Hello, I am new here and to the hobby

[spoorium]

Hello! I'm new to here and to the hobby as the title states. I have only a tiny bit of experience making dioramas, but I want to work on dollhouses as well. I'm like so new I hardly know what forums and places to talk to people and learn, and I found this place through google so I figured it was a good place to start. 

A bit about me: I do like making things in general. I make props and costumes, paint, and have some sculpting experience. I do not know much about woodworking and the tools needed (ex, I would like to use craft plywood but the scroll saws kinda scare me). But I'm always ready to learn and in the meantime will focus on working with kits. If any of you have tips or advice, it's very welcome, thanks. <3

[rodentraiser]

Welcome! I'm off to make my supper, but I want to tell you the people here are super talented and helpful. I think the first thing you should do is look at as many dollhouses as possible to see what style you like and see if any of them "talk" to you. You have to love the house you're working on because there will be times when you want to throw it down and stomp on it. If you see a house you'd like to replicate, or if you see a house and you can start imagining how you want to decorate it in your mind, that's a good start. You might want to start with a large house, or just jump into a small one to begin with. Some house kits cost a ton of money, so you may be limited by your finances, too. If you find a house you like, we can probably tell you the cheapest place to get it at.

Meantime, check out the Gallery here and you can also go on Pinterest and search under 'dollhouse', or just enter 'dollhouse' in Google and then click on 'Images'.

[armymom166]

Hi, Sydney, and welcome!  This forum is a great place to find tips and advice. And I know what you mean about scroll saws - I have an unreasonable fear of losing a finger. 

Sounds like you plan to build your house from scratch.  Once you have five posts you will be able to create an album, and I would love to see your progress!

 

[spoorium]

6 minutes ago, rodentraiser said:

Welcome! I'm off to make my supper, but I want to tell you the people here are super talented and helpful. I think the first thing you should do is look at as many dollhouses as possible to see what style you like and see if any of them "talk" to you. You have to love the house you're working on because there will be times when you want to throw it down and stomp on it. If you see a house you'd like to replicate, or if you see a house and you can start imagining how you want to decorate it in your mind, that's a good start. You might want to start with a large house, or just jump into a small one to begin with. Some house kits cost a ton of money, so you may be limited by your finances, too. If you find a house you like, we can probably tell you the cheapest place to get it at.

Meantime, check out the Gallery here and you can also go on Pinterest and search under 'dollhouse', or just enter 'dollhouse' in Google and then click on 'Images'.

I've been on pinterest for much of today.  That's when I decided it's time to jump in! I will do that, look at the dollhouses and make some notes of what I personally love. I think I'll just start small for now, I don't have a big budget for my crafts and it will be shared with my other projects, so I will also continue to practice on little sets/dioramas. 

[spoorium]

7 minutes ago, armymom166 said:

Hi, Sydney, and welcome!  This forum is a great place to find tips and advice. And I know what you mean about scroll saws - I have an unreasonable fear of losing a finger. 

Sounds like you plan to build your house from scratch.  Once you have five posts you will be able to create an album, and I would love to see your progress!

 

I would like to! I'm rereading one of my favorite books and it's got me in the mood to create my own little houses and sets from scenes of the book (cue a dreamy sigh). 

I will likely work on a small simple house and some more dioramas for practice for now. I am quite new and don't want to take on anything big rn! Also, scroll saws really do look scary. D: hopefully I will get to use one and practice later, but I'm in no rush whatsoever.

[armymom166]

10 minutes ago, spoorium said:

. D: hopefully I will get to use one and practice later, but I'm in no rush whatsoever.

I believe that is the best approach to miniatures.  Miniature houses will not be "forced"!  I got an inexpensive kit to make sure I had the stamina to tackle something bigger, and got bitten by the miniatures bug before I was finished.  The house that I intended as kind of a throwaway is now my favorite and so much a part of me that I can't imagine getting rid of it.  

