Hello, newbie introduction here >>

[gttygrl]

Hi, I'm Paula, aka gttygrl, from Southern California.

I built my first dollhouse in the early '90s--fresh out of college, out of work, and kind of depressed about it, I found solace in building a Newburg kit and furnishing it from treasures found at the miniature store in Stoneham, MA, and the miniature shows held annually at the Shriner's in Wilmington, MA. (You can see it in the background here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcarlson/385724353/in/set-72157594172082365) My sister and I purchased a Worthington kit and built the shell, but I was losing interest by then, and we let it sit there for years unfinished.

When I moved from the east coast to SoCal, I gave my Newburg to the children of a friend, that I've now long since lost contact with. I don't remember what we did with the Worthington, probably gave it to the Salvation Army. (I am now imagining kicking my past self repeatedly in the shins.)

Then we entered the age of Pinterest, where adorably decorated and landscaped dollhouses pop up on my feed on a regular basis. Last summer (2012, not '13), I bought the Orchid kit from Amazon, with the intention of finishing it for donation at the company's Christmas silent auction. I sanded and painted and stained for a few weeks before I got distracted by something else, again. All the neatly labeled and bagged parts have sat on a shelf for the past year and a half, until I pulled them down last week to try again.

It's definitely going up this time. I still have all the extras that I'd purchased back then--the mixture and stencil for the brick exterior, the gazillions of scrapbook paper to choose the wallpaper from, the balsa wood for the molding, the templates I'd made of every wall and window. So far this week I've wallpapered a couple of walls (pinks and greens for the first floor), used tissue paper to "stucco" the first floor ceiling, and completely changed my mind on where the kitchen should go. And I am very grateful to KathyB's White Orchid post showing how she custom-made the stairs (http://kathiebminis.blogspot.com/2009/02/white-orchid-02-oven-wall.html). Once the ceiling paint has dried, I'll be assembling the shell and will likely continue the build in the order described in the More Minis blog (http://moreminis.blogspot.com/2007/04/orchid-day-1.html#.UxeJn86VtrM).

This is the dry run. I had to sand some of the tabs to make it fit. I love the stained floors, they make me happy just looking at them.

I hope this isn't too long. I can get a little wordy.

[CraftyMtnMom]

Welcome to the forum! Glad you could join us.

There are a lot of helpful people and tons of advice and encouragement here.

You have found a great place to be a part of.

[gina152]

Glad you are going to do the project. I truly enjoy getting lost in my miniature world and hope you will too. Keep us posted,

[morgansmith]

Welcome, Paula

Feel free to get as wordy as you want. We all love to hear anything mini. And whatba fun story you have. It sounds like the mini bug wanted to bite you so bad it chased you from one coast to the other

After you have posted 5 times you can start albums and share pictures better as well as sharing them in your posts. The Orchid is a popular kit and we'll all love to see your version.

This is a wonderful forum. My favorite of all time, in fact. I hope you love it here too.

Have fun

Morgan

[kat57]

Paula,you will have such a blast here! KathieB is one of my favorite Orchid builders,I just must say! I believe there are 3 versions in her albums/gallery.

And just yesterday Roxy,aka Roxxie2,revealed hers-

http://roxysminithings.blogspot.com/

It is perfect,imo!

[gttygrl]

Thanks, everyone, I'm looking forward to being part of a miniature community. I was mostly on my own when I tried this the first time, it was all pre-WWW.

That Blue Orchid is beautiful! I particularly love the living room and the kitty-corner couch.

This morning I dug deep into the closet to find the box of mini-faves that I kept from 20 years ago (it was a very dusty box!). So much adorableness that I'd totally forgotten about--little plants and tiny handmade dolls. I'll take pictures tonight.

[Soapz]

Welcome to the forum, Paula!

The floors look great, can't wait to see it finished.

... although I can't believe you gave up a Worthington...

[Lion.Mother]

Welcome Paula!

If it makes you feel any better, I threw out my childhood McKinley a year and a half ago, since I had about zero interest in miniatures then. I'm sure I'll feel even worse if I end up with a daughter who wants a victorian wall house someday... rather than playing with my old one, I'll have to scratch build her the house of her dreams just to deal with the guilt. Ha!

[havanaholly]

Welcome to the little family, Paula. I have built two Orchids (one was the White Orchid) and I found another one in a thrift shop that called my name to be rehabbed, since it had been built with hot gloue and was beginning to fall apart. I would sell my eldest child to get a Worthington kit! (well, maybe not...)

[gttygrl]

I spent today image googling Newbergs and Worthingtons, and even found a Newberg kit on eBay (didn't buy it, though). I can still see that Worthington skeleton, empty with all the extra bits hanging out in the rooms, waiting to be finished, sitting in the hallway for years. Breaks my heart now.

But that's ok! 'Cause the box of old favorites I found makes up for it all! So many cute things to move into the Orchid once it's finished, I feel all extra motivated.

(https://www.dropbox.com/s/4l1odgwebykmpxw/2014-03-06%2018.27.19.jpg)

[kat57]

A-dorable stuff! See,just follow my motto and you'll be fine! Make that lemonade! ;) Cut yourself some slack-can't change what is done and you shouldn't be made to feel bad about it!! Think of all the future fun!

[gttygrl]

The glue on the shell is drying now. I'm excited for the weekend, I left it wide open so I can focus on the house.