Lisa_F

Ditto what Jennifer said. The only time I've had a problem with my power strips (in 1:12 scale) is when I had a problem with the fuse. Replaced the fuse & all my lights worked the way they were supposed to. One time, a brand new power strip right out of the package needed the fuse replaced. It's been awhile so I don't really recall if my little light next to the fuse came on or not , but I distinctly remember plugging one light into the power strip = okay; plugging 2 into the power strip = very very very dim lights. And it was the fuse that was the problem (for my power strip).

Thank you for the confirmation on the roof angle Mike! And many thanks for the information on how to butt the two roof halves together without the need for beveled edges! You just made my day!!!!

Yep, I was planning on an overhang on the bottom of the roof, I just didn't draw it in when I was figuring out the roof angle/slant. Since it overhangs the house I didn't think it would matter (in a preliminary sketch) how far it hung over the side of the house. Which brings up another question: having the roof extended to overhang the side of the house by an inch or so on both sides, that won't change the pitch of the roof, right? Since it would be at the bottom of the roof piece, hanging over the edge of the house?

Don't confuse me with any facts Kelly! All I want to know is if the roof pitch will work for a dormer that needs a 45 degree slant! lol!

Thank you Kathie!!!

Thank you sooooo much Mike! Kelly (rodentraiser) tried to explain it to me once but it was just too complicated sounding. I'm a visual person & need to see it in front of me so I just get completely lost if someone is explaining it without pictures! lol! The only thing that kind of stuck in my brain was to divide the width of the wall in half. Thank you!!!!!

Good morning everyone! I'm hoping someone can help me out with some math. I'm trying to figure out how to get a 45 degree roof pitch (is that the correct wording?) so that I can put dormer's on a roof. Everything is just in the planning stages on paper right now, but I have no idea how to figure out a 45 degree angle. Will the dimensions in this sketch give me a 45 degree angle on the roof for dormers: This is a sketch of the front wall. It has a 9 inch ceiling height for the first floor and I was estimating 4 inch knee walls on the second floor. Based on this sketch, would my roof have a 45 degree angle that would accommodate dormers on the side? If not, what would I need to change to make the roof a 45 degree angle? Thanks for any help you can provide. Math is most definitely not my strong point! lol! Lisa. edited to get the picture to show up sketch 1.pdf

Beautifully done Emily, I wish I lived closer. I hope someone here is close enough to benefit from your generosity!

(Almost) Guilt Free Cheesecake 1 quart plain greek yogurt 1 & 1/2 boxes dry instant pudding mix - cheesecake flavored fresh fruit of choice Dump yogurt in mixing bowl. Add dry pudding mix (2 boxes can be used, but that's too sweet for me so I just use 1.5 boxes - the leftover can be saved for the next time). Stir well making sure all powdered pudding mix is incorporated & yogurt is smooth. The mixture will be very thick - don't worry, this is a good thing . Spoon yogurt mix into individual serving containers & refrigerate for 3+ hours (this seems to give it more of a cheesecake flavor). Right before serving top each dish with fresh fruit. My favorite is a mix of fresh blueberries & raspberries, but sliced peaches or sliced strawberries are pretty good too! In a pinch vanilla greek yogurt can be used instead of plain. Enjoy! p.s. okay, I know the pudding mix isn't exactly healthy, but I think the 0 fat, high protein yogurt more than makes up for that... That's my story anyways, and I'm sticking to it! lol!

Thanks for the Fried Salmon Patties recipe Kat! DH ran across a good sale & purchased several cans of salmon some time ago & I wasn't sure what to do with them - but this sounds like it would be really yummy & I just happen to have all the ingredients on hand!

I would love to do a sun room or garden scene in a bird cage or terrarium! Some time ago I saw a picture of a miniature garden scene in a bird cage & was really interested in making one myself, but unfortunately the only bird cages I could find were more costly than just buying a roombox. If I stumbled upon an inexpensive (re: used) terrarium or bird cage I would definitely give it a try!

Around here a lot of people call the very bottom floor the "main floor" and then the second floor is just called "upstairs".

Thank you both so much! I think the dimensions will work for what I want to try, now to just get one ordered! Muriel, thank you for taking the measurements and for the picture, that really really helps! Thank you!

I have an idea for a dollhouse bash that I think might work with the Willow. Before I go and order it, can someone who has this house do me a huge favor and measure the interior dimensions of the first floor? According to the website the house is 31 inches wide by 18 inches deep - but I know that includes any and all things that protrude on the exterior. I don't need separate room measurements, just the floor space overall inside. Can someone help me? Also - can the chimney's be left off without compromising the stability of the house? Thank you for any help you can give! Lisa