[spoorium]

4 minutes ago, armymom166 said:

I believe that is the best approach to miniatures.  Miniature houses will not be "forced"!  I got an inexpensive kit to make sure I had the stamina to tackle something bigger, and got bitten by the miniatures bug before I was finished.  The house that I intended as kind of a throwaway is now my favorite and so much a part of me that I can't imagine getting rid of it.  

That sounds lovely! Should I keep browsing here to find inexpensive kits/ideas? 

[Sable]

Welcome. Greenleaf and Corona kits are both available on the Greenleaf Main site. They are inexpensive kits available in die stamped or laser cut.  They use a thin wood which offers more design choices but require more time to prepare and put together.  The more expensive kits by other manufacturers are heavier plywood or glued pressboard. They are generally more box shaped with less details.  However, they also come with pre-made windows and functioning doors.  My first kit was a Corona Primrose then I moved up to a much larger 3/8" thick plywood house, then onto custom builds. Each house gave me new skills while i aquired more funds to spend on quality tools and supplies. Good luck.

[havanaholly]

Welcome to the little family, Sydney.  If you can use a sewing machine without stabbing your fingers with the needle you can probably use a scroll saw; the secret to using a power saw is fences and push sticks.  I build kits and modify (BASH!) them and make pretty much everything I put into them.  I began with a little needlecraft experience ( used to make clothes and soft toys) and some drawing & painting, and I used to make things out of modeling clay when I was a little girl.  My husband is very good about teaching me to use power tools.

There is a toolbar at the top of the page on the left hand side and the rightmost "button" there is "Store", which takes you to the Greenleaf store site when clicked.  At the very bottom of the page, under all the posts, There are two "buttons, "Theme" and "Contact Us", and beneath them "Greenleaf Doll House Kits" that will take you to the Greenleaf home page:  http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/

I recommend browsing around the Forum to see all the sections; this might help you when you are ready to ask questions.

[KathieB]

Hi Sydney, and welcome to the forum. You've gotten a lot of good advice already. I'll add my two cents by saying that I mostly build Greenleaf/Corona  houses and don't use power tools except for a Dremel, even for extreme bashing. Eighth-inch plywood can be cut with a sharp utility knife/box cutter. Foam core board can be used for additional walls; once it is painted, papered or sided, it looks just like the other walls and is just as sturdy. You probably have all of the tools and supplies you need to get started.

Do you know what scale you want to work in? You mentioned thinking about recreating several houses from a book you're reading. If you're looking to create scenes, you might look at the  Greenleaf villages. There are three of them in 1/4" scale. Among them you'll find a good variety of architectural styles, some of which may be suitable. (Some are miniature replicas of larger 1:12 and 1:24 Greenleaf houses.)

Do browse here, both for inspiration and education. There is a wealth of information and a cadre of talented folks eager to share what they've learned.

Welcome!

[rodentraiser]

I love Greenleaf, but my finances aren't all that great. So I decide what I want and then haunt eBay or Craig's List and wait till it shows up at a price I can afford. You know, if you find a house kit you like, or even one already put together, you may just want to keep it the way it is and not bash the house into something different. You wouldn't need to use a scroll saw or a jigsaw in that case.

You'd be surprised at what bargains are out there. People bite off more than they can chew and they get their houses half done and wham! those houses end up on Craig's List for a fraction of their purchase price. So take your time looking. There's lots to see out there.

[havanaholly]

I very seldom use power tools, usually only when making furniture.

[mesp2k]

Hey Sydney, welcome to the forum 

[armymom166]

On 8/29/2016, 11:26:21, spoorium said:

That sounds lovely! Should I keep browsing here to find inexpensive kits/ideas? 

My first kit was a Greenleaf Orchid, which is very inexpensive and really pretty.  I love that little house!  You can find alot of Orchid albums on this forum as it seems to be a pretty popular house.

[spoorium]

Thank you all for your replies. I'll make a note of it and probably order soon. I'm very excited! In the mean time, I will keep lurking here ha.

[havanaholly]

While you're lurking, check out the kits in the Greenleaf store.  You'll be happier building the one that calls your name.