Sara in the country

I don't have a facebook page or a web site. Is there a place here to upload photos? I've got some pictures of my mini 4th of July display I made for the library. Complete with beer keg, knitting in progress, little ones with popcycles and fire works. I also have pictures of the doll's house that's transforming into the haunted house. I'd like to see if anyone recognizes it. I am pretty sure it's a late 40s to 60s based on wall paper and flooring. I am sure it's a kit as it's got the tab and slot construction. Some one rehabs parts of it as I had to dig the door hinges out from between the original plywood and exterior balsa. Sara

I have been making things for doll's houses since I received my first home made one when I was 7. I've since made many more and forts and barns. Troll houses, when trolls were first in fashion way back when, mouse houses when mice had to be made by hand, GI Joe forts for the ones that were the size of Ken dolls, Barns small enough for matchbox sized cars and standard issue dollhouses. I am working on a number of projects including turning a vintage dollhouse, (unknown maker) into a haunted house. Trying to muscle my way through Victoria's Farmhouse, (honestly I think putting together a Greenleaf with no instructions is easier,) and formulating plans to make a McKinley for a local charity. I participate in private miniature swaps four times a year and manage our small farm since I'm retired and my hubby isn't. So between chores I make miniature stuff. I'm spending my evenings putting fake stones on the haunted dollhouse. It's not as hard as it was when I started many days ago but since it's a three story full room size house I am guessing that it's repetition that's making it go faster. Sorta like putting a jigsaw puzzle together without a picture to look at. I found the forums, blogs and such after talking with Greenleaf. I was so relieved when they told me the inside dimensions of the under house storage boxes. Since the McKinley is for charity I am not sure who will end up with it. I wanted to light it up but not have to have them worry about where to find a plug and I didn't want the new owner to have to worry about tiny hands wanting to play with the tranformer in the plug. Sara

I too am a retired person turned mini farmer. I live in a very rural area. I am always scouring the open air flea market (think garage sale only huge,) for things that can be re-purposed. I have a few sellers who now gather weird things like broken watches for gears and faces, single earrings and small creatures for me. I carry around a small photo book with some of the things, houses and displays I've made. While there is amazed responses the most often asked question is do you sell your stuff. The people who ask do not want it but feel I am loosing out on an income by not selling stuff. Working on mini's is what I do when I am not watering, feeding, breeding, hauling and all the other things that go with a small farm. Recently I've been putting together mini displays for our county library. I am working on a Haunted Doll's House which is a refurbished vintage house I found at the flea market for $10. It comes complete with water marked wallpaper, dingy grimy floors and wallpaper, busted windows and wall cracks. It's proving to be a blast as there are so many new techniques I had to learn to get it the way I wanted it. It's 3 stories tall and was painted lavender. It's now almost covered with stones waiting for the last coat of mod podge. I've been making the creepy spooky residents since I can't find or afford the ones I want. A mini mini skeleton army (think plastic army guys repainted properly with silver swords and brown colored shields) protects the property and a traveling potion sellers has come to visit. I would share photos but they say mine are too large. Sara

sorry there were two, internet here is sketchy on a good day and today it's raining. Sara

I have been fighting the Victoria for over a year. My granddaughter loved the layout and wanted that one. Since the beginning it's been nothing but a hassle. The weight alone is enough to make one not want to make another Ever. It sucked up paint like a sponge. If I was going to use an entire gallon of paint, (even after primer) I'd rather paint a room in my real house. I find the instructions oddly written and sometimes clumsy. Had this been my first house I'd have scraped it. As it is, it's nearing completion. I do agree that your trim is probably where the railing around the upper porch should be. I also agree that viney plant things are life savers for things like that. Even drooping plants from a potted one can work. (Think wandering jew or arrowhead) Still frustrated Sara

I am going to make this house for a local charity auction. I needed dimensions of the inside of the lower storage boxes. I called Greenleaf and they actually went and measured them and called me back with the dimensions. Inside dimensions at that. Since I am going to use battery operated rice lights to illuminate this house exact measurements were very important. If you ever have any dimensional questions that don't get answered call Greenleaf. Since this is for a charity I didn't want to be concerned with power or for its new owner to have to worry about where to hang it. Then there is the potential problem with tiny hands wanting to play with the power box in the outlet. I don't expect to be finished with the house until next year but will post photos when I get it done. Sara