Hello Zoe & welcome to the forum! I've not built this particular house (but am seriously considering it - as a matter of fact I just signed into the forum to ask a question about this very kit!) but have built a few others & think I can answer some of your questions for you. 1. Whether or not you paint/decorate as you put the house together or wait until you have finished the build is entirely up to you - with one important exception. If there are areas of the house that are impossible or difficult to get to once it is built then you should paint/decorate those first. If all areas of the house are easy to access after it's built then you can do it either way. I have done it both ways and I myself prefer to paint/decorate after the house is built. The only painting I do before I build is the trim pieces - they are much easier to paint before they are attached to the house. I would suggest putting your house together in a dry fit - which means to put the shell together with masking tape - and see if there are going to be any hard to reach areas. Doing a dry fit will also give you a feel for how the house is going to go together and will show you any potential problems (like tabs & slots not matching up exactly). 2. Staining & priming - again this is a personal choice - whether to do it before building or not. I myself always wait until the house is together. 3. Staining the floors - you can stain the floors and leave them like that or you can draw floor board lines with an ink pen prior to staining or you can put in a different floor all together. I myself like skinny sticks (like popsicle sticks but skinnier). I build (glue) them on a piece of cardstock cut to fit the room, stain it and then put it in the house. I use Aileene's Tacky Glue to build my floors. I also use Aileene's Tacky Glue to build my houses and glue on my trim. Wood glue will work great too. Whatever you do, don't use a glue gun - today's glue in the craft glue guns is not the same as it used to be. If you use a glue gun to put the house together you may end up with it falling apart in short order. 4. Ceilings - you can paint them, use a ceiling paper or do something to texture the ceiling and then paint it. I mix baby powder in my ceiling paint and then paint it on the ceilings thick and then use a sponge & pounce the wet thick paint to give it a little texture. 5. Priming Walls & wallpapering - yes, you will want to prime the walls before putting the wallpaper on. If you put the wallpaper on without priming the walls first your wallpaper will eventually discolor. There's something in the wood that will leach into the paper making it discolor. You can use regular house paint to prime - you don't have to buy primer specifically for this. I just use a flat latex house paint left over from other dollhouse builds. There are many options for adhering wallpaper to the walls - some people use real life wallpaper paste, some use thinned down glue, some use Mod Podge and some use Yes Paste. And there are probably several other options I'm forgetting at the moment. I personally like Yes Paste. Hope this helps a little! Have fun with your house & please share pictures as you work on your build. We love eye candy around here! Lisa

Oatmeal, Milk & Honey soap is one of my favorites to make.

How cool is that??? I make homemade soap from scratch as well, although not nearly as much as I once did. It started out as a hobby about 18 years ago for me. I spent years working out formulas for soaps that I fell in love with. Made so many batches of soap & I gave so many batches of soap away that everyone I knew (including the local food banks and women's shelter that I donated to) were full up with soap & couldn't take anymore! lol! Shortly after that I went into business selling my soaps, figuring it was one way to pay for the supplies to make more soaps Unfortunately I was far better at making soap than I was at making a successful business. Broke my heart to close the business. But that's when I discovered miniatures again. So one door closed & another opened, as far as hobbies go. These days I just make soap for my immediate family so I don't make very many batches a year. I agree with you, there are a lot of ding-dongs out there these days making *soap* or their version of it, that give the craft of soap making a bad name. Edited to add: forgot to answer the original question in this topic: my forum name isn't anything original - just my first name & last initial.

Yay!!! Unfinished wood is awesome, then everyone can finish them to suit their own tastes! I'll be watching the community trading section, but if for some reason I miss that post, please hit me over the head with a pm

For the record Kelly - I vote no laundry tub in the pantry! Yeah, I get it - it's a dollhouse - but washing dirty clothes in a laundry tub/sink in the same room where you prepare your food? Ewwwwwwww! Have a sink in your pantry to wash your dishes, and even make it a big one for the really big pots & pans, but for heaven's sake, keep your dirty clothes in the laundry room! lol!!!

Okay, all my fingers & toes are crossed here! I love that pantry cupboard! I need one of those! I don't know what I'll do with it yet, but I really really need one! You will be selling these, right? Lisa edited to add: I just figured out what I need one for - my Mrs. Claus Christmas Kitchen! See, I told you I really need one!

Me too Holly.

Truer words were never spoken!

You're welcome I think it's quite exciting to be planning a new miniature club! A few other things I thought I'd add to my earlier post (I was writing in a hurry because the fur kids were demanding my attention!): I think at least a semi-structured meeting format would give all members a clear idea of what they could expect at each meeting. You might have an outline of what will take place at each meeting and then brainstorm with your initial members to get an idea of where everyone's interests lie. Myself, I would really look forward to a project of some sort where I was able to learn a new skill. All members could take turns in teaching a new skill or showing how to make something new at the meetings. A voluntary trading portion of the meeting would also be a big draw for many people. It would give people an ideal way to trade items they no longer needed or wanted and a way to find new stuff they just have to have. Win-win for everyone who trades. As far as the types of members I would be more interested in a group that welcomed all skill levels. Everyone starts somewhere sometime & even beginners have value to add. As long as a potential member was able to contribute in a positive manner (with ideas, participation, etc.) then I think that would be a great criteria for membership. Perks of the club might include mini road trips - if there's a mini attraction, show or store in driving distance then organized field trips would be fun. I always have more fun at those types of things when I'm with a mini friend. Another perk might be annual garage sales - along the same line as the trading portion of meetings, but where members could sell items to one another and invite other miniaturists in the community to come to the sale. Good luck, I hope you are able to join up with several other miniaturists & start a great club!