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Garfield dollhouse


Ten

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I recently purchased a green leaf garfield dollhouse. What I thought was going to be easy assembly. Has turned out to be very trying for assembly this product. In further I am not going to be purchasing any more Greenleaf ;product.

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Charlane, I wouldn't throw in the towel over it.  The Garfield is the biggest house they make.  Big = more complicated.  There are a lot of Greenleaf dollhouses that I've built that were easier and the thing I love about Greenleaf over other dollhouse manufacturers is the detail.

 

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The quality of the wood. I was shocked when I opened up the box. . I have put together a Real Toy Dollhouse. It was not easy but I found the quality of the wood used was superior. I just want to put the house together and call it a day. I bought different things to go into this garfield house and I don't even want to put the things in this garfield house. I am going to put the things that I purchased into my next house that I am going to be working on. 

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1 hour ago, Ten said:

I recently purchased a green leaf garfield dollhouse. What I thought was going to be easy assembly. Has turned out to be very trying for assembly this product. 

I'm sorry you didn't do more research before making the purchase. As Esther pointed out, big = more complicated. It takes patience to build a house like that.There are a few members here who successfully built the Garfield as beginners. It wasn't quick or easy, and the collected expertise of the members here lent support. It's definitely not a house for someone who wants instant gratification.

Some of us are more into the building and some are more into decorating. If displaying the furniture and accessories is more important to you, perhaps you'd be happier buying a house already built and concentrate on decorating it. Many such houses can be found on eBay or Craigslist. 

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I buy my greenleafs readymade off Craigslist. Best thing ever.

Just an FYI, if you want to reach out to greenleaf customer service and tell them to make easier to build houses, you can give them feedback directly at:

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/about-us/greenleaf_dollhouse.html

This site is a forum of miniature fans.

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Greenleaf dollhouse kits make into uniquely lovely houses with lots of detail.  The thin wood makes not only this level of detail possible, but considerably lowers the cost to produce and, therefore, the overall cost of the finished kit.  The kits are easily assembled with glue; this does not mean that they are "easy" or quick to put together.

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Don't give up!   I was absolutely new at miniatures when I got my Garfield kit.  Please take a look at my gallery of the Garfield.   I started working on it over 4 years ago and it was a challenge but certainly worth the effort.   I consider it an art project.   There are many others on this forum who built their Garfields and the forum was so helpful to me as a beginner.   Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've built several Greenleaf dollhouses, including the Garfield.  It's not the easiest, but it's not the hardest I have built.  A couple of strategies I use is I label all of the sheets and group them by structural vs. decorative and by what order I need them.  I do multiple dry fits with as many pieces as possible together before I glue anything.  I also use a battery-powered Dremel to sand my pieces (corded can be too powerful if you're not careful).  It cuts down on sanding and splinters in fingers.  Finally, I gather all of the soup cans from my cupboards and use them to hold walls up while they are drying.

There is one big advantage to working with the thin wood of Greenleaf dollhouses.  You can add or subtract doors and windows or change their shapes easily because the wood is easy to cut.  I've also used leftover scraps to add walls and to change the front door location..  I was able to transform my Garfield into a Tudor/Jacobean era manor house just by a few renovations.  

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Great comments!   Even being new at this I also found it relatively easy to change various components on my Garfield.   I put in extra windows, changed out all of the doors and windows to working ones and removed the closet in the 2nd bedroom to make room for a bookcase.   It was a labor of love.   I also dry fit the walls numerous times before they were glued because I did a lot of planning and did the wallpaper, decorative painting and woodwork ahead of time.   I even made all the curtains and put them in place before everything got permanently glued.   I couldn't have done so much because many areas are quite difficult to reach once the walls are up.    This was a fun historical and artistic project which is how these dollhouses should be viewed, at least that is how I perceived it.

Hopefully this will give some encouragement!

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  • 3 weeks later...

I built the Garfield. It was but involved. A spot I got stuck in for days then just like that a light bulb went on and the stumping step was an easy fix. There were times I would walk away and when I came back it was looking at it in a whole new life. You're going to love it when it's done. The hardest part was papering as I built because some areas you can't access after it's built. But it's well worth the effort. I have pictures in my gallery. Check out moreminis@blogspot.com There are step by step instructions with pictures. Got me through some rough spots.

