Jump to content

Dollhouse Book Reviews


Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...

I have "Interior Design in Miniature" by Anne Day Smith, a book that showcases Brook Tucker's work. I love her work! I also have "Through the Looking Glass" by Ann Ruble. I've almost destroyed those books by drooling on them.

Brook Tucker used to live right here in Bremerton and the last I heard, she lives over in Port Orchard, not too far away from me. Unfortunately, I don't have the nerve to go knocking on her door, besides of which I'd think that would be incredibly rude. But I sure would love to meet her, even to just say hi. I'd be too tongue tied to say anything else.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

While I don't have a book review for all of you, I did read this whole thread and decided to allocate some of my mini budget to books. I just received Jean Nisbett - "The Secrets of the Dolls' House Makers", Derek Rowbottom's "Making Tudor Dollhouses" and I'm waiting for several others:

Reproducing Period Furniture and Accessories in Miniature - Virginia Merrill

All About Doll Houses - Barbara L. Farlie

Making Dolls' House Interiors in 1/12 Scale - Lodder, Carol

How to Make Your Dolls' House Special: Fresh Ideas for Decorating with Style - Armstrong, Beryl

Miniature Rooms: The Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago - Weingartner, Fannia

The Decorated Doll House: How to Design and Create Miniature Interiors (American) - Ridley, Jessica

Magnificent Miniatures: Inspiration and Technique for Grand Houses on a Small Scale - Mulvany, Kevin

Robert Adam Designs from Sir John Soane's Museum: Wrapping Paper Book (Wrapping Paper Books)

 

Can't wait for them to get here...... so, thanks to all of you that shared here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Boxed-In Dollhouses: 

Ran across this on EBay and purchased on Amazon. I didn't have enormous expectations but I did assume it was about making homemade room boxes. Nope. One small section on turning a cardboard box (like a shoe box) into a room box, the rest of the book is directions for mini household items like chairs from disposable paper cups, etc. Geared toward helping children in the 4-5 age range. There are far better and more extensive books for turning household items into minis which could be fun for a little kids house. Id say pass on this one, probably going to the goodwill. 

 

image.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 months later...

I've been out visiting the grandchildren for a couple of weeks. My granddaughter and I went to Hobby Lobby while we were out there, and I picked up the book:

The Big Book of a Miniature House by Christine-Lea Frisoni

It's a wonderful book! It has chapters on scratch building houses, as well as floors, walls, ceilings, furniture, etc. There are some great ideas in it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I love the "Dollhouse To Dream House books" by Dennis Waldron and Sandy Thomas. Each booklet shows building and bashing ideas for different Greenleaf kits. They have great pictures and diagrams and easy to follow instructions. The only drawback to me is that I've heard that there is a third booklet that I've never found. This book is interesting...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a third book. In it, the authors go over the Beaumont, the Willowcrest, and the Emerson Row. They turned the Willowcrest into a shop, which I don't like very much, but I really like what they did with the Emerson Row. The lower floor got turned into a mother-in-law apartment. Funny thing with the Beaumont - they never really showed a whole completed picture of the transformation. From what I can tell, they put a front yard on it, put a covered porch over the kitchen addition, and made a greenhouse to go over the sunroom addition. I really didn't enjoy it as much as the other two and don't look at it that often.

You can also see the price going up with each book. The first one cost $4.95, the second $5.35, and the third $5.95.

Amy, check on eBay and just do a general search. It might be listed in the miniatures section or just in the books section.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Newbie suggestions

I am really interested in making my own furniture. Some books that have templates and good instructions were Making Miniatures in 1/12 scale by Venus & Martin Dodge first published in 1989. It is a sweet book with furniture templates and clothing patterns. Good for a newbie

I bought two books by Julie Warren Creating Doll's House Kitchens and Step by Step Furniture Projects in 1/12th scale. published2015 and 2016 It has a cutting list before each project, and good step by step photos. I tried to cut some of the projects with a craft knife and straight edge like she does in the book and found it was too difficult with a craft knife. It left me frustrated, but perhaps as I practice more I will get better.

