Shy Spirit

Not sure what to suggest for the stair runner, but I noticed you mentioned your plans for gluing your wallpaper. I don't know what strike flat glue is either, but I recommend using a wallpaper glue for the wallpaper. Regular household wallpaper paste is fine. You can buy small tubs of dollhouse specific paste, but in my experience, it costs more, and is essentially the same thing. I like to spread a thin layer on the wall, and also on the paper. This gives me some wiggle time to place it in exactly the right position before it glues fast. In theatre terms, you strike the flats onstage when dismantling the walls of a set, once the production run is over. Pretty sure that isn't anything to do with strike flat glue, though!

You know, I think this is something we all do from time to time. We should be kinder to ourselves, and allow ourselves a little joy, just for the sake of it! If we don't give ourselves permission for this, why should we expect anybody else to? Your little girl is a perfect "excuse" for you to get busy with this all-encompassing hobby/passion/obsession. When you feel more comfortable with your place in this amazing miniature world, you can do it all for both of you - or just you, depending on whether your little girl shares your interest, or not! (My daughter wasn't as enamoured as I am, of all things small ... but my granddaughter is!!)

I've been wondering if scrapbooking scissors could cut the really thin shingles you can get. They would make some beautiful shapes!

Sorry to be nosy, but... can you give out any details about the upcoming movie? We all love to see the Greenleaf houses make appearances in movies, and would like to keep watch for this one!

The mini Plumette looks just like your real life Plumette, very well done. I would have thought that it would give too bulky a result, when sticking fur onto a resin/plastic cat - but I would have been wrong! What a clever idea. Both cats look contented. 😸

Welcome, Kelly! If you're stuck, just let us know. Someone is bound to be able to set things right for you. I too found things confusing at first, but now it is familiar territory, and easy to negotiate. You'll be breezing around the site in no time! I had a look at your photos (I don't have Facebook, but my better half does). You did a fantastic job on The Lily! I like the stone walkway - did you make it yourself? It looks like it could have been done with egg cartons... I hope you open an album here, or post some pics for all to see.

Very smart colour scheme! The last dollhouse I did was painted navy blue, custard yellow, and white - with a weathered gray roof! (We seem to have a few things in common, don't we?) I hope you will take lots of photos of your build, and keep us updated!

After you have glued where you can, a little wood putty can fill in any cracks/gaps left. The Orchid is such a pretty dollhouse - do you know yet what your plans are for it? It can be great fun to have a backstory, and many members here are very creative with theirs. Will it be a home, a shop, or ??? Will you put dolls in it? Some people think a dollhouse should have dolls, some others think dolls spoil the realistic effect of a miniature house. What do you think, Kat?

Hello Kat, and welcome! Fellow cat-lover here (SW Ontario) - at the moment we only have three cats, and they are all 17 years old, and of course, cute as buttons. This is a great place to ask questions, find answers, gather tips, and share the ups and downs (and in betweens) of dollhouses - make yourself at home!

I'm glad that you know your value, and I'm sorry that your family doesn't. Thank you for your service, you have made a difference in this world. In our Greenleaf group, you will find plenty of kindred spirits! We applaud each other's efforts, talents, and knowledge - and support each other when the going gets a little rough.

If you mean me, Aggie, I have been a Greenleaf family member for many years now ... I just don't put in an appearance here very often these days!

Well, I'm late to reply ... but that looks like a dollhouse I've seen a few times, selling secondhand. I think they were built from plans you could purchase. I fixed one up for my granddaughter when she was younger, and she still loves it. That one was probably built in the seventies - the original owner had put down real-life shag carpet in the living room! (Yes, I took it out.)

That's beautiful, Emily! How is your crib blanket coming along, Toni?

Good luck to you and your mum in these trying times ...

😼😸😹 You made my cats cry with laughter!

Given a choice, I would always wallpaper first! If you have to wallpaper after the stairs are permanently installed, why not consider making a template that avoids having to trim wallpaper around each step? Tape a sheet of plain paper on the wall beside the stairs. Place a ruler above the stairs, against the wall, and position it to create a slight gap above the stairs, and draw a diagonal line (following the direction of the steps) to the bottom of the stairs. Now continue the line vertically to give an equal gap at the end of the stairs, as you created above the stairs. The template looks like an elongated triangle shape with a bend at the end. I'm not sure if I explained that clearly - it makes sense to me, but I already know what I mean, so ... will someone please tell me if this is just confusing to anyone other than me? I've made floor templates around glued-in staircases when refurbishing old dollhouses. It is fiddly, but not difficult to do. Using pages from a notebook or old magazine, I cut pieces out and place them in the dollhouse, using the corners and straight edges they come with, to fit the corners and straight lines of the dollhouse floor. If a corner isn't square (or a line isn't straight), I press my fingernail along the paper, making a crease that follows the form of the room. I tape all the pieces together in situ, and lift it out of the dollhouse. I trim off any creased bits, and I then have a paper template with a perfect custom fit.

There are not as many dollhouse stores around as there used to be. One store (owned by a friend of mine) has gone completely online - no more browsing in the mortar and brick real building. Her store is called "Out of the Ordinary". She goes above and beyond when it comes to customer service. Another well-known store is "The Little Dollhouse Company". They carry a large selection, but I won't shop there. The owner watches you as if you're about to shoplift her goods! She is the same way at miniature shows. Not a problem if you're ordering online, I suppose. These are both in Ontario - sorry, I'm not familiar with any stores in B.C.

That looks great! Did you use a level? Is there a trick or tip you can share, please? Thanks!

I am sorry to hear this - he and his wife created beautiful miniature furniture. Very gracious, generous people. I hadn't heard the news, thank you for posting it here.

I hope you go to Hever, and let us know all about it! (My parents went many years ago, and my mum took pics of the miniature scenes just for me.) You will need a day for Hever, and another one for Windsor ... lucky you!!

Channel molding sounds like a good idea, and the right solvent glue for the plexiglass - check! Thanks, Kathie and Holly. I don't know that I will make a box for a dollhouse, as it would be very large. I might make a display box for a few miniatures and vignettes that I created. Luckily for our cats, we can't live without them! (As much as I adore dollhouses, cats always come first.) Dollhouses can be repaired/replaced.

It is fairly easy to score the cut line (I score both sides of the plexiglass) and then snap it free. Holly, did your husband frame the boxes? I've never tried making a display box, but with my inquisitive and proprietary cats - well, let's just say I really should start constructing some boxes! I haven't tried this myself, but I wonder if placing crumpled aluminum foil around the dollhouse would deter the cats? I know they hate to walk on it, and perhaps it would stop them. It wouldn't look attractive - but it might save the dollhouse! (I have used this on top of my stove, to stop the cats jumping up when the burners are still warm.)

That's one of the reasons this forum is so great - there is a wealth of information to be had in the many threads here! You will find yourself spending happy hours perusing the treasure trove of tips, pics, and friendly - often funny - advice. Spend a little time here, and you will notice Holly straight away. She is always ready with a "welcome to the forum"! Holly tells people that there are no dumb questions - and she is right! We all ask questions and share our knowledge - so glad you found it useful! Perhaps you will be the lucky person to find this dollhouse for sale somewhere.

Thanks for finding that one, Janet - it really is entertaining! I thought he did an excellent job, even if he did use hot gluie ... 😉