 

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OMG!   I remember looking at your blog many times as I found it so helpful and constructive when I was just beginning my Garfield.   I bookmarked your blog as it is full of all sorts of great ideas.   Thank you for all of your suggestions!

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On 1/14/2017, 7:05:11, Mary11 said:

 I have pictures in my gallery. Check out moreminis@blogspot.com There are step by step instructions with pictures. Got me through some rough spots.

This is a little misleading. http://moreminis.blogspot.com is the website of our member Gina. What Mary posted is an email address.

Mary's gallery is here.

[FYI-There is a standing rule here not to post email addresses in this forum as it is open to the anyone who surfs in, including spammers, web bots, etc.]

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I always

5 hours ago, KathieB said:

This is a little misleading. http://moreminis.blogspot.com is the website of our member Gina. What Mary posted is an email address.

Mary's gallery is here.

[FYI-There is a standing rule here not to post email addresses in this forum as it is open to the anyone who surfs in, including spammers, web bots, etc.]

I'm sorry. When I put that in I get the page. I just tried it now and I got the page, but I did notice it changed it to the . instead of @.  Sorry again. Didn't mean to post an email.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Oh my goodness, I am putting together my 2nd dollhouse which is the Garfield, I love it!!  I love all the work, I love that it is going to take forever, because I work full time and can only work on it some time.  I love to plan the work and the colors and the curtains, I just love it!! All I've done so far is the foundation and some of the staircase and staining the stairs and planning the electric and all kinds of stuff!!

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Lynne, you have absolutely nailed the attitude towards building a kit successfully.  Somewhere between waiting for glue & paint to dry and dry fitting the next section, do drop in at the Newcomers' Forum and post an introduction.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/15/2016, 9:50:52, shannonc60 said:

This blog may help. Gina is a member here and also has lots of tips and photos as she walks through builds, including the Garfield.

Can you send me a link to Gina's page? 

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58 minutes ago, H-Ann said:

Can you send me a link to Gina's page? 

 

On ‎1‎/‎16‎/‎2017‎ ‎1‎:‎14‎:‎31‎, KathieB said:

This is a little misleading. http://moreminis.blogspot.com is the website of our member Gina. What Mary posted is an email address.

Mary's gallery is here...

KathieB had done so in a previous post.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 16/12/2016, 7:44:17, Ten said:
On 16/12/2016, 8:59:10, KathieB said:

I'm sorry you didn't do more research before making the purchase. As Esther pointed out, big = more complicated. It takes patience to build a house like that.There are a few members here who successfully built the Garfield as beginners. It wasn't quick or easy, and the collected expertise of the members here lent support. It's definitely not a house for someone who wants instant gratification.

Some of us are more into the building and some are more into decorating. If displaying the furniture and accessories is more important to you, perhaps you'd be happier buying a house already built and concentrate on decorating it. Many such houses can be found on eBay or Craigslist. 

I recently purchased a green leaf garfield dollhouse. What I thought was going to be easy assembly. Has turned out to be very trying for assembly this product. In further I am not going to be purchasing any more Greenleaf ;product.

 

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Hi TEN, I am sorry you have had trouble with the Garfield. I am building and have been for quite a long time as other commitments keep getting in the way. I love my Garfield, and have been working on each room wall by wall. It probely is not easy but with a little bit of hard ship comes more love. Take it as it comes as suggested in the manual, and work through it slowly bit by bit. What seems like a huge problem will not be so bad when you get into it. Give it a go, you maybe very surprised.....what do you have to loose. Dianne A.

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So true Holly, My husband wanted to buy me a kit a few years ago and I said no way, I can't do that. I love dollhouses but couldn't see myself building one. Instead I have chosen to rehab one. Although I am finding that not to be to easy, but I am learning to relax and enjoy it. I broke the upstairs railing the other day (tight fit in these little rooms) and I actually said to myself "good now I have more room, I'll glue it back when I'm ready" . Maybe when I am done, I will try my hand at a kit. 

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