I also bought  A Beginner's Guide to the Dolls' House Hobby by Jean Nisbett. Overall good information but I pretty much had learned everything online that she discusses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Carrie, I list a lot of the furniture books I have in the first few pages of this topic.  I finally gave away all or almost all of my books by Jean Nisbett, but they will have to pry my books by Patricia King from my cold, dead fingers.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

If anyone likes reading about vintage dolls houses, try Mirror Grange - The Book of The Daily Mirror's House for Pip, Squeak & Wilfred. It's from the 1920s but is oftenavailable on Amazon, Abebooks etc. It has some wonderful info in it about how they made various pieces & the challenges etc. The house went to a children's school, but sadly seems to have ended up in a private collection & has never been heard of again.

Mirror Grange.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Title: Mouse Mansion

Author: Karina Schaapman

I checked this out from the library, but here it is on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Mouse-Mansion-Karina-Schaapman/dp/0803740492

So, there is some really charming miniature work here - with items you will recognize from your shopping online, as well as some found object work. Is it museum quality work? no. It is mostly folksy and cute - but the sheer size of the house makes it a wonder. But that is the problem...there is one photo of the entire rambling crooked tall Mouse Mansion...and it looks magnificent. But the photo is too small! But wait, you might think, there will be more photos in this book because it is a picture book titled Mouse Mansion...and there ARE photos but they are huge closeups of toy mice with very little of their miniature surroundings showing. It was so disappointing. To be honest, the toy mice aren't really compelling enough in detail to merit such huge close-ups...it just becomes rather boring. I found myself craning to see more of the Mouse Mansion - which is crazy huge and detailed. But no. You get maybe 1 room sometimes - without knowing where in the house it is - and mostly too large closeups of the mice. Making it even worse is that the book is oversized - perfect for showing off that mansion. But no...mostly mice - the same two hand sewing mice over and over. Zzzzzzzz. Glad I checked it out of the library instead of buying. It is a fine library borrow.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/24/2017, 8:40:16, Mid-life madness said:

Thanks Holly, I'm going to check out Patricia King's books.

I just checked out Patricia King's Lots of Little Loos book - it was great. Her use of found objects is amazing. She is also humorous about how many plastic eclair tubs were needed for testing out some builds...which required her to eat the eclairs. She is good people.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, Elsbeth said:

I just checked out Patricia King's Lots of Little Loos book - it was great. Her use of found objects is amazing. She is also humorous about how many plastic eclair tubs were needed for testing out some builds...which required her to eat the eclairs. She is good people.

Read her intro to that book and what she used to make a set of urinals for a mini public men's room!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, L Swearengin said:

WOW!!!!!  Had no idea there were that many different books on miniatures.  Where did you all find these??? My daughter was working at a major bookstore in Valdosta and she could never find any for me.

Several years ago I found several of my Guild of Master Craftsmen books remaindered at the Book Sale that used to be in Lake Park

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, L Swearengin said:

WOW!!!!!  Had no idea there were that many different books on miniatures.  Where did you all find these??? My daughter was working at a major bookstore in Valdosta and she could never find any for me.

I bought all of mine off of Amazon. Some have fantastic prices, especially if they are coming from a Goodwill seller.

I just bought The White House in MiniatureI may never tour the real White House, so I will do it in miniature.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I'm so addicted to mini hobby books, love finding new ones I hadn't seen before. There's so much info out there, so many vintage books from the heyday of our hobby in the 80s,90s. I find them all on amazon or eBay..cross reference for the best pricing. Amazon is usually cheaper but on eBay sometimes the sellers will show more pictures of the pages so you get a better idea of what you're buying. So I usually look at the photos on eBay and purchase on Amazon. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, WyckedWood said:

I'm so addicted to mini hobby books, love finding new ones I hadn't seen before. There's so much info out there, so many vintage books from the heyday of our hobby in the 80s,90s. I find them all on amazon or eBay..cross reference for the best pricing. Amazon is usually cheaper but on eBay sometimes the sellers will show more pictures of the pages so you get a better idea of what you're buying. So I usually look at the photos on eBay and purchase on Amazon. 

My H and I were driving through France and stopped at a highway stop. There was a gift shop with a sale book rack. On it was a book on how to make a dollhouse. For $5 it was a steal. It doesn't matter that it's in French, pictures are the universal language. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...