TimmyV Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hello folks, new to this forum & dollhouse building in general. Wife wanted a dollhouse for Christmas so here I am. Purchased the Westville kit & got started on it a couple weeks ago. Other than the cedar shake roof & a few small details I am just about to complete this project. Got hinges for the front door & closet door & have a question. What's the best way to "drive" the nails in ? Should I try & drill a pilot hole first or not worry about the wood splitting ? Thinking tweezers & "pushing the nails in with a small punch but not really certain. I realize that my project may be crude compared to some of the dollhouses I see out there however I feel proud how mine turned out. I hope it makes my wife happy for years to come. Appreciate any advice on how to install the hinges. Thanks TimmyV 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THmini2 Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hi and welcome to the group. Now get your wife to join also! It looks wonderful so far. She is going to love it! he is going to have a wonderful time decorating it. If you or her have any questions there is always someone here with answers. Take a look around and you will find alot to keep you busy for a long while. Either go to Galleries on the top of the page or you can our indivisual albums by clicking my gallery under our advatars. http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/ If you go here you can sign up for a monthly newsletter. It is always nice to read. Tips, Member profiles and eye-candy. After you post 5 times you can make an album of your own. Just remember to make it public as we all want to see what your wife does with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 For an unrealistic application of the hinges to the flat surfaces of door & frames, glue the hinges in place and press the brads in (I use a largish flathead screwdriver to press the brads in through the hinge holes into the wood). I don't use the tiny brass barrell hinges any longer because even if applied properly to the edges of the doors and frames and recessed to fit flush, the heads of the brads are rounded and the hinges will bind & not work properly; I sandwich strips of chamois between the two halves of the door and the wall and frame trim. I also find I have to shave & sand the doorway and door so it'll move within the opening. Foamcore works well for making modifications. I made a windowseat in the bay on the room the front door opens into, I made a back to the closet under the stairs and I made an upstairs hallway to provide privacy for the bathroom (or whatever room you want to make it). The Westville is the second elegant Greenleaf kit I built; it sold before I ever got the box opened! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyV Posted December 22, 2009 Author Share Posted December 22, 2009 Thanks for the welcome & advice folks. I was concerned that due to the tiny size of the hinge that perhaps the glue would be a problem. Good to see that I was mistaken. Yes, I sanded the door to properly fit the opening. Once in place it should swing freely. Least that's the plan. Thanks again... gotta go, I've got shingles to install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonc60 Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 It's gorgeous! I am sure your wife will be very pleased! IF not, you can send it to me - I'd be very pleased! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fov Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Gorgeous! You've done a very nice job. Please post pictures of the furnished house when you have some. I hope your wife likes the gift! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nileke Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 I think you did a great job, it's gorgeous! I'd be very proud if my first house had turned out that way. Well done, and I hope your wife will love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 Excellent job and i know you and the house will be a big hit with your wife! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLyn M. Posted December 22, 2009 Share Posted December 22, 2009 WooHoo!! Welcome Tim and get your wife to join also!! What a gorgeous Christmas present..she's gonna love it!! I think you both will enjoy the forun,here.Much info to gather and many friends to meet!! Very nice site.Again,Welcome!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyV Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 First let me say " Merry Christmas " to everyone ! The wife loved the dollhouse thank goodness. She spent a couple hours this morning arranging things, then changing them around until they suited her tastes. At least everything was easy to lift. lol. There are still a couple of doors to complete & lots more decorating to do, however here are a few pics of the inside now that Helen has "moved in ". I'll start in the kitchen. I think the cuckoo clock is one of my favorites, that & the cookie fixin's. Dog- gone it, one of the spoons in the silverware was missing when Helen opened the package this morning. I e-mailed the place I got them from. Hopefully they will make it right. Helen said the spoons are the first thing that usually gets lost anyways. lol. Okay, now on to the living room.Yes, the Christmas tree is lit up. We robbed that from one of her villages. Worked out just right. Helen is saving a spot in the corner to the left of the bay window for a grandmother clock like the one we have in our foyer. Boy did she ever give me the business this morning when there wasn't one in all of the furnishings that I got for her. Little does she know that our oldest son is giving her one later on today. Don't tell anyone. It will be our little secret, okay ? then upstairs to the bedroom... Now to the bathroom. Still not certain whether to add a wall / partial wall in here or not. Room seems awful big for just a bathroom. I dunno. Last but not least is the attic. I'm sure Helen will find something to store up there. Maybe a christmas tree box, boxes of seasonal decorations, etc. Kinda just like the real deal you know. For now I got her a sewing machine & stuff to sit up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyV Posted December 25, 2009 Author Share Posted December 25, 2009 A few last shots of the completed house...all 'cept the doors of course. Merry Christmas Y'all !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo Med Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 No wonder your wife loved it, its beautiful Timmy - great job. Merry christmas. Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 25, 2009 Share Posted December 25, 2009 She couldn't help but love it, Tim, you did an outstanding job! You could put in a wall with door or partial wall to make a dressingroom between the bedroom and the bathroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparklepuppies Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 Beautiful! Of course she loved it! You did a great job. What a sweet present! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parisbabe Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 you should be proud!!!! Its an excellent job!!! The colors are amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NellBell Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 On December 21, 2009 at 12:29:08 PM, havanaholly said: For an unrealistic application of the hinges to the flat surfaces of door & frames, glue the hinges in place and press the brads in (I use a largish flathead screwdriver to press the brads in through the hinge holes into the wood). I don't use the tiny brass barrell hinges any longer because even if applied properly to the edges of the doors and frames and recessed to fit flush, the heads of the brads are rounded and the hinges will bind & not work properly; I sandwich strips of chamois between the two halves of the door and the wall and frame trim. I also find I have to shave & sand the doorway and door so it'll move within the opening. Foamcore works well for making modifications. I made a windowseat in the bay on the room the front door opens into, I made a back to the closet under the stairs and I made an upstairs hallway to provide privacy for the bathroom (or whatever room you want to make it). The Westville is the second elegant Greenleaf kit I built; it sold before I ever got the box opened! Hi Holly, Do you have any pics of the Westville you did I'm doing that next and would like to see where you closed in the stairs . I'm going to do that and was trying to see different pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 All my Westville pictures are in my part of the Team Westville building blog; here are what I could find: I covered a piece of foamcore with paper and painted it and glued it into place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my minnie me Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Such a cute little house! Westville is the name of the street we live on so I was curious what it looked like. Great details! Love your work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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