amylynn920

It's amazing and beautiful! I hope my first build can come out as nicely as yours did!

I can't imagine having tours of my home. That lifestyle just blows my mind.

They had that cottage for their children? All I had was a tv tray and a blanket.

That's a really good idea too!

That may work also. I want it to look old and aged. I'm not in a hurry at all. Thank you for the tip!

Thursday 5/21/15 I've completed the main gable over the front of the Orchid. I had a bit of an issue figuring out the alignment of the gable because I tend to invert things and of course I don't follow direction very well but I did get it to work out. I'm thinking of papering one attic room with newspapers, I found a free printie site with 1:12 scale newspapers and now I just need to find paper that will work as newsprint and print them out. I'm thinking of aging the paper with a weak tea solution. I'm not progressing fast, but I'm not in a huge hurry either. Just letting the house speak to me and tell me it's tale.

I think I'm going to invest stock in spackle. My first build and I am using it like a boss!

Manderley from "Rebecca" and Tara from "Gone With The Wind"

You could try wrapping paper. I'm not sure how well it would hold up or work with but you could try it and see. I have seen some beautiful designs on the papers that may look really pretty as wallpaper.

I have the shell of my Orchid completed. I'm spackling and sanding and taking my sweet time on this. I don't want to hurry it. I'm going to try and get pictures tomorrow so I can continue my blogging of my build.

I've managed to remove and prep the windows for The Orchid. I am finding a lot of lamination chipping off while I'm sanding these little pieces. I'm using Elmers wood filler and spackle to fill gaps, let the pieces dry over night and then sand them. It seems to be working well. I have one rectangular window and the octagon windows to do. I'm thinking I may try painting the supplied acetate window panes for a stained glass look. I don't want to invest in Gallery Glass, until I see how painting the sheets comes out as.

Thanks again everyone, I'm just trying to get used to living without her. I catch myself all the time saying "I've got to go tell mom..." and then remember she's not here to be able to tell her.

I really love the idea of a re-creation of her childhood home. Are the rooms decorated close to what she had growing up and the paint colors similar? I think this is truly a labor of love.

Sunday 4/26/15 It's been over a year since I've really thought about working with my miniatures or my Orchid. My mother passed away on 4/4/15 after a long battle with Congestive Heart Failure. She would ask me once in a while "How's your doll house coming?" and would ooh and ahh over my ideas and when I showed her some little things I had tucked away for when I could build. I never had time for me, taking care of her so I would just answer, "I'll work on it soon." The time has come now that I can work on it and I'll be thinking of my mother as I build this. So yesterday I took out the box and began to work on the Orchid. Since this is my first build, I'm building it as directed so that I can learn the basic set up. I was able to cut out the windows using this a DeWALT folding retractable utility knife. I did struggle on some of the cutting as the windows were not popping out. But I got them out. There were some areas that had split and some pieces were missing little areas of wood so first I glued the areas that needed it with gorilla glue and C clamped them and let them dry. Then I filled in the missing areas with some wood putty and patching plaster. Those are drying now and when they're dried I'll sand them. I'm still reading the forums on how others built their Orchid and I'm still tossing ideas around. The story that this Orchid is telling is of a woman that has lost a child and many other in her life and is now alone and has delved deep into spiritualism and the occult in her efforts to contact the other side. Morbid for some I suppose but for me, it's what this Orchid is going to become.

Not too far, I've been reading your blog and following your builds. You and everyone here inspires me every time I see what you all are working on.