itslittlewonder Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Hi All! My name is Andi and from MA. I am a mother of 2 boys so the dollhouse thing is all mine! My sister and I each got a dollhouse each when we were about 10 or so. A man made them in his home (custom) and even though it was over 30 years ago I still remember going to his house to choose our shutter/roof colors and wallpaper. I left the dollhouse at my parents house when I got married but brought it to our new house when we moved 5 years ago. Last year, I brought it up from the basement and renewed my interest further when I found a video on how to make polymer clay food. I started with a hamburger and hot dog and I was hooked! I had to put the supplies away during the holidays and have yet to pick it back up (life gets too busy, doesn't it?). My original dollhouse is in fantastic shape and part of me would like to leave as is - the other part wants to re-hab it by giving it a fresh coat of paint and re-wallpapering but I'm afraid I will "ruin" it and this point! I am also interested in doing a general store so I had picked up the Buttercup Cottage kit to use for that project. Last week, I found an assembled Westville dollhouse on Craigslist. It's in rough shape - it's partially done, not really sanded and is missing components but I am excited to see what I can do with it. So glad to be here and can't wait to get started on one of my many projects! Andi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Welcome to the GL family. We are all a bit of enablers and, truth be told, quite addicted to our miniatures. After you have made 5 posts you can open an album and upload some pictures of your special house and your new rehabs. We are also eye candy junkies and just love it when there are new pics to view. Hope you enjoy the forum. Feel free to ask questions and offer new ideas. It's a great place to visit but a better place to call home. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonberry Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Welcome to the forums, I am also relatively new here but this is an amazing bunch of artist and enthusiasts and trust me - they can answer EVERY single question you may have! My dollhouse bug also bit when I was about 8 and my grandparents made me a basic 2up/2down dollhouse for Christmas. Its in storage in South Africa, but I hope to be reunited with it one day. Hope to see some photos soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgansmith Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Welcome Andi! This is a great place as you've already been told I can't imagine life without this forum. I have no miniature stores nearby and no time to belong to a club. Hanging out on this forum is like the greatest miniatures social club ever. Have fun! Morgan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mininecessities Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Welcome Andi! I can see you are very excited and have come to a place of very excited miniaturists! Can't wait to see pics of your house! As someone said, eyecandy makes my day! Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GirlPiper Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Welcome! Have fun with your new kit and your "old" house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuppynme Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Welcome Andi, I have only been on this site about 2 weeks and am finding that I m on the site every day and either learning or confirming my thought on what I am or going to do with my Orchid. It's a great site and lovely people. Gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Welcome to the little family, Andi. One of the nice things about rehabbing a house like the Westville is that you can let yourself go and learn to make doors and windows and to add walls, etc. Greenleaf houses are easy to rehab, for me, if they were built with the hot glue recommended in the instructions, because I can take them completely apart with a heat gun (I don't have a blow-dryer, but they work, too) and rebuild them properly with carpenter's wood glue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanF. Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Hello & :welcome: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itslittlewonder Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Thanks so much for all of the friendly "Hello's" - Looking forward to getting started. There seem to be a few parts missing from the Westville (8 shutters, closet door in kitchen and all wood that goes around it and some window moulding) Not sure what else since I don't have instructions. I'll have to get creative I think... :yes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheckMouse Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Welcome to the Greenleaf family, Andi - so glad you found us. Your childhood dollhouse sounds wonderful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 In my part of the Team Westville building blog I describe making the utility closet under the stairs and a window seat in the lefthand bay (as seen from the back of the house): http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=blog&module=display§ion=blog&blogid=10&showentry=325 and http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=blog&module=display§ion=blog&blogid=10&showentry=334 Since the last "upgrade" I notice you can no longer click on a building team member's name to see just their entries; but for your purposes you might want to read the entire building blog, anyway. The most extensive bash was done by judithfa, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Welcome to the forum Andi! Sounds like you have alot of fun work ahead.Can't wait to see your results! Hey,Maybe one of you who did the Westville still has their instructions that they could pass on to Andi? Seems to me that would be a whole lot of help to have in hand,as she replaces or works around some of the original pieces she's missing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I passed on mine long ago. If no one else has, she can always order a set from Greenleaf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgansmith Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Also, the sheets of parts can be ordered. I have a Westville in dry fit. What a great house. My personal favorite is WyckedWood's. Karin's house rocks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abloom Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Hi Andi. I'm new too and newly totally addicted to miniatures. I almost feel guilty having this much fun, and so grateful for all the help offered here. Nice to meet you, and I'm looking forward to seeing how your projects come along! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Morgan,Thanx for passing that on about being able to order the parts from Greenleaf-I forgot that she could order them and the instructions. I just gathered from Andi's second note it'd be easier to figure out what she is missing if she had the instructions,and was hoping someone here could save her some time and money... Is there someplace online they might be posted free? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GenieBird Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Hi Andi ... good luck with all your projects. It's great that you have the additional projects because it really sounds as if you do want to leave your childhood house as it is ... It's nice to be sentimental and you can still go on with the others. I was a bit worried about doing anything to my 'big' house ... afraid I would mess things up, and I want it to be just perfect ... although I know the whole thing will probably be a lifetime journey. Anyway, I bought a couple of cheaper houses to get started on and practice with, and now, I've actually plucked up the courage to start on the big one. I'm still taking it slowly but I'm so excited about it all. Enjoy yourself with yours and welcome. Jeanie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 ... afraid I would mess things up, and I want it to be just perfect ... Striving for "perfection" is a self-defeating goal; work for realism and you will not only be happier with the results, but you will have a lot more fun along the way. Letting yourself make mistakes and fixing them is very liberating. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itslittlewonder Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 Hi Andi. I'm new too and newly totally addicted to miniatures. I almost feel guilty having this much fun, and so grateful for all the help offered here. Nice to meet you, and I'm looking forward to seeing how your projects come along! Nice to meet you too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itslittlewonder Posted August 2, 2013 Author Share Posted August 2, 2013 Thanks everyone for your help and friendly greetings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alamom Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Hi Andi, welcome to the group. It sounds like you're hooked on dollhouses too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted August 2, 2013 Share Posted August 2, 2013 Welcome to the neighborhood and what an awesome story!!! I would take really good pictures of my childhood dollhouse and then refurbish it. I wish I still had mine from childhood. That is exactly what I would've done if I did still have it. I look forward to seeing your houses and hearing of you adventures in food making too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GenieBird Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Striving for "perfection" is a self-defeating goal; work for realism and you will not only be happier with the results, but you will have a lot more fun along the way. Letting yourself make mistakes and fixing them is very liberating. This is so true .. I really must be more practical and get my head back down to earth LOL. My trouble is that I want the Palace of Versailles LOL (particularly that hall of mirrors) ... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Plan it out, mylar makes nice mini mirrors and really ornate effects can be achieved with card stock, lace, paint, and even polymer clay. You can amaze yourself with what you can make in mini, if it's what your little building wants. As everybody here is so very tired of my saying, listen to the kit and do what it wants, and you can't help but be pleased with the results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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