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G'day from Australia!


aussieguy84

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Hi Everyone,

Greetings from Brisbane Australia! 

Last weekend I bought my first doll house kit, the half scaled Fairfield, and eagerly await it's arrival. I've been reading up this morning about everyone's experience with the building process and have enjoyed looking over all the lovely finished houses in the galleries. It feels a little bit daunting as I'm a bit of a perfectionist and of course have never done a dollhouse build but I'm excited about the challenge! I'm sure i'm going to have many silly questions to ask along the way, so I apologise in advance ;-p 

Looking forward to being part of the community and getting to know everyone : - )

Cheers Scott

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Welcome to the little family, Scott.  Why must your questions be silly, if you need to ask them?  Is someone grading you on this?  I bit off 'way more than I could chew and built two Fairfields at the same time, to be halves of a Bar Harbor, Maine, Summer "Cottage".  Real life houses are NOT "perfect", and mistakes are learning opportunities.

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Hi, Scott, and welcome!  The Fairfield is a lovely house and I can't wait to build mine, but there are a few other houses in my shop that are screaming for attention first.  That miniature bug bites HARD, lol!

Please keep us updated on your progress, and we always love pictures...

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On 11/5/2016, 12:19:20, Beulah said:

Welcome Scott,   I was bit by the bug myself this year.  I am on my second.  My third has arrived in the mail, also a 1/2 scale this time.  I am excited to get started on that one.  

Hi Joanne - Which half scale have you bought? Would be interested in hearing where you are buying all your finishes from! How did your first build go? Had look on your profile but you haven't got any pictures in your albums : - ( Scott

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On 11/5/2016, 12:52:26, havanaholly said:

Welcome to the little family, Scott.  Why must your questions be silly, if you need to ask them?  Is someone grading you on this?  I bit off 'way more than I could chew and built two Fairfields at the same time, to be halves of a Bar Harbor, Maine, Summer "Cottage".  Real life houses are NOT "perfect", and mistakes are learning opportunities.

Hi Holly

Thanks for your warm welcome! No - no grading : - p Yes you're right - there will be many mistakes and many learning opportunities!

I just had a look at your album for your Fairfield - it's delightful : - ) 

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On 11/5/2016, 1:40:23, armymom166 said:

Hi, Scott, and welcome!  The Fairfield is a lovely house and I can't wait to build mine, but there are a few other houses in my shop that are screaming for attention first.  That miniature bug bites HARD, lol!

Please keep us updated on your progress, and we always love pictures...

Hi Debra! I had a bit of a peep in your albums and your styling and attention to details in your rooms is stunning. Are you still thinking your christmas deadline for the "Haleigh House" is achievable? Much more to go? 

Looking forward to sharing the process with you all!

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On 11/5/2016, 4:20:51, Samusa said:

Hi Scott, :wave:

We have a couple of things in common. We are both on our first builds and.... we're neighbours! :D

Hi Samantha! It's nice to see a fellow Brisvagas citizen ;-p Your San Fran kit is gorgeous. What a great eBay find! Can I ask where are you sourcing all your materials from? I think for me a trip to good old Bunnings is in order ;-p

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20 hours ago, thresadep said:

Welcome :wave: really considering Fairfield for my keep house. Plus being smaller scale, I can work on it in my kitchen. I'm just unsure if it's a fun build or a pain. Look forward to your build posts.

 

 

 

Hi Thresa - I actually had my heart set of the full scale Beacons Hill! Then, like you, thought about the room it would take up for not only the build but display afterwards. The Fairfield's charm and uniqueness won me over ;-p I think the smaller is going to be annoying at times but I'm very much looking forward to it. 

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I hope one of the moderators catches the hiccups and removes the duplicate posts, which can be a PIA.  I have brought them to their attention.

I make most of everything that goes into my houses.  I had acquired  few rooms of ready-made furniture from http://www.miniatures.com only to see, when I staged it long with the 1:24 kit pieces and the 1:24 scratch furniture nd people I had made, that it was 'way too small! and I ended up making all my furniture, which was actually fun.  I used a lot of turned toothpicks; I found those at a liquor store with the party supplies.  I find strip wood and dowels at the hardware store and basswood and mini millwork at the hobby shop and polymer clay at art supply stores; and I use a lot of "found" items to make things, like a single-serving jelly packet I used with polymer clay and plain toothpicks to build the kitchen sink:

kitchen.JPG

I have several books for making 1:12 dollhouse furniture that I scaled down to 1:24, like the other items in the kitchen, or my Knowle settee, which I upholstered in an old polyester necktie:

library.JPG

So have at it and have fun.

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Hi, Scott, and welcome to the forum! I mostly build 1:12 but have switched over to 1:24 for my houseboat and Christmas house. I thought I'd have a problem switching gears but discovered that after a couple of "Wow, that's small!" reactions, my mind adapted rather quickly and my fingers followed suit. Once you get into it, scale shouldn't be an issue. 

