Goshengirl Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Greetings! I recently moved to a new apartment where I finally have room to work on a hobby I have been meaning to pick up for a long time - dollhouses! My parents gave me a Tennyson dollhouse for Christmas when I was 12, and they built it for me and I loved it. My mom wallpapered and curtained the rooms, my dad wired it for lights and I collected furniture and dolls. Then I became an adult and kept the dollhouse, but it was relegated to spare rooms and attics and, following a divorce five years ago, my parent's garage. I rescued it a couple weeks ago and now it needs some TLC and sprucing up. I have thoroughly cleaned it (it was filthy!) and stripped out the old, broken wiring and I am going to shingle the roof and add baseboard/crown molding and other trim work. It is in pretty good shape considering it's 30 years old. I'm excited to be working on it and feel like I'm revisiting an old friend. I want to refurbish and improve it but also keep it as the dollhouse I loved as a girl. So I'm here for inspiration and advice! I will add pictures once I figure out how to do it, lol. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Sounds like you have a clean slate to work with. Browse through sites like Pinterest to get some ideas. Go to a store like Michael's and look at their scrapbook papers for wallpaper. Miniatures.com and other sites have loads of trim for baseboards and moldings. When I visit my father near Columbia MD I go to a small DH shop in a woman's basement. She has everything you'd need. I'll see if I can find the name of it. Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 It's in Olney, MD. Forever Friends is it's name: http://foreverfriendsminis.com 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goshengirl Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 Thank you so much! I am in Frederick so that would not be a far drive for me. I have been looking on miniatures.com and ebay and have bought some craft supplies from Michaels, but am trying to decide exactly what I want to do before starting anything major. Fortunately the original wallpaper is in good shape, and I just had to rip out the warped wood flooring from the kitchen, which came up easily, and the old wiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Welcome to the little family, Cheryl. I'm glad your house was still there for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueirishmoon Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Welcome to the forum! The Tennyson is such a cute house. Looking forward to following your progress. Once you reach five posts you can start a gallery and add as many pictures as you'd like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goshengirl Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 Thanks so much for the warm welcome! I am excited but also a little petrified to start doing anything major because I'm very new to this and afraid of making some horrible mistake. I've been debating with myself about re-wiring it for lights because I'm trying to stay within a budget, and this little hobby could get expensive. I know it's a decision I should make before putting in new flooring and trimwork. Does anyone have advice for removing blobs of dried wood glue? There are two pretty big blobs running down the roof from where the dormer window is attached. I guess I could just shingle over them, but if there is some way to remove the glue that would be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Try a blow dryer to soften the glue and carefully scrape it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Also give it a dab of vinegar to coax it loose. Do not fear mistakes; you are human and, like the rest of us, you will make mistakes ( I have made some monumental ones!). Mistaks re excellent ways to learn how not to do something, or lead to some creative bashing with lovely results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Plus RL is never truly perfect. Normal mistakes can actually make it look more realistic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goshengirl Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 Ahhh...thank you so much! I dabbed with vinegar and then used my blow dryer and the glue came right up with a butter knife. I never would have thought of that :-) I know mistakes will happen, I just hope nothing too dramatic or irreversible, LOL. I'm very happy I found this forum to help me along the way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Welcome to the group, have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beyondbaffled Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Hello and welcome Cheryl! I come here for the inspiration and advice as well - that's how I found out how to warm glue and de-wig one of my dolls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soapz Posted April 18, 2015 Share Posted April 18, 2015 Welcome to the forum, Cheryl - I'm sure you'll love working on that Tennyson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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