Beacon Hill Builders: The Next Generation

[havanaholly]

Oh, goody, that means our rain should be gone by tomorrow! I have to get fasting labs done first thing in the AM.

I meant roof tiles that aren't the curved barrell tiles; maybe slates? I thinkshingles will look great! I simulated a tar and gravel flat section of roof on the Coventry Cottage with graft felt, but I think next time (like when I finally do the Lily) I'll try 60-grit sandpaper and see how I like it.

[WyckedWood]

@ Blondie, when I got into dollhouses I also became really interested and fascinated with RL architecture. I love looking at the historical districts in towns we're traveling through. In my area there are lots of them, but sadly most have become ghetto drug havens. Makes my heart sick.

[Blondie]

So true... Have you all seen the house our BH is based on? Scroll down this post. She's a beast in real life too!! http://moreminis.blogspot.com/2008/09/real-life-size-dollhouses.html?m=0

[Dalesq]

I've been obsessively looking at houses while driving. Real life ones. I have never noticed all of the detailing before! Lol. I need to stop and focus on the road!

Me too! Thank goodness my hubby does most of the driving!

[Dalesq]

So true... Have you all seen the house our BH is based on? Scroll down this post. She's a beast in real life too!! http://moreminis.blogspot.com/2008/09/real-life-size-dollhouses.html?m=0

The real BH is in some disrepair in that photo. If you look closely, the shutter on the right hand side second story window is detached at the top. Love it!

[Patsea]

The real BH is in some disrepair in that photo. If you look closely, the shutter on the right hand side second story window is detached at the top. Love it!

It looks like the Sea Hag in that picture!

[Patsea]

@ Blondie, when I got into dollhouses I also became really interested and fascinated with RL architecture. I love looking at the historical districts in towns we're traveling through. In my area there are lots of them, but sadly most have become ghetto drug havens. Makes my heart sick.

Same problem here. This section of Connecticut was once a whaling town from the 1600's. There are some really OLD houses around, unfortunately - they are surrounded by run-down slums with drug deals going on every corner. Some of the houses were built by the captains of the whaling ships with the widow's walks on the top of the houses so the wives could see out to sea if their husbands were coming home. I sometimes try to imagine what it would have been like living back then and what the city looked like at that time.

[WyckedWood]

I have seen that house Blondie, I printed it out when I was building my house and kept it by my work table, also used it as a screensaver on my computer:-)Its super cool, lol about it looking like the Seahag Patricia:-)I wish!

That's so sad about the old houses of the whaling captains. The Sacramento, Stockton areas in CA are the same way. The only way they are preserved and taken care of at all is if they are made into a state park or art museum. Theres a famous art museum in Sacramento called the Crocker Art Museum, its inside of an old gorgeous beyond words mansion. Some "dip put in charge" added on to the museum with a modern addition (and modern art)totally butchering the original structure with concrete and glass skywalks. We visited last summer...when I saw it I wanted to throw up.

[Blondie]

Oh, the poor old houses. To think people actually used widow's walks for.... possibly widowing!

Also, yes I love that the real BH is a little tattery. Makes me feel WAY better about any mistakes I might make.

[havanaholly]

DH & I have always loved road trips, and house-spotting. When we lived in SC one of the highlights of returning to Union was passing "Cross Keys" house; the keys were worked in brick on the house, and barely show up in any of the photos: http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/union/S10817744005/pages/S1081774400503.htm

The summer DH helped VA's state environmental people count all their waste tires we camped at Smith Mountain Lake State Park while he worked Roanoke, and whenever we returned to the campground we passed a brick Beacon Hill with their propane tank behind a wood lattice under the front steps; I always thought that if I ever built a BH I'd make it a copy of that house.

[Kabrina]

Ok, I have a question about the Beacon Hill. Does anyone know if there is the slightest chance that Greenleaf will be releasing it in half scale ever? I want this house so badly but there is absolutely no way I can have it in full scale. This is the kit that got me started in miniatures.

[Elize]

So true... Have you all seen the house our BH is based on? Scroll down this post. She's a beast in real life too!! http://moreminis.blogspot.com/2008/09/real-life-size-dollhouses.html?m=0

Thank you for that pic Blondie. At first I thought its the first picture on that page and I was EXTREMELY dissapointed. Hahahaha! But the actual picture was a masterpiece - its GORGEOUS. With South Africa being only around 300 odd years old, we have no oldies. When the houses here gets old it just looks terrible, nothing romantic about it. I also find myself not just looking at houses to get ideas, but checking out the houses at the background on the TV. I am enjoying this new hobby of mine more than any other hobby I have ever tried. Having always building dollhouses either from scratch or from bookcases, its SO refreshing to have all this detail and trims I have now. I feel spoiled beyond believe.