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Hello Scott and Welcome to the neighborhood! That Fairfield is such a grand Victorian! I can't wait to see what you do with it! Have you decided on exterior colors schemes or finishes yet? I find it easier to decorate the insides as I build, otherwise my hands can't reach inside  and I get frustrated then. There are so many wonderful lights and other things now in that scale too than when I first started! I look forward to seeing your work! 

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21 hours ago, havanaholly said:

I make most of everything that goes into my houses. 

Your pieces are lovely! 

 

21 hours ago, KathieB said:

Hi, Scott, and welcome to the forum! I mostly build 1:12 but have switched over to 1:24 for my houseboat and Christmas house. I thought I'd have a problem switching gears but discovered that after a couple of "Wow, that's small!" reactions, my mind adapted rather quickly and my fingers followed suit. Once you get into it, scale shouldn't be an issue. 

Hi Kathie - thanks for your warm welcome! I did a set design/model making subject as part of my undergraduate university degree (which was some time ago now!) so i'm looking forward to drawing on those skills! Looking forward to seeing your 1:24 scale constructions!

 

17 hours ago, Minis On The Edge said:

Hello Scott and Welcome to the neighborhood! That Fairfield is such a grand Victorian! I can't wait to see what you do with it! Have you decided on exterior colors schemes or finishes yet? I find it easier to decorate the insides as I build, otherwise my hands can't reach inside  and I get frustrated then. There are so many wonderful lights and other things now in that scale too than when I first started! I look forward to seeing your work! 

Hi Tracey - oh yes it's very charming! I was sold the moment i saw it! I was actually going to purchase the 1;12 Beacons Hill instead but at the very last minute changed my mind.

Finishes as you go is a great tip! I had a trip to hardware store today to get some necessary supplies (sand paper, good quality wood glue, brushes, gap filler, etc...) and a quick look at the paints and varnishes. I think i'll head back in the next few days when my hands aren;t as full! I've bookmarked some great sites for lights, wallpaper, flooring and window/door/balcony/stair upgrades. I'm just going to sit on it all for a few days : - p 

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I also decorate as I build, especially in 1:24.  I also finish up on the walls before I install the windows & doors & trims.  For working doors I finally discovered how to make them pin-hinged (in 1:12, but I shall use it next time I build in 1:24).  I traced around the door opening onto a piece of scrap paper and made a box out of 1/4" strip wood that fit within the tracing.  Then I traced round the inside of the box and used that tracing as a pattern to cut the door from 1/8" basswood.  After I had glued on the panels and borders and let them dry in clamps and sanded the sharp corners off the edges of the side I wanted to hinge, I set the door into the box, marked the edge I wanted to hinge on the outside of the box and clamped the assembly into my bench vise and nailed a steel dressmaker's pin into the assembly; then flipped it around to nail another pin into the bottom; cut off the extensions of the pins and finished tapping them in; painted the whole assembly and when it was all dry I glued it into the opening.  Then I made, painted and installed the trims around both sides of the wall.  Before that I used strips of chamois and glued half of them between two pieces of wood for the door, and the rest between the wall & the surrounding trim.

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Welcome, Scott!  I love the Fairfield, even though it's a bit of a challenge.  (I'm about 3/4 of the way through on mine.)  There are lots of good blogs out there, which can be an enormous help in alerting you to possible issues and what areas you might need to finish decorating before moving on to further construction.  They're also a great source of inspiration and possibilities.  I think someone's already mentioned Gina's blog at http://moreminis.blogspot.com/.  Also, check out the Fairfield on Architecture of Tiny Distinction (maintained by an Aussie architecture student): http://tinydistinction.blogspot.com/search/label/Fairfield%20Dollhouse   She's done an amazing job, with some interesting modifications.

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On 11/7/2016, 9:48:11, havanaholly said:

I also decorate as I build, especially in 1:24.  I also finish up on the walls before I install the windows & doors & trims.  For working doors I finally discovered how to make them pin-hinged (in 1:12, but I shall use it next time I build in 1:24).  I traced around the door opening onto a piece of scrap paper and made a box out of 1/4" strip wood that fit within the tracing.  Then I traced round the inside of the box and used that tracing as a pattern to cut the door from 1/8" basswood.  After I had glued on the panels and borders and let them dry in clamps and sanded the sharp corners off the edges of the side I wanted to hinge, I set the door into the box, marked the edge I wanted to hinge on the outside of the box and clamped the assembly into my bench vise and nailed a steel dressmaker's pin into the assembly; then flipped it around to nail another pin into the bottom; cut off the extensions of the pins and finished tapping them in; painted the whole assembly and when it was all dry I glued it into the opening.  Then I made, painted and installed the trims around both sides of the wall.  Before that I used strips of chamois and glued half of them between two pieces of wood for the door, and the rest between the wall & the surrounding trim.

