $200 next to a generic giftbasket for the same price - it always comes out: Dollhouse: 1 - Giftbasket: 0. I have yet to see one of them go for less than 200. No furniture unless I got some that I want to get rid off as well.
Just a thought.
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Hey Shannon,
I used paint stripper I bought from Home Depot on a Mahogany daybed from Bespaq and it worked well.
I covered the complete piece in paint stripper - I had a hard time keeping up with removing the finish before the stripper dried. I believe doing it in sections will work better. Or taking the piece apart with help of a hair dryer. The glue gets dissolved by the paint stripper, so the piece comes apart anyways. I cut an old gift card into thin stripes to use as scrapers. That worked really well.
Problems I ran into: Because the wood pieces are so small, the individual parts soak up liquid and become soft and bendable. I had a tiny piece break off and had to replace it. I would recommend being extremely careful when drying the pieces so they do not warp.
If you use paint stripper you will still have to sand the whole piece. Any form of liquid will raise the grain and sanding is a must for a finished look. I made sanding sticks from 600 and 1000 sanding paper to use - could not have done it without it.
In this picture I used the old upholstery which came off rather easy. I have not glued it down yet, so it looks
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I believe they have been sold as "Heartland" Doll House Furniture. There are quite a few around and I think they have been originally manufactured in Taiwan.
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So good to hear, Kelly. I am glad things are looking up and I love to see that enthusiasm in your post. You go!
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Henry Kupjack died last night at age 67. His talent will be greatly missed.
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I am using matboard as templates for some of the rooms I am wallpapering. The sturdy base helps prevent curling, occasionally I have a slight warp. I use rubber cement to glue the matboard in place and it works great.
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5 hours ago, madtex1967 said:
HA! I already have this house in my stash. So I won't be buying it, but the Skil-Craft kits are good quality, so this is a good bargain (at least when I posted the link).
I think I need to reciprocate my dollhouse stash to you! I have already been told I am a hoarder, so have been trying to build and go through my things!
Well, I have no volunteers for the dollhouse kit, but a lot of people willing to drive a truck across the state line...... hahaha. No worries though right now, I won't be going for this one this time around. We might consider a storage unit in Slidell - that way no one will know.
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8 hours ago, madtex1967 said:
Skil-Craft Country Manor kit at a low starting bid and low shipping!
If I buy this it will be your fault, Matt..... And if I die before you, you will inherit all my dollhouse stuff. My family decided two years ago I had too much. So: Tag! You're it...... LOL
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Have a happy Christmas all of you! I wish you joy and wonders for the coming year and all the good things that can happen!
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Robert, I just went through a major 'organizing; phase and here is what helped me with the miniatures: Bins, plenty of bins. Sort furniture and accessories by room: living room in one, bathroom in the next, and so on. next for building parts, then electrical, glues, etc - stackable bins with lids - I found cheap ones at Home Depot. Get clear ones so you can see what's in them. Once you have the majority of it together, set it up so you know where everything is, get your tools ready, get a comfy chair (lots of sitting....) and a nice work table and go for it. None of it is miracle work, on occasion it only takes creative problem solving - and you have plenty of skilled people here who are happy to help.
When you have your inventory sorted let us know. We have incredibly talented interior designers here, carpentry specialists and Jacks of all trades. We know where to buy, how to do and who to ask.
Having been through the same as you are going through right now, try taking it one day at a time. It's been over a year now and there are things us kids cannot touch yet, and other times where we have to stop my dad from throwing out everything without looking through. It might not feel like it right now, but you will get used to it. My thoughts are with you.
Chris
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Welcome, Robert.
As none of know which houses you have, as well as not knowing what kind of progress has been made on them, it is somewhat difficult to give you good advice.
Also, it would help to know what exactly you plan on doing. Finishing is one thing, the question here is "how": Are they wallpapered? Do you want wood floors? What time period should the interior be? Do you have furniture already? Do you know which room is going to be what?
Are they wired already? Do you want them wired? Do you want to go with battery lights? The options to finish a house are almost endless.
You might want to think about either starting an online album here (you need 5 posts to do so) or post links to an online album. It helps us to see where you are at and help you working on it.
Do you need to buy a small one for 'training'? I personally don't think so, but that is a matter of preference.
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Hello Everyone,
thought I share what I got myself for Christmas. I was looking for a workbench light and they were all way too expensive. SO I went online googled a bit and found a tutorial for an Arch Light - total cost: $30.
I went to HD and bought an aluminium bar for $8, ordered LEDs and an adapter for $22. I had 2 metal angle thingies and attached them with some bolts and used 2 clamps. And it is bright....... no shadows on the work pieces.
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What are you up to today? This week?
in Chit-Chat
Posted
Well, long time no hear..... I've been checking in randomly and I miss this forum, the dollhouse, and -just about everything - so much...... I can't believe I am admitting this - but my "craft room" is still not quite set up. I got the shelves and the boxes in, but I need to sort through it and throw some stuff out. I did find the box with the repair furniture, and the chandelier (from hell) that I tried to make. I consider that progress.
My work station in the garage is covered of things that escaped from the abyss - I have no clue what they are. *sigh* - this will have to wait, I am going to pretend that it is too cold to clean that up.
Other than that, I've been circling my unfinished houses and I am determined to finish at least one of them this year. Then again, there are all these others. The guilt is almost unbearable. Have y'all ever thought of building all the shells and then line them up and work on all of them at the same time? a little bit here and a little bit there? I mean, who needs a living room, right?
I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing somewhat okay and is standing strong. I hope we all continue that way. Stay well everyone.