Minigirl

Thanks fov, I will check out all this wonderful info you have bestowed upon me. If I print my papers, I will use a laserjet and not inkjet. The toner is more UV friendly than inkjet dye. Yes I did prime my walls already to seal them. I'm tempted to paper on a template and then add it to the house so I can easily change it later and fix any electrical issues easily. I made a template without the trim on so far but wonder if the trim cut outs will be too much of a pain. Not sure I am exact enough to use this method and still have it look fabulous. Does anyone use this method for papering? I have been wondering if anyone had Bradbury papers. I could be papering and detailing for days if I go that route. Thanks so much for the info!

This is what I have been doing the past month. Assembled Realife Miniatures stove and Hoosier. Waiting to buy polyurethane to finish the hoosier so I can attach doors and hardware. Finished assembly on stove and primed it this weekend. Also primed main floors and walls of Orchid. Designed potting bench and built it. the legs are chopsticks and polymer clay. I'd probably not lose my mind if I had wooden legs and didn't make 'em. But I used what I had. Made paper china plates. Assembled tea pot. Made a polymer clay basket and filled it with cherries. Made polymer clay beets and cucumbers and then canned them. I put the toppers on this weekend and clear coated the apples and taters. It doesn't look like much but it took a long time.

I am inspired by all of your projects. You do such great work! Karin, love your yellow dog! Very cute! Deborah, that desk is just too clean. Hope you enjoy your new found space and make a messy desk soon!

You are so funny! Who knows since most of my ceramics have been packed in boxes for decades. I haven't seen them since before my daughter was born and she is 22. I do have a few Pebeo premixed paints in the craft room that I bought a few yrs ago. As for pigment powders.....well.....your guess is as good as mine!

Someone suggested newbies start a thread about their build and ask questions so that everything would be in one place for them as they work on their projects. Sounds like a great idea so here is mine. I am building the orchid with the intent it be a tea room or tea room and gifts shop. The exterior will be painted in a true Victorian color scheme of rose tones, cream/white, and gray. I wanted to paint my own Victorian house in this palette but the Victorian next door to me is painted orange, yellow and brown. Color clash with my pinks. I opted for greens, beige, cream with a deep red burgundy accent in real life. The first floor will be a kitchen and dining room with a conservatory out the end of the dining room for additional seating/garden area. The upstairs will either be a bed and bath living quarters for the shop owner or a bath and gift/shop area. I haven't decided for sure yet. I have many questions and hope you all will be able to help out and give me your ideas, opinions and web sources. I have been reading like mad the past few weeks to learn about things I don't know about like wiring and lighting etc. Yes I am cross eyed at this point so it's time to ask questions. I would like to paper the house with Victorian damask or floral type papers and have not found exactly what I want. I checked out miniature.com, Earth and Tree along with ebay and many printable paper sites. I didn't find anything I was in love with for this project so I thought I would make my own papers. I found some beautiful images to use and take to a printer to print out since I don't have a laser printer. I have only been able to find one short video without sound on how to do this. I need more info. Like what to set the dpi for if I want to print on legal size paper and how to cut the image to make the pattern repeat. I have gimp but would be willing to download something else if someone here knows how to use different software. There are tons of videos on how to use gimp but I don't know what other terms to search for to find the right video to set up for large paper printing and making my pattern repeat. Any suggestions? Even printing out on 8.5 x 11 would be fine since I am going to plug and play my electrical and use corner molding to hide wiring. Been a long time since I used gimp so I don't mind learning things again. While researching lighting, I found warm white led bulbs but not cool white or daylight led. Do they exist? I may put some of these in the ceiling as can lights around a focal point Victorian type of light fixture in the dining room. I'm also interested in making some of my own light fixtures and led would work perfectly for this. Are there any in particular lights you would recommend for this purpose or suppliers. I think I can plug and play led bulbs. If I am wrong, please let me know. I have hung lots of wallpaper in real life and rewired my fair share of antique lights and chandeliers so I think I'm ready to tackle a dollhouse. Thanks in advance you wonderful mini makers! Please help me with these two dilemmas. 1. wallpaper 2.led bulbs/lighting.

I haven't done any in a long time but may need to take it up again for miniatures.

Welcome!

Hi Suze and welcome!

Welcome Amy! I wish I knew there was a miniature group around Nashua. I lived there a few decades back and could have been into this way back then.

Welcome Caryn! I'm working on an Orchid too. I am turning it into a tea room with a small conservatory/dining area out the end. I have gotten as far as sanding and dry fitting. I also started a notebook to house all the details of this build. May get some primer on this week and figure out where lights will go etc. Still lots of shopping to do for this house too. I hope you enjoy your build. I can't wait to see it!

Welcome Caryn! I'm working on an Orchid too. I am turning it into a tea room with a small conservatory/dining area out the end. I have gotten as far as sanding and dry fitting. I also started a notebook to house all the details of this build. May get some primer on this week and figure out where lights will go etc. Still lots of shopping to do for this house too. I hope you enjoy your build. I can't wait to see it!

Those are good show/movie! I was going to suggest playing Christmas shows/music to get you in the spirit. I would also suggest fast moving tunes you love. I have workout music I listen too when I excercise, drive long distances or clean house. It helps get me moving and accomplish something.

Yep, that sounds like what I used. Had to paint over the spots with kilz before I could repaint the room. Sometimes I use it to hang Holiday decor etc. And it does not leave a residue behind over a period of weeks. However, over a period of about 10 years it was a different story.

I have two third hands just like your photo. I use them when I solder sterling silver jewelry. I remove the clips and use long needle nose heat resistant stainless steel tweezers in their place. Using them when painting tiny things is a good idea. You may want to pad the clips so they don't damage wood or just use tweezers in place of the clips. The magnifier glass makes them top heavy so mounting the third hand down to a board or table might be a good idea. This would also be handy when gluing really tiny things. Say when gluing the top on a tiny perfume bottle.

Lace is classic and never goes out of style in my book. Wow Holly! Sewing thread is not easy to work with. Nice work!

Thanks for the input, I will keep it in mind as I make this house.

The plastic tack stuff or plastic tac (can't remember how it was spelled) does leave a residue over a period of time on a flat finish painted wall. I have never used the blue putty stuff. What product do you use? Maybe it's something different than what I have experience with. Nope, wouldn't make a bit of difference to change out a picture. The poster putty has some oil in it. Won't it stain the paper over time? This has been my experience on walls painted with flat paint.

Oh thanks so much for the reply. I too live in the middle of nowhere and have to order most things. You have all been so helpful!

The poster putty has some oil in it. Won't it stain the paper over time? This has been my experience on walls painted with flat paint in my real house. Is there a type of putty that doesn't have oil?

Hello and welcome!

You have been very busy, there are so many hours in this piece. Skeleton in birdcage is a nice touch. Cool stove with so many details, was it a build too?

This is on my list of acquisitions too. Anyone have a pic of a home built one from home depot? I would be interested in seeing this.