Oh Holly - you're too far advanced for me! I'll be buying all my doors this first time round ;-p 

21 hours ago, Debsrand56 said:

Welcome, Scott!  I love the Fairfield, even though it's a bit of a challenge.  (I'm about 3/4 of the way through on mine.)  There are lots of good blogs out there, which can be an enormous help in alerting you to possible issues and what areas you might need to finish decorating before moving on to further construction.  They're also a great source of inspiration and possibilities.  I think someone's already mentioned Gina's blog at http://moreminis.blogspot.com/.  Also, check out the Fairfield on Architecture of Tiny Distinction (maintained by an Aussie architecture student): http://tinydistinction.blogspot.com/search/label/Fairfield%20Dollhouse   She's done an amazing job, with some interesting modifications.

Hi Deborah - thank your for your lovely welcome! You're blue Fairfield is charming :-) I can see from your finishes that you have taken a great deal of time but I would image much joy in what you have completed to date. Love your new trunk! Yes - every attic needs one!!! I already happened to stumble across Gina's blog and have found it an invaluable resource. I hadn't seen Architecture of Tiny Distinction! Thanks for sharing the links : - ) Looking forward to seeing more progress on your Fairfield!

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On 11/7/2016, 5:22:31, aussieguy84 said:

Hi Kathie - thanks for your warm welcome! I did a set design/model making subject as part of my undergraduate university degree (which was some time ago now!) so i'm looking forward to drawing on those skills! Looking forward to seeing your 1:24 scale constructions!

At one time there was a limited run of 1:12 Greenleaf Orchids made in a plastic material I was lucky enough to get one of them. The smooth, slightly pearlized surface made me think of a mushroom, and the Christmas White Orchid arose from that inspiration. The little elves were nearer 1:24 scale, so I had to adapt the interior. You can see it in my Blogspot blog here.

The houseboat was done for the Hobby Builders Supply Creatin' Contest in 2007. Again, I started with a 1:12 houseboat kit. For some reason (still a mystery to me), I wanted a 2-story ballroom in it. So, a basic shoebox design turned into a 2-story floating home for a family of frogs. It's blogged in my Greenleaf blog, here.

So both of my 1:24 builds are the result of major bashing of 1:12 kits. It sounds like it shouldn't work but both turned out surprisingly well.

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On 11/6/2016, 5:31:15, aussieguy84 said:

Hi Samantha! It's nice to see a fellow Brisvagas citizen ;-p Your San Fran kit is gorgeous. What a great eBay find! Can I ask where are you sourcing all your materials from? I think for me a trip to good old Bunnings is in order ;-p

Hi Again,

Sorry for the late reply I had a quick work trip to Germany this week so have been out of the forum loop for a week or so.

So yeah... sourcing in Brisvegas is a little difficult but I do use Bunnings for paint (I use regular semi gloss house paint and microban primer..) Also rustoleum has some good metallic spray paints. Also the hardware section can be useful if you have a good eye and go for the smallest of everything. The craft aisle at Bunnings is fairly limited so I tend to hit Spotlight a bit. You have to find a big one like the one in the homemaker centre at Logan though if you want to find anything useful. You also have to be creative and use things not for their original use. Scrapbook paper is good for wallpaper.. Jewelry findings are small enough to be useful for several different applications like drawer knobs, picture frames etc. or just decoration. Also I've found this VAME  supplier list useful for Australian miniature websites. If you want to visit a miniature store.. The only one I've been to is Christmas Everyday in Southport at the Gold Coast. They are hit and miss on stock though. These are some sites I have bought from and can recommend:

http://www.hobbytools.com.au/  good for specialist tools

http://powergrunthobbies.com.au/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=10  also good for tools & dollhouse building supplies & furniture. Not sure if they do a lot of 1:24 though.

http://www.ryansrealm.com.au/Online_Store.html#!/Miniature-Hardware/c/5491211/offset=0&sort=nameAsc  Janine is very helpful, has reasonable prices & orders over $100 ship for free.... always a bonus.

https://www.hobbyone.com.au/catalogsearch/result/index/?cat=61&q=bass+wood   Hobby one has a store at MacGregor and are good for model wood supplies like bass wood sheets & scale dowel etc.

http://www.manchesterwoodworks.com/index.php?route=product/search&search=1%3A24  This is an American site, but he has a good selection of 1:24 building supplies. The downside is the dollar & shipping costs, but you can email the owner Mark a list of what you would like to buy and he can quote you shipping before you commit. He also has an Ebay shop but the shipping is pre-calculated and not as cheap as if you go through his website directly.

https://www.petitepropertiesltd.com/furniture-c49.html   I haven't shopped here, but they are specialists in the smaller scales.. I think they will be a good source for you. 

I also shop the Chinese sites on Ebay as they offer free shipping. I have had good success on the quality of most of the things I have bought from them. They are very good at refunding, if your item arrives broken or in an incorrect colour etc.

Good Luck! Keep us up to date on your progress. I love the Fairfield and if 1:24 didn't daunt me, I'd be building if for sure!

 

 

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