Building The Allison by Artply

[lizabel22]

Hi! I live in Tennessee & am starting my 1st dollhouse build at the ripe age of 24. I got the Allison by Artply kit since it was only $40 and thought it might be an easier first house. If anyone built that, any tips are helpful

I am kind of nervous starting it...not sure where to start. The instructions are kind of lame & my work space for building sucks (think floor, upstairs computer desk, & downstairs kitchen table). Can't even find wallpaper paste where I live! Frustrating & nervous that I might mess up...but exciting Just ordered Caco type dolls as my dollhouse dolls.

[GirlPiper]

Take a deep breath.  Look at the instructions; put them aside; get a cuupa something; look at the parts; and re-read the instructions. You are bigger than that box, and it's nothing but a box of wood until YOU start assembling it.

 

You don't need real wallpaper paste.  Glue works.  Look at the postings here and gather some background--like most of us don't use a hot melt glue as it doesn't hold up real well.  If you make a mistake, either redo it or cover it up, or make it a part of your design.

 

Most of all, feel free to ask questions here, and have fun.

 

 

[havanaholly]

Welcome to the little family, Liz.  Go out and buy yourself a roll or two of masking tape or painter's tape and as you reread the instructions, put the pieces of the main house together with the tape.  Doing this will give you the chance to sand or gently shave the wood parts so they fit together better, and you can see how it can go together without the frustration of having to unglue things because a part got put upside down (I have done this).  Additionally doing this will give you some idea of how the house will look and what areas you might not be able to fit your hand/s into to decorate after it's glued together. 

The house will usually begin to talk to you somewhere during this dry fit, telling you its story and how it wants to look.  You are not going over the high side into banana land if this occurs; you are simply meeting your kit and making friends with it.

[armymom166]

Hi, Liz!  About halfway through my first house in 20 years, I realized that this was the best hobby ever.  There is such great information on this forum and it is so much fun to see everyone's pictures.  Dry fit is the best advice ever.  I, like Holly, have glued a piece on upside down - I managed to fix it, but it was definitely a "DUH" moment for me.

 

I hope you post lots of pictures, it is always so much fun for me to see how creative everyone is!