alycemina

I found a straw placemat (round) at Bed Bath and Beyond for $4 that is just the perfect width and weight for doll hats, you just have to unstitch the coils and sew a thread along on edge to pull to get hat circles (either use regular sewing thread but pull carefully or perhaps beading "fishing line" plastic thread). I ordered some hat material and the supplier was out of stock, so when I saw the placemat it seemed like a go! Needless to say, one placemat will provide enough for a lifetime of 1/12 scale hats.

I made a stable/barn from an old christmas creche i got for free...it was the perfect size and you can add doors and stable areas...just a thougt for you and others (see Blackbird Farm in my gallery)

Thank you!! I am definately going to do the modified roundwire soldered to the tapewire - I didnt know about this method. I have bookmarked your tutorials.

So sorry about your brother - my younger brother died also a few years ago and it is hard, I know.

I asked this question on another post also - how can you see what you are doing? Use a magnifier lamp? I am trying a sampler x stitch and it is hopeless.

I cant see what I am doing trying to cross stitch so small - I assume all you x stitchers use a magnifying lamp???

essential if you are going to use brads....worth the few dollars...

I have a Proxxon miniature table saw with a 4 inch diameter blade and it is fabulous for mini work. I dont have a RL portable - mine is too heavy and on a stand.

I am working on a farm house and would like a little sampler (cross stich or similar) that says Bless This Home. I can do RL xstich with a pattern but am clueless re mini (finished size around 2" x 2" or so). Any suggestions or kits? thanks alyce

I got some paint and oilbased stain on installed windows, and I tried all of the below with some success but not all of the paint came off (mostly the smears didnt): alcohol acetone (nail polish remover) windex soap and water mineral spirits none hurt the windows, but some just didnt work. Good luck

Nice to hear from you. Work really gets in the way, doesnt it, but Alaska is a nice perk. The Van Buren will be patient until you have the proper time to spend on it. Best regards, Alyce

I am in Morris County NJ and I wouldnt try to be a full service shop, but rather sell some furniture and dollhouses - dhs mostly already built and rehabed or new from kits. I dont t hink I would try to have a broader product line unless the demand was there. Although you can by "packages" of most common supplies from manufacturers for wholesale price and then sell them at retail price.

If by store, you mean a dh shop to sell stuff, most manufacturers will sell to you wholesale, especially Aztec/Townsquare. Google Aztec Industries and the website shouldl come up. You will need an EIN number (thats an IRS tax number to prove you are a business) to become a wholesale buyer and most places.

Do you think it'sbig enough? Happy Birthday!!!!!

Humbled, again. Your dolls are amazing!! Thanks so much for sharing the pics...

I like it but see the disconects in scale. How about something like a library (high ceilings are the norm) or some kind of public building, since they are often grand. Just some random thoughts but I bet you can come up with something unique and fun.

I am wondering and could use your input - I could use some of my studio for a minis/dh store, too. It is an official retail space, so no problem with the town or landlord. But, I dont want to keep regular store hours 5 days a week but would consider something like 10:00 am to 2:00pm a couple of days a week or something like that. I would sell extra kits I have, great finds I rehab, and some furniture and accessories (OOAK and standard). Does this make sense? I would just let word of mouth bring in traffic. Since I already pay rent anyway and have store insurance (liability), the cost is almost nothing except for some product (I can buy wholesale, craigslist, freecycle whatever). Although I might not make much money, I could probably make more than my costs for what I might sell.

Good luck job hunting! And I concur - hold on to your minis if you can - they are a sunk cost (that is, if they are paid for) and you will miss them, I bet. But, if you have to, I hold you get great prices for them. Take care and agin, happy hunting!

However, i have such a hard time parting with ANY of my miniatures... they are just tooo special to me... Me too - I did sell some pieces of old Shackman and now I regret it, since I am rehabing/reinventing some I did keep and like them for country type/simple houses. Of course, I dont think I could part with any of my special pieces...

I have one too - one is a little over scale and one is small - probably closer to half scale. I love my bigger one, but it takes the right house - it is so deep that unless a room is quite wide, nothing else much fits in the kitchen for my dhs. I have them sitting on a shelf and just know someday the right house will appear. Nice find for you and pics please when you have it in a dh. Perhaps I just need some inspiration.

For my birthday my DH gave me a motorized (2 revs/minute) dollhouse base. He found it on the internet by himself and ordered it for me. We had been talking about how one would be great to hold a dh in my studio huge storefront window, but I never thought he would find one and get it for me. Cant wait to try it out for my finished Glencroft which has been stored in the basement for several months. He also gave me Gorilla glue (you know you are getting old when that's what you hinted for) and a gift certificate for Micheal's.

Well, I have 122 House of Miniature kits unbuilt and 3 Realife kits with multi pieces in them (unbuilt) and many built HOM pieces that I purchased or made. Cant even come close to you on sets - goodness! I'd hate to see your Visa/Mastercard bill (just kidding).

I painted some of the wood candle cups from Michael's (like 6 for $2.00) and then used the pour on super thick polyurethane finish and wow...they look like porcelain! Great way to go cheap and get expensive looking results. Just fyi - probably many of you already know this trick....

Love your blog - I have a shortcut on my desktop for it. Great work and super ideas to use. Thanks

wonderful - love the exterior paint scheme....post more pics when furnished/decorated. great house.