[Elize]

Look at this persons dollhouse - made to imitate the original one.

http://jazzlandscapes.com/website1001/jpgfiles/beacon_hill4.jpg

[havanaholly]

Reminds me of this one: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.retroweb.com/universal/univ_psycho_house_mid_1970s_bison.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.retroweb.com/universal_psycho.html&h=1133&w=1280&sz=659&tbnid=ZI0eLee2B5CbhM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=102&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dpsycho%2Bhouse%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=psycho+house&usg=__O5kw2Qn6BPCxy227of_5-k01scc=&docid=5n77cdCzxpUKKM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=w_EJUcXrG4uc8gS0uYGAAw&sqi=2&ved=0CC8Q9QEwAA&dur=5512

Look familiar, all you Alfred Hitchcock fans?

[Dalesq]

Holly, that was very cool to look through. Thanks for the link!

[Elize]

I think I will be going for something like this with mine. I adore this house

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dAjez4bLKeE/TC0VA-m1gpI/AAAAAAAAAq8/6rCfcwrajBs/s1600/34159_1371578882961_1036422261_30814949_464567_n.jpg

[KathieB]

I think I will be going for something like this with mine. I adore this house

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dAjez4bLKeE/TC0VA-m1gpI/AAAAAAAAAq8/6rCfcwrajBs/s1600/34159_1371578882961_1036422261_30814949_464567_n.jpg

That house was done by our own Tracy - Minis on the Edge

[Elize]

Bluebear Tracy?

[KathieB]

Please do post a finished picture of Lloyd's sculpture! It looks fascinating.

I just put a picture of the sculpture progress in my Beacon Hill gallery. Also a photo of a Beacon Hill uh-oh moment. I'd like to know how others managed to install the shingled roof section that faces the tower base and the siding on the tower base. I'd sure like to know how others have managed this tricky installation.

[KathieB]

Bluebear Tracy?

No - Minis on the Edge Tracy - the talented Administrator of this forum

[sparklepuppies]

I just put a picture of the sculpture progress in my Beacon Hill gallery. Also a photo of a Beacon Hill uh-oh moment. I'd like to know how others managed to install the shingled roof section that faces the tower base and the siding on the tower base. I'd sure like to know how others have managed this tricky installation.

Hi Kathie, I remember when I first starte dmine, reading someone's blag/galler/something where they had this same issue. I think they used acrobatics and tweezers. And I remember thinking, I'll think ahead and not get into that. Yeah, right... It does seem like though that I made a template of that section so I could just stick it in there. Goodness knows what I've done with it though.

[havanaholly]

Bluebear Tracy?

No, Minis on the Edge Tracy: http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=blog&module=display&section=blog&blogid=2

Thanks for the update of the sculpture, Kathie! That's the way I first learned to make paper mache.

[sparklepuppies]

Bluebear Tracy?

No, I wish!! Mine will never be done...

Tracy always makes the prettiest things... I would love to see her do a BH with paperclay... <swoon>

[KathieB]

Hi Kathie, I remember when I first starte dmine, reading someone's blag/galler/something where they had this same issue. I think they used acrobatics and tweezers. And I remember thinking, I'll think ahead and not get into that. Yeah, right... It does seem like though that I made a template of that section so I could just stick it in there. Goodness knows what I've done with it though.

Yes, acrobatics and tweezers will probably work, even if it dashes my idea to train a small monkey to work in tight spaces.

I am tired of this silly house tipping on one corner as I move it about because the porch supports are not in place. I'm afraid it will go out of alignment. I can see why one wouldn't want to install the columns and roof until the siding, front door and window trims are in place, but I think I may put in the base today. Also, regarding the porch, I think I want to substitute some of the lovely wedding cake columns for the square porch posts. I don't know if it would be period specific (mid-1860s) but a lot of houses in the Garden District have them. They would add a distinct New Orleans touch to the facade.

[sparklepuppies]

Yes, acrobatics and tweezers will probably work, even if it dashes my idea to train a small monkey to work in tight spaces.

I am tired of this silly house tipping on one corner as I move it about because the porch supports are not in place. I'm afraid it will go out of alignment. I can see why one wouldn't want to install the columns and roof until the siding, front door and window trims are in place, but I think I may put in the base today. Also, regarding the porch, I think I want to substitute some of the lovely wedding cake columns for the square porch posts. I don't know if it would be period specific (mid-1860s) but a lot of houses in the Garden District have them. They would add a distinct New Orleans touch to the facade.

I haven't even started any porch stuffs on mine. But I think I have had that same wobbly issue. And I think the wedding cake columns would be lovely.

Funny you would mention a monkey...

I've posted before about my inspiration house. It's now a B&B, and I have visited there and talked extensively with the owners. They knew a lot about the history of the house.

Well, apparently, it was the thing for wealthy Victorians to own monkeys as pets. And with this being the house of a very wealthy lawyer, with many children, they had monkeys. They kept them in the front yard in a large cage. The lady that purchased the house from the original family said it took her many years to get the grass back growing right in that spot. And, the next owner told the current owner that she found collars and leashes (and I think maybe also dress-up clothes?) in the attic that were used for the monkies.

I'm not sure how yet, but I plan to incorporate something monkey-related into my house.